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JAMES MARTIN’S AUTUMNAL DRAMBUIE DESSERTS

by Northern Life

Hedgerow and garden fruits, including cherries, apples and blackberries, paired with sweet heather honey are a match made in heaven this autumn, according to best-loved television chef James Martin.

So, when James was devising new desserts using the Scottish honeyed whisky liqueur Drambuie, the delicious bounty of seasonal fruits found in gardens and hedgerows across the UK was the natural choice for some inspirational recipes to bring people together this autumn.

DUCK-EGG SPONGE WITH BLACKBERRY JAM, SERVED WITH DRAMBUIE

(Serves 8)

Ingredients

For the cake 

  • 250g salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 
  • 250g caster sugar 
  • 4 duck eggs, beaten (can be substituted with 5 hen’s eggs) 
  • 250g self-raising flour 

For the filling 

  • 300g blackberries 
  • 300g caster sugar 
  • 15ml Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur 
  • 300ml double cream 

To decorate 

  • Handful of blackberries/brambles (with leaves if you like) 
  • Icing sugar, to dust 

Method

  1. Grease and line 2 x 23cm cake tins with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F, gas 4. 
  2. Beat the softened butter and sugar together in a large bowl, using either a wooden spoon or an electric hand whisk, until the mixture looks pale and creamy. Gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift over the flour and gently fold in until the mixture looks smooth. 
  3. Divide the cake batter evenly between the lined tins and roughly level off with the back of the spoon. If you gently drop each tin onto the work surface it will help level off the mixture completely. 
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer or cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn each cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely, removing the greaseproof paper. 
  5. Meanwhile, make the jam. Put the blackberries, sugar and Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur into a large saucepan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes until you have a jam, then set aside to cool. 
  6. In a bowl, whip the double cream to a soft peak. 
  7. Place one of the sponges onto a large serving plate or cake plate, and spoon the jam on top, spreading it out to the edge, then repeat with the whipped double cream. Sit the other sponge on top and decorate with blackberries, a few leaves (if using – watch out for thorns!) and a dusting of icing sugar. 
  8. Serve with a glass of the honeyed whisky liqueur, Drambuie, over ice. Use a 50ml measure and pour over large ice cubes, in your favourite whisky glass. 

APPLE TARTE TATIN

Ingredients

  • 200g all butter puff pastry
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 125g butter
  • 50ml Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur
  • 8 pink lady apples peeled and cored

To serve

  • 200ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 4 tbsp Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur
  • 1 vanilla pod

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F degrees.
  2. Melt the sugar and butter in a non-stick pan, once melted keep on a medium heat and add the apples, cooked and keep turning the apples for 20 mins until nicely caramelised, this will take time, but it is the most important part of making a good tarte tatin. Be careful not to damage or break up the apples.
  3. Add the Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur and leave to cool slightly before adding to the oven dish with half of the caramel.
  4. Roll the puff pastry to about 3 to 4 mm thick and cut into a circle approx 1 inch larger than the dish your apples are to be cooked in.
  5. Put the pastry on top of the apples, tuck the edges in and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before turning out onto a serving plate.
  7. Mix the cream with the icing sugar, Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur and vanilla pod seeds and place in a serving jug.
  8. To serve, warm the remaining caramel and brush over the tarte tatin and serve warm.

FIVE-MINUTE CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

  • 150g sticky Jamaican ginger cake
  • 340g cream cheese
  • 200ml crème fraiche
    200ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 3 tbsp Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur

Stewed cherries

  • 500g stoned fresh cherries cut in half
  • 3 tbsp Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur
  • 4 tbsp caster sugar

Meringue

  • 2 medium egg whites
  • 4 tbsp caster sugar

To serve

  • 12 small sprigs of fresh mint
  • 6 pieces of candied ginger

Method

  1. To make the cherry compote place the cherries, Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur and 3 tbsp of the sugar into a pan and bring to the boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until sticky and turn the heat off and cool.
  2. To make the meringue, place the egg white into a bowl and whisk until firm peaks and then add the 4 tbsp of caster sugar and whisk for approximately a minute until firm and place in a piping bag.
  3. For the cheesecake add the cream, Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur, crème fraiche, icing sugar and cream cheese in a bowl and whisk for a minute quickly until firm. Try not to over whisk and chill once made, until you need to serve.
  4. To serve, heat a large serving spoon in hot water and scoop out a spoonful onto the plate. Pipe the meringue in a few peaks and using a blowtorch to colour slightly.
  5. Add the compote around and top with the ginger cake broken into bits over the cherries and cheesecake. Finish with the sprigs of mint and cutting each piece of ginger into 4, add 4 pieces over each serving and serve.
  6. You can also use two thirds of the compote to serve, then blend the rest until smooth and add around the dessert to serve and add more texture.

DRAMBUIE ICED EXPRESSO

  • 50ml Drambuie Honeyed Liqueur  
  • 50ml Espresso or strong cold brew coffee (can be decaffeinated) 
  • Lots of ice  

Method: 

Pour both ingredients over ice and stir, or you can shake both ingredients and pour into an ice filled glass.