Recipes

Allison shares her secrets!

Granola

Allison's Granola

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 125 ml maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 300g rolled oats
  • 50g pumpkin seeds
  • 50g sunflower seeds
  • 4 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 100g flaked almonds
  • 50g dried berries
  • 50g raisins
  • 50g desiccated coconut

THE STEPS

  1. PREHEAT THE OVEN to 150°C/ fan 130C. Mix the oil, syrup, honey and vanilla in a large bowl. Tip in all of the ingredients except the dried fruit and coconut. mix well.
  2. Tip the mixture onto two baking sheets or one very large one. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove, add the coconut, stir and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
  3. When you remove it stir in the dried fruit and leave to cool. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.

Ginger Spiced Biscuits

Ginger Spiced Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

  • 75g Stem Ginger in Syrup (grated or finely chopped)
  • 3 tbsp of Syrup from the Stem Ginger Jar
  • 150g Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 150g Light Soft Brown Sugar
  • 200g Self Raising Flour
  • 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
  • 1 tsp Ground Mixed Spice
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 3 tsp Ground Ginger

Note The recipe will make between 20-24 biscuits. They will spread on the tray when cooking, so spacing well is necessary. You will need to do two batches. When you remove them from the oven, leave on the trays for 3 or 4 minutes, this will make them easier to place them on a cooling tray.

THE STEPS

  1. Preheat the oven to 170 oc and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment.
  2. Place the brown sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy with an electric handheld mixer.
  3. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into the bowl with the creamed butter and sugar.
  4. Add the stem ginger and syrup then stir well and combined to make a soft dough.
  5. Place into the fridge for 10 minutes, this will help when forming the balls.
  6. Take pieces of walnut sized dough and roll in your hands to form a ball. Place on the tray and flatten slightly, spacing them well apart and bake for 15 minutes.

Fruit Tea Bread

Sliced homemade fruit loaf with butter on wooden board

INGREDIENTS

  • 250gm / 9oz Mixed dried fruit
  • 100gm / 4oz Chopped dates
  • 100gm / 4oz Light soft brown sugar
  • Zest and Juice of a clementine or half an orange
  • 300 ml / half pint hot strong Earl Grey black tea
  • 300gm / 11oz SR Flour
  • 1 Large Beaten egg

USE

  • A lined 2lb loaf tin
  • Fat free until slathered with butter.
  • Start the night before by soaking the fruit

THE STEPS

  1. Put the fruit, dates, sugar, zest and juice in a large bowl then pour over the hot tea. Cover and leave overnight.
  2. The next day preheat the oven to 150 or fan 130 degrees c.
  3. Stir in the flour and beaten egg. Scrape into the tin and level the top.
  4. Bake for one and three quarter hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
  5. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Enjoy warm or cold with or without butter.