birthday issue

Whiz up cauliflower and ground almonds in a food processor to make this gluten-free pizza base - top with tomatoes, aubergine and cheese

Cauliflower crust pizza

cauliflower(about 750 grams/1lb 10 ounces)

ground almonds

eggs,beaten

oregano

can chopped tomatoes

tomato purée

garlic clove,crushed

½ large aubergine,thinly sliced lengthways into long strips

tbsp olive oil,plus extra for greasing

½ small bunch basil,leaves picked

ball mozzarella

Grana Padanoor Parmesan

chilli flakes

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and trim the stalk end, then cut into chunks. Blitz half the cauliflower in a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-five-best-food-processors">food processor</a> until finely chopped, like rice. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining half. Tip all the cauliflower in a bowl, cover with cling film and microwave on High for 5-6 mins until softened. Tip onto a clean tea towel and leave to cool a little. Once cool enough to handle, scrunch up the tea towel and squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the cauliflower, then transfer to a clean bowl. Stir in the ground almonds, egg, oregano and plenty of seasoning. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and grease with oil. Mound the cauliflower mix into the centre of the tray, then use a spoon and your hands to spread out into a 30cm round. Make it a little thicker at the edges to create a ‘crust’. Bake for 15-18 mins until golden brown and starting to crisp a little at the edges.

Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan, brush each aubergine slice on both sides with a little of the oil, season and cook for 5-6 mins, turning once, until softened and charred – you’ll need to do this in batches. Transfer to a plate. Brush the onions with oil, season and griddle for 5-8 mins until softened and charred. To make the tomato sauce, whizz the canned tomatoes, tomato purée, garlic and some seasoning in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook gently for 8-10 mins until thick (you don’t want any watery tomato soaking into the cauliflower base). Tear half the basil leaves and stir through the sauce.

Once the cauliflower base is cooked, set aside to cool a little. Turn the oven up to 240C/220C fan/gas 8. Drain the mozzarella and pat dry with kitchen paper. Spread the tomato sauce over the base, sprinkle over the Grana Padano, then arrange the aubergines, red onion and mozzarella on top. Scatter over the chilli flakes and return to the oven for 10-12 mins. Before serving, shave over a little more cheese and scatter with the remaining basil leaves.

These light Italian dumplings, made from fine semolina, ricotta and nutmeg, make an elegant dinner party starter

Ricotta gnudi with sage butter

ricotta (we used Galbani)

nutmeg

fine semolina or semolina flour

butter

sage leaves

pine nuts

rocket & red onion salad

Line a sieve with a piece of muslin or a new J-cloth and place over a bowl. Tip the ricotta into the cloth, gently gather up the ends and secure with an elastic band. Leave the ricotta to drain for 4 hrs.

Transfer the drained ricotta to a clean bowl. Beat in the hard cheese, egg yolk, a good grating of nutmeg, then season well. Tip the semolina into a baking dish or large plastic container. Wet your hands, dip them in the semolina and, working quickly, scoop 1 heaped tsp of the ricotta mix into your hands and gently roll into a ball (don&rsquo;t worry if it&rsquo;s not perfect). Place the ball in the semolina dish and roll around so that it is totally covered. Pick it up and roll between the palms of your hands to create a smooth ball, then pop back into the semolina. Continue with the rest of the mixture. You should make about 24 balls. Once all the balls are formed and are sitting in the semolina, cover loosely with baking parchment (not cling film), put the dish in the fridge and leave to chill for at least 12 hrs, although 24 hrs is better &ndash; this is so the balls of ricotta form a skin around the outside.

When ready to serve, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and lower in half the gnudi. Cook gently for 2-3 mins &ndash; they&rsquo;re ready when they float to the top &ndash; then scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a sieve. Repeat with the remaining gnudi. Slowly melt the butter in a small frying pan. Add the sage leaves, making sure they don&rsquo;t overlap, and let them sizzle until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. If the butter has turned a nutty brown, remove from the heat; if not, continue to bubble until lightly browned. Divide the gnudi between warmed plates, drizzle over the browned butter, top with the sage and pine nuts, and serve with grated cheese, black pepper and a rocket &amp; red onion salad.

This elegant seafood dish will really wow someone special with its delicate flavour and texture - pollock or plaice also work well

Brown butter-poached halibut with celeriac purée & caper crumbs

shallot

bay leaf

peppercorns

halibut fillets,

celeriac

milk

milliliters double cream

butter (from above)

breadcrumbs

capers

tbsp parsley

To make the purée, melt a small knob of butter in a saucepan, add the celeriac and cook over a medium-high heat until starting to brown a little, about 5 mins. Pour over the milk and cream, and season well – the celeriac should be just covered, so add more milk if needed. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 mins or until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and transfer to a food processor. Blend until smooth, then sieve into a clean saucepan, pushing the celeriac through with the back of a spoon or spatula. Add a little of the cooking liquid to loosen the purée if needed, and taste for seasoning.

To make the crumbs, heat a small knob of butter in a frying pan, add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Throw in the capers and cook for 30 secs more. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool a little, then stir through the parsley.

Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 2. Gently melt the butter in a small ovenproof saucepan or frying pan, big enough for the fish fillets to fit snugly. Once melted, add the shallot, bay leaf and peppercorns. Keep heating until the butter turns a light brown colour and smells nutty. Leave to cool a little. Gently lower the fish fillets into the warm butter, basting any exposed fish, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3-4 mins, depending on the thickness of the fish, then turn the fillets over and cook for a further 3-4 mins or until just opaque and feeling firm.

While the fish cooks, reheat the purée and steam the greens. To serve, spoon the purée into the centre of each plate; use the back of the spoon to spread out slightly into a circle. Top with the greens, then carefully place the halibut on top. Drizzle with a little of the poaching butter and scatter with the crumbs.

Caramel, bananas and buttery pastry work beautifully in this pretty dessert, serve with an indulgent dollop of rum spiced cream

Banana tarte tatin

golden caster sugar

bananas

sea salt

orange

pack ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry

double cream

tbsp icing sugar

tbsp dark rum

cinnamon

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt the sugar and butter together on a low heat without stirring the mixture. Once the sugar has melted, turn up the heat and bubble until it turns a deep caramel colour. If the butter separates from the caramel, take the pan off the heat and add 1 tbsp of warm water, stirring until the butter emulsifies again.

Pour the caramel into a 23cm cake tin with a solid base and spread the caramel out quickly with the back of a warm spoon. Slice the bananas into 2cm-thick pieces and arrange them, cut-side down, in concentric circles in the tin, then sprinkle over a pinch of sea salt and half the orange zest.

Cut the pastry into a circle 3cm larger than the tin. Lay the pastry on top of the bananas and tuck the edges down inside the tin. Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins until the pastry is risen and cooked through. Whisk the double cream with the icing sugar until soft peaks form. Add the rum, cinnamon and remaining orange zest, and whisk until just combined.

Leave the tart to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then carefully turn the tart out onto a large plate, wearing oven gloves in case the hot caramel splashes. Serve with the cream.

Roast whole sides of salmon with Middle Eastern spices and serve with tangy citrus and currant couscous - perfect for feeding a crowd

Harissa roast salmon with lemon chickpea couscous

olive oil

onions

fennel bulb

garlic

cumin seeds

lemon

harissa

tbsp agave nectar or clear honey

x 1kg/2lb 4 oz boneless sides of salmon

vegetable stock cube

currants

couscous

chickpeas

lemons

parsley

mint

almonds

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the onions, fennel, garlic and cumin seeds and fry, stirring frequently, for about 15 mins until the vegetables are soft and golden. Stir in the lemon zest and season. Leave to cool.

Stir the harissa with the agave or honey. Place a salmon fillet, skinned-side down, on a large sheet of baking parchment and spread with half the harissa mixture. Top evenly with the vegetables, then cover with the other salmon fillet, positioning it so that the thickest end is on top of the thinnest end of the other fillet. Can be made up to this point, covered and chilled the day before.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a large baking sheet inside. Brush the salmon with the rest of the harissa mixture, then lift (still on the parchment) onto the hot baking sheet and bake for 30 mins. Remove from the oven and check that the fish is cooked all the way through; if not done to your liking, cook 5 mins more and check again.

To make the couscous, crumble the stock cube into a large bowl and add the harissa, currants and couscous. Meanwhile, put the chickpeas in a bowl with the lemon juice, oil and seasoning. Just before serving, pour 450ml boiling water over the couscous, stir well, then cover with a plate and leave to soak for 5 mins. Add the lemon zest, parsley and mint (if using) to the chickpeas and stir well, then toss through the hot couscous with the flaked almonds. Serve on a big, warm platter with the salmon (the easiest way to transfer the salmon is to lift it still on the parchment, then slide it on top), with lemon wedges on the side. To serve, cut the salmon in slices, or cut thicker slices and halve to make chunky squares.

This cake is a cross between a carrot and a banana cake, with pineapple thrown in for juicy sweetness - a lovely light dessert or teatime treat

Passion loaf with coconut cream cheese icing

pineapple

sultanas

sunflower oil

eggs

tbsp coconut yogurt (we used Rachel’s)

self-raising flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

soft light brown sugar

walnuts chopped

carrot grated (roughly 1 carrot)

overripe banana mashed

cream cheese

coconut yogurt

icing sugar

coconut shavings, to serve (optional)

Drain the juice from the pineapple into a small saucepan, add the sultanas, simmer for 1-2 mins until the sultanas are plump, then set aside to cool. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment.

In a jug, whisk the sunflower oil, eggs and yogurt. In a large bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, sugar, walnuts and 1/2 tsp salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, add pineapple, drain the sultanas and add these too, along with the carrots and banana. Mix with a spatula until combined, then scrape into the tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack.

To make the icing, whisk together the cream cheese, yogurt and icing sugar in a large bowl until just combined – be careful not to overmix. When the cake is cool, spread the icing on top and scatter with coconut shavings, if you like.

The sweet and salty combo of peanut butter and chocolate make this cake irresistible - decorate with pretzels for added crunch

Peanut butter & chocolate cake

cold unsalted butter

cocoa powder

dark chocolate (roughly 70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped

light brown muscovado sugar

tsp baking powder

unsalted butter

salted pretzels

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease 2 x 22cm round cake tins, lining the bases with baking parchment and greasing the parchment too.

Put the cocoa in a small bowl with 100ml hot water. Whisk together until smooth, then set aside. Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and melt gently together, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together using an electric whisk until thick and pale. With the blades still running, pour in the chocolate mixture, mixing until smooth and fully combined. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder. Sieve the dry ingredients over the chocolate mixture and fold together until no lumps remain. Add the cocoa mixture and mix to combine. Divide the batter between your prepared tins and bake for 30-35 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comesout clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for about 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peeling off the parchment, to cool completely.

For the icing, beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric whisk until light and creamy. Beat in the icing sugar a little at a time, then add the peanut butter, mixing until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and the cream, again mixing until smooth.

To assemble the cake, use a large serrated knife to slice each cake in half. Place the first round of cake onto a cake board or serving plate and top with a thin layer of icing. Repeat until all the cake layers have been used. To decorate, use the remaining icing to spread over the top and sides of the cake. Use a spatula or a palette knife to create a swirl pattern around the outside of the cake, and finish by pressing the pretzels onto the top and sides – there is enough to cover about half the sides, leaving the icing partially on display. Best served within 2 days of baking, but the cake will keep for up to 4 days.

Top 7 birthday issue recipes from across the web

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Cauliflower crust pizza

Ricotta gnudi with sage butter

Brown butter-poached halibut with c...

Banana tarte tatin

Harissa roast salmon with lemon chi...

Passion loaf with coconut cream che...

Peanut butter & chocolate cake

Top 7 birthday issue recipes from across the web

The most viewed birthday issue recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Cauliflower crust pizza

Ricotta gnudi with sage butter

Brown butter-poached halibut with c...

Banana tarte tatin

Harissa roast salmon with lemon chi...

Passion loaf with coconut cream che...

Peanut butter & chocolate cake

The most viewed birthday issue recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine