Raspberry ripple meringues difficulty ** #106

Makes about 12

Preparing time:15 minutes

Cooking time: 75 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 40 g fresh raspberries, plus extra to serve 
• 2 tablespoons raspberry jam 
• 4 egg whites 
• 200 g caster sugar 

1. Put the raspberries in a bowl and mash with a fork until broken up and turning juicy 
2. Add the jam and mash together to make a purée 
3. Tip into a sieve resting over a small bowl and press the purée with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible
4. Whisk the egg whites in a large clean bowl with a hand-held electric whisk until peaking 
5. Whisk in a tablespoonful of the sugar and continue to whisk for about 15 seconds 
6. Gradually add the remaining sugar, a spoonful at a time, until thick and glossy 
7. Drizzle over the raspberry purée and lightly stir in using a spatula or large metal spoon, scooping up the meringue from the base of the bowl so that the mixture is streaked with the pureé 
8. Take care not to over-mix!
9. Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture, each about the size of a small orange, on to a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment
10. Then swirl with the back of a teaspoon 
11. Bake in a preheated oven, 120 C(250 F),Gas Mark 1/2, for about 75 minutes or until meringues are crisp and come away easily from the paper 
12. Leave to cool on the paper 
13. Serve with extra raspberries, if liked. 
14. Enjoy!

Sweetcorn & ham muffins difficulty * #105

Makes 12

Preparing time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 175 g frozen sweetcorn 
• 150 g self-raising flour 
• 150 g cornmeal 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 75 g cheese, grated 
• 4 tablespoons chopped chives
• 100 g cooked ham hock, diced
• 200 ml milk 
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• salt and pepper

1. Cook the sweetcorn in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute
2. Drain well 
3. Mix together the f;our, cornmeal, baking powder, cheese, chives and a little salt and pepper in a bowl 
4. Stir in the ham and sweetcorn 
5. Beat together the eggs, milk and oil in a jug 
6. Add to the dry ingredients and stir together using a large metal spoon until just combined
7. divide the mixture evenly between paper muffin cases arranged in a 12-hole muffin tray 
8. Bake in a preheated oven, 220 C(425 F),Gas Mark 7, for 20 minutes or until golden and just firm to the touch 
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 
10. Enjoy! :-)

Easy simnel cake difficulty ** #104

Cuts into 16 

Preparing time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 120-150 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 175 g slightly salted butter, softened 
• 175 g light muscovado sugar 
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 2 teaspoons ground mixed spice 
• 3 eggs 
• 225 g plain flour 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 500 g luxury mixed dried fruit 
• 500 g white or golden marzipan 
• 1 egg white, for brushing 
• yellow flowers, such as roses or rose petals for decoration 
• sifted icing sugar for decoration 

1. Beat together the butter, muscovado sugar, ginger, mixed spice, eggs, flour and vanilla in a bowl until smooth and creamy
2. Stir in the dried fruit until evenly combined 
3. Spoon half the mixture into a greased and lined 18 cm round cake tin and level the surface
4. Roll out half the marzipan on the surface lightly dusted with sifted icing sugar into a round the same size as the tin 
5. Press into the tin and cover with the remaining mixture 
6. Level the surface 
7. Bake in a preheated oven, 150 C(300 F),Gas Mark 2, for about 120-150 minutes or until a skewer inserted into a center comes out clean 
8. Leave to cool in the tin 
9. Transfer the cake to a baking sheet, peel off the lining paper and brush the top with the egg white 
10. Roll out the remaining marzipan until slightly larger than the top of the cake 
11. Lift over the cake and press down gently 
12. Pinch the edges of the marzipan to decorate 
13. Brush with a little more egg white and cook under a preheated grill until lightly toasted, turning cake if necessary to evenly colour 
14. Leave to cool 
15. Decorate with flowers or rose petals and dust with sifted icing sugar.
16. Enjoy! :-)

Elderflower cupcakes difficulty ** #103

Makes 12

Preparing time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes 

Ingredients: 

• 150 g slightly salted butter, very soft
• 150 g caster sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 tablespoons elderflower cordial (see below for homemade)
• finely grated rind of 1 lemon 
• 175 g self-raising flour

For the frosting 

• 250 g cream cheese 
• 50 g unsalted butter, softened 
• 100-125 ml elderflower cordial 

1. Beat together all the cake ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy 
2. Divide the mixture evenly between paper cupcake cases arranged in a 12-hole cupcake tray 
3. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4, for about 20-25 minutes until risen and just firm to the touch 
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 
5. Make the frosting 
6. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until softened and smooth 
7. Add the butter and most of the elderflower cordial and beat until smooth and creamy 
8. Add more cordial if the frosting will absorb it without losing the shape 
9. Spread over the cupcakes and decorate with elderflower springs, in using
10. For homemade elderflower cordial 
11. Put 20 elderflower heads, 3 sliced lemons and 25 g citric acid in a large heatproof bowl 
12. Dissolve 1 kg granulated of caster sugar in 1 liter  boiling water, stirring frequently until dissolved 
13. Add to the bowl of elderflowers
14. Cover and leave to stand overnight 
15. Strain through a muslin-lined sieve and pour into sterilized bottles 
16. Store in a cool place and use within 6 months 
17. Enjoy! :-)  

Flower cupcakes difficulty *** # 102

Makes 12

Preparing time: 40 minutes 

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 150 g slightly salted butter, softened
• 150 g caster sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 1/2 rosewater 
• 1 tablespoon milk 
• 175 g self-raising flour 

For icing 

• 150 g white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 25 g slightly salted butter 

To decorate 

• 50 g pink ready-to-roll icing 
• 50 g yellow ready-to-roll icing 
• icing sugar, for dusting, if liked 

1. Beat together all the cake ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy 
2. Divide the mixture evenly between paper cupcake cases arranged in a 12- hole cupcake tray 
3. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4, for 20-25 minutes until risen and just firm to the touch 
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 
5. Make the icing 
6. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don't let the base to touch water)
7. Leave to cool and thicken slightly, then spread over the tops of the cupcakes 
8. Take a ball of pink icing, about the size of a small cherry, and roll between the palms of your hands until it is about 9 cm long 
9. Press the icing flat with your fingers, particularly along the top edge, then roll up the icing to make  a simple rose shape 
10. Slice off the base and press gently on to a cake 
11. Repeat with the remaining icing until a;; the cakes are topped with a flower 
12. Serve dusted with icing sugar 
13. Enjoy! :-)