Treacle Tart

Pastry

150g plain flour
2.5 ml salt
65g butter
Flour for rolling out

I just used a packet of frozen dessert pastry which I had in the freezer.

Filling

45ml golden syrup
50g soft white breadcrumbs
5ml lemon juice

Method

Heat the oven to 200C.

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. 
Rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add enough cold water for the mixture to form a stiff dough.
Press the dough together with your fingertips.
Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface.
Use it to line a 20cm pie plate.
Reroll the rest and cut into 1cm wide strips to form a lattice on top of the tart once filled. (optional)

Filling

Melt the syrup in a small saucepan.
Stir in the breadcrumbs and lemon juice.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pastry case.
Add lattice if using.

Bake for approx 30 mins - keep an eye on the pastry

Seriously unhealthy and I have never had a treacle tart before so I don't know how it would compare but we thought it was lovely! I didn't do the lattice on top as I am not that keen on pastry.

Tartuffo

serves 12.

180g cacao (dark choc) finely grated,

300ml double cream

150g icing sugar.

 

 

Line a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin or small loaf tim with cling film.

Melt choc by placing in heatproof bowl over pan with simmering water..

Meanwhile lightly whip cream with 50g icing sugar.

Stir remaining sugar into the melted choclate and leave to cool slightly

Gradually fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream and pour into cake or loaf tin (or individual moulds). Refrigerate until firm. Slice and serve with seasonal berries.

Tip; Leaving the melted cacao to cool slightly means the cream won't collapse when cacao is added to it.

Pavlova - a soft marshmallow textured one

Ingredients

4 egg whites
225g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp cornflour

Method

Draw a 20 cm/8" circle on a sheet of non stick paper (or a rectangle/square of the rough size you need).  Whisk the egg whites until very stiff and standing in peaks. Beat in the sugar a dessertspoonful at a time. Beat in the vanilla essence, vinegar and cornflour.  Spoon the mixture into the shape required on the baking sheet, making a slight hollow in the centre.
Bake in the oven at 120C (250F or Gas Mark 1/2) for about an hour.  Ideally leave it in the turned off oven to cool if time allows. It is normal for the meringue to crack while cooling.
Place on a serving plate.
Decorate with whipped cream and fruit or plain yogurt and fruit or topping of your choice.