The Great British Bake Off's Lemon Curd Recipe

My sister bought me The Great British Bake-Off book for Christmas this year. So, as it was my son's second birthday party (the first one was for kids, this one was for family), I thought I'd make birthday cake number two a bit more classy. After having a think, I decided to go for a vanilla sponge layered with lemon curd, whipped vanilla cream and raspberries. The cake was a huge success, as was this lemon curd recipe! Not only did I have enough to use on the cake, we've also had it on toast, blueberry pancakes and in some banana and lemon curd muffins (recipes to follow very soon!). I think I'll be making some more very soon!

The Ultimate Mincemeat Recipe

I've never actually made mincemeat before, but I thought I'd give it a go this year. Mince pies can be a little predictable and dull, so I thought I'd devise a recipe that would give a little more oomph! And it can be so easy to get it wrong. I've had those sort of nasty pies that leave a bitter citrus blast in your mouth instead of a warm Christmassy feeling. This recipe works. It has all those lovely rich fruit flavours with a slight citrus freshness, as well as sticky, toffee dates and boozy Madeira, although you can choose whichever alcohol suits you. It's pretty easy to make and will surely impress Father Christmas!

Spicy Plum and Apple Chutney

I've been a very busy girl today! I've been beavering away all day in the kitchen. This morning I made some herb butters before all the herbs in the garden die and now I'm making my gorgeous Spicy Plum and Apple Chutney!

Now I love a good chutney it must be said, and I think this will be a particularly fine batch as long as I keep my eye on it and keep on stirring it (I made a marmalade the other day and managed to burn it in the last few minutes - gutted!).

This chutney was a bit of an emergency operation, as the plums were just on the turn - and I couldn't bear to waste the beautiful Victoria's and Marjorie Seedlings we picked from Drove Orchard in Thornham, North Norfolk.

Christmas Cranberry Chutney

For me, there's nothing more Christmassy than getting all the food ready. Decorations don't do it, wrapping presents dosen't do it, even snow doesn't it. Just stick me in the kitchen and let me go! Christmas has arrived early with this recipe, because I know I won't be able to leave it until the holidays. I love cranberries and this is a great chutney to add some life to your turkey and all those festive sandwiches and cold meat platters. I always make more than I need, because a jar of this Christmas Cranberry Chutney makes a great gift too - always handy to have in your cupboard!

 Ingredients:
600g cranberries
250ml red wine vinegar
1 orange, juice and zest
2 red onions
325g soft brown sugar
inch of fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt

HOW TO MAKE:
Slice the onions and cook in 3 dessert spoons of olive oil on a low heat for 15 minutes. Add two tablespoons of the sugar and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and slowly heat until the sugar has dissolved. Put the lid on the pan and simmer for 15 minutes until the cranberries have popped and they are nice and tender. Remove the lid and simmer for 40 minutes, making sure to stir so the mixture doesn't stick on the bottom of the pan. The chutney should have reduced and thickened. Decant into sterillized jars.

The chutney will last for 6 months. Once opened, store in the fridge for up to a month. The chutney is best left to mature for two weeks before eating (if you can leave it that long!).

Sweet Chilli Jelly

Since making this Sweet Chilli Jelly I've had a bit of a problem - I can't stop eating it. It's well worth making for yourself or for gifts. It looks lovely too!

We had a bit of a glut of big red chillies this year and making this jelly was the perfect solution. Although when I run out, I think I'll just go and buy some more chillies to make it again!

It's great with cheese and meats. I love it on a cheese sandwich, or on the side with sausages and cous cous. But it's great stirred into stews and sauces.

Ingredients
300g red chillies
5 - 10 gloves of garlic
1kg jam sugar
600ml white wine vinegar
6 x 250ml jars

HOW TO MAKE
Put the chillies in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Chop the garlic and put in with chillies and pulse again.

Place the sugar and vinegar in a heavy bottom pan and dissolve slowly over a low heat. Add the chillies and garlic and season with salt. Bring back to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before decanting into sterilised jars. Seal tightly.

Store unopened for up to 1 year. Keep in fridge once opened.

Apple, Prune and Raisin Compote

I like nothing more than food that is free, and when my son's teacher at nursery school asked if we wanted any left over fruit before half term, my shopping bag was out in a flash. So, what to do with nearly a kilo of little apples? Make it in to a yummy fruit compote!

This will keep in the fridge for over a week and is delicious with ice cream, yoghurt, a slice of almond cake and breakfast. This morning I had a particularly tasty mix of Dorset Cereals' Organic Fruit, Nut and Seeds Mix Muesli, Activia Vanilla Pouring Yoghurt and this cheeky compote - yum!

Ingredients
800g eating apples, peeled, cored and diced
250g ready to eat prunes - sliced
70g raisins
75g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
juice of half a lemon
juice of 1 orange

HOW TO MAKE
Put all the ingredients in a pan and cook down on a low heat for 30 minutes. If it looks too dry add a splash of water.