CUP CAKES

Cup cakes are all the rage. Make a stir with these delightful little cakes. This recipe is easy and perfect.
Ingredients
Three quarter cup unsalted butter
Three quarter cup sugar
Six heaped tablespoons  self-rising flour
3 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to  350F
Method
Line a 12 cup cake pan with paper liners or grease
Beat eggs in a bowl until well mixed
Put all other ingredients, including beaten eggs in a large bowl
Beat with an electric mixer until  light and creamy, about 2 minutes
Divide the mixture evenly between the the cake cases
Bake approx. 18-20 minutesuntil  risen and firm to touch.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and transfer to wire rack.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Frost and decorate as desired.

RASPBERRY TRIFLE

This makes a glorious dessert for a special occasion. Trifle is often served in England at a special afternoon tea.

Ingredients
1 and half cups heavy cream
Quarter cup sugar
1 prepared pound cake, ladies fingers, or sponge cake
Half cup sherry
Raspberry preserves
2 (8 ounce) packets of cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 and half teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 (10-12 ounce) packages of frozen raspberries, thawed

Method
In a medium bowl beat cream with quarter cup sugar until stiff peaks form. In another bowl cream together cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla and half cup sugar. Fold two cups of whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Reserve remaining whipped cream.

Slice cake into half inch slices. Sprinkle with sherry or fruit juice.Cover and let stand so all alchol can evaporate from the sherry. Next spread a layer of raspberry preserves on each cake slice. Layer a decorative bowl with the cake, drained and thawed raspberries and cream cheese mixture.
Top with remaining whipped cream. Dust with cocoa powder and a few whole thawed raspberries as desired.

LAVENDER CUSTARD

This perfumed custard, an edible reminder of the purple fields of lavender.
Ingredients
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
Half cup sugar
one tablespoon pesticide-free fresh or dried lavender flowers, no stems

Method
Pour the milk into a saucepan, place over medium heat and heat until small bubbles appear along the edges of the pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Pour about half cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and lightly coats the back of the spoon, about 1 minute. Do not allow it to boil.

Remove from heat and immediately stir in the lavender flowers. Pour into a pitcher. Cover with plastic placed directly on the surface to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate overnight.

The next day pour custard through a sieve. Return custard to pitcher, cove with clean plastic wrap pressed directly to the surface. Refrigerate for up to two days before serving.

FISH PIE

This is a delicious and economical dish. Serves 4

You may use any white fish, such as cod and haddock. Adding shrimp and peas enhances the flavors. Once you have this prepared it is very easy to keep in the refrigerator, covered, for a couple of days.





Ingredients
2 large fillets of fish(about 1 and 1/2 pounds in weight)
1 leek trimmed, washed and chopped
2 celery sticks, trimmed. washed and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup peel shrimp
1 cup frozen peas
Half pint of vegetable stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 generous teaspoon all-purpose flour
3 hard cooked eggs,peeled and sliced
1 and a half pounds of potatoes, boiled and mashed with a little milk and butter

Method
Gently fry leek and celery in oil, until soft, about 10 minutes. Do not brown.
When soft add the fish, shrimp, peas, seasonings, then the stock. Brig to a boil, then immediately
lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Using a sieve strain the above over a bowl. Keep both.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Return pan to heat. Add butter and flour, as if you were making a white sauce.
Now add the liquid from the fish, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened slightly. Remove from heat. Mix in the fish,eggs and vegetables.

Pour the whole mixture into a deep baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes. Bake for about 25 minutes. Serve when brown op top and bubbly underneath.

CLOTTED CREAM

Clotted cream is the name given to the cream of Devon and Cornwall.
It is not something that is eaten everyday or we would all be very round, but as a treat with scones and preserves. It is only available in jars, here in the US, but you can make the following, which is a very good substitute.



Ingredients
1 pint of heavy cream
2 pints whole milk
1 pint half and half

Method
Pour te above into a shallow pan. Cover and leave to stand in a cool place (not the refrigerator)
for approx. three hours. Transfer pan to stove gently, so as not to disturb the layer of cream.
Keep at the lowest possible temperature for about oe hour until the surface is rich, encrusted and golden. Carefully remove from heat. Cover and leave to stand overnight in a cool place to set.
Using a slotted spoon skim off into a dish.

Use the residue to make scones.

BREAD PUDDING

Don't confuse Bread Pudding with Bread and Butter Pudding, they are somewhat different. Both use stale bread, but bread pudding can be cut into squares and eaten with the fingers. It is economical and tasty.
This recipe was served with caramel sauce and was a big hit at the recent British Club Pub. night. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 8" sq. tray.

Ingredients
10 slices of stale white bread, crusts removed
Half pint milk
8 ounces mixed dried fruit
Grated zest one lemon, one orange
Half cup soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon mixed spice
Quarter stick unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

Method
Soak bread in milk for about 30 minutes. Now squeeze out all the excess moisture. Do this by placing the milk soaked bread in a colander and pressing with the back of a large spoon.
Put the bread in a large bowl. Mash with a fork until it looks rather like smooth oatmeal. Add the fruit, orange and lemon zest, brown sugar, spice and melted butter. Stir together well.

Tur this mixture into the prepared pan. Cook for 1 and half hours. Allow pudding to cool in pan.
5-10 minutes before turning out. Cut into squares. Serve with caramel sauce if desired.

CHILLED BLUE BERRY SOUP

Ingredients
3 cups fresh blueberries, washed or
16 ounce packet frozen blueberries
Half cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Half cup water
Quarter teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch salt
2 cups plain yoghurt

Method
In a large saucepan, combine blueberries, water, sugar
lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon stick and salt. Cover and simmer gently
for about 10 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and cool mixture slightly.
Pour mixture into blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

Refrigerate until mixture is thoroughly chilled.
Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with yogurt and lemon slices.