Mexican Fritters

225 g flour
1 tsp baking powder
0,5 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg,beaten
120 ml milk
25 g butter,melted
oil for frying
sugar for dusting

Sift the flour,baking powder & salt.Stir in the sugar.

Whisk the egg & the milk together.

Gradually stir in the dry mixture.Beat in the butter to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough on to the slightly floured table & knead until smooth & elastic.Divide the dough into 16 balls.

Flatten them up a bit & using the floured handle of a wooden spoon poke the holes through the centre of the each fritter.

Pour oil into the deep frying pan to a depth of 5 cm.

Heat the oil.

Fry the fritters in batches,taking care not to overcrowd the pan,until they are puffy & golden brown on both sides.Lift out & drain.

Dust the fritters with sugar & serve with plum-or peach sauce.

Perfect Baked Potato with Paprika

Serves 4

8 big potatoes
250 ml sour cream
bunch of spring onions,chopped
ca 50 g cheddar cheese,grated
ground paprika
salt
oil

Scrub the potatoes & prick the skins with fork.Toss them in the oil & rub paprika all over & place them on the baking sheet.Sprinkle with some salt.
Bake at 250C for 60 min or until cooked through.
Cut the potatoes halfway through & open up a bit.
Make a sauce from sour cream & spring onions,season with salt.
Spoon the mixture between the potato halves.Scatter with cheese & garnish with fresh parsley leaves or chives.

Drunken Plum Crumble

Makes 4

500 g plums,quartered
50 ml orange liqueur or brandy

For crumble:
150 g flour
75 g  butter
75 g sugar
100 g mixed nuts,chopped;you can add some raisins as well if you like
50 g chocolate,chopped

Divide plums between 4 buttered ramekins (250ml size).
Sprinkle over some liqueur & sugar,depends how sweet your plums already are.
Put the flour, sugar & butter on to the table.Chop it through with knife until well mixed. Add chopped nuts & chocolate.
Scatter the crumble mixture over the plums.
Decorate with few pecans.
Bake in the preheated oven at 200C for ca 30-40 min,until crumble is lovely golden brown on top.
Serve hot with vanilla ice cream..

My Chilli & Cheddar Buns

450 g flour
25 g fresh yeast or 7 g dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
40 g butter
125 ml water
125 ml milk
100 g cheddar cheese,grated
50 g butter,melted
ground chilly

If using dry yeast,then follow instructions on the packet.
For fresh yeast:
Place the yeast into the small bowl along with sugar,mix it until sugar is dissolved.
Boil the water & pour over the butter in a mixing bowl,let it melt & then add the milk.
Gradually add flour along with salt & yeast,mix it together with wooden spoon.
Knead the dough until smooth & comes off the hands & walls of the bowl.
Cover the bowl with cling film & let the dough  rise for 30-40 min until doubled in size in a warm place.
Take it out onto the floured surface,knead a bit & roll it into the big square.
Brush the butter all over,scatter on some chilly & place cheese on top.
Now roll it all up like a log.
Slice it into 2cm wide pieces,place onto the prepared baking trays cut side down.
Set aside covered with clean towel for 20-30 min.
Bake in the preheated oven at 220C for 12-14 min.
Take it out from the oven when cheese is melted & browned all over the buns...

Lemon Tart

225 g flour
115 g butter
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence

For filling:
6 eggs,beaten
350 g sugar
115 g butter
grated rind & juice of 4 lemons
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 200C.
Sift the flour into a large bowl,add the butter,cut into small pieces & work with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.Stir in the icing sugar.
Add the egg,vanilla essence & tbsp of cold water,then work to a dough.
Roll the pastry out on a floured surface & use to line a 23 cm tart tin.
Blind bake for 10 min.
For filling,put the eggs,sugar & butter into a pan & stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved completely.
Add the lemon rind & juice & continue cooking,stirring all the time,until the lemon curd has thickened slightly.
Pour the mixture into the pastry case.
Bake for 20 min,until just set.
Transfer the tart to a wire rack to cool.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.