Coconut Meringue Slices

These are lovely and light, and ideal for afternoon tea.

Base:
3oz Margarine
4oz Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
6oz SR Flour
pinch Salt

Topping:
2 Stiffly beaten egg whites
2oz Desiccated Coconut
4oz Sugar
1oz Chopped Nuts
1oz Chopped Glace Cherries

For the base, cream margarine and sugar then add rest of ingredients, and mix till combined (quite a stiff mixture).
Spread on base of greased tray bake tin and press down.

Mix all the ingredients for the topping and spread evenly over base mix.

Bake for aprox 20 minutes (Gas 4) until pale brown.
Allow to cool in tray, before cutting into slices.

Strawberry and Pecan Chocolate Fudge

Here is the Chocolate fudge I promised, first time I've made it, and it came out great!
You can substitute any fruit or nuts etc, depending what you have in your cupboard, or preference.

1lb Sugar
1/4 pint of Milk
5oz Butter
4oz Plain Chocolate
2oz Clear Honey

2tbsp freeze dried strawberries
4oz Chopped Pecans

Place all ingredients(except fruit and nuts), in heavy bottomed pan.
Stir over a low heat until dissolved.
Bring to the boil gently and simmer, stirring occasionally for aprox 10 mins, until a little of the mixture, dropped into cold water, forms a soft ball.

Remove from the heat and stand in cool place for 10 mins,
Add strawberries and nuts and beat mixture until thick and starts to become grainy,

Pour into a greased and lined 8x6" tin, and mark into squares.

When cold cut into squares and store in air tight container.

Enjoy!

Poached Caramel Pears

For this recipe I used 3 pears, but you can do as many as you like, ideal for showing off when you have friends over for dinner, and so simple..

Soft pears
Red wine
Nestles caramel covering
Chocolate
Coconut or chopped nuts

Firstly peel pears keeping stalk and slice a little from the bottom of the pear ( this helps them to stand up).

Put about 1/3 of a bottle wine in saucepan with pears and simmer for 20 minutes, keep turning so they get equal coverage.
Remove and let drain on kitchen paper.

When cool cover with caramel and place on grease proof paper.

Melt a little chocolate in bowl over pan, or in microwave, and dip pears in to cover bottom half, then immediately dip in coconut or chopped nuts.

Hope you  enjoy these as much as I did!

Cinnamon Goji Granola Bars

Healthy energy bars with no added sugar or butter!

200g Granola
100g Sesame seeds
50g chopped pecan nuts
2 tbsp Honey
2 tsp ground cinnamon
100g dried Goji berries
2 Egg Whites


Put granola, sesame seeds, pecans and berries in roasting tin and toast in oven.

Whisk eggs whites until peaks form.

Put granola mix in large bowl and mix in honey and cinnamon throughly.

Gently fold in egg whites.

Put in tray bake tinned with greaseproof paper, spread out and flatten down.

Cook in centre of oven for aprox 20 minutes.

Leave in tin until cooled then cut into bars.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon berry granola bars

Delicious high energy bars

100g butter

200g granola (or oats)

100g sunflower seeds 

50g sesame seeds

50g chopped walnuts (or pecans)

3tbsp honey

100g light brown sugar

1tsp cinnamon 

100g dried cranberries, cherries or fruit of your choice

Heat oven to 140C (gas 3)

Butter and line 18x25cm tray

Mix granola (oats), seeds and nuts in roasting tin, then put in oven 5-10 minutes to roast, mix half way through.

Warm butter, honey and sugar in pan, stirring untill butter is melted.

Add the oat mix, cinnamon and dried fruit till oats are well coated.

Press into tin lightly, and bake approx 30 mins.

Leave to cool completely in tin, then cut into approx 12 bars.

Enjoy!