Ingredients:

• 135g  butter
• 55g cocoa powder
• 250g caster sugar
• 110g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

Method:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan.
• Once melted, stir in all other ingredients.
• Pour the mix into a lined 18-20cm cake tin.
• Bake at 170C for 20 – 25 minutes.  The cake is done when the top is firm, but breaks quite easily when you put a bit of pressure on it.  Allow to cool and then eat and enjoy. (Photos of chocolate covered faces are very welcome!)

* It also works really well with Gluten Free flour, just use 105g of gluten free plain flour instead (and be sure to check the cocoa powder is also gluten free)

Ingredients:

• 200g unsalted butter, softened (leave out of the fridge overnight, or soften on a warm surface, or in the microwave)
• 200g golden caster sugar (but if you only have regular caster sugar that will also work fine)
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting.  

Method:

• Put the butter in a bowl and beat until soft and creamy.
• Beat in the sugar, followed by the vanilla extract and the egg.
• Add the flour and mix well to combine.  If it feels a bit sticky you can add a little more flour.  If it feels too dry you can add a little milk to loosen it.
• Either roll out the dough and cut out shapes, or you can just pull of pieces and roll them with your hands into flattened shapes (about 6cm thick).
• Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, and bake at 180C for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the edges are just brown.  Leave to cool for 5 minutes before moving them on to a cooling rack to cool properly.  

Once the biscuits are cooled you could decorate them.  Don’t forget to send in pictures of your creations.

Ingredients:

• 100g soft brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 175g grated carrots
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 100g self raising flour

Method:

• Whisk eggs and sugar until thick. 
• Stir in the carrots, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Fold in the flour.
• Spoon the mixture into a small loaf tin, or into some muffin cases.
• Bake at 160C for around 20 – 25 minutes.  When cooked they should bounce back when pressed with a finger (careful they’ll be hot!)

*This recipe also works well as gluten free, just use 95g of gluten free self raising flour.

*This cake is perfect for those who can’t eat dairy products as it contains no butter.

Ingredients:

• 200g peanut butter (crunchy is best but it doesn’t matter)
• 125g golden caster sugar (or regular caster sugar)
• 1 egg, beaten

Method:

• Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
• Divide into balls and flatten slightly.
• Place on a lined baking tray.
• Bake at 160C for 10 – 12 minutes until golden on the outside. 

*This recipe is also dairy and gluten free as long as the peanut butter you use does not contain dairy or gluten.

Ingredients:

• 175g unsalted butter
• 125g demerara sugar
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• 250g porridge oats
• 100g chopped dates
• 50g flaked almonds

Method:

• Place the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan over a low heat, and heat gently until the butter is melted, but the sugar is still grainy.
• Put the porridge oats, date and almonds in a large bowl and stir in the melted butter and sugar mixture.
• Stir well, until evenly combined.
• Spoon the mixture into a lined 20cm x 25cm baking tin.
• Cook in the oven at 180C for approximately 20 minutes, until a light – medium golden colour, for a soft chewy flapjack.  Give it a bit longer if you prefer a crispy, well-cooked flapjack.
• Allow to cool completely before cutting into pieces. 

Note:  If you use gluten free oats this recipe is then suitable for those who can’t eat gluten.

These are a little more difficult to make than some of the other recipes, but still worth a go.

Ingredients

• 125g ground almonds
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 50g chocolate chips

Method

• Put the almonds and sugar in a bowl and stir to mix well.
• Separate the eggs.  The easiest way to do this is to crack an egg in a bowl, without breaking the yolk, and carefully lift the yolk out.  Then pour the remaining white into another bowl.  Do the same for the next egg.  Alternatively you can do a neat trick where you crack the egg and tip the yolk backwards and forwards between the two halves of egg shell until all the white drains into a bowl beneath and the yolk remains in the shell.
• Once you have the 2 egg whites (with no bits of yellow yolk in it), beat them until white and frothy, but not stiff.  It is easiest to do this with electric beaters.
• Using a large metal spoon, carefully fold the egg whites into the nut and sugar mix.
• When evenly combined stir in the vanilla extract and chocolate chips.
• Place spoonfuls of the mixture on lined baking sheets (teaspoons for small macaroons like petit-fours, and dessert spoons for larger biscuit sized ones).
• Bake in the oven at 180C for 10 – 15 minutes until just firm and nicely coloured.
• Allow to cool on the baking sheets.

Stored in an airtight container these macaroons will last for 3 – 4 weeks (if you can stop yourself from eating them!).  

These are naturally gluten free, and if you leave out the chocolate chips they are also dairy free.