Gingered Fruit Salad

This delicious dried fruit salad can be made 1 week ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator. Serve cold for dessert with whipped cream and shredded orange rind, if liked. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup caster sugar
12-13 ounce (400 g) packet dried fruit salad

Method:

1. Combine water, ginger, rind, juice and sugar in medium saucepan, stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil, add fruit, reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until fruit is plump; stir occasionally.
2. Remove from heat, transfer mixture to medium bowl, cool to room temperature, cover, refrigerate.

Mango Fool Dessert

With its decorative whipped cream and fresh fruit topping, this easy mango dessert is the perfect conclusion to a special family meal or dinner party, especially since it can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 x 5 1/2 ounce (170 g) cans mango pulp
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 teaspoons dark rum
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 pint (300 ml) carton thickened cream

Method:

1. Combine mango, sifted icing sugar, rum and cinnamon in medium bowl. Beat cream in small bowl with electric mixer until firm peaks form.
2. Reserve 1/3 cup whipped cream for decoration. Fold remaining cream into mango mixture; mix well, pour into 4 serving glasses, cover, refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Decorate with the reserved cream and fresh fruit.

Apple and Fruit Mince Tart

This delicious tart is best served on the day it is made. Serve warm or cold for dessert with whipped cream. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup bottled fruit mince
1 egg, lightly beaten
5 ounce (150 g) packaged sweet short pastry flan
1 apple, thinly sliced
Icing sugar

Method:

1. Combine fruit mince and egg in medium bowl, mix well. Pour mixture evenly into pastry flan, arrange apple slices decoratively over top.
2. Bake in moderate oven for about 50 minutes or until filling is set. Dust lightly with sifted icing sugar.

Individual Fruit Trifles

Any type of fresh berry can be used for this easy fruit dessert - raspberries, strawberries and boysenberries are all available frozen. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 jam sponge roll
4 tablespoons sweet sherry
Packet (85 g) strawberry jelly crystals
1 cup boiling water
8 ounces (250 g) frozen or fresh berries
2 tablespoons sweet sherry, extra
2 tablespoons custard powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 pint (300 ml) carton thickened (double) cream

Method:

1. Arrange slices of sponge roll in 4 individual serving dishes, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sherry over sponge in each dish.
2. Dissolve jelly in boiling water, add berries (do not thaw if frozen), add extra sherry; refrigerate until partly set. Pour jelly into dishes; refrigerate.
3. Blend combined custard powder and sugar with 1/2 cup of the milk, bring remaining milk to boil, gradually stir in custard powder mixture. Stir over heat until custard boils and thickens; cover, cool to lukewarm, then pour over jelly in dishes, refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with whipped cream, and decorate with toasted flaked almonds, if desired.