Author Sarah Rainey has introduced a collection of "cheat" recipes designed to recreate nostalgic dessert flavors without the need for extensive baking or oven time. These no-bake treats can be prepared in as little as 10 minutes, offering a way to enjoy classic tastes with simplified methods.
One featured recipe is for DIY lollies, reimagined with healthier ingredients and a fresh twist on classic flavors. The recipe involves blending frozen strawberries and jam into a purée, freezing it in molds, and then dipping the partially set lollies into a yogurt mixture before a final dip in melted dark chocolate and sprinkles.
Another creation is the Malted Ice Cream Slice, described as a hybrid of a traybake and an ice cream pie. This dessert begins with a base of crushed chocolate digestive biscuits mixed with melted butter, pressed into a tin and frozen. A layer of caramel sauce is added and chilled, followed by softened vanilla ice cream mixed with malted milk powder. The ice cream mixture is spread over the caramel, topped with crushed honeycomb balls and crumbled chocolate flakes, then frozen until firm.
The Profiterole Cake is presented as an elegant dessert suitable for dinner parties, requiring under ten minutes of preparation. It involves dipping shop-bought profiteroles in melted dark chocolate and butter, then arranging them tightly in a lined cake tin to form two layers. After chilling, the cake is inverted, drizzled with more melted chocolate, and topped with fresh berries.
The Piñata Party Cake aims to bring the surprise element of a piñata to a dessert. It uses a shop-bought vanilla or Madeira cake, hollowed out to create a cavity for colorful sweets and small chocolates. The cake is then covered in vanilla buttercream and rolled in sprinkles. The top is finished with remaining buttercream and decorated with mini sugar-coated chocolate beans arranged to resemble flowers.
A Chocolate Berry Tart utilizes ready-rolled puff pastry to create a base, which is baked until golden. Once cooled, the pastry case is filled with a mixture of chocolate spread and custard, then topped with fresh berries, toasted nuts, and mint sprigs. The tart is best enjoyed on the day of preparation but can be stored for a few days.
Lastly, the Strawberry Ripple Cake, popular in Australia, features a light sponge with a swirl of strawberry and whipped cream. Shortcake biscuits are arranged upright in a loaf tin and coated with the strawberry cream mixture, then chilled overnight. The finished cake is turned out and decorated with fresh strawberries, mini meringues, and white chocolate chips.
These recipes are from the book "How To Cheat At Baking" by Sarah Rainey, with photographs by William Shaw, published by Michael O’Mara Books.