Energy Bars

Melt 200g butter, 200g light brown sugar,100g golden syrup in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir in 50g seeds, 50g dried cranberries, 100g sultanas, 50g dessicated coconut, 100g rice crispies (crisped), 150g porridge oats coating well.

Line a 9 x 12" baking tin and press in firmly to level. Chill for at least 2 hours before cutting into 18 bars.

Keeps well in an airtight container.

Alternate: use cornflakes or branflakes instead of the rice crispies.

Vanilla & Chocolate Spiced Buns with orange glaze



The chocolate surprise make these buns special.

Put 500g strong white bread flour and 1tsp salt in a bowl. Add 7g quick active yeast on the opposite side to where you placed the salt and put 1tsp castor sugar on top of the yeast. Stir in 100g light muscovado sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp mixed spice, 50g mixed peel, 50g sultanas chopped, 50g dates chopped, zest of 1 orange.

Microwave for 90 seconds 50g unsalted butter with 250ml whole milk. Make a well in the flour and add the liquid and 1 beaten egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract stirring with a wooden spoon a few mintues. Add 100g rough chopped dark chocolate. Use a dough hook and mixer knead for 10 minutes or by hand to form a dough ball. NB if the mixture is too wet add 3 tbsp flour to help the dough form.

Cover bowl with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 hour to double in size. Cut dough into 15 equal pieces and roll into balls placing on 2 baking sheets (light flour dusted) allowing room to spread. Cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for another hour.

Bake 1800 fan, 200 C, gas 7, for 20 minutes. If the fruit starts to burn lightly cover with foil.

Mix 4tbsp castor sugar with 2tbsp fresh orange juice mixing to dissolve sugar and leave in fridge whilst the buns are cooking.

As soon as the cooked buns come out of the oven brush them with this mixture to glaze. Leave to cool.

Apricot Scones

I've tried a few scone recipes and this one is my so far all time favourite.

Put 250ml whole milk into a jug and add 1 tbsp lemon juice and leave standing for at least 5 minutes to curdle.

Rub 80g diced butter into 250g plain flour and 250g strong bread flour until like breadcrumbs.

Add a pinch salt, 80g castor sugar 15g baking powder and the zest from 1 orange. Mix in well.

Use scissors to cut 5 dried apricots cutting each one in half then each half in three pieces and stir evenly into the mix.

Add 2 beaten eggs and the curdled milk. The dough will come together as a very wet dough which is fine for this recipe. Flour a large tray and using a spatula place the dough on the flour and sprinkle more flour on top of the dough turning (not a lot) until you can pat the dough into a nice square shape about 2" thick.

Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 16 equal rectangle scone shapes. Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg.

Lightly flour 2 baking trays to prevent sticking and place the scones with a space between each onto the baking trays and bake in a preheated oven 200 fan, 220C for exactly 13 minutes.

Cooking tip: substitute apricots for any dried fruit, a handful of cranberries, 6 figs are nice; 6 dates work well using wholemeal flour if you want a healthier scone.

Tip : when you cut the scones in half to eat use a fork instead of a knife to pierce all around and this will stop the scone from crumbling.

Polenta Cake

Try this healthier cake for breakfrast with butter and a drizzle of maple syrup. It's made using vegetable oil and polenta.

Put 90g quick cook polenta and 275ml whole milk in a bowl, mix to combine then leave to stand for 10 minutes.

Mix 125g wholemeal SR flour with 1tsp baking powder, half tsp salt, 5tbsp sugar.

Whisk in the polenta/milk mixture along with 1 egg and 60ml rapeseed vegetable oil or other neutral oil. Beat for 2 minutes.

Lightly oil an 8" deep baking tin and bake 180 fan/200C for 20 minutes. Serve with butter and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Easy Scones

I know I should be eating healthily to get my cholesterol lowered and lose those love handles but if nobody's holding them what the heck.

Scones are a great comfort food and these are delicious. They are indulgently big but so what?



Mix 350g SR flour, quarter tsp salt, 1tsp baking powder, 85g cold butter, 4 tbsp castor sugar rubbing with fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs or just blitz for 1 minute in a processor.

Heat 150g (3 tbsp) full fat yoghurt with 4tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla essence in a microwave for 1 minute.

Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and add the liquid mix gradually stirring in and folding over a few times then get your hands in and press until a smooth dough is formed, don't overdo it.

Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form into rounds. I use a yorkshire pudding baking dish. Coat the circles with a small amount of flour then place a dough ball in each and bake for 12 minutes at 200fan, 180C in the top of the oven.

Allow to cool slightly and eat with lashings of butter and apricot jam.
Tip : when you cut the scones in half to eat use a fork instead of a knife to pierce all around and this will stop the scone from crumbling.