Friday's Five - Classic Desserts

For some desserts are the best part of a meal

For others it’s the starter

I have friend’s who could easily give the sweet things a miss and always settled for cheese and biscuits followed by a nice glass of Cognac.

We all have memories of occasions when we first tasted the wonders of a taste of heaven.

For me theses five classic desserts have a special place.

Rum Baba

This was a teenage secret treat, a cake saturated in Rum liquor and filled with whipped cream. I could taste the rich alcohol and act all grown up. It was enjoying and savoring something I was not supposed to enjoy and all above board and legal. I remember always leaving a little cream to the end so I could mop the sticky Rum with the cake and finish off with the cream. Wonderful.

Black Forrest Gateau

Chocolate cake, filled with layers of whipped cream and cherries. It was a Sunday afternoon treat from the bakery just across the road. My sisters and I would fight over who got the most cherries from the top of the gateau.

Knickerbocker Glory

I was introduced to the Knickerbocker Glory on a trip to Brighton in the 1970’s. I can remember my Uncle ordering one for me and when it arrived I had never seen anything like it before.

Ice Cream, cream, fruit, meringue. Layers of different sweet tastes alternated and jammed into the tallest glass topped with whipped cream, syrup and a cherry.

It even had its own special very long spoon so to could reach right down into the bottom of the glass and get every last tiny bit of delight.

Junket

I loved Junket, my mother regularly made this milky dessert for us and it was great. I can best describe it as milky custard and she always covered the top with Nutmeg. Great memories of sitting around the dinning table diving into a bowl of Junket

Sherry Trifle

My top dessert is Sherry Trifle.

During my childhood my mother would regularly make the ‘Birds’ instant trifle which I loved. So I had always been partial to trifle. On a holiday to the Isle of Wight I came across a seaside café that specialized in individual Sherry Trifles and I was hooked.

This amazing dessert of custard, fruit, sponge cake and topped with whipped cream is the best. When Sherry is soaked into the sponge it makes the most divine taste. Layers of my favouite ingredients it doesn’t get much better than this.

So there you are five classic desserts

All have special memories