Puddings

[sevilleorangemarmalade]

I gave up making puddings a long time ago, but I need to feed pudding people for four nights next week.

Recipes will need to be relatively simple, preferably something I can make in the odd hour during the day. Above all they need to be fail-safe. My last 'entertaining' pudding was lemon surprise pud that is supposed to split into light sponge with a delicious lemony custard beneath, but came out as lemon gloop.

I'll be in a holiday cottage kitchen which is quite small and has a single oven and a microwave. I'll be taking a range of kitchen gadgets with me, just in case.

If we're really busy it may be easier for me to buy in. Are there any bought-in puddings (Sainsbury, Tesco, M&S) that you'd recommend?

Oh, and one of the party is veggie if that's of interest.

For the mains I'll be making a lot of it in advance and freezing.

Night one we're having oven-baked risotto primavera (asparagus, broad beans, spinach) and a green salad with watercress, rocket and some avocado. I may also do some rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes.

Night two is curry night: chickpea curry, chicken curry, spiced greens, Bombay potatoes and rice/ naan

Night three is veggie lasagne with green beans/ salad/ garlic bread

Night four is a souped-up version of Marry Me chicken, with a veggie version made with Quorn (it's not bad), new potatoes, beans, carrots, spinach or whatever's available.

This is what I’d do for the curry night: https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/mango-and-cardamom-trifle-pots.html I know that Tesco sell vegetarian jelly crystals - the brand is called Wibble.

Other quick and easy puddings:
Eton mess with shop bought meringue
Ice cream sundaes or banana splits
Cheat’s choc mousse https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/recipes/a535287/student-recipe-cornershop-cheats-chocolate-mousse/
Summer berry crumble https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/summer-fruit-crumble.html

Thanks! Not sure I can be arsed with faffing around making vegan jelly, but there may be other options.

You could just make vegan jelly for everyone? No more faff than any other jelly?

I don’t think you can beat traditional puddings like crumble and sticky toffee pudding, both of which you could make at home and freeze. Or at least the STP. Crumble quick and easy to make while you’re away.

I'd buy a chilled lemon tart from one of the supermarket ranges...I'd serve with some fresh raspberries and cream.

After the risotto I’d do something like this.https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/entertain/limoncello-syllabub-with-crushed-amaretti/

after the curry I’d do an Indian fruit salad with mango, pineapple, cardamom, saffron shwetainthekitchen.com/fruit-salad-dessert-recipe/ or buy kulfi and or a selection of Indian sweetmeats eg barfi

After the other two something like a crumble - you can make the crumble in advance and take with you.
Nigellas sunken chocolate Amaretto cake
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sunken_chocolate_42872

Rhubarb fool with orange shortbread biscuits - combine rhubarb purée and a pint of Birds custard and whip to soft peaks a carton of double cream and fold in. Easy and delicious. Shortbread make in advance, roll into cylinders , keep in fridge and slice and bake on the day.

Also suggest a lemon tart for a bought-in option. The Waitrose one is superb, but also the Sainsburys Taste the Difference one is pretty good. Lemon tart from the supermarket is usually one of those desserts that come out very similar to homemade, or as if it’s come from a patisserie, rather than obviously shop-bought. Also, frangipane tarts tend to be good. The Waitrose New York cheesecake is also excellent, serve with fresh raspberries and you’re done. It always gets rave reviews.

A good shop-bought vanilla cheesecake with fresh fruit.

Home-made crumble.

M&S or Charlie Bighams sticky toffee pudding.

Sorbet on curry night - Waitrose do a gorgeous mango one.

Lemon posset is super easy.

Or get good vanilla ice cream and make a warm chocolate sauce (I’ve got a recipe that has a bit of coffee in too, it’s amazing). You can also have some berries, chopped up banana, chopped nuts if you like.

Apple crumble obvs.

A classy cake you can make beforehand: https://www.nigella.com/recipes/members/janes-nigel-slater-s-simple-dessert-cake-recipe

Eton mess.

Mango sorbet on the curry night, maybe dressed up with some fresh mango slices.
Tropical fruit salad.
Pineapple Romanov
Raspberries with Greek yoghurt and honey, perhaps serve in meringue nests.
Greek strawberries....prepare ahead of time..... cut the strawberries in half vertically, and arrange on small plates with the cut side uppermost....drizzle with ouzo and dredge over with icing sugar. Leave to form its own syrup. Serve with 'naice' biscuits. You could use an orange liqueur such as Cointreau if ouzo is not available.
Buy some chocolate eclairs, split open and fill with sliced strawberries or raspberries or poached cherries, serve with extra cream.

Apple crumble in two plastic buckets. Put it together on the night.

chocolate cake with hazelnut meal included in the flour. Bake before and serve on. night 1 or 2.

Poached pears in the oven. Can be done earlier in the day and reheated.

M&S!

Honestly in your position I’d be going wild on the M&S dessert section. Recommend literally anything with their fancy vanilla custard. Big sainsburys often have some good stuff too. I gave up making puddings a long time ago and only buy occasionally so it’s a real treat 😂

Clafoutis made with cherries or rhubarb, serve with cream or good quality bought custard.

I would buy a Lemon Citron pie for one meal, I can recommend the Tesco Finest range.

I might also make an Elton Mess one night, I always make my own meringues but you could buy them. Also a simple Black Forest trifle using layers of bought chocolate sponge soaked with a liqueur, frozen black cherries, cream and grated chocolate on top. If you need a hot pudding, fruit crumble is very quick with frozen fruit and bought crumble mix. I often serve up pieces of home made cake with custard or a fruit jus, heated up in the microwave, for a very quick dessert.

I'd do Eton mess one night as I love it and likely order panne cotra from m&s for one night.
Macaroons as well
Then likely cheesecake though I don't care much for it but it's easy.

I don't make puddings either so I have no ideas for you. I really like the sound of your meals. My only suggestion is to delegate this task to the people who want to eat dessert/pudding.

I’d honestly make it as easy as possible for yourself. You’re not a hired caterer - it’s enough that you’re eating in and serving home-cooked food every night.

RISOTTO:
Make/take Fay Ripley’s raspberry Bakewell cake and serve with cream.
Leftovers for snacks with a cup of tea the next day

CURRY:
Naice ice cream

LASAGNE:
Eton mess with mango and passion fruit and ‘good’ lemon curd swirled in

MARRY ME CHICKEN:
Gu chocolate mousse pots

Thank you all. Although I'm usually a cook-from-scratch woman I think I was looking for permission to buy in from M&S, so thanks for offering it!

Clafoutis would be a major risk but I like your style. I once made one that got really dry, burned and chewy. Waste of lovely cherries.

Have you looked at the weather where your are next week? It's going to be warm here, so I'd be going for the fruitier, cooler puddings rather than crumble & custard style puds that I think of as winter dishes.

Am I the only one wondering why you’re going on holiday and playing Delia for the week?

I love an easy pudding. This one is a lime posset, you could make lemon, nice and easy and can be made ahead.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lime-possets-raspberries

I’d second bought lemon tart and also Eton mess. I have sometimes made a fruit brulee, mixture of summer fruits with a bit of sugar if a bit sour. Top with a layer of thick cream or crème fraiche then sugar and Brûlée with a blowtorch. Easy, quick and very tasty.

I was going to say this.

Shockingly easy and shockingly delicious. Although I just shove a load of frozen berries instead of the cherry's. BBC good food is the recipe I have used and it's fool proof. It's even better if you undercook it slightly....

Also second a crumble. I jazz mine up a bit by adding a red berry into the apples and it turns everything pink and adds subtle flavour.

A very simple and delicious option. Chocolate torte. Buy a pastry case of blind bake short crust. When cool, fill it with chocolate gnashe (50/50 double cream to dark chocolate). Add crumbled nuts over the top or sliced, soft tinned pears (patted dry) or raspberries.

I've also made a christmassy roll buy rolling a sausage of marzipan in puff pastry and baking. Serve slices warm with chocolate sauce or cream.

Pannacotta is very easy and can be made up beforehand. I do a simple vanilla one and then add a little couli (wizzed up raspberries).

Stewed fruit (done in the microwave) with ice cream or cream.
Crumble.
Lemon curd swirled through Greek yoghurt with a shortbread biscuit.
Strawberries and cream.

Lots of good suggestions from others, many of which I second.

I would just add that if you are going to buy in any, I think Cook has the best range.

https://www.cookfood.net/menu/desserts