Chocolate Cashew Bars

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 cups plain flour
115g marge
1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup golden syrup
3 eggs
3 tbsps marge
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups cashews, chopped

Method

Rub together the ingredients for the crust and press into a square dish. Bake at 180 for 15 mins.

Over a low heat melt together the marge and chocolate, then leave to cool for a bit. Stir in the sugar, golden syrup, eggs, then the cashews. Bake at 180 for 45 mins. It will still be gooey, so keep in the fridge or freezer so it sets into a fudge-like texture, then cut into bars.

Pepper-Pesto Lasagne

Ingredients

8 mixed peppers
2 tbsps olive oils
150g black olives, sliced
150g pesto
Lasagne sheets
Grated cheese

White sauce

50g marge
50g plain flour
600mls milk

Method

Deseed and slice the peppers; heat the oil in a saucepan. Cook the peppers in it, covered and stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until softened. Stir in the olives and pesto.

To make the white sauce, heat the marge and flour in a saucepan to make a paste. Add half of the milk, bring to the boil and beat in until smooth. Do the same again with the rest of the milk.

Spoon a third of the pepper-pesto mix into a greased lasagne dish, pour a third of the white sauce over that, and sprinkle over some cheese. Layer half the lasagne sheets over this, then repeat the layers. The last layer should be the white sauce, with cheese sprinkled evenly over the top.

Bake at 200 for 30 mins, and serve hot with green salad and crusty bread.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

225g marge (1 cup)
175g caster sugar
175g brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
375g plain flour (3 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps hot water
335g chocolate chips
[1 1/2 tsps cornflour]

Method

Cream together the marge and sugar, then mix in the eggs and vanilla essence. Dissolve the baking powder in the water and mix into the batter with the flour, followed by the chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls onto lined trays and bake at 180 for 10 mins or until just golden brown.

To reduce the quantity: 160g marge, 250g sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 250g flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 225g chocolate chips, 1 1/2 tsps cornflour

Nan Khatai (Indian shortbread)

Ingredients

1 cup sr flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup oil
75g marge
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Cardamom

Method

Mix all the ingredients together. Roll the dough into balls, place on lined trays and flatten slightly.
Bake at 170 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Ice Cream Trifle

Ingredients

400g strawberries
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsps icing sugar
2 tbsps water

500g custard
300mls double cream, or 500g softened vanilla ice cream
Sponge fingers

Method

Puree half of the strawberries with the water and icing sugar, then pour into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cut the remaining strawberries into small pieces and stir in the sugar. Stir into the puree and leave to cool.

If using double cream, whip until thick, adding sugar to taste. Mix the cream or ice cream with the custard, then pour this into a large dish. Spoon the strawberry mix evenly over the top, then lastly arrange a layer of sponge fingers over the top.

Freeze for minimum 3 hours. Defrost for a few minutes just before serving.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients

175g peanut butter
175g dark chocolate chips
200g light brown sugar
3 eggs
100g sr flour

Topping

50g peanut butter
50g dark chocolate chips

Method

In a saucepan melt together the peanut butter, chocolate and sugar. Beat in the eggs then the flour.
Pour into a greased square tin. Melt the 50g of peanut butter and drizzle over the top, then bake at 180 for 30-35 mins.
Melt the chocolate chips, drizzle over the brownies and allow to set before cutting into squares and serving.

Tuna Burgers

Ingredients

6 cans of tuna in brine (about 725g, drained)
150g bread crumbs or matza meal
2 eggs
2-3 shallot
Handful of coriander
2 tsps crushed garlic
3 tbsps soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt

Method

Mix together the tuna, breadcrumbs and eggs.
Chop the shallot and coriander, and mix into the tuna with the garlic, soy sauce, ginger and salt.

Form into burgers - makes about 14, with 2 burgers for each serving.

Fry for around 4-5 mins on each side or bake for 15-20 minutes, turning over half way through.

Almond Crumble

Ingredients

750g chopped fruit (or a combination, eg. strawberries and cherries)
4 tbsp sugar
4 tbsps water
1 tsp cornflour

150g flour
100g marge
3 tbsps sugar
50g ground almonds
Flaked almonds

Method

If the fruit doesn't need to be softened, simply mix with the sugar and pour into a dish. Otherwise:
Simmer the fruit with the sugar and water in a saucepan until softened. Drain all the liquid off, and pour the fruit into a dish.

Rub together the flour and marge, then mix in the sugar and ground almonds. Pour this over the fruit, then sprinkle over some flaked almonds.

Bake at 180 for 30 mins.

Serve warm, with custard.

Marzipan Stollen

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sr flour
3/4 cup sugar
115g marge
3/4 cup water
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
100g glace cherries
50-75g sultanas
170g marzipan

Method

Rub together the flour, sugar and marge until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in the water, egg and vanilla essence, then add the glace cherries and sultanas.
Knead the dough, adding more flour if necessary, then roll out into a large circle.
Roll the marzipan into a rope just shorter than the circle of dough. Place it along the middle of the dough, then fold both sides of the dough over it, and close the ends to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on a lined tray.
Bake for 45 mins at 180. Dust with icing sugar before slicing it to serve.

Strawberry Mille-Feuilles

Ingredients

500g ready-made puff pastry

300mls double/whipping cream

400g strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

Caster sugar and icing sugar

Method

Roll out the puff pastry and cut into 9 rectangles, each measuring about 12 x 8cm.

Bake for 15 minutes until well risen and golden brown.

Whisk the cream until thick, adding a little sugar to taste.

Slice each piece of pastry in half horizontally so you have 18 rectangles.

Place one piece each on 6 serving plates. Top with some of the cream, then some sliced strawberries. Add another pastry slice and layers of cream and strawberries, then place a piece of pastry on top of each.

Dust with icing sugar, and serve.