Recipe: Michaels Rich chocolate tart

For the pastry:
250g plain flour
100g diced butter
100g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
Two eggs at room temperature

For the filling:
400g good-quality cooking milk chocolate
200ml milk
300ml double cream
Seven eggs
70g caster sugar

For the glaze:
300ml water
350g sugar
120g cocoa powder
240ml double cream

To make the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and add the diced butter. Using the fingertips, lift the butter up with the flour and rub gently with the fingers, letting it fall back into the bowl.
Once the mixture resembles a uniform crumble, add the sugar and salt and mix well. Then add the eggs and mix again, carefully bringing the mixture together to form a smooth ball. Wrap it in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C (gas mark 5). Roll out the pastry enough to line an 8in flan dish, trim to fit and prick the base with a fork a few times. To bake blind, cover the pastry on the bottom and sides of the flan with foil and weigh it down with a handful of dried beans or pasta. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and cool. Turn the oven down to 140°C (gas mark 1).

To make the filling, break up the chocolate and place in a mixing bowl. Put the milk and cream in a saucepan, bring to the boil, pour over the chocolate and mix. Place a small mixing bowl containing the eggs and caster sugar over a pan of simmering water. Whisk while it’s heating until it turns white and thickens. Fold the egg and sugar mixture into the chocolate with a large metal spoon using a cutting action rather than stirring them together.
Pour the mixture into the pastry flan case and bake for 20 minutes (turning the tray after 10 minutes). Allow to cool and then refrigerate until firm.

For the glaze, bring the water and sugar to the boil in a saucepan. Add the cocoa and cream, bring to the boil again and allow to reduce for 10 to 15 minutes, whisking occasionally. Do this until it looks like melted chocolate. Allow to cool a little and pour the glaze over the tart, smooth with a pallet knife and allow to set.
For a final flourish you could use a blow torch to “dust” the top of the glaze – one second should do it, otherwise you’ll melt the tart. When serving, to get a smooth cut, use a knife that has been dipped in hot water and dried.

Recipe: Rich chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

500g Callebaut chocolate
10 Free range egg yolks
10 Free range egg whites
250g Organic butter
200g sugar

Method

Heat a pan of water and place a bowl on top.

Place the butter and chocolate in the bowl and gently melt, remove from the heat once melted.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale, fold the mix into the chocolate mix, take your time with this , little at a time is best.

In an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until a stiff peak is achieved, fold the egg whites into the warm chocolate mix then chill for 4 hours in the fridge before serving.

Recipe: Hazelnut and Almond praline

Ingredients
300g Flaked almonds
300g Hazelnuts
200ml Water
600g Sugar

Method
place the hazelnuts on a tray and roast in a hot oven until well browned
Remove from the oven and rub off the skins
Place the almonds under the grill until lightly browned
Place the sugar and water in to a heavy based pan, bring to the boil ensuring the sugar is desolved
cook until the sugar turns golden brown (do not stir at this stage)
Remove from te heat and add the nuts, turn out the mix on to a piece of silicone, allow to cool
Store in an airtight container until required

Recipe: Basic Brulee

Ingredients
1 Ltr Double cream
12 Egg yolks
150g caster sugar
2 Vanilla pods

Method
Place the double cream in a pan & add the two vanilla pods that have been split, Bring the cream to the boil, remove from heat and allow to infuse for two hours
Pass the cream and re-boil
Mix the egg yolks & sugar in a bowl, whisk until white and fluffy
Pour on the cream & whisk well
Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water and continuously whisk until the cream reaches the ribbon stage
Pour into moulds and chill over night

Recipe: Pear and Almond Frangipane

Ingredients

For the pastry
100g Butter
Two eggs
two drops of Vanilla extract
175g Sifted plain flour

For the frangipan
200g unsalted butter
200g sugar
Four eggs
100g ground almonds
50g plain flour
One pear-peeled, halved lenghways

Method

For the pastry
Pre-heat the oven to 150c
ina mixing bowl, cream the butter with the eggs until smooth. Gently fold in the flour and vanilla extract. Wrap in cling film and rest for 45 minutes. Roll out and line an eight-inchpastry ring or flan dish. To bake blind, cover the pastry on th bottom and sides of the flan with foiland wieght down with a handful of dried beans or pasta and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, remove from the oven, lift of the foil and allow to cool.

For the frangipan
pre-heat the oven to 180c
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar , then beat in the eggs individually using a metal spoon, gently fold in the ground almonds followed by the flour

Half fill the pastry case with the mix and fan the pear slices on top. Then fill the pastry case with the remaining mix. place in the oven and bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean- about 20-25 minutes

Serve with Mascarpone and fresh berries

Recipe: sticky toffee pudding

Ingredients
250g stoned dates
2 rounded teaspoons baking powder
2 rounded teaspoons bicarbonate powder
150ml water
1 strong cup coffee, 100ml
250g unsalted butter
250g caster sugar
4 eggs
350g plain flour

Method
Pre-heat oven at 150c
Put the dates, water, baking powder, bicarb and coffee into a saucepan and bring to the boil
Remove from the heat and cool, pour the mix into a blender and blitz to a smooth paste

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together. Then add the eggs and flour. Stir in the date mix then spoon into a baking tray lined with parchment paper, this mix will fill a dish 8"x10"

Bake in the oven until set, check with a skewer, dont forget it will carry on cooking when it comes out of the oven, you dont want it to dry out.

To serve cut into portions and serve with icecream, clotted cream or you can make a salted caramel to serve with it.

Recipe: Blueberry compote

Ingredients
500g Blueberries (Frozen during the summer)
50ml lemon juice
70g sugar
1 vanilla pod

Method
Place all the ingredients into a pan, stir and allow to come to the boil
Remove the vanilla pod and allow to cool
Serve with natural yoghurt as a breakfast treat.

Recipe: Sable Biscuits

Ingredients
240g soft flour
180g butter
120g caster sugar
2 egg yolks

Method
Beat the sugar and butter to a cream
Add the egg yolk and beat into the cream
Add the flour and beat to a smooth paste
Transfer to a clean piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe into a silicone lined tray
Bake in an oven at 380c until golden brown in colour, allow to cool then store in an air tight container

Recipe: Brandy snap horns

For the brandy snap horns
Butter 9oz
Castor sugar 16oz
Flour 8 ozs
Golden syrup 8 oz

Method
Place the syrup, butter and sugar in a pan and mix over the heat
Once fully mixed together add the flour and beat until fully incorporated
Pour into a clean container
Store in refrigerator until required
To cook take the required amount and shape into a ball
Plaice on a silpat mat and cook at 180c for 6-8 minutes
Shape as required

Recipe: Brasied red cabbage

For the Cabbage
60g butter
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large red cabbage
Juice and zest of one orange
4 pinches cinnamon
240m red wine
3 tbls brown sugar
Seasoning

Method
heat the oil and butter in a pan
Add the cabbage and stir
Add the wine, sugar, cinnamon and sugar
Mix well and cook until tender
Season to your Taste and serve
This cabbage can also be stored for a few days in a fridge in an air tight container if required.

Recipe: Lemon posset

For the lemon Posset
1 pint double cream
150g sugar
2 lemons, zest and juice

Method
Pour the cream into a thick bottomed pan and add the sugar
Bring the mix to the boil for 3 minutes then remove from the heat
Allow to cool slightly, add the Zest and juice
Pass the mix and pour into the service glasses
Allow to chill for 3 hours.

Recipe: Rich hot chocolate fondant

Serves six
For the fondant
250g of plain chocolate
250g of unsalted butter
Two eggs
200g of caster sugar
135g of plain flour
30g of cocoa powder

Method

Grease six ramekins with butter, dust them with some of the cocoa powder and chill them in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. Break the chocolate into pieces and put in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water in a pan . Once it's all melted, gently mix in the butter.

Sieve the flour and remaining cocoa powder into a bowl. Whisk the eggs and sugar in another bowl until pale and fluffy. Then, using a metal spoon, rather than stir gently fold in the butter/cocoa powder mix. Spoon the mixture into the ramikns until each is 3/4 filled. Tap each to remove air bubbles, cover with cling film and chill for at least a couple of hours.

This can be done well in advance, as you can do the final cooking after you've finished your main course. Heat the oven to 200c, bake the ramekins for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow them to cool for a couple of minutes and then turn them out onto the serving plates. You could serve them with a chocolate sauce, cream or ice cream.

Recipe: Lillies Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

1.5kg hand picked blackberries
2 lemons
1kg jam sugar

Fruit is always best hand picked

Method

Wash and place the berries into a colander to air dry. Once dry, cover the berries with sugar and stir. Allow them to chill in the fridge for 3 hours. Place the berries into a thick bottomed pan, add lemon juice and gently heat then bring to the boil.

Turn down the heat and allow the jam to simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the jam from the heat and allow to cool for 40 minutes. Ensure the pots that you are using are sterilized and air dried. Pour the jam into the jars, seal and label.

As a family that makes a lot of Jam during the summer months we often find ourselves giving it away to friends and family. Our jam is not as thick as some but we use it for a lot of things rather than with the traditional toast. My wife enjoys it with Greek or natural yoghurt, the kids love it in ice-cream sundaes and I enjoy it with shortbread biscuits and a cup of tea in the garden.