Makes 12
INGREDIENTS
115g/4oz/1/2 cup butter
75g/3oz plain chocolate, chopped
200g/7oz/generous 1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
250ml/8fl oz/1 cup buttermilk
10ml/2 tsp vanilla essence
275g/10oz/2/1/2 cups plain flour
5ml/1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g/6oz/generous 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
25g/loz plain chocolate, melted, to decorate

Chocolate Blueberry Muffins

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/ I Gas 5. Grease 12 deep patty tins, or use paper liners. In a medium saucepan over a medium heat, melt

the butter and chocolate until smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

Stir in the sugar, egg, buttermilk and vanilla essence. Gently fold in the flour and bicarbonate of soda until just blended. (Do not overblend;

although the mixture may be lumpy with some unblended flour.) Fold in the berries.

Spoon the batter into the prepared bun tins, filling to the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a skewer or cake tester inserted in the centre

comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Remove the muffins in their paper liners to a wire rack immediately (if left in the tin they will go

soggy). To decorate, drizzle with the melted chocolate and serve warm or cool.

Makes 12
INGREDIENTS
275g/l0oz/2/1/2 cups plain white flour
50g/2oz/generous 1/4 cup light brown sugar
20ml/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
65g/2/1/2oz/generous 1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds
90g/3/1/2oz/generous 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
2 eggs
200ml/7fl oz/7/8 cup milk
65g/2/1/2 oz/4 tbsp butter, melted
15ml/1 tbsp sloe gin
15ml/1 tbsp rosewater

Blackberry Muffins

Mix the flour, sugar, baking A powder and salt in a bowl and stir in the almonds and blackberries, mixing them well to coat with the flour mixture.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F/Gas 6. Grease 12 muffin tins, or use paper liners.

ln another bowl, mix the eggs with the milk, then gradually add the butter, sloe gin and rosewater. Make a well in the centre of the bowl of

dry I ingredients and add the egg and milk mixture. Stir well. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tins or cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until

browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 16-20
INGREDIENTS
300ml/1/2 pint/1/1/4 cups milk
225g/8oz/3/4 cup golden syrup
225g/8oz/3/4 cup black treacle
115g/4oz/1/2 cup butter or margarine, chopped
50g/2oz/1/3 cup dark brown sugar
450g/1lb/4 cups plain flour
2.5m/1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
6.25ml/1/1/4 tsp ground ginger
350g/12oz/4 cups medium oatmeal
1 egg, beaten
icing sugar for dusting

Parkin Squares

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm/8in square cake tin. Gently heat together the milk, syrup,

treacle, butter or margarine and sugar, stirring until smooth; do not boil.

Stir together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and oatmeal. Make a well in the centre, pour in the egg, then slowly pour in the warmed

mixture, stirring to make a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 45 minutes, until firm to the touch. Cool slightly in the tin, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Cut into squares and dust with icing sugar.

Makes 20-30
INGREDIENTS
150g/5oz/1/1/4 cups plain flour
10ml/2 tsp curry powder
115g/4oz/1/2 cup butter, chopped
75g/3oz/3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
10ml/2 tsp poppy seeds
5ml/1 tsp black onion seeds
1 egg yolk
cumin seeds, to garnish

Spiced Cocktail Biscuits

Grease two baking sheets. Sift the I flour and curry powder into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs,

then stir in the cheese, poppy seeds and black onion seeds. Stir in the egg yolk and mix to a firm dough. Wrap the dough in clear film and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of about 3mm/v8in. Cut into rounds with a floured cookie cutter. Arrange on the

prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with the cumin seeds. Chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/ Gas 5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until crisp and golden. Serve warm or cold.

Makes 10
INGREDIENTS
225g/8oz/2 cups self-raising flour
40g/1/1/2oz/3 tbsp butter
pinch of salt
15ml/1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
175g/6oz/scant 1 cup mashed potato, freshly made
30-45ml/2-3 tbsp milk

Dill and Potato Cakes

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/ 1 Gas 8. Sift the flour into a bowl, and add the butter, salt and dill. Mix in the potato and enough milk to make a soft dough.

Roll out the dough until fairly thin. Cut into neat rounds with a floured 7.5cm/3in cutter. Place the cakes on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Makes
INGREDIENTS
225g/8oz/2 cups medium oatmeal, plus extra for sprinkling
75g/3oz/3/4 cup plain flour
1.5ml/1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
5ml/1 tsp salt
25g/1oz/2 tbsp lard
25g/1oz/2 tbsp butter

Oatcakes

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/ Gas 7. Place the oatmeal, flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl. Melt the two fats together in a small saucepan over a low heat.

Add the melted fat and enough boiling water to make a dough. Turn on to a surface sprinkled with a little oatmeal. Roll out thinly and cut into 24 circles. Bake on ungreased baking sheets for 15 minutes

Makes 12
INGREDIENTS
225g/8oz/2 cups plain flour
12.5ml/2/1/2 tsp baking powder
2.5ml/1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
2.5ml/1/2 tsp salt
50g/2oz/4 tbsp cold butter, chopped
75g/3oz/3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
150ml/1/4 pint/2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten

Cheese Scones

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/ Gas 8. Sift the flour, baking powder, mustard powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub

into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Stir in 50g/2oz/1/2 cup of the cheese into the butter and flour mixture.

Make a well in the centre and gently stir in the milk and egg until smooth. Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface.

Roll out the dough and cut into triangles or squares. Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Leave to rest for 15

minutes, then bake for 15 minutes, until well risen.

Makes 50 straws and 8 rings
INGREDIENTS
115g/4oz/1 cup plain flour, plus extra for dusting
5ml/1 tsp mustard powder
pinch of salt
115g/4oz/1/2 cup butter
75g/3oz/3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
pinch of cayenne pepper
30ml/2 tbsp water
1 egg, beaten
poppy seeds, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds, to decorate

Cheese Straws

Make the cheese pastry in the same way as Festive Nibbles. Cut the cheese pastry into fingers about 10cm/4in long and 5mm/1/4in wide.

Roll out the trimmings, cut rounds using two pastry cutters of different sizes, a 6cm/2/1/2in one to cut out the circle and a 5cm/2in

diameter one to stamp out the centre.

To serve, push six or eight straws through each ring.

Makes 60
INGREDIENTS
115g/4oz/1 cup plain flour, plus extra for dusting
5ml/1 tsp mustard powder
pinch of salt
115g/4oz/1/2 cup butter
75g/3oz/3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
pinch of cayenne pepper
30ml/2 tbsp water
1 egg, beaten
poppy seeds, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds, to decorate

Festive Nibbles

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/ A Gas 6. Grease two baking sheets. Sift the flour, mustard powder and salt into a bowl and rub in the

butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in the cheese and cayenne pepper and sprinkle on the water. Add half the beaten egg, mix to a firm dough and knead lightly until smooth.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out a variety of shapes. Re-roll the trimmings and cut more shapes.

Place on the prepared baking sheets and brush with the remaining egg. Sprinkle on the seeds. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden

Makes 12
INGREDIENTS
50g/2oz/1/2 cup plain flour
15ml/1 tbsp instant coffee powder
2 eggs
75g/3oz/1/3 cup caster sugar

For the filling
115g/4oz/1/2 cup low-fat soft
cheese 40g/1/1/2oz/1/4 cup chopped stem ginger

Coffee Sponge Drops

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/ Gas 5. Sift the flour and instant offee powder together. To make the illing, beat together the soft cheese

and stem ginger. Chill until required.

Combine the eggs and caster sugar. Beat with an electric whisk until thick and mousse-like.

Carefully add the sieved flour and coffee to the egg mixture and gently fold in with a metal spoon, being careful not to knock out any air.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm/1/2in plain nozzle. Pipe 4cm/1/1/2in rounds on to lined baking sheets. Bake for 12

minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Sandwich together with the filling.