Creme Brulee....far too easy

Now I know some of you will say that this is not the true creme brulee...and you are right. So get yours eggs, milk, vanilla pods etc etc out and stand over a double saucepan for quite some time or just do it without any of that fuss like this.

Make your own custard or even easier, buy it in a carton at the local grocery shop (make sure it is at room temp). Pour it into a heatproof dish eg individual ramikins or a larger dish such as the one on the left. Cover the top with Demerera sugar (not fine Brown sugar) and place under grill on high, being careful to watch the top as it will bubble and then brown and can burn easily if you are not keeping an eye on it. (Alternately use a browning torch which are now available from various kitchen shops). Remove from grill and allow to return to room temp when it will harden and serve with some lovely berries in season and a sprinkle of icing sugar....absolutely delicious.

Pound Cake or should we say Grams Cake!

Yes, it is true, this cake was named Pound cake due to it's ingredients consisting of a pound of this and a pound of that...hence should it be the Grams cake due to metric conversion?

Oven temp: 180C

Ingreds: 250 g butter, 250 g caster sugar, 3-4 eggs (depending on size), 1 tspn vanilla extract, zest of 2 lemons, 250 g SR flour,

Icing: Philadelphia cheese (approx half a block or 1 tub of cheese), lemon juice, icing sugar.

Butter, flour and line a square cake tin with baking paper. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream. Add eggs, one at a time, then the lemon zest and vanilla. Sift the flour and fold it in to the mix. Pour out into prepared tin. Cook for 40-50 mins until golden on top and knife returns clean when poked into centre of cake. (This cake can be frozen prior to icing).

Icing: Mix cheese and a couple of tablespoons of juice and enough icing sugar to give you are firm icing consistency. Ice cake when cooled. Absolutely delicious!

Tomato Marmalade

This is my interpretation of traditional fruit marmalade. I have a glut of home grown cherry tomatoes now and I wanted an alternative to tomato sauce. I make a lot of lamb fritters with left over roast lamb to make the fritters. I think they need a slightly sweet accompaniment to them to give them a lift so this is my recipe and it tastes fantastic.

Ingreds: Butter and oil (the mix prevents the butter from burning), finely sliced red onion, brown sugar, Balsamic vinegar, cherry tomatoes cut in halves or quarters.

Method: Melt butter and oil in pan, add onions and saute. Add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, Balsamic vinegar and all the tomatoes. Cook on high to reduce the liquid to thicken it, approx 15 mins, stirring occasionally.

This is wonderful served on toast or savoury biscuits too. I have served this wonderful marmalade on top of haggis on biscuits.....my Scottish hubby absolutely loves it this way.

Best scones ever....

These are such a hit..we have made them so many times and yes, we are always asked for the recipe so enjoy.........we discovered the recipe when watching the food channel.....it seems that many cooks/chefs have claimed the recipe....funny that!

Oven temp: 200C -250C - depending on oven....I use 200C.

Ingreds: 500 g SR flour (extra for rolling out) , 250 ml lemonade, 250 ml cream, milk to "wash" tops with. (Jam and whipped cream for serving).

Method: Mix flour, lemonade and cream together in a bowl to form dough. Roll out dough on floured board/bench and cut out using scone cutter/suitable sized glass or whatever takes your fancy.

Place each scone on baking tray, fairly close together. "Wash" each scone top with milk. Place in pre-heated over for approx 15 mins or until tops turn golden brown. Please keep an eye on them as ovens vary and these cook quite quickly. Serve warm with jam and cream.....absolutely fantastic!!!!!