Pavlova

Make the meringue base, slather it in whipped cream (at the last minute)and decorate with fresh fruit, shards of caramel or sprinkles of cocoa, so whatever you want really. The sugar can be a mix of white or brown, the more brown means the more caramelly the meringue will taste. Yum

250 grams caster sugar, soft brown sugar or a combination.

4 large egg whites

1 pinch of salt

2 teaspoons cornflour

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

300 ml double cream

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350°F.

Line a flat oven sheet with baking parchment.

In a clean, grease-free metal bowl whisk the egg whites and salt until the soft peak stage

Keep whisking while you add the sugar a tablespoon at a time.

When you have a firm meringue, fold in the cornflour and vinegar using a clean table spoon.

Dollop the meringue mixture on to the parchment in a rough circle. Smooth and shape it with a spatula

Put it in the oven cook for an hour and a quarter. Switch off the oven and leave inside until cool.

Once the base is cool move to a plate and slather the flattest side with whipped cream.

Tartiflette

100 g of chopped bacon pieces

60 g of cornflour

spoon of butter

100 g of grated cheddar

2 onions

250 ml milk

500 g tin of new potatoes

4 cloves of garlic

Chop bacon pieces into small chunks.

Slice the onions into half moons.

Peel and squash (I do this on a chopping board with a fork) four garlic cloves.

Fry in a pan, the bacon has enough fat to not add any more.

Open a tin of potatoes and arrange in a baking dish.

Pour the bacon, onions and garlic over the top.

Gently stir around.

Make a cheese sauce in the microwave.

Place the butter in a microwave proof jug or bowl and microwave until melted.

Blend in the cornflour

Blend in the grated cheese.

Blend in the milk.

Place back in the microwave on full heat for five minutes - Half way through, take out and whisk any lumps away. Keep returning to the microwave/removing and whisking until you have the consistency you like. Feel free to add more cheese if you wish, but I find it expensive and try to use it as a flavouring.

Pour cheese sauce over the top and bake for 20 minutes - if it hasn't browned, put it back in for longer.

Piccalilli

450 g each pickling onions, peeled, cauliflower florets and de-seeded cucumber and topped and tailed French beans

340 g coarse rock salt

750 ml white malt vinegar

1 tbsp each English mustard powder, ground ginger and ground turmeric

1 tbsp whole yellow mustard seeds

2 cloves garlic, chopped

175 g light muscovado sugar

2 to 3 tbsp cornflour

 

warm large sterilised jam jars with screw tops - prepare jars by washing in hot soapy water and leaving to dry and warm in a cool oven - 130C/250F/Gas 1/2 for 10-15 minutes.

Preparation method

Put the vegetables into a non-metallic bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the top, toss together, cover and leave in a cool place for 12 hours.

The next day put the vinegar into a large saucepan or preserving pan, add the spices and bring to the boil.

Drain the vegetables, rinse well and add to the simmering vinegar, cook over a low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the sugar and continue to simmer for a further 1-2 minutes.

Mix 2 tbsp of cornflour with a little water and blend into the hot vegetables. Bring back to the boil and cook for a further minute, the mixture should be glossy and thick. Add the remaining cornflour in the same way if necessary.

Remove the piccalilli from the heat and leave to cool for 15 minutes. Spoon into the hot jars and cover with a disc of wax paper and a screw top lid, wipe the jars and label. Store in a cool dark place for 3-4 weeks before eating.

Cornish Tablet

• • 
    
    
    
    1 bag of sugar(1 kilo)
    1/2 block of margarine (125g)
    1 cup of milk (200ml)
    1 tin of condensed milk (397g)

     

    Using a heavy bottomed saucepan (I use the base of my pressure cooker) slowly melt the milk and margarine together. Don’t allow to boil.
    When the margarine has melted add the sugar and bring to the boil whilst stirring occasionally.
    When the sugar mixture has reached boiling point stir in the entire tin of condensed milk and return to the boil stirring all the time.
    Cook on a rolling boil for 20 minutes stirring all of the time – please don’t walk away from your pot as it will boil over and burn.
    At the end of your 20 minutes take the pan from the heat and beat vigorously with your wooden spoon for five minutes.
    Pour into your greased tin and allow to cool enough so that you can score the surface with a sharp knife into little bite sized pieces ( I make pieces about 1″ square)
    Allow to cool completely before turning out your tin and breaking into pieces.
    
    

Flatbreads

• 500 g self-raising flour, plus a little extra for dusting
  1 tablespoon sea salt
  1 tablespoon baking powder
  500g natural yoghurt
  
  
  Put all of the flatbread ingredients into your food processor and pulse until you have a dough
  If the dough’s a little wet still, you may need to add another sprinkling of flour
  Tip the dough out onto your work surface and dust with a little flour
  Knead the dough for a minute or so to bring it together
  Divide the dough into about 12 equal-sized pieces
  Dust a rolling pin with flour then roll the pieces of dough out into side-plate-sized rounds • Stack them between small sheets of greaseproof paper next to the hob ready to cook
  Put a griddle pan on a high heat to get nice and hot
  Once it’s really hot, cook each flatbread for a couple of minutes per side, until slightly puffy and lightly charred– you’ll need to do this in batches
  
  
  
  
  
  

Jam and coconut traybake

150g self-raising flour

180g caster sugar

30g margarine or butter

2 large eggs

100g good fruity jam

100g desiccated coconut

Preheat oven to 170c.

Grease and line an 18cm x 28cm slice pan with baking paper.

Combine flour and 90g caster sugar in a bowl.

Rub in margarine/butter until ingredients are well combined. 

Add one lightly beaten egg and mix to form a soft dough.

Press mixture into tray

Spread jam evenly over cake base.

Mix remaining sugar with remaining egg and coconut.

Lightly spread onto the jam surface.

 Bake for about half an hour, until topping is golden brown.

 Leave to cool

Chop up and serve, bask in glory

Gin & Lemon drizzle cake

175g butter (not refrigerated)

175g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

175g self raising flour

2 lemons

50g granulated sugar

25ml gin 

 Preheat the oven to 180°C. 

 Line a 900g loaf tin.

 Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and smooth. 

 Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Add the flour and the zest and juice of one of the lemons and stir all together to make a  smooth batter. 

Pour into the tin and level the top.

Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes until springy to the touch.

Stir together the remaining zest and juice with the granulated sugar and the gin.

Once the cake is cooked and slightly cooled, poke with a skewer or fork all over the top and spoon gin mixture over.