for a good start

Raw fig cheesecake 




Crust

1/2 cups raw organic cashews
1/2 cup raw organic walnuts
1/2 cup raw organic pecans1/2 cup raw organic almonds
20 dried organic mission figs
8-10 dried organic calimyrna figs

Filling

6 tbsp raw organic nut milk (or water)2 tbsp organic red beet juice
1-2 tbsp organic lemon juice
1 vanilla bean (organic/fair trade), split and scraped
1/4 cup chopped organic raw nuts
4-6 fresh organic black figs

Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with water; let soak overnight, or for at least 4 hours (the longer you soak them, the better – especially if you don’t have a high powered blender). Line the bottom of a round 6″ spring form pan with parchment paper; set aside. In a food processor fitted with the S blade, blend the walnuts, pecans and almonds into a coarse meal. Add the dried mission figs and pulse until combined. Press mixture into the prepared pan then cover with plastic and freeze until ready to use.

Once the cashews have soaked, discard the soaking water and add the cashews to the container of a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix. Add the dried calimyrna figs, nut milk, beet juice, lemon juice and vanilla bean; blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. If you have a Vitamix, you’ll want to use the tamper. If you don’t have a Vitamix, you’ll likely have to give the mixture a good stir every minute or so. Once blended, pour the cashew mixture over the crust and freeze overnight, or until solid.

When ready to serve, allow the tart to thaw for 15 minutes, then top with chopped nuts and fresh figs.






Pistachio and rose water cake




150g (5oz) organic pistachios
225g (8oz) organic butter, softened
225g (8oz) organic caster sugar
3 large, free-range eggsorganic juice 1 lemon
4tsp rose water
1tsp baking powder
125g (4½oz) organic self-raising flour


For the cake, heat the oven to 150 C, 130 C fan, 300 F, gas 2. Lightly toast the pistachios in the oven until golden, allow to cool slightly, then blitz in a food processor. Remove, reserving 2tsp, then add the butter and sugar, whizz, then add the eggs one at a time while the motor is running, then the lemon juice and rose water.

Add the baking powder, flour, pistachios and a pinch of salt, and pulse until combined. The mix should be soft dropping consistency, so if it's too stiff, add a drop of milk or water.

Transfer the mix to the tin, level the top and bake in the centre of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Check after 30 minutes and cover with foil if the cake is getting too coloured. Once cooked, cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack






Rhubarb and ginger cheesecake




For the base

150g (5oz) Duchy Original Stem Ginger Biscuits or ginger nuts, finely crushed
60g (2½oz) organic butter, melted

for the filling

100g (4oz) organic caster sugar
2 pieces stem organic ginger, finely chopped, and 1tbsp stem ginger syrup from the jar
400g (14oz) organic rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm (1in) lengths
300g (10oz) organic cream cheese, at room temperature
2 organic eggs and 1 egg yolk
1tbsp cornflour
finely grated zest 1 organic lemon
150ml (¼pt)organic soured cream



Put half the caster sugar, the stem ginger syrup and 1tbsp water in a wide shallow pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the rhubarb and poach gently for 10 minutes or until it's just cooked when tested with the point of a knife - don't allow it to go mushy. Place a sieve over a bowl and drain the rhubarb, reserving the juice.

Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, 350F, gas 4. Place the remaining caster sugar in a mixing bowl with the cream cheese, eggs, egg yolk, cornflour, lemon zest and soured cream. Beat until the mixture is thick and smooth. Scatter the stem ginger over the biscuit base and then cover the base evenly with the drained rhubarb. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top and smooth the surface. Give the tin a couple of sharp taps on the worktop to remove any air pockets. Place on a baking sheet and cook on the oven's middle shelf for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 150C, 130C fan, 300F, gas 2 and cook for a further 25 to 30 minutes. The outside of the cheesecake should be firm and the centre should still be wobbly. Remove from the oven, run a round-bladed knife round the inside of the tin and leave to cool, then chill in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.

While the cheesecake is cooking, place the reserved rhubarb juices in a small pan and cook over a gentle heat, reducing them to a thick syrup. Leave to cool. To serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin, slice and spoon some syrup over each slice.









Almond croissant






250ml water
125g organic superfine/caster sugar

30ml dark rum

20g almond cream (25g unsalted organic butter, 30g organic caster sugar, 1 organic egg, 40g ground organic almonds, 5g plain organic flour, tsp dark rum)

675g day-old croissants

20g sliced organic almond, unroasted

In a saucepan, combine the water and sugar over a medium heat and bring to the boil . Remove pan from the heat and stir in the rum. Set aside at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 170℃ . Take the croissants (or chocolate croissants) and cut in half with a serrated knife, starting from the front part until almost through to the back, then open out the croissant. Brush generously with the syrup until the pastry is soft to touch. Place 1-2 tablespoons of almond cream in the middle of the croissant, spread out, then close the croissant. Place a fine line of almond creamon top of the croissant - about 10g on each - then place some sliced almonds on top. Set on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake croissants for 15 minutes or until the almond cream and almonds are golden. Serve immediately.








Coconut lilac tapioca







½ cup large pearl tapioca

2 (14oz) cans unsweetened organic coconut milk

3 cups whole organic milk

½ cup organic sugar

1 cup lilac blossoms

About 36 fresh/candied lilacs


Soak the tapioca in coconut milk for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to make sure you end up with individual bouncy nuggets rather than a solid lump of tapioca

Combine milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a fast simmer. Stir in tapioca with coconut milk and bring to a boil

Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 1 hour, or until tapioca turns translucent and soft. Let pudding cool before stirring in lilac blossoms. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 1 week. Serve topped with lilac blackberry syrup and fresh or candied lilacs, if desired.