Mummie's Fruit Scones

8 oz self raising flour

2 oz butter

2 oz raisins

1/4 pint milk

1 tblsp caster sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Method

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, then rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Mix in the fruit and sugar. Stir in the milk until it becomes spongy. Put the mixture on a floured board and press into a circle about 1" thick. Cut into rounds with a cake cutter and glaze with milk. Bake on a cookie sheet at 450ºF, 230ºC for 7-10 minutes until golcen brown on top. Great straight from the oven, spread with butter or cold with butter, strawberry jam and a dollop of clotted cream :-)

Note: You can make Savoury Scones with the same method, leaving out the fruit and sugar and adding 2 oz grated cheddar cheese and a teaspoon of mustard.

Bara Brith

12 oz dried fruit (equal mixture of currants, raisins and sultanas)

1 large cup of cold tea

8 oz self raising flour

4 oz brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

Method

In a large bowl, mix together the dried fruit and the sugar. Pour over the tea and leave to soak overnight. The next day, add the egg and slowly mix in the flour. Tip the mixture into a loaf tin, lined with greaseproof paper, and bake for one and a half hours in the centre of an oven, pre-heated to 375ºF, 190ºC. Allow to cool and serve in slices, spread with butter. Wrap in foil in a cool dry place and this loaf will keep for a couple of months!

Note

This is a Welsh fruit loaf.

Gooey Chocolate Brownies

1 bar dark cooking chocolate, broken into small pieces

4 oz butter

2 tblsp unsweetened cocoa

2 eggs, beaten

8 oz dark brown sugar

3 oz plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla essence

A handful of chopped walnuts if you like them

Method

Put the chocolate, cocoa and butter in a big bowl and melt to a liquid. You can do this in the microwave on medium heat, a minute at a time, stirring after each minute, or you can do it in a bain marie. Next add all the other ingredients and mix them in well. Pour the mixture into a greased and floured 8" x 8" baking tin. Bake for 20 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 350ºF, 180ºC. Its done when the edges are beginning to come away from the pan. Cut into squares while its warm.

Chocolate Truffles (About 35)

1 lb bittersweet chocolate

1 cup double (heavy) cream

Cocoa powder

Method

Chop chocolate finely with a serrated knife and put in a large bowl. Boil cream in a saucepan, then pour it over chocolate. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently until cream and chocolate are combined. Allow to sit for 15 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Pour into a shallow dish, cover and refrigerate for half an hour, until its set but pliable. Use a teaspoom to scoop out 1" nuggets, place them on a sheet of greasproof paper and chill for 10 minutes. Roll the nuggets into balls then roll in the cocoa powder to coat. Chill in an airtight container until ready to eat.

Note

You can flavour the truffles with a couple of drops of essence of peppermint, vanilla or rum. You can also roll them in chopped nuts instead of cocoa powder.

Apple Crumble (For Six)

Apple Filling

2 lb Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped roughly

1 oz soft brown sugar

2 tblsp water

Topping

8oz plain flour

4 oz brown sugar

4 oz butter

Method

To make the crumble topping, place flour and 3 oz butter into a large bowl and rub in until it looks like breadcrumbs, then mix in the sugar.

Put the apples, sugar and water in a saucepan and cook on a low hea , stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft. Pour the mixture into a 9" pie dish and sprinkle the topping evenly over it then dot the remaining 1 oz butter over the crumble. Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF, 180ºC for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top have a few sticky brown patches forming.

Note

Be inventive with the fillings! Add a handful or raisins and a pinch of cinnamon to the apples, or use half apples and half blackberries, a mixture of summer berries, just blueberries, etc, etc.

Apple Puffs (For Six)

Apple filling (as for Apple Crumble)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

3 oz double (heavy) cream, whipped

Icing (powdered) sugar

Hot water

Method

Cut the pasty sheet into 6 squares, put onto a baking sheet and bake according to the directions on the packet, until risen and golden. Allow to cool, then slice in half across the middle.

Sieve some icing sugar into a bowl and add a tablespoon of hot water at at a time, mixing in with a fork, until you have a thick white icing.

Spread some apple filling on the bottom half of each pastry and top with a good helping of whipped cream. Put the top half on and glaze with icing. Chill in the refrigerator before serving.

Note

You can use different fillings - strawberry jam, fresh fruit or mincemeat at Christmas time.

Lemon & Ginger Cheesecake

8 oz ginger snap biscuits (cookies), crushed into crumbs

4 oz butter

12 oz cottage cheese

3 oz caster sugar

2 egg yolks

8 oz double (heavy) cream

Juice and grated zest of 2 lemons

1/2 oz powdered gelatine (unflavoured)

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan (or bowl in the microwave), add the ginger crumbs and mix well. Take a 9" round loose-bottomed cake tin and lightly spray with oil or grease with butter. Press the ginger mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. It should be about 1/2" deep.

Put the gelatine into a heatproof cup and stir in 3 tablespoons of cold water. Stand the cup in a pan of simmering water and leave for 10 minutes until it turns clear (it smells awful!).

Put the cottage cheese, sugar and egg yolks into a blender and blend for a minute. Then add the gelatine through a strainer, and the lemon zest and juice and blend for another minute. Take 5oz of the cream and whip to a "floppy" consistency and add to the blender. Pulse a few times to mix it in, then pour the mixture over the ginger base. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Remove the cheesecake from the tin, whip the remaining 3 oz cream and pipe around the top of the cheesecake before serving.

Italian Trifle (For Four to Six)

8 oz Marscapone cheese

2 oz caster sugar

4 oz double (heavy) cream, whipped

12 oz raspberries

12 oz other summer berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc)

Marsala wine

Ladyfinger biscuits

Mini Amaretti biscuits

Method

Break the Ladyfinger biscuits into chunks to cover the bottom of a glass trifle dish. Tip all the fruit on top and mix themin a bit. Pour on Marsala wine - at least enough to soak up all the biscuits, but you can be as generous as you like! Whip the caster sugar into the Marscapone cheese and spread evenly over the fruit and sponge. Spread (or pipe) the whipped cream over the top and decorate with the Amaretti biscuits.

Note

I invented this as I don't like the custard in traditional English trifles. Its also a bit more "grown-up"! Its especially nice made in individual bowls so you don't get all that mess serving it out.

Banana Caramel Tart

Ready-made biscuit tart base (1 large or 6 individual)

6 oz Marscapone cheese

1 oz double (heavy) cream

1 1/2oz caster sugar

4-6 bananas, peeled and sliced into rounds

Caramel dessert sauce

Method

Place a layer of banana slices on the bottom of the biscuit base. Whip the marscapone, cream and sugar together and spread evenly over the bananas. Add another layer of bananas and drizzle caramel sauce over them. Chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Pour more caramel sauce over each serving.

Note

This is such a cheat and you can use any fruit, such as strawberries or peaches on this base. The caramel topping works for bananas but strawberry or raspberry flavours are better for most other fruits.