Here are some more and exciting recipes from cooking club to you to try at home.   Enjoy!!

JAM TARTS

Ingredients

Jam (your choice of flavour)

28g caster sugar

255g plain flour

140g hard margarine or butter

6 tablespoons cold water

Method

1. Heat  oven to 180C/gas mark 5.
2. Sieve flour and sugar in a large bowl then rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Gradually add the water until it is a moist dough.
4. Grease a cupcake tray and cut the pastry.
5. Put the pastry into the cupcake tray and add a spoon of jam.
6. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.

CHEDDAR SCONES

Ingredients

200g self raising flour, plus a little more for dusting

50g butter, room temperature

25g porridge oats

75g grated cheddar, plus extra for topping

150ml milk

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/gas mark 7.
2. Place flour in a large bowl and rub in the butter.
3. Stir in the oats and cheese.
4. Add the milk.
5. Bring together to make a soft dough.
6. Lightly dust the work surface with a little flour and roll out the dough to approximately 2cm thick.
7. Using a 4cm plain cutter, firmly stamp out the rounds, try not to twist the cutter as this makes the scones rise unevenly.
8. Continue until all the dough has been used.
9. Transfer to a non-stick baking sheet, dust with a little more flour or grated cheese and bake in oven for 12-15 minutes, until well risen and golden.
10. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

VEGETABLE SOUP

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 celery sticks, finely diced

1 large potato, finely diced

3 tomatoes, deseeded and diced

1  1/2 litres (3 pints) vegetable or chicken stock

300g frozen mixed vegetables

400g can haricot beans, drained

4 teaspoons green pesto

Black pepper for seasoning

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion, garlic and celery over a gentle heat, until soft.
2. Add the potato and tomato and stir through.
3. Add the stock.
4. Bring the mixture to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes until the potato is soft.
5. Add the frozen vegetables and haricot beans and cook for a further 3 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.
6. Season with black pepper and serve straight away with a spoonful of pesto in each bowl and some crusty bread.

GREEK FRITTATA WITH SPINACH, OREGANO AND FETA CHEESE

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 large eggs

75g finely crumbled feta cheese

2 teaspoons fresh, chopped oregano

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

150g spinach, washed and tough stems removed

Salt and ground black pepper to season

Method

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
2. Add spinach and season with salt and pepper.
3. Toss quickly until leaves are barely wilted, about 30 seconds and remove from heat.
4. Drain and set aside.
5. Whisk the eggs, cheese, oregano, salt and pepper together until thoroughly combined.
6. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the frying pan over a medium heat.
7. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.
8. Add the spinach and turn the heat down low.
9. Add the egg mixture (do not stir) and cook over a low heat until the eggs are set, about 15 to 20 minutes.
10. Place the frying pan under the grill for 30 to 45 seconds to finish cooking the top.

FOLD-ME FIESTA PUFFS

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil or sunflower oil

1 small red pepper, cored, deseeded and finely chopped

1 shallot or onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon of ground paprika, plus extra for sprinkling

50g mozzarella cheese (optional)

250g/9oz ready made shortcrust pastry

Flour, for dusting

Beaten egg or milk to glaze

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190C/gas mark 5.
2. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the red pepper and shallot for 10 minutes over a low heat, stirring frequently, until the pepper is tender.
4. Remove from heat and add the paprika, leave to cool.
5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, 3-4mm thick and cut into 10cm squares.
6. Place a small slice of mozzarella cheese in the centre and spoon the filling into the centre of each square. 
7. Brush the edges with milk/beaten egg.
8. Bring the corners of the pastry over the filling to enclose it and press the edges firmly to seal.
9. Place the puffs on the baking sheet and brush with milk/beaten egg.
10. Sprinkle with paprika (optional).
11. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
12. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
13. Serve cold/warm.
14. Store in air tight container for up to 2 days in fridge.

MINI CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKES

Ingredients

14 milk chocolate digestive biscuits, finely crushed

100g melted butter

500g tub ricotta

3 beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g cheap dark chocolate, broken into chunks and melted

125g icing sugar

36 mini chocolate eggs

12 paper cake cases

Method

1. Heat oven to 150C/gas mark 2.
2. Line a cake/muffin tin with 12 paper cake cases.
3. Put the biscuits in a food bag and crush to small crumbs and tip into a bowl.
4. Stir in the melted butter until the crumbs are nicely coated.
5. Spoon into paper cake cases and press down to make a firm base.
6. To make the filling, put ricotta, eggs, vanilla extract and melted chocolate into a large mixing bowl.
7. Sift in the icing sugar.
8. Beat everything together with an electric whisk or a wooden spoon until combined.
9. Spoon into the paper cases and gently tap the tin to get rid of any air bubbles.
10. Bake for 30 minutes.
11. Take out from oven and gently push 3 mini eggs into the top of each cheesecake.
12. Let the cheesecakes cool completely before serving.  These can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days

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MINI CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKES

Ingredients

140g self raising flour

85g golden caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

85g butter (room temperature)

50g lemon curd

2 large eggs

100g blueberries

Paper cake cases

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
2. Place paper cake cases onto a fairy cake tray.
3. Put the flour, baking powder, butter, sugar and lemon curd into a large mixing bow.
4. Break the eggs into a small bowl and then add them to the other ingredients.
5. Using an electric whisk or wooden spoon, whisk the ingredients together until creamy.
6. Add the blueberries to the mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon.
7. Using a spoon, put the mixture into the paper cases.
8. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden.
9. Allow to cool before eating.

CINNAMON AND RAISIN SWIRLS

Ingredients

Ready to use puff pastry sheets/block

Sugar

Cinnamon

Raisins or sultanas

Beaten egg

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
2. If using a block of pastry, cut into 3 pieces, alternatively use 3-4 pastry sheets.
3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 2-3mm thick.
4. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and raisins.
5. Roll the pastry into a sausage shape and cut off the ends.
6. Using a knife, carefully cut into 2cm slices and lay on a baking tray.
7. Lightly brush with beaten egg and cook for 15-20 minutes.
8. Allow to cool before serving.

VIENNESE BISCUITS

Ingredients

Makes 24 biscuits (12 pairs)

Biscuits                                              Chocolate Butter Cream

175g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened                      100g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

40g (1  1/2oz) icing sugar                                         225g (8oz) icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence                                        1 tablespoon cocoa powder

175g (6oz) plain flour                                               1 tablespoon warm water

40g (1  1/2oz) cornflour

Method for biscuits

1. Heat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5.
2. Grease and line 2 baking trays.
3. Place the butter into a bowl and sift in the icing sugar.  Beat the mixture until creamy.
4. Stir in the vanilla essence.
5. Sift in the flour and cornflour and stir until smooth.
6. Place a teaspoon of the mixture onto the baking tray and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Continue with the rest of the mixture, ensuring you have an even amount of biscuits to sandwich together at the end.
7. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown.
8. Leave on tray for 5 minutes and then gently lift off and place on a cooling rack.

Method for buttercream

1. Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until soft and creamy.
2. Sift a third of the icing sugar into the bowl and stir in.  Sift the remaining icing sugar and stir.
3. Mix the cocoa powder and warm water together and then add to the mixture.
4. Beat all the ingredients together until pale and fluffy.
5. Sandwich the mixture between 2 biscuits and continue until all biscuits and buttercream have been used.
6. Eat straight away or keep in an airtight container in the fridge.

VEGETARIAN PITTA PIZZA BREAD

Ingredients

Pitta Bread

Tomato Puree

Various vegetables to put on the pizza - peppers, onions, sweetcorn, mushrooms, tomatoes, pineapple, olives

Grated cheese

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/gas mark 7.
2. Chop or slice your chosen vegetables into small pieces.
3. Spread some tomato puree over your pitta bread.
4. Add your chosen vegetables and sprinkle some cheese on the top.
5. Cook in the oven until golden brown.
6. Allow to cool before eating.