Chewy chocolate chip cookies

• 350g/12¼oz unsifted flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 225g/8oz butter
• 175g/6¼oz caster sugar
• 175g/6¼oz soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 350g/12¼oz dark chocolate, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Beat in the eggs. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate.
4. Split the pliable dough into two halves, rolling each out into sausage shapes, approximately 5cm/2in in diameter. Wrap them in cling film and transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use. 
5. When you are ready to bake the cookies, simply cut the log into slices 2cm/¾in thick and lay on a baking tray, widely spaced apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Mac 'n' cheese

• 100g/3½oz butter, plus extra for greasing
• 100g/3½oz plain flour
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1.2 litres/2 pints full-fat milk
• 75ml/2½fl oz double cream
• 1 bay leaf
• 400g/14oz mature cheddar, grated
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 500g/1lb 2oz dried macaroni
• 100g/3½oz smoked bacon lardons or smoked pancetta cubes
• 60g/2¼oz white breadcrumbs
• 50g/1¾oz Parmesan, grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease a 35x20cm/14x8in ovenproof dish..
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the mustard, take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Add the bay leaf.
3. Put the pan back over the heat, stirring constantly, until it boils and thickens. Take the pan off the heat again, remove the bay leaf and add the cheddar. Stir until the cheese has melted. Season with lots of black pepper and some nutmeg. 
4. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and stir in the macaroni. Cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente, drain well and add to the sauce.
5. Fry the bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Stir into the macaroni cheese and pour the mixture into the ovenproof dish. 
6. Mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan and scatter over the top. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling. Serve immediately.

Choc Chip Muffins

• 2 medium eggs
• 125ml vegetable oil
• 250ml semi-skimmed milk
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 400g self-raising flour (or same quantity plain flour and 3 tsp baking powder)
• 1 tsp salt
• 100g chocolate chips (see tip) or dried fruit such as sultanas or dried cherries (optional)

1. 
   
   Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line 2 muffin trays with paper muffin cases. In a large bowl beat the eggs lightly with a handheld electric mixer for 1 min. Add the oil and milk and beat until just combined then add the sugar and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Sift in the flour and salt (and baking powder if using) then mix until just smooth. Be careful not to over-mix the batter as this will make the muffins tough. Stir in the chocolate chips or dried fruit if using.
2. Fill muffin cases two-thirds full and bake for 20-25 mins

Syrup cake

• 110g Butter
• 110g Sugar (light muscovado adds depth but caster is fine)
• 225g Golden Syrup
• 225g Self Raising Flour
• 1 Large Egg
• 150 ml milk (whole or semi-skimmed)
• 2 tbsp Golden Syrup

1. 
   
2. Preheat the oven to 170C/fan. Grease the tin and line the base with baking paper leaving a little to cover the bottom corners and sides. Press into place. 
3. Place butter, syrup and sugar into a large pan and heat gently until the ingredients are just melted together, stirring occassionally. Leave to cool for 10 minutes (it helps if you place the pan away from the hob during this time since it will remain warm).
4. Beat the eggs with the milk. Add the flour and milk/egg mixture to the cooled syrup mixture in the pan and beat steadily with a wooden spoon until all the lumps have gone. This may take a few minutes so you will need a little patience. Pour the mixture into the tin.
5. Bake for around 50 minutes. The cake will be well risen and springy, but still very moist. After a few minutes cooling time, pierce the cake all over with a skewer and spoon the extra golden syrup over the top. Leave to cool completely in the tin.

Ginger cake

• 60g butter
• 125g golden syrup
• 100g plain flour
• 25g self raising flour
• 1teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
• 0.5 teaspoon mixed spice
• 100g caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 125ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin or a 2lb loaf tin. Pre-heat oven to 170c/gas mark 3. I've got a fan oven to I set mine to 160c.
2. Put butter and golden syrup ina small saucepan and melt over a low heat, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.
3. Sift both flours, the soda and the spices into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and salt , give it a good stir, then add the egg and milk mixing until smooth. Gradually add the melted butter/syrup mix, stirring until well combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50-55mins (fan oven I would say 40-45mins) until risen and firm to the touch. Allow to cool in the tin for 5mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Scone already !

Ingredients 

350g self-raising flour, plus more for dusting
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
85g butter, cut into cubes
3 tbsp caster sugar
175ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
squeeze lemon juice
beaten egg, to glaze
jam and clotted cream, to serve

Method 

1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar. 
   
   
   Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment. Put a baking sheet in the oven.
   
   
   Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife – it will seem pretty wet at first. Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it’s a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep.
   
   
   Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. By this point you’ll probably need to press what’s left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four. Brush the tops with beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray.
   
   
   Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream

Chocolate cake

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 175g (6 oz) self-raising flour
• 175g (6 oz)caster sugar
• 175g (6 oz) softened butter
• 1½ level tsp baking powder
• 40g (1½ oz) cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp boiling water
• A little icing sugar, to serve

• 150ml (5fl oz) double cream
• 150g (5oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 4 tbsp apricot jam

1. Preheat the oven to 180C, gas 4.
2. Beat together the eggs, flour, caster sugar, butter and baking powder until smooth in a large mixing bowl.
3. Put the cocoa in separate mixing bowl, and add the water a little at a time to make a stiff paste. Add to the cake mixture.
4. Turn into the prepared tins, level the top and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 mins, or until shrinking away from the sides of the tin and springy to the touch.
5. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn on to a wire rack to become completely cold before icing.
6. To make the icing: measure the cream and chocolate into a bowl and carefully melt over a pan of hot water over a low heat, or gently in the microwave for 1 min (600w microwave). Stir until melted, then set aside to cool a little and to thicken up.
7. To ice the cake: spread the apricot jam on the top of each cake. Spread half of the ganache icing on the top of the jam on one of the cakes, then lay the other cake on top, sandwiching them together. 
8. Use the remaining ganache icing to ice the top of the cake in a swirl pattern. Dust with icing sugar to serve.