Baingan Raita - Grilled Eggplant in Yoghurt Sauce

Ingredients: 1 can Grilled Eggplant, or you can do you it over gas flame or in the oven 2 onions, chopped 8 cloves garlic, minced green hot peppers, chopped (as many as you desire) 1 Sliced red pepper salt, as per taste a pinch of sugar black pepper powder Good pinch turmeric 1 rounded tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder / handful chopped coriander leaves yogurt (I think about 1-2 cups) Method: Fry the chopped onions, till translucent (not golden brown). Add in the garlic and green peppers, and sautee for a few minutes. Add the sugar, salt, garam masala, the grilled eggplant, mix and turn off the heat after 5 minutes. Cool it completely and stir in the beaten yogurt. That’s it, serve at room temperature. Garnish with chopped cilantro and chopped green hot peppers (without the seeds if you dont want it hot). This is good as a side dish to complement Indian food, or as a dip with crackers.

World Peace Cookies Recipe

World Peace Cookies Recipe
Recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours, metric measurements from Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen
Makes about 36 cookies
Ingredients:

1¼ cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons or 150 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3cup (120 grams) (packed) light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 grams) sugar
½ teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces (150 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous ¾ up store-bought mini chocolate chips

Method:

Make the cookie dough: Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the flour. Drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek — if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough — for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before baking — just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

Getting ready to bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Working with a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them — don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about one inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes — they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.

Serving: The cookies can be eaten when they are warm or at room temperature — Doris prefers them at room temperature, when the textural difference between the crumbly cookie and the chocolate bits is greatest — and are best suited to cold milk or hot coffee.

Storing: Packed airtight, cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days; they can be frozen for up to 2 months. They can also be frozen in log form for months, and can be sliced and baked directly from the freezer, adding a few minutes to the baking time.

Tips: If you find it difficult to shape the dough into a log, do it between a piece of parchment paper. To avoid very crumbly cookie dough when slicing, ensure that the butter is soft at room temperature before mixing, the chocolate chunks are small and the dough cold but not freezing. Let it rest on the counter for 5 to 15 minutes after being removed from the fridge or freezer. To avoid spreading cookies, chill the tray of sliced cookie dough for 5 to 10 minutes before baking. If the log breaks while cutting, just rearrange the crumbs and press them together again to form a round cookie.

Matcha Almond Cookies Recipe

Matcha Almond Cookies Recipe

Yield 24 cookies | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 14-16 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed powdered sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon matcha powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly chopped

Method:

Sift together the all purpose flour, matcha powder and salt.

With an electric mixer at medium speed, cream the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.

Lower the mixer speed. Add in sifted ingredients 1 tablespoon at a time until dough is formed.

Add in the sliced almond in 3 batches and stop the mixer immediately once all combined.

Remove the dough and place on a 22 inches long plastic wrap. Roll the dough into a 1 1/2 inches thick log. Wrap the log with the plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment papers.

Remove the dough from the freezer. Use a sharp knife and cut the dough 1/4 inch thick each. Arrange the cookie dough on the baking pan 2 inches apart.

Bake them for 14-16 minutes on the middle rack. Remove the cookies to wire rack to cool completely before storing in air tight containers.

Cook’s Notes:

1. If using salted butter stick, omit the salt in the ingredients.
2. Culinary quality matcha powder can be found at Japanese grocery stores.
3. To convert to metric measurement, please use the conversion tool.

Toddler walnut cookies

My daughter loves making these biscuits, though hers tend to be on the very large side at the moment.....

Ingredients makes about 15 biscuits
220 g (8 oz) spelt flour or superfine whole meal flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100 g (4oz) ground walnuts
100 ml (4 fl oz) raw honey, warmed
100 ml (4 fl oz) walnut oil or sunflower oil

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together
3. Add the wet ingredients and mix to form a dough
4. Form the mixture into small balls, place on a baking tray giving each one space to spread, and flatten with a fork
5. Bake for 5 minutes
6. Cool biscuits on a wire rack

Tip: you can replace the walnuts with almonds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts or any other suitable nut. I've also tried sunflower seeds.

Banana Yoghurt Cake

Ingredients:
2 small or 1 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup natural yoghurt
1/2 cup unhydrogenated margarine (I use sunflower oil instead)
1 large organic egg
22gg (8 oz) spelt flour
1/3 cup fructose (I use honey instead)
3 teaspoons baking powder
a dusting of icing sugar (optional)

Method:
1.  Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F / Gas 4.
2.  Combine the banana, yoghurt, margarine, egg, and fructose in a food processor until smooth.  Add flour and baking soda.  Pulse till mixed through.
3.  Scrape the mixture into a well-greased loaf tin.
4.  Bake for 45 ins to 1 hour until cooked through.
5.  Put on a wire rack to cool and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

Tip:  For toddlers, allow them to spoon into cup cake cases, and add toppings as desired before or after baking as appropriate (e.g. marshmallows, raspberries)

Banana pancakes

Ingredients:
200g plain or SR flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda  (or if SR flour 1 tsp baking soda)
50 g sunflower oil
2 medium eggs
300g milk plus a little more
2-3 ripe bananas (depending on how banana-y desired)

1.  Put all the ingredients in the TM bowl.  Mix 20 seconds / Speed 6.  The mixture should be the consistency of double cream.  If it's too thick, add a little more milk and mix again.

2. Heat pan to right heat at low-medium flame.  Add a little oil - use kitchen towel to wipe over whole of pan, and mop up excess.  Pour to make pancakes of desired size.  Turn when bubbles have just stopped forming.

Tip:  Serve with strawberries, blueberries, maple syrup, nectarines, oranges etc - whatever fruits are in season.  Also works with savoury toppings - e.g. goats cheese, salami..

Easy Peasy Waffles

From this link

Ingredients

15 g sugar
60 g butter (90g butter if using semi-skimmed milk)
400 g milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla or maple syrup
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
250 g SR flour

Preparation

1.

Mill sugar on speed 9 for 3 seconds
Add butter to TMX bowl and melt for 1 minute at 90° on soft speed
Add milk, vanilla/syrup and eggs to TMX bowl and beat for 10 seconds on speed 4.
Add remaining ingredients and mix for 10 seconds on speed 6
Cook as per your waffle maker instructions. Enjoy!

Adriana's Amaretti Biscuits

Adriana's Amaretti Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
2 tsp honey
1 pinch sea salt
180 g ground almonds
150 g caster sugar/fine sugar
100 g dried fruits e.g. apricots, cherries, prunes (not dates) snipped into quarters
100 g nuts e.g. pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts
icing sugar for dipping

Method:
Insert clean Butterfly Whisk into clean grease-free TM bowl.
Whisk egg whites, honey and salt 2 minutes/Speed 3½/Measuring Cup OFF.  
Remove the Butterfly Whisk and add the remaining ingredients.
Stir Speed 2/Reverse Blade Direction until mixed, about 20 seconds.

Using wet hands, shape into small rough dough balls and dip half the ball into the icing sugar. Place on a lightly greased baking tray, icing sugar side up and bake at 190°C with fan/375°F/gas 5 for 12 minutes or until just golden. Aga ovens: Bake on the rack set on the floor of the Roasting Oven for 9 to 12 minutes.

Alternative:  At step 2 add 50 g of dark or white chocolate chips.

Suggested combinations: Cranberry and pistachio Apricot and almond Cherry and almond Fig and walnut Prune, apricot and pistachio Prune and walnut Cherry and dark chocolate chip (omit nuts) Pistachio and white chocolate chip (omit fruit) Hazelnut and white chocolate chip (omit fruit)

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies from vanillasugarblog.com

Cookies:

1 cup + 2 ½ TB all purpose flour

1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa

1 & ¾ sticks (7 ounces) unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 and ½ ts pure vanilla extract

2 TB (or more) of whole milk

¼ ts salt

.

Filling:

½ cup + 2 TB good quality white chocolate chips or chunks

¼ cup (more or less) raspberry coulis (see below)

.

Raspberry Coulis:

1 pint fresh raspberries

2 TB granulated sugar, or to taste

1 TB fresh lemon juice, or to taste

.

Cook notes: The raspberry coulis can be made a couple days ahead of time. Simply keep it in the fridge, tightly covered until ready to use. When ready to use, please let it come to room temperature before using. The melted white chocolate will seize up if you add a cold coulis to it. If you don’t want to make the coulis you could easily just fill the thumbprints with melted white or dark chocolate. Or even any flavored Hershey kiss would work. It is hard to tell when the cookies are done because of their dark color. They won’t brown, but look for dry cookies or cracked. Don’t bake them any longer than 10 minutes! Mine were done in 8 minutes.

.

For the coulis: Put all the ingredients in medium sauce pan and cook over medium (not high!) heat until fruit is mostly dissolved and mixture has reduced a bit as well as thickened up; about 30 minutes or more. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pushing down on the solids. You might have to let this sit for a while to finish draining—it takes a while. Don’t forget to scrape off the bottom side of the sieve for all the juicy, thickened pulp. Discard the seeds. Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice if needed; it shouldn’t need anything. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

.

For the cookies: Sift flour and cocoa together into a medium bowl. With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the vanilla and salt; continue beating until blended and smooth, about 1 minute more.

Add the flour-cocoa mixture and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, about 1 minute. Then add in the whole milk—it might not need the whole 2 tablespoons, but use enough to help it come together. This is a dry dough, so don’t add in any more than 2 TB. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm enough to roll into balls, about 60 minutes (or longer).

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners. Using your palms, roll heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch balls. Or 2-inch balls. Arrange them 2 inches apart on the lined sheets.

With a lightly floured thumb or index finger-tip, press straight down into the middle of each ball almost to the cookie sheet to make a deep well. (Or use the end of a thick-handled wooden spoon.)

Bake one sheet at a time until the tops of the cookies look dry, 8 to 10 minutes.

Gently redefine the indentations with the end of a wooden spoon.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes and then let them cool completely on racks.

If you’ve made the coulis ahead of time, now is the time to take it out of the fridge and let come to room temperature.

,

For the filling: Put the white chocolate over a double boiler over low heat. Melt slowly and keep stirring until melted. Once melted add in the raspberry coulis, slowly, a bit at a time, all the while stirring. You can use as much or a little raspberry coulis as you like. The coulis is strong, so a ¼ cup is plenty.

Using a small spoon simply fill each cookie with a teaspoon amount of filling. You could also pour the chocolate mixture into a pastry bag or plastic bag and pipe in the filling. I found a small spoon to work wonders. Cool completely before serving or storing. Should make: if you rolled them into 1-inch balls about 34-36 cookies; if you rolled them into 2-inch balls about 16-19 cookies.

Prune and chocolate cake

Prune and chocolate cake

From this link http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/16/christmas-lunch-recipes

This rich and elegant cake is deceptively simple to make, and a great alternative for the many who don't get on with Christmas pud and mince pies. Serves eight to 10.

12 pitted prunes
100ml brandy
250g butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
250g dark chocolate, about 70%, broken into pieces
4 eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
100g light muscovado sugar
50g plain flour
50g finely ground almonds
1 tbsp icing sugar

Soak the prunes in the brandy overnight. Next day, grease a 23cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Butter the parchment. Heat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Drain the prunes, reserving the soaking liquid, and gently pat dry on kitchen paper.

Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the base of the bowl. Stir occasionally until the butter and chocolate have melted, then leave to cool slightly. Whisk the egg yolks and sugars in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture. Combine the flour and almonds, then fold them in, too.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks. Stir a large spoonful of egg white into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then fold in the rest of the egg whites with a large metal spoon or spatula, trying to keep in as much air as possible.

Pour half the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange the prunes over the top, then spoon over the rest of the mixture. Bake for about 30 minutes, until only just set – it should still wobble slightly in the centre – then leave to cool for about 15 minutes before releasing the tin.

Dust with icing sugar, and serve warm or cold, on its own or with thick cream or creme fraiche – flavour the cream with some of the prunes' soaking liquid and a bit of icing sugar, if you like.

My Tiramisu

At long last I've decided to share my secret tiramisu recipe, (mainly because I keep on forgetting it if I don't make it for a long time) but also because it's nice to share.

Ingredients (serves 6)* EGGS, 4, with yolks and whites separated
* SUGAR, a pinch
* MASCARPONE, 500g
* Sponge finger biscuits, 10-15
* AMARETTI biscuits, a standard small bag
* Espresso or Strong Coffee, 1 cup
* Cognac or Brandy, to taste (I'm quite liberal)
* COCOA, 1/8 cup
* Vanilla extract, 1 tsp or a pod of real vanilla

Directions

1. Separate egg whites and yolk.
2. Whisk egg whites with a pinch of sugar in TM, with butterfly whisk, speed 4 keeping an eye on it until firm (mixture should form soft peaks when touched with a spoon and spoon lifted off).  Pour out and put to one side.
3. Put the egg yolks and a tablespoon of brandy into the TM bowl and heat 5 mins/ 80 C / Speed 4 (if you don't have a TM, then just mix the egg yolks and brandy without heating)
4. Add mascarpone, vanilla and mix 20 seconds / speed 4. Empty the mixture into a large bowl.
5. Gently fold in the egg white into the mixture.
6. Mix the brandy into the coffee to taste
7. Arrange the lady fingers and amaretti biscuits into an appropriate medium rectangular flat dish (about equal amounts of each, you can vary the ratio to your preference), and soak with the coffee and brandy mixture
8. Spoon the mascarpone mixture on top.
9. Sprinkle with the cocoa
10. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight

Breadsticks

At this link

Ingredients


For the dough
- 500 g Manitoba Flour
- 80 g Vegetable Oil (peanut oil in this recipe)
- 1 Brewer's Yeast Cube
- 1 Full Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Sugar
- 260 g Water

For the surface
- Coarse Salt to taste
- Sesame Seeds or Poppy Seeds or Rosemary or Chilli Pepper


How to prepare the Bread Sticks with Thermomix

Put water, oil, yeast and sugar in the bowl. 10 Sec. Speed 3.

Add flour and salt. 2 Min. Speed Dough Mode.

Roll this dough out in a 1/2 cm thick sheet.

Using a pastry wheel cut into stripes 1-2 cm large.

Spread with oil and let leaven for 12 Min.

Sprinkle with some coarse salt and sesame seeds (or poppy seeds or rosemary or chilli pepper according to your taste) and bake at 250°C for 12 Min.

Millionaire's SHORTBREAD WITH ROSEMARY-INFUSED SALTED caramel

From this link.

Ingredients

225g plain flour

85g caster sugar

315g unsalted butter

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

4 tbsps golden syrup

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 tsp Maldon sea salt

200g good-quality plain chocolate (at least 70pc cocoa solids)

Method

The rosemary-salted caramel is revolutionary. You would never think to pair the two ingredients, but rosemary adds a mature depth to this normally too-sweet treat. And the basic shortbread recipe is fantastic on its own, too.

Makes: 16 squares

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Cooling time: 1 hour

1Pre-heat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3. Line a 23cm square brownie tin with greaseproof paper. Put the flour and sugar into a bowl and rub in 200g of the butter -- the texture will be sandy but malleable enough to form a ball shape when pushed together. Press this sandy shortbread mixture into the tin and smooth it with your knuckles. Prick it with a fork and bake for five minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 150°C/Gas Mark 2 and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until pale golden and no longer doughy. Let it cool in the tin.

2Melt the remaining 115g butter in a pan over a low heat for two to three minutes, then add the condensed milk, golden syrup and rosemary sprigs.

3Whisk the mixture well until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. Bring it to a slow simmer then, keeping the temperature even, cook for 10 minutes, stirring continuously, until thickened and light golden-brown in colour (this mixture can burn very easily, so never take your eyes off it). Very carefully remove the rosemary from the pan, then pour the sauce evenly over the cooled shortbread. Sprinkle with the salt and leave it to set.

4 Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for one minute and 45 seconds on high, or until fully melted, stirring halfway through. Leave to cool for five minutes, then pour and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the toffee mixture and leave to cool in the fridge for one hour. Once set, cut the caramel shortbread into 16 squares.

The squares can be stored in the fridge, but if you keep them at room temperature for a while the caramel goes lovely and gooey!

Olive Oil / Coconut Oil Lotion

Lotion

2 cups melted coconut oil
1 cup olive oil
10 drops each:
tea tree oil
lemon oil
lavender oil
5 drops oregano oil

Use your own combination of essential oils for the qualities you need and/or the scent you desire.

Chinese Dumplings (Jiaozi) Demo on Youtube

On this link.

Foolproof mayonnaise

From this link

Description

You can make this recipe with a whisk instead of in a food processor.

Ingredients

2 free-range egg yolks
1 free-range egg
1 tbsp French mustard
½ lemon, juice only
½ tsp caster sugar
400ml/14¼fl oz vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor for 10-15 seconds, or until well combined. While the motor is running, pour the oil into the food processor very slowly until the well combined and the mixture is thick and glossy.
2. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Tip: You can play around with the recipe and add lemon or lime zest for a citrus mayo or garlic to make a garlic mayo.

Rum babas

From this link

Ingredients

115g/4oz unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing 75g/2½oz currants or mixed dried fruit
4 tbsp dark rum
2 tbsp cold water
225g/8oz plain flour
1 x 7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast
½ tsp fine sea salt
4 large free-range eggs, beaten
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp clear honey
For the syrup
400g/14oz caster sugar
400ml/14fl oz water
3 tbsp clear honey
4-6 tbsp dark rum
To serve
double cream

Method

1. Grease a deep 12-hole muffin tin or 8-10 metal rum baba moulds set on a baking tray.
2. Place the currants in a pan with the rum and cold water. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Once boiled, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the yeast and salt. Whisk the beaten eggs in a separate bowl with the milk and honey until well combined. Gradually mix the egg mixture and the 115g/4oz butter into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Beat for about 4-5 minutes, or until smooth and glossy.
4. Drain the currants, reserving the rum, and stir the currants into the batter. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and set aside in a warm place to rise for about an hour, or until the mixture has roughly doubled in size. The batter should reach the top of the muffin tins.
5. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Bake the rum babas in the oveb for 12-15 minutes or until risen and golden-brown.
6. Meanwhile, for the syrup, place the sugar into a saucepan with the cold water and heat gently, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, then add the reserved rum, the additional four tablespoons of rum and the honey. Simmer for a few more seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.
7. Remove the rum babas from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for five minutes. Loosen the sides with a blunt-ended knife and turn the rum babas out into a large, shallow ceramic dish.
8. Pour half of the syrup slowly over the rum babas. Set aside for five minutes to allow the syrup to be absorbed.
9. Carefully turn the rum babas over in the dish. Pour over the remaining syrup, reserving a few tablespoons for serving, and leave the rum babas to stand for a further ten minutes. Turn them over one final time, then cover the dish with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. (They will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.)
10. To serve, spoon one rum baba per person onto a serving plate and spoon over a little bit of the syrup in the dish and a few spoonfuls of double cream.

Key Lime Pie

From this link

Ingredients

For the base
175g/6oz digestive biscuits
80g/3oz butter
50g/2oz caster sugar
For the filling
3 large free-range eggs, separated
2 limes, finely grated zest
125ml/4½fl oz lime juice
210ml/7½fl oz condensed milk
80g/3oz caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
½ tsp cream of tartar
To serve
handful fresh blueberries
whipped cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the pastry base, finely crush the biscuits by placing into a plastic bag and bashing with a rolling pin (alternatively, pulse to crumbs using a food processor). Transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then pour over the biscuit crumbs. Add the sugar, then mix well to combine. Evenly spread the biscuit mixture in a 23cm/9in pie case, making sure to cover the sides of the tin as well. Level off any excess biscuit mixture.
4. For the filling, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice and condensed milk until smooth and creamy, then mix into the egg yolk mixture. Pour the mixture into the pie case.
5. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Gradually fold in the sugar, vanilla extract, salt and cream of tartar, then whisk again until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue mixture over the filling in the pie case, using a fork to form the meringue into peaks.
6. Bake the pie in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the meringue is golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Place into the fridge to chill completely before serving.
7. To serve, cut slices of the key lime pie and serve with a scattering of blueberries and a few spoonfuls of whipped cream.

Traditional rice pudding

From this link

Ingredients

100g/3½oz sultanas
1 mug hot strong black tea
1.3 litres/2 pints 7fl oz milk
300ml/10½fl oz double cream
200g/7oz pudding rice
100g/3½oz golden granulated sugar
pinch freshly ground nutmeg
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
clotted cream, to serve
jam, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas 2.
2. Place the sultanas in a bowl and pour over the hot tea. Set aside to soak for ten minutes, then drain (discard the tea).
3. In a large casserole dish or rice pudding dish (roughly 30cm x 20cm/12in x 8in), mix together the milk and cream. Stir in the rice, sugar and a pinch of nutmeg. Add the vanilla pod and seeds, then stir in the soaked sultanas.
4. Cover the dish with a lid or sheet of aluminium foil, then cook in the oven for 1½ hours. Remove the lid or foil and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the top is lightly golden and has formed a skin.
5. To serve, spoon the rice pudding into serving bowls and serve with spoonfuls of clotted cream and jam.

Pretzels

From this link

Ingredients

2 free-range eggs
350g/12¼oz plain flour
250g/8¾oz cheddar, grated, plus extra for topping
250g/8¾oz butter, softened
2 tbsp caraway seeds
salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Whisk one of the eggs in a bowl. Beat in the flour, cheese, butter, one tablespoon of the caraway seeds and a pinch of salt until the mixture comes together as a dough. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 1cm/½in thickness. Using a pretzel cutter or a biscuit cutter, cut the pretzels out and place onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. (you may need more than one baking tray.)
4. Beat the remaining egg in a bowl and brush over pretzels. Sprinkle the remaining caraway seeds over the pretzels and the extra grated cheese.
5. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.