Hazelnut and polenta wedges difficulty * #54

Cuts into 8 

Preparing time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 35 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 150 g blanched hazelnuts 
• 150 g polenta 
• 125 g caster sugar 
• 100 g slightly salted butter, softened 
• 50 g icing sugar

1. Put the hazelnuts in a food processor and process until fairly finely chopped 
2. Scoop out 3 tablespoons of the hazelnuts, then whizz the nuts in the processor until the consistency of ground almonds 
3. Add the butter, polenta and caster sugar and blend to a paste 
4. Pack into a greased and base-lined 18 cm sandwich tin and press down in an even layer with the fingers 
5. Sprinkle with the reserved hazelnuts 
6. Bake in a preheated oven, 190 C(375 F),Gas Mark 5, for 35 minutes or until risen , pale golden and still very soft 
7. Leave to cool in the tin 
8. Beat together the icing sugar and a dash of water in a bowl to make a smooth, spoonable icing, then drizzle over the biscuit and cut into wedges. 
9. Enjoy! :-D

Sultana & lemon flapjacks difficulty * #53

Cuts into 12

Preparing time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 175 g unsalted butter 
• 50 g caster sugar 
• 150 g golden syrup 
• finely grated rind of 2 lemons 
• 250 g porridge oats 
• 75 g sultanas 

1. Put the butter, sugar, golden syrup and lemon rind in a saucepan and heat gently until butter has melted 
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the oats and sultanas 
3. Mix well
4. Spoon the mixture into a greased and parchment-lined 20 cm square shallow baking tin and level the surface with the back of spoon 
5. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C( 350 F),Gas Mark 4, for about 20 minutes until turning golden 
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely 
7. Peel off the lining paper and cut into squares or fingers
8. Enjoy! Very good thing to starts day with! :D  

Easy pissaladieres difficulty ** #52

Makes 8

Preparing time: 20 minutes 

Cooking time: 35 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil 
• 4 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano, plus extra leaves for scattering 
• 500 g ready-made puff pastry 
• beaten egg 
• 75 g pitted black olives
• 50 g can anchovies, drained 
• pepper

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and fry very gently for about 20 minutes until soft and golden 
2. Stir in the chopped oregano and leave to cool 
3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 65 x 30 cm rectangle 
4. Cut out 8 rounds by cutting around 14 cm bowl 
5. Fold the edge of each pastry round over to form a thin rim, pressing the edge firmly down into the base to hold it in place 
6. Place on a large lightly oiled baking sheet and brush the edges with beaten egg 
7. Stir the olives and a little pepper into the onion mixture and spread over the pastry bases 
8. Halve the anchovies lengthways and then widthways, then arrange over the tops
9. Bake in a preheated oven, 200 C(400 F),Gas Mark 6, for 15 minutes, until risen and golden
10. Serve warm or cold, scattered with oregano leaves.
11. Enjoy! :-)

Cherry crumble cake difficulty ** #51

Cuts into 16

Preparing time: 25 minutes 

Cooking time: 65 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 2 x 425 g cans pitted black or red cherries 
• 2 teaspoons cornflour 
• 250 g self-raising flour 
• 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice 
• 175 g slightly salted butter 
• 175 g golden caster sugar 
• 50 g ground almonds 
• 1 egg

1. Drain the cherries, reserving 7 tablespoons of the juice 
2. Put a little pf the reserved juice in a small saucepan with the cornflour and blend until smooth 
3. Add the remaining juice and bring to the boil, stirring 
4. Add the cherries and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until thickened slightly
5. Leave to cool 
6. Put the flour and mixed spice in a bowl or food processor 
7. Add the butter and rub in with fingertips or process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs 
8. Add the sugar and ground almonds and mix or blend again until the mixture resembles a coarse crumble 
9. Reserve 200 g of the mixture 
10. Add the egg to the remaining mixture and mix to a soft dough 
11. Turn the dough into a greased 22-23 cm square shallow baking tin and press it into the corners and slightly up the sides 
12. Spread over the cherries to 1.5 cm from the edges, then sprinkle with the reserved crumble mixture 
13. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C( 350 F),Gas Mark 4, for about a hour until the crumble is golden 
14. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into squares. 
15. Enjoy! :-)