Squidgy apple cake difficulty ** #27

Cuts into 16

Preparing time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 250 g slightly salted butter
• 250 g golden caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
• 4 eggs
• 300 g self-raising flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 tart dessert apples

1. Beat together the butter, sugar, mixed spice, eggs, half of the flour and the baking powder in a bowl until pale and creamy
2. Peel 3 of the apples and coarsely grate into the bowl, stirring after each one is grated
3. Stir in the remaining flour
4. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 32 x 22 cm shallow baking tin and level the surface
5. Peel and grate the remaining apple over the surface
6. Bake in preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4, for 40-45 minutes
7. Sprinkle with caster sugar and leave to cool in the tin
8. Peel off the lining paper and cut into squares, then serve, warm or cold, with Spiced Blackberry  if liked.
9. I hope, you'll enjoy! :-)

Marshmallow crackle squares difficulty * #26

Cuts into 14

Preparing time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 200 g marshmallows
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 100 g crisped rice
• pink sugar sprinkles, to decorate 

1. Reserve 50 g of the white marshmallow
2. Put 25 g of the butter and remaining marshmallows into a saucepan and heat very gently until melted
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until evenly coated
4. Spoon the mixture into an 18 cm square shallow baking tin, greased with baking parchment and pack down firmly with the back of a lightly oiled spoon
5. Place the remaining butter and reserved marshmallow in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted
6. Drizzle into the tin in lines, then scatter the sprinkles over the top
7. Leave in a cool place for 2 hours or until firm
8. Turn out of the tin on to a board, peel off the lining paper and cut into small squares.
9. Enjoy in this dessert! :-)

Stilton & peppercorn scones difficulty ** #25

 Makes about 12

Preparing time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons green peppercorn in brine
• 125 g plain wholemeal flour
• 100 g self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 50 g slightly salted butter
• 50 g Stilton cheese 
• 150 ml milk

1. Roughly crush the peppercorns using a pestle and mortar or a small bowl and the end of a rolling pin
2. Put the flours and baking powder in a bowl
3. Add the butter and rub in with the fingertips or process until the mixture resembles dine breadcrumbs
4. Add the peppercorn, cheese and milk and mix or blend to a soft dough, adding a dash more milk if the dough feels dry
5. Shape the dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface, then roll out to 1.5 cm thick
6. Cut out about 12 rounds using a 4 cm plain biscuit cutter, re-rolling the trimmings to make more
7. Place slightly apart on a greased baking sheet and lightly brush with milk
8. Bake in a preheated oven,220 C(425 F),Gas Mark 7 for 12-15 minutes 
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 
10. Serve warm or cold, split and buttered with Pear Relish, if liked. 
11. Have a nice meal! :-)

Layered nutty bars difficulty** #24

Cuts into 10 slices

Preparing time 20 minutes

Cooking time 5 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 50 g butter
• 400 g fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 200 g plain dark chocolate 
• 125 g rich tea biscuits  
• 50 g blanched hazelnuts
• 100 g shelled pistachio nuts

1. Put the butter, condensed milk and chocolate in a saucepan and heat gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring until melted
2. Remove from the heat 
3. Place the biscuit in a plastic bag and crush roughly into chunky pieces using a rolling pin
4. Toast the hazelnuts under a preheated hot grill until lightly browned, then roughly chop with the pistachios
5.  Stir the biscuit into the chocolate mixture, then spoon half the mixture into a greased 20 cm spring-form cake tin and spread level
6. Reserve 2 tablespoon of the nuts for the top, then sprinkle the rest over the chocolate biscuit layer
7. Cover with the remaining chocolate mixture, level the surface and sprinkle with the reserved nuts
8. Chill for 3-4 hours until firm, then loosen the edges and remove the ring and base
9. Cut into thin slices or into tiny bite-sized pieces to make petits fours.
10. Enjoy in this type of bar. :-)

Rich chocolate brownies difficulty ** #23

Cuts into 15 

Preparing time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients 

• 400 g plain dark chocolate
• 175 g slightly salted butter
• 3 eggs
• 225 light sugar
• 100 g self-raising flour

1. Chop 150 g of the chocolate into 5 mm pieces
2. Break the remaining chocolate into pieces and put in a heatproof bowl with the butter
3. Melt over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don't let the base of the bowl touch the water)
4. Beat the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl until light and foamy
5. Stir in a melted chocolate mixture
6. Tip in the flour and chopped chocolate and mix together until just combined
7. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 28 x 18 cm shallow baking tin or roasting tin and level the surface
8. Bake in a preheated oven, 190 C (375 F),Gas Mark 5, for about 30 minutes,
9. Leave to cool in the tin 
10. Then transfer to a board and cut into small squares
11. Peel off the lining paper. 
12. I hope, you'll enjoy in this recipe! :-) 

Mini orange shortbreads difficulty * #22

Makes about 80

Preparing time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes 

Ingredients

• 250 g plain flour 
• 175 g slightly salted butter 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice 
• 75 g caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons cold water 

To serve 

• 2 teaspoons icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 

1. Put the flour in a bowl or food processor
2. Add the butter and rub in with the fingertips or process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs 
3. Add the remaining ingredients with the measurement water and mix or blend to a dough 
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 2.5 mm thick 
5. Cut out about 80 rounds using a 1.5 plain biscuit cutter 
6. Place 2 large baking sheets lined with baking parchment 
7. Bake in a preheated oven, 200 C(400 F),Gas Mark 6 for 10-12 minutes 
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool
9. Sift together the icing sugar and cocoa powder and dust a little over the shortbreads before serving.
10. Enjoy! :-)

Toffee chocci cake difficulty*** #21

Cuts into 10 

Preparing time:20 minutes 

Cooking time: 45 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 175 g plain flour 
• 25 g cocoa powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 200 g light sugar
• 1 egg 
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 65 g slightly salted butter 
• 100 g plain dark chocolate, chopped
• 125 ml water
• chocolate curls, to decorate

For the topping

• 40 g very soft unsalted butter 
• 200 g ready-made caramel or toffee sauce

1. Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and sugar in a bowl 
2. Beat together the egg, milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl 
3. Put the butter, chocolate and measurement water in a saucepan and heat very gently, stirring frequently, until melted a smooth
4. Add a egg mixture and melted butter and chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well to mix
5. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 23 cm round or 20 cm square cake tin and level the surface 
6. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 C(350 F),Gas Mark 4 for 30-40 minutes until just firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean
7. Loosen the edges, turn out on to a wire rack and peel off the lining paper
8. Leave to cool
9. Make the topping
10. Beat together the butter and caramel or toffee sauce in a bowl
11. Transfer the cake to a serving plate, spread the topping over the top of the cake and scatter with chocolate curls.
12. That's it for this not so complicate cake. :-)