Hot Cross Buns

For the buns

1lb Strong White Flour (plus extra for dusting)
1 tsp salt
1 and ½ tablespoons ground mixed spice
2oz butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
3oz sugar
Rind of 1 lemon
1 sachet fast-action yeast (7g)
1 egg

10fl oz tepid milk
5oz Fruit Mix

2oz Glazed cherries

For the topping

2 tbsp Plain Flour
Vegetable Oil (for greasing)
1 tbsp golden syrup, gently heated, for glazing

For the buns

Sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed spice into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture then add the sugar and lemon zest.

Beat the egg and add to tepid milk with yeast.  Slowly pour egg mix into dry ingredients above and mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the mixed dried fruit into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.

Grease a large, mixing bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove. (I normally place my bowl in my airing cupboard where the hot press is)

Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the tea towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to rise.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the buns again with a cling film or polythene bag  and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the topping, mix the plain flour to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of cold water.

When the buns have risen, remove the polythene bag and the greaseproof paper. Spoon the flour mixture into a piping bag and pipe a cross on each bun.

Transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the hot golden syrup, then set aside to cool on a wire rack. ENJOY WITH A CUPA!!

Pavlova

• 4 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1 cup of Castor sugar, also known as "Berry sugar"
• 1 tsp of white vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp of cornflour/ cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cups of whipping cream
• Fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, passionfruit, blueberries
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Piece of tin foil to fit in oven tray

Method

Preheat the oven to 275F (140C) and place the rack in middle of the oven. Line a baking tray with foil and draw a 7 inch circle on the foil with the blunt edge of a knife (don't tear the foil). Set aside.

In a  medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a clean electric mixer on medium speed. Beat until the whites form soft peaks.
Gently sprinkle the sugar into the egg whites,a little at a time. Continue beating the eggs until you finish the sugar. Your mixture should look nice and glossy with stiff peaks.
Sprinkle  cornflour and vinegar on the meringue and fold in gently with a plastic spatula. Add  vanilla and gently fold the mixture.


Now slowly spread the meringue in a circle on a piece of foil to make a circular base. Make sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher then the center so you have a slight well in the middle.
Bake the meringue for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it goes a very pale.

Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly open to let the meringue cool completely. It will crack slightly as it cools

Just before serving, take the meringue out of the oven and remove it gently from the foil and place on a plate.
Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until it forms peaks. Prepare the fruit by washing and slicing.
Gently spread the cream to the top of the meringue with a spatula and arrange the fruit on top.

Joloff Rice

2 cups long grain easy cook rice (wash rice well and leave to soak in water until sauce is prepared)

2 medium onions

3 crushed garlic cloves

1 heaped teaspoon thyme

½ or 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper (depending on how brave you are)

1 whole red pepper (paprika pepper)

1 can peeled tomatoes

1 can water (use your tomato can for measure)

1 stock cube either chicken, beef or vegetable depending on your own preference

1 tbsp. salt

3 carrots diced

1 cup frozen peas

3 tbls vegetable oil

1 tbls butter

For the sauce

In a blender add 1 onion quartered, garlic, thyme, tomatoes, pepper, scotch bonnet, water, stock cube and salt. Whiz all ingredients until nicely pureed.

In a medium pot heat oil and add the other onion which should be finely chopped. Fry until sautéed well and the onions start to brown.

Add your puréed mixture and fry until all the water comes out of the mixture and it becomes thick in consistency and resembles pureed tomatoes.

Add your carrots and cook another 5 mins and then add you rice which must be drained well.

Mix your rice into the sauce well and add 3 ½ cups water ensuring to mix the rice every so often.

Once your water reduces, add your frozen peas, mix through, cover and simmer on a low heat until your rice is cooked through, place butter onto rice while it is steaming.

Just before serving give your rice a once off turn and serve with meats of choice or just salads as a vegetarian dish.

Key Lime Pie

Crust

300g Digestive biscuits 

5 tablespoons melted butter

Filling

200ml double fresh cream

200g Philadelphia cream cheese

397g/1 can condensed milk

8g gelatine

50ml boiling water

Juice of 3 limes

Rind of 1 Lime

For the Crust

Place digestive biscuits in a zip lock bag and crush the biscuits using a rolling pin.

Add melted butter to the biscuits and slowly press it down into your 8 inch flan pan with the back of a spoon, ensuring to even out the base.

The Filling

In a small container dissolve gelatine with hot water and set aside to cool, (if you put it into you mixture hot it will curdle)

In a bowl combine fresh cream, Philadelphia, condensed milk and juice of limes and mix well until all ingredients are incorporated. 

Add cooled gelatine and half the grated rind to the above mixture.

Slowly poor your pie filling into the crust, decorate with the rest of the rind and a slice or two of thinly sliced lime. 

Place pie in refrigerator for about 1hour or until the filling is nicely set and firm.

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Classic Easy Vanilla Ice-Cream

I love this ice-cream recipe.. it is the base of all my flavoured ice-creams. You can blitz in a blender any fruit you would like to add, pass it through a sieve and mix it through your custard before freezing the ice cream delicious!!!

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (you want the good stuff here)

5 egg yolks

500ml/ ½ pint fresh milk

500ml/ ½ pint  double (heavy) fresh cream

75g/6tbsp caster sugar

5ml/1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

In a medium sauce pan add fresh milk and warm up slowly without boiling.

In a medium bowl add egg yolks, sugar and cornflour/cornstarch and mix well until sugar is dissolved.

Slowly add warmed up milk to bowl containing egg mixture, use about half the milk and whisk the egg mixture well.

Pour the egg milk mixture back into the pot with the rest of the milk and slowly bring the mixture to a just boiling point ensuring to mix continually.

The mixture should thicken slightly at this stage, a custard consistency.  To ensure you have the correct consistency, the back of your spoon should be coated and you should able to leave a line on the spoon when you run your finger along it.

Remove from heat, slowly add in your fresh cream and vanilla, mix well.

Pour mixture through a sieve and allow to cool.

Place mixture in an airtight container and freeze.

Half way through freezing icicles should have formed on the side, mix the ice-cream and place back in freezer until set.

Freezing times vary depending on your refrigerator, on average it takes 3-4hours to set.

Serve with waffles and a lovely chocolate sauce.

Shortbread Biscuits

Ingredients

150g Plain Flour

100g Pure butter (more than 85% fat)

50g sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla essence

Method

Set oven to 180 degrees temperature

In a bowel sift flour sugar and add butter chopped into small pieces followed by vanilla.

Begin to rub in the flour butter sugar and vanilla you will need to keep rubbing it in with your four fingers until the dough begins to form. (use breadcrumb method) you do not need any liquid for these biscuits just keep rubbing and the dough will begin to come together.

Once dough is formed wrap in cling film and place in refrigerator for 20 mins.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or the reusable lining sheet from Aldi stores.

Roll out balls of dough the size of a walnut and press gently down on baking sheet with a fork.

You can make any shape you like but I prefer rolling them out in balls and pressing them sown with a fork.

Bake for 15-20mins keep an eye on them as they burn easily.

Serve with a lovely cup of tea or some nice Carte Noire Coffee

You can double up the quantities as this only makes approx. 16 biscuits

Peri Peri Chicken Livers/Gizzards

Ingredients 

500g Chicken Livers / gizzards

2 tbls Vegetable/Olive oil

2 tbsps Real Butter

1 heaped tablespoon Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

1 Large Onion finely chopped

4 - 6 Cloves Garlic (finely crushed or mashed in a pestle and mortar)

1 Bay Leaf

8 tbls White Wine

2 - 3 tbls Nando's PERi-PERi Sauce (I love the extra extra hot sauce choose your own fire)

Salt to season to your own taste

Method

Trim and wash livers or gizzards thoroughly. For the Gizzards I suggest boiling them for at least 1 hour until they are nice and tender, keep topping up the water and skim any scum formed as they boil.

Place butter and oil in a medium sized pot and heat.

Add livers or gizzards (which ever you are cooking) paprika and cumin spice. Fry all ingredients until just brown.

Add onions and garlic, and cook on a medium heat until onions are nice and soft and have changed slightly in colour.

Add bay leaves and wine, and simmer over low heat for 10mins

Adjust seasoning and add Nando's Sauce as required I add at least 3 tablespoons as I love the heat.

Finally season with salt to your own taste. Serve with nice french roll, Mediterranean salad yummy, great as a starter.