Cheese and Chive Scones

These are a savoury version of my basic scone recipe using a mature cheddar cheese and chives to create a quick snack. If you're making these in spring time and can't find any chives in your garden, you can substitute finely chopped wild garlic leaves.

These are very good with a bowl of home made soup on a chilly evening.

450g self-raising flour

a large pinch each of baking powder and salt

a pinch of cayenne (or you can use a teaspoon of English mustard powder)

25g caster sugar

60g butter, diced

1 egg, beaten

50ml double cream

200ml milk

75g mature cheddar cheese

2 tbsp of chives, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 190ºC and line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.

Sieve the flour, baking powder, cayenne and salt into a large bowl and stir in the caster sugar. Cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Then stir in the grated cheese and chives and make a well in the centre. (Tip: The easiest way to chop the chives is to bunch them together and snip the ends off with a pair of scissors).

Next, whisk the egg, cream and milk together and stir into the dry ingredients - I use a flat bladed knife to start this off and then get stuck in with my hands. Put the soft dough onto a floured surface and roll out lightly to about 20mm thick. Cut out shapes with a circular cutter and place onto the baking sheets. Sprinkle some grated cheese over the tops and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

This makes 12-18 scones depending on the size of your cutter. Serve warm from the oven.

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Savoury Tarts

These are perfect for an alfresco summer lunch for friends or even a simple supper for two. It's one of the easiest tarts to make, using a ready rolled sheet of puff pastry topped with your choice of filling.

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Take the pastry out of the fridge about an hour before you want to use it. I've divided the pastry sheet into two but you can leave it as one piece or divide into smaller tarts.

Simply unroll the pastry, keeping it on the baking paper supplied. Preheat the oven to 220ºC (200ºC fan) and put a large baking sheet in the oven to get hot. (This will help your tart get a crispy base). Score a 2cm border around the edge of the pastry sheet and prick the middle with a fork. Add your chosen filling up to the edge of the border and bake for 20-25 minutes.

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Pesto and tomato

Pesto alla Genovese

3-6 ripe tomatoes - depending on the size of your tomatoes and your tart

Spread a thick layer of basil pesto onto the pastry sheet, up to the edge of the border.

Slice your tomatoes (not too thinly) and lay them overlapping on top of the pesto. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

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Caramelised red onion and goat's cheese

40g butter, 2 red onions, chevre goat's cheese, a few sprigs of thyme

Slice the red onions and gently cook them gently in the butter for about 20-30 minutes (they need to caramelise). Allow to cool slightly before piling them onto the pastry, sprinkle over some thyme and top with crumbled or sliced rounds of goat’s cheese.

If you’re not keen on goat’s cheese, you could substitute Camembert, Brie or even cheddar.

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Mushroom and Camembert

50g butter, 250g field or chestnut mushrooms (sliced), clove of garlic (grated), a pinch of mixed herbs, a few slices of Camembert

Melt the butter in a small pan (adding a drop of olive oil to stop it burning) and gently fry the sliced mushrooms with the garlic and herbs. When they're soft, pile them onto the pastry sheet and spread to the edge, filling in any gaps with the sliced cheese.

Courgette, feta and mint

2 medium courgettes, 1 egg (beaten), 300ml crème fraîche, 3-4 spring onions, 25g mint, 200g feta cheese

Chop the ends off the courgettes and, using a vegetable peeler, shave ribbons down the length. Stop when you get to the seeds. Put them into a colander over a bowl, sprinkle in a teaspoon of salt and mix together. Now put a plate on top and weigh it down with scale weights (if you have them) or a couple of tins of beans. Leave for about an hour. (This will get rid of any excess water.)

The courgettes can be prepared and salted a few hours beforehand.

Finely slice the spring onions, chop the mint and mix with the crème fraîche, beaten egg and some black pepper. Spread onto the pastry sheet up to the edge of the border. Roughly arrange the courgette ribbons on top, crumble over the feta cheese and finish with a grind of black pepper.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Lemon drizzle cake has become very popular, possibly because it's so easy to make and doesn't require any special ingredients. Basically, it's a light lemon sponge cake with a crunchy lemony topping that will please the whole family. This is the way I make it.

I've used a 20cm round sandwich cake tin, but you could also use a square tin, a 2lb loaf tin or two small 1lb loaf tins. Either way, butter and flour the tin or line it with greaseproof paper.

175g self raising flour, sieved

175g caster sugar

175g softened butter

¾ tsp baking powder

3 large eggs

zest of 1 lemon

Icing – juice of 1 lemon, 80g granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time alternating with a tablespoon of the flour.

Then add the remaining flour, baking powder and the lemon zest and mix thoroughly.

Pour into the cake tin and bake for 35-45 minutes (depending on the size of your tin).

To check if it’s cooked, insert a skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean, it’s done. If not, give it another five minutes.

Once the cake is out of the oven, allow it to cool slightly before you take it out of the tin and put it onto a wire rack.

Now make the crunchy lemon icing, stirring the sugar into the lemon juice in a small bowl. It will be quite liquid, so spoon it carefully over the cake while it's still warm allowing it to drizzle down the sides. You might want to put a tray or plate underneath the wire rack to catch any drips!

Once it's cool, lift onto your serving plate.