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Five fantastic Bonfire recipes for all the family

November the 5th will soon be upon us, and although it’s exciting to see the spectacle of organised displays, they can be very busy, noisy, muddy and cold!

Our solution is to stay at home, cook delicious but portable food and enjoy a few fireworks in the garden whilst watching other slightly (much) more impressive ones in the distance.

This means that it’s easy to nip inside for a warm (and the loo) and we can time it to suit the children who still have early bedtimes.

Here’s our menu for this year.  Of course, it’s the 2015 Dairy Diary  and our gorgeous Fantastic Food for Less cookbook  that have provided these delicious Bonfire recipes.

For the little ones

Pigs in Blankets

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Chocolate Brownies 

Time 55 minutes.
Per portion: 122 Kcal, 4g fat (1.6g saturated)
Makes 16
Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Prunes in fruit juice 410g can
Eggs 2
Caster sugar 110g (4oz)
Cocoa powder 50g (2oz)
Plain flour 50g (2oz)
Baking powder 1 tsp
Cook’s dark chocolate 75g (3oz)

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line an 18cm (7in) shallow square tin with greaseproof or non-stick baking paper. Snip the paper at the corners, press it into the tin and secure the corners with paper clips.

2 Drain the prunes, remove the stones and put the fruit into a liquidiser or food processor. Blend to a purée.

3 In a bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until they are pale and frothy and the whisk leaves a trail of mixture when lifted above the bowl.

4 Fold in the prune purée, then sift in the cocoa, flour and baking powder and carefully fold in.

5 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and tilt to level the mixture. Cook for 30-35 minutes until the cake is well risen and a skewer comes out cleanly when inserted into the centre. Leave the cake to cool in the tin.

6 Meanwhile, break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Stand the bowl over a barely simmering saucepan of water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Melt the chocolate, then spoon it over the cake and spread in a thin layer. Leave to set.

7 Lift the cake out of the tin, peel off the paper and cut into 16 squares.

For the grown ups

Spiced Dhal Soup 

Time 1¼ hrs plus soaking.
Per portion: 178 Kcal, 5g fat (0.6g saturated).
Serves 8
Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Yellow split peas 225g (8oz), soaked overnight in cold water, or red lentils
Sunflower oil 2 tbsp
Onions 2, peeled and finely chopped
Parsnips 5, about 350g (12oz), peeled and chopped
Garlic 4 cloves, peeled and crushed
Ground cumin 1½ tsp
Ground coriander 1½ tsp
Turmeric 2 tsp
Vegetable stock 1.7 litres (3 pints)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Drain the soaked peas and set aside.

2 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onions and parsnips for about 5 minutes until softened and lightly browned.

3 Add the garlic and spices and fry for 1minute, stirring. Add the stock and split peas or lentils and season well with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes until the peas or lentils are very soft.

4 Purée half the soup in a liquidiser or food processor, then stir it back into the remaining soup and reheat before serving in warmed bowls.

Bonfire Hot Dogs 

Time 40 mins
Per portion: 412 Kcal, 19g fat (7.4g saturated)
Serves 6

Good quality pork sausages 6
Clear honey 2 tbsp
Tabasco sauce 1 tsp or to taste
Butter 25g (1oz)
Olive oil 1-2 tbsp
Onions 3 large, peeled and sliced
Caster sugar 1 tsp
Hot dog or crusty rolls 6, split

1 Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6.  Place sausages in a roasting tin. Mix together honey and Tabasco sauce and pour over sausages, turning to coat thoroughly. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through, turning and basting a couple of times during cooking.

2 In a large heavy-based pan, melt butter and oil over a medium heat until foaming. Add onions and mix well. Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sugar, increase the heat and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden.

3 Pop a sausage into each roll and top with caramelized onions.

Luxury Eccles Cakes

Time 40 minutes.
Per portion: 223 Kcal, 13g fat (5.7g saturated)
Makes 12
Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Luxury mixed dried fruits 175g (6oz)
Dark muscovado sugar 50g (2oz)
Ground mixed spice 1 tsp
Grated nutmeg ½ tsp
Lemon 1, finely grated zest only
Butter 40g (1½oz), melted
Ready-rolled puff pastry 375g packet
Egg 1, beaten
Caster sugar for sifting

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7 and grease two baking sheets. In a large bowl, mix together the dried fruits, sugar, spices, lemon zest and the butter.

2 Lay the pastry on a lightly floured surface and using a 9cm (3½in) plain round cutter, stamp as many rounds as you can from the pastry and set aside.

3 Re-fold the pastry trimmings, in layers, and then re-roll and stamp out more rounds until you have 12 of them.

4 Dividing evenly, place a rounded teaspoonful of the fruit mixture in the centre of each pastry circle. Brush the edges with cold water, then bring the sides of the pastry up and over the filling and pinch firmly together to seal. Turn over and gently flatten with your hand.

5 Place the Eccles cakes on the greased baking trays and brush lightly with beaten egg, then lightly score the tops, diagonally, three times. Bake for 12–15 minutes until the cakes are well risen, golden brown and crisp to the touch.

6 Sift the Eccles cakes with caster sugar while they are still hot. Eat warm, or leave until cold.

Enjoy and stay safe everyone.