Spicy Lentil Soup with Curry Pinwheel Rolls

Ingredients

2 tbsp curry paste
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, grated
140g red lentils
1l hot vegetable stock

For the curry pinwheel rolls
500g pack bread mix
1 tbsp curry paste


Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. For the rolls, make up the bread mix following pack instructions, then roll out to a 30 x 40cm rectangle. 
2. Spread over the curry paste, then roll up, starting with the longest edge, like a roly poly. Cut into 8 slices and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden and cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, make the soup. Fry the curry paste and onion in a large pan for 2 mins until fragrant. Stir in the carrots and lentils and mix to coat in the curry paste. 
4. Cook for 2 mins, then pour in the stock and simmer for 20 mins until the lentils are tender. Whizz with a stick blender until smooth, add some seasoning and serve with the curry pinwheels.

Cappuccino Cake

Ingredients

250g pack butter, softened
250g light soft brown sugar plus 2-3 tbsp
300g self-raising flour
4 eggs, beaten
50g walnuts, toasted and finely chopped (a food processor is easiest), optional
200ml very strong coffee (made fresh or with instant), cooled
For the frosting
500g tub mascarpone
2 tbsp light soft brown sugar
cocoa powder or drinking chocolate to decorate


Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bottoms with greaseproof paper. Beat butter and sugar together with electric beaters until pale and creamy. 
2. Add the fl our and eggs in one go and keep beating until evenly mixed. 
3. Fold in the walnuts (if using) and half of the coffee. Spoon the mix into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until golden and well risen.
4. Leave the cakes in their tins for 5 mins before turning onto a wire rack. Sweeten the remaining coffee with the extra sugar and sprinkle 4 tbsp over the sponges. Leave to cool completely.
5. While the cakes cool, make the frosting. 
6. Tip the mascarpone into a large bowl and beat in the sugar and remaining coffee until smooth and creamy. 
7. Use about half of the frosting to sandwich the sponges together then, using a palette or cutlery knife, spread the rest of the frosting over the top of the cake. 
8. Decorate with a dusting of cocoa powder or drinking chocolate. If you’re making this cake to eat at home, it will keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Frozen Cranberry Muffin Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix sugar and butter together in a medium mixing bowl until completely blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate medium mixing bowl. Add this alternately with the milk to the butter mixture. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Spoon into 12 paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full with batter.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.