Tasty ideas

HOME MADE CHOCOLAT MIX

• 1 cup of cocoa powder                       
• ¾ cup of caster sugar                                                                                   
• 3 cups of powdered milk
  
• Dash of salt

Sift all ingredients together and store in a cool, dry place.
When ready to use, add 2 tablespoons to 120ml of boiling water.
For the extra treat: Whipped cream and marshmallows on top!

CLASSIC HOME-STYLE LEMONADE 

• 3 lemons
• 3 cups filtered water
• 4-5 tbsp. caster sugar

1. Juice one lemon and sieve, extracting all pulp and seeds.
2. Juice the two other lemons, and take out only the seeds.
3. Pour all lemon juice into the jug and add the 3 cups of water, stirring gently.
4. Pour in the sugar a tablespoon at a time, stirring slightly quickly. When all sugar is in, keep on stirring for half a minute, until dissolved.
5. Chill for at least an hour.

FIG CHUTNEY

• 180 g dried figs, trimmed, chopped
• 50 g brown sugar
• 120 ml cider vinegar
• 1 tsp minced onion
• 230 g pineapple, crushed, in its juice
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• 1 pinch cinnamon, ground

Combine all ingredients in a pan. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Refrigerate overnight.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

• 400grs of condensed milk
• 60grs of cooking chocolate

Place all the ingredients in a glass bowl and place in microwave (medium heat) for 30 seconds, stir, then cook for a further 1 minute
Serve warm over vanilla ice cream…

TEA and ORANGE DRINK

• 1 orange, juice only
• 1 tsp tea leaves
• 150 ml water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Crushed ice

Place tea leaves in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add sugar and orange juice. Stir and then strain through tea strainer.
Put in shaker with crushed ice. Shake and serve.

ORANGE COFFEE

• 250 ml strong coffee
• 250 ml hot chocolate
• 2 slices orange
• 1 dash cinnamon
• Whipped cream

Combine the coffee and the hot chocolate in a bowl.
Put an orange slice in each cup and top with the coffee mixture.
Add a dollop of whipped cream and a few sprinkles of cinnamon on top.

LEMON and LAVENDER crème brulée

• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons
• 600ml double cream
• 8-9 buds of fresh lavender or 4-5 dried buds
• 5 egg yolks
• 2tbsp caster sugar
• 3-4tbsp Demerara sugar to glaze

Bring the lemon juice and zest to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes until it has reduced by half.
Add the cream and the lavender, bring gently to the boil and remove from the heat. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the egg yolks and caster sugar together then pour on the cream, removing the lavender buds (don’t worry if a few flowers remain in the mixture). Return the mix to a clean heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat gently, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens – but don’t let it boil.
While it cooks, give it an occasional whisk and return it to the heat. This should take about 7-8 minutes but it’s important to get in round the edges of the pan and keep the custard moving.
Pour into a large shallow dish or individual ramekins, leave to cool a little and set overnight in the fridge.
Spread the Demerara sugar evenly over the surface and spray lightly with water.
Light a blow torch and work the flame evenly over the sugar until it caramelizes or place the crème under an extremely hot grill.
Return to the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.