HARDYS TO RESIST!

If you ever needed and excuse for opening a bottle of plonk, here you go. Hardy's is perfect for all occasions, and at Christmas, it's nice to do something a bit different. Shane Osborn has some original ideas for perfect accompaniments to a gorgeous glass that he's only too pleased to share with Relentlessly Positive.

So pour yourself a generous glass...and get cooking before you drink it all!

Five Spiced Fig Gratin

Ingredients

12 ripe figs, quartered 
30g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
5g five spice
60ml sugar syrup (35g caster sugar combined with 25ml water, boiled and cooled)
40g honey
300g double cream

• Put the sugar, egg yolks, sugar syrup, five spice and honey in a large bowl over a pan of boiling water and whisk until light and frothy.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until it forms soft peaks (when you can lift a spoon out of the cream and the peak falls slowly) and fold the two mixes together.
• Put the quartered figs into oven proof serving dishes, spoon over the egg mixture and bake at 250C for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Serve with a glass of new Hardys Dessert Shiraz, a rich, full-bodied Australian wine with rich dark cherry, bramble berry, red plum and soft peppery spice flavours.

Serves 6

Iced Chocolate Soufflé with Raspberry Granita

 

Ingredients

Souffle

10 egg yolks
300 ml water
180g caster sugar
80g melted chocolate
40g Grated Chocolate
500g Crème Fraiche

Granita
250g frozen raspberries
100g caster sugar
200ml water
Juice of half lemon

Method:

Soufflé

• Combine sugar and water and bring to boil. Using a sugar thermometer (available form all good kitchen supplies) bring the syrup to 118C.
• Whisk egg yolks and pour in sugar mix whilst whisking. Whisk in melted chocolate and allow to cool.
• Fold in crème Fraiche and grated chocolate.
• Line the ramekin dishes with grease proof paper and fill with the chocolate mousse. Freeze until set (minimum of 3 hours).

Granita

• Put water, lemon juice, raspberries and sugar in pan, bring to simmer- take of heat and blend to a puree. Remove to a shallow tray or plastic container and freeze.
• After 2 hours break it up with a fork and repeat in 2 hours.

To serve:
Remove granita from freezer half an hour before you need it - remove iced soufflé from mould and remove all greaseproof paper and serve as per the picture.

Serve with a glass of new Hardys Dessert Shiraz, a rich, full-bodied Australian wine with rich dark cherry, bramble berry, red plum and soft peppery spice flavours.

Serves 6