Chocolate & Clementine Log

This fudgy, fruity alternative to a classic Christmas pudding can be prepared on Christmas Eve to save time on the big day

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr, 15 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8 - 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  875

• Protein

  11g

• Carbs

  84g

• Fat

  58g

• Saturates

  32g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  82g

• Salt

  0.27g

Ingredients

• For the sponge
• 200g bar dark chocolate (a standard supermarket own brand is fine)
• 7 eggs, separated
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa, plus extra for dusting
• zest and juice 1 clementine
• For the frosting
• 200g bar dark chocolate
• 200ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• For the clementine cream
• 200ml double cream
• 200ml crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• zest 3 clementines, plus juice 1
• To decorate and assemble
• 100g caster sugar, plus a little extra
• 1 clementine
• silver balls and white stars, if you like

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a roughly 37 x 25cm tin with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water. Set aside to cool while you get everything else ready. Whisk the yolks and brown sugar until pale and thick enough to hold a trail. Whisk in the cocoa, chocolate, clementine zest and juice. Whisk whites until stiff, whisk a third into chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest. Transfer to tin, gently spread to corners and bake for 16 mins until firm to touch.
2. Meanwhile, dust a large sheet of baking parchment with a little cocoa. When the cake is done, turn it out onto the parchment. Don't remove the paper stuck to the bottom of the cake-just roll the cake up with the paper inside from one of its longer sides. Leave to cool. This can be made a day ahead: wrap it in cling film or keep in an airtight container once cool.
3. For the frosting, melt the chocolate, cream and icing sugar together in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Cool and chill until spreadable. Or chill for up to 24 hrs, then leave at room temp until spreadable again.
4. For the clementine cream, whisk the cream, crème fraîche, icing sugar, clementine zest and juice until thick. Chill for up to 24 hrs.
5. To make the decoration, melt the caster sugar with 100ml water in a small pan and gently bubble. Peel the zest from the clementine with a vegetable peeler. Thinly shred into strips, then drop into the bubbling syrup. Simmer for 2 mins, then turn off and leave for another 2 mins. Scatter a little extra sugar onto a plate. Lift out the shreds with a slotted spoon and toss in the sugar. Set aside to dry.
6. To assemble, gently unroll the sponge and peel off the paper. Squeeze over juice from final peeled clementine. Thinly spread with a tiny bit of the chocolate frosting, then spread with half to two-thirds of the clementine cream. Carefully roll back up and trim each end. Transfer to a serving plate and cover with the rest of the chocolate frosting, using a round-bladed knife to stripe the surface. Scatter with the sugared clementine peel and silver balls and/or stars, if you like. Serve with remaining clementine cream.

Read More

Rudolphs Carrot Flapjacks

These moist oaty slices are packed full of fruits, seeds and spices - a great bake to make with the kids

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 16

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  302

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  28g

• Fat

  17g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  14g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 200g butter
• 100g golden syrup
• 50g soft light brown sugar
• 300g rolled oats
• 2 grated carrots
• zest 1 orange
• 100g chopped apricots
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 50g pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line an 18cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper. Melt butter, golden syrup and sugar in a large pan. Mix in rolled oats, carrots, orange zest, apricots, cinnamon and pumpkin seeds. Stir everything well, then pack into the prepared tin, pushing down firmly. Bake for 40-45 mins, then cool in the tin before slicing into 16 squares.

Read More

Starry Toffee Cake Squares

These cakes are fun for the kids to make and ultra-cute to look at too

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr, 15 mins - 1 hr, 30 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 24 squares

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  217

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  34g

• Fat

  9g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  22g

• Salt

  0.37g

Ingredients

• 200g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 200g golden syrup
• 300g self-raising flour
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• half a 454g pack yellow marzipan
• red and green food colouring

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/ conventional 160C/gas 3. Grease the sides of a Swiss roll tin, about 32cm x 23cm x 2cm, with butter. Place the tin on a sheet of non-stick baking parchment and draw round it with a pencil. Cut along this line so you are left with a piece of parchment the same size as the tin base. Press it into the tin.
2. Put the butter and syrup into a small saucepan. (If possible, place the pan on some scales first and note the weight before pouring in the syrup). Gently warm the pan over a low heat until the butter has completely melted, then stir well to combine. Remove from the heat and cool for about 15 minutes.
3. Tip the flour into a large bowl with 1 tsp salt. Stir in the muscovado sugar with a wooden spoon. Beat in the cooled syrup and butter until mixed. If you find this hard to do, ask an adult to help.Crack the eggs into a jug. Pour in the milk and beat with a fork. Now pour this into the bowl with the flour and sugar and stir until the mixture is smooth.
4. Pour the mixture into the tin and tap gently on the work surface to level it. Put it on a baking sheet larger than the tin. Bake for 40-50 minutes until risen and firm in the centre. Check the cake is ready by getting an adult to press it with their finger. It should be firm and springy.
5. Ask an adult to remove the tin from the oven, then leave it to cool for 10 minutes. Use a round-bladed knife to trim any cake that has come over the sides. Run the knife inside the sides of the cake tin, tip the cake onto a wire cooling rack and leave for 2 hours or until cold. Then slide the cake onto a board and trim off the four edges so you have a 30cm x 20cm rectangle. Cut lengthways into 5cm wide strips.
6. Mix half the icing sugar in a cup with a drop of warm water to a thick paste, using a teaspoon. Set aside. Sift a little icing sugar onto a worktop and divide the marzipan into three. Roll each piece into a ball. Make a dent with your thumb in one of the balls and, using a cocktail stick, drip in a few drops of red colouring. Knead the ball until evenly coloured. Repeat with a second ball and green colouring. Leave the third ball plain. If you don't want to get the colour on your hands,wear clean kitchen gloves.
7. Dust some more icing sugar onto the worktop and roll out the balls to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a small star cutter (or try other shapes, such as holly), stamp out eight stars in each colour. Dab a blob of icing on each shape and stick six along each cake strip. Cut between them to make 24 squares.
8. Dust the top of the cakes with the rest of the icing sugar. Arrange on paper plates, covered in cling film, or in pretty boxes.

Read More

Mulled Apple Juice

A non-alcoholic alternative to mulled wine, ideal for entertaining kids and drivers

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  -

• Protein

  -

• Carbs

  -

• Fat

  -

• Saturates

  -

• Fibre

  -

• Sugar

  -

• Salt

  -

Ingredients

• 1l apple juice
• strips of orange peel
• 1 cinnamon stick, plus extra to garnish, if you like
• 3 cloves
• sugar or honey, to taste

Directions

1. Simmer the apple juice with the strips of orange peel, cinnamon stick and cloves for about 5-10 mins until all the flavours have infused. Sweeten to taste.
2. Serve each drink with a little orange peel and a piece of cinnamon stick, if you like.

Read More

Dippy Eggs With Marmite Soldiers

Start the day the right way, with this quick, easy and nutritious breakfast

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  372

• Protein

  17g

• Carbs

  31g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  8g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  1.09g

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 4 slices wholemeal bread
• a knob of butter
• Marmite
• mixed seeds

Directions

1. Bring a pan of water to a simmer. Add 2 eggs, simmer for 2 mins if room temp, 3 mins if fridge-cold, then turn off heat. Cover the pan and leave for 2 mins more.
2. Meanwhile, toast 4 slices wholemeal bread and spread thinly with butter, then Marmite. To serve, cut into soldiers and dip into the egg, then a few mixed seeds.

Read More

Skinny Pepper Tomato & Ham Omelette

If you're in need of a protein boost try making this healthy omelette for breakfast, using fewer yolks lowers the cholesterol

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  206

• Protein

  21g

• Carbs

  5g

• Fat

  12g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  1.21g

Ingredients

• 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, white and green parts kept separate and finely chopped
• few slices wafer-thin extra-lean ham, shredded
• 25g reduced-fat mature cheddar
• wholemeal toast, to serve

Directions

1. Mix the eggs and egg whites with some seasoning and set aside. Heat the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan and cook the pepper for 3-4 mins. Throw in the white parts of the spring onions and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the eggs and cook over a medium heat until almost completely set.
2. Sprinkle on the ham and cheese and continue cooking until just set in the centre, or flash it under a hot grill if you like it more well done. Serve straight from the pan with the green part of the spring onion sprinkled on top and some wholemeal toast.

Read More

Veggie Breakfast Bakes

Hit 3 of your 5-a-day with this alternative fry-up - it's packed with vegetables and oven-baked

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  127

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  5g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  0.4g

Ingredients

• 4 large field mushrooms
• 8 tomatoes, halved
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 200g bag spinach
• 4 eggs

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the mushrooms and tomatoes into 4 ovenproof dishes. Divide garlic between the dishes, drizzle over the oil and some seasoning, then bake for 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, put the spinach into a large colander, then pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt it. Squeeze out any excess water, then add the spinach to the dishes. Make a little gap between the vegetables and crack an egg into each dish. Return to the oven and cook for a further 8-10 mins or until the egg is cooked to your liking.

Read More

Peanut Butter & Banana On Toast

Keep mid-morning hunger pangs at bay with this nutritionally balanced breakfast toastie

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 1

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  307

• Protein

  11g

• Carbs

  45g

• Fat

  9g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  18g

• Salt

  1g

Ingredients

• 2 slices granary bread
• 1 small banana
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

Directions

1. Toast bread and slice banana. Layer banana on one slice of toast and dust with cinnamon. Spread the second slice with peanut butter, then sandwich the two together and eat straight away.

Read More

Full English Frittata With Smoky Beans

This healthy baked omelette with classic fry up ingredients is versatile enough for brunch or supper

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  268

• Protein

  26g

• Carbs

  27g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  9g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  3.3g

Ingredients

• 2 low-fat sausages, sliced
• 4 rashers extra lean bacon, all fat removed, chopped
• 150g pack button mushrooms, halved, or larger ones quartered
• 8 egg whites, or use 350ml liquid egg whites from a carton
• 3 tbsp milk
• 140g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 x 400g cans reduced salt and sugar baked beans
• 1½ tsp smoked paprika
• small bunch chives, snipped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a roasting tin about the size of A4 paper with enough baking parchment to cover the base and sides. Fry the sausages and bacon in a non-stick pan until golden, stirring them often to stop them sticking. Scoop into the tin.
2. Place the pan back on the heat and fry the mushrooms for about 5 mins until golden, then add these to the tray, too. Whisk the egg whites with the milk and lots of seasoning. Pour into the tin, then dot the tomatoes on top.
3. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins, until set. Meanwhile, tip the beans into a pan with the paprika and heat through. Scatter the frittata with the chives and serve with the beans on the side.

Read More

Smoky Bean Bacon & Eggy Bread Bake

Make your own baked beans with smoked paprika then top with that childhood classic, eggy bread

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6 - 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  418

• Protein

  23g

• Carbs

  46g

• Fat

  16g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  9g

• Sugar

  11g

• Salt

  2.5g

Ingredients

• 3 x 400g cans haricot bean, drained and rinsed
• 500g passata
• ½ tbsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 200g bacon lardons
• 5 eggs
• 125ml milk
• 10 slices white bread, crusts removed and halved to make triangles

Directions

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the beans into a large baking dish with the passata, paprika, vinegar, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Season and mix well. Scatter the lardons over the top, cover with foil and bake for 30 mins.
2. Remove the beans from the oven, take off the foil and stir well. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 mins to crisp up the bacon. You can now cool and chill the beans for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Just defrost and warm through before continuing.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk with some seasoning. Dip the bread triangles into the egg mix, then layer them over the surface of the beans. Pour the rest of the egg over the bread and cook for 20 mins, or until the bread is puffed and golden.

Read More