TEATIME TREATS

Gin and tonic cake bar

SERVES 8

225g (8oz) unsalted butter
225g (8oz) caster sugar
3 medium free-range eggs
75g (2¾oz) ground almonds
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
grated zest of 2 limes

For the drizzle

50ml (2fl oz) gin
50ml (2fl oz) tonic
100g (3½oz) caster sugar

To decorate

75g (2¾oz) white chocolate, melted
grated zest of 1 lime

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

2 Beat the butter and sugar together until light and pale.

3 Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.

4 Mix in the ground almonds, self-raising flour and lime zest, then spread into a lined 23cm (9in) square cake tin.

5 Bake for 30-35 minutes until springy and golden.

6 Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the drizzle in a jug until the sugar dissolves.

7 When you remove the cake from the oven, prick it all over with a skewer to make small holes then, while the cake is still warm, pour over the drizzle. Allow the cake to cool in the tin and absorb the drizzle.

8 When cold, decorate with white chocolate and more lime zest. Cut into bars or squares.

Strawberry & macadamia blondies

SERVES 16

125g (4½oz) unsalted butter
200g (7oz) white chocolate, chopped
2 free-range eggs
100g (3½oz) light muscovado sugar
130g (4½oz) plain flour
a pinch of salt
120g (4oz) BerryWorld strawberries, chopped
100g (3½oz) macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Line a square baking tin, approx. 22cm (8½in), with greaseproof paper.

2 In a pan, melt the butter and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes until the white solids start to turn golden. Pour into a cold bowl, then add half of the chocolate and stir until melted.

3 In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until thick and golden. Tip in the flour, a pinch of salt and the chocolatey butter and fold in with a spatula until smooth.

4 Tip in the strawberries, nuts and remaining chocolate and stir briefly.

5 Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 30 minutes. The blondies are done when they have a light golden crust but are still a little squidgy inside. Allow to cool in the tin, then cut into squares.

Sticky chocolate and BerryWorld redcurrant slice

SERVES 6-8

75g (2¾oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces
75g (2¾oz) unsalted butter
175g (6oz) BerryWorld redcurrants, de-stalked
3 tbsp soft brown sugar
50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
2 medium free-range eggs, separated
25g (1oz) ground almonds
25g (1oz) cocoa powder, sifted
25g (1oz) plain flour, sifted
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
grated chocolate (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Line a 500g (1lb 1oz) loaf tin with greaseproof paper and lightly grease.

Melt the chocolate with the butter in a small pan, or in a