Raspberry chocolate brownie cheesecake

1 x Berry Crocker Brownie mix (need 1 egg, oil and water) 

2 x 200g Philadelphia

3 x eggs

150g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence 

1 x bag frozen raspberries 

Put oven on at 180 degrees and grease and line a 20cm quick release tim.

Make the BC brownie mix as per packet instructions.

Use 3/4 of the mix to cover the bottom of the tin as a base.  Put in oven and cook for 15 mins.  Put the other 1/4 to one side for the moment.

Mix Philadelphia, eggs and caster sugar in a mixer with the vanilla essence until all combined (it will be runny)

Once tin out of oven pour cheesecake mix over base - then drop teaspoons of brownie mix into the cheesecake mix - one all brownie mix in then take a large handful of frozen raspberries and sprinkle over top pushing into mix so they go between the brownie mix.

Cook in oven for 40-45 mins then take out and cool for 2hrs before serving.

Irish Coffee Mousse

This is a lovely but very rich :)  Shown in an irish coffee cup but would work very well in a small wine glass, the old style round 70s ones which they used to use in restaurants for Irish Coffees.  As with liquor coffees, you can pick your own flavour of alcohol, I just like Tia Maria ;)

Needs at least 6hrs chilling, so make night before or early in the morning.

For the coffee/chocolate mousse

• 300g 70% (at least) cocoa dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons espresso coffee made up (can buy instant from supermarkets or really strong coffee)
• 2 tablespoons of your chosen alcohol
• 120g unsalted butter
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 6 tablespoons caster sugar

For the white chocolate topping

• 200g white chocolate
• 1 1/2 gelatine leaves
• 350ml whipping or double cream
• 3 medium egg yolks
• 65g icing sugar
• a little vanilla extract

Bring a pan of water to the boil.  Find a heatproof bowl that will fit in the top of the pan and put the chocolate in this with the coffee, alcohol and the butter and melt it slowly.  Once it has melted remove from the heat and stir.

Mix in the 6 egg yolks until the mixture is very smooth (it may look a little grainy at this point, do not worry).

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff and a bowl can be turned upside down without them moving, slowly add the sugar, tablespoon at a time allowing each one to dissolve in the mix and whisk until it goes stuff and glossy.

Fold a ladleful of the egg mix into the chocolate and then add the rest trying to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.

Spoon carefully into the individual glasses, leaving at least a 1cm gap at the top of the glass and put into the fridge until you have made the next step.

Wash all the bowls you used, you're going to need them again.

Again melt the white chocolate in the bowl over the pan of water.  

Put the gelatine leaves on a plate with a few spoons of the cream and heat in a microwave for a minute or so until dissolved.

In another bowl beat the egg yolks and the sugar with an electric whisk, add the gelatine cream and the melted white chocolate and mix well.

In another bowl whip the remainder of the cream untol thick and then fold into the chocolate and egg yolk mixture.

Get the glasses with the dark mousse in out of the fridge and they will be slightly set.  Add some white chocolate mousse to the tops of the glasses so it looks like the floating cream topping on an irish coffee.

Chill the mousses for at least 6hrs before serving, and then gently dust with cocoa powder before you put them out.

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Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis and Dark Chocolate

I have heart shaped moulds for this but any kind of pudding mould will work, ASDA sell small jelly moulds that would work well

• 1 vanilla pod
• 350ml double cream
• 350ml full-fat milk
• 75g caster sugar
• 5 gelatine leaves
• 1 tube raspberry coulis
• 1 bar dark chocolate (70% or 85% cocoa is the best)

Put the gelatine leaves in the milk and leave to soften.

Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds out and put them a small dish to use later and put the pod in a saucepan with the cream and bring to the boil.  Once it has boiled, remove from the head and add the sugar, vanilla seeds, milk and softened gelatine.  Stir until the sugar and gelatine have dissolved.

Fill your sink or a large bowl with cold water and place the pan in it.  Leave to cool, stirring occassionally for around 20-30mins or until the mixture has started to thicken.  

Remove the vanilla pod from the mixture and pour into the moulds.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 8hrs could even make them the night before.

Before serving, put a pan of hot water on to boil and place a bowl on top with the chocolate in and melt slowly until liquid.  Then remove the moulds from the fridge, dip in warm water for a couple of seconds, place a plate upside down on the top of the mould and flip over and tap on the bottom to release.

Then drizzle lines of coulis and dark chocolate in criss-crossing pattern across the top of the panna cotta.

Lime and ginger cheesecake with a bitter chocolate top

For biscuit base

• 1 packet ginger biscuits
• 1 packet hob nobs
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

For cheesecake

• 900g cream cheese (full fat versions)
• 340g caster sugar (1.5 cups)
• 37g cornflour (1/4 cup)
• 3 limes (zested and squeezed)
• 1 knob ginger grated
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 120ml double cream

For chocolate top

• 100g dark chocolate (70% or above)
• 1 knob of ginger, grated
• 25g unsalted butter
• 120ml double cream

Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Put a tray or pan of water in the bottom of the oven.

Get a 9inch springform cake tin and grease bottom and all round sides.

Crush biscuits with a rolling pin or in a food processor and add butter. Pour into cake tin and smooth out and press down by patting to make a solid base.

In a mixing bowl mix cream cheese and sugar together beat for about 3 minutes until smooth, add cornflour and mix again till smooth. Add lime zest, lime juice, grated ginger, eggs and egg whites slowly and keep beating throughout until smooth. Add the cream and beat just enough until smooth and fluffy, do not overbeat at this point. Pour batter into springform pan and bake for 60-70 mins until golden on top.

Remove from oven and leave to cool (it will sink, do not panic!!)

Once cooled, if you want a nice tidy top, use a very sharp knife and cut of the raised edge to make the top flat.

Then make up the chocolate top. Heat the cream and butter gently in a pan (do not boil) and add the chocolate and ginger. Stir until combined. Then spread across top of cheesecake for form a good thick top layer (the butter stops the chocolate from setting solid so can still be cut).

Pavlova

This one is all down to my mum :) she's the Pavlova expert and taught me this

WARNING long cooking time! 3hrs if possible and even better leave overnight.

The secret is to use 1 medium egg white to 2oz sugar (1oz caster and 1oz icing)

For a small Pavlova use 3 eggs, slightly larger 4 eggs, the one in the pic is a smaller one and was about 10" across, depends how thick you want your meringue.

• 3 eggs or 4 eggs
• 3oz (85g) or 4oz (110g)caster sugar
• 3oz (85g) or 4oz (110g) icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vinegar  (leave out if you want the meringue fluffy inside not chewy)
• 1 teaspoon cornflour  (leave out if you want the meringue fluffy inside not chewy)
• 1 284ml carton double cream
• 1 punnet strawberries (can use any fruit you choose, good ones are passion fruit, pomegranate, kiwi, raspberry, blackberries etc)

Seperate the whites from the egg yolks, the whites only are needed for this, you can use the yolks to make chocolate fondants ;)
Add the 3 or 4 egg whites to a bowl or stand mixer and add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (means you can beat the eggs as much as you want), whisk on a high setting until they form soft peaks and are very white with minute bubbles. The best way to tell they are done (my mum always did this when she taught baking at my primary school) is tip the bowl upside down (preferably over someone's head) if they start to slide they are not done.
Once they are ready start to whisk in the caster sugar only, 1oz at a time, whisking for a long time after each addition to make sure the sugar is properly combines and dissolved. Once all the caster sugar is combined, stop whisking and use a metal spoon to fold in the icing sugar.
Then whilst folding add the teaspoon of vinegar (makes the meringue a little chewy) and the teaspoon of cornflour (for crisp breakable meringue don't add these).
Put the oven on at 100 degrees, the aim is to dry the meringue out, not cook it.
Place a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray, using about 2/3rds of the mixture spoon onto the baking sheet and flatten out to form a round shape about 8-10" in diameter (small) or 10-12" (large). The using the remaining mixture spoon round blobs next to each other so that they join up to form a circle all around the edge, giving you a high border. You can use a skewer into the centre of each one to pull a point out for decoration. If you're feeling creative heart shapes are pretty easy too!
Place the baking sheet in the oven for as long as you have got! 1hr minimum and preferably 3-4hrs. If the meringue seems to be going golden brown then prop the oven door open using a wooden spoon to cool the over more. After 3hrs turn the oven off and leave overnight if possible.

Next whip up the cream using a whisk until stiff and forms peaks. Chop up half of the strawberries and put into bowl with cream and mix. Put cream and strawberry mix into centre of meringue.

Chop leftover strawberries lengthways and arrange on top as decoration.

Serve and enjoy!

Chocolate fondants

This is a Gordon Ramsey recipe with some tweeking as always - the first bit is the basic chocolate fondant recipe, the second part is me messing around putting different flavoured centres into them :)

• 50g melted butter , for brushing
• cocoa powder , for dusting
• 200g good-quality dark chocolate , chopped into small pieces
• 200g butter , in small pieces
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 4 eggs and 4 yolks
• 200g plain flour

Use Darioles or pudding moulds, melt the butter and brush over the inside of the moulds to cover. Place moulds in fridge and let butter set. Bring out and brush another layer of butter over the inside. Then put a teaspoon of cocoa powder inside each mould and cover top with cling film or kitchen roll and shake to cover all of inside with powder. Tip out excess and leave moulds on one side till later.

Place chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of water and leave to melt, remove from heat and stir until smooth, leave to cool for 10 mins.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and yolks together with the sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail. Sift the flour into the eggs, then beat together.

Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.

Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds.

Either carry on like this for normal chocolate fondants or follow the instructions in italics to add flavoured centres.

I hvae recently tried a number of flavoured centres and all are amazing :) I have used peanut butter, raspberry liqueur truffles (the best) and After Eight mints. Basically the peanut butter and truffles ones are best done from chilled, take a large teaspoon of either and try and mould into a ball in your hand, quickly, then push it into the centre of the mixture in the mould. The After Eight mints chop into 4 smaller sqaures and stack on top of one another and push into the mixture.

The fondants can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen or chill for at least 20 mins or up to the night before. To bake from frozen, simply carry on as stated, adding 5 mins more to the cooking time.

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for 1 min before turning out.

Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds.

Serve with cream or ice-cream.

Danny's Truffles

This is Danny's truffle recipe from New Year's Eve which I have been playing around with.

• 50ml Baileys (or any alcohol, have done it with Chambord, Tia Maria)
• 250g white chocolate (can also use dark or milk chocolate)
• 60g creme fraiche
• 35g butter
• 35g icing sugar
• optional extras can include fruit coulis e.g. I use raspberry coulis if making chambord truffles

Soften the chocolate on the hob, then then stir in the butter and creme fraiche.

Slowly sieve the icing sugar and pour in the alcohol, alternating the two.

Cool the mixture in the fridge, then shape into small balls, to use as fondant centres, stop here, to use as trufles roll in icing sugar, cocoa powder or grated chocolate.

Plums with Gingerbread Crumble and Black Treacle Ice-cream

This tastes amazing, very reminiscent of parkin with the ginger and treacle flavours.

• Enough plums for 2 per person
• Packet of ginger biscuits crushed
• Plain flour
• Demarara sugar
• Butter
• 500ml whole milk
• 250ml whipping cream
• 140g black treacle
• 6 egg yolks
  

The ice-cream must be made 12-24hrs in advance to ensure it's set in time. Pour the milk and cream into a pan over a gentle heat. When they are warm, add the treacle and stir until dissolved. Add the egg yolks and whisk to make a custard base.

Bring the temperature up a little for 3-4 mins to pasteurise the ingredients, don't overheat or eggs will cook. If you have time leave ice-cream to chill overnight, take less time to churn and infuses flavours better.

Once cooled transfer ice cream to an ice cream machine and turn on. Usually allow to churn for 40-60mins. Transfer to freeze proof container until needed.

Can also do without a machine by placing mix into freezer for an hour, take it out and stir well, place back into freezer to freeze again and repeat 4-5 times.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

To prepare the crumbles, cut each plum into halves and remove the stones. Make up the crumble mixture using 1 part of each of the ginger biscuits, plain flour, butter and sugar e.g. 50g of each or 100g of each. Rub all ingredients together until they form a breadcrumb like consistency.

Lay the plums skin side down in a baking dish and then cover the tops with crumble.

Cook in oven for around 15-20 mins or until golden brown on top. Serve on dish, each person having 4 plum halves and a scoop of treacle ice-cream.

Sparkling Bellini Jellies

Makes 6-8 glasses

• 750ml peach juice (I used dilute peach and white grape cordial from ASDA)
• 750ml champagne
• 14 sheets of gelatine leaves (2 sheets or 1tsp powder per 200ml liquid)
• Raspberries
• Peaches/Nectarines
• Grapes

Leave the gelatine leaves to soak in a bowl of cold water until soft.

Make up the peach juice, and then warm in a pan until just before boiling.

Squeeze out the gelatine leaves and add to pan and stir until dissolved.

Pour peach juice into a bowl and add champagne and then leave in a fridge to chill until it is just starting to set. (Takes 2-4hrs)

Chop the fruit up into managable pieces

Get some large wine glasses (thick glass one are better as less likely to smash with a spoon!), pour in the jelly and then add the fruit, place back into fridge to set.

When eating, leave the jelly on your tongue for a second and it will gently fizz :)

Tiramisu Gateau

• 4oz (110g) butter/margarine
• 4oz (110g) caster sugar
• 2 large eggs (beaten together)
• 4oz (110g) self raising flour
• 200g plain chocolate (grated)
• 150ml very strong black coffee
• 100ml Tia Maria
• 300ml double cream
• 50g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 x 250g cartons marscapone (room temperature)

Pre-heat the oven 170 degrees.

Put the butter in a bowl with the sugar and cream together, mixing them together until they are pale and light. Slowly add the eggs, combining a bit at a time.

Get a sieve for the flour and using a metal dessert spoon, fold the flour into the mixture, sieving the flour into the bowl from as high up as possible to add air. Fold in the flour a quarter at a time.

The mixture should drop off the spoon easily when you tap it on the side of the bowl.

Grease a deep (at least 7" wide) springform cake tin and put greaseproof paper on the bottom. Scoop the mixture into the tin, and place in oven for 25-35 mins until golden brown and the tops are springy to touch. Leave to cool.

Grate up the chocolate. Mix the coffee and Tia Maria together. Cut the cake into 3 layers.

Line the base and sides of the tin with cling film. Then using a whisk mix the cream, vanilla and 50g caster sugar to soft peaks and fold in the marscapone. Remove about 1/4 of mix and 1/4 grated chocolate and set aside.

Place 1 sponge layer in base of cake tin, sprinkle over 1/3 coffee mix, 1/3 marscapone mix and then 1/3 chocolate, repeat with other 2 layers, then chill in fridge. When ready to serve remove from tin and put on serving platter. Carefully spread the remaining marscapone around the edge of the cake and cover with chocolate to finish.

Bannoffee Cheescake

I used to make Bannoffee pie a lot a few years ago, but it was very heavy as a dessert so I thought this would be a lighter variation

• 70g unsalted butter (melted)
• 3 tsp powdered gelatine or 6 sheets leaf gelatine
• 1/2 pkt hobnobs and 1/2 pkt ginger biscuits crushed
• 2 eggs, separated
• 75g caster sugar (used as 50g and 25g)
• 225g marscapone
• dash vanilla extract
• 500ml double cream, whipped (used as 300ml and 200ml)
• 2 bananas sliced
• 1 tin Carnation Caramel (on the shelf with the condensed milk, 397g)
• 1 pkt banana angel delight
• 100g plain chocolate (grated)

Well grease a 20cm springform pan with some of the melted butter. Line the base with greaseproof paper.

Dissolve the gelatine in 2 tablespoons of boiling water, or follow instructions for leaf gelatine and set aside.

Crush the biscuits in a food processor or in a bag with a rolling pin (much more fun!). Add the butter and mix until combined and then press the biscuit mix into the base of the springform tin to form the base. Keep pressing down until it is solid and then leave in a cool place.

Beat the eggs yolks, 50g caster sugar, mascarpone, caramel and the vanilla until pale. Whip 300ml of the double cream and then fold into the mixture with the gelatine.

Beat the egg whites and 25g of the caster sugar in a bowl until stiff (my mum's trick is to tip the bowl upside down over someone's head, the whites are ready when they do not move), then fold into the cheese mixture.

Slice up the bananas and spread over the base, pour the cheesecake mixture over the top and then refrigerate overnight.

Next day, whip up the remaining 200ml of the cream, make up the banana angel delight as directed and mix together. Spread over the top of the cheesecake. Leave in fridge for another couple of hours until serving.

Then remove cheesecake from tin onto serving platter and sprinkle over grated chocolate.

Apple Pie

• 4 baking brambley apples, peel and sliced
• 1 500g shortcrust pastry block, cut into 2
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• splash vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Milk and sugar to sprinkle

Grease a 9"/23cm deep-dish pie tin. Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees.

Roll out one block of pastry until it is large enough to cover the bottom of the tin. Fold the end of the pastry over the rolling pin to pick it up easily, drape it over tin and squash into corners so it fits. Leave as is, with untidy edges.

In a plastic bag (carrier bag etc) put in the apple slices, with the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla and both types of sugar. Tie the top closed and shak bag around until all ingredients mixed and apples well coated.

Empty bag out into pie dish.

Put pie dish to one side and roll out second block of pastry for top of pie. Again roll out until large enough to cover the top of the pie. Pick it up with the rolling pin and drape it over the top. Push down around the edges, pinching them in to make a nice edging shape.

Lift pie tin in air with one hand flat on bottom and go round edge of tin with a knife to remove overhanging and untidy edges. Pierce two small holes in centre of pie to allow steam to escape. Brush over top with milk and sprinkle with a coating of sugar.

Put in oven at 190 degrees for 20-30mins until golden brown, then turn down oven to 160 degrees and cook for 30-40mins more, until a knife slides through the pie easily.

Baklava

Made up amounts etc as usual.....!

• 100g cashew
• 100g pistachios
• 150g walnuts
• 100g almonds
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 packet pre- made filo pastry sheets (about 250g)
• 150g melted butter

FOR SYRUP:

• 340g caster sugar
• 300ml water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• juice 1/2 lemon
• 3 tbsp honey

Toast almonds and chop all the nuts into small buts (or bash :-) ) and put in seperate bowls. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and split between the bowls evenly.

Use a shallow baking tray and brush with melted butter then place first sheet of filo over the base leaving excess hanging over sides. Brush again with butter and place another sheet on top. Repeat until 6 layers of pastry. Scatter one of the bowls of nuts over the pastry then put another 2 layers of filo over this (buttering each layer as you go). Scatter next bowl of nuts on top then another 2 layers of filo. Repeat until you are nut free! Use the rest of the filo on top of the last layer of nuts again buttering as you go - I had about 6 sheets on top. Trim any excess pastry from the edge of the tray with scissors/knife.

Bake at about 180 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy then take out to cool.

Whilst the baklava is cooling place all the syrup ingredients into a pan and heat until the sugar is melted. Simmer for about 5 minutes on a low heat.

Pour over the baklava then leave to cool completely. Store in airtight container (if there is any left after you've tried a piece or two!!)

Chocolate Fudge Cake

• 4oz/120g golden syrup
• 4oz/120g soft brown sugar
• 4oz/120g margarine
• 6oz/180g self raising flour
• 2oz/60g cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• 1/4 pint/145ml milk

For the icing

• 2oz/60g margarine
• 7oz/150g icing sugar
• 1oz/30g cocoa powder
• 2 tblsp boiling water
• 1 tblsp milk

Melt the sugar, syrup, margarine in the microwave (start off on high for 30 seconds and see how it goes).

Once all melted together, mix well and then slowly add rest of ingredients, adding the flour and cocoa powder bit by bit and mixing well.

Once cake mix is smooth and combined pour into a greased plastic/silicone mould (I use a tupperware ring mould which is ace but this kind of thing would work as well, a ring mould is the best shape for it).

Cook in microwave for 4 1/4 mins on high, until the cake mix is just cooked, don't overcook it as the cake will carry on cooking even when you remove it from the microwave.

Let the cake stand for at least 10 minutes, until it starts to shrink away from the mould sides. The turn out onto a plate and leave to cool.

Whilst cake is cooling put all icing ingredients into a jug and melt in microwave for 15 seconds, then mix together and give 10 seconds more in the microwave. Mix again and allow to cool.

Once cake cool, ice with fudge frosting.

When eating, either serve hot or cold, for hot, cut a chunk and put in microwave for 20 seconds on high and icing will turn into fudge sauce.

Tarty Lemon Tart with Cheesecake Cream

This is a recipe by James Martin although the cheesecake cream is mine :)

• 5 free range eggs
• 190g caster sugar
• 250ml double cream
• 4 lemons, juice and zest
• butter, for greasing
• 225g ready made shortcrust pastry (I cheated, ask Tracie, I'm rubbish at pastry!)
• 50ml natural yoghurt
• 50ml low-fat creme fraiche
• 125g marscapone cheese
• 2tbsp icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk to break up yolks. Add sugar and beat well. Add the cream and the lemon juice and stir. Add the lemon zest and set aside.

Grease a 20cm flan ring (removable base) with butter. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until big rnough to fit over the flan ring. Press the pastry into the ring and allow to overhang the edges slightly. Line with a circle of greaseproof paper and fill with rice or baking beans.

Transfer to oven and bake for around 15mins. remove from oven and remove beans and return to oven for 5mins, or until case is lightly browned (don't wander off and do something else like I did and come back in a panic 15mins later!)

Turn oven down to 150 degrees and pour lemon mixture into case. Bake in oven for 1hr or until filling is set and pastry is golden brown.

Remove from oven and trim edges off pastry. Leave to cool completely then place in fridge to chill.

Place the yoghurt, creme fraiche, marscapone cheese and icing sugar in a bowl and mix well. Keep in fridge until needed.

Do I need to tell you how to cut it up? Do it as the mood takes you and enjoy ;)

Italian Amaretto Profiteroles

WARNING this is not the easiest recipe, and not for the impatient ;) Choux recipe taken from the Kenwood Chef cookbook

• 225ml cold water
• 75g/3oz butter (unsalted)
• 115g/4oz plain flour
• pinch of sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 600ml cream
• 500g fresh custard
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto (or your favourite liquour, Tia Maria would be good too)
• 100g Green and Blacks dark chocolate
• Icing sugar
• 1oz butter
  

Set up food processor with blade attachment. Preheat oven to 220 degrees. Place a shallow swiss roll tin or dish full of water in the bottom to create steam.

Place water and butter in the saucepan and heat gently until the butter melts and then bring to the boil.

Remove from heat and tip in the flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Return to the heat and cook over a low heat for a few seconds until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan to form a ball (looks kind of like play-doh). Do not over-heat.

Transfer to food processor. Turn on at minimum speed and gradually pour eggs through tube. Process until just mixed and the pastry forms a stiff, glossy paste. Do not over process as will become too thin.

Brush 3 baking trays with a thin layer of water (do not use oil or greaseproof paper, or a tray with holes in! I have learnt) to dampen.

Either put pastry in piping bag, or use a teaspoon (I use teaspoon) and place small mounds on baking sheets (usually put 10 on a baking sheet, leave room cos they expand).

Bake for 20-25mins until puffed up and golden. Reduce the oven to 190 degrees.

Pull buns out of oven and make a small hole in each one with the end of a wooden spoon (I pick the place the pastry is thinest for this) and then return the buns to the oven (can all be on same tray now) for 5 mins to dry out. Transfer to wire rack and leave to cool.

Whip cream and add custard to make creme patisserie. Add alcohol and mix well. Fill piping bag with cream and fill the buns through their holes.

Melt chocolate in dish with butter (either on hob over a pan with water or in microwave carefully), add enough icing sugar to make a slightly runny icing (should be runny enough to dunk the profiteroles in, but thick enough to set). Dip each bun into the chocolate and arrange on a serving place. Chill until served.

Carrot Cake. Lush.

Compiled from different recipes (as usual!!) with a bit of my own tinkering too. Main credit goes to Monsieur Rankin. And Becky Boo.

• 250g unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 375g soft brown sugar
• grated rind 2 oranges
• 450g carrots grated
• Juice of 1 orange
• 250g plain flour
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 150g chopped pecans
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp salt
• About 150g mixed raisins and sultanas (just kinda threw some in!!)

FOR TOPPING

• 225g philidelphia (other brands are available)
• 65g butter
• 400g icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180C or gas 4

Grease 9 inch cake tin

Beat butter, sugar and orange rind.

Slowly add the eggs beating well

Fold in carrot, pecans and fruit

Add vanilla extract and orange juice

Fold in sift flour, mixed spice, salt and bicarb

Bake for 45 - 60 minutes

NB I had too much mixture left so experimented and made some carrot cake muffins!!

For topping, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the icing sugar and vanilla essence. Lavish over cake indulgently and enjoy. Yum yum.

Bread and Butter Pudding

It's a recipe from Jamie Oliver with my usual meddling

• 100g unsalted butter
• large pinch of grated nutmeg
• large pinch of cinnamon
• zest of one large orange
• 16 slices Warburtons Raisin bread
• 9 large eggs
• 140g caster sugar
• 500ml whole milk (I did use 250ml semi skimmed and 250ml Elmlea 55% less fat cream here)
• 565ml double cream
• 1 vanilla pod (or I used 2tsp vanilla extract)
• 4 tbsp fine cut marmalade
• Whiskey

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Make a flavoured butter by mixing the butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange zest. Use some of it to butter a largish shallow ovenproof dish (I used one of my smaller lasagne dishes).

Butter the bread using the flavoured butter, then cut each slice in half diagonally, place these in the buttered dish and drizzled whiskey over the top.

Separate the eggs, keep 9 yolks and 1 white (freeze the other 8 egg whites and use them at a later date, good for meringues). Which together the 9 yolks and one white with the caster sugar.

Gently heat the milk and cream and add the vanilla pod (don't boil the milk, just heat it slowly). Pour this warm mix into the eggs and mix together. Remove the vanilla pod and pour the mix over the bread and leave to soak for 20 mins.

Put the dish in a roasting tin and pour boiling water in to cover it up to halfway up the side of the dish. Cook in oven for 45 mins until the custard is set.

After 45 mins warm the marmalade in a saucepan or microwave, remove the dish from the oven and brush the marmalade over the top of the bread. Put the pudding back in the oven for 5-10 mins to glaze. Allow to cool and firm up slightly before serving.

Carol's Key Lime Pie

So here it is peeps. Key Lime Pie as directed by the amazing carol, with some slight amendments by myself.

What You'll need:
3 large Limes
An equal amount of evaporated milk and whipping cream
A Large Packet of digestives
A pack of butter
(and if you want, some pickled ginger)








Take the three limes and zest them putting about two thirds of the zest into a food processor (or bowl if you're a pauper). Reserve some of the zest to decorate the top. Then juice the limes and put this in the bowl






Now take the cream and the condensed milk and put this in the mixer with the lime juice and zest. Then mix until the mixture is stiff enough to form stiff peaks.





Crush the digestives and add these to a mixing bowl. Now melt some butter, not too much at first and add this to the biscuits until you can make almost like a pastry. Put this into the bottom of your serving dish.





Finally, spoon the cream mixture into your serving dish, smoothing off with a palette knife and then decorating with the remaining lime zest.
Place in the fridge until thoroughly chilled.


All that remains now is to remove the serving dish, plate up and serve!! Enjoy peeps!