On my last birthday, Terry bought me a pork pie baking tin. I had always fancied making a pork pie, but did not expect to make something quite so delicious and enjoyable as I did. It was a large tin, and by the time the pie had cooled overnight and set, I thought I would have a taste when she was at church… nearly half a pie later, I was hardly able to take another mouthful, and realised I had to stop. Here is the recipe that worked soooo well!

Makes 2 Pies (make one, freeze the pastry, jelly and filling for the second).

Jelly

• Ham Stock (from a cube, or make some from pigs trotters and veg)
• Gelatine (sheets I used, but you can get powder)

Filling

• 500g-600g pack pork shoulder, boneless
• 8 slices of smoked bacon, or a chunk of smoked gammon
• Paprika or cayenne pepper
• Bit of thyme
• Teaspoon or so of salt
• 2 teaspoons of fresh ground black peppers.

Pastry

• 200ml Milk
• 8oz cookeen (vegetable lard)
• 1lb plain flour
• Good pinch of salt.

Method

Make up the jelly as per the instructions on the packet. You need about 300ml in total, add the gelatine (enough to make it set - read the instructions)

Chop the shoulder and bacon into cubes and squares - a bit bigger than the size of a man’s thumbnail (possibly big toenail size, but don’t get too hung up on measuring using these tools).

Add the rest of the filling ingredients, mix thoroughly and stick on one side whilst making the crust.

Warm the milk and a bit of the cookeen until the fat melts, let it cool (the fat will set).

Sift the flour into a biggish bowl, add the salt, and mix in the rest of the cookeen. Rub the fat in with your fingers. Add the milk and rest of the fat, mix to a nice dough.

Split the dough into two, put one half into a freezer bag. Put half the filling and half the jelly into two more freezer bags, and put the bags in your freezer - I suspect that they will not stay there long!

Take about three quarters of the remaining pastry, ball it and roll it to a thin sheet. Line the pie tin with the pastry, and push the edges out with a wooden spoon. Push the meat into the pie, roll out the remaining quarter of pastry to top the pie. Squeeze the edges together, cut off any excess and make a hole (about half an inch across) in the top of the pie.

Stick it in the oven at about 140 or 150 degree centigrade for fan ovens, twenty or thirty degrees higher for a non-fan. Leave it for three hours - you may need to cover it with some wet grease-proof paper to prevent it browning too much. Make sure the tin is in a tray, or the fat will run all over the bottom of the oven.

When it is cooked, let it cool for a couple of hours. If the jelly is set (and it better be), warm it by putting the jar in hot water and stir it a bit. When it is runny again, pour it into the pie, and leave it in the fridge overnight or at least until it won’t run jelly when you cut it in half and start eating (little slices at first).

Take photos and show everybody you know. Tell them where you got the recipe and if you have a website, give us a link - please!

This recipe was given to me by my friend Mary. It’s very easy and never fails!

Serves 6-8

For the pudding :

• 50g butter
• 180g granulated sugar
• 180g dates
• 300ml water
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 180g self-rising flour
• Vanilla essence.

For the sauce:

• 75g butter
• 75g soft dark brown sugar
• 175ml double cream

8in tin or 8 ramekins, greased.

Preheat oven to 180C

Make the sponge.

Chop the dates. Boil them, in a small saucepan, with the water for about 10 mins, or until soft, and then add the bicarbonate of soda. Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat the eggs into the butter and sugar mixture, followed by the flour, dates water and a few drops of vanilla essence. Pour into the prepared tin or ramekins. Bake for 40-45 mins, check ramekins after 35 mins.

Once cooled the puddings can be frozen, I often make a double batch so I have some in the freezer.

To make the sauce. Melt the butter in a small pan, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the double cream and cook, stirring continuously until the sauce is well blended.

The pudding can be made in advance and reheated just before serving.

For the pudding: -

• 100g Self-Raising Flour
• 100g Caster Sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 25g Cocoa Powder
• 25g Margarine
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons Milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the sauce: - 

• 100g soft brown sugar
• 25g cocoa
• 150ml hot water

1. Place the flour, caster sugar, salt and cocoa into a mixing bowl.
2. Melt the margarine in the microwave
3. Put the milk in a measuring jug and add the egg, melted margarine and mix with fork
4. Add the milk mix to the dry ingredients and mix well with wooden spoon
5. Pour mixture into buttered oven proof dish
6. Make the sauce by dissolving the cocoa and sugar in the hot water, then pour over the cake mix
7. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes on 170 degrees C, gas mk 4
8. Serve with creme fraiche

Scrumptious!

Scotch Eggs - enough for two or one greedy so and so!

• 2 Boiled Eggs (she didn’t say, but I think they were hard-boiled
• 150grms sausage meat or 100grms mashed potato and 25grms grated cheese
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 tablespoon flour
• fresh breadcrumbs

1. Remove shells from boiled eggs
2. Roll the eggs in flour
3. Coat each egg with the sausage meat or mashed potato mixture
4. Brush the eggs with beaten egg and then roll them in the breadcrumbs
5. Place on a baking tray and place in oven at 180C or gas mark 5 for 20 minutes
6. Leave to cool and eat with a salad

A chance conversation with a friend led her to tell of a cake that never failed to taste and look wonderful…

Here is the cake of my childhood dreams

Ingredients

• 175g Self Raising Flour
• 175g Caster Sugar
• 175g Butter or Margarine
• 3 Eggs
• 50g Dessicated Coconut & extra for decoration
• 45ml Coconut Milk & extra to make topping
• Raspberry Jam
• Icing Sugar

You will also need 2 sponge tins, greased or lined.

The intensity of Coconut flavour varies with the make of Coconut milk - my preference is for M&S.

Method

• Preheat the oven - 170 degrees C for a fan oven.
• Prepare the tins - I recommend the liners that you can buy at lakeland plastics.
• Cream (beat with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer) the sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat in.
• Add the flour and baking powder
• When well mixed add the dessicated coconut and coconut milk
• Evenly transfer the mixture to the two tins
• Bake for about 20 mins until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack
• When cool, spread raspberry jam over one sponge and sandwich the two together.
• Make a topping using the icing sugar and some coconut milk
• Mix in some dessicated Coconut and cover the top of the sponge.
• Press more coconut into the icing
• The finishing touch would be a glace cherry in the centre, although the cake tastes great without one