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 This savoury jelly is delicious with any meat or fish, on barbecued corn, or with bread and cheese.

You will need sterilised Kilner or glass jars.

Ingredients:

• 1.4kg/3lb cooking apples, skin on and roughly chopped, 
• few sprigs of rosemary,
• around 1.4kg/3lb caster sugar, and 
• good pinch of chilli flakes, about 2-3tsp (or to your preferred heat)

Method:

1. In a large pan, add chopped apples, core and all. Now pour in 1.7 litres/3 pints of cold water and throw in rosemary. Cook for about 30 minutes, till apples are soft and stewed, and then remove rosemary and mash gently with a potato masher. Drain and retain all the juice. Measure how much juice you have, then measure out 450g (1lb) sugar for every pint of juice. Discard the apple.
2. Add juice to a clean pan and bring to the boil, then add sugar and stir till dissolved. Tip in chilli flakes and stir. Cook on a fairly high heat for about 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally till the liquid reduces. To test if jelly is set, add 1 teaspoon to a plate and push with your finger. If jelly is beginning to set and forms a skin, it is ready; if not, cook for a little longer.
3. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then carefully pour into jars and seal when cool. Put in fridge and leave to set overnight.

 Ingredients:

• 500g flour, this can be self raising, or a mixture of wholemeal and plain or self raising flour,
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda,
• 1tsp salt, and
• 420ml buttermilk, or milk and soured with vinegar

Optional - some currants soaked in cold tea.

Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  I always sift the flour.
2. Add the liquid (buttermilk or soured milk) and mix to form a ball of dough.  This should be a gentle rolling, not  a steady kneading  that traditional bread requires.
3. Shape it into a round ball by cupping your hands and rotating the dough.
4. Place onto a floured baking sheet.
5. Sift some flour for decoration on the ball and then mark a cross on the bread, this allows the centre of the dough to cook more quickly.  
6. Allow the dough to stand for 20-30 minutes, and then cook in the centre of the oven at 200C for about 30 minutes.

General notes:

This recipe is best started the night before by soaking the fruit in the cold tea, or if you can't manage overnight, try and soak the fruit for at least 5 hours.

Instead of sultanas, you can use raisins, or even currants, though large juicy fruit improve the texture.

It is lovely served slightly warm with a knob of butter or something else that pleases your taste buds.

This recipe is for a single loaf, but it freezes well, so the recipe can be doubled if you want to put one in the freezer.

Ingredients:

• 225g self raising flour (white or wholemeal),
• 175g demerara sugar,
• 170ml cold tea,
• 225g sultanas, and
• 1 large egg, well beaten.

Method:

1. The night before, soak the fruit in the cold tea.

2. Set the oven to Gas Mk 4, 180C, 350F

3. Grease and line a 900g bread loaf tin.

4. Mix the dry ingredients (flour and sugar) in a bowl.

5. Add the beaten egg to the fruit mixture and stir well, and add the flour and sugar mix and stir all the ingredients together.

6. Spoon this mixture into the prepared tin and cook in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour.

7. Take the loaf out of the oven when cooked and leave in the tin for a further  10-15 minutes before taking it out of the tin and leaving to cool on a wire rack.

General notes:

This recipe will use a 1.5kg bag of flour and produce 3 loaves, but quantities can be adjusted in proportion, or you can divide the dough into 4 to have a slightly smaller loaf.  

Many bags of flour have a recipe printed on them, so you can try that.

Once you have found a flour you like, I would stay with it as different flours can need slightly different amounts of liquid.

I also find the key to a good loaf is to keep everything warm, so I start by putting the flour into the microwave for 90 seconds (at 800 watts) before I start.

Ingredients (for 3 loaves):

1.5kg strong white bread flour or brown wholemeal bread flour,

15g fast action dried yeast (2 sachets),

15g salt,

900ml warm water,

1 dessert spoonful black treacle (optional), and

a small handful of seeds, eg pumpkin, sunflower or poppy (optional)

Method:

1. Put the bag of flour (unopened) in the microwave set at 800w for about 90 seconds.

2. In a clean jug pour in 300ml boiling water.  If you want to include the treacle, add the spoonful at this stage and stir until dissolved.  Make up the liquid with cold water to give 900ml in total.

3. Empty the bag of flour into the bowl and stir round to loosen and aerate it.

4. Add the yeast one side of the bowl and the salt the other and mix in, also adding the seeds at this stage if they are being used.

5. Add the liquid and begin mixing to form the dough.  If being done in a mixer with a dough hook this will take 4-5 minutes.  If mixing by hand, the kneading will take 10 minutes to give a smooth stretchy dough.

6. Even if using a mixer and dough hook, when ready I knead the dough for a few minutes until it feels right.

6. When the dough is ready put it back in the bowl, cover with a piece of greased clingfilm and set aside in a warm place to double in size.  This may take about 2 hours.

7. When the dough has doubled in size, turn it out of the bowl and knead again for a few minutes, divide it into 3 equal amounts, shape them and place into the greased tins.

8. Wait until the dough has risen above the top of the tins, set the oven to 230C, Gas Mark 8, and bake for 35 minutes until they sound hollow when tapped.  If you like a crusty loaf, turn them out of the tin after about 30 minutes and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

9. Put the loaves onto a cooling rack and allow to cool.,

 Ingredients:

1kg  crab apples - washed,

1  lemon,

1,250ml  water  per kg of fruit,  (sufficient to cover), and

600 - 750g  granulated sugar, depending on your taste.

Rosehips or red currants can also be added to add colour.

Method:

1. Wash the apples and remove the stems.  Depending on size, cut into chunks if necessary and put into a large open pan and add the water to cover, about 1.25 litres per kg of fruit.
2. Add a strip of lemon rind, try to avoid the white pith.   Simmer the apples for 30 mins or so, until the skins are soft and mash them if necessary to break up the fruit. 
3. When the apples are cooked, allow them to cool then spoon them into your jelly bag and let the juice drip through to the bowl.   Don't squeeze the bag to extract the juice - the jelly will go cloudy, so allow it to drip overnight if possible. 
4. Measure the amount of juice and put into a clean pan with the correct proportion of sugar, approx 600g sugar per litre of juice - this can be adjusted to your taste.  Gradually bring the liquid to the boil, stirring the sugar to dissolve and then bring to a full rolling boil (106C) until setting point is reached.
5. Skim the surface regularly with a metal spoon to remove any scum to get a clear jelly.
6. As soon as the jelly has reached setting point, take the pan off the heat and carefully fill the jars. Do not delay, as it will start to set.  The jars should have be washed and warmed up before being filled,
7. Cover with wax paper circles. Take care as it will be very hot. Label, including the date and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months

Ingredients:

2 eggs,

100g sugar,

30g cooking oil,

100g mashed cooked pumpkin,

150g flour,

2 tsp cinnamon,

(optional, 1 tsp each cloves and nutmeg)

½ tsp baking powder,

1 tsp baking soda,

½ tsp salt, and

100g raisins (optional).

Method:

1. Beat together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin. 

2. Sift dry ingredients and add. Mix batter until smooth, and add raisins if desired. 

3. Fill paper-lined muffin tin. 

4. Sprinkle tops with brown sugar if desired. 

5. Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Note - this recipe has been converted from American 'cups' on the basis that 1 cup equals 100g.

 Ingredients:

150g mashed cooked pumpkin,

75g sugar,

½ tsp salt,

1 tsp cinnamon,

½ tsp ginger,

¼ tsp nutmeg,

¼ tsp cloves,

3 slightly beaten eggs,

25g milk, and

1 can evaporated milk.

Method:

Beat everything together until smooth (use electric mixer if you have one). Pour into unbaked pie shell, and bake at 180C for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean.

Ingredients:

4 medium sized beetroot, 

1 tablespoon cornflour,

1 teaspoon sugar,

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and

a pinch of salt.

Instructions:

1. Wash the beetroot and trim off the leaves and root tail,

2. Peel and slice beetroot (max 5mm, or a quarter inch thick),

3. Put in saucepan and nearly cover with hot water. 

4. In a separate bowl or jug, make a paste of the cornflour with some cold water, then mix in with the red wine vinegar, sugar & salt

5.  Also, you can add a few juniper berries and a couple of bay leaves can be added for extra 'je ne sais quoi'..!

6.  Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid thickens and all the beetroot slices are cooked.

This beetroot recipe could be cooked with a few button mushrooms, chestnuts, etc or even diced pork (fry it first or adjust the cooking time to allow the pork to be cooked through) to make a complete meal or as an accompaniment to sausages, mash, etc and it has its own very tasty gravy. 

It can also be frozen.

Based on a Swedish recipe, these thin, spiced biscuits are a lovely treat on a cold day in the garden or out and about on an adventure.  They are very easy to make but the dough must be chilled, ideally overnight, before baking so a little planning is needed.

Ingredients

90g Castor sugar

20g Golden syrup

30g Black treacle

35ml Water

125g Salted butter, at room temperature

½ tbsp Ground cinnamon

½ tsp Ground cloves

¼ tbsp Ground ginger

¼ tbsp Ground cardamom

250g Plain flour

½ Tsp Bicarbonate of soda.

Method

1. Put the sugar, syrup, treacle and water in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has just melted.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, beat together the butter and spices in a mixing bowl.

3. Add the syrup mixture to the bowl and stir together well.

4. Mix the flour and bicarbonate and add it, a bit at a time, to the mixing bowl.

5. Place the soft dough into a covered container and leave to cool in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight until it is very firm. You can freeze the dough if you don’t want to use it all at once.

5. When you are ready to bake the biscuits, preheat the oven to 210°C or 190°C (fan).

6. Take the dough out of the fridge and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll it out, in pieces if necessary, until it is 2mm thick.  Cut out shapes with biscuit cutters and place on lined baking trays.

8. Bake each tray of biscuits the moment you fill it!  The biscuits need 5 minutes in the oven, or until lightly browned and just starting to crisp.  Transfer them to a wire rack to cool and they will continue to crisp up until they snap nicely when broken.  If you prefer a softer biscuit then cook for a slightly shorter time or roll them out a little thicker.  

These biscuits store very well in an airtight container.

This is Emma de Saram's vegan hummus recipe, and apparently - you can't beat it!!

Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas 

The juice from 1 lemon 

Beetroot (Emma uses vacuum packed, but if you have fresh beets. make sure you boil it for 20 mins or until soft before blending)

A good tablespoon of tahini 

Garlic 

A sprinkle of cumin or other spices (optional)

Method

Blend all of the above together in a food processor or even a smoothie maker.  

You can leave some of the aquafaba of the chickpeas in for a smoother hummus, but it will take some experimenting to find your desired consistency. 

Adding the cumin gives the hummus a fiery kick, and you can experiment with a few other spices. 

Enjoy!  

Ingredients

350g self raising flour 

1/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking powder 

85g butter 

3 tbsp. caster sugar 

100ml milk 

75ml butter milk 

1 tsp LittlePod vanilla paste 

1 medium egg

Method

1. Heat the oven 220c/fan 200c/gas 7. 

2. Tip the flour and salt into a bowl, add the butter and mix to make fine crumbs. Add the sugar and mix. 

3. Slightly warm the milk, then stir in the buttermilk and Little Pod Vanilla Paste. 

4. Make a well in the flour mix and add the liquid. Combine using a fork to bind the flour into a dough. 

5. Pat the mixture into 4cm deep, then take a 5cm cutter, dip in flour to stop the mixture sticking and cut out the dough. 

6. Brush the tops with 1 egg wash/small amount of milk and a small squirt of Vanilla Paste. 7. Place on a baking tray with parchment paper and bake for 10mins or until golden and risen.

https://www.littlepod.co.uk/

Ingredients

A quantity of medlars

Method

1. Steam a quantity of bletted (very ripe and soft) medlars in the microwave for a few minutes (2-3 max) to loosen the skins.  If you have a lot of medlars, do them in batches.

2. Remove as much skin as possible and sieve the fruit to produce a puree.

3. Add dried fruit, mixed fruit and mixed spice to give the appearance of mincemeat.  You can also add orange essence to taste.  At this stage it can be frozen to be used later in pies and tarts.

Note

To help speed up the bletting process, place the medlars in the freezer overnight, then thaw out the following morning.