Nigella Lawson Processor Puff Pastry Recipes

PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• Put the water, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla pod into a wide saucepan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Bring the pan to the boil and let it bubble away for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to a fast simmer.
• Cut the peaches in half, and if the stones come out easily then remove them, if not then you can get them out later. Poach the peach halves in the sugar syrup for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Test the cut side with the sharp point of a knife to see if they are soft, and then remove them to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• When all the peaches are poached, peel off their skins and let them cool (then you can remove any remaining stones). If you are making them a day in advance then let the poaching syrup cool and then pour into a dish with the peaches. Otherwise just bag up the syrup and freeze it for the next time you poach peaches.
• To make the raspberry sauce, liquidize the raspberries, confectioners' sugar, and lemon juice in a blender or a food processor. Sieve to remove the pits and pour the puree into a jug.
• To assemble the Peach Melba, allow 2 peach halves per person and sit them on each plate alongside a scoop or 2 of ice cream. Spoon the raspberry sauce over each.

NIGELLA LAWSON PROCESSOR PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Pulse the flour and salt together in the processor, then add the butter and pulse 3-4 times, the butter should be cut up but still be in visible chunks.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice and the iced water, and pulse till the pastry begins to form a ball, then tip out onto the bench and form a ball. Wrap tightly in cling wrap and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Dust the benchtop with flour, then roll the pastry into a long rectangle into a long rectangle three times longer than it is wide, then fold it in three like a business letter. Roll out again to the same length and repeat the fold and roll another 2 times (not rolling out after the last fold).
• Wrap in cling wrap and rest in the fridge for another 30 minutes before using it to allow the gluten to relax. When baking, brush with a lightly beaten egg white and bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees C till puffed and golden brown.

NO-FUSS FRUIT TART

Steps:

• This is perhaps one of the most useful desserts you can have in your repertoire. Not that it is the job of a dessert to be useful: a dessert exists merely to delight. Still, dinner does need to be made, even when there's precious little time for it, and that should be a delight, too. So here's the deal: there is pitifully little work to be done to make this berry-dazzler of a tart, and enormous pleasure to be derived from its consumption.
• All you do is bash a few graham crackers a day or so in advance and make the base - getting one course out of the way early is my way of managing - then stir lemon curd and cream cheese together, and use this cream to line the crumb-covered tart pan. I use store-bought lemon curd here, but even if it comes out of the jar, it must be of good quality. And when it is whipped into the cream cheese, that cream cheese must be at room temperature, as should the lemon curd in its jar. The combination produces a layer of what tastes like cheesecake cream: light, lemony, luscious.
• I used to put the berries on top of the cream pretty much last-minute, but then I found that a leftover wedge, after the party, looked inviting after being in the refrigerator overnight, and so I now finish assembling the tart ahead of time. But if you prefer to add the fruit nearer to serving, I completely understand.
• Don't feel you must obey the fruit orders too literally: any mixture of berries (or indeed other fruit) would do, and you could well use a smaller amount and top the tart less extravagantly.
• Process the crackers and the butter to a sandy rubble in a food processor and press into the sides and the bottom of a deep-sided fluted tart pan. Put it in the freezer or refrigerator for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a clean processor bowl, process the cream cheese and lemon curd (or just mix by hand) and spread it into the bottom of the chilled tart pan, covering the base evenly.
• Arrange the fruit gently (so it doesn't sink in too much) on top of the lemony cream cheese in a decorative manner, leaving some of the strawberries unhulled, with their picturesque stalks attached.
• Refrigerator the tart, preferably overnight, or for at least 4 hours. It does need to get properly cold in order to set enough for the tart to be unmolded and sliced easily.
• Make Ahead Note:
• The tart can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, being careful not to press on the filling, and refrigerate. Will keep for around 4 days.
• Freeze Note:
• The tart, without fruit topping, can be frozen for up to 3 months if made with regular cream cheese, but be warned it may "weep" on thawing, so is not ideal for freezing. Open-freeze tart until firm, then wrap (still in its pan) in a double layer of plastic wrap and layer of aluminum foil. To thaw, unwrap and cover loosely with plastic wrap then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Decorate and serve as directed in the recipe.

SALTED CARAMEL PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Prepare cups to package directions. While baking the cups you can make your caramel sauce.
• Using a medium sized sauce pan pour in the water and sugar. Over medium low heat continually stir using a rubber (not wood) spatula until sugar is completely dissolved. Approximately 4 minutes.
• Turn heat to medium high. STOP stirring and let mixture boil until it starts to turn a golden brown Approximately 6-7 minutes.(SEE PHOTOS).
• Lift pan directly above the heat and swirl the pan around until the sugar turns a dark brown Approximately 1-2 minutes.(SEE PHOTOS).
• Add butter, cream and 1/8 teaspoon salt and continue swirling until everything is mixed together. Using a spatula continue stirring until completely mixed. Let cool. (SEE PHOTOS) Here's a hint when it comes to cleaning the pan of stuck on candy -- rinse out the pan with hot water first. Then add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup white vinegar and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2-3 minutes. Empty water/vinegar mix and wash normally. The pan will be completely clean.
• Once the cups are cooled and the caramel is cooled take ice cream out of the freezer and let stand at room temp for 1 minute until slightly soft. Spoon ice cream into each cup. Place filled cups on plate and stick back in the freezer for 5-10 minutes or until ready to serve. While the cups are in the freezer you can make the chocolate sauce.
• Place the milk chocolate chips in a glass mixing bowl and add half & half. Microwave for 15 seconds. Take out and stir (even though the chips are still hard stir them around). Place back in microwave for another 15 seconds. Take out and stir until all the morsels are completely melted.
• Take your ice cream filled cups and drizzle caramel sauce then chocolate sauce then caramel sauce over each cup. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on each cup then serve.
• If you have left overs you can put back in the freezer covered and when ready to serve let sit out for 1 minute so the ice cream can soften slightly.