I just love desserts. In my view, the main course spread out at lunch or dinner is just an opening, a prelude to the choral glory of a super dessert. During my separation and divorce I often didn’t have time (and to be honest, the expertise) to indulge my love of desserts to the full. This was until I discovered some really good websites that helped me whip up a quick and deliciously perfect ending to every meal.

The one I’ve enclosed below, the Maui Madness, is from razzledazzlerecipes.com and is one of my all-time taste-bud tantalizers, besides being extremely quick and easy to make. It’s been a feature of many memorable meals – the first meal I made for Alice after we moved in together, the dinner I had with my son when he came home for a stay after a long time, the list goes on. Its association with so many good, contented moments in my life makes me look upon it as some sort of good luck charm and I share it in the hope that it brings some happy moments for you as well!

“Maui Madness
1/3 cup macadamia nuts -- coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 slices fresh pineapple
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pint coffee ice cream

Lightly toast the nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until they are golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Immediately remove from skillet to prevent burning.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet and cook the pineapple over medium heat, turning once, until tinged with gold, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in the molasses and simmer, spooning the sauce over the fruit, for 3 minutes. Transfer the pineapple to 4 shallow dessert bowls.

Add the rum and lemon juice to the skillet and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Place a scoop of the ice cream on each pineapple slice. Spoon the sauce over the ice cream. Sprinkle with the nuts and serve immediately.”