Quick and simple desserts

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You know what it’s like: it’s been a hectic day, but you know that at the end of dinner the kids are always calling for dessert. What can you rustle up quickly to satisfy their sweet teeth? Of course any good recipe website will be able to help you in your search, but here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Fruit salad is a classic dessert that’s both simple and healthy. Buy a few boxes of fruit; peel, chop and cut into squares and hey presto! You have a wonderful pudding that the whole family will enjoy. Use a few teaspoons of sugar and a small amount of water to give that wonderfully fruity juice.

A traditional crumble never goes amiss and crumble topping is so quick and easy to make. If you’re lucky enough to have fresh fruit growing in the garden use that when it’s in season, otherwise buy some Granny Smiths, stew in sugar until soft, top with a crumble mix and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Kids of all ages will enjoy this timeless classic, especially served with a good dollop of custard.

If you know how to bake, a Baked Alaska is an oft-forgotten pudding. Use pre-made vanilla ice cream as the centre to your meringue, as in this Baked Alaska recipe, to deliver a hit of creamy goodness as you crack open the soft meringues with your spoon. The kids will thank you for it, and you could even impress a dinner part guest or two!

Finally coming back to fruit, you could always opt for baked bananas with chocolate – simply slit the banana down the side, fill with chocolate buttons and wrap up in foil. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes and you’ve got a family favourite that finishes a meal off perfectly.