The Dessert Game: Simple tricks, skill-builders and show-stoppers to up your game

LEVEL 1 TAKING IT EASY

BROWNIE

I think everyone should have a good brownie recipe in their repertoire. Brownies are pretty easy to make, but easy doesn’t mean boring – there’s nothing boring about an epic brownie! And let me point out that brownies don’t have to be made with ‘evil’ processed white sugar. I’ve used muscovado sugar here because I love the flavour profile and it also reduces the sweetness. But it’s not about health – a­fter all, it’s a brownie we’re talking about!

BOOZY BERRY PAVLOVAS

Perfect for spring or summer, this is basically a classic pavlova … but even better!

We’re boozin’ it up and bringing in some more floral notes to really round out the fragrant berries. These little touches are a beautiful upgrade of the classic.

VIN & GRAPES

This is a thoughtful summer dessert that uses grapes and wine together – a journey from fruit to wine. It’s perfect for dinner parties, with three simple components that will go a long way when done well. It does take a bit of time and effort, but if you’re out to impress, this one is a winner.

LEVEL 2 KICKIN’ IT UP A NOTCH

CHOCOLATE LAVA S’MORES

Ahh, the infamous lava cake! Props to the legend who invented this iconic French classic that was originally known as Chocolat coulant, which translates as ‘flowing chocolate’. If you think lava cake is just undercooked cake, think again. Sure, it’s easier to make it that way, but eating doughy, eggy, floury, undercooked cake simply for the sake of that ‘ooze’ is not cool! The proper way (and I believe the only way) to make lava cake is with a velvety, molten ganache centre. My s’mores version has a touch of oomph without being overly sickening. I’ve replaced caster sugar with palm sugar in the cake batter, dialling the sweetness right down and making it incredibly moreish.

RUBY RASPBERRY & ROSE TART

This gorgeous, intense red tart is full of fragrance and texture. It does take a bit of effort to arrange the berries in an orderly manner, but it adds a note of elegance.

THE ULTIMATE PRALINE TART

This decadent tart is based on a classic flavour trio – chocolate, caramel and peanuts. I’ve elevated the flavours and added a touch of coffee and hazelnuts, as well as some roasted flavours, too. With a little bit of technique and care, you can turn a simple tart into something stunning – that’s what finesse is all about.

LEVEL 3 FOR THE SERIOUS COOKS

PEAR & YUZU

A dessert that looks just like the fruit it’s made from seems to be the ‘old age new’. It was trendy back when Heston Blumenthal did it and also when Cedric Grolet brought his signature style of incredibly stunning fruit desserts. Here’s my take on a fruit-shaped pear dessert that’s fresh, light and fragrant, and fun to create.

It’s simplest to make it with a pear-shaped mould but you can shape it by hand, although it does take more time and effort.

SITTING IN THE FOREST

I love nature and nature-inspired dishes, recreating a scene or taking a piece of nature onto a plate. It makes for a fun, interactive experience. This dish was first inspired by Dominique Crenn from Atelier Crenn, when she made a blackforest dessert that included a chocolate tree. I thought the way it was presented was incredible and so I made my own version. I wanted the dish to include a wood flavour, so I steeped oakwood (oak barrel) chips in the milk to make the diplomat cream. It’s a unique way to bring an oak flavour to the dish.

PASSION BERRY CHEESECAKE SLICE

Here’s a cheesecake recipe that will surely impress. It combines a cheesecake mousse with a lime ganache, blueberry jelly and passionfruit curd. It’s quite a lengthy recipe and a time-consuming process, but the results are stunning and well worth the effort, especially for a celebration or special gathering. The hard work and dedication shows through every layer.