450g (1lb) Soft Brown Sugar
225g (8oz) Black Treacle
110g (4oz) Unsalted Butter
2 tbsp Water
1 tbsp White Vinegar

Place the butter, water and vinegar into a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat gently until the butter has melted.
Add the sugar and black treacle, allow to fully dissolve, this takes about 20 minutes.
Boil the mixture to a temperature of 138°C (280°F).
Remove from the heat, allow the bubble to decrease.
Pour the mixture into a well oiled 18cm (7 inch) sandwich tin.
When the mixture has cooled a little mark the surface into squares with a knife.
When cold break into squares, wrap in cellophane and store in an airtight container.

Named not because they are black, but rather for their unusual use of black treacle in place of half the usual golden syrup.

225g [8oz] Self-Raising Flour
Pinch Salt
1 x 5ml Ground Ginger
100g [4 oz] Caster Sugar
75g [3 oz] Margarine
50g [1 1/2 oz] Golden Syrup
50g [1 1/2 oz] Black Treacle
1 medium egg, beaten

1. Heat oven to 180c, 350f, Gas Mark 4. Grease some baking trays.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients.
3. Warm the ingredients and syrup. Add to the dry ingredients with the beaten egg and mix well.
4. Place teaspoons of the mixture on the baking trays and bake for 15 mins.
5. Remove from baking tray and cool on a wire rack.

To make this vegan I ensure the margarine is one suitable of vegans, and replace the 1 medium egg with a teaspoon of “No Egg” [Egg Replacement] whisked well in two tablespoons of water.

1 Large Onion
2 Medium Potatoes
2 stalks of Broccoli
Butter
1 litre Vegetable or Chicken Stock

1. Fry off the Onion in the butter [chopped roughly]
2. Add the roughly chopped potatoes, and stir
3. Add the stock
4. Add the chopped stalks of the broccoli [not the florets] having remembered to remove the outer tough skin
5. Cook for around ten minutes until potato and broccoli stalks are cooked
6. Add the roughly chopped florets, and cook for one minute until done
7. Blend.

Serve with toast topped with grilled parmesan cheese.

This is a very simple milk chocolate cake with a wholemeal twist. The wholemeal flour lends it a lovely secondary texture.

100 g (3 1/2 oz) Self Raising Flour
100 g (3 1/2 oz) Wholemeal Self Raising Flour
225 g (8 oz) caster sugar
1 x 2.5 ml spoon (½ tsp) salt
25 g (1 oz) cocoa powder, sieved
100 g (4 oz) margarine
2 medium eggs
3 x 15 ml spoon (3 tbsp) evaporated milk
3 x 15 ml spoon (3 tbsp) milk
5 x 15 ml spoon (5 tbsp) water
few drops vanilla essence

I have always wondered why people continue to purchase runny lack lustre versions of this much loved, and extremely simple dish. My version is so simple, and yet so very tasty you will never buy another frozen version again.

Ingredients

1 Cauliflower
40g plain flower
40g butter
300ml milk
125g Grated Cheese [Cheddar is exceptionally good]
salt and pepper
40g Parmesan Cheese, grated
1. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Cut the cauliflower into even-sized florets and plunge in the boiling water. Cook until just tender before draining in a colander and reserving about 125ml of cooking liquid.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over a low heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring all the time, for about 2 minutes. The flour should take on a slightly toasted aroma. Preheat the oven to 180C/ gas 4.

3. Now this is the bit I like to take my time over, I add a small amount of milk to the flour and butter, and whisk out any lumps as it heats through and is absorbed. I continue adding a small amount of milk, whisking until absorbed, right up until I get a nice sauce consistency. If you still have a sauce that is too thick for your tastes when all the milk has gone, try adding a small amount of the cooking liquid you saved from earlier.

4. Add a little mustard, and some seasoning, then add the grated cheese [not the parmesan].

5. Add the cooked florets to a dish, and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with the parmesan [and if you like a few breadcrumbs - although I tend to leave these out]

6. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until it is tinged with a beautiful golden brown.

This was created by me one evening, when I had the urge for some classic home cooked comfort food. I didn’t have a recipe to hand so created it from scratch, but I promise you this - its delicious, and so very easy!