Photo: Stock.Xchng

When the baking bug hits or you have some time to make a nice dessert, the last thing you feel like doing is running to the shops to fetch the right ingredients. Desserts can be a wonderful end to a fantastic meal but there is no need to spend loads of money making them. Instead scrounge around your house for some commonly kept pantry items and whip up some delicious, easy-to-make desserts.

Fruits

Fresh fruit, stewed fruit or grilled fruit make for a great, simple to make dessert. Strawberries and citrus fruits are best served fresh with some ice-cream or yoghurt – for an elegant twist serve them in a martini glass with yoghurt and muesli. Pears and apples can be stewed or poached by boiling and then simmering them in water until soft, while pineapples taste great grilled with some sugar and cinnamon and served with honey.

Flour, sugar, eggs and butter

Lots of great desserts can be made using these four simple pantry ingredients. Simple sponge cakes always go down well and for something more interesting try a wholesome bread and butter pudding. For the more adventurous, a rice pudding can be easily conjured up with these simple ingredients and of course, some rice. Cookies and muffins also taste great as an after-dinner snack and can be spiced up with nuts, oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies if you have any lying around.

Keep it simple

Simple pancakes and flapjacks are great for desserts and can be lathered with anything from lemon juice to chocolate spread and ice-cream. The remainder of various tubs of ice-cream can also be mixed together to create a brand new flavour and various fruits, nuts, yoghurts and juices can be blended together for the perfect dessert – a super healthy smoothie.

Tags: baking, cake, desserts, fruit