Cooking Club

Savoury Pancakes
Ingredients

  • 200g plain flour
  • 2 large eggs , beaten
  • 500ml milk
  • oil , for frying
  • 130g ham , cut into small chunks
  • 150g cheddar cheese, grated

Method

  • STEP 1

    Using electric beaters or a hand whisk, combine the flour, eggs and milk with a big pinch of salt in a large bowl.

  • STEP 2

    Heat a 20cm crêpe pan until very hot, then pour a little oil into the pan. Swirl the pan so the oil creates an even covering. Ladle a spoonful of the pancake mixture into the pan and tip the pan so the mixture fills the pan in an even layer. Cook for 30 seconds, then flip and scatter with some cheese and ham, and cook until the cheese is melting. Add a crack of black pepper and fold. Keep on a plate covered with foil in a warm oven while you make the remaining pancakes.

    

Easy banana muffins


Ingredients 

  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 75g butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
  • 125ml buttermilk (or add 1 tsp of lemon juice to milk and leave for 20 mins)
  • 50g pecans, chopped, plus extra to decorate (optional)

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/gas 5. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar with a big pinch of salt. In a separate bowl mix the melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs, mashed bananas and buttermilk.

  • STEP 2

    Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Roughly mix together with a fork, being careful not to over-mix. Scatter in the chopped pecans, if using, then spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. Top with pecan halves, then bake for 20-25 mins, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

  

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Easy peasy flatbread and yoghurt dip

Simply use equal parts of plain yoghurt and self raising flour and mix together to make a dough.  Add more flour or yoghurt as needed to make a soft dough. 

At this point you can add some 'extras' - small cubes of cheese, some olives, tomato puree or raisins... whatever you like.  They are yummy just eaten plain (without extras) too.

Then, make small balls of dough and flatten out in your hand (put some flour on your hands to stop the dough sticking to you and don't make the dough too thin) and then pop them into a hot, lightly oiled flat pan. Use the back of a spoon to press them down in the pan and flatten them a little more. Cook until golden brown on both sides.  That’s it! Flatbreads are ready to eat.

For the dip, use up any leftover yoghurt (there's no waste in this recipe), add chopped or grated cucumber and a few teaspoons of mint sauce - yum!

Enjoy!

  

 

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Quick Pizza Dough  

 

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Pizza

Ingredients

  • 400g plain flour, plus extra to dust
  • 1 x 7g sachet fast action dried yeast
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • 1 tbsp cornmeal, polenta or semolina, to roll out

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to the hottest it will go (around 240°C, fan 220°C, gas 9), before starting to make the dough. Put in a couple of pizza stones, or 2 large baking trays, to get really hot.
  2. Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil, then add about 225ml water to bring together as a dough. Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute, just until smooth. Leave to rest under the upturned bowl while you prepare your pizza toppings.
  3. It’s time to shape the pizzas! Roll out one ball at a time on a lightly floured surface, to about 25cm in diameter. Sprinkle a large square of baking paper with the cornmeal (or alternative) then lift the dough onto the paper. Stretch and press the pizza dough with your fingertips until it is about 30cm diameter, indenting a thicker crust around the edges. The middle should be about 5mm, and the crust about 1cm deep. Repeat to make a second pizza.
  4. Spread the pizzas with sauce and add your toppings (don’t add too many, or you’ll end up with a soggy pizza). Drizzle with a little oil and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes before baking, so that the dough starts to rise. Slide the pizzas onto the preheated pizza stones or hot baking trays, still on the lining paper to help lift them easily. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the base is golden and crisp.
  5. Now chose your toppings! 
  

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Chocolate Tiffin

Ingredients

  • 150g butter, cubed, plus extra for the tin
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar
  • 3 tbsp golden syrup
  • 6 tsp cocoa powder
  • 225g biscuits, crushed
  • handful of raisins
  • 110g milk chocolate
  • 110g dark chocolate

Method

  1. Butter and line a 15-20cm tin with baking parchment. In a large saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, syrup and cocoa. Stir through the biscuits and raisins.
  2. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and press down, then smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Microwave both chocolates in short 20 second bursts, stirring frequently, until melted. Pour them over the mixture in the tin. Use a palette knife or spoon to smooth over, so it's completely coated in chocolate.
  3. Put the tin into the fridge and leave for about 2 hrs to set, or overnight. Run a kitchen knife under the hot tap then cut into squares.

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