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Desserts - much of this is inspired by exotic combinations of simple ingredients you find in the cafes of Poland. The combination of ginger marjolaine nests, pear compôte, advocaat ice cream and forest fruits syrup is particularly good.

Advocaat Ice Cream Forest Fruits Syrup Granita Trecolore Marjolaine Biscuit Nests Pear Compôte Rum Omelette

Lody z Kremu Jajkowego (10)
- Poland is the only place I've come across this. It isn't too sweet and its consistency is hard, so it will stand up to combination desserts. Take it out of the freezer a few minutes in advance of serving.

300 ml double cream
300 ml single cream
5 level tbsp white sugar
175 ml Advocaat

Beat double cream until it forms soft peaks, then add single cream and sugar. Beat again to stiff peaks, taking care not to curdle the whole thing. Add Advocaat and beat together as briefly and gently as possible. Turn into polythene freezer containers, top with a swirl of advocaat and freeze.
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Forest Fruits Syrup (6)
- a good topping for ice creams, and similar to a coulis.

250 g weight mixed berries and currants, fresh or frozen
4 rounded tbsp white sugar
water

Combine fruit and 3 tbsp sugar in a small pan. Gently poach and mash the fruit for a few minutes only, strain off the syrup, and repeat with the remaining sugar and 2 tbsp water. Repeat with only water. Reduce the combined syrup on a low heat, until it thickens when cool.
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Granita Trecolore (6)
- sherbetty and refreshing, especially in summer. The combination of the tart lime, fragrant lemon, and sweet tangerine makes for an interesting contrast, as well as looking very pretty together in a white or glass bowl. The lemon granita is also very good served in small quantity after a spicy course and, since the quantities given do not make equal amounts of the three granitas, you'll have some lemon and lime granita left over do do this with. Make the granitas in the order shown, taking care not to boil the juices for long, which reduces its vitamin C content.

RED
75 g granulated sugar
2 tangerines
orange or tangerine juice to 200 ml total
YELLOW
175 ml chilled water or 175 g ice
75 g granulated sugar
1 lemon
lemon juice to 200 ml total
GREEN
175 ml chilled water or 175 g ice
75 g granulated sugar
1 lime
lime juice to 150 ml total

In each case, remove zest from fruit using a fine grater. Squeeze juice from fruit, top up to required total with more juice as required, and combine fruit juice and sugar in a small pan. Heat strongly to boiling, and then immediately throw in zest, remove from heat, and add ice or water, if used. Stir, allow to cool and then freeze, smashing up ice every hour or two with a mallet or strong fork.
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Marjolaine Biscuit Nests (8)
- the base of this is ground almonds, rather than flour. It's fascinating stuff to work with, remaining pliable when hot or damp. It's normally served flat, with something on top, but can be used to fashion little circular 'nests' which can be filled with whipped cream, ice cream, or whatever. I spice this version with ginger, but just miss it out if you prefer.

1/3 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup ground sugar
3 egg whites, taken from the refrigerator a few hours earlier
2 heaped tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tsp melted butter, warm not hot
1 or 2 tsp ground ginger

Combine and sieve all dry ingredients, except granulated sugar. Beat egg whites to soft peaks, add granulated sugar, and beat again to stiff peaks. As gently as possible, fold the dry ingredients into the egg white, then fold in the melted butter. Spread the mixture onto baking parchment in a rough rectangle, and bake at 170 C for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and promptly cut into 5 cm-wide strips (along with the parchment, if you prefer). Whilst they are still pliable, join up the ends of each strip to form a hoop, and hold each one for a few moments until hardened. If they harden before they can be worked, just place each strip into a warm oven for a minute or two and they will soften again. Let each nest cool thoroughly and store in an airtight container. Remove parchment before serving!
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Kompot z Gruszek (4)
- if serving with ice cream, I like the fruit in large chunks or rounds but, if the fruit is cut finely, it makes a refreshing accompaniment, or even a drink, especially in summer. I like Rocha pears for this, because they stay firm and aren't too sweet. Other pears might disintegrate to a pulp, so take care.

500 g weight Rocha or dessert pears, cored and chopped into rounds
500 ml water
3 rounded tbsp white sugar, or to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pan and poach gently until pears are just 'al dente'. Sweeten if desired, let cool, and then chill thoroughly.
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Rum Omelette (2)
- nice as a supper dish for a change.

4 eggs
2 tsp sugar
pinch salt
30 ml rum
30 ml cream
butter

Lightly beat eggs, half the sugar and the salt together and cook omelette as normal. Turn onto warm plates, drizzle with cream, and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Warm rum in a metal ladle or pan, ignite, and pour over omelettes.
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