I love love love Christmas and it definitely can’t be celebrated without wonderful mince pies. Apart from the fact they are made and eaten at Christmas, they are possibly my favourite food EVER. So I had a search on the web and in my opinion, nothing beats my mums Christmas mince pies but here is a very close match!

Ingredients:
225g mincemeat
225g plain flour
100g butter , chilled and cubed roughly
3 tbsp light muscovado sugar
satsuma , grated zest and juice of
2 tbsp flaked almonds
1 tbsp stem ginger syrup
icing sugar for dusting

How to:
To make the pastry tip the flour into a large bowl and rub in the chilled butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and the satsuma zest.
Spoon out 4 tbsp of the pastry mixture and set aside. Add approximately 4 tbsp of the juice from the satsumas to the main pastry mix to make a fairly soft dough, kneading gently until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.

Lightly flour a surface and roll out the pastry to a £1 coin thickness. Using a 9cm fluted cutter, stamp out 12 circles of pastry. Gently press these into individual tartlet tins, the pastry should just protrude above the tins to allow for shrinkage when cooked. Spoon the mincemeat into the pastry cases being careful not to overfill.
Sprinkle the pastry crumble mix over the mincemeat to cover lightly, top with the flaked almonds and drizzle over the stem ginger syrup. At this stage you can cover them with cling film and freeze the whole tray ready for baking.

When you’re ready to bake the mince pies, heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Remove the cling film from the tray and bake the mince pies straight from the freezer for 25 mins until golden and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack and serve dusted with icing sugar. Bake unfrozen pies for 18-20 mins.

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Ingredients

For the cake
300g self-raising flour
300g light muscovado sugar
3 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g sultanas
½ tsp salt
4 eggs , beaten
200g butter, melted
zest 1 orange
1 tbsp orange juice
500g (peeled weight) pumpkins or butternut squash flesh, grated

For drenching and frosting
200g pack soft cheese
85g butter , softened
100g icing sugar , sifted
zest 1 orange and juice of half

How to:

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 30 x 20cm baking or small roasting tin with baking parchment. Put the flour, sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, sultanas and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine. Beat the eggs into the melted butter, stir in the orange zest and juice, then mix with the dry ingredients till combined. Stir in the pumpkin. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 mins, or until golden and springy to the touch.

To make the frosting, beat together the cheese, butter, icing sugar, orange zest and 1 tsp of the juice till smooth and creamy, then set aside in the fridge. When the cake is done, cool for 5 mins then turn it onto a cooling rack. Prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle with the rest of the orange juice while still warm. Leave to cool completely.

If you like, trim the edges of the cake. Give the frosting a quick beat to loosen, then, using a palette knife, spread over the top of the cake in peaks and swirls. If you’re making the cake ahead, keep it in the fridge then take out as many pieces as you want 30 mins or so before serving. Will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the fridge.

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Something that looks a little naughty but won’t make you feel guilty for the pleasure, go ahead and give this great dessert a go.

Ingredients

3 1/2  cups  halved strawberries, divided
1/3  cup  sugar
1/3  cup  orange juice
2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
1  teaspoon  lemon juice
1 1/4  cups  all-purpose flour
3  tablespoons  sugar
1  teaspoon  baking powder
1/4  teaspoon  baking soda
1/8  teaspoon  salt
3  tablespoons  chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
1/2  cup  low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
6  tablespoons  frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
Whole strawberries (optional)

How To:

Combine 1 cup strawberry halves, 1/3 cup sugar, orange juice, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl, and mash with a potato masher. Stir in 2 1/2 cups strawberry halves. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat dough into a 6 x 4-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 6 squares. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Split shortcakes in half horizontally using a serrated knife; place each bottom half on a dessert plate. Spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each bottom half. Top with shortcake tops; spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each top. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; garnish with whole strawberries, if desired.

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Ingredients:

For the Egg
50g white chocolate , broken into pieces
50g milk chocolate , broken into pieces
140g good-quality dark chocolate , broken into pieces, plus extra

To Decorate
A handful of your favourite truffle (or make some – see Goes well with)
ribbon , approx 50 cm long

Special equiptment
2 chocolate egg moulds, clean flat pastry brush or small paintbrush

How to:

Slowly melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Leave until cool but still runny, then spoon into a piping bag. Balance one of the moulds to keep it flat, then pipe the chocolate in zig-zag lines across the inside of the mould. Repeat with the other mould, then allow to set.

When the white chocolate has completely set, repeat the process with melted milk chocolate, piping in between the white chocolate lines. Leave to set in a cool place, then put in the fridge for 5 mins.

Melt the dark chocolate, then allow to cool and thicken. Using a pastry brush, carefully brush the chocolate over the milk and white lines until the insides of the moulds are completely covered. You may need to return the moulds to the fridge if the dark chocolate starts to melt the chocolate underneath.

Once set, turn out the moulds, fill one half with chocolates, then stick the sides together using the remaining melted dark chocolate. Tie a ribbon around the egg to finish.

Try different chocolate to your own tastes and to differ the look of the egg.

If you’re not sure where to get your mould, this website can help.

Handy Tips

Forget finger marks
If you have hot hands, try wearing rubber gloves when handling the chocolate egg (especially when sticking the two sides together) to avoid finger marks.

Chill the chocolate
Putting the egg halves in the fridge once the chocolate has set makes it easier to add another layer of warm chocolate. Don’t be tempted to leave the moulds in the fridge any longer than necessary as condensation could cause the chocolate to discolour.

After a few days…
After a few days, your Easter egg will start to ‘bloom’, or take on a slightly mottled appearance. This is simply the fat and sugars changing with air temperature and is harmless.

For quarter of an egg
186 kcalories, protein 3g, carbohydrate 18g, fat 12 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 1g, salt 0.03 g

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Ingredients

Makes 9 buns

450g strong white bread flour
½ tsp salt
50g butter, cut into pieces
7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast
2 tsp ground mixed spice
50g golden caster sugar
finely grated zest 1 lemon
275ml/9fl oz milk, plus extra to glaze
2 eggs, beaten
200g luxury mixed dried fruits, cherries halved

For the crosses and glaze
2 tbsp plain flour
golden syrup , to glaze

How to:

Put all dough ingredients, except the dried fruit, in the breadmaker, following the order in your manual. Set to dough programme. If you don’t have a bread maker, it’s all down to arm muscle!

Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down to deflate. Pat into a large flat circle, tip the fruit in the centre and enclose with the dough. Knead the fruit in, cutting through the mixture with a sharp knife, then re-knead a few times to distribute the fruit evenly.

Cut out nine 14cm squares of baking parchment and have ready a 12-hole muffin tin. Cut the dough into 9 even-sized pieces and roll each into a smooth ball. Push a square of the parchment into a tin hole and drop in a ball of dough. Repeat with the rest. Cover the tin loosely with lightly-oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6.

For the crosses, blend the flour to a smooth paste with 5-6 tsp of cold water. Spoon into a small plastic food bag and cut a small hole off one corner or use a piping bag. Pipe crosses on the buns. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Lift onto a cooling rack. Brush with a little golden syrup while warm.

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Ingredients

Makes 16

For the cakes:
140g soft butter
140g golden caster sugar
3 medium eggs
100g self-raising flour
25g cocoa , sifted

For the frosting:
85g milk chocolate , broken
85g soft butter
140g icing sugar, sifted
2 35g packs white chocolate maltesers, mini foil-wrapped chocolate eggs

How to:

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and put 16 gold cases into a fairy cake tin. Tip all the ingredients for the cake into a mixing bowl and beat for 2 mins with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Divide between the cases so they are two thirds filled, then bake for 12-15 minutes until risen. Cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting, microwave the chocolate on High for 1 minute. Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the melted chocolate. Spread on the cakes and decorate with Maltesers and chocolate eggs.

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If you’re anything like me and have that sweet after dinner craving or even after lunch, and need something to satisfy that little demon, I have discovered a few sweet treat ideas that help burn fat and stop craving.

Here I have for you three delicious after dinner snacks; they are designed not to limit your calorie intake but to satisfy, be nutrient rich and low energy dense food.

Treat idea No.1
Why not try a handful of strawberries in a bowl topped with a spoonful of low fat fruit yoghurt. If you’re not a big strawberry fan and the fact that March is not really the time for nice Strawberries (if you’re from England that is!) then try using seasonal fruit or your favourite sweet fruit like blackberries.

Substituting low fat yogurt for ice-cream is a good way to cut your saturated fat intake, as some yogurts have less saturated fat than ice-cream. It is also a source of calcium, and your body’s absorption of calcium peaks just before going to bed.

Treat idea No.2
Why not try making some low fat and low sugar bran muffins; these can be really tasty when made yourself. Use dried fruit to sweeten your muffin and give it a moist texture, try putting nuts and seeds in as well to make it filling. I have sourced a great recipe to inspire you, take a look here.

You can even freeze them making life easier, so make a big batch at the weekend and you are sorted for the week ahead. Enjoy them with a nice warmed cup of semi skimmed or skimmed milk. These are great if you’re not getting your 30 grams of fibre each day, the bran will help get things moving making this a good choice for an after dinner snack.

Treat idea No.3
Thinly spread peanut butter on a rice cake and then slice banana on top, this is ideally a mid morning snack as it contains high levels of energy which is not what you need before bed but this idea can be adopted.

Tip: if you crave ice cream on a night time, try freezing fruit or frozen yoghurt, a little strange I know but yummy.

100% People always want to hear more about our members and visitors, so let us know what your healthy treats are.
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Ingredients:
100g (3 1/2oz) sultanas
75g (2 3/4oz) raisins
25g (1oz) glace cherries, chopped
25g (1oz) dried papaya or mango, chopped
25g (1oz) dried blueberries or cranberries
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 medium orange
2 tbsp rum or brandy
150g (5 1/2oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
Low fat cooking spray
Instructions:
Put all the dried fruit into a bowl with the orange rind, orange juice and rum or brandy. Cover and leave to soak overnight.

Mix the breadcrumbs and egg into the dried fruits. Spray 6 individual pudding basins or ramekin dishes with low fat cooking spray. Share the fruit mixture between them. Cover tightly with foil and steam for 1 hour.

To serve, run a knife around the basins or dishes to release the puddings, then serve them with the orange and vanilla topping (recipe above).

Makes about 6 servings

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Ingredients:
50 g polyunsaturated margarine
50 g caster sugar
2 medium egg(s), beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
100 g self raising flour
15 g cocoa powder, unsweetened

Sauce:
50 g Morrison’s Plain Chocolate, broken into pieces
1 heaped teaspoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 level tablespoon cornflour
150 ml water
1 teaspoon artificial sweetener, to taste

Instructions:
Use 1 tsp of margarine to lightly grease 4 small pudding basins or heatproof teacups. Cream the remaining margarine with the caster sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold into the mixture using a large metal spoon. Add just enough warm water, about 2 tbsp, to give a soft, dropping consistency.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pudding basins. Cover tightly with pieces of foil.

Transfer the basins to a steamer and steam for about 30 minutes, topping up the steamer with boiling water from time to time.

To make the sauce, place the chocolate, cocoa powder, cornflour and water in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring constantly until smooth and blended.

Carefully turn out the chocolate sponge puddings and serve with the hot chocolate sauce.

Notes:
If you don’t have a steamer, put the pudding basins into a large saucepan and add enough hot water to come about a third of the way up the sides of the basins. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, checking that the water does not boil dry.

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Ingredients:
3 large egg(s)
1 medium egg yolk
300 g caster sugar
1 quantity cocoa powder, 3 tbsp
25 g chocolate, plain, cooking
284 ml half cream, 1/2 pint
1 spray low-fat cooking spray
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Instructions:
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 2/300°F/150°C. Fill the bottom of a roasting pan with 2.5cm ( 1 inch ) of water and place in oven.

Whisk together eggs, yolk and 100g ( 3½ oz ) of sugar in a medium bowl.

Combine cocoa, chocolate and cream in a small pan. Heat chocolate mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and steam rises from surface, about 4 to 5 minutes; pour into egg mixture, whisking constantly, then mix in vanilla.

Divide among 8 small ( approx 100ml ( 4 fl oz ) ) custard cups or ramekins; place cups in roasting pan, pour in enough boiling water to come half way up the sides of the cups and bake until almost set in the middle, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven and chill for at least 3 hours.

When cups are thoroughly cooled, mix remaining sugar with 50ml ( 2 fl oz ) water in a saucepan over medium heat; heat, gently swirling pan occasionally off heat, until sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to high and cook until mixture is an amber colour, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and place bottom of pan in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Coat a tablespoon with cooking spray. Drizzle ¾ tablespoon of sugar mixture over each custard cup, tilting cup to spread glaze evenly. Serve immediately.

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