Recipes

Malt Loaf (by Jane)

  • I cup of dried fruit
  • 1 cup All-Bram
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  1. Mix together all ingredients and soak for 1hr
  2. Add 1 cup SR flour and mix well
  3. Pour into loaf tin and bake at 180o for 1hr 15mins

Chocolate and Mint Shortbread (by Elaine)

  • 175g butter + extra for greasing
  • 200g plain flour
  • 85g golden caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 400g fondant icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract 
  • 2 x bars dark Chocolate 70%
  • 20 x 35cm baking tin
  1. Preheat oven gas mark 4 or 180
  2. Mix butter and sugar together then stir in the flour and cocoa.
  3. Spread out in tin, pressing it well down to form an even layer.
  4. Bake for 15 to 20 mins until set and leave to cool

Elaine says, “My eldest Grandson enjoys the following recipe and requests this every time he visits. It is also good as an after dinner treat with a coffee. I found it a few years ago on a card or food magazine, although my late Mother used to bake something similar”


Sage and parmesan palmiers (Shelagh)

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • small handful fresh sage leaves
  • 200g/7oz ready-made puff pastry
  • plain flour, for dusting
  • 8 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
  • 12 tinned anchovies (preserved in oil), drained, finely chopped (optional)
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
  • dry sherry, to serve (optional)
  1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until crisp, then remove the sage leaves from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
  2. Roll out the puff pastry onto lightly floured work surface until it measures approximately 20cm x 30cm/8in x 12in. Trim the edges using a sharp knife.
  3. Sprinkle the fried sage leaves, parmesan and anchovies (if using) over the puff pastry and season, to taste, with freshly ground black pepper.
  4. With the longest side of the pastry rectangle facing you, roll each short side of the rectangle into the centre of the pastry so that they meet in the middle (the rolled pastry should resemble a scroll).
  5. Brush the rolled pastry all over with the beaten egg and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Reserve any remaining egg.
  6. When the pastry has chilled, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with a silicone sheet.
  7. Brush the rolled pastry all over with the beaten egg once again, then, using a very sharp knife, cut it into 10 slices (cut so that each slice comprises two circles of pastry).
  8. Place the slices of pastry onto the prepared baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up and is golden-brown. Set aside to cool slightly before serving with a glass of sherry, if desired.

Apple Cake (Brenda)

  • 12 oz Margarine
  • 12 oz sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 12 oz SR flour
  • 6 oz mixed dried fruit
  • 2 oz mixed peal
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 3 large cooking apples (cooked, sliced and peeled)
  1. Cream margarine and sugar together
  2. Add eggs, flour, fruit, mixed spice and sliced apple
  3. Cook in a greased 10″ x 12″ roasting tin lined with a sheet of parchment at 180o for 45mins
  4. Add slices of apple on the top and cook for a further 10 mins. Then sprinkle with brown sugar and serve warm,

Almond Cake (Ruth)

  • 8oz butter
  • 8oz caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1tsp almond essence
  • 1tsp vanilla essence
  • 4oz SR flour
  • 6oz ground almonds
  • 2oz whole blanched almonds
  • 1oz dark chocolate
  1. Preheat the oven to 150o c/gas mark 2 and grease and line an 8″ cake tin
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
  3. Beat the eggs together with the almond and vanilla essences
  4. Add to the butter and sugar, beating well
  5. Add the flour and ground almonds. Mix well.
  6. Pour into the cake tin and bake for approx 45 mins until golden and risen. Test with a skewer
  7. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
  8. Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the cake.

Pumpkin Teabread

  • 8oz pumpkin, cooked, mashed pulp
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 fl oz milk
  • 2.5 fl oz oil
  • 8oz demerara sugar
  • 4 fl oz clear honey
  • 1lb plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 6 oz raisins
  1. Preheat oven to 180o
  2. Grease and line 2 loaf tins
  3. Combine the eggs, milk, pumpkin, oil, sugar and honey
  4. Sift in the remaining ingredients and beat well
  5. Add the raisins and stir in
  6. Turn into the loaf tins and bake for about 1hr until firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean.

Chocolate and Walnut Brownies

  • 150gms dark chocolate
  • 150 gms butter
  • 100gms walnuts
  • 3 eggs
  • 225gms light muscovado sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 100gms sifted plain flour
  1. Preheat the oven to 180o
  2. Grease and line a 23x33cm baking tray
  3. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Stir gently until melted. Remove from the heat and add the walnuts
  4. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until smooth., then fold in the flour.
  5. Fold in the melted chocolate and our into prepared tin
  6. Bake in the oven for 20-25 min. Cut into squares.

Easy Potato and Pea Samosas (Karen)

Easy potato and pea samosas
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • 60g/2½oz chopped onion
  • 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
  • 60g/2½oz frozen peas
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp red chilli powder
  • ½-¾ tsp garam masala
  • 1-2 tsp dried mango powder (amchoor), to taste (alternatively, use juice of 1/2 a lemon)
  • salt, to taste
  • splash water
  • 600g/1lb 5oz potatoes, peeled, boiled until soft and crushed into large lumps
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • packet ready-made filo pastry
  • 5 tbsp melted butter, for brushing
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional) (you can also use poppy or nigella seeds)
  1. Heat the oil in a small non-stick pan and fry the mustard seeds for about ten seconds, or until they begin to splutter.
  2. Add the onion and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes over a high heat. Add the peas, stir well and add the spices, mango powder, salt and a splash of water. (If using lemon juice, add this instead of the water.) Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the potatoes and coriander and cook for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
  4. Unroll the pastry and cover with cling film and a damp tea towel. Peel off one piece and keep the rest covered so that it doesn’t dry out. Lay the pastry sheet flat on a clean surface and brush with melted butter. Fold in one third of the pastry lengthways towards the middle. Brush again with the butter and fold in the other side to make a long triple-layered strip.
  5. Place one rounded teaspoon of the filling mixture at one end of the strip, leaving a 2cm/1in border. Take the right corner and fold diagonally to the left, enclosing the filling and forming a triangle. Fold again along the upper crease of the triangle. Keep folding in this way until you reach the end of the strip. Brush the outer surface with more butter. Place onto a baking sheet and cover while you make the rest of the samosas. Sprinkle over a few sesame seeds, if using.
  6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and crisp, turning halfway through the cooking time.
  7. To serve, place the samosas onto a large serving plate with a bowlful of chutney.

Lal’s Curry (Veletta)

  • 2tbs garlic and 1 cup of onion
  • 1/2tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp tumeric
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp whole cloves
  • 1/2 tsp chilli
  1. Fry garlic and onion in 2tbs oli
  2. Mix together above ingredients
  3. Add chicken until brown
  4. Add 1 large + 1 small tin of tomatoes and water to cover
  5. Cook for about 1 hour

Jean’s Quiche

  • 10 oz SR flour
  • 5oz Marg/butter
  • 7-8 tbs water to mix
  • 6 rashers of bacon, chopped
  • 1 large onion
  • 6oz mature cheese grated
  • 6 eggs and 1/4pt milk
  • fresh tomato slices for decoration
  • salt and pepper
  1. Cook chopped onion and bacon until soft
  2. Roll out pastry on a floured surface and line flan dish
  3. Pour in bacon and onion mix and sprinkle with grated cheese. Decorate with tomato and the cover with whisked milk and eggs.
  4. Bake for 45-50 mins