Poppy Seed Squares
Dec 15, 2010
The absolute beauty of this meal is that it is what everyone I know loves: rustic, satisfying, easy to make, un-pretentious but so incredibly delicious that every single person I've ever made it for has requested a 'repeat performance' just days later! I think it's the perfect thing to serve for a casual night of entertaining- serve it with some great red wine (may I suggest a lovely Cabernet Sauvingnon?) and some balsamic & honey dressed arugula. This menu is condusive to a chilled out night full of great conversation and laughter with people you love. I definitely created it for the people I love!
This traditional English dessert, made with stewed fruit and whipped cream, tastes decadent but has a lovely light texture. For a quick treat, cook the rhubarb the day before, then simply whip the cream and assemble before serving. If fresh rhubarb isn't available, you can substitute the same amount of thawed frozen rhubarb—just thoroughly pat it dry.
This cheesecake, baked in a rectangular pan, suits buffets to a T. Just cut the squares and arrange on a festive platter. To dress up the squares, a little oval of whipped cream wouldn't be amiss, especially if you call on the licorice flavours of the cheesecake by adding a splash of sambuca. Then add a sprinkle of candy-coated fennel seeds (available in South Asian groceries) or thinly sliced pastel and black licorice allsorts. Or focus on the chocolate and serve with a pitcher of Silky Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce.
These super-moist cupcakes make a tasty canvas for a constellation-themed dessert. Mixing black and royal blue paste food colouring makes a deep navy icing that resembles the night sky. Add a little bit of each colour at a time until you reach your desired shade—it will take more food colouring than you may think, but the longer the icing sits, the darker it gets!
For the toasted croûte topping of this sophisticated soup, buy real Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano or a good-quality Grana Padano. You may want to make more croûtes.
Yearning for a beach vacation? Satisfy a bit of that travel itch with tropical fruit—like exotic passion fruit featured in these tasty tarts.
The combination of dark chocolate and caramel make these tarts irresistible.
