125g (4oz) granulated sugar
125ml (4 fl oz) lemon juice
60g (2 oz) caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 egg whites (at room temperature)
Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Firstly preheat oven to 375F / 190C.

2. In a medium-sized saucepan combine the granulated sugar, lemon juice and zest and cook over a medium heat whilst stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat once sugar has dissolved and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.

3. Using a large bowl, add the egg whites and beat them until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted up. Gradually add the caster sugar and continue to beat the mixture until it is thick. Meanwhile, bring the lemon mixture back to a boil. While whisking add 60ml (2 fl oz) hot lemon mixture into the egg whites and beat until very light and fluffy. Will take around 5 minutes.

4. Divide the remaining lemon mixture among six ramekins (about 2 teaspoons per cup). Divide egg whites among the ramekins.

5. Place in the oven and bake until they just being to go slightly brown on top, this takes usually 5-7 minutes. Be very careful not to overcook or the souffles will shrink as they cool down.

6. Remove from the oven and dust lightly with icing sugar and serve.

200g self raising flour
50g soft butter
50g soft margarine
4 large sweet eating apples
pinch of salt
10g caster sugar
1-2 tablespoons ice cold water
1 tablespoon of warmed marmalade (optional)
sliced almonds (optional)
*you will also need a mince pie baking tray (12 moulds)

1. To make the pastry sieve the flour, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl, add the butter and margarine. Using a round knife, ‘chop’ the butter and margarine into the flour, sugar, salt. When the fat is broken up, use the tips of your fingers to gently, rub the fat into the flour mix until it is a consistency of large breadcrumbs. Slowly, sprinkle the ice cold water into the mix and combine. Keep adding sprinkles of the water until you have a dough-like consistency and the mix moves round the bowl without sticking too much. Put the pastry into a plastic bag and put it in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat over to 150F.

3. Peel, core and chop the apples into sugar-cube size pieces and add to a small frying pan. Add about 1 tablespoon of water (add 1 ½ tablespoons of caster sugar if you are using cooking apples). Heat the pieces gently on a low heat for about 5 minutes and then turn off the heat and leave in the pan to cool.

4. Remove the ‘rested’ pastry from the fridge, remove from the bag and leave it on the side for 5 minutes so that it reaches room temperature. Take some margarine and lightly grease each of the moulds in the mince pie tin.

5. Take some flour and sprinkle on a flat work surface. Lightly sprinkle some granulated sugar over the flour for extra sweetness. Roll out the pastry taking care to flip it over after each rolling and while adding more flour to prevent sticking. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3-4mm.

6. Using a cup that is about 1inch greater all round than the diameter of the mince pie tin moulds, cut out 12 circles. Place these in each mould, carefully pressing the sides down so that the edge of the pastry stands proud of each mould. Take a slightly smaller cup and cut another 12 circles.

7. Spoon a tablespoon of the apple mix into the individual moulds. Take the remaining 12 pastry circles and place over each of the moulds, squeezing the edges together with the edges of the filled moulds. Use a pastry brush and brush on some warm marmalade on the top of each pie and make two small holes in each pie to allow for any steam escaping while cooking. Sprinkle some sliced almonds on top (optional).

8. Place in the middle of the oven and cook for around 30 minutes, 150 F.

9. When the pies are a light golden brown colour, remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling tray or serve immediately with crème fresh /crème.

Note: You can also freeze the pies for about 2 months when cold or keep in an airtight container for about 3 days.

6 cooking apples
3 tablespoons brown sugar
75g (2 1/2oz) unsalted chilled butter
6 small cinnamon sticks
100g (3 1/2oz) sultanas or raisins
100g (3 1/2oz) pistachio nuts or pine nuts
200ml (7 fl oz)grappa

1. Preheat the oven to 175C / 350C / Gas 3.

2. Remove the cores from the apples using a corer or a sharp knife. Place the apples in an ovenproof dish.

3. Divide the butter into six sticks and push it into the core of the apples. Push a cinnamon stick into the middle of each one also and scatter with the nuts, sugar and raisins. Pour over the grappa.

4. Bake in the oven for around 30 – 35 minutes, basting the apples occasionally with the juices in the dish until they are soft when tested with a skewer. Serve and enjoy.

For the caramel – 100g (3 1/2oz) superfine caster sugar
650ml (22fl oz) milk
1 vanilla pod
125g (4 1/2 oz) superfine caster sugar
3 eggs (beaten)
3 egg yolks

1. To make the caramel, put the sugar into a heavy based pan and heat it until it dissolves and starts to caramelize. Move the pan from side to side as the sugar cooks to keep the colouring even. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of water (this stops the cooking process). Pour into 6 ramekins and leave to cool.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4).

3. Put the milk and vanilla pod in a pan and bring to the boil.

4. Mix together the sugar, egg and egg yolks.

5. Strain the boiling milk over the egg mixture and stir.

6. Spoon or ladle into the ramekins and place in a large roasting tin. Pour enough hot water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cook for around 35 minutes or until they are firm to touch.

7. Remove the ramekins from the roasting tin and leave for at least 15 minutes. Unmold onto side plates and pour any leftover caramel on top.

8. For that extra touch you can always add a few berries on the side.

8 apples
90g (1/3 cup) superfine / caster sugar
zest of 1 lemon
120g (4oz) butter
125g (1 cup) plain all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
cream to serve (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 180C (350/Gas 4). Peel and core the apples, then cut them into chunks.

2. Place the apple, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the lemon zest into a small baking dish and mix together. Dot 2 tablespoons of butter over the top.

3. Rub the remaining butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the remaining sugar and the cinnamon. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and stir the crumbs together so they form big clumps.

4. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apple and bake the crumble for around 1hr 10 minutes until the top is browned and the juice is bubbling up through the crumble.

5. Serve with cream if desired.

1 Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4.

2 In a large bowl beat together 30g of the softened butter, demerara sugar and jam and then spread over the base of a round non stick cake tin. Arrange the pineapple rings over the base of the tin.

3 In a clean bowl, mix together the remaining butter and caster sugar. Add the eggs one at a time with 1 tablespoon of flour and beat well. Sift in the remaining flour and baking powder and fold in well with the milk.

4 Spoon the mixture over the pineapple and level with the back of a spoon. Bake in the over for around 45 minutes until the cake is well risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

5 Allow the cake to cool in the tin for around 10 minutes then loosen around the edges with a round bladed knife. Place a large serving plate of the top and carefully turn out the cake. Take care as the syrup will still be rather hot.

350g mincemeat
40g golden caster sugar
200g plain flour, sifted
75g ground almonds
125g unsalted diced butter
1 large egg, beaten
dash of milk to glaze

1 First of all preheat the oven to around 200C / Gas Mark 6 / 400F.

2 Lightly butter a 12 hole pie or patty tin.

3 In a bowl place the mincemeat and give it a quick stir so that the liquid is distributed.

4 In a food processor place the flour, sugar, butter and almonds and process until the mix looks like fine breadcrumbs, then slowly add the egg and mix again.

5 Gather the mixture together in your hands and roll into a ball, then thinly roll out the pastry onto a floured surface. Cut out 12 circles with a pastry cutter. Press one circle of pastry into each of the 12 holes in the pie or patty tin. Press gently down, then fill each with mincemeat.

6 Next cut another 12 circles out of the remaining pastry, this time make them a tiny bit smaller. Place these smaller circles over the mincemeat and firm around the edges so they stick together.

7. Make a small slit on top of each of the 12 mince pies and brush each one with a little milk so it will glaze them and make them look more attractive when served.

8 Bake the pies in the oven for around 20 minutes until nice and golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. You can even sprinkle a little icing / frosting powder over each one and decorate before serving should you wish to.

80g pudding rice
500 ml whole milk
3 tbsp soft brown sugar
8 cardamon pods (bruised)

1. To make this tasty rice pudding recipe simply boil the pudding rice in 500ml water for approximately 5 minutes, drain, then return to the pan and add the milk and cardamon.

2. Let the rice, milk and cardamon simmer gently (uncovered) for around 35-40 minutes until creamy and thick (stir quite often using a wooden spoon, ensure all is well mixed).

3. Remove pan from the heat and take out the cardamon pods, then stir in the sugar.

4. Cover the rice pudding and serve it hot or let it cool until ready. If you prefer it slightly less thick, just add a little more milk before serving ensuring you stir it well. Tasty and easy to do.

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
60gms butter (melted)
1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
2 Granny Smith apples peeled (or similar)
2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 210C / 190C gas. Cut the pastry into 4 equal squares, place on a flat baking tray

2. Combine the butter, spice, and sugar then brush half of the mixture over the pastry squares

3. Cut apples into wedges, remove core and then cut aple into very thin slices and lay them on top of the pastry squares (so they overlap) leaving a border of 1 cm around each square

4. Brush squares with remaining butter mixture. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes or until apple is tender and golden. Cut each square in half before serving.

150ml skimmed milk
400ml half-fat coconut milk
25g muscovado sugar
2 medium eggs
160g mixed dried fruit
4 slices fresh white or brown bread
3tsp low fat butter
1 tbsp flaked almonds

1. This is a good recipe for Christmas. Firstly preheat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease a 1.2litre ovenproof dish with the low fat butter.

2. Spread the remaining butter over the sliced bread. Cut the bread into triangles then place in the bottom of the dish.

3. Chop up any big pieces of the dried fruit, sprinkle the fruit over the bread with the muscovado sugar.

4. In a bowl beat the eggs, coconut milk and skimmed milk together then pour over the fruit and bread. Leave to stand for around 15 – 20 minutes then sprinkle the flaked almonds on top. Place the dish in a roasting tin and pour boiling water round (in the roasting dish) so it comes half way up the side of the dish.

5. Cook for around 30-35 minutes or until the top is nice and golden in colour. Great served with hot custard.