The BIG recipe! Traditional flapjack 1. Lightly grease the baking tin 2. Melt the butter, and stir in the syrup and ginger. (I put a bowl with this stuff in the microwave for about a minute - less washing up!) 3. Stir in the oats and mix well This quick, tasty, flapjack recipe is from Bob Johnson, St John Ambulance National Headquarters 125g (4oz) butter, plus extra for greasing 5 tbsp golden syrup 125g (4oz) light demerara or muscovado sugar 250g (8oz) oats (Scott s Old Fashioned porridge oats give a good texture) 1 tsp ground ginger (optional) 20cm sandwich tin or microwave container (8x5 inch is good). 4. Spoon mixture into your cooking container, and level out 5. Bake in preheated oven at gas mark 5 (190ºC/375ºF) for about 20 minutes, or microwave on high for about 5 minutes 6. Ensure the whole mixture bubbles like porridge 7. Leave to cool for 15 minutes, then mark the pieces. Leave to cool completely before removing from the container.
The BIG recipe! Apple and walnut cake 1. Preheat oven to 170ºC (325ºF, gas mark 3) and grease a 20cm (8 inch) square tin 2. Sift flour with salt and bicarbonate of soda and rub in the butter until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs 3. Stir in the sugar, apple and walnuts 4. Make a well in the centre, pour in the beaten eggs and vanilla essence and gradually work the dry ingredients into the liquid 225g (7.8oz) plain flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 100g (3oz) butter 225g (7oz) caster sugar 2 medium cooking apples, cored and diced 50g (1.5oz) shelled walnuts - chopped 2 eggs - beaten 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence 5. Pour the mixture into the tin, top with demerara sugar and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown. This lovely recipe is from Gemma Baker, Newbury and Thatcham adults division. Why not enjoy a slice with a nice cup of hot chocolate...
The BIG recipe! Cherry-coconut bars This delicious recipe comes from Mary Herbert, who has been running the St John Fellowship shop in Surrey for over 10 years. The shop raises muchneeded money for the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem (the main provider of eyecare in Gaza and the West Bank). 225g (8oz) plain flour 140g (5oz) margarine 60g (2oz) castor sugar 1 egg yolk Topping 85g (3oz) glace cherries 1 egg white 1 medium egg 170g (6oz) castor sugar 85g (3oz) desiccated coconut 1. Prepare a cool oven (150ºC, 300ºF, gas mark 2) 2. Grease and line a shallow tin with greaseproof paper. Brush with oil or melted fat 3. Place flour in bowl. Rub in margarine with fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs 4. Add egg yolk and mix well. Press the mixture into the tin 5. For the topping, whisk egg, egg white and sugar together. Stir in coconut and chopped cherries, reserving a little coconut for decoration 6. Spread over mixture in tin, smooth over the surface and sprinkle remaining coconut 7. Bake for 45-50 mins or until deep golden brown. Cool in tin and cut into bars.
The BIG recipe! Rocky road cakes 1. Line a 20x20cm (8x8 inch) tin with greaseproof paper 2. Chop the wafer biscuits into small pieces and put to one side PR Officer, Becky Trotman s recipe, from the rocky roads of Berkshire, makes yummy cakes that are likely to disappear as quickly as they are made! You have been warned... 200g (7oz) Belgian dark chocolate 100g (3.5oz) unsalted butter 100g (3.5oz) golden syrup 100g (3.5oz) mini marshmallows 100g (3.5oz) pink wafer biscuits Smarties, M&Ms or other sweets to decorate. 3. Break up the chocolate and place into a saucepan along with the butter and golden syrup and heat on low heat until melted 4. Remove from the heat and stir in the marshmallows and chopped up pink wafer biscuits 5. Transfer the mixture into the tin and scatter the sweets on top 6. Leave in the fridge overnight to set and then cut into 12-16 squares. Once cut up, cakes are best kept in a container in the fridge. Now watch them disappear!
The BIG celebrity recipe! Seed cake and a glass of Madeira by Fergus Henderson Eleven o'clock and still two hours until lunchtime. Photograph by Laurie Fletcher Something to keep you steady - nothing finer than a slice of seed cake, washed down by a glass of Madeira. This will see you safely through until lunch. 260g (9oz) softened unsalted butter 260g (9oz) caster sugar 1 tsp caraway seeds 5 large eggs, lightly beaten 320g (11oz) self-raising flour 150ml (1/4 pint) full-fat milk 1. Grease a 16x10x8cm loaf tin with butter and line the base and sides with baking parchment 2. Cream the butter, sugar and caraways together either with an electric mixer or in a bowl with a wooden spoon until they are white and fluffy. Gradually mix in the beaten eggs, adding them little by little to prevent curdling. Then sift in the flour and mix until incorporated. Lastly add the milk 3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake in an oven preheated to 180ºC, gas mark 4 for 45 minutes or until it is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Serve with a glass of Madeira - but only if you are aged 18 or more! If not, stick to a cup of tea!
Photograph by Patricia Niven
The BIG celebrity recipe! Victoria sandwich by Mark Hix Named after Queen Victoria, this sponge is normally sandwiched together with jam, and perhaps buttercream. In the summer, I prefer to fill it with crushed berries and cream, or even sweetened cream cheese and fruit. Makes an 18cm (7 inch) sponge 150g (5oz) butter, at room temperature, plus extra to grease 150g (5oz) caster sugar 3 medium eggs, beaten A few drops of vanilla extract 150g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted For the filling Strawberry or raspberry jam, or whipped cream and raspberries or strawberries To serve Icing sugar, to dust 1. Preheat the oven to 170 C (fan oven 150ºC), gas mark 3 and grease two 18cm (7 inch) sandwich tins, 2.5cm (1 inch) deep. Line the bases with greaseproof paper 2. In a large mixing bowl, with a wooden spoon or electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until you get a pale mixture that drops off a spoon easily. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating the mixture thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract 3. Sift the flour into the bowl in four stages, each time gently folding it in with a large metal spoon to keep the mixture light. The mixture should again drop off a spoon easily 4. Divide the mixture between the tins and cook on the centre shelf of the oven for 25-30 minutes. To test if the sponges are cooked, gently press your finger on the top and the imprint will spring back to shape. Leave the sponges in the tins for a couple of minutes, then run a knife around the edge and turn them out on to wire racks. Leave to cool completely 5 To assemble, spread one of the sponge rounds with the jam, or whipped cream and berries. Place the other sponge round on top and press firmly. Dust with icing sugar to serve.