Our resident foodie, Paolo Tullio is off this week so we thought we'd invite the lovely Sharon Hearne-Smith in to studio to talk to Sean about her world of baking ... but with a twist. There is no oven involved.
Sharon's new book, No-Bake Baking: Easy, Oven-Free Cakes and Treats, shows how to create over 100 impressive sweet treats with absolutely no need for conventional baking. These easy recipes can be magicked up in your fridge, freezer, microwave or blender - or even your slow cooker, bread machine or sandwich toaster!
Sharon started out her baking career as a home economics teacher and then moved in to food styling for food magazines and television shows in Ireland and the UK. She has worked with top chefs in the industry including Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Rachel Allen, Gary Rhodes and many more.
Below is Sharon's recipe for white chocolate, pistachio and raspberry tarts.
Sharon says: These go down a treat at any party, whether the room is full of kids or grown-ups. They're perfect for afternoon tea or make a welcome addition to a picnic hamper or lunchbox. They're also gorgeous as a gift. The cases can be prepared and filled ahead of time, leaving you just the final flourishes to add at the last minute.
Makes 12
75g unsalted butter
100g digestive biscuits
3 tbsp shelled green pistachios
100g white chocolate
50ml double cream
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod
12 fresh raspberries
Essential kit
12-hole mini muffin tin
12 mini paper muffin cases
Method
Line the tin with cases, and line a small tray with parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Blitz the biscuits and 2 tablespoons of the pistachios in a food processor, or seal in a food bag and bash with a rolling pin, until you have fine crumbs and finely crushed nuts. Stir into the melted butter to coat well, and divide evenly between the cases. Press the crumbs firmly into the base and up the sides, cover with cling film and chill for about 1 hour, until set firm.
About 15 minutes before the cases are ready, prepare the filling. Snap the chocolate into a medium heatproof bowl and add the cream.
Either melt in the microwave in 30-second blasts, stirring between each go, or over a pan of simmering water, shallow enough that the water doesn't touch the bowl. Once melted, stir until smooth and add the vanilla seeds. Leave to cool to body temperature.
Use the tip of a pointed knife to lift the tarts carefully out of the tin. Gently peel the paper cases away and arrange on the tray. Spoon the filling equally between them and chill for 15 minutes or until the filling is set. These can be prepared a day in advance.
When ready to serve, arrange on a pretty tiered cake stand. Sit a raspberry, pointy side up in the centre of each one. Roughly chop the remaining tablespoon of pistachios and scatter over.
Mix it up
For an added twist, substitute the white chocolate with milk or dark and top with a cherry or strawberry instead of a raspberry
