Use fruit such as apples or rhubarb. It can be pre-stewed or put in raw.

Ingredients

2 or 3 cooking apples, peeled and sliced or chunks of rhubarb

sugar to sweeten fruit to taste

6 oz plain flour

3 oz margarine

3 oz granulated sugar

How to make it

Lightly grease a pyrex dish.

Put in the fruit and sprinkle sugar over the top and stir in. If using raw fruit, add a little water for it to cook in – just enough to cover the base of the dish’

Put the flour in a bowl.

Rub in the margarine with fingertips until like breadcrumbs

Stir in the sugar and mix well.

Pour the flour mixture over the fruit and cover entirely, pressing down gentl to firm the top.

Bake at 200c, 400F for 20 minutes or a little longer. It should be golden brown.

Serve with cream or custard.

N.B. Soak the dirty dish overnight and it will be very easy to clean.

Tags: cooking apples, granulated sugar, margarine, plain flour, rhubarb, sugar
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Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 cup soft brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

3 cups porridge oats

1 1/2 cups raisins or sultanas

How to make them

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, caster sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla essence. Start with a slow speed and gradually increase. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy and mixture lightens in colour.

Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible. Don’t overmix – just stop when the flour is mixwd in.

Now add oats and raisins and stir until mixed in.

Divide the mixture into 3 and form 2 parts into, wrap in clingfilm and freeze.

Using a cookie scoop (holds about 2 tablespoons dough), put scoopfuls on lightly greased baking sheet about 2″ apart. Or roll into balls.

Bake for 10 – 13 minutes at 350F until golden brown.

Cool on wire rack.

Store in airtight tin.

Tags: baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, butter, caster sugar, egg, plain flour, porridge oats, raisins, salt, soft brown sugar, vanilla essence
Posted in Biscuits | 2 Comments »

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

How to make tham

In a large bowl, cream together butter and  sugar until white and creamy.

Beat in egg and vanilla.

Add flour, cinammon, baking powder and salt.

Blend well until mixture sarts to stick together.

Divide mixture into two. Form one half into sausage shape, wrap in clingfilm and freeze.

Chill the remaining half to firm it up a bit – put it in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for a couple of hours. You can use it straight away but it will be very sticky to work with.

When it is firmer, make small balls by rolling between hands – about 3/4″ across.

Set balls about 2″ apart on lightly greased baking tray.

Bake at 350F for about 5 – 10 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Cool on rack

Store in airtight tin.

Tags: baking powder, butter, cinnamon, egg, granulated sugar, plain flour, salt, vanilla essence
Posted in Biscuits | 3 Comments »

After much experimenting, this is the perfect yorkshire pudding mix!

This makes 12 small puddings in muffin tins.

N.B. You can make up the mixture in advance and keep it in the fridge for a few hours. Then give it another whisk before cooking. If you make it just before the meal, remember you need to let the mixture stand for about 15 minutes before you bake it. The oil needs to be nice and hot before you pour the mixture in.

Ingredients

2 oz plain flour

1 egg

1/4 pint of milk and water (half milk, half water)

oil – any sort, dad likes groundnut but sunflower or olive oil are just as good.

How to make them.

Set oven to 210C

Sift the flour into a jug.

Break the egg into the liquid and stir to break up.

Pour the egg/liquid mixture into the flour and beat with a food mixer until well blended – 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Leave the beaten mixture to stand for about 15 minutes.

Pour a little oil into each muffin tin to cover the bottom.

Put the oil filled muffin tin into the oven to get hot.

When the oil is hot, carefully pour in the mixture, dividing it between the 12 tins.

Bake in the oven until well risen, about 15 minutes.

Tags: egg, milk, oil, plain flour, water
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