Opening times
2012

225g/8oz dark chocolate
100g/3oz icing sugar
175g/6oz softened unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated
75g/3oz cocoa powder
Salt
185ml/6½floz cream

Melt chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Stir in the icing sugar, then the butter. Whisk in egg yolks and cocoa. Add a pinch of salt. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Whip the cream until thick then fold in egg whites and cream into the mixture, until well incorporated.

Using a 450g/1lb loaf tin, sprinkle with water inside and line with cling film.
Pour the mixture into the tin and freeze.
Remove from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving and slice into slabs.
Serve with a mint Crème Anglaise

Handful of fresh chopped mint
300ml/½pint full cream milk
2 large egg yolks
1 heaped tbsp caster sugar
Crème de Menthe

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy.
Bring the milk to the boil then whisk the milk into the egg mixture. Return to the saucepan and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon all the time, until the sauce begins to thicken.
Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool.
Mix in the chopped mint and a splash of crème de menthe to taste.
Serve chilled

13 large egg yolks
2 large egg whites
50g/2oz caster sugar
1 tub mascarpone cheese (250g)
150ml/5floz espresso coffee
3 tbsp coffee liqueur
About 24 boudoir biscuits (sponge fingers)
1 tbsp cocoa powder

Put the egg yolks and sugar into a bowl and whisk together until the mixture forms a light pale mousse. In a separate bowl stir the mascarpone with a wooden spoon to soften it, then gradually beat in the egg mixture.
In another separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Now lightly fold this into the egg and cheese mixture.
Pour the coffee (cooled) and liqueur into a shallow dish and dip the sponge fingers in, turning them over to allow them to absorb the coffee. Layer the dessert by putting sponge fingers followed by a layer of
mascarpone mixture, repeat finishing with a layer of mascarpone mixture and dust with cocoa powder.
Chill.

F250g/2oz plain flour
25g/1oz ground almonds
3 eggs beaten (large)
75g/3oz caster sugar
Pinch of salt
¾pint/450ml milk
1 tbsp rum (optional)
50g/2oz butter
1lb cherries (stoned)

Preheat the oven 220°C/425°F/gas 7.
Sift the flour and mix with the almonds and salt, add the beaten eggs.
Heat the milk until luke warm and gradually stir into the egg mixture with rum.
Butter a shallow dish or individual shallow ramekins, put in the cherries and pour over the batter mixture (do not fill too full as the pudding will rise during baking).
Bake for 25 minutes for a large one or 15 minutes for the smaller ones.
Serve warm dusted with icing sugar.

6 slices day old bread
1½lb soft summer fruits
5floz/ 150ml deep red fruit juice.

Remove crusts from bread and cut into slices and use a round cutter for the base and the top.
You can make a large pudding or smaller individual ones.
Soak the bread for a couple of seconds in the juice and then use to line the pudding dish. Pile the fruit into the dish and top with remaining bread
Cover with a plate and put a heavy weight on top.
Refrigerate and serve cold with dollop of clotted cream!!!!!

4 tbsp long grain rice
300ml/½pint milk
150g/5oz butter
30ml/2 tbsp golden syrup
75g/3oz Demerara sugar
450g/1lb apricots halved and stoned or tinned
125g/4oz soft brown sugar
2 eggs separated
3 pieces stem ginger
3 tsp ground ginger

Preheat oven 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
Simmer the rice in the milk in a covered pan for about 25 minutes until tender and the milk is absorbed. Cool.
Melt 1 oz butter with the syrup and Demerara sugar. Spoon into a 18cm/7 inch square lined cake tin. Arrange the apricots and scatter over the chopped ginger.
Beat remaining butter until soft, beat in the soft brown sugar, eggs yolks and cool rice mixture.
Gently fold in the flour and ginger sifted together.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold in too. Spoon into the cake tin and bake for about 55 minutes. Turn out and serve warm with fresh cream.