Gingerbread Men

Ingredients
175g Plain Flour
175g Soft Brown Sugar
125g Butter (chopped into chunks)
1 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
2 1/2 Teaspoons of Ground Ginger
1 Egg (beaten)
4 Tablespoons Golden Syrup

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Small Glass (to beat the egg in)
1 Fork
1 Baking Tray (greased)
1 Wire Rack
1 Sieve

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 190c 375f gas 5. Sift the flour, bicarb and ginger into a bowl, mix together well and then add butter, rub between your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs then add the sugar and mix again.
2. Now add the syrup to the egg and tip into a well in the breadcrumbs, this is where it gets messy but fun! Using your hands, mix this lot together until you have a well blended dough, now roll out to a thickness of about 3 mm on a well floured surface. Cut out your shapes and place on the baking tray.
3. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until they come out golden. Allow to cool for five minutes before moving to the wire rack to fully cool. Enjoy! (if you want to go the whole hog you could always decorate with either currants or smarties!!)
   

Ginger Bread Cake

Ingredients
250g Plain Flour
125g Butter (melted)
3 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Mixed spice
1 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
75g Treacle
125g Golden Syrup
50g Soft Brown Sugar
150ml Milk
2 Eggs (beaten)
25g Almond Flakes

Equipment
1 Sieve
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Large Pan
1 Fork
1 Wooden Spoon
1x7 Inch Baking Tin (lined and greased)
1 Wire Rack
1 Airtight Storage Tin

The Good Bit

1. Sift the flour into the mixing bowl and add the spices and bicarbonate, heat the butter in a pan along with the sugar, treacle and syrup, just gentle until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes a little more runny, allow to cool then add to the flour along with the eggs and milk and stir thoroughly.
2. Pour your mixture into your tin then sprinkle over the almonds flakes and then stick it in a pre heated oven at 160c 325f gas 3 for about 1 and 3/4 hours. Test with a metal skewer in the centre (it should come out clean) if not give it 15 minutes more.
3. remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack, once cooled store in an airtight tin for a few days to improve the flavour.
   

Choc Chip Cookies

Ingredients
150g Self Raising Flour
125g Dark Chocolate (chopped finely or choc chips)
125g Butter
50g Brown Sugar
1 Egg (beaten)

Equipment
Baking Parchment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Sieve
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Little Dish (with a fork for the egg)
1 Wire Rack
Palette Knife (optional)

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 180c 350f gas 4. Grease the baking sheet lightly, then whip together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg, then sift in the flour and blend well before finally adding the chocolate pieces.
2. Drop 20-30 teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet, give them room to expand and bake for 15-20 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a minute or so before moving to a wire rack.
   

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)
   

Duck with Orange and Cranberries

Ingredients
4 Barbary Duck Breasts (with skin on)
2 Oranges peeled, pith and core remove, segmented)
125g Cranberries
50g Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Honey
Salt and pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Griddle Pan
1 Small Pan

The Good Bit

1. Score the duck breast on the skin skin side with a sharp knife (just through the skin to release the fat) Now cook in a hot griddle pan, skin side for 6-10 minutes then the other side for 4-6 minutes
2. Place the cranberries, oranges, and sugar in a pan and heat until the berries soften, then season, then add the honey.
3. Remove the duck from the griddle and slice then serve with the orange and cranberry sauce.
   

Serves 4