Bakewell Pudding

Ingredients
1x250g Pack Ready to Roll/Already Rolled Short Crust Pastry
2 Eggs
115g Caster Sugar
75g Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Almond Essence
115g Ground Almonds
Icing Sugar (for dusting)
Jam

Equipment
1x7 Inch Baking Tin (greased)
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Knife
1 Fork
1 Pan
1 Electric Whisk

The Good Bit

1. Lay the pastry out into your tin and prick the bottom with a fork then spread a good amount of jam over the bottom. Pre heat your oven too 200c 400f gas 6. Melt the butter in a pan then let it cool a little.
2. Whisk together the eggs and sugar until it resembles a mousse and holds soft peaks for about 5 seconds, whisk in the butter, almond essence and then gently fold in the ground almonds. Pour this into your now lined cake tin and place in the oven for 15 minutes then reduce the heat too 180c 350f gas 4 and cook for another 40-45 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven when golden and allow to cool for 15 minutes or so then dust with icing sugar and serve. (serve with a drizzle of cream for decadence)
   

Scones

Ingredients
250g Self Raising Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
50g Butter
25g Caster Sugar
125ml Milk (plus extra for glazing)
Whipped Cream and Jam to Serve

Equipment
1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Sieve
1 Baking Tray (greased)
1 Wire Rack
1 Rolling Pin
1 Pastry cutter (2 inch round)
1 Pastry Brush

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too220c 425f gas 7. Sift the flour into your bowl along with the baking powder and salt, drop in the butter and get your hands in there and rub until the mixture looks like bread crumbs, stir in the sugar then slowly add the milk a little at a time until you have a soft dough.
2. Lightly flour a surface and knead your dough on it then roll out to an inch thin, cut 2 inch rounds then place on your greased baking tray, brush with milk and then place n the oven for 10 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack (for traditional English cream tea, serve with jam and clotted cream, and I'm gutted we can't find clotted cream over here in France otherwise I'd open a tea shop!!)

Makes 10

Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients
150g Plain Chocolate (chopped into small chunks)
4 Tablespoons Chocolate chips
65g Self Raising Flour
4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
215g Light Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
120ml Sunflower Oil
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
75g Chopped Mixed Nuts (or just chopped nuts that you like, walnuts? pecans?)

Equipment
1x19cm Square Cake Tin (greased)
1 Sauce Pan (half filled with boiling water and a bowl sat in it to melt the chocolate)
1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Electric Whisk (although a balloon whisk/fork will do)
1 Sieve
1 Spatula/Wooden Spoon (for mixing and spreading out mixture)
1 Wire Rack

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 180c 350f gas 4, start by melting the chocolate in the bowl over just barely simmering water, beat the eggs, oil sugar and vanilla essence together in your mixing bowl then stir in the melted chocolate (this is where the whisk comes in handy)
2. Once you have a smooth mixture sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold in with either the spatula or the wooden spoon, finally stir in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips then tip out into the cake tin and smooth over the top.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is crusty then allow to cool slightly before moving onto the wire rack, when it is cold enough, cut into chunks and serve (cream or custard goes really well)
   

Ginger Nuts

Ingredients
115g Self Raising Flour
1 Level Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
Pinch of Salt
1 Level Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Level Teaspoon Ground Mixed Spice
45g Ground Rice
60g Butter
60g Caster Sugar
115g Golden Syrup

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Sieve
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Pan
1 Baking Tray (lined with greased parchment paper)
1 Wire Rack

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 190c 375f gas 5. Sift the flour into your mixing bowl and add the bicarb, salt, ginger and mixed spice and stir in along with the rice, make a well in the centre. Warm your syrup, butter and sugar in the pan until it is a little runnier then pour into the well and mix thoroughly. Get your hands in there and make a good dough!
2. With a teaspoon shape into balls about the size of a walnut and place well spaced apart on your lined baking tray (do 2 lots if you haven't the room, otherwise you'll get 1 big block of biscuit, yes i have done that myself, doh!!) cook for 10-12 minutes then remove from the heat, allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Makes 24ish

Choc Tipped Biscuits

Ingredients
115g Butter
3 Tablespoons Icing Sugar (sifted)
150g Plain Flour
Vanilla Essence
75g Chocolate (broken into small pieces)

Equipment
1 Sieve
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Baking Tray
1 Piping Bag with Large Star Nozzle (optional)
1 Wire Rack
1 Baking Tray
1 Pan (1/2 filled with water with a glass bowl inside to melt the chocolate)

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 180c 350f gas 4. Mix the butter and sugar together in the bowl until soft and then mix in the flour and a few drops of vanilla essence. Pipe onto the baking tray, you should get about 10x5 inch biscuits. Cook for 15-20 minutes until golden
2. Allow the biscuits to cool slightly before moving them onto the wire rack, Melt the chocolate in a bowl that is being warmed gently in a pan of hot water, stir the chocolate until it is a thick creamy consistency then remove from the heat. Dip both ends of your biscuits into the chocolate then set back on the wire rack to set.
   

Choc Chip Cookies

Ingredients
150g Self Raising Flour
125g Dark Chocolate (chopped finely or choc chips)
125g Butter
50g Brown Sugar
1 Egg (beaten)

Equipment
Baking Parchment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Sieve
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Little Dish (with a fork for the egg)
1 Wire Rack
Palette Knife (optional)

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 180c 350f gas 4. Grease the baking sheet lightly, then whip together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg, then sift in the flour and blend well before finally adding the chocolate pieces.
2. Drop 20-30 teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet, give them room to expand and bake for 15-20 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a minute or so before moving to a wire rack.
   

Ginger Bread Cake

Ingredients
250g Plain Flour
125g Butter (melted)
3 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Mixed spice
1 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
75g Treacle
125g Golden Syrup
50g Soft Brown Sugar
150ml Milk
2 Eggs (beaten)
25g Almond Flakes

Equipment
1 Sieve
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Large Pan
1 Fork
1 Wooden Spoon
1x7 Inch Baking Tin (lined and greased)
1 Wire Rack
1 Airtight Storage Tin

The Good Bit

1. Sift the flour into the mixing bowl and add the spices and bicarbonate, heat the butter in a pan along with the sugar, treacle and syrup, just gentle until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes a little more runny, allow to cool then add to the flour along with the eggs and milk and stir thoroughly.
2. Pour your mixture into your tin then sprinkle over the almonds flakes and then stick it in a pre heated oven at 160c 325f gas 3 for about 1 and 3/4 hours. Test with a metal skewer in the centre (it should come out clean) if not give it 15 minutes more.
3. remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack, once cooled store in an airtight tin for a few days to improve the flavour.
   

Shortbread Biscuits

Ingredients
300g Plain Flour
250g Butter
125g Caster Sugar (extra for sprinkling)
50g Cornflour

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Sieve
1 Fork
Electric Whisk (optional)
1 Oven Proof Baking Tin (12x8 inches approx)
1 Wire Rack
1 Storage Tin (air tight)

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 140c 275f gas 1. beat together using a metal fork the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (you may find an electric whisk does the job even quicker) then sift in both flours and combine well. Press this mixture into your baking tinthen jab all over with a fork.
2. Bake for 30 minutes then turn down the heat to 120c 150f gas 1/2 and continue to bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with caster sugar, then cut into biscuit size pieces or shapes and allow to cool in the tin before moving to a wire rack. Store in an sir tight box (if they get that far!!)
   

Cats Tongue Biscuits (nicer than they sound!!)

Ingredients
50g Butter
50g Caster Sugar
50g Plain Flour
2 Egg Whites
A Few Drops Vanilla Extract

Equipment
2 Mixing Bowls
1 Metal Spoon
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Baking Tin
1 Piping Bag (optional)
Parchment Paper (greased)
1 Electric Whisk (a balloon whisk will do)
1 Wire Rack

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 200c 400f gas 6. Mix the butter and sugar together until it is soft and fluffy, in another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, then gradually a little at a time, beat this into the butter mixture with the wooden spoon.
2. Finally fold in the flour with the metal spoon and add a few drops of vanilla at this stage. Here you can either pipe the mixture into 3 inch lengths (cats tongues) or spread it onto your greased parchment paper and cut later (it is better to pipe if you can)
3. Bake for 10 minutes, the biscuits should come out golden, allow to cool on the wire rack and serve. (they make a great addition to mousses, sorbets and ice cream)
   

Serves 4

Victoria Sponge Cake

Ingredients
125g Self Raising Flour (sifted)
125g Caster Sugar
125 Butter
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Water
150ml Double Cream (whisked lightly)
Jam (flavour of your choice but you cant beat strawberry)
Caster Sugar

Equipment
2x7 Inch Sandwich Tins (lined with parchment paper and greased with butter)
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Balloon Whisk
1 Sieve
Parchment Paper
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Tablespoon
1 Wire Rack

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven to 180c 350f gas 4. Start by mixing together the sugar and butter until well and truly mixed (it should be light and fluffy) now add in an egg and beat, then add in the second egg and 1 tablespoon of flour and beat some more, fold in the rest of the flour and then add the tablespoon of water.
2. Divide the mixture between your 2 tins and bake for 20 minutes, they should be golden and a little springy to the touch when done, tip them out onto a wire rack and allow to cool. Spread jam on one side then top with cream, place the second cake on top of this then sprinkle with a little caster sugar and enjoy in the afternoon with a cup of tea!!
   

Lemon Slices

Ingredients
250g Butter
250g Plain Flour (sieved)
175g Caster Sugar
75g Icing Sugar
4 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
6 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Lemon (zested)

Equipment
2 Mixing Bowls
1 12x9inch Baking Tin (greased)
1 Metal Spoon
1 Fork
1 Sieve
1 Zester

The Good Bit

1. Cream the butter, 2/3rds of the icing sugar in the vanilla extract together with a fork in one of your bowls until it is light and fluffy, then fold the flour into the mixture a little at a time, spread this mixture in your baking tin and bake for 20 minutes in a pre heated oven at 190c 375f or gas 5.
2. In the other bowl, stir with the metal spoon the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest, DO NOT BEAT TOGETHER, pour this mixture over your baked pastry and stick it back in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and sift the remaining icing sugar over the top. Cut into slices and serve.
   

Makes 36ish (or just 1 big one if you are me!!)

Chilled Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients
125g Dark Chocolate (plus extra for decoration)
125g Caster Sugar
4 Eggs (separated)
300ml Double Cream (plus extra for topping)
2 Strawberries (halved)

Equipment
1 Electric Whisk
1 Small Bowl (large enough to sit in a small pan of water without touching the bottom)
At Least 2 Large Mixing Bowls
1 Small Pan

The Good Bit

1. Start by half filling your pan with water, you then want to place the bowl inside it that will sit in the water and rest against the sides without touching the bottom (we don't want to burn the chocolate) under a low heat, simmer the water and add the chocolate to the bowl and melt slowly and carefully.
2. In 1 of your mixing bowl add the egg yolks and sugar and whisk with the electric whisk until it is light but firm, Remove the chocolate from the heat once it is well melted and allow to cool for about a minute before adding to the egg mixture, whisk this well too.
3. In another bowl, whisk the double cream until it is thick, then whisk this into the chocolate mixture. now finally in another bowl whisk the 4 egg whites until they hold firm peaks, gently fold 1 tablespoon of the egg white into your chocolate mixture then fold in half of the rest until it is well mixed in the lightly fold in the rest. Place into serving dishes and chill
   
4. To serve i whisked up a little more cream and spooned it on top, i then grated a little chocolate over the top of the cream then topped off with a strawberry half, but you can be inventive here and top how you like.
   

Serves 8

Champagne Sorbet

Ingredients
600ml Champagne (or sparkling white wine, I'm not a big fan of champagne)
300g Sugar
250ml Water
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Egg whites
4 Tablespoons Icing Sugar

Equipment
1 Sauce Pan
1 Large Freezer Proof Box
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Metal Spoon
1 Fork
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Balloon Whisk

The Good Bit

1. Heat the water in the pan and add the sugar until it's all dissolved, bring to the boil and leave for 5 minutes (keep an eye on it here, you want the solution to thicken but NOT brown) Allow it to cool then stir in 350ml of the champagne and the lemon juice.
2. Pour into your freezer proof box and freeze until mushy (about an hour) then take out and beat well with a fork for 2 minutes, then every half hour for the next 2 hours you'll have to repeat this process.
3. On your last beating, whisk the egg whites up until they form stiff peaks, then gradually beat in the icing sugar, give the sorbet a really good beating this time then gently fold in the egg.
4. 30 minutes before serving take from the freezer and place in the fridge to soften, then as you serve divide the remaining champagne between each serving.
   

Serves 8