Chocolate & Caramel Flapjacks

These sweet and sticky treats are best made a day in advance - perfect if you need to get ahead for a bake sale

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 55 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 mini squares

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  492

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  67g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  13g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  48g

• Salt

  0.37g

Ingredients

• 200g soft brown sugar
• 200g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 350g whole oats
• 397g can caramel (we used Carnation Caramel)
• 200g plain chocolate
• 1 tbsp unflavoured oil, like sunflower

Directions

1. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Place the sugar, butter and golden syrup together in a saucepan and gently heat until the butter has melted, stirring occasionally. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the oats, mixing thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a lined and lightly greased 22cm square tin, pressing it out evenly using the back of a wooden spoon. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 mins.
2. Allow the mixture to cool in the tin for 10 mins (or for best results, leave to cool completely overnight), then evenly spread over the caramel. There can be discrepancies between the thickness of caramel, and the more you stir the runnier it gets. If it looks too thin pop it into a pan and boil for a few minutes, stirring. Then leave to cool-it should be thicker. Chill until firm.
3. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then stir in the oil and pour over the chilled caramel flapjack base. Let the chocolate set, then cut into squares. Setting chocolate on top of something squidgy can make it difficult to cut, this is why the oil is added.

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Cherry Oat Squares With Chocolate Drizzle

Flapjacks use up storecupboard spares and these chewy, oaty, fruity bars topped with chocolate will always go down a storm

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 20 mins - 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 16

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  208

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  27g

• Fat

  9g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  17g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• 140g butter, melted, plus extra butter for the tin
• 100g self-raising flour
• 175g caster sugar
• 175g porridge oats
• 1 egg, beaten
• 100g glacé cherries, halved
• 50g dark chocolate

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of a 22cm square cake tin: cut 2 strips of baking parchment the width of the tin and longer than the base and sides, and fit into the tin each way and up the sides. This will make lifting it out easier.
2. Mix together the flour, sugar and oats in a bowl. Add the egg, melted butter and cherries, and mix well. Tip into the tin and spread evenly with a fork.
3. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then carefully lift out using the paper and place on a board. Mark, but don't cut, 4 lines each way to make 16 squares. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 min, then drizzle over the squares. When the chocolate has set, cut the squares down the marked lines.

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Fudgy Fig Roll

The flavours of the traditional biscuit are turned into a Swiss roll, with added nutmeg, cinnamon, banana in the sponge and a touch of fig jam

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr
  Cook 12 mins - 15 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 10 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  456

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  67g

• Fat

  19g

• Saturates

  11g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  60g

• Salt

  0.4g

Ingredients

• 140g soft dried figs, chopped
• 1 medium very ripe banana
• knob of butter, for greasing
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 225g light muscovado sugar
• 120g wholemeal flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• good grating fresh nutmeg (optional)
• 4 tbsp golden caster sugar
• For the filling
• 300ml double cream
• 4 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
• about 250-300g fig jam or conserve

Directions

1. Cover the figs with boiling water in a bowl and set aside to soften for 30 mins. Drain and mash well with the banana.
2. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease a Swiss roll tin-about 34 x 24cm. Line the base with baking parchment.
3. Separate the eggs, collecting the whites in a large clean bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until stiff peaks hold on the end of your whisk, then add half the sugar and beat until thick and glossy.
4. In another mixing bowl, beat the yolks with the remaining sugar until pale. Whisk in the mashed fig mixture. Fold this mixture into the meringue mixture until well combined. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle it over the wet mixture and very gently fold in, again until well combined. Gently scrape and spread the batter into the tin. Bake for 12-15 mins until springy to the touch.
5. Meanwhile, lay a clean tea towel on the bench (this helps keep the cake nice and moist). Scatter the caster sugar over the towel, flip on the cake, peel off the parchment, then roll up from the shortest side with the tea towel into a Swiss roll. Lift onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Unroll the cake gently. Using electric beaters, whisk the cream and icing sugar together to soft peaks. Spread the fig jam over the cake, followed by the cream. Roll up again and slice to serve.

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Banana Date Cake With Walnut & Honey Glaze

Sticky and sweet, this bundt-shaped banana bread with buttery glaze and cinnamon is a show-stopping bake

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 40 mins - 50 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 8 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  517

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  53g

• Fat

  31g

• Saturates

  14g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  35g

• Salt

  0.7g

Ingredients

• 175g softened butter, plus extra for the tin
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 2 overripe bananas (about 350g with skins on)
• 100g stoned dates
• 50g chopped walnuts
• For the glaze
• 2 tbsp clear honey
• 25g butter
• 50g walnut halves

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and line the base of an 18cm Bundt mould or round cake tin (see p120) with baking parchment. Put the flour, cinnamon, butter, sugar, eggs and honey in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or hand-held electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Mash the bananas and chop the dates. Stir into the cake mix with the walnuts. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 40-50 mins until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (a round tin may take 10-20 mins more). Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
3. To make the glaze, put the honey and butter in a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring until the butter has melted. Boil briefly, about 1 min, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts. Leave to cool until thickened and opaque. Spoon over the top of the cake and leave to set.

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Jammy Heart Drops

Cook from the heart and serve these raspberry-centred biscuits to kids, young and old- you don't need a special cutter, either

• Cooking Time Prep 55 mins
  Cook 8 mins - 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 18 biscuits

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  265

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  37g

• Fat

  12g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  25g

• Salt

  0.1g

Ingredients

• 250g pack unsalted butter, softened
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g plain flour
• jar seedless raspberry jam
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• 85g icing sugar

Directions

1. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla for a few secs, then use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour with ¼ tsp salt. Roll the dough into 36 small balls (the easiest way to get this right is to divide the dough into quarters-each quarter then makes 9 balls).
2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Squish 2 balls of dough together on the paper, keeping the 'round' edges of the balls at the top, but pinching together at the base where they meet, so they make a rough heart shape. Flatten with the palm of your hand to a biscuit, then press in heart-shaped 'dent' for the jam-thumbs and fingers are perfect for this. Repeat with remaining dough balls leaving a little space between each finished heart shape for spreading.
3. Spoon the jam into a food bag (or disposable piping bag), snip off the end and pipe roughly 2-3 tsp jam into the thumb-heart dips you have made in each biscuit. Bake for 8-12 mins until pale golden and crisp. Cool on the trays.
4. Mix the custard powder and icing sugar, then dribble in enough water to make a runny icing. Drizzle all over the cooled biscuits, allow to set for at least 10 mins, then serve or store in a biscuit tin.

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Giant Jaffa Orange Cake

Give the classic flavour combo of chocolate orange even more wow factor in this cake with zingy jelly and luxurious chocolate ganache

• Cooking Time Prep 35 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 5 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 10 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  822

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  85g

• Fat

  49g

• Saturates

  29g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  64g

• Salt

  0.8g

Ingredients

• 250g pack butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 300g golden caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 100g full-fat natural yogurt
• 300g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• zest 4 large orange (use the oranges below)
• For the orange jelly
• juice 5 large oranges (about 500ml), save the zest of 1 orange to finish
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 6 gelatine leaves
• For the chocolate ganache
• 300ml pot double cream
• 200g milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 100g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• To finish
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• zest 1 orange

Directions

1. First make the jelly. Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line with cling film (you can use the 23cm tin that you will bake the cake in, but you'll have to make this the day before so that you can remove it before making the cake). Remove the zest from 4 of the oranges and set aside for the cake. Tip the orange juice and sugar into a saucepan and gently heat to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few mins until soft. Remove the gelatine from the water, squeeze out any excess and add to the warm orange juice, stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Pour the liquid into the lined cake tin and chill for at least 4 hrs or preferably overnight.
2. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 23cm round cake tin with baking parchment. Tip all the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and combine with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Spoon into the tin and smooth over the surface. Bake in the centre of the oven for 55 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then invert onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
3. Now make the ganache. Heat the cream in a small pan until hot. Put the chocolate in a small bowl and pour over the cream, leave for 10 mins, then mix well-you should be left with a smooth chocolate sauce. Leave at room temperature until the ganache cools and thickens a little (you can put it in the fridge to speed this up, but keep an eye on it, as it will set quickly).
4. To assemble the cake, place it on a cake stand and trim the top to give you a flat surface. Warm the apricot jam in the microwave until a little runny. Paint it over the top of the cake, then flip the orange jelly out of its tin, and position on top. Using a palette knife, swirl the chocolate ganache over the orange jelly, letting it dribble down the sides of the cake a little. Serve straight away or within 24 hours.

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Curly Twirlies

Use ready-to-roll croissant pastry to create these chocolate and toffee-filled treats that are gooey and sticky when eaten warm

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  246

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  28g

• Fat

  13g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  0.9g

Ingredients

• 140g soft toffees
• 2 x tubes of 6 ready-to-roll croissants (we used Jus Rol)
• 100ml milk
• 50g dark chocolate drops- or use a block of chocolate and roughly chop
• golden icing sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the toffees into a small pan with the milk and melt over a very low heat, stirring occasionally to bring together to a smooth sauce. Cool off the heat for 1-2 mins until a little less molten and thickened slightly.
2. Cover two baking sheets with baking parchment. Unroll one tube of croissant dough. Pinch together the diagonal perforated seams, but divide the dough into three rectangles along the straight crossing seams. Cut each rectangle into 4 long, thin strips-so you end up with 12. Drizzle a little toffee along the length of each strip, then scatter with some chocolate drops. Unroll the other dough and cut into the same size strips, then sandwich together with the toffee-choc covered ones. Holding the ends of each strip, twist tightly and lay on the prepared baking sheets-they'll expand a little.
3. Once all are shaped, bake for 12-15 mins until golden and crisp. Dust with a little golden icing sugar to serve and enjoy best, freshly baked.

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Beetroot Brownies

With around half the fat of regular brownies, these are a slightly less guilty pleasure, but still have that intense chocolate hit

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 15-20

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  255

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  32g

• Fat

  13g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  24g

• Salt

  0.11g

Ingredients

• 500g whole raw beetroot (3-4 medium beets)
• 100g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin
• 200g bar plain chocolate (70% cocoa)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 100g plain flour
• 25g cocoa powder

Directions

1. Wear a pair of rubber gloves to stop your hands from staining, then top, tail and peel the beetroot-you'll need about 400g flesh. Roughly chop and put into a large bowl. Add a splash of water, cover with cling film, then microwave on High for 12 mins or until tender.
2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. While the beetroot cooks, butter then line a 20 x 30cm traybake or small roasting tin. Roughly chop the chocolate and cut the butter into cubes. Tip the cooked beetroot into a sieve, drain off any excess liquid, then put into a food processor or blender with the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Whizz until the mix is as smooth as you can get it. The chocolate and butter will melt as you do this.
3. Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl, then beat using an electric hand whisk until thick, pale and foamy, about 2 mins. Spoon the beetroot mix into the bowl (it won't look too pretty at this stage, but bear with me), then use a large metal spoon to fold it into the whisked eggs. Try to conserve as much air in the mixture as you can. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold these in to make a smooth batter.
4. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25 mins or until risen all over, with just the merest quiver under the centre of the crust when you shake the pan. Cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.

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Alexs Mega Brownies

Ten-year-old Alex from London shares this recipe for easy, really rich brownies

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 35 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 16-20

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  164

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  19g

• Fat

  9g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  14g

• Salt

  0.16g

Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 75g plain flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp milk
• 4 tbsp mixed white and milk chocolate chips
• 100g milk chocolate
• 75g full-fat soft cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 20cm square brownie tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk, then add the eggs one by one. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder, and add the milk. Mix everything together, then stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon into the tin and level the top.
2. Bake for 30 mins, or until the top is set, then cool completely. To make the topping, melt the milk chocolate, cool a little, then mix it with the soft cheese. Spread over the cooled brownies and cut into small squares-these are very rich.

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Cranberry-Pistachio Brownies

Moist, fruity and nutty - what more could you want from a brownie? Ready in under an hour

• Cooking Time Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 18

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  333

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  39g

• Fat

  18g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  27g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 200g butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
• 2 x 150g bars plain chocolate (about 40% cocoa solids is fine)
• 280g light muscovado sugar
• 4 tbsp cranberry juice or milk
• 4 medium eggs
• 200g plain flour
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 x 75g pack dried cranberries
• 100g pistachios, sliced
• icing sugar to dust, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a non-stick baking tin (about 31 x 17 x 3.5cm) or line the base if you prefer. Break the chocolate into a saucepan, add the butter, sugar and juice or milk, then warm gently, stirring frequently until melted and evenly mixed. Allow to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the flour, cinnamon and cranberries.
2. Spread half the mixture into the prepared tin, scatter over the nuts, then gently spread the rest of the mixture on top. Bake for 25-30 mins. Cut into squares while still warm. Will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

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