Pinch of Mint

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Easy Homemade Toffee Apples (With Chocolate Variations) Ingredients For classic toffee apples: 6–8 x Medium Apples (any variety you enjoy eating) 300g x Caster Sugar Wooden sticks or lollipop sticks Optional (for chocolate versions): 200g x Milk Chocolate 200g x White Chocolate Chopped nuts, sprinkles, or crushed biscuits (Oreo, hazelnuts, etc.) Optional: red food colouring (for a traditional fairground look) Method Prepare The Apples Boil a kettle and pour the hot water over the apples in a large bowl. Leave them for 1 minute to help remove any wax coating. Drain and rub each apple thoroughly with a clean tea towel until completely dry. Tip: Do this the day before to make sure they’re fully dry. Insert a wooden stick firmly into the stalk end of each apple. Make The Toffee Pour the caster sugar into a clean, dry saucepan. Place over medium heat and allow it to melt slowly just swirl the pan occasionally. Once the sugar has melted and turned a light amber colour, remove from the heat. Carefully pour the hot caramel into a small, deep, heatproof bowl suitable for dipping. ⚠️ Caution: The caramel will be extremely hot, handle with care. Coat The Apples in Toffee Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Working quickly, dip each apple into the hot caramel, tilting and turning to coat it evenly. Let the excess drip off, then place the apple on the tray to set. Leave to cool until the toffee hardens. Optional: Add a few drops of red food colouring to the caramel before dipping for a classic fairground red finish. Make The Chocolate Coated Apples Melt the milk and white chocolate separately in heatproof bowls set over simmering water. Make sure the bowls do not touch the water. Dip each prepared apple into the melted chocolate, spooning over any spots you can’t dip. Allow the excess to drip off, then: Leave plain, or Roll in your choice of toppings, nuts, sprinkles, or crushed biscuits. Place on a tray and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is fully set. Add a final chocolate drizzle (optional) Pour any leftover melted chocolate into small piping bags. Snip a tiny hole in each bag and drizzle contrasting chocolate (white on milk, milk on white) in a zigzag pattern over the apples. Allow to set once more before serving. Serving & Storage Keep your toffee and chocolate apples in the fridge until ready to serve. Best enjoyed within 2–3 days. #toffeeapples #recipes #cooking

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Creamy Marmite Pasta Serves 2 Ingredients 200g pasta 1 small brown onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely grated 1 tbsp olive oil 150ml double cream 1-1½ tsp Marmite Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped Fine sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 40-50g mature Cheddar, finely grated, to serve Method Cook the pasta in a large pan of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the cream and Marmite, stirring until the Marmite has completely dissolved. Season with black pepper and taste before adding any salt - the Marmite will already bring plenty of saltiness. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the sauce from the heat. Add the parsley and stir it through before lifting the pasta directly into the sauce, taking a little of the pasta water with it. Add the parsley and toss everything together until the sauce becomes glossy and coats the pasta. Add another splash of pasta water if needed. Serve immediately with plenty of finely grated mature Cheddar over the top. #marmite #pasta #recipes #cooking @Marmite

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Lancashire Hotpot Serves 4–6 Ingredients 600g x Diced Lamb (shoulder, leg, or neck - not too lean) 2 tbsp x Flour (plus extra for dusting) 30ml x oil (for frying) 20g x butter Salt & Black Pepper (to taste) 3 x Medium Onions (peeled and roughly diced) 3 x Medium Carrots (peeled and diced) 700ml x Stock (chicken, vegetable, or lamb - enough to cover meat & veg) 20ml x Worcestershire Sauce 2 x Bay Leaves 1-2 tsp x Dried or Fresh Thyme Potato Topping 700g x Potatoes (sliced) 30g x Melted Butter Pinch of Salt & Pepper Method Prepare & Sear the Lamb Lightly dust the diced lamb with flour (optional but recommended for flavour and thickening). Place a heavy oven-safe pot or cast-iron dish over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter. Once hot, add the lamb and season with salt. Sear until browned on all sides. Add the Vegetables While the lamb cooks, dice the onions and carrots into reasonably chunky pieces. Add them to the pot once the lamb is browned. Cook until they soften slightly and begin to colour. Stir well and scrape any browned bits from the bottom, this adds flavour. Build the Gravy Add 2 tbsp flour and stir until it coats the meat and vegetables. Pour in around 700ml of stock. Just enough to cover everything. Add Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper. Place a lid on and simmer for 30–35 minutes. Prepare the Potatoes Peel and thinly slice the potatoes (about 2 mm thick). Place slices in a bowl. Add melted butter, salt, and pepper. Toss well so every slice is coated. (Optional shortcut: place potatoes on top or the lamb and brush butter over them instead.) Check the Filling After simmering, the mixture should be rich with a thick sauce. Ensure it’s thick enough so the potato slices will sit on top rather than sink. Layer the Potatoes Arrange a first layer using smaller or less attractive slices. Finish with a neat top layer using the nicest slices for presentation. Bake Cover with a lid. Bake at 170°C fan for 40 minutes. Remove the lid. Continue baking for 20–30 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Serve Remove from the oven and allow to rest briefly. Serve as is or with your favourite side dishes. #lancashirehotpot #lambhotpot #recipe #cooking #foodtok