Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mash 3 large black peeled bananas with a fork, then mix well with 75g vegetable or sunflower oil and 100g brown sugar.

Add 225g plain flour, 3 heaped tsp baking powder and 3 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice, and combine well. Add 50g dried fruit or nuts, if using.

Bake in an oiled, lined 2lb loaf tin for 20 minutes. Check and cover with foil if the cake is browning.

Bake for another 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool a little before slicing. It’s delicious freshly baked, but develops a lovely gooey quality the day after.

Ixgħel il-forn 1900C, gass numru 5. Naddaf l-ixkla, poġġihom fuq dixx tal-forn u roxx ftit klin fuqhom. Sajjar fil-forn sakemm jieħdu kulur ħamrani. Qaxxar t-tewm u qattagħhom f’biċċiet żgħar. Naddaf il-karrotti u qattagħhom ukoll f’biċċiet żgħar. Saħħan ftit żejt ġo taġen u qalli l-basal u t-tewm għal ftit minuti. Ħawwad il-ħin kollu. Baxxi n-nar, żid il-karrotti u ftit klin ieħor u kompli sajjar għal ftit minuti oħra. Żid il-kunserva l-inbid u ftit ilma. Roxx ftit bżar u ħawwad tajjeb. Kompli sajjar għal madwar 5 minuti. Żid ir-rand u ara jekk ikunx hemm bżonn li żżid ftit melħ. Neħħi l-ixkla mid-dixx, poġġihom ġo casserole li jkollha l-għatu u ferra’ z-zalza lesta fuqhom. Sajjar fil-forn għal madwar 90 minuta. Zid ftit ilma fietel jekk tinnota li l-likwidu ikun qed jonqos waqt is-sajran. Tista sservi ma’ ftir ross jew patata-il forn.

Put the figs and 150ml water in a large heavy based saucepan. Bring to a simmer and gently bubble for 5 mins or until the figs have softened and released their juices. Add the orange zest, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring regularly for around 5-7 mins or until thick, skimming off any skum that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat and leave to sit for 10 mins.

Ladle the mixture into sterilised jars. Seal with the lids and leave to cool completely. Will keep for six months unopened and 2 weeks in the fridge once opened.

Itfa' d-dqiq, il-ħmira u l-melħ fi skutella kbira u ħallat kollox flimkien b'idejk. Ħallat flimkien 300ml ilma fietel maż-żejt u l-għasel u żidhom mat-taħlita tad-dqiq sabiex tagħmel għaġina ratba. 
Itfa' ftit dqiq fuq il-wiċċ tal-mejda u agħġinha għal 5 minuti sakemm ma tibqax twaħħal. Jekk ikun hemm bżonn, żid ftit oħra dqiq. Idlek biż-żejt dixx tal-kexxun ta' 900g u poġġi l-għaġina fih.
Għatti d-dixx u ħalli l-għaġina togħla biżżejjed li timla d-dixx għal madwar siegħa. Ara li l-għaġina ma terġax titla' xħin tagħfasha b'subgħajk.
Saħħan il-forn f'temperatura ta' 200C bil-fann jew 180C gass numru 6. Agħmel diversi qatgħat b'sikkina fil-wiċċ tal-ħobż u aħmi għal 30-35 minuta sakemm il-ħobż jogħla u jieħu l-kulur. Oħorġu mid-dixx sabiex tara jekk sarx sew mill-qiegħ. Ħallih jiksaħ.

Ħallat flimkien id-dqiq, il-baking powder, iz-zokkor fin u niskata melħ f'kontenitur kbir. Bl-imgħarfa, agħmel ħofra fin-nofs u itfa' l-bajd, il-25g butir u l-ħalib. Ħawwad sew flimkien sakemm ikollok taħlita kremuża u poġġiha f'buqar. Saħħan ftit butir u kuċċarina żejt f'taġen li ma jweħħilx fuq nar medju. Hekk kif jisħon, ferrex it-taħlita fi ċrieki, madwar 8ċm fil-wisgħa. Ara li ma tpoġġihomx viċin wisq ta' xulxin għaliex mat-tisjir jikbru. Sajjar il-pancakes fuq naħa minnhom għal minuta jew tnejn jew sakemm tibda tara l-bżieżaq. Dawwarhom bil-kontra u sajjar għal minuta oħra fuq in-naħa l-oħra. Irrepeti l-proċess sakemm tuża t-taħlita kollha. Servi l-pancakes fuq xulxin fuq platt bi ftit maple syrup u l-ingredjenti li tiggosta.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line two baking sheets with parchment. Using an electric hand whisk, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, stir in the flour, bicarb and ¼ tsp salt.
Scoop 18-20 tbsps of the mixture onto the trays, leaving enough space between each to allow for spreading. Make a thumbprint in the centre of the cookies. Bake for 10-12 mins or until firm at the edges but still soft in the middle – they’ll harden a little as they cool. Leave to cool on the tray for a few mins before topping each biscuit with a peanut butter cup, Rolo or Malteser. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Heat the chocolate in the microwave in short bursts, or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, until just liquid. Scrape into a piping bag and leave to cool a little. Pipe the legs onto each spider, then stick two eyes on each. Leave to set. Will keep for three days in an airtight container.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 900g loaf tin (ours measured 10 x 21 x 5cm) and line the base with a long strip of baking parchment that overhangs the sides.

Put the butter, Pinto’s pride coconut milk, sugar, flour, eggs, coconut extract (if using) and desiccated coconut in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until combined. Scrape into the prepared tin and level the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for 55 mins-1 hr, or until the cake is risen and golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If any wet cake mixture clings to the skewer, bake for another 5-10 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then lift the cake out onto a wire rack, using the parchment to help you. Leave to cool completely. The cooled cake will keep in the freezer, well wrapped, for up to two months.

To make the icing, beat the butter, sugar, Pinto’s Pride coconut milk and coconut extract, if using, in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the cake using a palette knife or the back of a spoon, then scatter over a generous layer of coconut chips. Decorate with white chocolate truffle ‘snowballs’ or large white sprinkles, if you like.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Lay the brioche slices in a single layer in a shallow dish and pour the egg mixture over them. Allow to soak for 2-3 mins, then carefully turn over and soak for 2 mins more.

Heat 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until foaming. Carefully lift 2 slices of the soaked brioche out of the dish and add to the frying pan. Fry for 3 mins on each side, until golden and crisp, then place on a wire rack over a baking tray in a warm oven while you repeat with the remaining slices.

Serve dusted in icing sugar and scattered with fresh berries, if you like.