Ingredients 1 small onion 250g beef mince 1 thick slice stale bread 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp chili flakes 2 cloves garlic 1 tbs tomato purée 2 tins tomatoes (800g) or 1 jar passata Equipment medium saucepan with lid Method Finely chop half the onion and slightly soften it in a little oil; about 5 minutes over low heat. At the end add one (finely chopped) clove of garlic, for about one minute.

225g/8oz butter 900g/2 lb light brown sugar 400ml/14 fl oz evaporated milk 200ml/7 fl oz water 3 tsp vanilla extract Swiss roll tin 23x33cm / 9x13 in Melt the butter over a low heat; add milk, water, sugar vanilla extract and dissolve. Simmer to soft ball stage; takes 2-3 minutes. Pour into tin and allow to cool.

2 tsp icing sugar 2 tsp cornflour 25g/1 oz gelatine 125 ml/4fl oz water 2 egg whites 500g/18 oz granulated sugar 250ml/9 fl oz water 20x20cm/8in tin Oil the tin and coat with sieved icing sugar and cornflour. Bloom the gelatine in 125ml/4 fl oz water, then warm to dissolve. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Heat the sugar with 250ml/9 fl oz and dissolve. Boil to 122C/252F (hard ball stage).

This is a slightly darker, Spanish/Italian style nougat. 450g/1lb sugar 250g/9oz liquid glucose 200g/7oz honey 2 egg whites 1 tsp vanilla extract 100-150g/3.5-5oz pistachio kernels 100-150g/3.5-5oz blanched and toasted almonds 3 sheets rice paper 20cm/8in cake tin Line the tin with rice paper. Put sugar, glucose and honey in a wide pan over a low heat and dissolve. Cook to 130C/266F (hard crack). Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Alton Brown recipe. 1 cup (225g/8oz) butter 1 cup (250g/9oz) peanut butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 lb/450g icing sugar 8 in pan Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 mins. Stir, then nuke for 2 mins more. Mix in vanilla and sugar. Pour into pan and cool.

Drop a teaspoonful of syrup into a jug of iced water and allow to cool: thread = 220-230F The syrup forms threads that won’t make a ball. Soft ball = 240/243F The syrup makes a ball that doesn’t hold shape. hard ball (122C/252F) = 250-260F What it says! hard crack (160C/320F) 130C/266F = 285-299F The syrup makes strands that break.

225g/8oz butter 225g/8oz granulated sugar 4 tbs treacle/golden syrup/molasses 400g/14 fl oz condensed milk 20x30cm / 8x12in swiss roll tin (lined) Melt the butter over a low heat. Add sugar and treacle, and milk. Heat until golden brown = hard crack (160C/320F); should take about 30 mins. Pour into tin and set for 15 mins.

150ml/5 fl oz water 700g/24oz granulated sugar zest and juice of 2 lemons 75g/3oz cornflour 25g/1 oz (= 6 tsp) gelatine Flavouring 25g/1 oz mint leaves 60ml/4 tbs rose/orange blossom water To finish 50g/2oz icing sugar 50g/2oz cornflour 20cm/8in square tin Put water, sugar, lemon juice and zest (and mint leaves if you go for that), and bring slowly to the boil. Heat to thread stage (106-113C/236F).

This is very easy; just be careful to fully dissolve the gelatine and allow enough time to fully set. 1 pt (20 fl oz) single cream, or 1/2 and 1/2 whole milk and double cream 3 leaves gelatine (or 1 packet powder) 30g/1 oz sugar 1 vanilla pod, or 1 tsp vanilla extract First, soak the gelatine in a couple of tablespoons of cold water for a few minutes; always add the water to the gelatine, not the other way around.

1 sachet instant yeast (7g) 500g plain flour 5g/1 tsp salt 55g caster sugar 3 medium egg yolks 125 ml milk (4.5 fl oz) - mix together in a mug/bowl 140ml warm water 70g light muscovado sugar 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 4 tbsp melted butter 17g icing sugar