Carrot and pineapple loaves

• 432 g tin crushed pineapple
• 3 large eggs
• 300 g light brown sugar
• 180 ml (¾ cup) sunflower oil
• 250 g cake flour
• 10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder
• 5 ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
• 1.25 ml (¼ tsp) fine salt
• 10 ml (2 tsp) ground cinnamon
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground ginger
• 125 g finely grated carrot
• 100 g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

Cream cheese icing

• 100 g butter, softened
• 175 g full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
• 240 g icing sugar
• decorations (optional – see suggestions above)

1.) Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line the base of two 23 cm loaf tins and grease well.

2.) Place a sieve over a bowl and empty the contents of the pineapple tin into it. Set aside to drain.

3.) Place the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat on high speed for 2 – 3 minutes until pale and thick. Add the oil and beat for another minute. Add the pineapple syrup and mix to incorporate.

4.) Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt, cinnamon and ginger into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Add the pineapple pieces, carrot and nuts and fold in.

5.) Divide the batter between the loaf tins. Bake for 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

6.) While the cakes are baking make the cream cheese icing. Place the butter and cream cheese in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the vanilla and mix in. Sift in half the icing sugar and whisk to combine. Sift in the remaining icing sugar and whisk together until smooth. Set aside in the fridge.

7.) Spread the icing over the cooled cakes. Decorate, slice and serve.

Satay chicken

• 60 ml (¼ cup) peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) soya sauce
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) garlic and ginger paste
• 10 ml (2 tsp) honey
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lime (1 lime)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 x chicken thighs
• 4 x chicken drumsticks

Tray bake

• 750 g baby potatoes
• olive oil, for drizzling
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 250 g broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
• 300 g baby marrow, sliced
• coriander, roughly chopped (optional)

1.) To prepare the satay chicken, place the peanut butter, soya sauce, garlic and ginger paste, honey and lime in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper and whisk together until smooth.  Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Set aside in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour (longer if time allows).

2.) Scrub the baby potatoes and place in a pot. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Allow to boil for 8 – 10 minutes until starting to soften on the outside but still firm in the middle. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

3.) Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a large tray with baking paper. Arrange the chicken pieces on the tray, coating them with any extra marinade left in the bowl. Add the potatoes to the tray and use the back of a spoon to squash them down (they should still be intact). Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4.) Bake chicken and potatoes for 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and add the broccoli, peppers and baby marrow. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and season. Bake for a further 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, the potatoes are crispy and the veggies are tender.

5.) Dish onto plates, sprinkle with coriander (if using) and serve.

• 1 whole bulb of garlic
• 5 ml (1 tsp) olive oil, for drizzling
• 250 ml (1 cup) full cream plain yoghurt
• 10 ml (2 tsp) tahini
• 5 ml (1 tsp) fresh lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) flaked almonds
• 2 large aubergines 
• 5 g fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

1.) Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Cut about 1 cm off the top of the garlic so that the cloves are exposed. Place the bulb on a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap and roast for 30 minutes, or until the garlic has softened. Set aside to cool slightly.

2.) Place the yoghurt in a bowl. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb into the bowl, and use a fork to mix together, mashing the cloves as you mix. Stir in the tahini and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside in the fridge.

3.) Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes, or until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.

4.) Slice the aubergines into 1 cm thick rounds. Brush each side well with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place a griddle pan over a high heat, and cook the slices for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

5.) Swirl the yoghurt onto a serving plate. Arrange the aubergine slices on top, and sprinkle with almonds and mint. Serve immediately.

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) shelled raw pistachios
• 40 g wild rocket
• 150 g strawberries, halved
• 120 g burrata (1 whole)
• 5 g fresh basil
• olive oil, to drizzle
• balsamic reduction, to drizzle
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.) Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Place the pistachios on a small baking tray and roast for 5 minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then chop up roughly.

2.) Arrange the rocket on a serving plate. Top with the strawberries and place the burrata in the middle.

3.) Tear the basil leaves over the salad. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic reduction, and season with salt and pepper. Tear open the burrata and serve immediately.

Herb yoghurt

• 2 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
• 150 ml full cream plain yoghurt
• 5 ml (1 tsp) lemon juice
• 2.5 ml (½ tsp) lemon zest
• 5 g fresh parsley, chopped
• 5 g fresh coriander, chopped
• 2.5 ml (½ tsp) olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To assemble

• 1 whole roasted chicken
• 4 rotis (or flatbread, naan or wraps)
• 100 g baby plum tomatoes, quartered
• 60 g pickled onions (about 2), thinly sliced
• 40 g fresh rocket

1.) Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and toast for 20 minutes, shaking regularly, until the skins are golden, and the garlic is fragrant and soft. Set aside to cool.

2.) Place the yoghurt in a bowl. Unpeel the garlic, mash well with a fork and add. Add the lemon juice and zest, parsley, coriander and olive oil. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge.

3.) Remove the chicken from the bone and shred. Heat each roti according to the instructions on the pack. Spread the herb yoghurt over the rotis. Top each one with a generous serving of chicken, and sprinkle with tomatoes and onion. Top with fresh rocket and serve immediately.

Mango ice cream 

• 4 ripe mangoes, about 1 kg
• 500 ml (2 cups) fresh cream
• 385 g tin condensed milk
• 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract

Coconut cookies (makes 20)

• 120 g salted butter, room temperature
• 100 g castor sugar
• 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence
• 1 large egg
• 150 g cake flour + extra for dusting
• 50 g toasted coconut*
• 2.5ml (½ tsp) baking powder
• 6 cm round cookie cutter
• 70 g white chocolate, melted

1.) Preheat the oven to 200º C and line a tray with baking paper. Peel the mangoes and cut into chunks. Arrange in a single layer on the tray and roast for 40 minutes, or until the edges are starting to turn golden. Allow to cool, then use a stick blender or food processor to process into a puree.

2.) Whip the cream until stiff. Whisk in the condensed milk and vanilla. Add the mango puree and fold in. Pour the mixture into a freezer proof container and freeze overnight.

3.) To make the cookies, place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cream for a few minutes until fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and egg.

4.) Add the flour, coconut and baking powder and mix until just combined. Tip the dough onto your work surface and shape into a disc. Wrap well and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5.) While the dough is chilling preheat the oven to 170°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

6.) Lightly dust your work surface with some flour and roll the dough out to a thickness of
5 mm. Cut out circles and arrange on the baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

7.) Turn the cookies over so that the undersides are facing up. Brush with white chocolate and leave to set.

8.) Take the ice cream out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving. To assemble, place a scoop of ice cream on a cookie. Place another cookie on top and gently press together. Use the back of a teaspoon to smooth the edges.* Serve immediately.

*See cook’s notes above

• ½ red onion (about 70 g), thinly sliced
• 600 g ripe Roma tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 20 g basil, shredded
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) red wine vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 120 g mozzarella bocconcini
• baguette, to serve (optional)

1.) Place the onion in a small bowl. Cover with cold water and leave to soak for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2.) Cut each tomato into 6 chunks lengthways. Place in a large mixing bowl with the onion, garlic, basil, olive oil and vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper and toss together well. Leave to stand for 30 minutes.

3.) Scoop the salad onto a serving plate. Top with mozzarella and serve with slices of baguette.

Cookie layer

• 22 (210 g) oreo cookies
• 65 g butter, melted

Cheesecake filling

• 250 ml (1 cup) fresh cream
• 200 g full fat cream cheese
• 75 g white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
• 200 g condensed milk
• 6 x 250 ml glasses or ramekins

Strawberry and cherry ghosts

• 6 medium strawberries
• 6 cherries
• 80 g white chocolate, melted
• 20 g dark chocolate, melted

1.) To prepare the cookie layer, place the oreos in a ziplock bag. Seal and use a rolling pin to crush into fine crumbs. (You can also use a food processor for this step.) Tip the crumbs into a bowl and add the butter. Mix well to combine, then set aside.

2.) To prepare the filling, pour the cream into a bowl and use an electric beater to whisk until stiff. Set aside. Place the cream cheese in a separate bowl. Use the same beater to whisk until smooth. Whisk in the white chocolate and vanilla. Gradually pour in the condensed milk and whisk until combined and smooth. Add the cream and gently fold in until evenly mixed.

3.) Spoon half of the cookie mixture into the serving glasses, dividing evenly, and press down gently. Top with half of the cheesecake filling. Repeat the layers with the remaining cookie mixture and cheesecake filling. Chill for 6 hours or overnight.

4.) Place a piece of baking paper onto a plate or small tray. Rinse and dry the strawberries and cherries. Dip a strawberry into the white chocolate, allow the excess to drip off then place on the baking paper to set. Repeat with the remaining strawberries and cherries.

5.) Once the white chocolate has set use a skewer dipped in dark chocolate to paint ghost faces on the strawberries and cherries. Leave to set. Place a strawberry and a cherry onto each cheesecake pot just before serving.

Pastry 

• 150 g cold butter
• 250 g cake flour
• 2.5 ml (½ tsp) fine salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 80 – 90 ml  cold water
• extra cake flour, for dusting
• 5 ml (1 tsp) water, for the egg wash

Topping

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 10 ml (2 tsp) fresh thyme leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 500 g butternut, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 250 g mascarpone
• 5 ml (1 tsp) garlic paste
• 100 g plain feta

1.) To prepare the pastry, wrap the butter in some baking paper and freeze for 30 minutes. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Finely grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients and toss together.

2.) Lightly whisk the egg yolk and add half to the flour mix. (Reserve the remaining egg for glazing the pastry later.) Add 60 ml water and cut the liquid in with a knife until the dough starts coming together. Use your hands to finish bringing the dough together, adding extra water as needed (try not to overwork or overwet the dough). Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3.) While the pastry is resting prepare the topping. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Place the oil, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the butternut and toss together. Arrange the butternut on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes or until just tender. Set aside to cool slightly.

4.) Mix the mascarpone and garlic until well combined. Set aside.

5.) Increase the oven temperature to 200ºC. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Dust the work surface with a little flour and roll the pastry out into a rough circle approximately 3mm thick. Place on the baking tray.

6.) Spread the mascarpone mixture over the pastry, leaving a 2 cm border clear around the edges. Crumble the feta over the cooled butternut and lightly toss together. Arrange the butternut mixture on top of the mascarpone in an even layer.

7.) Fold the edges of the pastry in. Mix the water into the egg yolk reserved earlier and brush over the crust. Bake the galette for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden. Allow to stand for a few minutes, then slice and serve.