Toffee Nut Blondies

Ingredients

125g marge
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla essence
2 cups sr flour
1 cup / 125g chopped nuts (I used my new favourite, cashews)
1 cup chocolate chips

Method

Cream together the marge and sugar, then beat in the eggs with vanilla essence.
Mix in the flour, nuts and chocolate chips.
Pour into a large greased square pan and bake at 180 for about 40 minutes. Leave to cool, then cut into bars.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Ingredients

3 cups sr flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsps vanilla essence
4 tbsps marge, melted
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil

Cinnamon Filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
60 g marge
1/2 cup mixed ground almonds and/or walnuts

Glaze
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsps water

Method

Whisk the flour and sugar with the eggs, water, oil, marge and vanilla essence. Pour half of the batter into a large tin. Mix together the cinnamon ingredients and spoon over. Top with the rest of the cake batter, then swirl the cinnamon mixture through with a knife.
Bake at 180 for 50-60 mins.

When the cake is cool, mix together the ingredients for the glaze, and drizzle over.

Sesame Chicken

Ingredients

600g chicken breast, cubed
2 tbsps toasted sesame seeds

Batter
2 tbsps sr flour
2 tbsps cornflour
2 tbsps soy sauce
1 tbsp wine
2 tbsps water
1 tsp oil
Sesame oil

Sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsps white vinegar
2 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps sesame oil
1 tsp harissa
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp cornflour
1/2 cup water

Method

Mix together all the ingredients for the batter, then stir in the chicken pieces until coated and refrigerate for 20 mins.

Heat some oil in a wok and fry the chicken pieces in batches, until they are golden brown and cooked inside - about 5-6 mins. Drain on paper towel-lined plates.

Put all the sauce ingredients except the cornflour and water into a saucepan, and bring to the boil. Dissolve the cornflour into the water and stir into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes.

To serve, place the chicken in a large dish, pour the sauce over, and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Chocolate Fondant Souffles

Ingredients

Fondant
2 tbsps marge
1 tbsp sugar
3 oz chocolate

4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sr flour
1 cup water
6 oz chocolate

Method

For the fondant part, melt the marge and sugar in a saucepan, then stir in the chocolate until smooth. Pour this into a bowl and freeze for about 10 minutes.

Whisk the egg whites and sugar until stiff. In a saucepan over a low heat, whisk together the water and flour, then whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the chocolate until melted, then fold in the egg whites.

Grease 8 ramekins, put a scoop of the fondant mixture in each, then spoon over the souffle mixture.

Bake at 190 for 40 mins.

Get in there!

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.