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.

Baileys Cheesecake

Ingredients

Base

250g digestive biscuits
100g margarine, melted

600g soft cheese
225mls double cream
175g sugar
2 tbsps cornflour
2 eggs
100mls Baileys

Method

Crush the digestive biscuits and mix with the melted marge. Press into a cake tin and refrigerate.

Beat together the soft cheese, sugar, cornflour and cream. Whisk in the eggs and Baileys.
Pour this mixture over the base and bake at 180 for 45 minutes or until it starts to set. Keep refrigerated.

If you find the Baileys taste a bit too subtle - like I did - my serving suggestion is to simply drizzle Baileys over your slice!

Chocolate, Rum and Raisin Cake

Ingredients

100g marge
150g dark chocolate chips
4 eggs, separated
200g caster sugar
50g ground almonds
100g sr flour

Rum & Raisin Ganache

75g raisins
1 1/2 tbsps rum
1 1/2 tbsps cherry liqueur
175mls single cream
25g sugar
350g dark chocolate chips
25g marge

Method

Put the raisins, rum and cherry liqueur in a small bowl and leave to soak overnight.

Melt together the marge and chocolate in a saucepan, then leave to cool slightly. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Mix in the flour and ground almonds, then the melted chocolate. Finally, fold in the whisked egg whites.

Pour into a greased, lined cake tin and bake at 180 for 50 minutes.

For the ganache heat the cream and sugar in a saucepan, and stir in the chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Stir in the marge followed by the raisins.

Turn the cake out onto a plate and pour the ganache over it, keeping some to serve on the side.