Ingredients
Base
50g (2 oz) butter
150g (5oz) chocolate digestives (crushed)
Filling
175g white chocolate (we used Tesco’s own). (Don’t use Milky Bar)
200g full fat cream cheese (1 tub)
1 egg
75 ml soured cream
3/4 teasoon vanilla essence

How to Make it
1. Preheat oven to 160C / Fan 140C / Gas Mark 3

2. Grease the base and sides of a pyrex pie plate.

3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat.

4. Stir in the crushed biscuits (put the biscuits in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin).

5. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the base of the pyrex dish. Chill in the fridge.

6. Break the white chocolate into a bowl and melt over a pan of boiling water, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is smooth and runny.

7. Whisk the cream cheese and eggs together in a large bowl until smooth, then add the soured cream and vanilla and whisk again until completely smooth with no lumps.

8. Stir in the melted chocolate and mix well.

9. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until firm round the edge and just set in the middle

10. When it comes out of the oven, run a knife around the edge to loosen it, then allow to cool and then chill in the fridge.

11. To be posh you could decorate with strawnberries or dust with sieved cocoa or drinking chocolate powder.

Tags: butter, chocolate digestives, cream cheese, egg, soured cream, vanilla essence, white chocolate
Posted in Desserts | No Comments »

Ingredients

4 oz package of cream cheese (like Philadelphia)

1 small egg yolk

1/2 cup granulated sugar (divided)

12 slices white bread

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

How to Make Them

1. Set oven to 400F / 200C

2. In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg yolk and 1/8 cup sugar until smooth. Set aside.

3. On a plate with a rim, mix together the remaining 3/8 cup sugar and cinnamon.

4. Cut the crusts off bread and roll flat with rolling pin.

5. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the slices.

6. Rollup each slice like a swiss roll.

7. Brush each roll with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat well.

8. Place on greased or lined baking tray, seam down.

9. Bake for 10 – 12 mins until golden brown.

These will freeze well unbaked.

Tags: Bread, butter, cinnamon, cream cheese, egg, granulated sugar
Posted in Individual Cakes and Buns | No Comments »

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch salt

1 small carton blueberries (about 150g)

2 cups plain flour

1/2 cup milk

For Topping

 Mix together

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg        

How to make  

1. Heat oven to 375F/185C
2. Set 12 – 18 muffin cases in muffin tins
3. In food mixer, beat margarine until creamy.
4. Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one.
6. Beat in vanilla, baking powde and salt.
7. Using a spoon, fold in half of the flour, then half of the milk.
8. Repeat, using the rest of the flour and milk.
9. Fold in blueberries.
10. Divide mixture between muffin cases, and sprinkle topping on each muffin.
11. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown and springy to touch.

Tags: baking powder, blueberries, eggs, granulated sugar, margarine, milk, nutmeg, plain flour, vanilla
Posted in Individual Cakes and Buns | No Comments »

To make a pie that fits a pyrex glass plate

Ingredients

250g puff pastry

2 large or 3 small cooking apples

caster sugar

cinnamon

How to make it

1. Set oven to 200C, 400F.
2. Grease a pyrex pie plate or similar sized dish.
3. Lightly flour the table and roll out the pastry to fit as a lid on the pie.
4. Peel, core and slice the apples thinly.
5. Layer one apple over the pie dish.
6. Sprinkle with caster sugar to taste (about 2 tablespoons).
7. Sprinkle with approximately 1 dessertspoonful of ground cinnamon.
8. Layer the second apple over the first, and repeat with sugar and cinnamon.
9. Brush the edge of the dish with milk and cover with the pastry.
10. Cut off surplus pastry and make 2 small slits in centre to allow steam to escape.
11. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar if desired.
12. Bake in centre of oven for approximately 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.
13. Allow to cool a little and serve with double cream.

Tags: apple, caster sugar, cinnamon, puff pastry
Posted in Desserts, Pies and Pasties | No Comments »