Recipes
VEGETARIAN SOUPS AND MAIN COURSES
Butternut Squash Soup
| 2 medium butternut squashes |
| 2 bramley apples |
| 2 medium onions |
| 2oz butter |
| 1tsp curry powder |
| 1.5oz flour |
| pinch ground nutmeg |
| 2 chicken stock cubes |
| 750ml boiling water |
| 500ml milk |
| Fry chopped onions in butter till just going brown. Add curry paste and fry a little. Add chopped squash and apple and fry a little, then flour and nutmeg. Stir well for a few seconds over a low heat. Add water and chicken stock cubes and milk and bring to boil, stirring. |
| Simmer with lid on, stirring occasionally until squash is cooked. Blend until smooth and season with salt and pepper |
Chick Pea Soup
| 3 tbs olive oil |
| 8 cloves garlic |
| Sprig of rosemary, chopped |
| Tin chopped tomatoes |
| 2 tins chickpeas |
| 1 pt stock |
| Fry garlic cloves in olive oil over a medium heat till they are well browned, then remove. Add rosemary to oil and sizzle for around 30sec. |
| Add tomatoes (carefully as there’s dramatic steam and sprayed hot oily tomato if you do it too fast!). Stir and cook over a slightly lower heat for around 30m stirring occasionally. Add drained chickpeas and cook a further 5m. Add stock and some salt and pepper and cook for a further 30m. Blend and adjust seasoning. |
Chick peas with leeks
| 1 onion
1 clove of garlic |
| 2 leeks |
| 2 carrots |
| 1 large cooking apple |
| Tin of chick peas |
| Tin of mushy peas |
| 0.5pt cider |
| Tbsp peanut butter (optional) |
| Fry chopped onion, garlic, leeks, carrots and apples in olive or sunflower oil until softened. Add chick peas, mushy peas, peanut butter (if used) and cider and enough water to cover the veg, season with salt and pepper and simmer gently for around an hour. I also added some softened quince which had been left over from making quince jelly, but it’s probably not essential! |
Cold courgette soup
A novel and very tasty way to use all those courgettes in the summer
| 3 medium onions |
| About 1.5lb courgettes |
| Rind of 2 oranges |
| Orange juice |
| I tbs curry paste or powder |
| Cream/yogurt |
| Fry onions and courgettes together until softened. Stir in curry paste and fry a little more. Add water to cover and simmer about 10 min. |
| Blend and leave to cool. (It’s also good hot!) |
| Stir in orange rind, season and add some orange juice – to taste. |
| Before serving stir in a swirl of yogurt or cream |
Courgette parcels
Another delicious solution to the courgette glut
| Courgettes |
| Pack of feta cheese |
| Grated parmesan |
| Egg |
| Splash of cream |
| Chopped mint |
| Filo pastry |
| Olive oil |
| Grate courgettes and sprinkle with salt. Leave about half an hour then squeeze out as much liquid as you can and pat dry. |
| Mix courgettes with feta cheese, some grated parmesan, an egg and a splash of cream and some chopped mint. |
| Oil a sheet of filo pastry, pile some mixture into middle and draw up sides to make a parcel. Repeat with more sheets. |
| Bake till golden brown. |
Courgette parcels
Another delicious solution to the courgette glut
| Courgettes |
| Pack of feta cheese |
| Grated parmesan |
| Egg |
| Splash of cream |
| Chopped mint |
| Filo pastry |
| Olive oil |
| Grate courgettes and sprinkle with salt. Leave about half an hour then squeeze out as much liquid as you can and pat dry. |
| Mix courgettes with feta cheese, some grated parmesan, an egg and a splash of cream and some chopped mint. |
| Oil a sheet of filo pastry, pile some mixture into middle and draw up sides to make a parcel. Repeat with more sheets. |
| Bake till golden brown. |
Cullen Skink
500g undyed smoked haddock, skin on
A bay leaf
Knob of butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 leek, washed and cut into chunks
2 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut into chunks
500ml whole milk
Chives, chopped, to serve
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1. Put the fish into a pan large enough to hold it comfortably, and cover with about 300ml cold water. Add the bay leaf, and bring gently to the boil. By the time it comes to the boil, the fish should be just cooked – if it’s not, then give it another minute or so. Remove from the pan, and set aside to cool. Take the pan off the heat.
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Red cabbage and chestnuts
This is the easiest recipe I know for when you need to cook for lots of people. Absolutely nothing is crucial except that it is cooked for a long time in a very low oven. Delicious with baked potatoes and Greek yogurt or creme fraiche and a green salad.
| 2 large onions |
| A red cabbage |
| A bag of frozen chestnuts |
| ½ to ¾ bottle of cheap red wine |
| 2 oz butter |
| Note: quantities not at all crucial! |
| Gently fry chopped onions in butter till just going brown. Add chopped red cabbage and chestnuts. Almost cover with red wine. Gently bring to boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook in a very low oven (MK 1 – 2 or about 140°) for about 3 hours (or longer if you can’t get back in time). |
Spicy chick peas
| 10-11 oz chopped onions |
| ½ chopped green chilli |
| 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger |
| 4 tbsp lemon juice |
| 2 tins chickpeas |
| 6 tbsp veg oil |
| ½lb chopped tomatoes |
| 1 tbsp ground coriander |
| 1 tbsp ground cumin |
| ¼ tsp cayenne pepper |
| salt |
| pepper |
| Put 2 tbsp of the onions, the chilli, ginger, ½tsp salt and lemon juice aside in a cup. |
| Fry remaining onions in oil till browning. Add tomatoes and continue to fry till gone mushy. |
| Add spices and stir and cook for about 30 seconds. |
| Add chick peas, about ¾ pt juice from tin and water and salt. Cover and cook very gently for about 20 minutes. |
| Before serving stir in the contents of the cup. |
Spinachy chick peas
| 2 tins chick peas |
| 1 oz butter |
| 1 medium onion |
| 1 lb tomatoes |
| 8 oz spinach |
| 1 tsp ground cumin |
| 1 tsp oregano |
| 1 tsp paprika |
| 4 oz grated cheddar |
| salt |
| natural yoghurt |
| Blend 4 oz of the chick peas with ¼ pt fluid from can. Fry chopped onions till browning. Add cumin and drained chick peas and cook for 2 min. Stir in chopped spinach, tomatoes, blended chick peas, herbs and seasoning. Cook for a further 15 mins approx. Stir in cheese and some yoghurt and serve hot. |
BISCUITS AND TRAY BAKES
Biscotti
| 12oz plain flour | |||||||||||
| 11oz caster sugar | |||||||||||
| 4oz ground almonds | |||||||||||
| 8oz whole blanched almonds | |||||||||||
| 1.5 tsp baking powder | |||||||||||
| 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon | |||||||||||
| 0.5 tsp salt | |||||||||||
| 3 large eggs | |||||||||||
| 1 tsp vanilla extract | |||||||||||
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Chocolate Caramel Shortbread
chocolate caramel shortbread
| Base: |
| 4 oz butter or marg |
| 2 oz caster sugar |
| 3 oz plain flour |
| 3 oz rolled oats |
| Caramel: |
| 0.5 tin condensed milk |
| 4 oz butter |
| 2 oz brown sugar |
| Chocolate topping: |
| 7 oz plain chocolate |
| 2 oz butter |
| For shortbread, cream butter and sugar then stir in oats and flour. Press into a lined Swiss roll tin (around 30x18cm) and bake at 160C or Mk 4 for around 20 min till turning golden brown. |
| For caramel, put all ingredients in pan and bring to boil over a low heat. Boil for 5 min stirring continuously. Pour over base. |
| For chocolate topping, melt chocolate and butter over a low heat and pour on top of caramel. |
| Leave to set in a cool place or fridge (but better to cut into squares before too cold or chocolate cracks) |
Coffee or lemon crunch
| Sponge: |
| 6oz margarine |
| 6oz soft brown sugar |
| 2 large eggs |
| 6oz self-raising flour |
| Topping: |
| 4oz caster sugar |
| 1 level tbsp coffee powder dissolved in 1 tbsp water |
| or |
| 1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice |
| Melt margarine in a pan. Remove from the heat and stir in sugar. Beat in eggs and stir in flour. Spread into a greased 12’’x 9” swiss roll tin. Bake at Mk 4, 180º for 25-30 min. |
| Meanwhile make a paste of the topping ingredients. Spread on the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. |
Date flapjack
Baked in the microwave – bizarre
| 250g pack of dates, chopped |
| 4 tbs water |
| 3 oz margarine |
| 2 oz demerara sugar |
| 1 tbs golden syrup |
| 5 oz plain flour |
| 5 oz porridge oats |
| Put dates and water in a bowl, cover and cook at HIGH for 3 min. Mash up with a fork. |
| Put marg, syrup and sugar in a bowl and cook at HIGH for 2 min. Add flour and oats and mix well. |
| Spread half the oat mixture into a 8in flan dish and flatten down, spread date mixture over, then cover with remaining oat mixture and press down firmly. |
| Cook at HIGH for 5 min. |
Gateshaw Oatcakes
My mother’s oatcake recipe – that she made when they lived at Gateshaw
| 8oz medium oatmeal |
| 2oz wholemeal flour |
| ½ tsp bicarb |
| ½ tsp salt |
| A little sugar (maybe a tsp?) |
| 1oz butter ( a ‘good’ ounce!) |
| water |
| Mix all dry ingredients. Rub in butter. Mix in enough water so that it just holds together (as for pastry) |
| Roll out thinly and cut into shapes |
| Bake in a medium oven till slightly browned. |
Gooey coconut flapjack
| 4oz butter |
| 4oz oats |
| 2oz chopped glace cherries |
| 4oz sultanas |
| 2oz chocolate chips |
| 3oz dessicated coconut |
| 1 can condensed milk |
| Melt butter in saucepan and pour into a swiss roll tin (13x9ins). |
| Sprinkle oats evenly, then cherries, sultanas, chocolate chips and finally coconut. Pour condensed milk evenly over top. |
| Bake in a moderate oven 180C (350F) Gas 4 for about 25mins till golden brown. Cool in tin for about 15min then cut into squares. |
| Leave in tin till cold. |
Isobel's Shortbread
| 8oz butter |
| 8oz plain flour |
| 4oz caster sugar |
| 4oz cornflour |
| Mix dry ingredients in.a bowl then add butter chopped into small pieces (and softened a bit to make life easier!) |
| Rub in the butter with your fingertips till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. |
| Press into a Swiss roll tin lined with baking parchment |
| Bake at 170 (150 fan) until as brown as you like – I like pale brown but that’s overcooked for some people. |
Italian almond biscuits
| 1.5 oz plain flour | |||||||
| 7 oz ground almonds | |||||||
| 2.5 oz icing sugar | |||||||
| 0.75 oz caster sugar | |||||||
| 0.5 tsp baking powder | |||||||
| 3 large egg whites | |||||||
2 oz icing sugar for rolling the biscuits
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Lea Barn shortbread biscuits
| 3½ oz butter |
| 3½ oz soft margarine |
| 4oz plain white flour |
| 4oz wholemeal flour |
| 2tsp baking powder |
| 3oz caster sugar |
| Sieve together flour and baking powder. |
| Rub in butter and margarine. |
| Rub in sugar until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. |
| Form together into a dough and knead lightly till smooth. |
| Roll out to about 3mm thick and cut into fingers. |
| Bake on greased, floured baking trays for 15-20 m at 160°C Gas Mk 3. |
| Leave to cool a little before removing from trays to finish cooling on a rack. |
Nutty flapjack
| 4oz butter |
| 4tbs honey |
| 6oz oats |
| 2oz dessicated coconut |
| 2oz slivered almonds |
| 4oz toasted macadamia or hazelnuts |
| 1oz pumpkin seeds |
| 2oz sultanas |
| 2oz dried cranberries |
| Melt butter and honey over a low heat. |
| Stir in the other ingredients. |
| Press into a greased swiss roll tin. |
| Bake in a moderate over (about 160) till golden brown. |
| Cut into squares when almost cold. |
Sherry Slice (gluten free)
| 1 pack of plainish gluten-free biscuits – oat/choc chip/digestive – crushed | |||||||||||
| 120g butter | |||||||||||
| 40g golden syrup (or 2 tbs) | |||||||||||
| 2 tbs drinking chocolate | |||||||||||
| 120g mixed dried fruit | |||||||||||
| 120g dried cranberries | |||||||||||
| 300g plain chocolate | |||||||||||
| 2 tbs sherry | |||||||||||
| Line a baking tray (Swiss roll size) with foil | |||||||||||
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CAKES
Apple Strudel (Makes 2 apple strudels - enough for 10-12 people)
| 8 sheets of filo pastry |
| 4oz butter |
| 6 large-ish apples, peeled and cubed |
| 2 good slices of wholemeal bread, crumbed |
| 3/4 cup raisins |
| 1/2 cup chppoed almonds |
| 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dates |
| 1 cup brown sugar |
| 1 tsp cinnamon |
| Lay 4 sheets of pastry on worksurface so that they overlap to make double thickness except at edges where there is approx 2″ single thickness. Make another similar with other 4 sheets. |
| The final rectangle should be about 15″x12″. |
| Cover with breadcrumbs leaving about 1″ clear all round. |
| Melt butter and pour over the breadcrumbs. |
| Cover with apples, raisins, nuts, dates and sugar and cinnamon. |
| Roll up gently in direction which will prevent the pastry from unrolling and place on baking tray. |
| Bake at 170C for 30-40 min |
Apple and Almond cake
| 5oz (150g) margarine or butter, melted |
| 2 large eggs, beaten |
| 8oz (225g) caster sugar |
|
8oz self-raising flour |
| 1tsp baking powder |
| 1tsp almond essence |
| 12oz (350g) peeled and sliced cooking apples |
| 1 – 2oz (25 – 50g) flaked almonds |
| Demarara sugar |
| Grease and flour a round loose-bottomed 8in (20cm) tin |
| Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in a mixing bowl. |
| Add melted butter and stir well. |
| Add almond essence to beaten eggs, then add to cake mixture and stir well till smooth. |
| Spread about 1/3 of the cake mixture on the tin, place apples on top, then rest of cake mixture. Sprinkle with almonds and Demerara sugar. |
| Bake at 160C (140C fan oven), Gas 3 until cake is golden and slightly shrinking from tin sides. Leave to cool slightly before removing from tin. |
Carrot and banana cake
| 1 cup of sugar |
| 1 cup of oil |
| 3 eggs |
| 1.5 cup flour |
| 10ml baking powder |
| 10ml cinnamon |
| 5 ml bicarbonate of soda |
| 1 cup of banana |
| 1 cup grated carrot |
| Nuts optional |
| Combine sugar, oil and eggs and beat well. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. |
| Bake at 180C for about an hour. |
| Ice with a mixture of icing sugar and cottage or cream cheese with a little lemon or orange juice if you like. |
Clementine and fruit polenta cake (gluten free)
Cake:
4 small clementines
200g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
420g luxury vine fruit mix
100g cranberries
2 tbsp brandy
200g dark brown sugar
3 eggs
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
140g polenta
1 tsp baking powder
100g ground almond
Topping:
140g caster sugar
- Put the clementines in a small pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hr or until tender. Drain and cool.
- Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 20cm springform cake tin and line the base with a disc of buttered baking parchment. Cut the cooked clementines in half and remove any pips. Pulse in a food processor until finely chopped but not puréed.
- Combine the dried fruit, cranberries and brandy in a bowl. Add the clementine pulp and mix well. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale. Add the beaten eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. In another bowl, combine the spices, ground almonds, polenta and baking powder. Fold into the creamed mixture along with the dried fruit and clementine pulp.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 mins. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 and continue to cook for a further 40 mins. You may need to loosely cover the top of the cake with a sheet of baking parchment for the final 20 mins to prevent it browning too quickly. Cool in the tin for 30 mins before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- To make the topping, slice the clementines to a 5mm thickness. Tip the sugar into a saucepan with 140ml water and cook over a low heat, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved. Put the clementine slices in the pan and stir through. To keep the clementines submerged in the syrup, cut out a circle of greaseproof paper to fit into the pan and place over the fruit. Cook over a low heat for 1 hr until glossy and translucent. Remove and spread out over greaseproof paper to cool.
- To serve, dust the whole cake with icing sugar, then arrange the clementine slices, overlapping, over the top of the cake.
Carrot cake
Described as the ‘lightest carrot cake I’ve ever had’
| Cake: |
| 10 fl oz vegetable oil |
| 8 oz caster sugar |
| 3 eggs |
| 6 oz plain flour |
| 3/4 tsp baking powder |
| 3/4 tsp bicarb |
| 3/4 tsp cinnamon |
| 8 oz grated carrot |
| Icing: |
| 4 oz cream cheese |
| 4 oz softened butter |
| 4 oz icing sugar |
| juice of half a lemon or lime |
| Line a tin, around 9 x 12″, with baking paper. |
| Beat together oil and sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time. The mixture should be quite thick. Sieve and add the dry ingredients and fold in. Fold in the grated carrot. |
| Put into tin and bake at 180 C or gas 4 for approx 40 min |
| For the icing beat all the ingredients together. |
| Spread over the cake when it has cooled. |
Chocolate cake
| 8 oz soft margarine |
| 3 tbsp drinking chocolate |
| 8 oz caster sugar |
| 3 tbsp cocoa |
| 4 eggs |
| 4 tbsp milk or water or juice |
| 8 oz self raising flour |
| 2 level tsp baking powder |
| Grease and line a 12 x 10 x 2 inch tin. Set oven to gas 4, 180ºC. |
| Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand or with a mixer till smooth and creamy. |
| Bake for 35-40 minutes. |
| Icing filling: Mix cocoa, icing sugar, margarine and some milk or juice to make the right consistency (I put orange peel and juice in). |
| Chocolate bar icing for top: 6 oz milk or plain chocolate melted gently, stirring all the time, with 3oz butter or margarine. Pour over the cooled cake. |
Date, toffee and apple cake
| Cake: |
| 6oz chopped dates |
| 1 apple peeled and chopped |
| 1tsp bicarbonate of soda |
| 8oz sugar |
| 3oz butter |
| 1 egg |
| 10oz plain flour |
| 1 tsp baking powder |
| 1/2 tsp salt |
| 2oz chopped walnuts or pecan nuts (optional) |
| Topping: |
| 4oz brown sugar |
| 2oz butter |
| 3tbs thin cream or milk |
| Pour 8 fl oz boiling water over dates and apples. Add bicarbonate of soda and leave while mixing other cake ingredients as below. |
| Beat together butter, sugar and egg then stir in flour. |
| Add date mixture. |
| Spoon into lined 9″ by 12″ tin and bake in a moderate oven for approx 35 min |
| Mix together topping ingredients in a pan and boil for 3min. Spread onto cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts. |
Extreme chocolate cake (gluten-free)
| Cake: |
| 250g dark chocolate |
| 210g butter |
| 250g caster sugar |
| 5 medium to large eggs |
| 75g ground almonds |
| Icing: |
| 200g dark chocolate |
| 50ml milk |
| 75g butter |
| Melt broken chocolate, butter and sugar in a bowl over hot water. Leave to cool a little then beat in the eggs one by one. Fold in almonds. |
| Pour into a greased and lined 9” diam cake mould. Bake at 160 deg or gas 3 for 30-45m until knife comes out clean. |
| Leave to cool in tin/mould, then turn out onto plate. |
| Melt icing ingredients together in a bowl over hot water. Leave to cool for 10m then spread/pour over cake. |
Gooseberry and almond cake
| 5oz butter |
| 8 oz caster sugar |
| 4 eggs |
| 3oz self raising flour |
| 3oz ground almonds |
| ¾ tsp baking powder |
| 14 oz gooseberries |
| 1.5 oz flaked almonds |
| Icing sugar for dusting |
| Preheat oven to 190C gas mark 5 |
| Beat butter and 5oz sugar till light and fluffy |
| Beat in eggs then fold in flour and almonds |
| Put in greased 8-9 in tin |
| Mix gooseberries with remaining 3oz sugar and spread over top of cake |
| Bake 20-25m. Sprinkle with almonds and return for another 10 min |
| Turn out when cold and dust with icing sugar |
Gluten-free Lemon cake
Ingredients:
200g softened butter
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
250g mashed potato
175g ground almonds
Zest of 3 lemons
2 tsp baking powder
Drizzle:
4 tbsp sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Heat oven to 180C (160C fan) Gas 4.
Line a 20 cm diameter deep cake tin.
Beat together butter and sugar then add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in the almonds, cold mashed potato, lemon zest and baking powder.
Spoon into the tin and bake for 40-45 minutes till golden and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 10min and then turn out to continue cooling on a rack.
For the drizzle mix together the sugar and lemon juice and pour over the slightly warm cake. Sprinkle a little extra lemon zest over the top.
Lea Barn luxury fruit and nut cake (gluten free)
| 7oz dried apricots, halved |
| 7oz prunes |
| 5oz glace cherries |
| 3oz raisins |
| 4oz brazil nuts |
| 4oz pecan nuts |
| 3½ oz ground almonds |
| ½ tsp baking powder |
| 3 eggs |
| 1-2 tablespoons honey |
| I’m actually not too fussy about which dried fruit I use and have included (according to what happens to be in the cupboard) mango, pineapple, papaya, ginger – provided it adds up to roughly 22oz. |
| Mix everything but the eggs and honey together. Beat eggs and honey up and stir it in to fruit and nuts. Put into two loaf tins lined with baking parchment and bake in a slow oven (about Mk3 or 160°) until it looks brownish (about 40min in mine, but it seems quicker than many ovens). |
Marmalade cake
| Cake: |
| 6oz butter |
| 6oz soft brown sugar |
| Grated rind of 1 orange |
| 3 medium eggs |
| 2 (good) tablespoons chunky marmalade |
| 7oz self raising flour |
| 1tsp mixed spice |
| 4oz mixed fruit |
| 2oz chopped prunes |
| 2oz chopped apricots |
| Icing filling: |
| Icing sugar mixed with some butter and some marmalade |
| Cream together butter, sugar and orange rind. |
| Beat in eggs and marmalade. |
| Fold in flour and mixed spice and stir in fruit. |
| Bake in a greased, lined 7″ tin at 180C or Gas 4 for about 1hr till skewer comes out clean. |
| Cool in tin, turn out and slice in half and fill with icing. |
| Spread some marmalade on top of cake. |
Mary's chocolate cake
A delicious rich chocolate cake given to us by our violinist friend, Mary, in Hythe.
| 6oz drinking chocolate powder (I use 4oz cocoa and 2oz icing sugar) |
| 4oz caster sugar |
| 6oz softened butter |
| 4 eggs |
| 2oz self raising flour |
| Beat all ingredients together till smooth and going pale. |
| Bake at Gas 4, 350 deg C for around 30m |
| Make a butter icing with butter, icing sugar and cocoa to fill. I sometimes add some orange rind and a little juice or cointreau. |
Pear and almond cake
| • 6 oz soft butter |
| • 5 oz caster sugar |
| • 2 medium/large eggs |
| • 3 oz wholemeal self raising flour |
| • 3 oz ground almonds(or mix gd and chopped) |
| • A pinch of cinnamon |
| For the caramelised pears: |
| • 3 pears (just ripe if poss) |
| • 1 oz unsalted butter |
| • 1 tbsp granulated sugar |
| 1. Preheat oven to 170°C/gas 3. Grease a 20cm-diameter springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment |
| 2. Peel, core and quarter the pears. |
| 3. Melt the 1 oz butter in a frying pan over a medium high heat. When it’s bubbling, add the sugar and stir gently until it has dissolved into the butter. Add the pears and cook gently, turning once or twice, until they have softened and are starting to colour – 5-10 minutes. |
| 4. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter with the caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time |
| 5. Combine the remaining flour, the almonds and the cinnamon, and fold into the mixture. Scrape into the prepared tin. Arrange the pears on top and pour on any caramelly juices left in the pan. |
| 6. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. |
| 7. Stand the cake in its tin on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, then release the tin. |
Philippa's chocolate brownies
| 100g/3 ½ oz unsalted butter |
| 175g/6oz caster sugar |
| 75g/2 ¾ oz dark muscovado sugar |
| 125g/4 ½ oz dark chocolate |
| 1 tbsp golden syrup |
| 2 eggs |
| 1 tsp chocolate or vanilla flavouring (we rarely have it!) |
| 100g/3 ½ oz plain flour |
| 2 tbsp cocoa powder |
| ½ tsp baking powder |
| Lightly grease a 20cm/8 inch shallow square cake tin and line the base. |
| Place the butter, sugars, dark chocolate and golden syrup in a heavy-based saucepan and heat gently, stirring until smooth and blended. Remove from heat and leave to cool. |
| Beat eggs and flavouring. Whisk into cooled choc mixture. |
| Sieve together flour, cocoa and baking powder and fold carefully into egg and choc mixture, using a metal spoon or spatula. |
| Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake in preheated oven-gas mark 4. for 25 mins until top is crisp and edge is beginning to shrink away from side. Inside should be stodgy and soft to touch. |
| Leave cake to cool and eat it all up. |
Rhubarb slice
| 14oz rhubarb trimmed and cut into ¼ in slices |
| 5.5oz caster sugar |
| 9oz unsalted butter, chopped |
| 10.5oz caster sugar |
| ½ teaspoon natural vanilla extract |
| 4 eggs |
| 4.5oz plain flour |
| 1 teaspoon baking powder |
| 1 tablespoon sugar |
| Icing sugar for dusting |
| 1. Combine the rhubarb and sugar in a bowl and set aside stirring occasionally, for 1hour, or until rhubarb has released its juices and the sugar has dissolved. Strain well discarding the liquid. |
| 2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 9 x 12 inch-ish tin with baking parchment leaving some excess at the sides to lift the cake out. |
| 3. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture, then stir to combine. |
| 4. Spread the mixture evenly over the base of the prepared tin, then put the rhubarb over the top in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar. |
| 5. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Leave to cool slightly in the tin, then carefully lift out and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm as a dessert with cream, or at room temperature as a snack. |
Tipsy apple cake
| 5 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped |
| 6 tbs brandy |
| 2 cups brown sugar |
| ½ cup oil |
| 2 eggs |
| 2 cups plain flour |
| 2 tsp baking powder |
| 1 tsp cinnamon |
| ½ tsp nutmeg |
| 1 tsp salt |
| 1 cup raisins or other dried fruit (cranberries are good) |
| 1 cup chopped pecan nuts |
| Combine apples and brandy, mixing well, and set aside. |
| Beat together sugar, oil and eggs. |
| Mix together flour, salt, baking powder and spices. |
| Add to oil mixture and beat till thoroughly mixed. |
| Stir in apples, raisins and nuts and mix well. |
| Bake in a greased 9 X 13 inch pan at Mk4 or 180°for one hour. |
Toronto tartlets - an alternative to mince pies
| 6 oz shortcrust pastry |
| Filling: |
| 4 oz soft brown sugar |
| 2 tbsp golden syrup |
| 4 oz soft butter |
| 1 beaten egg |
| pinch salt |
| 1 tsp vinegar |
| 3 oz dried fruit – raisins, sultanas – whatever mix you want |
| 1.5 oz chopped nuts – walnuts, pecans, brazils all work well |
| Line pie tins with pastry and prick with a fork. Put in a cool place while you make filling. |
| Beat together sugar, syrup and butter, then beat in the egg, salt and vinegar. Stir in the fruit and nuts. |
| Fill the pie cases – no more than 2/3 full or it will all overflow in the oven. |
| Bake for 10 min at 220C, Mk 7 then for a further 5-10 min at 170C, Mk 3. |
PUDDINGS AND MISCELLANEOUS
Fiddler's pudding
So-called because the recipe is based on one in a book with a preface by Yehudi Menuhin
| 2 lb cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced |
| About 2 oz breadcrumbs |
| 3 oz muscovado sugar |
| 2 egg |
| 6 oz ground almonds |
| 6 oz butter or margarine |
| Cook the apples in a little water till soft then stir in the breadcrumbs. Put in a greased pie dish. |
| Cream together butter and sugar, then beat in eggs. Stir in ground almonds. |
| Spread mixture over top of apples. |
| Bake in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes – top will be quite dark brown and crispy when it’s ready. |
Sticky toffee pudding
| Sponge: |
| 4.5 oz butter |
| 7.5 oz caster sugar |
| 3 eggs |
| 9oz self-raising flour |
| 9oz raisins |
| 9fl oz boiling water |
| 3tsp instant coffee granules |
| 1tsp bicarbonate of soda |
| Sauce: |
| 9oz soft brown sugar |
| 6oz butter |
| 9tbs thick single cream |
| Sponge: |
| Put raisins, coffee and bicarb in a bowl, pour boiling water over and leave to soak while mixing other ingredients. |
| Beat butter and sugar together, then add eggs and flour. |
| Fold in raisin mixture and pour into a buttered oven-proof dish. |
| Bake at 180C (Mk 4) until centre firm to touch (about 30 – 40 min). |
| Sauce: |
| Melt together then pour over pricked sponge. |
| This can be eaten immediately, but is probably nicer left to soak in and then reheated gently (150) before eating. |
Tiramisu
| 1 pack amaretti biscuits |
| 1/2 cup strong black coffee |
| A slosh of amaretto liqueur |
| 1 pack mascarpone cheese |
| 1/2 pint double cream, whipped |
| Icing sugar to taste |
| Cocoa powder |
| Crush biscuits in bottom of dish and pour over coffee and some amaretto. |
| Mix mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, some more amaretto, and icing sugar to taste in a separate bowl and spread over biscuit base. |
| Sprinkle cocoa powder over top and leave to chill for at least a couple of hours, and preferably overnight. |
Lemon curd (very easy in microwave!)
| 4 large lemons | |||||||
| 4 large eggs | |||||||
| 8 oz caster sugar | |||||||
| 4 oz unsalted butter | |||||||
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