Indulgent cold weather desserts

What are you doing this Friday night? Chances are, after reading these recipes, you’ll have a hot date with your kitchen… Friends and family optional.

It’s one of life’s little indulgences… to spend a cold, rainy evening inside, hovering over the oven and tending to your creations, then sitting down with friends, family, your pet fish or simply a good book and savouring a heart-warming meal. Especially when that meal is followed by gorgeous cold weather desserts like these…

Apple crumble

Serves 4-6

Prepare this delicious apple crumble in less than an hour and serve it warm with a few dollops of custard or cream.

Ingredients:

• 6 apples, peeled and slices
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 8 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Place the apple slices in a greased baking dish, preferably a round pie dish with a lid.
3. Mix about five tablespoons of the sugar with all of the cinnamon, then sprinkle over the apples.
4. Dollop four teaspoons of the butter over the top.
5. Mix the remaining butter and brown sugar together. Add the flour and the oats.
6. Pour this blended mixture over the apples, pop the lid on and bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and bake for about another half an hour, or until the top of the crumble is golden brown and the apples are soft.

Bread and butter pudding

Serves 6-8

This is the perfect cold weather dessert, especially when served with a little maple syrup or honey. It’s also a great way to make use of that extra loaf of bread before it goes to waste!

Ingredients:

• 100g butter
• About half a loaf of sliced white bread
• 80g sultanas
• 1 vanilla pod
• 700ml milk
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 5 eggs

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees C.
2. Butter each slice of bread on both sides and cut in half vertically, diagonally or leave whole. Remove the crusts.
3. Place the bread slices into a greased baking dish, with the corners facing up, and throw a few sultanas between each slice.
4. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and combine them with the milk, maple syrup and eggs in a bowl.
5. Pour the mixture over the bread slices until covered, then let sit for about an hour. This will allow the bread to soak up all of that yummy mixture.
6. To help the pudding to cook slowly and evenly, place the baking dish in a large, deep pan of water, then place both in the oven together.
7. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Yum!

more warming recipes

Winter fondues for dinner and dessert
Tasty warming soups for winter
Delicious chicken soup recipes for autumn