Ramírez de Velazco Bonarda Shiraz 2005

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These luxurious and creamy cheesecakes are a real treat. Pile white chocolate and cream cheese mix on a buttery biscuit base and top with succulent mango slices and pretty white chocolate decorations.

Serves 2

Total time: 50 mins, plus cooling and chilling
Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients

100g digestive biscuits
30g unsalted butter, melted
140g good-quality white chocolate
250g cream cheese
110g caster sugar
1 egg
4 tbsp single cream
mango slices, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/Gas 3. Grease two 10cm x 4cm individual springform tins.
2. Place the biscuits in a food processor and process until they resemble fine breadcrumbs, then add the melted butter and blend until just mixed. Divide the mixture between the tins and press with your fingers to make bases. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
3. Put 80g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat until melted, then set aside for a few minutes to cool.
4. Clean the processor, add the cooled melted chocolate, cream cheese, sugar, egg and cream and process until smooth. Spread the filling on top of the biscuit bases.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the cakes to cool in the oven, then refrigerate until firm.
6. For the decoration, put the remaining chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat until melted. Spread evenly over a clean, smooth surface and leave until almost set. Drag a small ice-cream scoop, or spoon, over the surface of the chocolate to make roses. Leave to set on a non-stick baking sheet.
7. Serve the cheesecakes decorated with fanned mango slices and chocolate roses.

Perfect partner

Crémant de Loire Rosé NV - This fizz is a cheeky choice! The delightful pink berry flavour works wonderfully with the white chocolate.

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This dish looks impressive and will fill your home with mouthwatering aromas. Your guests are sure to ask for seconds. What's more, it’s pretty simple to put together.

Serves 6

Total time: 1 hour, plus chilling
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

200g flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
165g unsalted butter, chilled
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ tsp vanilla extract
8 Granny Smith apples
125g granulated sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Put the flour in a bowl and rub in 125g butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar, then make a well in the centre. Add the egg and vanilla and mix together with a flat-bladed knife until the mixture comes together. Work into a dough, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a hand-sized disc. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Peel and core the apples and cut into chunky slices and set aside. For the caramel, add the granulated sugar, cinnamon and 1 tbsp water to a heavy-based 25cm frying pan that has a removable or ovenproof handle.
3. Stir over low heat for 1 minute, or until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar is a light golden brown. Add the remaining butter and stir to incorporate. Remove from the heat.
4. Arrange the apple slices in neat circles over the caramelized sugar. Keeping the heat very low, cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender and caramelized. Remove the pan from heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 7. Roll out the pastry and cut it into a circle slightly larger than the frying pan. Arrange the pastry over the apples, tucking any excess underneath them. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. Place a large plate on top of the pan, then turn it upside down and carefully turn out the tart, apple side up. Serve hot or warm.

Top tip

To save time, use 250g ready-made puff pastry instead of making the pastry yourself.

Perfect partner

Le Grand Chai Sauternes (half bottle) 2006 - This sweet, honeyed, but fresh-tasting wine is perfect with the caramelized apples of this pudding.

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This quintessentially English summer pudding combines the fresh flavours of berries with sweet meringue and rich cream. It's very easy to make too!

Serves 4

Total time: 25 mins, plus cooling
Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients

250g raspberries
50g caster sugar
450g strawberries, hulled and quartered
150ml double cream
150ml thick Greek-style yoghurt
60g meringue nests
fresh mint leaves, to decorate

1. Put the raspberries and sugar in a saucepan over very low heat for 5 minutes, then leave to cool. Transfer to a food processor and purée until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and discard the pips.
2. Put the strawberries in a bowl with the cream and yoghurt and fold together. Break the meringue into pieces, add to the bowl with the raspberry purée and gently fold until just combined.
3. Spoon the mixture into 4 pretty glasses, decorate with mint leaves and serve immediately.

Variations

Add 3 tbsp framboise liqueur at the end of Step 1 for a grown-up twist! The fresh strawberries can be replaced with the same amount of defrosted frozen mixed berries.

Perfect partner

Merlet Crème de Cassis NV - Add a dash of this to Champagne to create a sparkling Kir Royale – a pretty and colourful accompaniment to this super-summery dessert.

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These luscious fondants have a gooey centre surrounded by dense chocolate sponge. They're quite irresistible!

Serves 6

Total time: 40 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

350g good-quality dark chocolate
50g softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g caster sugar
4 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g flour

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6 and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Using an individual pudding basin as a template, draw around it onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper and cut out the disc. Repeat until you have 6 discs, then use to line 6 basins.
2. Melt the chocolate by placing it in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Cream together the butter and sugar and gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Now add the flour. Gradually beat in the melted chocolate to make a smooth batter.
3. Divide the batter among the basins. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and put the basins on it. Bake for 10 minutes. Tip the puddings out onto small plates as soon as they come out of the oven and serve at once.

Serving suggestion

Serve with whipped double cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

Perfect partner

LS Semillon (half bottle) 2002 - This lush golden wine will go down a treat with the chocolate gorgeousness of these fondants.

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Treat your family and friends to this impressive pud. Juicy, plump, boozy cherries combine perfectly with rich dark chocolate and cream.

Serves 8

Total time: 50 mins, plus cooling
Cooking time: 15–20 mins

Ingredients

150g good-quality plain chocolate, broken into squares
4 large eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
50g self-raising flour, sifted
450g jar of kirsch-soaked black cherries
300ml whipping cream
icing sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas 4. Grease and line a Swiss roll tin measuring about 32cm x 23cm with non-stick baking paper.
2. Put 100g chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat until melted. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and, using an electric whisk, beat until pale and creamy. Gradually stir in the chocolate and flour.
3. Using a clean electric whisk, beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold the whites into the chocolate mixture using a metal spoon, mixing gently until well combined. Tip into the lined tin and shake to level it. Place in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the sponge is slightly risen and just firm to the touch.
4. Carefully invert the sponge onto a large sheet of greaseproof paper. Remove the lining paper from the base and discard. Starting at a short end of the sponge, gently roll it up, using the greaseproof paper to help you. Allow to cool completely.
5. Drain the cherries in a sieve over a bowl, then gently pat them dry using kitchen paper. Whip the cream until just starting to thicken, then carefully fold in the cherries. Unroll the roulade, discard the paper and spread the cherry cream carefully over the surface, leaving a 2cm gap all the way around the edge. Re-roll the roulade, applying gentle pressure. Don't worry if it cracks a little.
6. To decorate, melt the remaining chocolate, then drizzle over the roulade. Lightly dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Perfect partner

Fragolino NV - The black cherry and gentle fizz of this sensational wine is a treat when combined with the rich chocolate and fruity flavours of the roulade.

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In this classic French recipe, juicy apricots melt into the Amaretto-flavoured almond paste and crumbly, sweet pastry.

Serves 6

Total time: 50 mins, plus cooling
Cooking time: 30–35 mins

Ingredients

flour, for dusting
375g ready-made shortcrust pastry
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
50g unsalted butter, melted
100g golden caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp
100g ground almonds
2 tbsp Amaretto or brandy
8 apricots

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6 and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to fit a 23cm loose-bottomed flan tin, then line the tin with the pastry, trimming away the excess with a knife.
2. In a bowl, mix together the egg, egg yolk, butter, 100g sugar, ground almonds and Amaretto or brandy. Spoon the mixture into the flan case.
3. Cut the apricots in half and remove the stones. Arrange the fruit in concentric circles, cut sides up, on the almond paste.
4. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar and place on the preheated sheet. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until firm to the touch and golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variation

This recipe also works well with plums. You will need about 10 Victoria plums and should add an extra tbsp sugar in Step 4.

Perfect partner

Jackson-Triggs Vidal Icewine 2006 - A concentrated, silky wine that is fabulous with the almond tastes of the tart.