Recipes
Class 105
Chocolate biscuits
Class 93
Knitted plaited necklace
Class 78:
Devonshire honey cake
Class 80:
Coffee and walnut cake
200g/7oz butter
50g/2oz caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
175g/6oz plain flour
20g/¾oz cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
50g/2oz cornflakes
30g 4-ply yarn
100 beads for each strand of the necklace
(optional). Thread the beads on to your
yarn before starting to knit.
A moist, toffee-flavoured cake which keeps
for 4-5 days in an airtight tin.
115g/4oz self-raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
115g/4oz butter or margarine, softened
2 large eggs
115g/4oz golden caster sugar
1 rounded tablespoon instant coffee
50g/2oz walnuts, very finely chopped
plus 8 extra halves for decorating the top
When choosing beads make sure the hole
in the centre is big enough to take the 4-ply
yarn doubled as you thread the beads on to
the yarn before starting to knit. To thread
beads on to yarn you will need needles with
a large eye to allow your wool to pass
through easily. They are available from
good craft shops
To decorate
100-125g/4-5oz icing sugar
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
water to mix
approx 12-13 glacé cherries
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark
4. Large flat baking tray, well greased.
Cream the butter and sugar until soft and
light, add vanilla essence. Sieve the flour,
cocoa and baking powder, crush cornflakes
lightly. Blend all of these into creamed
butter and sugar. Divide into small pieces,
press hard to form into neat rounds and
place the biscuits on the baking tray
allowing room for them to spread.
Bake until firm to the touch, handle
carefully while still warm. Lift on to a wire
rack when nearly cold and when quite cold
decorate. Biscuits keep well in an airtight
tin and are best left until ready to serve
before icing.
Blend the icing sugar, cocoa and enough
water to give a soft spreading consistency.
Top each biscuit with a little icing and a
halved cherry.
Enter 5 for the Show.
PB = place bead. Do this by sliding a
bead up your yarn as close to the righthand needle as possible. Knit the next
stitch.
Cast on 200 stitches and knit 3 rows of
stocking stitch, starting with a PURL row.
Row 4: Knit 1 (PB, knit 4) repeat to last 3
stitches, PB. Knit 3.
Row 5: Purl
Row 6: Knit 3 (PB, knit 4) repeat to last
stitch. Knit 1.
Knit 3 more rows in stocking stitch, starting
with a purl row. Cast off.
Make 3 strands in this way (looks best in
different colours)
Pin one end of each strand together and
plait the strands, making sure they do not
get twisted in the process. Sew the three
strands together at either end of your plait.
(The yarn end from a plait can be used for
this.)
To fasten the necklace make a small
crochet loop at one end (use a yarn end if it
is long enough) and sew a button to the
other - or buy sew-on fastenings in craft
shops or online.
Finished necklace in 3 different colours
250g/9oz clear honey, plus about 2
tablespoons extra to glaze.
225g/8oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces.
100g/3½ oz dark muscovado sugar.
3 large eggs, beaten.
300g/10oz self-raising flour.
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/
300°F/gas mark 3. Butter and line a
20cm/8" round loose-bottomed cake tin.
Drop butter pieces into a medium-sized
saucepan with the honey and sugar. Melt
slowly over a low heat. When the mixture
looks quite liquid, increase the heat under
the pan and boil for about one minute.
Leave to cool for 15-20 minutes. Beat the
eggs into the cooled, melted honey mixture
using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour into a
large bowl and pour in the egg and honey
mixture, beating to give a smooth, quite
runny batter.
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for
50 minutes - 1 hour (may take longer) until
the cake is well-risen, golden brown,
springs back when pressed and a skewer
pushed into the centre comes out clean.
Turn the cake out onto a wire rack, warm
the 2 tablespoons of honey in a small pan
and brush over the top of the cake to give a
sticky glaze, then leave to cool.
Coffee butter cream:
115g/4oz butter
225g/8oz icing sugar
3 dessertspoons cold milk
3-4 teaspoons instant coffee
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark
3. Grease and base-line two 18cm/7” round
sponge tins.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large
mixing bowl, then add the butter, eggs,
caster sugar and coffee powder. Using an
electric whisk, mix to a smooth, creamy
consistency for about 1 minute, then fold in
the chopped nuts.
Divide the mixture between the two
prepared tins, level, and bake for about 25
minutes until the centre springs back when
lightly pressed with your little finger.
Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
Coffee butter cream: in a small bowl beat
the butter until soft then gradually beat in
the icing sugar, instant coffee and milk until
light and fluffy.
Spread half the filling over one cake,
sandwich them together, and spread the
rest over the top. Decorate with the walnut
halves.
Class 81
Plum loaf cake
250g/9oz red plums
100g/4oz butter or margarine, softened
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
100g/4oz golden caster sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
125g/4½oz self-raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
50g/2oz porridge oats
Icing
100g/4oz icing sugar
3-4 teaspoons orange juice
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark
4. Grease and line a 450g/1lb loaf tin,
making sure that the paper projects at least
1cm/½" above the rim of the tin.
Halve and stone the plums, then cut into
chunky slices. Beat together the butter,
orange zest and sugar until pale and
creamy. Gradually add the beaten eggs,
mixing well after each addition. Sift the flour
and baking powder into the bowl, add the
oats and gently mix. Stir in two-thirds of the
plums and tip the mixture into the loaf tin,
spreading it level. Scatter the remaining
plums over the surface. Bake for about 1
hour or until the surface feels firm to the
touch. Leave in the tin for 20 minutes then
transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Beat together the icing sugar and enough
orange juice to make a smooth paste, then
drizzle over the top of the cake.
Class 82
Chocolate and pecan brownies
150g/5½oz dark chocolate
150g/5½oz unsalted butter
100g/4oz pecans, crushed
3 eggs
225g/8oz light muscovado sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g/4oz plain flour, sifted
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark
4. Grease and line a baking tray approx.
23 x 33cm/9" x 13".
Place the chocolate and butter in a
heatproof bowl and set over a pan of
simmering water. Stir gently until the
chocolate has melted. Remove from the
heat and add the pecans. In another mixing
bowl whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until
smooth, then fold in the flour. Fold in the
melted chocolate, taking care not to overmix, and pour into the prepared tin.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Leave
to cool slightly before cutting into squares
and serving.
Enter 5 squares for the show.
Class 84
Maids of Honour
175g/6oz shortcrust pastry
Filling
Red jam
50g/2oz margarine
50g/2oz caster sugar
1 medium egg
50g/2oz self raising flour
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark
6. Roll out pastry thinly and cut into
7½cm/3" rounds and line 15 patty tins.
Put a little jam in each pastry case. Cream
margarine and sugar, beat in egg and fold
in the flour. Place a small spoonful of
mixture in each pastry case. Bake for
about 20 minutes.
Cool and dredge with icing sugar.
Enter 5 for the show.
Class 85
Millionaire's shortbread
Shortbread
250g/9oz plain flour
75g/3oz golden caster sugar
175g/6oz softened butter
Caramel
150g/5½oz butter
150g/5½oz dark brown soft sugar
1 can 397g/14oz condensed milk
Topping
200g/7oz plain chocolate
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark
4. Grease and line a baking tray approx.
23cm x 33cm/9" x 13".
To make shortbread whiz the ingredients in
a processor until you have fine crumbs,
then pulse briefly to form a dough. Knead
very lightly on a floured work surface then
press into the baking tin. Bake for 20
minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
To make the caramel heat the butter and
sugar in a pan gently stirring until melted
together, add the condensed milk and bring
to the boil, stirring all the time. Reduce heat
and simmer very gently, continuing to stir,
for about 5 minutes or until the mixture has
thickened slightly. Pour over the shortbread
and leave to cool.
To make the topping break the chocolate
into pieces and melt gently in a bowl set
over a pan of hot water. Pour over the cold
caramel and leave to set. Cut into squares.
Tip: To make it easier to cut through the
chocolate, dip your knife into hot water.
Enter 5 squares for the show.
Class 86
Cheesecake
200g/7oz digestive biscuits
75g/3oz unsalted butter
Filling:
400g/14oz full-fat cream cheese at room
temperature
300g/10½oz mascarpone, at room
temperature
150g/5½oz icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g/4oz of your own choice chocolate bar
or similar (eg. Maltesers, Crunchy bar)
Line a 23cm/9" round flan tin or dish.
Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin, melt
the butter in a large saucepan, add the
biscuit crumbs, mix well and press into the
bottom of the tin. Chill.
To make the topping, blend together the
cream cheese and mascarpone until light
and fluffy. Add the icing sugar a little at a
time and mix in the vanilla.
Roughly chop or crush your chosen
chocolate bar/sweets and fold into the
cheese mixture then spread over the biscuit
base. Cover with cling film and chill in the
fridge for at least 4 hours.
Class 102
Marshmallow crunch
25g/1oz glacé cherries
75g/3oz puffed rice cereal
25g/1oz butter
100g/4oz pink and white marshmallows
Grease a baking tin approx. 20cm/8"
square.
Cut the glacé cherries into small pieces.
If you have big marshmallows cut them in
half. Put the marshmallows and butter into
a large pan and heat gently, stirring
occasionally until everything has just
melted. Remove from the heat, mix in the
cereal and chopped cherries. Spoon into
the baking tin, spread evenly and leave to
cool. Cut into about 16 squares.
Enter 5 squares for the show.