Double Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

300g dark chocolate
200g marge
2 tbsp water
3 eggs
200g sugar
90g sr flour
200g chocolate chips

Method

Melt the marge and chocolate.
Beat together the eggs, water and sugar, then add the chocolate mixture.
Fold in the flour, followed by the chocolate chips.
Pour this into a greased tin and bake at 190 for 45 minutes.
Enjoy!

Fruit Cake

Ingredients

200g marge
180g brown sugar
450g mixed fruit (eg. sultanas, cranberries, currants, chopped dates)
125mls water
75mls cherry liqueur
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
150g glace cherries, chopped
3 eggs
100g ground almonds
200g sr flour

Method

Put the marge, sugar, fruit, water, liqueur and spices in a large saucepan, and boil together for 5 minutes. Mix in the glace cherries.

Beat together the eggs, ground almonds and flour, then combine with the fruit mixture.

Pour into a large dish and bake at 160 for at least 1 hour.

Splash with some more liqueur and serve warm.

Rum Baba

Ingredients

3 eggs, separated

200g sugar

200g sr flour

60g marge, melted

1/4 cup water

200mls double/whipping cream

Rum syrup

175mls water
225g sugar
100mls rum

Method

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Mix in the flour, melted marge and water.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold carefully into the batter.

Spoon this into a greased cake tin (a Bundt tin is good) and bake at 180 for about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile for the syrup, place the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir in the rum.

Whisk the cream until thick.

I find the best - and least messy! - way to do the next stage, is to place the baked cake in a large, deep tin (a square foil container worked for me), skewer the top, then slowly pour the syrup over it. Now place the cake onto a serving dish, and again slowly pour the syrup that wasn't absorbed before, from the dish and over the cake. 

If you used a Bundt tin, spoon the cream into the hole in the middle, and garnish with fruit. Or you can serve the Rum Baba with the cream on the side. 

Sticky Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

175g dark chocolate
150g marge
200g sugar
3 eggs
50g ground almonds
50g sr flour

Method

Melt together the chocolate, marge and sugar in a saucepan. In a separate bowl, beat together the flour, ground almonds and eggs, then mix the chocolate into it.

Pour into a dish and bake at 160 for 30 - 40 minutes. Careful not to over-bake as the pudding should still be gooey in the middle when it's done.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Butterscotch Cupcakes

Ingredients

200g sr flour
125g marge
150g light muscovado sugar
3 eggs
100 mls water
1 tsp vanilla essence

Syrup

2 tbsps golden srup
20g marge
2 tbsps light muscovado sugar

Method

Beat together all the cake ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Pour this into a cake tin, or about 20 muffin cases or ramekins. Bake at 190 for 20 minutes (longer if you're making one big cake; check it's baked in the middle).

Meanwhile slowly melt together the syrup ingredients in a small pan, then boil for about 1 minute. Drizzle this over the baked cakes and leave to set.

Cranberry and Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

200g plain flour
200g porridge oats
175g sugar
175g peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
100g margarine
150g chocolate chips
100g dried cranberries
100 mls water


Method

Mix together the flour, oats and sugar with the marge and peanut butter. Add half the water, and the chocolate chips and cranberries. Then mix in the rest of the water.

Press the mixture into a tin and bake at 190 for about 30 mins. Cut into squares.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients

8 oz marge
3 tbsps cocoa
3 oz chocolate chips
1 cup boiling water
2 cups sr flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup water

Icing

4 oz marge
3 heaped tbsps cocoa
4 tbsps water
2 cups icing sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 and grease a large square or oblong tin.
In a large saucepan melt the marge and chocolate chips, then sift in the cocoa. Stir in the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds.
Mix in the flour and sugar. Beat in the eggs, then gradually stir in the water.
Pour this into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a knife stuck in the middle comes out clean. The baking time depends on the tin you use - a wider, shallower one will take less time than a small, deeper one.

For the icing, melt the marge and mix with the cocoa. Add the water and beat in the sugar until smooth. When the cake is cool, pour the icing over, smooth the top and cool in the fridge until set.

Makes 20 servings

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients

125g dark chocolate
100g margarine
2 eggs
200g sugar
125g sr flour
1 tbsp sifted cocoa

2 tbsps melted marge
1/2 cup sugar
170g peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 and grease a large square tin.
Melt the chocolate and margarine in a saucepan.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar.
Mix in the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and cocoa.
Spoon half of this into the tin and spread out.

In another bowl, mix together the melted marge, sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Spread this over the batter in the tin, then spread the remaining batter on top. Using a knife, swirl the peanut butter into the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 30-40 minutes. It might still look quite soft but it will set when it's cooled. Cut into 16 squares.

Strawberry Roulade

Ingredients

80g marge
150g sugar
3 eggs
150g flour
2 tbsps water
1 tsp vanilla essence

150mls cream, whisked until thick
150g strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

Method

Beat together the marge and sugar. Mix in the eggs, flour, water and vanilla essence.
Pour into a tray lined with baking paper and bake at 200 for 20 minutes.
Invert the roulade onto another sheet of baking paper, roll it up and leave to cool slightly.
Unroll it and spread the cream on, leaving the borders. Arrange over the strawberry slices, then carefully roll up the roulade again tightly, using the paper to help you.
Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Lemon Tart

Ingredients

Base

1 cup flour
90g marge
1 tbsp sugar
1-2 tbsps water

Filling

4 eggs, separated
175g sugar
1 1/2 tbsps lemon zest
3 tbsps lemon juice

Method

To make the base, mix together the flour, margarine and sugar until it's like breadcrumbs. Mix in enough water to make a dough, then press this into a dish. Bake at 180 for 15 minutes.

Whisk the egg whites. In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar, then whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
Beat a spoon of the whites into the yolks, then fold in the rest of the whites.

Pour into the base and bake at 180 for 20 mins.

Strawberry Crumble Pie

Ingredients

Pie Base

2 cups flour
175g marge
3 tbsps sugar
1-2 tbsps water

Filling
175g sugar
500g strawberries (washed and hulled) - or you can use another fruit
20g flour
20g cornflour
20g marge

Method

To make the base, mix the flour, sugar and margarine until it's like breadcrumbs. Keep a third of this mixture to the side. Mix the water into the rest to make a dough. Press this into a pie dish, and bake at 180 for 15 minutes.

Mix the strawberries with the sugar, flour and cornflour, then pour this into the base. Dot with margarine, then sprinkle the crumble over the top. Bake at 220 for 35 - 40 minutes.

Carrot Cake With Lemon Frosting

Ingredients

2 eggs
175g brown sugar
200mls oil
200g grated carrots
225g sr flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
powdered cardamom
100g chopped walnuts

Lemon Frosting

100g marge
225g icing sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Beat together the eggs, sugar and oil. Mix in the grated carrot, flour, spices and walnuts.
Pour into a greased cake tin and bake at 190 for 40-50 minutes, then leave to cool.

To make the frosting, beat together the marge and icing sugar. Mix in the lemon zest and juice, until smooth. Spread this over the cooled cake, then garnish with some grated carrot.

Cheese Scones

Ingredients

225g sr flour
50g marge
150mls milk/water
approx 80g grated cheese
salt, to taste

Method

Using a fork, mix together the marge, flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the cheese, then mix in the milk/water.
Knead the dough, then roll it out onto a floured surface, and cut out rounds. This makes about 10 large scones, or 20 small.
Place the scones on baking trays and bake at 220 for 12-15 minutes.

Serve warm, spread with butter.

Lemon Pudding With Sauce

Ingredients

75g marge
225g caster sugar
Grated zest of 2 lemons
4 eggs, separated
125mls lemon juice
75g plain flour
300-325mls water

Method

Whisk together the marge, sugar, lemon zest and egg yolks.
Alternately mix in the lemon juice, flour and water.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to medium-stiff peaks, then fold into the batter.
Pour into a greased dish and bake at 180 for 35-45 minutes.

Be careful not to overcook, under the sponge layer will be a creamy lemon sauce.

Alternative recipe: (serves 6)

Ingredients

50g marge, melted
100g sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
115 mls water
125g sr flour

Topping
100g sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
100 mls lemon juice
230 mls boiling water

Method

For the batter, mix the water and marge into the dry ingredients, and smooth into a baking dish.
Sprinkle over the sugar and lemon zest. Mix the water with the lemon juice and pour this over the top. Bake at 180 for 40 mins.

Chocolate-Cherry Fridge Cake

Ingredients

300g dark chocolate
2 tbsps golden syrup
120g margarine
200g lightly crushed digestive biscuits
1 tbsp cherry liqeur
75g chopped nuts
75g tinned cherries, halved

Method

Line a rectangle tin with greaseproof paper.
In a saucepan, melt the chocolate, golden syrup and margarine.
Mix together the biscuits, liqueur, nuts and cherries, then stir this into the chocolate mixture.
Pour into the lined dish, and refrigerate for  4 hours - or keep in the freezer - until it's set. Store in the fridge.

Strawberry Frangipane Tart

Ingredients

1 pie crust
1/4 cup strawberry jam
350-400g strawberries

Frangipane

100g margarine
125g sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp almond essence
150g ground almonds


Method
Cream together the margarine and sugar. Beat in the eggs, water and almond essence. Mix in the flour.
Spoon this into the pie case and bake at 190 for about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash, hull and slice the strawberries. When the pie is cool, arrange the slices to cover the top completely.
In a microwave-proof bowl, mix the jam with 2 tbsps water. Heat for 20 seconds, then drizzle over the strawberries.

Pecan & Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients

Fudge Sauce

40g margarine - 40g light brown sugar

4 tbsp golden syrup - 2 tbsp water - 1 tbsp cocoa

40g dark chocolate chips - 60g chopped pecans

Cake

125g margarine
125g light brown sugar
175g sr flour
2 eggs
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp golden syrup

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 and grease a large, shallow dish.

To make the sauce, melt together the margarine, sugar, syrup, water and cocoa in a saucepan until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips until they're completely melted, then add the chopped nuts. Pour the sauce into the dish.

Beat together all the cake ingredients, then spoon the mixture over the chocolate sauce, don't worry if it doesn't cover it completely.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Lemon Syrup Cake

Ingredients

100g margarine
175g sugar
2 eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsps lemon juice
100 mls water
200g sr flour

Syrup

60g sugar
Juice of 1 lemon - about 3 tbsps

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 and grease a round cake tin.
Cream together the margarine and sugar. Beat in the eggs and lemon zest.
Mix in the flour, water and lemon juice alternately, until smooth.
Transfer into the tin and sprinkle the crushed sugar cubes over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile heat together the sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan until dissolved, then simmer for 3 minutes. When the cake is ready, pour the syrup over.

Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

125g dark chocolate
100g margarine
2 eggs
200g sugar
125g sr flour
1 tbsp sifted cocoa

Topping

90g dark chocolate
60g margarine

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 and grease a large square tin.
Melt the chocolate and margarine in a saucepan.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar.
Fold in the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and cocoa.
Pour into the tin and bake for 30-40 minutes. It might still look quite soft but it will set when it's cooled.

For the topping, melt together the chocolate and margarine, then pour it over the brownie.
Leave to set, then cut into 16 squares.

Profiteroles

Ingredients

50g margarine
120mls water
90g plain flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 eggs

400mls double cream

Chocolate Sauce

50g sugar
175g dark chocolate chips
200mls water
1 tsp margarine

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 and line 2 trays with baking paper.

Place the margarine and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat and beat in the flour and sugar.
Leave to cool slightly, then gradually mix in the eggs.

Place about 20 teaspoonfuls on the trays, spaced apart.
Bake for 30 minutes or until crisp on the outside. Remove from the oven and slit the side of each profiterole.

Meanwhile whisk the cream with a tablespoon of sugar, until thick.

In a saucepan, melt the chocolate, sugar and water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the margarine and leave to cool and thicken up.

To serve, fill the profiteroles with the cream, arrange on a dish and spoon over some of the sauce. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

Golden Syrup Swirl Sponge

Ingredients

115g margarine
125g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
210g sr flour
125mls water

6 tbsps golden syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 190 and grease a round pyrex dish.

In a large bowl cream together the margarine and sugar.
Add the eggs and vanilla essence.
Gradually mix in the flour and water until smooth.

Pour half the mixture into the pyrex, then top with the golden syrup. Pour over the rest of the mixture, and, with a knife, swirl the golden syrup through.
Bake for 45 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream.

Mango & Coconut Brulee Cake

Ingredients

425g can of sliced mango or 1 large ripe mango, diced
175g sr flour
140g margarine
160g caster sugar
3 eggs
30g dessicated coconut
50mls water or juice

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 and line a cake tin with baking parchment.
Place the mango pieces over the base of the tin.
Beat together the flour, margarine, sugar and eggs until smooth.
Add the coconut and water/juice.
Smooth the mixture over the mango pieces. Bake for 45 minutes.
When cool enough, invert onto a lined tray or grill-proof dish.
Sprinkle two tablespoons of granulated sugar evenly over the mango. Grill for a couple of minutes until the sugar browns, then sprinkle over some coconut.

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

225g margarine
300g sugar
2 eggs
250g sr flour
60g cocoa
150g chocolate chips

Method

Cream together the margarine and sugar. Beat in the eggs.
Mix in the flour and cocoa. Add the chocolate chips.

Place heaped teaspoonfuls on trays, spaced apart and bake at 180 for 8 minutes.

Make sure they're not too soft when you take them out, but more than 8 minutes and they could go crunchy rather than chewy.

Jam Roly Poly

Ingredients

250g sr flour
50g brown sugar
125g margarine
120 mls water
1 tsp vanilla essence
150g raspberry/strawberry jam (or whatever your preference is)
Custard, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 and line a tray with baking parchment.
Mix together the flour, sugar and margarine until it looks like breadcrumbs.
Mix in the water to make a dough.
Spread the dough over the lined baking tray.
Heat the jam and spread over the dough, leaving out the edges.
Lift one end of the baking parchment to roll up the dough tightly, making sure the seam of the pastry is underneath.
Sprinkle with some brown sugar. and bake on the tray for about 40 minutes - it should be crunchy on the outside and cakey on the inside.
To store, wrap in baking paper and foil.
Serve it warm with custard.

Boston Cream Pie

Ingredients

80g margarine
150g sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
250g self raising flour
1/2 cup water

Filling

280mls double/whipping cream

Topping

100g chocolate chips

3 tbsps margarine

3 tbsps water

1/2 cup icing sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line 2 cake tins.

Cream together the margarine and sugar in a large bowl.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla essence.

Mix in half of the flour, then half of the water. Add the rest of the flour and water, and mix together.
Pour half of the mixture into each of the tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Whisk the cream with a bit of sugar, until stiff.

In a saucepan on low heat, melt together the ingredients for the topping until smooth.

When the cakes are cool, remove one from the tin and place on a plate. Spread the cream over it (not too much round the edges), then place the second cake on top. Pour the chocolate mixture over the top and leave in the fridge until it sets.