Victoria sandwich, White bread, Winter warmer soup

victoria sandwich

150g/6oz ‘soft tub’ margarine, cut into 2cm/3⁄4in cubes, taken straight from the refrigerator

150g/6oz caster sugar 3 eggs

150g/6oz self raising flour jam

icing sugar

Using the knife blade, place the margarine, sugar, eggs and flour into the bowl. Process for a few seconds (approximately 5-8 seconds) until smooth.

Place the mixture into two greased 18cm/7in sandwich tins and bake in a pre- heated oven at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for approximately 25 minutes until golden and springs back when lightly touched. Turn onto a wire rack and allow to cool, then sandwich together with jam and dredge with icing sugar.

white bread

300g/10oz strong white plain flour 5ml/1tsp salt

6g/1⁄4oz lard

15g/1⁄2oz fresh yeast or 10ml/2tsp dried active yeast plus 5ml/1tsp sugar 175ml/6fl.oz warm water

dried active yeast

Sprinkle the dried yeast into the warm water, add the sugar and allow to stand for approximately 10 minutes or until the mixture is frothy.

fresh yeast

Crumble into the bowl with the flour.

other types of yeast

Follow the manufacturers instructions.

With the knife blade in the bowl, add the flour, salt, lard (fresh yeast if used) and process for a few seconds to evenly distribute the ingredients throughout the flour. With the machine operating, quickly pour the water or yeast liq uid in a steady stream through the feed tube (this should take about 10 seconds). Continue processing until the mixture forms a dough and becomes smooth in appearance and elastic to the touch, this will take about 45 seconds. Remove the dough into either a greased polythene bag or a lightly floured bowl and cover. Leave this dough in a warm place until doubled in size. Return the risen dough to the processor bowl fitted with the knife blade and re-knead for about 10 seconds. Shape the dough into a loaf or about 15 rolls and place on greased baking trays and leave until double in size. Bake at 230°C/450°F/gas mark 8 for 20-25 minutes for a loaf or 10-15 minutes for bread rolls. When the loaf or rolls are cooked they should sound hollow when tapped on the base.

winter warmer soup

carrots, potatoes and onions: fifteen 2 cm cubes of each bacon stock

75g red lentils, washed 190ml vegetable stock

one 300g tin chopped tomatoes salt and pepper

150g cooked bacon joint cut into 1 cm cubes

Put the carrot, potato and onions into the liquidiser in that order. Add bacon stock up to the 0.75L mark. Blend for no more than 5 seconds. Pour into a saucepan. Then add the lentils, tomatoes, vegetable stock and seasoning.

Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Then simmer for about 1 hour, stirring regularly, until the ingredients are cooked. Add the bacon cubes and heat through for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

carrot and coriander soup

25g (1oz) butter

1 onion chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

500g (1lb 2oz) carrot cut into

11⁄2 cm cubes

cold chicken stock

10-15ml (2-3tsp) ground coriander salt and pepper

1Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and garlic and fry until soft.

2Place the carrot into the liquidiser, add the onion and garlic. Add sufficient stock to reach the 1L level marked on the goblet. Fit the lid and filler cap.

3Blend on maximum speed for 5 seconds for a coarse soup or longer for a finer result.

4Transfer the mixture to a saucepan, add the coriander and seasoning and simmer the soup for 30 to 35 minutes or until cooked.

5Adjust the seasoning as necessary and add extra liquid if required.