Gooseberry meringue tart

Ingredients

• 375g pack shortcrust pastry (preferably dessert pastry)
• 50g butter
• 100g light brown sugar
• 500g gooseberries
• 2 egg whites
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan160C/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, then use it to line a 23cm loose-bottom tart tin. Line with non-stick baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans, then cook for 10 mins more until golden. Remove from the oven, then reduce the heat to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1.
2. While the case is cooking, heat the butter and brown sugar in a shallow pan. When the sugar has completely dissolved, throw in the gooseberries and toss in the caramel. Cook for a few mins until they start to split, but before they have burst completely. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Once cool give them a stir, then tip into pastry case.
3. For the meringue topping, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Whisk in the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, then whisk in the cornflour. Carefully blob the meringue over the gooseberries and gently spread to cover. Bake for about 40 mins until the meringue is cooked and lightly browned.  

Garlic mash potato bake

Ingredients

• 1kg potatoes, quartered
• butter, for frying
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 140ml pot single cream or milk
• 25g dried white bread crumbs
• 25g Gruyère, grated
• 2 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

METHOD

1. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of water for 15 mins or until soft. Drain well. Place the pan back on the heat. Melt a little butter and cook the garlic for 1 min to soften, then stir in the cream or milk and heat through. Return the potatoes to the pan and mash until smooth.
2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Spoon the mixture into a 20 x 30cm baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, cheese and thyme over the top. Can be made up to this point the day before and stored in the fridge or frozen for up to 1 month. Cook for 15 mins until the crumbs are crisp and the cheese has melted. To cook from frozen, simply cook for 1 hr 10 mins. 

Bacon, sausage & prune rolls

Ingredients

• 12 cocktail sausages
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 12 prunes
• 24 rashers streaky bacon

METHOD

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the sausages in a bowl with the honey until all are well coated. Wrap each sausage and prune in a piece of bacon, then skewer with a cocktail stick. Put on a baking sheet and cook for 30 mins.

Snowball truffles

Ingredients

• 200ml double cream
• 200g good-quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
• 200g desiccated coconut

METHOD

1. Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring just up to the boil. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour over the boiling cream, then stir until the chocolate and cream are well blended and smooth. Cool, then set aside in the fridge until the mixture is solid, about 2 hrs.
2. Scoop out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into small walnut-size balls with your hands. Sprinkle the coconut onto a plate and roll the truffle in the coconut until evenly covered. Will keep in a cool place for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. 

Jammy coconut mallows

For the biscuits

• 250g butter, softened
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g plain flour
• 100g desiccated coconut

For the middles and coating

• about 175g raspberry jam
• 18 large pink and white marshmallows, cut in half across the middle
• 25g desiccated coconut

METHOD

1.  Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together with a pinch of salt until smooth. Fold in the flour and coconut to form a dough.
2. On a floured surface, shape the dough into a round, then roll to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut into rounds using a 6cm cutter. Lift onto baking sheets, then bake for 14 mins until light golden. Cool for a few mins, then transfer to a cooling rack.
3. To sandwich the biscuits, lay half out on a baking sheet, under-side up. Put ½ tsp jam onto each one, top with a piece of marshmallow, then bake for 2½ mins or until just melted. Remove from oven, then quickly top with the other biscuits, pressing down so that the marshmallow sticks them together and just oozes out. Cool for 10 mins. Put the coconut and remaining jam onto plates, dip the edges in the jam, then roll in the coconut. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.