Healthier Vanilla Bourbon Ice Cream

Measure out in a large bowl and mix to combine 10 tbsp oats, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp mixed seeds, 2 tbsp mixed dried fruit, 1 tbsp maple syrup.

Microwave in a glass bowl 2 tbsp runny honey, 2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter, 2oz dark chocolate (at least 74% cocoa) in 10 second bursts stirring in between until smooth and melted. Fold this mixture into the oats mixture coating well until firm.

Mix 2 tbsp of the mixture in with 2 tbsp of soft Vanilla Bourbon Ice Cream per serving.

The oats mixture can be kept in the fridge for one week.

No bake lemon curd cheesecake with berry topping

Crush 200g digestive biscuits and add 100g unsalted melted butter mixing well to coat. Add to a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin pressing well in and chill for 10 minutes.

Evenly spread sufficient lemon curd (homemade if you have some) to make a 0.25" layer.

Pour 397g can of condensed milk into a bowl with 300g full fat cheese (low fat will not work as it won't set). Whisk well for at least 10 minutes in a food mixer on full power or longer with a large hand whisk adding the juice of 2 lemons in between. Once thickened well pour evely over the biscuit/lemon curd.

Randomly top with 300g chopped berries. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

You can make individual smaller cheesecakes in washed out cottage cheese pots and they freeze well also.

Morello Cherry Dessert

Make the dessert base:


Melt 100g butter in a microwave for 30seconds. Using 9" dish pour in 165g bran flakes. Add the melted butter and mix well to coat the flakes then press the flake in and around the sides of your dish. Put this into the fridge to set.

Drain the cherry juice from a 350g jar of Morello cherries in natural juice.

Dice 1 pack of cherry jelly into a measuring jug. Boil half pint of water and add it to jelly stirring until the jelly has dissolved. Add this to the cherry juice stirring well. Leave covered for 45 minutes.

Evenly place the Morello cherries over the bran dessert base. Pour the jelly mixture over this then return to the fridge until the jelly sets which is usually 2 hours.

Serve with portions with whipped cream or natural yoghurt.

Malt Loaf

Gooey malt loaf has a delicious unique taste of it's own. This recipe makes two 1lb loaves.


Gently melt 1tb soft brown sugar, 3tbs malt extract, 2tbs treacle, 25g butter (microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat. This is easy and stir until sugar is fully dissolved). or use the hob and a medium heat. Allow to cool.

Mix 350g strong white bread flour, 100g strong wholemeal bread flour, 225g sultanas.

Put a pinch of salt on one side of the bowl and 14g active yeast on the other side. Pour in the melted mixture and 250ml tepid water on top of the yeast. Mix thoroughly to bring the mixture together (the mixture will be very wet so a mixing machine is useful at medium speed 5 mins). Use a kneading dough hook for 2 minutes more high speed.

Lightly oil two 1lb loaf tins and divide the mixture between them, levelling the surface. Put in plastics and leave in a warm place for 2 hours.

Remove the plastic bags and bake in a preheated oven 170fan / 190C for 30 minutes. Check that the top is not burning before cooking time is finished and protect with a foil layer if needed.

Brush with a layer of runny honey to glace the loaves whilst still warm.

Eat with lashings of butter spread on.

Mocha Choca Madeleines with Chocolate dipping sauce

Rich, chocolately and moreish - makes 16

Melt 100g salted butter without boiling. Set aside.

Beat 2 eggs, 100g castor sugar and 1tsp freezed dried instant coffee for 12 - 15 minutes in a food mixer using the whisk attachment.

Sift 85g plain flour with 15g cocoa powder then gently pour in the melted butter gradually a bit at a time mixing well until smooth and silky. Gradually fold in the whisked egg mixture.
If using madeleine moulds tray fill moulds with 2/3 of mixture in them and bake 8-10 minutes, 180 fan, 200C, until a little browned at the edges. Remove from moulds as soon as they are cooked or they will stick to the tray. I just used a flat yorkshire pudding tray and silicone muffin baking tray dividing mixture evenly. Turn out the madeleines immediately they are cooked carefully teasing the edges up to turn out. If you use the silicone tray it is very easy just to ease them out.

When cold, sieve 1tsp icing sugar dusting over the madeleines.

For a dipping sauce whisk 2tbsp golden syrup with 2tbsp cocoa powder and 1tbs water.

Maple Syrup Cinnamon Iced buns

 

The smell is divine when these are cooking. Dare you not to have more than one when they are ready to eat. Scrumptious.


Lightly mix 250g plain flour, 250g strong bread flour, 10g castor sugar. Put 5g salt to one side of the bowl and 7g quick active yeast on the opposite side.

Mix 150ml tepid water with 120ml milk, 1 slightly beaten egg and 40g soft butter. Pour this on top of the yeast. Knead for 10 minutes until a soft dough ball is formed. Cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size. If you have placed it in to cool an area you may have to leave it up to 2 hours to double in size.

Meantime make the filling:

Beat together 125g softened butter, 100g dark brown sugar, the zest of 1 orange, 1 tbsp maple syrup.

When the dough is ready lightly dust a large tray with flour, Place the dough on it and press out to a 45cm even rectangle shape. Use 2 tbsp cinnamon to lightly dust evenly over the dough.

Roll the dough up into a tight sausage shape with the edge seal on the bottom, then cut in into 12 equal rounds. Dust 2 baking trays with flour and space the buns to allow for spread whilst baking. Before baking again leave the trays covered in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Bake 180 fan for 15 minutes.

Whislt they are cooking make the drizzle icing:

100g sieved icing sugar (don't omit sieving because if there are even tiny lumps in the icing sugar you will never get rid of them). Mix in 2 tbsp lemon juice to make a consistency thin enough to drizzle but not too thick that it forms a blob.

Drizzle over the buns when they have cooled.

Chocolate and beetroot tray cake with cream cheese frosting

 



When I add vegetables or fruit to cake it seems less of a guilt trip and I can enjoy it more. I was dubious about this beetroot cake but it was moist and lovely without even detecting that beetroot was used. It uses healthier rapeseed oil instead of butter. Omit the frosting if you are calorie counting but it is a rather lush topping.



Oil and lightly flour a 9 x 13" deep baking tray.

Puree 250g of cooked beetroot (prepacked in natural juices - 2 beetroot) in a food prosessor for 1 minute. Add to an electric mixer along with 3 lightly beaten eggs, half tsp vanilla extract, 250ml rapeseed oil and 300g sugar on a low speed for 1 minute.

In a separate bowl mix together 225g SR flour, 1.5tsp bicarbonate of soda, quarter tsp salt, 6 tbsp cocoa powder, 1tsp freeze dried instant coffee. Slowly add the dry ingredients to those in the mixer whilst running on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase to medium speed to beat well and combine all ingredients.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool before adding a layer of the frosting.

Make cream cheese frosting:

Using 50g room temperature butter cream by beating well with 300g non flavoured cream cheese, half tsp vanilla extract and 50g sieved icing sugar until all lumps of butter have incorporated well. When cake has cooled carefully turn upside down onto a plate, cut into 20 portions and spread a portion of the frosting on each cake.