30. Chocolate cola cake

Ingredients

oil, for greasing:
250g self-raising flour
generous pinch of Bicarbonate of soda
3 heaped tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
300g golden caster sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g Butter
175ml cola
250ml Milk

For the frosting:
200g icing sugar
100g Butter
2 tbsp cola
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Grease a 24cm loose-bottomed cake tin.

2. Sift the flour into a bowl. Mix in the bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and sugar.

3. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract.

4. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over gentle heat.

5. Add the cola to the butter and stir to mix, making sure mixture does not boil. Stir in the milk and remove from the heat.

6. Quickly whisk the cola mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix gently but thoroughly.

7. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

8. Leave to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes.

9. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over gentle heat. Stir in the cola and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to the boil, then pour it over the icing sugar. Beat until smooth.

10. With the cake still in the tin, pour the frosting over it and leave in the tin until completely cool.

Cooks Notes:
Double the frosting ingredients if you like your frosting extra-thick.

31. Chocolate swirl cheesecake

Ingredients

150g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
275g caster sugar
225g digestive biscuits, crushed
150g Butter, melted
2 tbsp Sugar
500g full-fat soft cheese
142ml carton of Soured cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Eggs


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas 3.

2. Melt the chocolate and 125g of sugar in a bain-marie (a bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water). Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile make the biscuit base by mixing together the crushed digestives, melted butter and sugar. Press into a 20cm spring-form tin.

4. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, remaining caster sugar, soured cream, vanilla extract and eggs until well-mixed.

5. Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Add the melted chocolate mixture to one portion and mix in thoroughly.

6. Spoon in alternate amounts of the plain cheese mixture and the chocolate one onto the biscuit base. Bake for 50 minutes until firm, Cool before serving.

32 .Raspberry cheesecake

Ingredients

For the base:
175g digestive biscuits
65g unsalted Butter, melted

For the filling:
100ml Milk
2 leaves gelatine, soaked in cold water
125g crème fraîche
125g cream cheese
200g white chocolate, melted
3 egg whites
120g Sugar
125g fresh Raspberries
75g Blueberries

To serve:
icing sugar
raspberry coulis

Method

1. Crush the digestive biscuits and add the melted butter. Press the mixture into a 20cm flan ring to make a base, around 1cm thick.

2. Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat, and add the soaked gelatine leaves.

3. Mix the crème fraîche and the cream cheese together and add half of the warm milk.

4. Add the remaining milk to the melted chocolate and combine with the cream cheese mixture.

5. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and gradually add the sugar. Fold into the chocolate mixture, gradually adding half the raspberries and the blueberries. Pour into the tart ring and leave in the fridge for 24 hours.

6. Remove from the ring, cut into thick wedges, decorate with fresh raspberries, dust with icing sugar and serve with raspberry coulis.

33. New york cheesecake

Ingredients

85g Butter
140g digestive biscuits, about 10 biscuits
0.5 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp Cocoa powder
60g dark chocolate chips

For the filling:
900g full-fat soft cheese, such as Philadelphia cheese
250g golden caster sugar
3 tbsp plain flour
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1 lemon, grated zest
1.5 tsp lemon juice
3 large Eggs
1 egg yolk
284ml Soured cream

For the soured cream topping:
142ml Soured cream, (or fresh cream sharpened with lemon juice)
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Melt the butter in a medium pan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs, sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate chips.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 240C/gas 9. Line the base of a 23cm spring form cake tin with non-stick parchment and brush the sides of the tin with melted butter.

3. Press the biscuit crumb mixture onto the cake tin base - don't press it down too firmly though. Leave to one side while you make the filling.

4. Using an electric whisk, beat the cream cheese until soft. Gradually add the sugar, followed by the flour, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice. Add the eggs and extra yolk, a little at a time.

5. Stir in the soured cream and pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared cake tin - over the biscuit crumbs. Tap the tin on the counter - this removes any air bubbles and ensures an even rise. Set the tin on a baking tray.

6. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 90C/gas 1/4 and continue cooking for 25 minutes. By this time, the cheesecake should be golden and lightly set. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool down slowly for 40 minutes. This prevents any cracking occurring on the surface. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

7. For the topping, mix the soured cream with the sugar and lemon juice, and spread over the cake.

8. Chill the cheesecake, preferably overnight. To serve, run a round-bladed knife around the cake tin edges and unlock the sides of the cake tin. Slide the cheesecake onto a serving plate and cut into generous-sized portions. This dessert goes really well with heaps of fresh blueberries.

34. Carrot cake

Ingredients

150g plain flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
150g caster sugar
250g grated Carrots
100g shelled walnuts, finely chopped
150ml corn oil
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence

For the frosting
50g Butter, room temperature
75g full-fat cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
100g icing sugar
1 tbsp Walnuts, chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease and line an 18cm diameter round cake tin.

2. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in the caster sugar, carrots and walnuts.

3. Pour in the corn oil, and add the eggs and vanilla essence. Stir to mix, and then beat for one minute until everything is combined.

4. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of an oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and leave on one side for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack. Leave to cool completely.

5. For the frosting, beat the butter until smooth, and add the cream cheese and vanilla essence. Gradually stir in the icing sugar.

6. Spread the frosting over the cake and scatter with chopped walnuts. Cut into generous wedges and serve.

35. Double ginger cake

Ingredients

250g self-raising flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
pinch fine salt
200g golden syrup
2 tbsp syrup from the jar of stem Ginger
125g Butter
3 lumps stem ginger in syrup, about 55g
2 tbsp sultanas, heaped
125g dark muscovado sugar
2 large Eggs
240ml Milk


Method

1. You will need a square cake tin measuring approximately 20-22cm, lined on the bottom with baking parchment or greaseproof paper.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Sift the flour with the ground ginger, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

3. Put the golden and ginger syrups and the butter into a small saucepan and warm over a low heat. Dice the stem ginger finely, then add it to the pan with the sultanas and sugar. Let the mixture bubble gently for a minute, giving it the occasional stir to stop the fruit sticking on the bottom.

4. Break the eggs into a bowl, pour in the milk and beat gently to break up the egg and mix it into the milk.

5. Remove the butter and sugar mixture from the heat and pour into the flour, stirring smoothly and firmly with a large metal spoon. Mix in the milk and eggs. The mixture should be sloppy, with no trace of flour.

6. Scoop the mixture into the lined cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Unless you are serving it warm, leave the cake in its tin to cool, then tip it out on to a sheet of greaseproof paper. Wrap it up in foil and, if you can, leave it to mature for a day or two before eating.

36. Lemon drizzle cake

Ingredients

For the cake:
225g Butter, softened
225g caster sugar
275g self-raising flour
2 tsp Baking powder
4 Eggs
4 tbsp Milk
2 Lemons, grated zest only

For the crunchy topping:
175g granulated sugar
2 Lemons, juice only

Method

1. Cut a rectangle of non-stick baking parchment to fit the base and sides of a 30 x 23 x 4 cm roasting tin. Grease the tin and line with the paper, pushing it neatly into the corners of the tin. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 2.

2. Measure all the ingredients for the tray bake into a large bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes, until well blended.

3. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula to remove all of the mixture. Level the top gently with the back of the spatula.

4. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 35-40 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and is beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin.

5. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes then lift it out of the tin while still in its lining paper. Carefully remove the paper and put the tray bake onto a wire rack placed over a tray.

6. To make the crunchy topping, mix the lemon juice and granulated sugar in a small bowl to give a runny consistency. Spoon this mixture evenly over the tray bake whilst it is still just warm. Cut into squares when cold and store in an airtight tin.

37. Victoria sponge cake

Ingredients

Sponge
175g unsalted Butter
175g caster sugar
3 Eggs, beaten
175g self-raising flour

Filling
3 tbsp strawberry jam
500ml double cream


Method

1. Set the oven to 180C/gas 4. Lightly butter two sandwich tins, each with a diameter of 20cm.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, and then slowly add the beaten egg.

3. Fold in the sifted flour and spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tins.

4. Bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool and then remove from the tins.

5. Whip the cream until thick and use it to fill the sponge with the jam.

6. Dust liberally with icing sugar to serve.

38. Reindeer loin with chestnut, cranberry and sprout stir-fr

Ingredients

10 Black peppercorns, crushed
5 Juniper berries, crushed
1 x 800g reindeer loin, trimmed
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp unsalted Butter
115ml Madeira
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
200ml veal stock
1 tsp lemon juice
sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the stir fry:
800g Brussels sprouts, finely shredded
4 Spring onions, trimmed, shredded
150g peeled Chestnuts, roughly chopped
50g dried Cranberries
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp Honey
1 tsp lemon juice


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Mix the crushed pepper and juniper together and rub into the reindeer meat.

2. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and fry the reindeer on all sides then transfer to a roasting tray. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and leave to rest in a warm place.

3. In the same pan as the meat was seared, add the Madeira, shallot and garlic. Boil for 5 minutes, or until reduced and syrupy.

4. Add the veal stock and any juices that may have drained from the resting meat. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes, until reduced by one third. Strain through a sieve into a clean pan. Adjust seasoning with the salt, pepper and lemon juice.

5. Meanwhile, heat the oil for the stir-fry in a large saucepan or wok. Add the sprouts, stirring all the time. Cook for 1 minute.

6. Stir in the garlic and spring onions. Cook for a further minute.

7. Add the chestnuts and cranberries. Add the honey, and season with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

8. Slice the reindeer and serve straight away with the sprout stir fry.

39. Crisp pork and curried noodle stir fry

Ingredients

For the pork:
1 x 1kg pork shoulder
500ml water

For the noodles:
1 carrot, sliced on the diagonal
100g sugar snap peas
100g baby sweetcorn
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 small onion, or large shallot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, seeds removed, chopped
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
4 Spring onions, trimmed
1 tsp Sesame oil
1 tbsp Honey
200g egg noodles, cooked
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp Soy sauce
squeeze lime juice
1 tsp toasted Sesame seeds
1 small sprig Coriander, chopped


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 1. Place the pork shoulder in a deep roasting tin and pour over the water. Cover tightly and seal with foil.
Cook for about 3 hours, or until tender. Top-up with more water if the meat begins to dry out. Leave to cool before removing the skin and shredding the meat into a bowl.

2. While the pork is cooking, blanch the carrots, sugar snap peas and corn in boiling water - cook for 2 minutes before draining. Leave on one side.

3. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick wok set over a high heat. Tip in the pork and fry until it begins to crisp-up.

4. Add the onions, garlic and chilli, and stir fry for a further 1 minute.

5. Add the blanched vegetables, peppers and spring onions, followed by the honey and sesame oil. Continue frying until the honey begins to caramelise.

6. Add the cooked noodles along with the curry powder. Mix well and season with soy sauce and lime juice. Serve scattered with toasted sesame seeds and chopped coriander.