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It’s time to treat yourself to a trio of soul-warming desserts!
As the final frosty weeks of winter creep in, it’s time to treat yourself to a trio of soul-warming desserts that’ll have you reaching for seconds (no judgement here). We've gone for classics that do not disappoint!
Rice Pudding with Roasted Rhubarb: simple, nostalgic, creamy rice pudding topped with beautifully tart slow-roasted rhubarb.
Flourless Chocolate Cake, for the chocolate lovers! This cake is dense, luxurious, and indulgent. To make it extra fancy, we've topped it with pistachio whipped cream. Totally optional, but highly recommended!
Sticky Date Pudding, for pure comfort, you can't go past it! It's the kind of steaming, caramel-drizzled treat that hugs you back.
Whether you're sharing with friends after a long day or curling up solo with a spoon, these desserts are all about heartwarming flavour and coziness.
Rice Pudding with Roasted Rhubarb
Ingredients :
serves 4-6
Cooking notes:
serves 4-6
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200g rhubarb
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1 orange
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1/4 cup sugar
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3 cups milk
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1 cup short-grain rice (arborio)
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
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Zest from 1 lemon
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1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
Method
- Preheat oven to 180ºC. Trim rhubarb and cut into pieces (we’ve cut ours into 5cm pieces). Zest and halve orange.
- Place rhubarb in a lined oven dish. Toss with orange zest, juice from 1/2 orange and sugar. Cover and roast for 30-40 minutes until rhubarb is tender (but not mushy).
- Place the milk, vanilla, sugar, and lemon in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover and bring to a simmer.
- Once milk begins to simmer, reduce to low heat and add rice.
- Cook, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes until rice is tender and 75% of the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove rice from the heat and add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir gently to combine.
- Divide rice pudding among bowls. Garnish with extra cinnamon if desired and top with roasted rhubarb.
- For a dairy free option, use oat or almond milk. You can also use half milk half water if you’re running low on milk.
- Make extra! Rice pudding can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. The pudding will thicken in the fridge, so stir in a little extra milk when reheating to loosen the texture. You can also roast extra rhubarb and refrigerate it in the roasting juices.
- Instead of cooking the pudding on the stove top, you can bake it or in a slow cooker. Combine all pudding ingredients in an oven dish, cover with foil, and bake at 160ºC for 60–75 minutes, stirring halfway. For the slow cooker, add all pudding ingredients and cook on low for 2½-3 hours, stirring once or twice.
- Switch up the rhubarb with stewed apples, pears or plums, a jam or your choice, marmalade, prunes, toasted nuts, or any fresh seasonal fruit of your choice.
Want to make this at home? We used Seasonal Oranges, Bannister Downs Farm Fresh Full Cream Milk 2L, and Lemons from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients :
Serves 8-12
Cooking notes:
Serves 8-12
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250g good-quality dark chocolate
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½ cup unsalted butter
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4 large eggs
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½ cup sugar
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¼ cup cocoa powder (plus extra to garnish)
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2 tsp instant coffee, optional
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1 tsp salt
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1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional to serve: -
300ml whipping cream
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2 tbsp pistachio paste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Line the sides and base of a 23-25cm cake tin.
- Place a saucepan 1/3 full of water over medium heat.
- Roughly chop chocolate and butter. Add to a heat-proof bowl that is slightly larger than the saucepan. Place bowl on top of saucepan to melt the chocolate and butter. Stir occasionally, for 4-6 minutes or until the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove from saucepan and set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, add eggs and sugar to a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment). Use an electric mixer to beat the egg mixture on medium speed for 1 minute to combine. Increase to medium-high speed and whisk for 4-5 minutes until the mixture becomes pale, triples in volume, and has ribbony consistency.
- Gently whisk the melted butter and chocolate into the whipped egg mixture until combined.
- Sift in cocoa powder and add coffee, vanilla and salt. Gently stir to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake has puffed up and is cracking on the top.
- Set cake aside to cool slightly.
- Add whipping cream to a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment). Use an electric mixer to whisk until firm peaks form. Gently stir in pistachio paste until well combined.
- Remove the cake from the tin, dust it with cocoa powder, and serve with pistachio whipped cream.
- Want to switch up the flavours? Add orange zest, or substitute vanilla extract for almond extract.
- For best results when whipping cream, keep the cream cold and whip straight from the fridge. Return whipped cream to the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- For different ideas to serve the cake, try drizzling with chocolate ganache, add fresh fruit such as strawberries or raspberries, or top with chopped nuts or praline.
Want to make this at home? We used Raw Food Factory Organic Raw Cacao Powder, Organic Times Organic Salted Butter and Free-Range WA Eggs from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
Sticky Date Pudding
Ingredients :
Serves 6-8
Cooking notes:
Serves 6-8
- 240g pitted dates (250-275g whole dates)
- 1 1/2 tsp bicarb soda
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup plain flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
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1 cup brown sugar
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1 1/2 cups whipping cream
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1/4 cup unsalted butter
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Ice cream to serve
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C.
- Grease a muffin tray with butter or oil.
- Place dates in a bowl and sprinkle with baking soda. Pour over boiling water. Set aside for 10-25 minutes to soften the dates.
- Place butter and sugar in a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer). Use an electric mixer on low-medium speed to beat until combined.
- Add eggs and beat to combine.
- Add flour and baking powder. Use a spoon to mix until flour is incorporated.
- Use a potato masher or fork to mash the dates to a mushy consistency.
- Add dates (including liquid) to batter and mix until well combined.
- Pour batter, about 2/3 of the way up, into the prepared tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- While puddings are baking, make the sauce! Add brown sugar, cream, vanilla and butter to a saucepan over medium heat. When butter has melted, stir and increase heat. Simmer for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
- Serve puddings warm with ice cream and sauce.
- For an extra flavour, add 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon, ginger, or mixed spice to the batter.
- You can bake the puddings in a cake tin or cupcake tray, depending on what you have at home. Increase cooking time for the cake tin and decrease it for the cupcake tray.
- We love serving sticky date pudding with ice cream, but thick cream or custard also make great accompaniments.
- Store cooked puddings and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Alternatively, freeze individual puddings and sauce in separate containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge or gently reheat from frozen.
Want to make this at home? We used Organic Dates, Ceres Organics Organic White Spelt Flour, and Bannister Downs Whipping Cream from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
