11 desserts and evening snacks

Sweet temptations are perhaps one of the most exquisite pleasures in life. They trigger mechanisms in our brain, our heart and, why not, our whole body.

There's nothing quite like enjoying a scrumptious dessert, whether as the grand finale to the perfect meal, to salvage a disappointing one or to feast on at any point in the day, as an evening snack or a meal replacement, on a whim.

I admit that although I love to eat them, I don't have the patience to prepare many of the excellent recipes that have been passed on in my family (and many others) through the generations. Here I will only be including the simpler recipes, and those that are indispensable or have become part of my staple diet!

I'll try to keep things simple so that we´re not endlessly counting out grains of sugar or rummaging around to locate the 30 different utensils needed or spending hours with our eyes glued to the hob, oven, fridge or whatever. As I said at the start of this book, my aim is to popularise fun, fast, easy and budget-friendly cooking.

In any case, what I can guarantee is that the following recipes will sweeten any occasion, regardless of its justification (or lack of)!