HOMECOOKING WITH TERESA

This recipe is easy to make and it is just delicious. I had some pears that needed to be eaten and was also looking for a dessert that was healthy but tasty. You can eat them next to vanilla ice-cream or just some cream if you prefer it.  INGREDIENTS 50g unsalted butter 1/2 cup (125g) firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup (125ml) Marsala Thickly pared zest and juice of 1 orange 1 cinnamon quill 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped 4 firm, ripe beurre bosc pears 1/2 lemon 350g seedless grapes, cut into small bunches Vanilla ice-cream, to serve METHOD: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Add the Marsala and cook for a further 1 minute. Remove from heat, add the orange zest and juice, cinnamon and vanilla pod and seeds, then stir to combine. Peel and cut the pears in half lengthways and remove the cores (leaving stalks intact). Rub the pears with the cut side of the lem...

Another favourite cheesecake made by my hubby. The vanilla flavour together with the crunchy nut base, it's just scrumptious. ☕ INGREDIENTS: 3/4 cup (110g) plain flour 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon pinch ground nutmeg 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar 80g butter, melted 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste 1/3 cup (45g) roasted hazelnuts, chopped coarsely 1/4 cup (80g) apricot jam, warmed, strained Filling: 1 vanilla bean 250g cream cheese, softened 500g ricotta 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar 2 eggs METHOD Grease a 24cm springform tin. Sift the flour, spices and sugar into a medium bowl and stir in the butter, extract and nuts. Press the mixture over the base of the tin. Place the tin on an oven tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the base for about 20 minutes or until browned lightly. Spread with the jam and reduce the oven temperature to 150 °C. Make the filling by splitting the vanilla bean in half  lengthways and scr...