Home Cook Liverpool 3: Desserts from 5 Liverpool restaurants you can create at home

A dab hand in the kitchen yet? Here are 5 famous Liverpool desserts you can create at home

We’ve all been brushing up on our cooking skills and trying to make the most of the lockdown, creating fab food we’d normally go out to eat thanks to a few shared secrets from the city’s well-known restaurants and chefs.

It’s week three of Home Cook Liverpool – so it must be time for dessert now…?

Check out our other Home Cook Liverpool articles here with over 15 recipes from the city.

Cucina di Vincenzo – Baked Cookie Dough Dessert

Gabrielle Margiotta, chef of the family-owned Cucina di Vincenzo restaurant in Woolton Road, knows just how to keep us sweet with this fabulous but simple dessert. Oh my word, let’s get making this now!

Ingredients:

150g plain flour

1tbsp Horlicks malted milk powder

85g dark brown soft sugar 

100g unsalted butter 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

1/2 tsp baking powder 

Pinch salt Chocolate chips (white & milk) , mini fudge pieces (any chocolate or nuts would be delicious – get creative)

Method: Mix together butter and sugar until smooth, then add vanilla and egg and whisk.

Mix together the flour, bicarb, baking powder, Horlicks and pinch of salt and then fold into mixture by hand. 

Add most of choc chips and fudge, and bake in an oven dish or ramekin for about 12 minutes until golden on the outside ‘but with a wobble in the middle’. Top with a little chocolate sauce and more fudge pieces.

Eat straight from the dish or serve with ice cream.

Love Shakes n Cakes – Strawtella waffle

Calories on lockdown really don’t count like they do normally, plus this amazing dessert is topped with strawberries so think of it as one of your five-a-day!

The Strawtella Waffle is one of the best sellers at Love Shakes n Cakes deli and dessert bar on Pilch Lane.  You can still order from their dessert menu and get them delivered via Uber Eats, but if you fancy having a go at home, here’s how …

You’ll need a waffle maker if you’re going to make your own, or just buy ready-made from the supermarket.  To make about 10 waffles you’ll need:

4 large eggs, separated

300g plain flour

half teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

2 tbsp of golden caster sugar

50g of butter, melted

600ml semi-skimmed milk

Method: Heat the waffle maker. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. In a separate large bowl, mix flour, bicarb, caster sugar and a pinch of salt.

Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolks and melted butter. Start mixing with a whisk; keep whisking as you slowly add the milk until you get a smooth, thick batter.

Carefully fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

Use a ladle to pour the batter into your waffle maker and cook for 5 mins. Repeat until all the batter has been used up, placing your finished waffles onto a baking tray as you go. Once all the waffles are made, transfer to the oven for 5 mins to warm through and crisp.

Top with melted Nutella, freshly cut strawberries and another drizzle of Nutella sauce or pieces of Twirl bar, then finish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Dockleaf – Chocolate Crunchie Brownie

If there’s anything guaranteed to cheer you up in lockdown it’s a big gooey-centred brownie. And there’s no need to settle for just a regular one either, thanks to Dockleaf in Cains Brewery Village.

Jess there has come up with an extra-special one … a chocolate crunchie brownie, served with honeycomb ice cream.

Dockleaf is delivering on Deliveroo or Just Eat via Baltic Pizza Company and this would be perfect after one of its Sunday roasts, but if you want to try and create your own version, here’s how.

You’ll need:

275g caster sugar

3 eggs

185g butter

185g dark chocolate

85g flour

40g cocoa powder

100g of Crunchie or homemade cinder toffee

Method: Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Leave to one side to reach room temperature. In another bowl, combine eggs and sugar to a mousse-like consistency.

Once butter and chocolate has cooled, add it to the egg and sugar mix. Carefully fold together, don’t overmix because you’ll lose the air. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture. Again, carefully fold in, being sure not to overmix.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Add Crunchie or cinder toffee pieces into the mix then pour into baking tin. Bake for 25 mins, then take it out and give it a shake. If the brownie jiggles in the middle, give it another 5mins.

Leave to cool before cutting, and serve with ice cream.

Rosa’s Thai Café – Mango and Sticky Rice

Who wouldn’t love a taste of Thai – and this fab dessert recipe is super-tasty and super easy – the perfect recipe for a pud.

Ingredients:

200g (7oz) Thai sticky rice

100g (3 1/2 oz) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

325ml coconut milk

2 ripe yellow mangoes

2 sprigs of sweet basil or mint, to garnish

Method: Place the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 2-3 hours. Using a sieve, strain the soaked rice, then place it in a steamer or the top half of a double boiler. Cover and steam over a high heat for 25-30 minutes, until soft and translucent.

Pour 250ml of the coconut milk into a small mixing bowl. Add the sugar and salt, stirring until the dissolve. Add the cooked sticky rice and stir until well mixed. Cover and leave to stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and slice the mangoes and set aside.

Place the remaining coconut milk in a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then take off the heat.

Divide the rice between 2 serving places and top with the mango slices. Spoon over 3 tablespoons of the hot coconut milk and finish off with a sprig of basil (or mint).

The Florist – Vegan banana and peanut butter samosas

A sweet-tooth take on what’s normally a savoury Middle-eastern and Asian dish, it’s a work of art and tastes delicious.

Ingredient:

200g peanut butter
2 bananas
filo pastry pack (to create 4-6 individual sheets)
golden syrup
vegan ice cream to serve
sesame seeds (optional for serving)

Method:

Firstly, roughly mash the bananas in a bowl then combine with the peanut butter (add more peanut butter along the way if you wish to your desired ratio of peanut/banana)

Taking your filo pastry roll, cut it lengthways in thirds so you are left with 3 rectangular strips.

Place a scoop of your peanut butter & banana mix in the top corner of the pastry strip. Then take the corner of the pastry and fold over the mix into a triangle, flattening down slightly as you do. Continue folding from the corners to create a triangular parcel. Brush the pastry with water when folding to ensure it is sealed and prevent air holes.

Deep fry the samosas until golden.

Carefully coat in golden syrup – but be careful of hot samosas!

6. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with your favourite vegan ice cream.

More Liverpool home cooking recipes here.

A massive shout to our Royal Hospital @LivHospitals on day 39, as well as @DjLeeButler raising an amazing £10k so far for @LWHCharity. ? There's a full day of live music this weekend from @SoundCity & loads more delivery ideas too. ?
Hope your Friday is going ok.
Jay ? pic.twitter.com/xRmn39PaXD

— The Guide Liverpool (@TheGuideLpool) May 1, 2020