The Secret Stash – Sweet Stuff

You know what I said in The Creaking Table about feeding an army - it's fear of not being able to produce plenty of food – even when you're not expecting whoever turns up – there must be an appropriate phobia name for this condition - hmmm

So, my theory is, if you've the wherewithal to produce something sweet – you get my drift - then all's right with the world.

Check that you've got :

Pantry/cupboard

icing sugar

caster sugar

drum of shop bought meringue kisses

Madeira cake x 2 (disguise by hiding in a tin!)

vanilla bean paste

Maple syrup

soft dark brown sugar

jar of conserve of your choice

Amaretti biscuits – expensive but

justified

chocolate – 50% cocoa solids

Wright's make instant cake mixes too

If you've space in the freezer:

frozen raspberries

frozen cherries

batch of vanilla ice cream

If you've space in the fridge:

large tub of mascarpone cheese

praline

batch of microwave lemon curd

emergency large double cream

batch of sticky toffee sauce

All of the above will enable you to produce any or all of :

Awesome Autumn Pud

Lemon Tiramisu

Judy's Jars (recipe to follow)

Check out “Store Cupboard desserts & puds – the beginning

and uber-useful extras 

If all else fails, a bowl of vanilla ice cream with praline sprinkled over the top, and a large blob of warmed sticky toffee sauce and an Amaretti biscuit on the side – hello!

If you don't need to call upon your secret sweet stash it won't be wasted.  There's New Year to look forward to and you won't need to shop!