Toffee Chocolate & Fig Meringue Layer Cake

Serves 10 to 12

For the toffee chocolate meringues:
6 large egg whites, room temperature
300g caster sugar
1 tbsp. corn flour
75g My Secret Kitchen Toffee Hot Chocolate Drink Mix

For the fig filling:
300g double cream
3 tbsp. My Secret Kitchen Fig Pudding Pickle
1 tbsp. masala wine or sherry

For the toffee chocolate ganache:
200ml double cream
60g My Secret Kitchen Toffee Hot Chocolate Mix

 
Preheat oven 100C. Line three baking trays with baking parchment and grease the paper with light vegetable oil. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a large bowl and slowly add the sugar 1 tbsp. at a time. Mix the last tbsp. of sugar with the corn flour and whisk into the meringue. Stop whisking when it is thick and glossy. Fold in the Toffee Hot Chocolate Drink Mix. Divide the meringue evenly between the three baking trays in even circles and smooth over. Bake for 1 hour and then turn off the oven and leave to dry out for a further 1 hour.  Make the fig filling by whipping the cream to soft peaks and then fold in the masala or sherry and Fig Pudding Pickle.
Make the ganache by gently warming the cream before stirring in the Toffee Hot Chocolate Drink Mix and continue to heat gently and stir until smooth and all the chocolate has melted. To assemble the cake, place one of the meringue circles on a serving platter and top with 1/3 of the fig filling. Top with 1/3 of the ganache, Place another meringue disc on the top and repeat with the filling and ganache. Finally add the last meringue disc and the remaining fig filling and ganache. Swirl together to make a pattern and dust with a little more Toffee Hot Chocolate Drink Mix and sprinkles if desired.

Recipe Ideas: FIG PUDDING PICKLE

A perfect, syrupy pickle packed with chunky figs.

• Layer granola or muesli in a small bowl, spoon over low-fat yogurt and top with Fig Pudding Pickle for a homemade breakfast pot.

• Make no-bake energy bars by heating Fig Pudding Pickle and adding chopped dried fruits such as raisins, apricots and dates, puffed quinoa and nuts.

• Make a fig and banana smoothie with skimmed milk.

• Place cubes of goat’s cheese in small pastry shells, top with Fig Pudding Pickle, warm in a hot oven and serve.

Fig & Honey Dough-Knots

Makes 16 'knots'

For the pastry knots:
1 x 375g puff pastry sheet
4 tbsp My Secret Kitchen Fig Pudding Pickle
4 tsp My Secret Kitchen Secret Honeycomb Spices
1 egg, beaten

For the milk icing / glaze:
5 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp milk


Preheat overn 190C, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Unroll the pastry sheet and evenly spread the Fig Pudding Pickle over the surface; then sprinkle the Secret Honeycomb Spices over the top. Starting with the long edge at the top, fold over 2cm to form a seal and then fold the opposite long edge up to overlap the folded edge slightly to form another seal. Cut the pastry into quarters and then each quarter can be cut into 4.  To form into knots, take each strip and lengthen it slightly by pulling and teasing the pastry gently - don't worry if some of the fig filling comes out of the sides, it will help to form the glaze over the top when they are folded. Tie the pastry strip into a simple knot as if you were tying a shoe lace - you can expect each one to look slightly different! Brush each knot with the beaten egg and place on the lined baking sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes or until golden and leave to cool slightly.  Make the milk glaze by beating together the icing sugar with the milk until smooth.  Brush each know with a little of the glaze and leave to set.

Figgy Goats Cheese Bites

The results of this recipe are amazing but incredibly easy to achieve. It’s almost cheating!

Serves 10-12

250g My Secret Kitchen Fig Pudding Pickle
150g goats cheese cut into 24 chunks
24 prepared pastry shells or croustades

Preheat oven to 190^oC (gas mark 5). Place the goats cheese in the pastry shell and top with ½ teaspoon of the Fig Pudding Pickle. Place on a baking tray, bake for 8-10 minutes and serve immediately.

Top tip: Because the bites need to be served immediately, only pop them in the oven once your guests are settled with a drink.

Recipe variations: Make your own simple pastry shells using squares of filo pastry pre-baked in a mini muffin pan. Even more simple: serve a round or log of goats cheese on prosciutto with the Fig Pudding Pickle poured over.

Fig Pudding Pickle Torta

A fabulously fresh and gorgeously gooey dessert.

1 jar My Secret Kitchen Fig Pudding Pickle
200g biscotti biscuits, crushed
50g butter, melted
500g mascarpone cheese
melted butter or oil for greasing
optional garnish: Cape gooseberries

Using the extra melted butter or oil, grease a 23cm loose-bottomed, fluted flan tin. Add the crushed biscotti to the melted butter and stir to combine. Place into the base of the tin, pat down firmly and refrigerate.

Meanwhile, mix half the jar of Fig Pudding Pickle together with the mascarpone. Pour
the mascarpone mixture on to the base and smooth over.

Empty the rest of the Fig Pudding Pickle over the top of the torta and spread evenly, leaving a gap around the edge. Leave to set in the fridge for at least one hour. (Note, this can be made in advance and, if covered in the fridge, will keep for two days.)

Optional twists: use crème fraîche or Greek yogurt instead of mascarpone – or add a layer of chocolate to the biscotti base before filling.

Fig, Balsamic and Walnut Dressing

A fantastically rich and figgy dressing!

1 part My Secret Kitchen Fig Pudding Pickle, 1 part My Secret Kitchen Balsamic Reduction, 1 part white wine vinegar, 2 parts light olive oil, chopped walnuts.