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.