Blackberry Pie

Filling Ingredients:

4 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar

Crust Ingredients:
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
2 Tablespoons milk
1/4 cup white sugar

Directions:
1. Combine 3 1/2 cups of the blackberries with the flour and sugar. Spoon the mixture into an unbaked pie shell.
2. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup berries on top of the sweetened berries, then cover with the remaining crust. Pinch edges to seal.
3. Brush the top crust with 2 Tablespoons milk, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.
4. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375 degrees F. Bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Banana Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon baking soda (add to pureed bananas)
3 pureed bananas, very ripe

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 stick butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 box powdered sugar (1 lb.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13" baking pan or two 9" layer cake pans.
2. Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Sift flour several times, then add the salt and baking powder to the flour.
3. To the creamed butter mixture, add the milk and flour (alternating, beginning and ending with flour).
4. Add vanilla and mashed bananas (with the baking soda added to the bananas) to this mixture.
5. Bake layer cakes (9") for 25-30 minutes, oblong (9x13") for 35-40 minutes.

Frosting Directions:
1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth, add sugar and vanilla and blend well. Spread on cooled cake.

Cream Tea Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the base

• 150g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 30g butter
• 30g caster sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• Approx. 90ml milk

For the filling

• 600g cream cheese
• 200g ricotta
• 150g caster sugar
• Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
• 6 eggs
• 100g clotted cream
• 200g strawberry jam

For the strawberry sauce

• 100g caster sugar
• 150g strawberries

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. For the base, sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar. Mix in the egg and add enough milk for the dough to come together.
2.Roll the dough out to 1cm thickness, then cut it to fit a 22.5cm springform cake tin. If you find the base too thick, roll it out a little thinner. Prick the dough well and blind bake for 5 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar, vanilla, eggs and clotted cream in a food processor until smooth. (Don’t worry if the mix looks a little wet, the 6 eggs will set it in the oven.)
4.Turn the oven down to 175°C/gas mark 4. Spread the jam over the cooked base, leaving about an inch all the way around the edge, then pour the cheese mixture gently over the top. If possible, spread the cheese mix from the outside inwards, so you don’t spread out the jam. Bake for 1 hour.
5.To make the sauce, gently warm the sugar and 100ml water in a pan. Once the sugar has dissolved, cook for a few minutes more then add the strawberries and stir until soft. Allow the sauce to cool then pass through a fine sieve to remove all the seeds.
6.Serve a good wedge of the cake with the strawberry compote and more clotted cream.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

Ingredients

• 225g butter, unsalted
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 50ml strong espresso
• 225g plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 100g walnuts, plus extra to decorate
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out

For the icing

• 125g butter, unsalted
• 200g icing sugar
• 50ml strong espresso

 
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth.
2. Add the espresso, then sieve in the flour and baking powder, and add the nuts and vanilla. Combine quickly, then spoon into 2 x 20cm greased and lined cake tins.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then remove and leave to cool on wire racks.
4. For the icing, whisk the butter and icing sugar until creamy, then beat in the coffee. Spread the buttercream over the bottom of one cake, flip it over and do the same on top of the other. Finish with some more walnut halves and have with a lovely china cup of tea.
 

Baked Buleberry Cheesecake

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

• 75g butter
• 200g digestive biscuits, crushed
• 500g low fat soft cheese
• 1 x 397g can condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, beaten
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 150g blueberries

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, taking care that it doesn't get too hot. Remove from the heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Tip them into the base of a 23cm (9 inch) loose-bottomed cake tin, pressing them down with your fist to make a firm base. Chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°C/gas mark 3.
3. To make the filling, beat the low fat soft cheese in a large mixing bowl until softened, then whisk in the condensed milk, vanilla extract, eggs and lemon zest.
4. Pour the filling over the biscuit crumb base, then sprinkle the blueberries over the surface. Transfer to the middle shelf of the oven to bake for 1 hour, until set. Leave until completely cold. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 days.