Epic desserts to satisfy a sweet tooth!

WE LOVE… ELDERFLOWER TARTLETS pg49 //CHOCOLATE TORTE pg50 //PEACHY TART pg55

Zesty bread and butter pudding

SERVES 6-8

800ml (28floz) vanilla soya milk

4 tbsp cornflour

6 tbsp thick-cut marmalade

8 thick slices of white bread, cut diagonally into quarters

4 tbsp sultanas

1 Heat the vanilla soya milk in a pan over a low-medium heat until hot but not boiling. Spoon in the cornflour and use a balloon whisk to mix until combined. Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes until thickened, whisking frequently.

2 Stir in the marmalade and cook for a further minute. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

3 Arrange the quarters of bread in a deep baking dish, allowing them to overlap. Sprinkle the bread with the sultanas. Pour over the hot vanillamarmalade custard, then leave to stand for 10 minutes to allow the bread to absorb some of the custard.

4 Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden and bubbling at the corners. Serve hot.

Tip Vanilla-flavoured soya milk can be found in most supermarkets and health-food stores.

This recipe is taken from Five Ingredient Vegan by Katy Beskow, published by Quadrille (RRP £20). Photography © Luke Albert.

Tahini and fennel seed custard tart with Beldi Preserved Lemons

Recipe by Belazu (www.belazu.com)

SERVES 12-13

400g (14oz) shortcrust pastry, rolled 1cm (½in) thick

For the filling

500g (1lb 1oz) double cream

3 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

8 free-range egg yolks

70g (2½oz) caster sugar

100g (3½oz) tahini

½ a Beldi Preserved Lemon, rinsed with water, flesh removed, skin very finely chopped

1 Preheat the oven to 170ºC/Gas Mark 3. Line a 22cm (8in) deep fluted tart tin with the pastry and use a fork to prick holes in the base. Bake blind by covering with baking parchment and rice or baking beans, then bake for 15-20 minutes. Take out and carefully remove the parchment and weights, then return to the oven, turning the temperature down to 150ºC/Gas Mark 2. If any cracks appear, use some spare pastry to patch them. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown all over. Take out and allow to cool on a wire rack.

2 Put the cream and the fennel seeds in a pan and carefully bring up to the boil, stirring frequently, to avoid the bottom burning. Turn the heat off and allow to infuse for 30 minutes, then use a sieve to remove the fennel seeds and strain into another pan.

3 Set the oven to 130ºC/Gas Mark ½. Put the tahini in large jug. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until the volume increases by a third. Warm the cream again, then slowly whisk into the egg mixture. Return this mixture to the pan and cook on a low heat, stirring with a spatula constantly, until the mixture thickens and you can draw a line across the back of the spatula. Decant into the jug with the tahini and stir thoroughly but gently. Add the preserved lemon and mix.

4 Put the tart shell on a tray and place in the oven. Carefully pour the custard mixture into the tart shell while it is on the oven shelf, or rack.

5 Bake for 15-20 minutes, then check to see if it’s ready by giving the tart a little shake. You want it to be set, but still to have some wobble. If ready, take out and allow to cool before serving.If not, cook for another 5 minutes, then check again.

Guilt-free chocolate mousse

Recipe by Califia Farms (www.califiafarms.com)

MAKES 4

125g (4oz) 70% dark chocolate, melted

60ml (2floz) Califia Farms Coconut

Almondmilk

25g (1oz) cocoa powder

2 large ripe avocados

2 tbsp (30ml) maple syrup

2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract

a pinch of sea salt

For the toppings coconut whipped cream, shaved chocolate and strawberries

1 In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the coconut almond milk, cocoa, melted dark chocolate, avocados, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides.

2 Divide the mousse equally into four bowls or jars, then chill for at least 1 hour to get a more mousselike consistency.