Hot Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

300 ml milk
75 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp cornflour
50 g plain chocolate (at least), broken into pieces
25 g butter

Method

  1. Put the sugar and vanilla essence in a saucepan with most of the milk. Mix the cornflour with the remaining milk and add.
  2. Continue stirring over a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
  3. Increase the heat and boil briskly until the sauce has thickened.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the broken chocolate and butter. Beat together until glossy.
  5. Pour into a suitably sized jug or gravy boat and serve with ice-cream and/or warm vanilla sponge.
This sauce can be frozen in containers. Reheat in a saucepan.

Malteser Cheesecake

You will need

200 g malted milk biscuits crumbled
100 g butter melted
5 tbsp sugar
600 g Philadelphia (Usually comes in 300 g tubs.)
300 ml double cream whipped until stiff
300 g white chocolate melted
200 g milk chocolate melted
2 tbsp Horlicks powder (You can get one-cup packets.)
small bag Maltesers

Method

  1. Line base and sides of a deep, 22-23cm loose-bottomed round tin with baking parchment.
  2. Mix the biscuit crumbs, melted butter and 2 tbsp of the sugar, then press into base.  Chill.
  3. Divide cream cheese and cream evenly between 2 bowls.
  4. Add the white chocolate to one, and the milk chocolate, malt and remaining 3 tbsp sugar to the other.
  5. Beat each with an electric whisk until smooth.
  6. Spread the milk chocolate mixture evenly in the tin.
  7. Spoon the white chocolate mix over the top and gently smooth.
  8. Dot with Maltesers and chill for at least 5 hrs until firm.

Millionaire’s Shortbread

Ingredients

225 g plain flour
75 g caster sugar
375 g unsalted butter
379 g can unsweetened condensed milk
4 tbsp golden syrup
325 g plain chocolate
200 mm square brownie tin or similar, greased and the bottom lined with waxed paper

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Bottom Layer

  1. Put the flour and sugar into a bowl.  Rub in 175 g. of butter, clumping the dough together to make a ball.
  2. Press this sandy shortbread mixture into the tin and smooth it down.
  3. Prick with a fork and cook for five minutes, then lower the oven to 150°C and cook for a further 30-40 minutes until pale golden and no longer doughy.
  4. Let it cool in the tin.

Middle Layer

  1. Melt the remaining 200 g. of butter in a large, microwavable bowl.  Add the condensed milk and golden syrup.
  2. Whisk the mixture well until the butter is thoroughly incorporated.
  3. Heat in microwave for 6-7 minutes until boiling, stirring thoroughly every minute. It's ready when it's thickened and turned a light golden brown.
  4. Pour this molten toffee over the shortbread and leave to set.

Top Layer

  1. Melt chocolate and pour over the fudge mixture and leave to cool.
  2. Once set, cut the caramel shortbread into pieces.

Makes about 24.