GINGER CAKE

280 g golden syrup
75 g butter
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
allspice for taste if you wish
1 grated lemon rind
100 g sugar
2 eggs
100 ml sour cream
300 g flour
1 tbsp baking powder
Bonne Maman Blackcurrant jam (or any other blackcurrant jam), half of the jar.

Heat up the butter & syrup ,until butter is melted. Cool.
Add spices. Beat sugar & eggs together, add to the syrup. Now mix in sour cream & flour mixed with baking powder. Stir everything around, until smooth.
Place baking paper on to the big baking tray, butter lightly. Pour the cake mixture evenly over.
Bake at 220C for 20 min.
Cool.
Cut the cakes into two pieces. Spread the jam over one piece & lift another on to the top.
Sprinkle icing sugar over.

Black Forest Souffle

85 g sugar
85 g dark chocolate, melted, cooled slightly
4 egg whites
1 egg yolk
200 g fresh black cherries
butter for greasing the ramekins, sugar for sprinkle
vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven at 200C. Place the baking sheet into the oven to warm up.
In a bowl  whisk together melted chocolate & egg yolk until combined well.
Whisk egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate.
Butter the ramekins, cover with sugar, shake off any excess.
Place on to the bottom of the ramekins the cleaned cherries. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cherries, level off, run your thumb around the edges.
Place ramekins onto the hot baking sheet. Bake ca 10 min or until well risen.
Do not open the oven door too early or they may collapse.
Remove the souffle from the oven, place 1-2 tsp of vanilla ice cream into the middle & dust with icing sugar.
Serve immediately with some extra cherries.

Chocolate Cake with Grapes

200 g butter

200 g dark chocolate

4 eggs

250 g sugar

250 ml flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

50 g pecans or walnuts

300 g green grapes, seedless

Melt the butter & chopped chocolate. Stir until melted.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with sugar.

Combine the flour, cinnamon & baking powder. Sift it into the eggs mixture, whisking at same time.

Now add the chocolate mixture, stir well.

Pour the batter into the 26 cm prepared round spring form.

Sprinkle over grapes & nuts.

Bake at 175 C on the low shelf in the oven for ca 60 min, or until its ready.

Its even better if served with  some vanilla ice cream .

Cheese & Garlic Meatballs

400 g mince (my choice is pork mince)
150 g sour cream
~2 dl breadcrumbs
1 onion, grated
1 clove of garlic, grated
1 egg
salt, pepper
fresh chopped parsley
Filling:
~100 g grated cheese

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients. Season with salt & pepper.
Make flat, thin patties with the mixture. Place a bit of cheese in the middle and roll into balls,about size of the walnuts.
Place the meatballs into the fridge for 30 min.
Fry in the small batches  until golden brown all over.
You can also bake them in the oven.
Serve alone with sour cream or with mashed potatoes & white sauce or pasta..

Cinnamon Cake

75 g butter
2 dl sugar
3 egg yolks
250 ml flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
125 ml milk
3 egg whites
Topping:
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp  butter
1 tbsp flour
1 Bramley apple, cored, peeled, chopped into small pieces or slices as you like.

Preheat the oven to 220C
Whisk butter & sugar, Add egg yolks one by one, whisking at same time.
Mix together flour, baking powder & salt. Add it to the butter mixture along with milk.
At last add the whisked egg whites.
Pour the mixture into the 24 cm baking tin.
Scatter over the apple pieces.
Chop together all ingredients for the topping, sprinkle over the cake.
Bake ca 30 min.