Cheats Tiramisu

Ingredients
200g Dark Chocolate
260g Mascarpone
100ml Double Cream (whipped till it holds it's shape)
260ml Black Coffee (with 17g caster sugar stirred in then cooled)
4 Tablespoons Rum/Brandy
24 Sponge Fingers
Cocoa Powder (for sprinkling)

Equipment
3 Mixing Bowls
1 Balloon Whisk
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Pan (with simmering water in)
4 Serving Plates

The Good Bit

1. Melt the chocolate in one of your mixing bowls over the pan with the simmering water in it then allow it to cool a little before stirring in the mascarpone and whipped cream
   
2. In the meantime, make your coffee, with the correct amount of sugar and rum or brandy, then you need to dip the sponge fingers in, one at a time, do it quickly so you don't make the fingers all soggy.
3. As you dip, lay out the sponge fingers on each of your 4 plates, 3 fingers next to each other pointing away from you, then spoon on some of the chocolate cream mixture, next add another layer of 3 fingers at 90 degrees to the first lot on top of the cream, now add another layer of chocolate cream and finally top with 3 more fingers pointing in the same direction as your first layer.
4. Chill for at least an hour the just before serving, sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Serves 4

Christmas Cake

Ingredients
125g Self Raising Flour
200g Plain Flour
250g Butter
250g Brown Sugar
250g Currants
250g Raisins
250g Sultanas
75g Mixed Peel (chopped)
75g Glace Cherries
50g Ground Almonds
5 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Treacle
1 Teaspoon Mixed Spice
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
50ml Sherry
1 Lemon (zested)
4 Tablespoons Brandy

Equipment
1 Large Mixing Bowl
2 Wooden Spoons
1 9inch Round Baking Tin (or 8inch square tin) (greased)
Greaseproof Paper
1 Sieve
2 Mixing Bowl
1 Airtight Tin

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 140c 275f gas 1. Line the baking tin with a double thickness of grease proof paper and leave a good 5 cm sticking out above the rim of the tin.
2. Start by sieving the flours into the large mixing bowl, add the salt and spices and give a little stir, in an other bowl cream the butter and sugar together until you have a light mixture then add the treacle and mix well, in the other mixing bowl, drop in the eggs, vanilla and sherry and beat gently together.
3. Now what you need to do is, beat half the egg mixture into the creamed mixture then fold in 1/3rd of the flour, then add 1/2 the egg mixture again and fold, then add 1/2 the remaining flour and fold, finally add the last bit of egg, fold, and then the flour and fold again.
4. Now add in all the other ingredients (except the brandy) and fold in well then pour the mixture into your cake tin and flatten out the top. Now chuck this in the oven for 4-4 1/2 hours)
5. If the cake begins to brown too much you can cover it with a double layer of greaseproof paper, check to see if it is done by sticking it in the centre with a skewer, if the skewer comes out clean it's done, if it comes out sticky then leave it in. Turn the cake out on to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely then finally prick the top all over and drizzle over 4 tablespoons of brandy, leave it to mature for 3 months in an airtight tin (adding brand 1-2 tablespoons every couple of weeks)
   

Beef Rolls

Ingredients
4 Sirloin Steaks
2 Tablespoons English Mustard
4 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
Handful Fresh Basil (roughly chopped)
1 Tablespoon Cracked Black Pepper
50g Butter (left at room temperature)
1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
4 Tablespoons Brandy
300ml Double Cream
2 Pinches Caster Sugar
A Splash of Oil
Vegetables to Serve (potatoes, cabbage, what ever you like)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Rolling Pin (or something heavy)
1 Plastic Bag
cocktail sticks (or string)
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Frying Pan

The Good Bit

1. Place each of the steaks into the bag, one at a time and squash until the steak is about 6mm thick. Mix the mustard, garlic, half the basil, pepper and butter together then spread onto each of the steaks, roll the steaks up and secure with either the cocktail sticks or string.
2. With a little oil in the frying pan cook the steaks until well browned all over, 6-8 minutes should do it. Remove and set aside (covered if you can) drop the onion into the pan and cook until soft then add in the brandy and bring to the boil, then stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper and add the caster sugar to taste then finally stir in the rest of the basil.
3. Serve the rolled up steak (minus string or sticks) with the vegetables of your choice and drizzle over the sauce.
   

Serves 4

Chocolate Risotto

Ingredients
50g Hazelnuts (or any you like)
50g Raisins or Sultanas
600ml/1 Pint Milk
25g Sugar
50g Butter
125g Pudding Rice (yes pudding, long grain wont do for this)
Brandy (optional but bloody good!)
125g CHOCOLATE (i find cooking chocolate awful, there are several brands i love which are great for this and i cant get them over here in france so i'm having to wade through block after block of chocolate to find one i really like, IT'S A HARD LIFE)

Equipment
1 Small Frying Pan
1 Small Sauce Pan
1 Large Pan
1 Grater
1 Ladle
1 Wooden Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Toast your nuts in the small frying pan (insert joke) with no oil then leave them to cool before chopping to bits, grate your chocolate.
   
2. Heat the milk and sugar in the small pan until just at simmering point.
3. Melt the butter in the large pan and add the rice and stir well coating all the rice, add a ladle of milk and wait for it to be absorbed by the rice then add another, keep this up until all the milk has gone.
4. Now whack in your nuts, raisins and stir well then finally add the grated chocolate but only give a little stir as this will then give a lovely marbled effect, Serve. (in case you were wondering add the brandy at the same stage as the nuts and raisins if you are using it)
   

Serves 4

Crepe Suzette

Ingredients
100g Plain Flour
1 Egg
25g Butter (melted)
250ml Milk
Pinch of Salt
Lard (for frying, oil will do)
40g Butter
2 Tablespoons Caster Sugar
2 Oranges (zested and juiced)
1 Teaspoon Caster Sugar
2 Tablespoons Brandy
Cream to Serve (whipping cream, or make my cream from 'meringue magic' mascarpone/cream/icing sugar)

Equipment
1 Medium Frying Pan
1 Large Bowl
2 Small Bowls
1 Zester
1 Spatula
1 Table Knife
1 Sieve
1 Table Fork
1 Balloon Whisk

The Good Bit

1. Sieve the flour into the large bowl, whisk the egg in a small bowl with the fork, add the pinch of salt to the flour then make a well in the flour and add the butter egg and half the milk, with the balloon whisk beat until you have a smooth batter gradually adding the rest of the milk a little at a time (or prepare this 24hrs in advance and cover and leave in the fridge, this will get rid of lumps!!)
2. Heat a little lard in the frying pan over a medium heat then add approximately 2 tablespoons of mixture to the pan (enough to make a decent pancake, you are the best judge there as different pans are different sizes) cook the pancake until it's golden brown on one side then flip over (with the spatula unless you want to be daring and go for a toss!?) cook for 30 seconds then remove, do this with all your mixture, try to make between 4-8 pancakes.
3. Heat the remaining butter in the frying pan with the orange juice, zest and 2 tablespoons of caster sugar, whilst this is coming to a gentle simmer, roll all your pancakes up and cut into 1cm wide strips, add these to the pan next and give a very gentle but good stir to cover in the juices.
4. Push the pancakes to one side and add the teaspoon of caster sugar to a bare bit of pan, heat until it begins to bubble then cover with the brandy and ignite, swirl round in the pan (being careful) when the flames have gone out, serve! then add a dollop of cream!

serves 4