Ingredients

Each one makes 4-5

Figs

• 3 tbsp raw cashew nuts
• 5 dry figs
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp cacao powder
• 1 tsp Мadeira wine
• 3 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Dates and cranberries

• 3 tbsp walnuts
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp dried red cranberries
• 3 dates
• 1 tsp Cherry Liquor extract
• Pinch of salt

Raisins

• 3 tbsp raw cashew
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp golden sultana
• 1 tbsp coconut shreds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp orange blossom extract
• Pinch of salt

Apricots

• 3 tbsp raw cashew
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 5 dried apricots
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tsp apricot brandy
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Prepare a few plastic bags with different coating for the bonbons. I have prepared 5 different varieties. Red – A bag filled with 3 tablespoons of crushed dry raspberries for the red coating. Green colour – a bag filled with 3 tablespoons of coconut flakes and a few droplets of green food colour. Violet – a bag filled with three tablespoons of coconut flakes and a few droplets of violet food colour. Dark golden – a bag filled with three tablespoons of dark sesame seeds and ¼ teaspoon of edible golden dust. Light golden – a bag filled with three tablespoons of white sesame seeds and ¼ teaspoon of edible golden dust. Shake all bags to create an even colour.

2. For each variety of raw vegan bonbons place the listed ingredients in a blender and pulls until smooth. Roll the bolls with your hands and place each one in one of the coating bags. Shake for a few minutes so an even colour coating appears on the bonbon and take out. Repeat until all bonbons are done.

3. Place in the fridge overnight. Serve.

Ingredients

Serves 4 People

• 400g pangasius filets or white fish
• 500g potatoes
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 11/2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150g white Panco bread crumbs
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Vegetable butter for frying

For Serving

• Lemon wedges
• Green salad
• Mayonnaise

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them in disks. Place them in a dish, suitable for a microgolfoven plus some water and cook for 12 min on 700W, or until tender. Remove the excess water and let them cool.

2. Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease two large pieces of foil with a little butter. Sit both fish filets on the foil, season with salt and ground black pepper, then wrap to make a parcel.

3. Place the foil parcels on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Set aside and let the fish cool.

4. Tip the potatoes into a bowl. Mash them and stir the parsley, chives, lemon zest, mayonnaise, mustard and season with salt and ground black pepper. Break the fish into large pieces and gently stir into the mash without breaking the pieces up too much.

5. Shape into fishcakes. Dip each fishcake in the beaten eggs on both sides so it is well covered, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Pat to reshape. Chill for about 30 minutes.

6. Melt some vegetable butter in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the fishcakes on a medium heat for 5 minutes on each side. Serve with green salad, mayonnaise and lemon wedges.

Ingredients

• 2½ cups (375g) self-raising flour, sifted
• ½ cup (50g) cocoa powder, sifted
• 1½ cups (330g) caster (superfine) sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1½ cups (375ml) milk
• 250g unsalted butter, melted
• 200g dark chocolate, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Quick milk chocolate ganache

• 1 cup (240g) cream cheese Philadelphia
• 400g milk chocolate, melted
• a few droplets of Rum essence

Method

1. Melt the dark chocolate and let it cool.

2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 x 20cm round cake tins with non-stick baking paper. Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, chocolate and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 40–45 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

3. Melt the milk chocolate and let it cool.

4. To make the quick milk chocolate ganache, place the cream cheese and chocolate in a large bowl. Add the Rum essence and mix well. The ganache will quickly start to harden.

5. Place 1 of the cakes on a cake stand or plate. Spread with half the ganache. Top with the remaining cake and ganache.

Ingredients

Serves 2 people

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 225g traditional halloumi
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 handful of mixed green salad
• 2 tsp Mango-Ginger Vinaigrette
• 2 tsp mixed sunflower and pumpkin seeds
• Salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a grill pan.

2. Slice the halloumi in 10 slices. Place on the hot grill for 2-6 minutes and turn once until grill marks appear on both sides.

3. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and grill in the hot pan, face down for a couple of minutes.

4. Plate, by serving mixed salad leaves seasoned with mango-ginger vinaigrette, topped with the grilled halloumi, cherry tomatoes and seeds.

Ingredients

HASSELBACK POTATOES

• 600 g skin-on medium-sized new potatoes
• 50 ml tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, picked
• 25 g tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• sea salt

HERB CRUST

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 50 g finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 50 g dried Panco breadcrumbs
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2–3 tablespoons olive oil

PORK LOIN

• 2–3 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour
• large knob of butter and olive oil for frying
• 1 pork loin fillet (around 500 g)
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. First, prepare the hasselback potatoes. Using a small sharp knife, make small slices widthways across the top of each potato, reaching two thirds down, to create a fan effect. Place in a large roasting tray.

3. Mix the oil and herbs together and coat all the potatoes, ensuring the sliced sides face upwards. Roast in the preheated oven for around 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients for the herb crust and put them on a large plate. Put the flour on a separate large plate.

5. Heat the butter and some oil in a large frying pan. Sear the pork loin over a high heat until just brown on all sides, then roll lightly in the plate of flour and brush all over with the Dijon mustard. Finally, roll the pork in the herb crust mixture until fully covered.

6. Remove the tray of potatoes from the oven (leaving it on) and brush them with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the garlic, lemon zest and sea salt. Add the herb-crusted pork loin to the tray, nestled among the potatoes and return to the hot oven for around another 30 minutes until the pork is just cooked through and the herb crust is golden. Leave it to rest under a foil cover for 10 minutes before slicing.

7. Depending on their size, the potatoes might need a final 5 minutes to crisp up and become fully soft in the middle, but you can leave these in the oven while the pork is resting. Serve the sliced pork and potatoes with gravy as a roast with a selection of salads.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 250ml coffee (cold)
• 1 tbsp cognac
• 250g powder sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tsp instant coffee Expresso
• 300g butter, softened on room temperature
• 38 (300g) petit-beurre cookies

For the chocolate mirror glaze:

• 2/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup cream
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar
• 3 gelatine leaves

Method

1. Make a big cup of coffee. Let the coffee cool in an oven dish or large mixing bowl. Add a splash of cognac.

2. Place the powder sugar and eggs in the mixing bowl. Beat both ingredients until smooth and foamy.

3. Brew a small cup of extra strong coffee. Use instant coffee for this.

4. Cut the soft butter into cubes. Beat the butter little by little into the egg-sugar mixture. Add a spoonful of the strong coffee. Beat well until you get a smooth buttercream.

5. Place a layer of dry biscuits on a serving dish for a crispy bottom. Spread a layer of crème au beurre on top. Then build another layer of cookies, but dip them first in the baking dish with cooled coffee. Spread another layer of butter cream on top. Repeat these steps until you have a nice stacked cake. Brush the sides of the cake with the butter mixture as well. Let the petit beurre cake rest for an hour in the fridge.

6. In the meantime, place cold water and the gelatine leaves in a small bowl. Leave for 5 minutes. Place cocoa and water in a medium saucepan then mix until virtually lump-free. Add a splash of cream to the cocoa mix and stir. It will loosen up. Add remaining cream and sugar, then gently continue to mix to combine. Turn stove onto medium high heat. As soon as it comes to the boil, remove from the stove. Add the gelatine leaves, then stir until they dissolve and you have a smooth glossy glaze. Cool on the counter for 2 hours. Just before pouring over the cake, strain the glaze into a jug.

7. Remove the cake from the fridge, transfer onto a rack. Starting at the end of the cake, pour the glaze on, moving towards the other end of the cake, to make the glaze spread across the surface and drape like curtain down the sides. For the most perfect surface, try to do it in one motion without breaking the pour. Ensure all sides are fully coated – if not, quickly do a little pour down the sides to coat the naked patches. Let the mirror glaze set for around 10 minutes, before moving the cake to a cake platter. Leave in the fridge overnight then serve.