Category: Recipes

Lemon Drizzle cake is traditionally based on a rich Victoria mixture – equal weight of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. I find them a bit heavy, and get through the eggs too quickly, so I explored a version based on the proportions of my Chocolate Cake – and it works! I normally bake in a small top […]

3 oz margarine 6 oz soft dark brown sugar 6 oz wholemeal flour 2 tsp (level) baking powder ¼ tsp nutmeg 1 heaped tsp mixed spice 2 eggs 3 fl oz skimmed milk 1 tsp vanilla essence Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in the marg. Add eggs, milk and vanilla, and beat everything together until […]

Two recipes – the first is simple and easy, the second takes a long while of standing and stirring. Both are very more-ish! 4 oz (115g) butter (I use normal salted butter) 1 lb sugar (450g) (I use 1oz or 30g dark muscovado, the rest caster sugar) 1 *small* can (UK size 5.9oz or 170g) evaporated […]

5 oz margarine 4 oz sugar (brown or golden is nice) 2 oz syrup or honey 4 oz wholemeal flour 3 oz oats 2 oz coconut 1 tsp bicarb 2 oz chocolate chips and/or broken walnuts Melt marg, sugar, and syrup together in a pan, and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, mix together dry ingredients in […]

Years ago I found a recipe in Joy of Cooking for molasses bars. I gave them a go and it was disastrous, but I worked with the idea and came up with this. A moist, chewy cake with a lot of flavour but not too sweet, an alternative to brownies or parkin. 4 oz margarine […]

15 fl oz very strong, hot tea 1 lb dried mixed fruit * ½ tsp crushed aniseed (2 oz chopped walnuts, optional) 2 eggs 10 oz wholemeal flour 1 Tbs baking powder 1 Tbs mixed spice (¼ tsp salt) Prepare 2 x 1lb loaf pans, either lined or greased and floured. Combine tea, fruit, and […]

2 oz butter or marg 6 oz icing sugar (plus ½ oz cocoa if you want chocolate icing) milk and/or cream to mix ½ tsp vanilla essence (1 oz coconut or chopped nuts) With a fork, cut butter into the sugar, as one would for pastry, until the mixture is like fine crumbs. (If softened, you […]

This recipe is primarily an old Staffordshire recipe sometimes called ‘Oat Crunch’ 6 oz (170g) block butter 6 oz (170g) sugar 8 oz (225g) porridge oats (100g package dark chocolate chunks, optional) Grease and flour a shallow 7″x 10″ baking tray. Melt the butter gently, stir in the sugar, and add the oats, making sure […]

1 oz cocoa 2 oz caster sugar 3 oz (by weight) golden syrup (¼ cup) 3 fl oz hot water (or strong coffee) * ½ tsp vanilla Sieve cocoa and sugar together, to ensure the cocoa doesn’t go lumpy. Place in a medium-sized saucepan (1 litre). Gradually mix in the liquid, first to a smooth […]

1 lb eating-quality plain (semi-sweet) chocolate * 1 large tin sweetened condensed milk 2 tsp vanilla Line a pan with foil or cling film, approximately 7″x 10″ or thereabouts. Break up the chocolate into a large casserole dish and put in the microwave. Melt 2 min on high, remove to stir, 1 further min on high […]