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It wouldn’t be too much of an exaggeration to say I’ve got one of the best jobs in the world – developing desserts for M&S. It’s every girl’s idea of heaven. After 4 years in the job, I’m pretty much obsessed with puddings. It’s causing havoc with the waistline and the dental bills are extortionate but I love it.
Of course I don’t do it on my own. We are a team of dessert obsessives. Developing the new Dessert Menu for M&S has been such fun. This range is designed for the discerning dessert devotee – that’s anyone who believes dessert is the culmination of the meal – not just an add-on.
I believe desserts have to look as good as they taste. I’m a girl who likes a recipe book with pictures. The same goes for buying a dessert, it’s got to look the bee’s knees.
The Dessert Menu launches in-store today! Here are a few highlights from the new range:
Blood Orange and Champagne Panna Cotta Crush - £3.79 for two (360g)
We had this little pot made – I love the shape. It’s known affectionately as the goldfish bowl for obvious reasons and I think you will be happy to put it on the table, even in front of guests.
This dessert rolls several trends into one. One of my flavours of the season is blood orange. It’s the colour as much as the flavour that does it for me. It was inspired by a trip I made to Tokyo last summer. The Japanese are really in to jellies. It’s definitely their thing. They use this technique of decorating with chopped jelly. It looks a bit like crushed ice cubes. We put champagne in ours. I truly believe that the best shop-bought panna cotta is from M&S. Basically, we don’t skimp on the double cream. The texture should be silky and the orange juice cuts through the richness along with the blood orange flood. Divine.
Ultimate Vanilla Panna Cotta with Black Cherry Compote - £3.79 for two (320g)
Okay, you’ve probably noticed I love panna cotta.
I promise this is the last one I’m going to talk about but this is truly the ultimate classic. You have to turn this one out and spoon over a little black cherry compote. It’s a superb combination of colours, flavours and textures. The sharp black cherry compote cuts through that richness. You could get away with saying you made this yourself. I won’t tell.
Billionaire’s Dessert – £1.79 (105g)
A few years ago we had the idea of making a dessert out of the classic millionaire’s shortbread. Inevitably, everyone’s doing one now. So we’ve gone one better. This little pot of heaven combines chocolate crumb, sea salted caramel sauce, burnt caramel and black treacle mousse, chocolate ganache and a bit of bling! It’s one to sit and savour in a dark room. Too good to share.
Are you like me, in that you need a dessert to look as good as it tastes? Which of our new treats caught your eye? Keep your eyes peeled, as I’ll be introducing you to rest of the range over the next few weeks…
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Comments6
On: 26 September 2011 Permalink
I love all the new ideas and recipes, but cannot try them as I am trying to lose weight. Please do not forget us folks that use the Count on Us and Fuller longer range. I have so far lost 4 1/2 stone in combination with your foods and Weight Watchers, so please find some “sinfully” low but tasty foods for us
Thank you for helping in the loss of so much weight so far
On: 27 September 2011 Permalink
Helen, these desserts look fabulous! With living in Cape Town, it’s a tad difficult for me to sample them, but look forward to doing so when visit next. Love the flavour twist on the millionaires shortbread. M&S are bang on trend with the salted and burnt caramel sauces. Like the fact that the packaging even gets a name……they do look like goldfish bowls. Well done and keep up the good work. Becs
On: 27 September 2011 Permalink
My mouth is watering just looking at the pics!
I loooove M&S food!!
Any food I’ve ever bought in my M&S has been absolutely delicious.
I think you have a fab job Helen
Congratulations to Julie Edmunds too, the first poster, on sticking to your diet and losing all that weight, well done you!
On: 10 February 2012 Permalink
I bought the Billionaire’s Dessert yesterday and I have to say how disappointed I am with it. I am a long time fan of the quality of M&S food and have NEVER had an issue with any item before. I absolutely love the Millionaire’s Dessert and assumed this would be as good, if not better, however it was truly awful. “Sea Salted Caramel Sauce”, Really? I was actually gagging and almost threw up. I am so very disappointed, hopefully other customers who find this as bad will take the time to report it to you so it is taken off the shelves.
On: 20 July 2012 Permalink
For anyone on a diet, like me, the count on us raspberry panna cotta is lovely, whenever I feel like something sweet, this is my treat and at 140 calories I can work it into my daily allowance.
Please M&S keep the panna cotta coming to Bournemouth.
On: 21 December 2012 Permalink
Just had to comment the Billionaires deserts are amazing. Really love the caramel and the combination of flavours. Gorgeous. Panna cotta is always a winner, but these are my new favorite desert!