English traditional recipes

Mince Pies
Ingredients
8 oz butter, softened 1 lb all purpose flour 2 oz icing sugar 2 egg yolks 1 lb mincemeat (fruit one) an ounce or 2 of brandy or rum - if desired beaten egg, to glaze bun tins to make 30 pies

Bubble and squeak

Ingredients
1 potato, diced 25g butter salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 14 savoy cabbage, shredded 1. Heat a large saucepan of water until boiling. 2. Add the potato and cook for ten minutes, or until soft. Drain the water and mash the potato with the butter and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 3. Heat half the oil in a wok and stirfry the savoy cabbage for two mins. 4. Mix the cabbage with the mashed potato, stirring through thoroughly. 5. Heat a small frying pan with the remaining oil and add the potato mixture filling the pan. Cook on a medium heat for five minutes, or until browned and turn out onto a plate. Serve immediately.

Cut the butter into cubes. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbes. Stir in the icing sugar. Make a well in the centre, stir in the egg yolk and about 3-4 tbsp iced water to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead lightly to form a smooth dough (if there is time - chill for 30 minutes). Preheat oven to mark 400F or gas mark 6. On a floured surface, roll out two thirds of the dough and cut out 30 rounds using a 2-12 inch fluted cutter. Use to line the bun tins. Fill with mince-meat. Re-roll remaining pastry and trimmings and cut out circles using a 2 in cutter. Dampen edges of circle and place on pies. Seal edges, brush tops with beaten egg and cook for 20 minutes.

Apple crumble with custard

Ingredients
For the apple crumble 150g unsalted butter 12 tsp ground ginger 1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped 2 tsp caster sugar 100g plain flour 100g brown sugar For the custard 150ml whole milk 150ml double cream 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped out 2 large free-range egg yolks 2 tbsp caster sugar

Scones
Ingredients
225g self raising flour pinch of salt 55g butter 25g caster sugar 150ml milk Method 1. Heat the oven to 220C. Lightly grease a baking sheet. 2. Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the butter. 3. Stir in the sugar and then the milk to get a soft dough. 4. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm thick. Use a 5cm cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up. 5. Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden. 6. Cool on a wire rack and serve with butter and good jam and maybe some clotted cream.

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200C Gas 6. 2. To make the apple crumble, put 50g of the butter into a small saucepan together with the ginger, apple and caster sugar and cook gently for 5 minutes until the apple has softened and broken down slightly. Pour into a small oven-proof dish. 3. Put the remaining butter, the flour and brown sugar into a food processor and blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the crumble mix onto the apple, place in the preheated oven and cook for 10 mins. 4. To make the custard, put the milk, double cream and vanilla pod and seeds into a non-stick saucepan and heat until just boiling. Remove the vanilla pod and set aside. 5. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Pour the warm milk and cream mixture over the beaten eggs and sugar and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into a clean saucepan and heat and whisk for a further 2 minutes or until the custard has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and pour into a small jug. 6. To serve, pour the custard over the apple crumble.

Welsh cheese bake

Ingredients
225g leeks, sliced 25g low fat spread 8 thick slices bread low fat spread 125g cheddar cheese, grated 2 eggs 300ml skimmed milk 1 tsp mustard good pinch cayenne pepper salt and pepper

Method 1. Lightly fry the leeks in a little low fat spread until soft. 2. Toast the bread slices on one side and lightly spread the untoasted side with low fat spread. Cut into fingers. Place one third of the bread, toasted side down in a 1.5l ovenproof dish. 3. Cover with one third of the leeks and a third of the cheese. 4. Repeat these layers finishing with some more cheese. 5. Beat the eggs, milk, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper together and strain over the leeks and cheese mixture. Bake at 180C for about 45 minutes until golden and risen.

Traditional English Triffle

Ingredients For the madeira cake 85g butter, at room temperature 85g caster sugar 2 medium eggs 125g self-raising flour 3 tbsp full-cream milk 12 lemon, finely grated zest only For the topping 330ml full cream milk 750ml double cream 6 large egg yolks 1 rounded tbsp cornflour 4 tbsp caster sugar 4 tbsp good-quality raspberry jam 6 tbsp Oloroso (sweet) sherry Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 450g loaf tin, line the base with greaseproof paper and grease the paper. 2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture curdling. 3. Sift over the flour and gently fold it in, with enough milk to give a mixture that falls reluctantly from the spoon. Fold in the lemon zest. 4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, level the top and bake for 30-45 mins until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. 5. Cool in the tin for ten minutes then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. The cake can be made up to four days in advance and kept tightly wrapped in clingfilm. 6. For the custard, bring the milk and 300ml of the cream to the boil in a non-stick pan. Beat the egg yolks, cornflour and sugar together in a bowl, then gradually whisk in the hot milk and cream. 7. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for about ten minutes, until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take care not to let it boil as it will curdle.

Yorkshire Parkin
Ingredients
225g self raising flour 110g/4oz caster sugar 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 egg 200ml/7fl oz milk 55g/2oz butter 110g/4oz golden syrup Method 1. Preheat the oven to 150C. Line a 22cm tin. 2. Sieve the flour, sugar, ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. 3. In a small pan gently heat the butter and syrup until melted. 4. Beat the egg into the milk. 5. Gradually pour the butter and syrup into the flour and stir. The mixture will be thick. 6. Pour in the egg and milk and stir until smooth and pour into the lined tin. 7. Bake for 1 hour

8. Transfer the custard to a bowl and leave to cool. 9. Cut the madeira cake into slices one centimetre (half an inch) thick and arrange a single layer over the base of the bowl. Spread the layer with two tablespoons of raspberry jam and lay another layer of cake on top (you might not need to use all the cake). 10. Spread the second layer with another two tablespoons of raspberry jam and sprinkle over the sherry. 11. Pour the custard over the cake, cover with clingfilm and chill for at least three hours. 12. Whip the remaining cream into soft peaks. Uncover the trifle, spoon over the cream and return it to the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Yorkshire pudding
Ingredients vegetable oil 290ml/12 pint milk 4 eggs, beaten 255g/9oz plain flour, sifted salt and freshly ground black pepper Method 1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. 2. Grease a Yorkshire pudding tin with a little vegetable oil. Place the tin in the oven to preheat. 3. Place the milk, eggs and seasoning in a bowl. Stir well to combine. 4. Whisk in the flour. 5. Remove the tin from the oven. Pour in the batter, filling each case only three quarters full. 6. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until puffy and raised. 7. Remove the puddings from the oven and serve.

Scottish shortbread
Ingredients 125g butter 55g caster sugar 180g plain flour Method 1. Heat the oven to 190C. 2. Beat the butter and the sugar together until pale. 3. Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1cm thick. 4. Cut into rounds or fingers and sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar. Put on a baking sheet and chill for 20 mins. Bake in the oven for 1520 mins until pale golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Yorkshire cheese tart

Ingredients For the pastry: 175g plain flour pinch of salt 80g butter 30-45ml water to mix For the filling: 125g butter 55g caster sugar 175g curd cheese 1 tsp lemon rind, grated 125g currants 55g breadcrumbs 2.5ml/12 tsp grated nutmeg 2 eggs, beaten

Method 1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt together and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 2. Mix in enough water to make a firm dough. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll out and use to line a 20cm fluted flan ring, reserving pastry trimmings. Chill whilst preparing filling. 3. To make the filling, beat the butter and sugar together, add the curd cheese and beat until smooth. 4. Add the lemon rind, currants, breadcrumbs, nutmeg and eggs and blend well. Pour into the chilled flan case and spread evenly. 5. Roll out the pastry trimmings and cut into four strips 20cm long and 5mm wide. Arrange the strips over cheese mixture so that they cross in the centre to make eight portions. 6. Bake in an oven at 200C for approximately 30 minutes until slightly risen and golden brown.