Ingredients

170g unsalted butter
170g light brown sugar
4 medium sized eggs
100ml apple juice
170g sultanas
170g raisins
170g currants
250g plain flour
55g ground almonds
2 x 15ml tablespoons black treacle
1 x 5ml teaspoon mixed spice
½ x 5ml teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ x 5ml teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1 x 15ml table spoon bicarbonate of soda
55g toasted flaked almonds, chopped
255g mixed dried fruit, chopped
30g glacé cherries, halved
2 – 3 x 15ml tablespoons sherry

Try this beautiful cake recipe in your halogen oven and let us now what you think!

You won’t be disappointed!

Method:
1. Pre-heat the Halogen Oven to 140ºC (290ºF).
2. Whisk the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Beat the eggs & add to the butter, a little at a time, beating well between each addition
4. Stir in the treacle.
5. Sift the flour and dry ingredients together, add the fruit and stir into the butter mixture. Stir in the sherry and add just enough apple juice to moisten.
6. Turn the mixture into a deep, 25cm (9 inch) prepared cake tin (ideally a ring shaped tin) and bake in the Halogen Oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour. (low to medium rack)
If cooked, a skewer will come out clean, when inserted into the middle of the cake
7. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before lifting onto a wire rack to cool.

Ingredients

I use the Delia all-in-one method for sponge cakes plus a tablespoon of hot water (a tip given to me by a cake maker), spoon the mixture in to two 8 inch sponge tins.

I then place a tin on the lower rack of my JML HO and use the upper rack covered in foil to stop the cake from burning.

Time it for 30 to 35 minutes at 170 degrees (175 to finish it off if the its not fully cooked inside).

I find the results to be a golden sponge cake, light and fluffy.

My only gripe is that I can’t bake two at a time. So far I’ve cooked 3 sponge cakes using this method and they all are perfect.

1. For beginners, making cakes can seem a bit of a daunting prospect but, as with all cooking skills, once you’ve been taught the correct way, you can proceed without fear and have success every time. Using the wrong tins is probably the cause of 90 per cent of failures – for this quantity you will need two 8 inch (20 cm) diameter sponge tins, 1½ inches (4 cm) deep. Lightly grease them and line each one with a circle of silicone paper (baking parchment), also lightly greased.

2. For an 8 inch (20 cm) sandwich cake, start off by sifting 6 oz (175 g) of self-raising flour and a rounded teaspoon of baking powder into a very large mixing bowl, holding the sieve quite high to give the flour a good airing as it goes down.

3. Next, break 3 large eggs into the flour and add 6 oz (175 g) of caster sugar and 6 oz (175 g) of butter – the butter has to be at room temperature, so soft that the blade of a knife will make a deep impression straight away. Finally, add half a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

4. Now you just go in with an electric hand whisk and whisk everything together until you have a smooth, well-combined mixture. This will take about one minute – if you don’t have an electric whisk, you can use a wooden spoon with a little more effort.

5. What you now end up with is a mixture that drops easily off the spoon when you give it a tap on the edge of the bowl. If it does seem a little too stiff, add 1-2 teaspoons of tap water and mix again.

6. Divide the sponge mixture equally between the prepared tins and level out the surface with a palette knife.

7. Place them on the centre shelf of a pre-heated oven – gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C) and bake for 30-35 minutes. Don’t open the oven door until 30 minutes have elapsed. To test if they are cooked or not, touch the centre lightly with your little finger. If it leaves no impression and springs back, the sponge is cooked.

8. Remove them from the oven then wait for about 5 minutes before turning them out on to a cooling rack and carefully peeling off the base paper.

9. Leave the sponge to get completely cold before you add your filling and topping.

Copyright to this recipe belongs to Delia Smith

Ingredients

1.5kg Sprouts 284ml double cream 150g parmesan

Bring a pan of unsalted water to the boil, Remove all the leaves from the outside of the sprouts and place them in the water, lid on, turn down the heat and cook until parboiled – about 4-6 minutes.
Drain, then tip into the food processor, along with the cream, salt and pepper. Blend for 20 seconds or so – they should be roughly chopped up, not a smooth purée.
Stir all the parmesan into the sprout mash except for enough to sprinkle over the top, then transfer to an ovenproof dish.
Sprinkle the left over parmesan on top and bake for 8-10 minutes on HI until the top has developed a fine, crunchy crust.

Enjoy.

(c) cherrymay

Ingredients

4 Portabello mushrooms (or other large flat mushrooms)
6oz / 170g soft cheese
1 egg
1tsp wholegrain mustard
8 Cherry tomatoes
2 tblsp fresh finely chopped or snipped chives
salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Place a baking tray on the top rack of your HO and preheat at 170C for 5 minutes or so.

Remove the stalk from the mushrooms and wipe them if necessary.

Separate the egg into two bowls.

Lightly beat the egg yolk with a fork and add about 50g of the soft cheese, half of the chives and the mustard. Add the seasoning to taste and mix together.

Spread the stalk side of the mushrooms with the remaining cheese. Half the tomatoes and push 4 per mushroom into the cheese topping.

Whisk the egg white until it holds its peaks. Fold (stir) lightly into the egg yolk mixture with a metal spoon.

Carefully place the mushrooms onto the hot baking tray and top each with a quarter of the egg mixture.

Bake at 170C for approx 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Serve sprinkled with the remaining chives and some toasted crusty bread and butter.

Ingredients

Ingredients
100g plain flour
1 medium egg
pinch of salt
280ml milk
50g goose fat or lard or 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Method

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the middle.
Crack the egg into the hollow and stir with a wooden spoon.
Gradually add the milk, whisk together using a whisk or fork.

Divide the fat between the holes of a 6 mini bun tin (each hole being 6.5cm wide x 1.5cm deep) and place on the high rack of the Halogen Oven.
Turn the temperature to 220°C for 5 minutes or until the fat is smoking hot.

Remove the lid but leave the tin in the oven, carefully pour the batter into each hole (about half full).
Return the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes or until risen and golden brown.
Serve immediately.

Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Ingredients

4 baking potatoes

Wash them and pierce several times all over with a fork or eating knife. Rub in a tiny amount of olive oil.
Pre-heat oven to 200°C (392°F).
Place potatoes on low rack.
Cook for 40/45 minutes.