SUPER SWEETS

POPCORN

This has to be the easiest snack/ sweet recipe.  All you need is a pan with a fairly thick base, a little oil and a handful of popping corn.

Put a tablespoonful of oil (any will do) and heat.  Put in a handful of popping corn and PUT ON THE LID.  If you take the lid off before the corn has finished popping you will get popcorn all over the kitchen.  I know this because I have done it!

In a few minutes you will hear the corn pinging against the pan lid. Shake the pan occasionally and don't leave the heat up high.  When the noise has stopped your popcorn is ready.

Eat as it is (don't burn your fingers) or add salt,  You can also add syrup and turn it to coat the popcorn but do it whilst it's still hot.

REAL ICE CREAM

This recipe developed because we had a glut of raspberries and strawberries.  There were too many to eat fresh, though we did try, so we had to freeze vast quantities.

You need a blender.

Into the blender pour a carton of whipping or double cream.  Add icing sugar to taste (any excuse!) and turn on the blender.  When the cream has thickened add  a similar volume of frozen raspberries or strawberries and whizz it all again.  It makes a terrible noise but it's worth it.  It should be creamy and very cold.

Serve immediately.  I haven't tried to freeze it again. It doesn't last that long.

Variations

1    Vegan alternative uses unsalted cashew nuts and maple syrup instead of cream and icing sugar.  This version is even noisier to make but equally delicious.


Soak 1 cup unsalted cashews in 2 cups water, preferably overnight.
Put into the blender with 1/4 cup maple syrup and whizz like mad.


Add the frozen fruit, whizz again and there you are.

2    Decadent variations add your favourite liqueur to taste.

3    Meringues    Simplicity itself, fill a meringue nest with the ice cream.  Put a fresh strawberry or raspberry on top to finish it off.  Impress your guests.

CLAFOUTIS

Another good recipe if you have a glut of fruit.  In our area of France it's cherries in June and everyone makes this.  Plus it's really, really easy.

In a shallowish dish put a layer of prepared fruit.  Some fruits will need cooking, some not.  It depends what you are using. If you're in a hurry leave the stones in the cherries.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoonfuls sugar over the fruit (unless you cooked the fruit with sugar to prepare it)
Then in a bowl put 2 tablespoons of sugar
                           1 tablespoonful of butter
Beat them together and then add 1/2 teaspoonful (or more to taste) vanilla essence
                                                2 large eggs
                                                3/4 cup milk
                                                pinch of salt (it brings out the flavour)
                                                1/2 cup of flour
and mix thoroughly.
Pour the batter (this is not a cake mix)  over the fruit.
Cook in the oven, 220C, mark 6 for 20 minutes and avoid opening the oven door.  It should be brown on top and set firm.


Best eaten as soon as it comes out of the oven dusted with icing sugar but is also very good cold with cream or ice cream.


TARTE TATIN
This is a bit more complicated but well worth the effort.  You need a shallow pan or dish which can be used on the burner and in the oven.  I bought one specially from Lakeland http://www.lakeland.co.uk/ but I also found a really old metal frying pan in the local Emmaeus in Thiers and that works really well.

You make the pastry first and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes otherwise it gets too sticky to use.  This is especially true in summer.
In a bowl mix  1 cup flour
                      pinch of salt
rub in             2 tablespoonfuls butter  until it looks like breadcrumbs.
Mix to a dough with approx 2 tablespoonfuls of cold water.  You want the dough to stick together but not be too sticky.  Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.


Prepare 8 small eating apples (Cox's give it a nice bite but any eaters will be fine).  Peel, core and cut into quarters.
In the pan/dish melt 7 tablespoons of butter over a medium heat.  Add 1 1/4 cups of sugar, allow to dissolve in the melted butter and then carefully cram in all the apple pieces in the pan (they'll shrink in cooking).  Turn down the heat.  Allow it to bubble and caramelise. It will take 30 to 45 minutes for the apples to be soft and the caramel to become golden brown but watch it doesn't burn.  Shaking the pan will help.  And you can carefully turn over the apples part way through the cooking to coat the other side.  Try not to break them.

Then take the pan off the heat and get the pastry.  Roll it out to fit over the apples, pop it over (don't burn yourself) and tuck it round the edge.
Put into the oven  220C, mark 6 for 25 minutes until the pastry is nicely brown. 
Leave a few minutes after taking from the oven.  Now comes the tricky part.  You need to turn the whole thing over onto a serving plate so the pastry is on the bottom and the caramelised apples on top.  I put the plate over the top of the pan/dish and turn the whole thing over in one 'smooth' movement.  I use an oven glove because it's all very hot.If you're lucky the apples will fall out on top on the pastry but if they don't use your wooden spoon to scrape them off.  Try to keep it looking neat.  Ideally you have golden apples in a neat pattern just begging to be eaten.


Allow it to cool and serve with cream.  Delicious, even if it falls to bits in turning.