Coconut Ice

350g Dessicated Coconut
350g Icing Sugar
397g Tin of Condensed Milk
red food color
Vanilla Flavour (optional)
3 tbsp Raspberry Jam (optional)

Step 1 -> Pour condensed milk into a bowl, and stir in the icing sugar. Mix well, and then add the dessicated coconut. Keep mixing it till it is thoroughly combined (it will get really thick, and tough to mix).
Step 2 -> Divide the mixture into 2 portions - adding red color into 1 portion, and mixing till it goes a nice pink color. You can also add raspberry jam, to give it a yummy flavour :P. And in the other portion, you can add vanilla flavouring.
Step 3 -> Greaseproof paper a metal tin, push and flatten the white coconut ice mixture in the tin, and then put the pink coconut ice mixture on top, flatten and place in the fridge overnight to set.
Step 4 -> In the morning, remove from fridge, and cut into pieces and leave to dry for about an hour.

Store in a air-proof container, it will keep for about 3 weeks. :)

Fruit Chaat (Fruit salad with chickpeas)

1 Tin Chickpeas, drained
1 Tin Fruit Cocktail, drained
2 Apples - cored and chopped into small peices.
1 big Banana or 2 small ones - chopped into small pieces
A handful of strawberries or any other soft fruit.
Orange Juice, or mixed juice. About half cup.
pinch of Black Pepper
1-2 tsp Sugar
1tsp Chaat Masala Mix (flat tsp, not heaped lol!)

Step 1: Put chickpeas, fruit cocktail, apple, banana and any other fruit in to a dish and stir well. Add the orange juice, and stir so the fruit is covered in juice.
Step 2: Add the black pepper, sugar and the Chaat Masala Mix. Stir and taste it.
Add more sugar or more chaat masala mix if you like.
Step 4: put in fridge to chill, then serve when cold.

Fruity Cookies :)

makes about 30 cookies.

225g Butter, softened
140g Caster Sugar
1 Egg Yolk, lightly beaten
2 tsp almond extract
280g Plain flour
55g ready-to-eat dried pear, finely chopped
55g ready-to-eat peach, finely chopped
4 tbsp Plum Jam
pinch of salt

(you can substitute, I have done this recipe with raisins, dried apple, cinnamon (instead of almond, whatever you like really!)

Preheat oven to gas mark 5, line 2 trays with baking sheets.

Put butter and sugar in bowl and mix well with wooden spoon, then beat in egg yolk and almond extract. Sift together the flour and a pinch of salt into the mixture, add the dried fruit and stir until thoroughly combined.

Scoop up tablespoons of the mixture, roll into balls and place them on the baking sheets, well spaced apart. Make a hollow in each center and fill in with the jam.

Bake 12-15mins.. until light golden brown..leave to cool on baking sheets for 5-10mins. then transfer on wire racks to cool completly.

Rose Cookies

I love this recipe, the cookies are light and yummy :)

225g (8 oz) Butter, softened
225g (8 oz) Caster Sugar
1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp Rose Water (I put in 2 tbsp)
280g (10 oz) Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
pinch of salt

Icing:
250g (9 oz) Icing Sugar
2 tsp Plain Flour
2 tsp Rose Water
pink food coloring

Step 1 -> Put butter and sugar in to bowl, and mix well. Then beat in egg and rose water. Sift flour, baking powder and pinch of salt into mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Shape into a log, wrap in cling film and chill in fridge for 1-2 hours.
Step 2 -> Pre-heat oven to gas 5 and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Step 3 -> Unwrap the dough and cut into thin sliced with a sharp serrated knife. Put the slices on the baking tray, well spaced apart and bake for 10-12 min or until light golden. Leave cookies to cool, and carefully transfer on to wire rack to cool completely.

To make icing:
-> Sift icing sugar into bowl, add flour and sufficient rose water to make a smooth, easy-to-spread icing. Stir in a few drops of pink coloring, to a light pinky color.

Leave cookies on racks, gently spread icing over them and leave to set

Chocolate Crossants and Danishes (Quick version)

This is a quick recipe, fantastic of your short on time and have guests arriving any min!

1 packet ready made Butter Puff Pastry
1 bar of plain or milk Chocolate (small squares)
1 egg (beaten)
caster sugar, for sprinkling

For Pecan filling:
75g (3 oz) Demera Sugar
50g (2 oz) Butter (softened)
75g (3 oz) Pecans (chopped)

-> Combine nuts and sugar and cream together with butter.

For Almond and Apricot filling:
100g (4 oz) ground Almonds
50g (2 oz) butter (softened)
75g (3 oz) Caster Sugar
80g Apricot Jam

-> Combine almonds, butter and sugar to a soft paste.

(Also can try using almond marzipan with molero cherry jam)

*Pre-heat oven to gas 6*

Step 1 -> Roll out pastry in to a oblong shape, and trim sides and cut into 8-12 equal squares. With half of the squares, cut them in half so you have 2 triangles.
Lay a triangle in front of you, the widest part nearest to you and the pointy bit away from you. Put a square of chocolate in the center of the widest part and roll the pastry up around it. Then pinch the edges so the chocolate wont escape and bend the corners inwards so it looks like a small crab shape or a cresent moon.
Place on baking tray that is lined with foil. And do some more!
Step 2 -> For the danishes, cut the squares in half like a rectangle, brush with egg and place a small spoonful of one or two of your fillings in the center. Then bring the corners together and place them one over the other, so that it is overlaped and pinch together. Filling should be partialy seen.
Step 3 -> brush both danishes and crossants with plenty of egg. And bake in oven for 12-15 min.

Fruit and Honey Muffins

280g (1o oz) Plain Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
75g (3 oz) Caster Sugar
75g (3oz) Butter, melted
60ml Clear Honey
2 Eggs
230ml Milk
few drops Vanilla Essence
140g (5 oz) Fresh Raspberries or Blueberries
75g (3 oz) Pecan nuts, roughly chopped (optional)
Demerara Sugar for sprinkling

Method:

Pre-heat oven to gas 6.
Line a 12 cup muffin tray with muffin cases.

->Sift flour and baking powder into large mixing bowl and stir in caster sugar. In another bowl mix the melted butter, honey, eggs, milk and vanilla essence together.
->Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients (the bowl with flour+baking powder in) and pour in the liqued mixture. Fold in quickly, until just blended. Fold in raspberries or blueberries and two-thirds of the nuts.
->Divide mixture into the muffin cases, sprinkle over remaining nuts and a little demerara sugar.
->Bake for 20-25mins or until risen and golden. Transfer to wire rack, serve hot or cold.

Chocolate Cookies

This recipe makes around 30 cookies.
You will need:
2 sachets instant hot chocolate drink
1 tbsp hot Water
8 oz Butter
5 oz Caster Sugar
10 oz Plain Flour
1 egg Yolk
Salt
Choc chips (optional)

Method:
Empty sachets into bowl and mix with hot water to make a paste. In another bowl put in sugar and butter, mix well and then beat in the egg yolk and chocolate paste. Sift together flour and add a pinch of salt to the mixture. When combined, halve the dough and cover in clingfilm. Leave in fridge for 30-60min.

Pre-heat oven to gas 5. Line baking trays with baking paper.

Un-wrap the dough, roll out and stamp out rounds. If you want to make them like in the pic, then place 2-3 chips in middle of each cookie. Sprinkle with little bit caster sugar and bake 10-15min until firm. Leave to cool 5-10min.

Orange and ginger cookies

Really nice cookies, easy to make. You can dip them in melted chocolate or make them in gingerbread men shapes or add choc chips.

You will need:
10 oz Flour
5 oz Caster Sugar
8 oz Butter
1 egg yolk
1 tsp Ground Ginger
2 tsp Orange Juice
grated rind of One Orange
salt

Method:
Put butter, sugar and orange rind into bowl and mix well with wooden spoon, then beat in egg yolk and orange juice. Sift together flour, ginger and pinch of salt and stir until thoroughly combined, shape dough into ball and wrap in cling film. Leave in fridge for 30-60min.

Preheat oven to gas 5, line 2 trays with baking paper.

Unwrap dough, roll out and cut into desired shapes. Put on prepared sheets, well spaced apart. Bake 10-12min until light brown, and leave to cool..
Enjoy!

Yummy Moorish Salad

2 Tomatos
2 small red onions (or normal onions)
1 Lemon
1 Tin of Chick Peas (optional)
1/2 of a Yellow Pepper
1/4 Cucumber
Handful of fresh or frozen Coriander.

Salt and Pepper

Step 1: Chop up onions into small pieces, and place in a bowl. Fill bowl with cold water and leave to sit.
Step 2: Chop up tomato's, yellow pepper, and Cucumber into small pieces.
Step 3: mix in bowl, drain and add chick peas.
Step 4: squeeze in the juice of the lemon, and add half teaspoon salt, half teaspoon pepper.
Step 5: Add the coriander and onion, stir and serve :)