Saffron's Brownies

Ingredients

·         375g good-quality dark chocolate        

375g butter , cut into pieces

·         6 medium eggs·        

500g caster sugar

·         225g plain flour

For the topping

·         140g good-quality dark chocolate        

50g butter , cut into pieces

·        icing sugar for dusting

Method

1.    Butter and line a 30cm x 21cm tin. Preheat the oven to fan 160/conventional 180/gas 4. Break up the chocolate with the butter and melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.

2.    Beat the sugar and eggs in a bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate, add the flour and beat well. Pour into the tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top looks papery and feels slightly wobbly. Leave to cool in the tin.

3.    Break up the chocolate with the butter and melt in the microwave on Medium for about 1 minute. Stir until smooth then spread over the cake. Dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.

Cardamom whirls

Ingredients

·         500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

·         85g butter , cut into small pieces

·         1 x 7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast·        

50g golden caster sugar

·         1 tsp ground cardamom

·         250ml milk For the filling and topping

·         175g white marzipan , grated

·         2 tsp ground cardamom

·         50g butter , melted

·         1 egg , lightly beaten

·         10 sugar cubes, broken into small pieces

Method

1.    Tip the flour and ½ tsp salt into a food processor fitted with a dough blade. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the yeast, then the sugar and cardamom.

2.    Warm the milk until it is hand hot, then add to the dry mix to form a soft dough. Process the dough for 2 mins, then leave in the machine to rise for about 1 hr until it springs back when pressed with a finger. Process the dough briefly in the machine, then tip out onto a lightly floured surface.

3.    Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. For the filling, mix the marzipan with the cardamom and butter. Roll out sthe dough to a 50 x 20cm rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough to within 1cm of the edges. Roll up the dough from one long edge. Cut into 20 slices, about 3cm thick, then transfer to the baking sheets, cut sides up. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 30-40 mins until well risen.

4.    Brush the whirls with beaten egg and sprinkle with broken sugar. Bake for 12-15 mins until risen and golden. Best eaten freshly baked, or freeze on the day of baking for up to a month.

Bread & butter pudding

Ingredients

·         250ml full-fat milk

·         300ml double cream

·         1 vanilla pod, halved and seeds scraped out, or 1 tsp vanilla extract

·         3 whole large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

·         3 tbsp golden caster sugar

·         8 slices of day-old white crusty bread

·         50g slightly salted butter, softened plus extra for greasing

·         75g mix sultanas and currants or other dried fruit

·         zest ½ lemon

·         2 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

1.    Heat oven to 180C/160C/gas 4. To make the custard, heat the milk, cream and vanilla pod with its scraped out seeds (if using) together in a saucepan to just below boiling point. Meanwhile whisk the eggs and yolk with the caster sugar in a jug. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture, including the vanilla pod, over the eggs, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract now if using.

2.    Lightly butter an ovenproof dish approximately 20cm x 25cm x 5cm. Cut the crusts from the bread slices, then butter both sides of the bread and cut into triangles. Lay half of the bread slices in the bottom of the dish so that they are slightly overlapping. Mix the dried fruit with the lemon zest and sprinkle half of the mix over the bread. Layer the rest of the bread on top then sprinkle over the remaining fruit.

3.    Remove the vanilla pod from the custard then pour the custard over the pudding. Leave to soak for at least 30 mins, or longer in the fridge, if you like. Sprinkle over the demerara and bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown and puffed up.

Berry omelette

Ingredients

·         1 large egg

·         1 tbsp skimmed milk

·         3 pinches of cinnamon

·         ½ tsp rapeseed oil

·         100g cottage cheese

·         175g chopped strawberry

, blueberries and raspberries

Method

1.    Beat egg with milk and cinnamon. Heat oil in a 20cm non-stick frying pan and pour in the egg mixture, swirling to evenly cover the base. Cook for a few mins until set and golden underneath. There’s no need to flip it over.

2.    Place on a plate, spread over cheese, then scatter with berries. Roll up and serve.

Eton mess cheesecake

Ingredients

·         100g butter, plus extra for the tin

·         200g digestive biscuits

·         375g mascarpone

·         420g full-fat cream cheese

·         150g icing sugar, plus 2 tbsp for the strawberries

·         1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped, pod reserved

·         225ml double cream

·         600g strawberries, hulled, larger ones cut in half

·         1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

·         10 shop-bought mini meringues

·         edible flowers to decorate (optional)

Method

1.    Butter a 20cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to bash them into crumbs – or blitz in a food processor. Melt the butter, then stir it into the biscuit crumbs, mixing thoroughly. Tip into the tin, press down to create a firm layer and put in the fridge for 1 hr to set.

2.    Using an electric whisk, beat the cheeses, sugar, vanilla seeds and a pinch of salt until thick and smooth. Pour in the double cream and whisk until only just combined. Spoon the filling onto the base, smooth the top and return to the fridge for at least 4 hrs or overnight.

3.    Half an hour before serving, put the strawberries in a bowl with 2 tbsp icing sugar, the balsamic and scraped vanilla pod. Mix once, then leave the strawberries to soften slightly and release their juices. Push 1/4 of the strawberries through a sieve along with the juices to create a thick purée – or blitz in a food processor.

4.    To serve, run a knife around the outside of the cheesecake, release it from the tin, then top with the strawberries dotted with the meringues, crushing some as you go. Drizzle over the purée and decorate with flowers, if using.

Cinnamon & blueberry French toast

Ingredients

·         3 tbsp maple syrup

·         150g blueberries

·         2 tbsp gram flour

·         2 tbsp ground almonds

·         2 tsp cinnamon

·         200ml oat milk or rice milk

·         1 tbsp golden caster sugar

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         6 slices of thick white bread

·         grapeseed oil, for frying

·         icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1.    Gently heat the maple syrup and blueberries in a saucepan until the berries start to pop and release their juices, then set them to one side in the pan. Whisk the flour, almonds, cinnamon, milk and vanilla together in a shallow bowl.

2.    Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Dip a slice of bread into the milk mixture, shake off any excess and fry the bread on both sides until it browns and crisps at the edges. Keep the slices warm in a low oven as you cook the rest. Serve with the blueberries spooned over and dust with icing sugar.

Gooey toffee puddings

Ingredients

·         140g softened butter , plus extra for greasing

·         200g light muscovado sugar

·         3 large eggs , beaten

·         175g self-raising flour

·         cream  or ice cream, to serve (optional)

For the sauce

·         75g light muscovado sugar

·         75g dark muscovado sugar

·         75g butter ·        

150ml double cream

Method

1.    Lightly grease 8 mini metal pudding basins that each hold around 200ml. Place a small disc of baking parchment in the base of each one.

2.    To make the sauce, put the sugars and butter in a small saucepan and cook over a low heat until the butter melts and the sauce is glossy, stirring regularly. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 min, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and divide between the pudding basins. Leave to cool for 30 mins.

3.    Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Beat the butter, sugar, eggs and flour together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or electric whisk until pale and thick. Spoon the mixture into the pudding basins and place them in a small roasting tin.

4.    Add cold water to the roasting tin until it rises just 1cm up the sides of the basins. Place the tin in the oven and bake for about 25 mins or until well risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

5.    Take the tin out of the oven and, one at a time and holding firmly with a dry tea towel, loosen the sides of each pudding with a round-bladed knife. Turn out onto 8 warmed dessert plates, or arrange on a platter. Serve hot with cream or ice cream, if you like.