150 g plain chocolate
115 g butter, diced
225 g sugar
5 tsp vanilla flavouring
115 g self-rising flour
75 g pecan nuts or walnuts, chopped
2 eggs
50 g chocolate

Directions:

1. Break up chocolate and place with the butter in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, gently stirring occasionally, unitl melted and evenly blended.

2. Remove from the heat and add all the remaining ingredients. Beat well until evenly combined, then turn into a greased and base-lined shallow 25×16 cm cake tin.

3. Bake 200C / 400F for about 20 minutes until well browned amd set on top. Cover lightly with foil and bake for another 10 minutes until fine skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen with a knife and turn on to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 12 squares.

115 g butter or margarine, softened
200 g sugar
2 eggs
2 lemons
115 g self-rising flour
5 tsp baking powder
2 egg whites
75 g desiccated coconut
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 ml lemon juice
icing sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Beat together the butter, 115g  sugar, two eggs, grated rind of lemon, flour and baking powder.

2. Add about 1ml lemon juice or enough to form a soft dropping consistency. Spoon into a greased and base-lined shallow 28 x 18 cm cake tin.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold in the remaining sugar, grated rind of 1 lemon and the coconut. Spoon roughly over the mixture. Bake at 180C / 350F for about 30 minutes until golden.

4. Cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool. Cut into fingers and dust with icing sugar.

115g (4oz) Butter
115g (4oz) caster sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
115g (4oz) self-rising flour
50g (2oz) chopped glace cherries

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.? Gradually beat in the egg, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.? fold in the flour, then the sultanas.

2. Spread out 16 paper cases on baking trays or put them into patty tins.? Fill the paper cases half full with the mixture.? Bake at 190C/375F for 15-20 minutes, until golden.? Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

makes 16

115g (4oz) Butter
115g (4oz) caster sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
115g (4oz) self-rising flour
50g (2oz) chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.? Gradually beat in the egg, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.? fold in the flour, then the sultanas.

2. Spread out 16 paper cases on baking trays or put them into patty tins.? Fill the paper cases half full with the mixture.? Bake at 190C/375F for 15-20 minutes, until golden.? Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

makes 16

115g (4oz) Butter
115g (4oz) caster sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
115g (4oz) self-rising flour
50g (2oz) chopped dates

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.? Gradually beat in the egg, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.? fold in the flour, then the sultanas.

2. Spread out 16 paper cases on baking trays or put them into patty tins.? Fill the paper cases half full with the mixture.? Bake at 190C/375F for 15-20 minutes, until golden.? Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

makes 16

115g (4oz) Butter
115g (4oz) caster sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
115g (4oz) self-rising flour
50g (2oz) sultanas

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. fold in the flour, then the sultanas.

2. Spread out 16 paper cases on baking trays or put them into patty tins. Fill the paper cases half full with the mixture. Bake at 190C/375F for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 16

200g (7oz) Plain flour
11/2 x 5ml tsp baking powder
1 x 5ml tsp ground cinnamon
75g (3oz) Margarine
1 x 15ml tbs light Muscovado sugar
50g (2oz) sultanas
225g (8oz) ripe bananas, peeled
1 x 5ml tsp lemon juice
1 Egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Place the flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl and rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and sulanas.]

2. Mash the bananas with the lemon juice, then stir in the egg.? Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and beat until well mixed.

3. Spoon the mixture into about 10 mounds on a baking sheet, allowing room for spreading.? Bake at 200C/400F for about 15 minutes until the cakes are well risen and golden.? Cool on a wire rack

Make about 10

225g (8oz) Plain flour
1/2 x 5ml tsp salt
1/2 x 5ml tsp baking powder
50g (2oz) lard, diced
40g (11/2oz) caster sugar
75g (3oz) currants
3-4 x 15ml tbs water
3 x 15ml tbs vegetable oil
25g (1oz) butter

Directions:

1. Put the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl, then rub in the lard until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Stir in the sugar and currants, then mix with the water to make a soft dough.

3. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until about 1cm (1/2in) thick. Using a 5cm (2in) plain cutter, stamp out 12 rounds.

4. Heat the oil and the butter in a frying pan and fry the cakes for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden.? Place on a kitchen paper to drain.

Makes 12

410g can apricot halves in syrup
3 ready-rolled puffy pastry sheets, each measuring about 20cm (8in) square
250g packet marzipan
Beaten egg, to glaze (optional)
a few flaked almonds

Directions:

1. Drain the apricot syrup into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes until the syrup has reduced and thicken slightly. Remove from the heat and cool.

2. Trim edges of the pastry squares and cut each one in half lengthways to make a total of six rectangles. Cut the marzipan lengthways into six equal sices. Using your fingers or a rolling pin, slightly flatten each slice so that it is slightly smaller than a piece of pastry. Place each piece of marzipan on a piece of pastry.

3. Arrange the pastries on a baking sheet. Brush with egg glaze, if using, then top each with two apricot halves, cut side down. Sprinkle with a few flaked almonds. Bake at 220C/425F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. As soon as they are removed from the oven, brush with the syrup to glaze.

Makes 6

Variation
Use a 411g can of pear halves in syrup instead of Apricots.

Ingredients:

1 pound pitted dates, cut in pieces
1 pound glazed cherries, halved
2 pounds pecans, chopped
1/2 pound shredded coconut
1 pound glazed pineapple, cut in pieces
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Grease three 8 x 3 3/4 x 2 1/12-inch loaf pans. Preheat oven to 275*F (135*C).

2. Mix dates, cherries, pecans, coconut and pineapple in a large bowl. Add milk and vanilla, continuing to mix.

3. Pack very tightly in prepared pans. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.