VEDA BREAD INGREDIENTS 1 lb White Bread Flour 1 tsp Roasted barley Malt Flour 2 tsp Nut Brown Malt Flour 1 tsp instant yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 tbs. oil 1 tbs. teaspoon malt extract 1 lattreacle or molasses 200-250 mls. warm water GLAZE (IF DESIRED) A teaspoon of warmed treacle/molasses METHOD Mix all the ingredients together using 200mls of the water. If it seems a little dry add a little more water just a drop at a time. It should be a soft-ish slightly sticky dough. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or five in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl covered with cling film Leave somewhere warm to rise for about an hour until doubled in volume. Gently pull the dough out of the bowl onto an oiled worktop and dimple out with your fingers to disperse the gas. Fold the dough over towards yourself bit by bit firming each roll with your thumbs as you go. When you have a sausage fold it into thirds like a business letter. Turn it over and tease the sides down and under until you get a cob shape.

Place this into a greased 2 lb loaf pan and squash it down until it fills the base. Place the tin inside a plastic bag and leave for 30-40 mins until it has risen again. You will know when it is ready if you very gently shake the end of it trembles a bit like a jelly. Brush gently with the glaze and bake for approx. thirty minutes. The loaf will sound hollow when tapped on the underside when it is done. If not pop it back in the tin and bake for a further five minutes and check again. TIP Oil your hands and the worktop when working with the dough. It stops it sticking to you and everything else

OATIE WHEATEN BREAD INGREDIENTS 12 oz. wholemeal/whole wheat flour 4 oz. oats/oatmeal + a handful for topping 200 mls. buttermilk or ordinary milk soured with lemon juice + 50mls milk just in case you need it 2 oz. butter 1 egg beaten 1 teaspoons baking soda 1 heaped teaspoon cream of tartar 1 tsp salt 2 tbs. maple syrup or honey Place the oats, butter, salt and maple syrup in a bowl. Heat the milk in the microwave or a saucepan until quite warm. Pour onto the oat mixture and leave for half an hour stirring occasionally. Do not be tempted to skip this and throw the dry oats into the mixture.............trust me

you will just get a very dense loaf. Now stir in half of the beaten egg, the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. You should have a spongy slightly sticky mix. Don't worry about rushing this bit. Letting the dough sit around for a few minutes is quite beneficial. Spoon the dough into your prepared loaf tin/sandwich tin If forming by hand, flour your hands well and form the dough into a round on your baking sheet. If your dough seems a little soft for that just add a little flour to the mix.....simple. Brush some of the beaten egg over the top then sprinkle generously with oats. Now, sponge the rest of the egg over that. Using a sharp knife draw a deep crevice the full length if the tin. If you are doing a circular loaf cut a deep cross. It's to let the fairies out...........yes it is. Bake for 30-40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. If it is getting a little too brown place a tin foil hat over the loaf after it has formed a skin. Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool. Don't forget to cut that thick warm slice and butter it. Enjoy!

POTATO FARLS A great way to use up last night's left over mashed potatoes. You can of course boil them up fresh for the occasion but if you are anything like me you will always have left over mash. Knead the mash until it becomes like a soft dough. Use about a third of its volume in plain flour. Knead again to combine. It will become easier as the flour is incorporated. Roll out into a circle about 1.5cms thick and place in the hot

griddle pan. Cut a deep cross in it to divide in four. Bake for three or four Minutes. Flip over to do the other side. Remove to a cooling rack and watch them disappear. Lovely fried later too with eggs and bacon

SODA FARLS This can also be used as oven soda. It's not as popular as the whole meal variety known as wheaten bread. Soda Farls done on the griddle are the thing. They are so good split and toasted too. Don't bother with recipes that tell you to use a pound of flour. Far too much. The Farls will be too thick and take too long to cook. INGREDIENTS 12 oz. Plain Flour 1 oz butter 1 tsp salt 1 tsp Baking Soda 1-2 tsp sugar 1/2 pint Buttermilk METHOD In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Rub in the butter. Add enough buttermilk to make a firm but soft dough (think scone here) err on the side of dryness. You do not want it wet. Knead quickly and lightly on a well-floured surface and roll into a round about 1/2 inch thick. Place on the griddle and cut deeply into four. Cook for about 5-7 mins on each side. Split one of the farls to check if they are done. The dough will be dry inside.

Don't worry too much if they don't go quite right the first time. Sometimes the griddle can be too hot or the dough too wet. A good way to see if the griddle is hot enough is to sprinkle flour on and it will brown quickly when the griddle is hot enough. Remove to a cooling rack and cover with a tea towel. Eat them while still warm. Toast or fry them later with an egg

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES These can of course be made with sweet milk and baking powder but somehow they are not the same. INGREDIENTS 4 oz plain flour Pinch salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 oz. caster sugar 1 egg 1/4 pint buttermilk METHOD Put all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Heat the griddle or frying pan over a moderate heat then rub the surface with white fat (not butter as it will burn). Drop tablespoons of the batter onto the pan spaced well apart. When they start to go bubbly flip them over with a spatula and cook the other side for a minute or two. Keep them warm in a tea towel while you cook the rest. They won't last long mind you. If there are any left they are also nice with the Ulster fry when they are past their best.

WHEATON SCONES INGREDIENTS 8 oz wholemeal flour 8 oz plain flour - or you can use all plain flour for plain scones. 9 oz buttermilk or fresh milk soured with about 1 tbs lemon juice if you don't have buttermilk. 1 beaten egg 1 rounded teaspoon Baking Soda /Bicarbonate of Soda 1 tsp. salt 1 tbs. sugar or honey if you want sweet scones 1oz butter (optional) METHOD Sieve the plain flour salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add the wholemeal flour and stir to mix. Rub in the butter if using Add the sugar if using. Pour in the butter milk and beaten egg and combine quickly. You want a soft workable dough. If it is too wet add a little more flour. If it is too dry add a little more milk. When it is combined tip out onto a floured worktop and form into a round patting it in shape very gently with your hands. You need it to be approx. 2.5cms/1 inch thick. Cut out with a 2 1/2 inch/5 cm cutter and place on a baking tray. Pop into the oven for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack with a tea towel over them.

SWEETS

FIFTEENS Northern Irish fridge cake with digestives, marshmallows and glacé cherries INGREDIENTS 15 digestive biscuits 15 marshmallows 15 glacé cherries, cut in half 200ml condensed milk 200g desiccated coconut, to coat METHOD Crush the digestive biscuits in a food processor or in a plastic bag with a rolling-pin, then put them in a large mixing bowl. Chop each marshmallow into 4 pieces and add to the bowl with the cherries and 175ml condensed milk. Mix until the ingredients are well combined and you have a sticky mixture. If it’s too dry, add a splash more condensed milk. Sprinkle most of the coconut over a large piece of cling film (or foil). Tip the mixture onto the coconut and shape into a long sausage, about 30 x 5cm. Sprinkle more coconut over the top of it and wrap the cling film tightly around, twisting the ends together. Leave in the fridge to chill for 4-6 hrs. and then cut into 15 slices and serve. Will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week wrapped in cling film.

CATHY’S COOKIES & CREAM CUPCAKES INGREDIENTS 9oz self-rising flour 1 tsp. baking powder 4 eggs 9oz butter 9oz caster sugar Broken up mini Oreo cookies, plus more for topping Buttercream frosting 1 tsp. vanilla extract 12oz butter softened 16oz icing sugar METHOD Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line cupcake trays with 18 papers. Soften butter in microwave for a few seconds. Sieve flour, baking powder and caster sugar into the bowl with softened butter. Crack eggs into a glass and then add to the main mixture. Mix on high with hand mixture until pale and creamy. Mix in broken Oreos with a spoon. Using a teaspoon, spoon the mixture evenly into the cup cake papers and check that they are all even. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F and then turn round the trays in the oven and bake for an additional two to four minutes or until they are springing back to the touch when you press lightly with a finger. Leave to cool. To make the buttercream, soften butter well in microwave and then beat with hand mixture. Gradually add the icing sugar and vanilla and beat together until

pale and fluffy. Frost cup cakes with a palette knife or piping bag and nozzle and top with an Qreo cookie.

CAKES BY JAMES’ - PUMPKIN PIE INGREDIENTS For pie crust: 4oz ordinary salted butter 10oz plain flour For pie filling: 17oz tinned pumpkin purée (available in Sawyers, Belfast) 1 egg 230ml evaporated milk 7oz caster sugar 2oz muscovado sugar 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. plain flour METHOD Rub the butter into the flour until you get a sandy consistency. Add a tablespoon of cold water and mix with an electric mixer until you have an even dough. Add a more water in tiny quantities if the mix is too dry.

Tip out and knead on a floured surface with your hands. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour & heat oven to 350F. Roll out chilled dough on a floured surface until it's around 3mm thick. Line a 23cm pie dish with the dough and trim your edges with a sharp knife. In a deep bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, evaporated |milk, egg, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, sugar and flour. Pour the mixture into your |unbaked pie crust and bake for 35 minutes. The filling should be set and springy to the touch, with no wobbling. Leave to cool completely and serve with good vanilla cream or ice cream. A little splash of rum in the cream won’t hurt anyone either.

JOANNE’S COOKIES INGREDIENTS 7oz unsalted butter, room temperature 4oz light brown sugar 4oz granulated white sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 7oz peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) 10oz plain flour 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt A Handful of chopped peanuts METHOD Beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy (about five minutes). Beat

in the peanut butter. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly stir into the peanut butter mixture and mix until incorporated. Stir in the chopped peanuts. If the batter is too soft, put in the fridge to firm up. Spoon large tablespoons of mixture onto baking parchment or a silicone mat. Make sure you space them far enough apart as they will spread out during baking. Place on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until they are browned on the edges but chewy on the inside. Leave to rest on the tray for a few minutes until you can move them onto a wire rack to cool.