Dinner party recipes to impress your guests

Discover MasterChef: The Classics With A Twist and make dishes created by the TV show's past champions

(David Loftus)

Plenty of culinary talent has been nurtured over the 13 years that Gregg Wallace and John Torode have hosted MasterChef — and the best of it is included in MasterChef: The Classics With A Twist.

There are 100 new recipes created by the show’s champions, including this treat below, from celebrity MasterChef winner Angellica Bell.

From taking staples to the next level (think coq au vin with an Iberian spin) to crowd-pleasing sides (cumin and chilli sautéed Brussels sprout leaves, anyone?) and dinner party-ready mains, this book is perfect for those who love to cook up a storm in the kitchen.

Pear, Passionfruit, and Raspberry Pavlova (Angelica Bell)

This double-layered pavlova combined poached pears, macerated raspberries, two types of cream, and toasted pistachios to make an unashamedly decadent dessert.

Serves: 12

Prep: 1 hour

Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 130°C (250°F/Gas ½). Draw two 20cm (8in) circles on greaseproof paper and place on baking trays. Make the meringue by whisking the egg whites and half the caster sugar until shiny and firm. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the rest of the sugar, followed by the cornflour and vinegar. Spoon into the circles and bake for 1½ hours, then turn off the oven, leaving the meringues inside until cool.

INGREDIENTS 

• 6 egg whites, at room temperature
• pinch of salt
• 350g (12oz) caster sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 200g (80z) shelled pistachio

For the pears

• 500g (1lb 2oz) passionfruit purée
• 3tbsp pear liqueur
• 100g (3½oz)  granulated sugar
• 6 pears, peeled but retaining stalks
• pulp of 6 passion fruits

For the raspberries

• 500g (1lb 20z) raspberries
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• 90-120ml (3-4fl oz) balsamic vinegar

For the mascarpone cream

• 250g (9oz) mascarpone
• 200g (7oz) natural fromage frais
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1-2 tbsp caster sugar
• milk, to loosen

For the white chocolate cream

• 100g (4oz) white chocolate, broken into small pieces
• 530ml (19fl oz) double cream

 

2. Combine the passionfruit purée, liqueur, sugar, and 300ml (10fl oz) water in a large pan. Add the pears and simmer over a medium heat for about 30 minutes, until soft and tender. Remove the pears and stand them upright on a plate to cool, then refrigerate. Continue to simmer the poaching liquid until it reduces to a thick syrup. Let it cool. Discard half of the syrup. Stir the passionfruit pulp through the remaining syrup. Set aside.

3. Combine the raspberries, icing sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl, and leave to macerate for 30–40 minutes. In another bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, fromage frais, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl until smooth, adding a dash of milk to loosen if necessary. Cover and chill until needed.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Heat the chocolate and 60ml (2fl oz) cream in a pan, stirring occasionally, until melted and combined. Leave to cool. Beat the remaining cream to soft peaks in a bowl, then gently fold in the cooled chocolate mixture and refrigerate.

5. Bake the pistachios on a tray for 6–8 minutes. Rub in a clean tea towel to remove the skins. Leave to cool, then chop.

6. Spread the mascarpone cream over one meringue, followed by the raspberries and half of the pistachios. Top with the second meringue and cover with the white chocolate cream. Stand the pears on top, drizzle with passionfruit syrup, sprinkle with the remaining pistachios, and serve.

MasterChef The Classics With A Twist, £25

Available now at Amazon.co.uk

*This content was commissioned and approved by DK