75g (3oz) margarine or butter
200ml (7fl oz) cold water
100g (4oz) plain flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
300ml (10fl oz) double cream
*Note: Small piping bag or similar required

For the sauce:
50g (2oz) caster sugar
175g (6oz) plain chocolate
200ml (7fl oz) cold water
1 teaspoon butter

1. Firstly preheat oven to 200C / 400C / gas 6.

2. Place the margarine or butter into a saucepan with the 200ml of cold water and bring to the boil.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and tip in all of the plain flour immediately, beat thoroughly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is nice and smooth. Gradually beat in the eggs.

4. Cover 3 baking trays with parchment paper.

5. Using a medium nozzle, pipe walnut-sized balls on to the trays until all the mixture is used up.

6. Bake in the oven on the middle shelf for 25-30 minutes until crisp. Make a  slit in the side of each profiterole to release the steam. Then leave to cool on a wire rack.

7. To make the chocolate sauce, put the sugar, chocolate and water into a saucepan, heat gently stirring until all ingredients are dissolved. Bring to the boil then simmer for around 10 – 15 minutes until a thick pouring consistency. Stir in the butter, remove from heat and leave to cool.

8. Whip the double cream until stiff and fill profiteroles either with a piping bag or a small spoon. Arrange the profiteroles on a serving dish and drizzle over half of the sauce. Serve the remaining sauce separately for those who wish to have more.

2 packets of pizza base mix, or
2 ready-made bases
400g (14oz) fresh mozzarella cheese roughly chopped
3 tablespoons fresh tomato pasta sauce or passata
8 ripe plum tomatoes
4 crushed garlic cloves
handful of fresh basil
4 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to around 220C.

2. If you are using a packet pizza base mix, make up the base following the instructions on the packet.

3. Remove the seeds, core and juices from the plum tomatoes then roughly chop them up, place in a food processor and puree them with the basil leaves. Stir in the fresh tomato pasta sauce or passata and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season well.

4. Roll out the pizza bases to 30cm (12 inch) circles and place them on lightly oiled baking trays. Drizzle each with a little olive oil.

5. Spoon the tomato sauce over the bases, spreading it up to the rim. Scatter the mozzarella cheese over the top of each on and drizzle again with a little more olive oil.

6. Cook the pizza in the top half of the oven for around 10-15 minutes (this depends on how hot your oven is) or until the base is light brown and crisp and the topping is cooked.

7. If desired, once cooked, tear the remaining basil leaves and add some to each pizza before serving.

225g / 8oz self-raising flour, plus a little extra for dusting
55g / 2oz cold butter, cut into small cubes
Pinch of salt
25g / 1oz caster sugar
150ml / 5fl oz milk
500g / 1lb fresh clotted cream
1 jar of strawberry or raspberry jam (whichever you prefer)

1. Preheat your oven to 220C / 425F / Gas 7.

2. Line a medium sized baking tray with greaseproof paper (if you do not have any greaseproof paper just rub a thin layer of soft butter onto the tray ensuring it is well coated.

3. In a large bowl sift the salt and self-raising flour. Using your fingertips rub the cubes of butter into the flower until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

4. Add the sugar and milk to the bowl and lightly mix in until all ingredients are combined.

5. Lightly flour the work surface and place the scone mixture on to it. Flatten out the dough with your hand until it is about 1 inch thick. Using a 2 inch cookie cutter or fluted cutter, cut out 10-12 scones.

6. Place the scones on the baking tray and bake in the oven for around 12-15 minutes or until the scones are well risen and a nice golden brown colour. Remove from the oven and place onto a rack until cool.

7. Slice the scones in half when cooled then spoon some clotted cream on each scone, followed by a spoonful of jam. Or if you prefer serve the scones with the clotted cream and jam separately so people can add as much or as little jam and cream as they wish.

*If you like sultana scones just add one very good handful into the scone mixture just after stage 3 above.

2 cups plain flour
4 medium eggs (separated)
1 cup milk
1 cup of pureed banana
knobs of butter
1 tsp of vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon
syrup (optional)

1 First of all mix the egg whites until they are stiff and place in the fridge.

2 In a bowl mix together the milk, egg yolks and flour, then add the banana and mix again well. Add a pinch of cinnamon, vanilla and mix well.

3 Get a large frying pan / skillet and melt a knob of butter ensuring pan is coated well.

4 Fold 4 tablespoons of the egg white into 1 cup of pancake batter and then pour into the frying pan. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes each side or until golden brown and repeat process until all the batter mix has been used. Simple and delicious!

750g / 1 1/2lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch cubes)
3 tablespoons plain natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
large pinch of cayenne pepper
4-6 metal skewers

1. To make the marinade combine the yoghurt, tomato puree, ginger, garlic, onion, paprika, cumin and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.

2. Place the chicken in the marinade, mix well ensuring that all the chicken is coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for as long as you can, but at least 1 1/2hrs (overnight is best if you have time).

3. Preheat the grill.

4. Thread the chicken on to each skewer, then place under the hot grill (at least 4 inches away from the heat) and grill for around 3-5 minutes on each side or until the chicken is completely cook through. Serve.

*These chicken tikka pieces go great with cucumber raita or why not try them inside a pitta bread with a crisp salad.

250g/9oz ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry
jam of your choice
little butter for greasing

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

2. Grease a 12-16 hole tart mould with butter.

3. Roll out the shortcrust pastry onto a lightly floured work surface to a ¼in thickness. Using a cookie cutter, or an upturned cup, cut the rounds from the pastry so that are slightly bigger than the holes in the prepared tart tray, then press one round into each of the holes.

4. Spoon equal amounts of your preferred choice of jam into the centre of each pastry case. Then transfer the tarts to the oven and bake on the middle shelf for around 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry cases are a lovely golden-brown colour.

5. Remove the tarts from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool.

3 mashed bananas
115g butter
100g brown sugar
115ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 free-range eggs
175g wholemeal flour
100g wheat bran
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and grease a muffin tin or line with muffin cases.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until nice and soft. Add the bananas, milk, vanilla and eggs and mix well.

3. Combine the flour, bran, baking powder, baking soda and salt and blend into the banana mixture. Pour the mixture into the muffin tray or cases.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm and golden. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy.

1kg / 2lb 3oz new potatoes (Jersey Royals if possible)
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (leaves picked and roughly chopped)

1. Preheat the oven to 220C / 425F / gas 7.

2. Wash and cut the new potatoes in half (if you prefer you can keep them whole).

3. In a large pan of boiling water, boil the new potatoes until almost cooked. Drain.

3. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and season well with the sea salt and ground black pepper. Add the chopped up rosemary. Give the potatoes a quick stir ensuring they are coated well.

4. Put the potatoes onto a roasting tray and cook in the top half of the oven for around 25 minutes until lovely and golden. Serve and enjoy.

1kg chicken wings
4 tbsp ketchup
4 crushed garlic cloves
3 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
4 tbsp dark soy sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 180F / Gas 6.

2. Using a large bowl, mix together the garlic, soft brown sugar, ketchup, sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce.

3. Tip the chicken wings into the bowl and toss well, ensuring all the wings are coated. Transfer them to a large roasting tray and spread out.

4. Place the roasting tray on the middle shelf of the oven and roast for around 40 minutes until completely cooked through.

5. Serve and enjoy.

*These sweet and sticky chicken wings taste great with creamy coleslaw on the side.