These raspberry muffins couldn't be easier to make and taste beautiful, with the sharpness of the raspberries and the sweetness of the cake and cream.

Ingredients you will need:

- 6 oz/ 170g caster sugar

- 6 oz/ 170g self- raising flour

- 6 oz/ 170g soften butter or margarine

- 3 free-range eggs

- 1 tsp baking powder 

- handful of fresh raspberries (leaving a few to decorate with)

- around 400ml double cream

- some raspberry coulis

- about 1 tbsp icing sugar

- white chocolate for decorating

Method: 

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 180ºC fan, then measure out all your ingredients. I think this is the best way to make this recipe quick and simple and clutter free as you can put everything away before you have even started. 

Step 2: Put the soften butter or margarine into a bowl, add the sugar and whisk together (I used a half held whisk) until light and fluffy. 

Step 3: Add the flour and baking powder and gently mix until combined. Then add the eggs and starting slowly, whisk until the mixture is fully combined.


Step 4: Put the handful of raspberries, you can add as many as you would like really, to the mixture and gently fold in.








Step 5: Divide the mixture into 12 muffin cases and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. You can check if the muffins are cooked by placing a skewer into the middle of one and if the skewer comes out clean the muffins are cooked, if not just leave in the oven a little bit longer.

Step 6: Once the muffins have cooked, leave them in the baking tray to cool for around 5 minutes and then transfer the muffins onto a cooling rack and leave until completely cooled.

Step 7: Time to decorate! Pour around 400ml of double cream and 1tbsp of icing sugar into a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. The cream with continue to stiffen as you mix in the raspberry coulis. Then add some raspberry coulis until you have the colour you want, I chose a very light pink to just add a hint of colour and flavour. 

Step 8: Now put the cream into a piping bag so it is easier to put on the top of the muffins and pipe a swirl onto each one. I then sprinkled over white chocolate flakes that I made by using a peeler and running this down the edge of a bar of white chocolate and added a raspberry that I filled with the extra coulis I had left over and that was it!

Step 9: Enjoy!

This dessert tastes so good and looks rather impressive yet it is so simple to make! 

Ingredients you will need:

(For the Panna Cotta)

- 250ml of whole milk

- 250ml of double cream

- 25g caster sugar

- 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste/ 1 vanilla pod split lengthways with the seeds scraped out

- 3 leaves of gelatine 

(For the blueberry coulis) 

- 250g blueberries

- 75g caster sugar

- 100ml water

- 1 tbsp honey

Method:

Step 1: Put some cold water into a bowl and soak the gelatine until soft.

Step 2: Next pour the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla into a pan and put on a medium heat and bring to a simmer.

Step 3: Before you add the gelatine to the milk and cream mixture take it out of the water and squeeze all the excess water out of it. Then take the milk and cream mixture off the heat and add the gelatine. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

Step 4: Set out the dishes you want to serve your panna cotta in and pour the panna cotta into a jug, so it is easier to pour into the dishes. Divide the mixture into your dishes and put in the fridge to set for at least an hour.

Step 5: Whilst waiting for the pan cotta to set, put the water and sugar, to make to coulis, into a pan with a handful of the blueberries and bring to the boil on a high-medium heat. Turn it down so the mixture is at a simmer and add your honey. Simmer for a few minutes until the coulis has thickened slightly.

Step 6: Take the pan off the heat and then using a handheld blender, blitz the coulis until smooth and then put the pan back on the heat. Add the rest of the blueberries and heat through so some still remain whole. Take off the heat and leave to cool until needed.

Step 7: When the panna cotta has fully set you can serve it straight away right from the fridge or just leave it in the fridge until you are ready to eat it. 

Step 8: Enjoy!

As valentine’s day is rapidly approaching, I thought it would be right to post something festive. So here is a cute cake and although not the easiest, it is rather impressive! 

Ingredients you will need: 

(Cake 1)

• 150g self-raising flour
• 175g caster sugar
• 175g unsalted soften butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 85g ground almonds 
• 100ml milk
• 2 tbsp cocoa power
• Red food colouring 
• 1 1/2 tsp strawberry flavouring - you can use vanilla instead if you wish

(Cake 2)

• 175g self-raising flour                                     
• 175g caster sugar
• 175g unsalted soften butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 85g ground almonds 
• 100ml milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

Method:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C if fan assisted). Now grease a 900g loaf tin and line with greaseproof baking paper. 

Step 2: Next put the sugar and butter for cake 1 into a bowl and cream together until light and fluffy, it is easiest to do this either in a electric mixing bowl or using a hand held electric whisk.

Step 3: Then beat together the 3 eggs and add to the butter and sugar in small amounts, mixing in-between until all is combined.

Step 4: Now sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa into the bowl, add the almonds and gently fold into the mixture. 

Step 5: Now combine the milk and flavouring (either strawberry or vanilla) and add to the batter. Then add small amounts of food colouring until the mixture is evenly coloured and at the colour you want.

Step 6: Then pour into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. You will know it is baked if you insert a skewer into the middle of the cake and it comes out clean. Now cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Step 7: When cool, cut the cake into about 4cm slices and then using a 5cm cutter, stamp out the hearts. 

Step 8: Now for cake 2. Use the same loaf tin as before and grease and line it again. Now repeat what you did for cake 1 but you won’t have cocoa or food colouring in this batch and your strawberry flavouring will also be vanilla. Stop when all the ingredients are combined in the bowl.

Step 9: When you have got to this stage pour 3/4 of the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Next push the bottoms of the hearts into this batter in a tight row. Then cover the hearts with the rest of the mixture covering the hearts as much as you can. 

Step 10: Bake for 1 hour at the same temperature as before and again use the skewer technique to check it has baked properly. Cool for around 10 minutes in the tin and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Step 11: Decorate however you choose! Dust with icing sugar and valentines sprinkles for a simple but effective look or smother in chocolate icing, its really up to you!

Step 12: Enjoy! 

(Original recipe on the BBC Goodfood website)

These pancakes are perfect if you are wanting to do something festive for that someone special but need it to be quick and super easy.

Ingredients you will need: 

- 200g plain flour

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 tbsp baking powder

- 1 large egg

- 300 ml milk

- oil for cooking 

- a pinch of salt

- any flavourings you would like; cinnamon, blueberries, lemon, Nutella, syrup- its up to you! 

 (the flavourings can be added before cooking the pancakes or after depending on what you choose)

Method: 

Step 1: Put all the dry ingredients into a large jug or bowl and stir together. 

Step 2: Crack the egg into the milk and lightly whisk. Then add the milk and egg to the jug or bowl a little at a time, mixing well in-between additions. 

Step 3: Heat up a frying pan on a medium to low heat and when warm add some oil and heat gently. 

Step 4: Once you have made sure all the wet and dry ingredients are combined well, and there are no bits of flour still stuck at the bottom of the jug or bowl you can then start to cook your pancakes. 

Step 5: When the pan is warm, not too hot, you can either pour your pancakes in or ladle them. If you just want small circle pancakes, just pour the mixture straight into the pan and stop adding mix when you get to the size you want. I decided to make heart shaped pancakes so i placed a metal cookie cooker in the pan and poured my mixture in that.

Step 6: When the pancakes start to get little bubbles coming through this is when you need to flip them over. The easiest way to do this is with a large spatula and just to go for it. This is where the heart shaped ones got a little tricky so instead of cooking in the heart shaped cookie cutter I just made slightly larger pancakes and cut the hearts out after- this was much much easier! 

Step 7: When the pancakes are nicely coloured on each side flip them out and add any toppings you like and serve! 

Step 8: Enjoy! 

This delicious soup is just as good hot as it is cold.

Ingredients you will need:

- 4 medium aubergines 

- 2 large red peppers

- 1 large orange pepper

- 1 large yellow pepper

- 1 chopped shallot

- 3 large cloves of garlic

- 300ml of vegetable stock

- 500 ml of tomato juice

- 1 tbsp of corse- grain mustard

- 2 sprigs of fresh basil

 - leaves from 1 sprig of fresh rosemary 

- salt and pepper to taste

- olive oil 

- cherry tomatoes on the vine to garnish

Method: 

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 190°C. 

Step 2: Peel the aubergines in long strips, either using a swivel peeler or sharp knife, still keeping about 0.5cm of the flesh still on the skin. Cut those strips into long strips and then into small dice. Set the cubed aubergine skin aside. 

Step 3: Now wrap the peeled aubergines, rosemary and garlic in foil and roast in the preheated oven for around an hour or until the aubergine flesh is soften and completely broken. This may take a while so just be patient. Save any of the cooking juices.

Step 4: Heat up some olive oil in a frying pan and, when hot, fry the aubergine on the high heat to give it a slightly scorched flavour. Add the saved juices and season to taste. Set aside and leave to cool. 

Step 5: Slice up the peppers and discard the central seed core and stalk. 

Step 6: Add some more oil to the frying pan and, again when hot, sauté the shallot until lightly coloured. Then add the sliced pepper and continue frying over a high heat for around 5 minutes. 

Step 7: Mix in the basil, mustard and stock. Then bring to the boil, season and simmer for around 15 minutes. Now remove from the heat and cool. 

Step 8: Now discard the basil and blitz the pepper mixture either with a hand held blender or a food processor and then add the aubergine and blitz again until smooth. Gradually incorporate the tomato juice until you get the consistency you like and chill until ready to serve. 

Step 9: When you are ready to serve the soup, prepare the garnish by frying the saved aubergine skin in a little oil until light and crisp and then drain on kitchen paper. Next do the same with the tomatoes and again drain on kitchen paper. 

Step 10: Pour the soup into a bowl and scatter the aubergines on the top and place the tomatoes on the side and enjoy! (If you would like to eat this soup hot just gently heat over a medium heat until hot and serve.) 

(Original recipe by Gordon Ramsay)

This soup is super tasty and so simple and quick to whip up!

Ingredients: 

- 200g courgette, roughly chopped

- 85g broccoli 

- 100g kale, roughly chopped

- 500ml vegetable stock 

- 1 tbsp sunflower oil 

- 2 garlic cloves, roughly sliced

- a thumb size piece of fresh ginger

- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric 

- 1/2 tsp ground coriander 

- pinch of salt

- 1 lime, zested and juice

- a small pack of parsley, roughly chopped- leave a few whole leaves to serve

Method: 

Step 1: Prepare all the vegetables and spices so everything is ready and easy for you in the next steps. 

Step 2: Put the oil into a deep pan, add the salt, garlic, ginger, turmeric and coriander and fry on a medium heat for around 2-3 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water to the spices to give them a bit more moisture. 

Step 3: Add the chopped courgettes and mix well with the spices so the courgette pieces are well coated, then cook for around 3 minutes. 

Step 4: Add 400ml of the stock and simmer for another 3 minutes.

Step 5: Add the broccoli, kale and lime juice plus the rest of the stock. Leave this to cook on a simmer until the vegetables are soft, this usually takes around 3-4 minutes. 

Step 6: Next take the soup off the heat, add the chopped parsley, put the soup into a blender and blend on a high speed until smooth. If you don't have an electric blender a hand held one is sufficient.

Step 7: Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and lime zest and enjoy!