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Cherry Cupcakes

Cherry Cupcakes recipeA favourite with children of all ages!

Makes 12 cakes
Time 30 mins
Calories 265 per cake
Fat 14g of which 8.5g is saturated
Suitable for vegetarians

Butter 175g (6oz)
Caster sugar 110g (4oz)
Eggs 2, beaten
Self-raising flour 110g (4oz)
Glacé cherries 50g (2oz), chopped
Icing sugar 110g (4oz)
White chocolate buttons and halved glacé cherries to decorate

1 Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Spread out 12 paper cases on baking sheets, or put them into patty tins.

2 Cream 110g (4oz) butter and all caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, beating well after each addition. Fold in flour, then chopped cherries.

3 Fill paper cases half full and bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

4 Beat remaining butter with icing sugar for butter icing and spread over top of cooled cakes. 5 Decorate with white chocolate buttons and glacé cherries.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

 

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Baked Cream Cheesecake

Baked Cream Cheesecake recipe

Baked cheesecake is easy to make and absolutely delicious

Serves 10
Preparation 30 mins plus chilling
Cooking 1¼ hrs
Per portion 351 kcals, 25g fat (14g saturated)

50g (2oz) butter, melted
150g (5oz) digestive biscuits, crushed
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
500g (1lb 2oz) full fat soft cheese
125g (41/2oz) caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
1½ tsp vanilla extract
150ml (1/4 pint) soured cream
Grated lemon and lime rind to decorate

1 Mix together melted butter, biscuits and cinnamon. Press into base of a greased loose-bottomed 20cm (8in) cake tin.

2 Cook at 180°C (350°F) Mark 4 for 10 minutes.

3 Beat together soft cheese and 110g (4oz) caster sugar, then gradually beat in eggs. Stir in lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla extract.

4 Pour into cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until centre is firm to touch.

5 Remove from oven and allow cheesecake to cool.

6 Mix together remaining sugar and soured cream. Spread soured cream over cheesecake.

7 Remove from tin and chill until ready to serve. Decorate with lemon and lime rind.

Recipe taken from The Dairy Book of Home Cookery

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Spiced Elderflower

This spiced elderflower cordial captures the essence of warm English summers

Spiced elderflower cordial recipeMakes 1½ litres (2½ pints)
Time 6 days
359 calories per 150ml (¼ pint)
0g fat
Suitable for vegetarians

Caster sugar 1kg (2lb 4oz)
Boiling water 900ml (1½ pints)
Citric acid 50g (2oz)
Elderflower heads 20, flowers snipped from stems
Lemon 1, thinly sliced Limes 4, thinly sliced
Fresh root ginger 50–75g (2–3oz), peeled and sliced

1 Pour sugar into a bowl, add boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add citric acid and elderflowers and stir. Stir in sliced lemon, limes and ginger. Cover with cling film and leave in a cool place for 6 days, stirring daily.

2 Place a colander or sieve over a bowl and line with muslin or clean J-cloths. Pour boiling water through – to sterilise. Pour away water and wring out muslin or J-cloths.

3 Re-line sieve or colander, replace over bowl and strain the cordial through it. Discard elderflowers, lemon, limes and ginger.

4 Pour cordial through a funnel into two sterilised 75cl (11⁄4 pint) wine bottles. Seal with corks or screw caps and store in fridge. Will keep for a year or more. Serve diluted with chilled white wine, tonic or soda water, or top up with boiling water to make a hot toddy.

A Dairy Diary recipe

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Picnic Ciabatta recipe

This is no ordinary picnic ciabatta… this is a fabulous Dairy Diary ciabatta

Picnic ciabatta recipeServes 2
Time 40 minutes
695 calories per portion
40.4g fat of which 6.3g is saturated

Peppers 1 red, 1 green and 1 yellow
Vinaigrette dressing with garlic 6–8tbsp
Ciabatta loaf approximately 275g (10oz)
Watercress large bunch, washed and dried
Red onion 1, peeled, sliced and separated into rings
Anchovy fillets in olive oil 8–12, drained

1 Cook peppers under a hot grill turning frequently until lightly charred and blistered. Put in a bowl, cover with cling film and cool.

2 Peel and deseed the peppers into a sieve placed over a bowl, cutting each one in half. Mix the juices with the vinaigrette dressing.

3 Cut the ciabatta in half. Place the two halves, cut sides up, on a board and drizzle with approximately two-thirds of the dressing.

4 Arrange half of the watercress on the bottom half of the bread. Cover with half of the peppers and onion rings. Top with anchovy fillets, and drizzle with more dressing.

5 Add remaining onion rings, peppers and watercress. Drizzle with dressing. Replace the top of the loaf and press firmly together. Wrap tightly in cling film and chill for 30 minutes, or overnight if taking on a picnic.

A Dairy Diary recipe

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Apricot cookies recipe

These delicious cookies are perfect for summer picnics

Apricot Cookies recipeMakes 36 cookies
Time 30 mins
Calories 115 per cookie
Fat 8g of which 4.3g is saturated
Suitable for freezing
Suitable for vegetarians

Butter 175g (6oz)
Caster sugar 110g (4oz)
Soft cheese 175g (6oz)
Self-raising flour 225g (8oz)
Ground almonds 75g (3oz)
Ready-to-eat dried apricots 75g (3oz), chopped
Fudge pieces 75g (3oz), chopped if necessary

1 Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Line baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.

2 Put butter, sugar, cheese, fl our and almonds into a bowl and beat together. Stir in apricots and fudge.

3 Drop spoonfuls of mixture onto baking sheets and press down lightly with a fork.

4 Bake for 10 minutes. Leave for 2 minutes on baking sheets, then lift off and cool on a wire rack.

A Dairy Diary recipe

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Father’s Day Food

Father's Day recipes

As you will probably know, Sunday is Father’s Day. Unlike Mothering Sunday, its origins are uncertain.

It is believed to have begun in the state of Washington in the USA in 1907, when Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to recognise the efforts of her father after her mother died giving birth to her sixth child.

As her father’s birthday was in June, she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebrations on the 19th June 1910.

In 1972 the President, Richard Nixon, established that Father`s Day (by signing a congressional resolution) would be held on the third Sunday in June each year. Many countries have followed this tradition including Great Britain.

How will you be celebrating?

My children are lucky enough to enjoy Father’s day with their dad in Majorca as we are jetting off on our holiday on Friday. I am sure he won’t object to a picnic on the beach followed by a cool off in the sea to celebrate his special day – and he certainly deserves it!

So, for my dad we are going to postpone for a week and then I am going to treat him to some delectable dishes. These are my Father’s Day choices.

Don’t forget to get the children involved in the preparation. It will make it even more special!

I hope your dad or other half enjoy them too.

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