COOKBOOKS GALORE

This cake came about because I was in the right place at the right time, namely when they were reducing the fruit which was out of date that day. So I got several punnets of apricots for 50 pence each. The whole lot only came to 500 grams! I do miss being able to buy them in the market, as we did in France - the smell was so good! Anyway, you need 500g apricots, 50g flaked almonds, 3 eggs, 1 tspn vanilla extract, 180g each of plain flour, caster sugar and melted butter, pinch salt and 2 tspns baking powder, a little icing sugar for sprinkling Preheat oven 180C/gas4                 Sprinkle some icing sugar around the bottom of a tart tin. Cut the apricots in half and spread into the tin at the bottom and up the sides, cut side down. Put the almonds on top. In a bowl beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla together using an electric mixer or hand beater till tripled in volume. Carefully fold in the flour with the baking powder added, th...

I've been inspired by Suelle on her blog  Mainly Baking  to make something savoury to go with a salad. I decided on a savoury loaf, and as I was going away to my daughter, decided to use up the peppers in the fridge. Thought tuna would go well with them. I used: 150g flour, 3 eggs, 1/2 green and 1/2 red pepper, tin tuna [used one in water and drained liquid off] 1 tspn baking powder, pinch salt, 70g grated cheese [used strong Cheddar to give it a good flavour], 100ml olive oil and 100ml single cream. Preheat oven 180C/gas4                Grease a 900g loaf tin Beat the eggs. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix together. Next add the oil, cream, flaked tuna, peppers cut into dice and the grated cheese. Give everything a good mix together. Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 35mins till golden. I was very happy with the result. It had a nice crumb and a soft texture, and the tuna and peppers went really well together...