Amaretti cupcakes difficulty * #59

Makes 12

Preparing time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 125 g amaretti biscuits
• 125 g caster sugar 
• 175 g unsalted butter, softened 
• 3 eggs 
• 125 g self-raising flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 3 tablespoons flaked almonds 
• sifted icing sugar, for dusting

1. Put the amaretti biscuits in a plastic bag and crush with rolling pin until almost powdered
2. Tip the biscuits into a bowl and add the sugar, butter, eggs, flour and baking powder 
3. Beat together until smooth and creamy 
4. Divide the mixture evenly between paper cupcake cases arranged in a 12-hole cupcake tray and roughly level with the back pf a teaspoon 
5. Scatter with the flaked almonds
6. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4, for 20-25 minutes until risen and just firm to the touch 
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 
8. Serve dusted with sifted icing sugar 
9. Enjoy! :-)  

Crepes with strawberries & nutella  difficulty * #58

Makes 10-12 

Preparing time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs 
• 300 g flour 
• 300 ml milk 
• 150 ml sparkling water 
• 15 ml oil 
• pitch of soil 
• pitch of sugar 
• 300 g fresh strawberries
• nutella 

1. Whisk the eggs, add the flour
2. Mix together until mixture become smooth 
3. Gradually add the milk and water 
4. Stirring to combine
5. Add the oil, sugar and soil, and mix well 
6. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. 
7. Cook the crepe about 2 minutes each 
8. Decorate with strawberries and nutella, if liked 
9. Enjoy. :-)

Apple & blackberry crumble cake *** #57

Cuts into 16

Preparing time: 30 minutes 

Cooking time: 45 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 175 g butter, softened 
• 175 g caster sugar 
• 3 eggs
• 200 g self-raising flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• grated rind of lemon
• 500 g cooking apples, cored, peeled and thinly slices
• 150 g frozen blackberries 

For the crumble topping 

• 75 g self-raising flour 
• 75 g muesli 
• 50 g caster sugar 
• 75 g butter, chilled and diced

1. Beat together the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy 
2. Gradually mix in alternate spoonfuls of egg and flour until all has been added and the mixture is smooth 
3. Stir in the baking powder and lemon rind 
4. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 28 x 18 cm shallow baking tin or roasting tin and level the surface 
5. Arrange the apple slices and blackberries over the top
6. Make the crumble topping 
7. Put the flour, muesli and sugar in a bowl or food processor, add the butter and rub in with the fingertips or process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs 
8. Sprinkle over the top of the fruit 
9. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C( 350 F),Gas Mark 4, for about 45 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean 
10. Leave to cool in the tin, then transfer to a board 
11. Cut the cake into 16 bars and peel off the lining paper 
12. Enjoy! :-)

Chocolate refrigerator cake difficulty * #56

Cuts into 30 

Preparing time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 5 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 500 g plain dark chocolate, broken into pieces 
• 125 g unsalted butter 
• 100 g digestive biscuits
• 100 g dried figs 
• 50 g dried cranberries 
• 50 g blanched hazelnuts 
• 50 g blanched almonds 
• sifting icing sugar, for dusting 

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water 
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients 
3. Spoon on the mixture into a 23 x 18 cm shallow baking tin, greased and base-lined with baking parchment 
4. Press well into the base and slides of the tin and smooth the surface 
5. Cover with foil and chill for 4 hours or overnight
6. Loosen the edges of the cake and turn out on to a board 
7. Peel off the lining paper, cut into thin fingers and serve dusted with sifted icing sugar, if liked 
8. Enjoy :-)

Sweet carrot & rosemary scones difficulty ** #55

Makes 22-24 

Preparing time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 8-10 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 225 g stoneground spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/2 cream of tartar 
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar 
• 50 g slightly salted butter 
• 125 g small carrots 
• 100 ml milk, plus extra to glaze

To serve 

• mascarpone cheese 
• fruit jelly, such as crab apple, apple or orange 

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and cream of tartar into a bowl or food processor, tipping in the grains left in the sieve 
2. Stir in the rosemary and sugar 
3. Add the butter and rub in with the fingertips or process until the mixture resemble breadcrumbs
4. Stir in the grated carrots and milk and mix or blend briefly to a soft dough
5. Adding a dash more milk if dough feels dry
6. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, then roll out to 1.5 cm thick 
7. Cut out 22-24 rounds using a 3 cm plain biscuit cutter 
8. Re-rolling the trimmings to make more 
9. Place slightly apart on a greased baking sheet and brush with milk 
10. Bake in a preheated oven, 220 C (425 F),Gas Mark 7, for 8-10 minutes until risen and pale gold 
11. Transfer to the wire rack to cool 
12. Split the scones and serve spread with mascarpone and fruit jelly
13. Enjoy! :-)