Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

1 tbsp olive oil, 3 sweet potatoes peeled and diced, 1 large onion chopped, 3 red peppers deseeded and sliced, 1 pt vegetable stock, salt and pepper, pinch of chilli powder

• Heat oil in large soup pot, add sweet potato, onion, peppers and allow to sweat for 10 minutes
• Add stock and simmer for 30 minutes, until veg soft
• When cool, blend until smooth, season with salt and pepper

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Choc Crispies

230 g bar Cadburys milk chocolate, 2 oz butter, 3 tbs syrup, 4 oz cornflakes

Slowly melt chocolate, butter and syrup in large bowl, mix well and carefully mix in cornflakes, pile into small paper cases and allow to set.

Easy and delicious.

 

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Uncooked Tomato Chutney

7 lbs ripe Tomatoes, 4 medium size onions, 2  stalks of celery, 2  green peppers, 2 oz  mustard seed, 2 1/2 lb granulated sugar, 2  cups white vinegar

• Finely chop the tomatoes, onions, peppers and celery and leave to stand in bowl for 24 hours.
• Strain through muslin for 24 hours, discard the liquid drippings.
• Dissolve the sugar with the white vinegar then our into all other ingredients and mix well.
• When cold put the chutney into sterile jars.
• Keeps for 12 months

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Redcurrant Sorbet

Deliciously refreshing and easy to make – 4 portions

450g redcurrants, plus extra for decoration; 2 tbsp elderflower cordial; 140g caster sugar

• Remove redcurrants from stem, wash and place in a pan with 2 tbsp water. Bring to the boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 5 mins until the fruit is soft. Pass through a sieve to make a purée. Stir in the elderflower cordial and put aside to cool.
• Put the sugar in a pan with 300ml water and leave over a low heat for 5 mins until the sugar has dissolved. Increase heat and boil for 10 min
• Pour the redcurrant mixture into the syrup and mix. Return to the boil, turn down and simmer for 2 mins. Cool, pour into a container and freeze for 3 – 4 hrs until frozen or freeze with the aid of an ice-cream maker.
• Scoop into glasses and decorate with redcurrants.

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Tablet

Recipe from Anne Rankin

2lb granulated sugar, 4oz Butter, 1 tin condensed milk, 1 cup of full milk, 2 drops vanilla essence

• Melt sugar and butter slowly (sugar must be dissolved before coming to boil)
• Add condensed milk and milk, bring to boil for 10 minutes stirring all the time until temperature of 115ªc
• (Test by dropping a teaspoonful in cup of cold water to soft ball stage, keep testing until water is clear)
• Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and beat with wooden spoon until tablet begins to grain
• Pour into greased 12 x 9 inch tray (or line tray with tin foil), mark into squares while still warm
• Delicious!

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Carrot and Orange Cake

Recipe from Janette Crawford

175g/6oz soft brown sugar,
 175g/6oz groundnut oil,
 3 eggs beaten,
 225g/8oz finely grated carrots,
100g/4oz raisins, 
75g/3oz chopped walnuts,
 175g/6oz self-raising wholemeal flour,
 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 
1 tsp ground cinnamon, 
2 tsps mixed spice, 1 tsp finely grated orange rind,
 150g cream cheese (Philadelphia), 
icing sugar (to taste), 
few drops vanilla essence.

• Mix together the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl
• Stir in the carrots, raisins and walnuts
• Mix the flour with the bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, mixed spice and orange rind
• Add to the bowl and mix lightly
• Turn into a greased and lined 18 x 25cm/7 x 10in tin, bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for 30 - 35 mins until firm to the touch
• Cool in the tin for five minutes then turn out and cool on a wire rack

For the topping

• Mix the cream cheese with vanilla essence and add icing sugar to taste
• Cut into squares and serve

Tip: 
Virgin olive oil is a good alternative to the groundnut oil if you don't have any

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Bakewell Tarts

Recipe from Una McKechnie

100g shortcrust pastry, 50g butter, 50g caster sugar, 1 egg (beaten), 50g ground rice, 25g ground almonds, 1/2 teaspoon almond essence, raspberry jam

• Roll out and line patty tins with shortcrust pastry
• Cream butter and sugar together
• Add egg gradually and stir in other ingredients
• Spread base of pastry with jam, and spoon mixture on top
• Bake for 20-25 minutes at 190°C

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Shortbread

New Year recipe from Fiona Methven

1 cup icing sugar, 1 cup cornflour, 2 cups plain flour, 8 oz butter chopped into small cubes, pinch of salt (if unsalted butter)

• Place flour, butter, cornflour and icing sugar into food processor (in that order) and pulse until well mixed
• Take out and knead in bowl, press into baking tray, prick top with fork
• Cook for 1 hour at 150°C
• Take tray out of oven, cut into fingers and sprinkle with caster sugar before going cold

 

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Christmas Pies

Recipe from Anne Rankin – this very popular recipe was reproduced in the Dumpling Times in 1998

10 oz plain flour + 2 oz for working in, 2 oz cornflour, 8 oz butter, 4 oz caster sugar, mincemeat

• Cream softened butter and sugar, add flour and cornflour. Lightly knead in the extra 2 oz flour, a little at a time, to  give a smooth consistency and get rid of all the cracks.
• Take a little more than half the mixture and roll out, cut the bases and place in tin (12” bun tin) and put to the side. Gather scraps together and put aside.
• Fill bases with mincemeat and use the remaining mixture to make lids. Make two small scores in the lids to allow steam to escape. Wet edges and assemble the pies.
• Bake in oven at 180°C or 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes. When golden brown in colour remove from oven, cool on a wire tray and sprinkle with caster sugar.

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Toffee Crisps

Recipe from Mandy McKechnie

5 Mars bars, 150 g Butter, 5 cups Rice Crispies
Topping – 30 g  Butter, 200 g Milk Chocolate

• Cut Mars bars into small pieces, add buttter and melt in bowl over pan of hot water and stir well to get smooth consistency
• Mix in rice crispies, stirring after each cup
• Pour into Swiss roll tray (22 x 32 cm) and press to cover tray
• Melt chocolate and butter then spread on top, shake tray to give smooth top
• When set remove from tray and cut into triangles

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Fruit Tea Loaf

Recipe from Gavin Balmer

8 oz raisins, 8 oz sultanas, 8 oz currants, 4 oz candied peel, 8 oz demerara sugar, 
10 fl oz of Assam or Earl Grey tea, 4 oz pecan nuts, 1 large egg beaten with 2 tbs of milk, 1 lb self raising flour

• Put all fruit and peel into a large bowl
• Dissolve the sugar in the hot (preferably strong) tea and pour tea over fruit and leave overnight to allow fruit to swell and soak up tea.
• Place pecans on tray in preheated oven 170 C for 7 mins and then chop up finely.
• Add beaten egg to fruit in bowl and sift in the flour, add chopped nuts and mix the lot thoroughly.
• Add the mix to two 1lb loaf tins and cook in middle of oven for 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 hrs until springy in the centre.

Turn loaves out of tin straight away and allow to cool on a rack, scrumptious when cold.

 

Strawberry Jam

Recipe from Betty Kyle

2 lb Strawberries, 2 lb Sugar

Crush strawberries with a potato masher, then boil for 10 minutes, keep stirring.

Add sugar and boil for another 10 minutes.

Check jam is set by placing a spoonful of on a cold saucer and when cool the jam forms a wrinkled skin when a finger is pushed through.

Allow to cool and pour into sterilised jars.

 

 

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Raspberry Shortcake Sandwich

Recipe from Sandra Akhurst

This is a very quick and easy summer dessert which would be equally delicious using strawberries.

Shortbread
250 g butter, 80 g vanilla sugar, 40 g icing sugar, 250 g plain flour, 120 g cornflour, pinch of salt

• Blend the butter and sugars together either by hand or in a food processor
• Sift in the flour, cornflour and salt and blend again until mixed.
• Wrap dough in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll out onto floured board until 2-3mm thick and cut out rounds with a plain cutter.
• Put biscuits on a greased tray, leave to rest for 15 minutes, then bake at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Filling
Small tub  of mascarpone, small tub of crème fraiche, raspberries

Combine mascarpone and  crème fraiche to the consistency of whipped cream. Place some of the cream thickly on one biscuit and top with another biscuit. Put the raspberries equally spaced round the edge of the cream. Sift icing sugar over the top biscuit and add a basil leaf and a raspberry secured with a dab of cream for colour.

 

 

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