Treacle Tart

Serve 4

Ingredients:

100g/4oz Wholemeal Flour

50g/2oz Self-Raising Flour

A pinch of Salt

75g/3oz Butter

Water to bind

120ml/4 fl.oz. Golden Syrup [what is it?]

75g/3oz Fresh Brown Breadcrumbs

Grated zest of 1/2 Lemon

50g/2oz Toasted Hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. Sift the flours with the salt into a mixing bowl. Tip the residue of bran left in the sieve into the bowl and stir lightly to mix.

2. Cut the butter into the flour with a palette knife, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually stir in just enough water to bind the mixture together. Knead briefly until smooth. Wrap in cling film and leave to relax in the bottom of the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 200C, 400F, Gas mark 6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry and line an 18cm/7 inch flan tin, reserving the trimmings.

4. Place syrup into a saucepan and heat gently. Stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and chopped nuts.

5. Spread the syrup mixture evenly over the base of the pastry case. Roll out the pastry trimmings thinly and cut into long, narrow strips. Arrange the strips in a lattice over the filling. Trim off any overhanging pastry, then lightly brush the strips with the beaten egg or milk.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is cooked and the filling a rich dark brown.

Butterbeer

Version 2:

2 1/2 cups of milk
1/2 cup of butterscotch chips

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend with a small handmixer if you have one, to make it frothy.

Bring the mixture almost to boiling, but not quite.

Pour into mugs and serve!

Rock Cakes

Ingredients
2 cups self-rising flour, or plain flour sifted with 2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup fine granulated sugar
1 cup mixed dried fruit (such as a mixture of moist packs of dried apricots, raisins and cranberries)
Finely grated rind of small orange
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbsp milk
Juice of 1/2 small orange

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 ºF.
Lightly grease baking tray.
Sift flour and salt together.
Using pastry blender, cut margarine or butter into the flour.
Add sugar, dried fruit and orange rind.
Stir in egg.
Add milk and just enough juice to make a stiff, sticky consistency that will stand in peaks when stirred with a knife.
Put walnut-sized heaps of mixture on baking tray.
Allow them to keep a rough, rocky shape.
Do not flatten or smooth them.
Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and firm.
Cool completely on rack for flavor to develop.

Jelly Slugs

Ingredients
4 packets quick-set jelly (knox gelatin)
1 litre sparkling lemonade
1 packet Rowntree's Bursting Bugs (I'd guess gummy worms would work, Yankees)
You will also need a clear plastic bowl (25 cl) per guest

Instructions
Make up two of the jellies according to the packet instructions, using lemonade instead of water for stage two.
Fill the bowls 1/3 full, then leave until set.
Position two or three bugs in each bowl.
Make up the other two jellies, again using lemonade.
Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and then pour over the first layer and bugs.
Allow to cool for an hour, and then decorate with an additional bug on the top.

Jelly Slugs

Ingredients
6 Tbsp sugar
2/3 cup cranberry juice cocktail
4 Tbsp light corn syrup
4 envelopes (4 Tbsp) unflavored gelatin
Red food coloring
Powdered sugar

Instructions
Place sugar, juice and corn syrup in a saucepan.
Stir over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Sprinkle in gelatin and cook and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Stir in 2 or 3 drops of food coloring.
Pour mixture into a bread pan coated with vegetable oil spray.
Let stand at room temperature until very firm, about 2 hours.
Turn the pan over and remove the jelly. (If jelly sticks, set the bottom of the pan in hot water for a few minutes).
Place on a work surface sprinkled with powdered sugar.
With a sharp knife or a small cookie cutter, cut the jelly into worm shapes.
Place on a platter lined with waxed paper.
Store in a cool, dry place.
Do not refrigerate.
Makes about 1 pound.

Toothflossing Stringmints

Ingredients
1 Egg White (buy ready pasteurised egg white from the shop, rather than just using raw eggs)
12 oz Icing Sugar (powdered sugar)
3 drops Peppermint Essence
Liquorice Laces

Instructions
Whisk egg white until frothy.
Beat in sugar and essence.
Knead well.
Shape into spheres by rolling between palms.
Wrap in liquorice laces.
Cool in fridge.

Ton Tongue Toffee

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon rum or vanilla flavoring
1 1/4 cups water

Instructions
Place all ingredients in a heavy saucepan.
Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Without stirring, boil until mixture reaches 290 ºF on a candy thermometer.
Pour into a buttered, 9-by-12-inch pan.
Let cool until almost firm to the touch.
Mark into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife.
When cool, break into squares or shards.
Makes 1 1/4 pounds.