Crowd pleasers: Amy-Beth Ellice creates her top five ideas for an elegant evening

Chocolate mousse 

Serves 8 

275g (10z) dark chocolate 

2 eggs 

3 egg yolks 

110g (4oz) caster sugar 

Pinch of salt 

375ml (12½fl oz) double cream 

1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. when it has fully melted, remove it from the heat and allow to stand until cool. 

2. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together then add the sugar and salt. whisk until foamy. In a separate bowl, beat the cream into stiff peaks. Add a spoonful of chocolate to the egg mixture and fold in. then add all of the egg mixture to the chocolate and mix until just combined. Add a spoonful of the chocolate mixture to the cream and gently fold in. then add the cream to the chocolate mixture and combine. 

3. Put equal amounts of mousse into 8 glasses and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. 

Three-tiered salted caramel celebration cake 

Serves 40 to 50 

For the 15cm (6in) cake: 

350g (12oz) butter, softened 

350g (12oz) light brown sugar 

6 eggs 

2 tsps vanilla extract 

350g (12oz) self-raising flour 

For the 20cm (8in) cake: 

700g (1lb 8oz) butter, softened 

700g (1lb 8oz) light brown sugar 

12 eggs 

4 tsps vanilla extract 

700g (1lb 8oz) self-raising flour 

For the 25½cm (10in) cake: 

900g (2lbs) butter, softened 

900g (2lbs) light brown sugar

16 eggs 

6 tsps vanilla extract 

900g (2lbs) self-raising flour 

For the salted caramel: 

225g (8oz) butter 

350g (12oz) soft dark brown sugar 

1 tsp sea salt 

250ml (8fl oz) double cream 

For the salted caramel buttercream: 

900g (2lbs) butter, softened 

4 tbsps vanilla extract 

1,800g (4lbs) icing sugar 

4 tbsps milk 

Half of the home-made salted caramel 

To make the cakes: 

1. Due to the large quantities of ingredients and oven time needed, you may find it necessary to make the cakes in stages. 

2. Preheat the oven to 180ºc/fan 160ºc/350ºf/ gas mark 4. Grease two 15cm (6in), two 20½cm (8in) and two 25cm (10in) cake tins with butter and line the bases with parchment paper. 

3. To make the 15cm cakes, put the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract into the bowl of a free-standing electric mixer (or you can use a handheld electric whisk and mixing bowl). Then sift in the flour, lifting your sieve quite high to incorporate air, and beat until the mixture is light and creamy. 

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tins and smooth with a palette knife or the back of the spoon. 

5. While the cakes are baking, prepare the mixture for the 20½cm cakes using the same method and repeat for the 25cm cakes. bake in the oven until the cakes are well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of them comes out clean. the 15cm cakes should take about 50 minutes, the 20½cm cakes about 60 minutes and the 25cm cakes need roughly 80 minutes. 

6. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning them out on to a wire rack. Peel off the baking parchment and leave to cool completely. 

7. When each cake has completely cooled, to ensure that they are level you may want to trim them with a knife and layer each of the cakes by slicing them in half horizontally. 

To make the salted caramel: 

1. Place the butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan and heat gently until melted and combined. Add the cream and stir until it has been fully incorporated. Allow the mixture to cool completely before adding to the buttercream. 

To make the buttercream: 

1. Put the butter in the bowl of a free-standing electric mixer and beat until it is soft and creamy. 

2. Add the vanilla extract and gradually sift in the icing sugar and milk, beating until the mixture is light and creamy. 

3. Add in half of the salted caramel and mix until it is fully incorporated. 

To assemble the cake: 

1. Put the first layer of your 15cm cakes on to a 30cm (12in) cake board. Spread a thin layer of salted caramel on each section of cake. follow with the buttercream, making sure that each layer of cake is lined up with the previous one so it remains stable and each tier looks straight. Repeat this process until every layer of your cake has been placed. 

2. Fully cover each tier of cake with an even layer of buttercream. repeat this process with the other two tiers of the cake. 

3. As you assemble your cake, place a thin cake board between each tier to make slicing easier and ensure greater stability. 

4. Once your cake is fully assembled and covered in buttercream, decorate it with fresh flowers.

Mini walnut tarts 

Makes 20 

For the pastry: 

175g (6oz) plain flour 

½ tsp salt 

110g (4oz) butter 

1 egg white 

For the filling: 

75g (3oz) cream cheese 

75g (3oz) double cream 

3 egg yolks 

¼ tsp cayenne pepper 

Salt 

50g (2oz) walnuts, chopped 

1 bunch spring onions, chopped 

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Gently melt the butter, pour it into the flour and mix with a spoon until it is fully combined. Add the egg white and continue to mix until you have a soft, smooth dough. l roll a teaspoon-sized amount of dough into a ball. Press into a mini cupcake or muffin tin, bringing the dough up to stand a little proud above the edge. Chill for 30 minutes. 

2. Preheat the oven to 190ºc/fan 170ºc/375ºf/ gas mark 5. 

3. To make the filling, whisk the cream cheese and double cream together then thoroughly whisk in the egg yolks. Season with cayenne pepper and salt. Stir in the chopped walnuts and spring onions until combined. 

4. Spoon the filling into the lined tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until the tarts are golden brown. 

Fresh figs with goat’s cheese and prosciutto 

Makes 24 canapés or appetisers 

6 fresh figs 

12 slices of prosciutto 

150g (5oz) goat’s cheese 

1. Remove and discard the hard stem from the top of each fig and cut into quarters lengthwise. 

2. Cut each slice of the prosciutto in half lengthwise and fold it in half and half again. top with a thin slice of goat’s cheese and a fig quarter. 

3. Place a cocktail stick in each canapé to hold them together. 

Blackberry fizz cocktails 

Makes about 1 litre (1¾ pints) of cordial 

1kg (2lbs 2oz) blackberries 

500ml (16fl oz) water 

200g (7oz) granulated white sugar 

Zest and juice of 1 lemon 

1. Put the washed blackberries into a large saucepan with the water. Heat them slowly until the juice is oozing and the berries start to break down. Strain through a sieve to remove the pips. 

2. Return the juice to the saucepan, add the sugar, lemon zest and juice and heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. remove from the heat and leave to cool. 

3. Pour the cordial into sterilised bottles and seal. to serve, pour two tablespoons of cordial into a glass and top up with prosecco, champagne or sparkling water.