GCSE Food Technology – Layered Deserts:

Tiramisu:A traditional Italian layered desert flavoured with coffee and chocolate. Fruit can be added as a layer or as decoration. Piping bags could be used to pipe the last layer as a finishing technique.

Ingredients:• 1 cup strong coffee (2 teaspoons coffee, 100ml hot water)• 1 tablespoon caster sugar• 1 packet ready made sponge fingers.• 250g mascarpone cheese (found in the cheese section of supermarkets)• 75g icing sugar • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract• 100ml double cream, whipped until soft peaks form• cocoa power, for dusting

Optional:• Chocolate grated/curled to decorate• Layer of fruit added eg: black cherries, bananas, strawberries.

Method:1. Mix the coffee and caster sugar to taste, in a large bowl.

2. Place the sponge fingers into the coffee mixture - set aside.

3. Place the mascarpone, vanilla extract and icing sugar into a separate bowl and mix together.

4. Whisk your double cream until soft peaks form.

5. Add the double cream and fold into the mascarpone mixture.

6. Place a piece of soaked sponge into each container. Add a layer of the mascarpone and cream mixture on top of the sponge, then place another layer of sponge on top to make a sandwich. (You could add sliced abana/cherries at this stage)

7. Spoon more cream over the top and sprinkle with the cocoa powder and chocolate shavings/layer fruit on top.

8. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours.

GCSE Food Technology – Layered deserts:

Trifle:Trifle is a traditional desert consisting of layers of sponge, cream, jelly and custard. Fresh or canned fruits can be used. Here is a basic trifle recipe that can be built upon in many ways. I havelisted only a few of the MANY variations you can make using this recipe.

Ingredients:• 1 x packet of sponge fingers OR a basic sponge cake eg: Madeira cake• 1 x packet of jelly• 200ml or 1 x packet vanilla custard (you could make you own by

researching recipes)• 200ml double cream• 1 x punnet strawberries (or any fresh/canned fruit of your choice)• Chocolate/fruit to decorate

Optional:• Different cakes used as bottom layer eg: brownies, swiss roll, fruit cake,

angel cake• Different custards – strawberry/vanilla – OR make your own.• Home made jelly rather than packet – research recipes.

Method:

1.Slice sponge cake and place into the bottom of chosen container in a singe layer.

2.Make your jelly and layer evenly over the sponge base.

3.Make your custard (packet or home made) and layer this over the jelly.

4.Whip cream until thick, cover the custard layer with whipped cream.

5.Decorate the top with sliced fruit/chocolate according to your design.

You Could….

- - create ‘double layers’ – keep layering ingredients to create more interest.

- - slice fruit and place against edges of your container like the picture above.

- - use whatever fruit you like/more than one fruit to create a colourful trifle.

- - use chocolate flaked/curled on top as a finishing technique.

GCSE Food Technology – Layered Deserts:

CheesecakeA layered desert that can be ‘fridge set’ or baked.A layer of crunchy biscuit and butter is topped with cream cheese. This can then be topped with ingredientsof your choice – usually fruit, sometimes with a fruit glaze.

Ingredients:• 100g digestive biscuits• 40g unsalted butter• 200g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature• 150g mascarpone, at room temperature• 100g icing sugar, sifted• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Optional:• A variety of fruits eg strawberries, raspberries, kiwis to decorate/create

the finial layer• Chocolate to grate/sprinkle/curl/melt & drizzle over the top.• Use different biscuits for the base eg: cookies, chocolate digestives

Method:

1. Place the digestive biscuits into a sealable freezer bag. Push all the air out and seal the bag. Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin, being careful not to break any holes in the bag. OR place into a bowl and break gently with the end of the rolling pin.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Tip the biscuit crumbs into the butter and mix well until thoroughly combined.

3. Press the buttery crumbs into the bottom of your container/s. Chill in the refrigerator while you make the topping.

4. Combine the cream cheese and mascarpone in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric handheld mixer, blend the cheeses together until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar a little at a time and blend to incorporate. Finally, mix in the vanilla. The mixture should be very light and fluffy.

5. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the biscuit base and smooth the top with a palette knife or spatula.

6. Thinly slice/prepare your fruit and decorate the top layer. Garnish with chocolate/extra fruit if using.

7. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least four hours.

GCSE Food Technology – Finishing techniques:Consider the following ways of presenting your final layered desert

Remember:

It MUST have at least 3 layers and contain fruit.It MUST have a finishing technique.