In this Issue

About Sophia Lindop

Farm girl by birth, city girl by marriage… The only constant in my life has always been good, wholesome food, wine and company! Although I chose a variety of career paths in my life, I studied food and wine for six years before embarking on a detour that finally led me back to the kitchen, where I feel so at home! This newsletter is an invitation for you to come into my kitchen, with all its fragrances, warmth and laughter! Please come inside…

Website:
www.sophialindop.com

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Bring it on!

OK, this might sound a little extravagant, but what the heck! Sometimes a little ‘over-the-top’ is just the ‘cherry-on-top’ one needs. And besides, it’s great to feel spoilt and to spoil others…

I have a very dear friend, Lesli, who, not only is a brilliant cook, but she always makes me feel loved and spoilt! A few weeks ago, during one of my crazy busy periods, she invited us for dinner… Now, thereby hangs another tale, but I will share what seems to be the end of that tale, here with you today, because it represents such an important facet of a successful dinner party!

I believe that the choice of dessert will make or break a meal. Somehow, no matter how wonderful the experience was, it is the last impression that you take home with you. So often the menu at a restaurant will be great, the meal great, and then you are offered the dessert menu… Horror! Why restaurants think that ‘chocolate mousse’ and ‘homemade ice-cream and chocolate sauce’ are the way to end a wonderful meal, is beyond comprehension! Anyway, back to Lesli…

Being a chef, the cooking usually comes down to you. (Although I must say that Paddy is great about cooking as well, and he does an amazing job.) Dinner parties at Lesli and Peter’s, however, are a concerted effort to spoil each and every guest – and they achieve their goal! The best part was dessert!

We had all finished our main course when we were summoned to another room… And what we found there was a sight to behold! I felt like a toddler on Easter Sunday! There stood a beautiful yellowwood table, laden with desserts and cheeses. We could pick and choose. “Should I start with cheese? Or should I just skip the cheese and head straight for that chocolate number? Nope! I don’t think so! Check out that delectable little lemon temptress! Now I’m confused! Hmmm… Let’s just start at the very beginning!”

So, I have been copying Lesli and serving an array of mouthwatering desserts after meals, and, I am happy to report, I find it a perfect way to spoil your guests! Other than that, desserts can be prepared beforehand, and that leaves you with time to enjoy your guests as well. Here are a couple of ideas…

Lemon and Yoghurt Cake served with Kumquat and Cardamom Syrup

Makes 1 x 20cm ring cake

Ingredients
250g butter, softened
60ml lemon rind, finely grated
250g castor sugar
3 eggs
60ml desiccated coconut, toasted
50g ground almond
Juice of 1 lemon
400g self-raising flour
250g Greek-style yoghurt
Syrup:
Rind of 5 kumquats, finely sliced
Juice of 3 kumquats
125ml water
100g honey
5 cardamoms, bruised

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC and grease a 20cm ring cake tin.
2. With an electric beater, beat the butter, rind and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Beating well after each addition.
3. With a wooden spoon stir in the coconut, almond, juice, flour and yoghurt until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread evenly.
4. Bake for about 50 minutes then stand for 5 minutes before removing the cake.

For the Syrup:
5. Combine all the ingredients in a pot and stir until the honey has melted. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the syrup has slightly reduced.
6. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving dish.
7. Remove and discard the cardamom from the syrup. Pour the syrup over the cake while still hot and decorate with the sliced kumquat rind.

Little Lemon Pots

I shared this recipe on my Blog a while ago, so forgive me if you've seen this one before.  I am having a lot of fun with these, though.  My sister-in-law, Pam, shared this recipe with me.  It's quick.  It's easy.  And most of all, you'll love them!

Serves 6
Preparation time - 15 minutes
Cooking time - 25 minutes
Difficulty - easy!
...and great thing about this is that you can prepare them 24 hours in advance!

Ingredients
6 large free-range eggs
175g Caster sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
125ml lemon juice
150ml single cream
Icing sugar for dusting
Strawberries and mint for serving

Method
1. Preheat the oven 160°C.
2. Whisk eggs and sugar in a bowl until well mixed.
3. Stir in the lemon rind and juice, and lightly whisk in the cream.
4. Skim off and discard any froth.
5. Strain the custard into six 100ml ovenproof pots.
6. Place in a shallow baking tin, and fill the tin with hot water to come halfway up the sides of the pots.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the custards have set (with just a tiny wobble on the surface.)
8. Remove from baking tin.
9. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold, topped with half a strawberry each, a sprig of mint, and dusted with icing sugar!

Cheese Platters

Another nice thing to add to a dessert table, is a cheese platter.  I love to make these fun and good looking enough to stop my guests in their tracks!  Like this idea...

Chocolate Chilli Brownies

Makes 1 tray of about 30 - 40 brownies
Difficulty - easy
Preparation time - about 20 minutes
Baking time - about 40 minutes
Bake them the night before you need them and leave them overnight in the fridge.

Ingredients
225g butter
350g good quality dark chocolate
3 eggs
225g castor sugar
30ml strong black coffee
75g cake flour
Pinch of salt
5ml vanilla essence
1t chilli powder or crushed chillies (or two medium-sized fresh chillies)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave, and cool.
3. Beat eggs, sugar and coffee until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the chocolate and butter to the mixture.
5. Sift flour and salt over mixture and gently fold in.
6. Add chilli and vanilla essence.
7. Prepare the pan by greasing it with butter and lining it with foil. Grease the foil with butter.  Even better, use silcone baking sheets!  The foil is a bitch to remove.
8. Pour into the pan – 27 x 19 cm.
9. Bake for 40 minutes max.
10. The top must still be moist.
11. Leave in the pan to cool, and leave overnight in the fridge.
12. Cut the next day.

Tips
You can substitute the chilli with 100 – 200g roasted hazelnuts.

So, you see, the best part of every meal should be dessert!   

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Until next time… 

www.sophialindop.com