cassie best

Learn a skill for life with our foolproof crêpe recipe that ensures perfect pancakes every time – elaborate flip optional

Easy pancakes

plain flour

eggs

milk

tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil,plus a little extra for frying

lemon wedgesto serve (optional)

caster sugarto serve (optional)

Put 100g plain flour, 2 large eggs, 300ml milk, 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil and a pinch of salt into a bowl or large jug, then <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-gadgets-making-pancakes">whisk</a> to a smooth batter.

Set aside for 30 mins to rest if you have time, or start cooking straight away.

Set a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-gadgets-making-pancakes">medium frying pan or crêpe pan</a> over a medium heat and carefully wipe it with some oiled kitchen paper.

When hot, cook your pancakes for 1 min on each side until golden, keeping them warm in a low oven as you go.

Serve with lemon wedges and caster sugar, or your favourite filling. Once cold, you can layer the pancakes between baking parchment, then wrap in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months.

Make your own vegan protein with this tasty alternative to chicken. Use in stir fries or deep-fry in batter until crispy. Serve with your favourite sides

Seitan

firm tofu

milliliters soy milk

tsp miso paste

tsp Marmite

onion powder

garlic powder

wheat gluten

pea proteinor vegan protein powder

vegetable stock

Blitz the tofu, soy milk, miso, Marmite, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 tsp salt and &frac12; tsp white pepper in a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-five-best-food-processors">food processor</a> until smooth.

Tip into a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-mixing-bowls">bowl</a> and add the wheat gluten and pea protein or protein powder. Mix to form a dough. Once the dough&nbsp;has come together, give it a really good knead, stretching and tearing for 10-15 mins. It will be ready once the dough feels springy.

Pour the vegetable stock into a pan. Bring to a simmer. Flatten out the seitan to a thickness of 1cm&nbsp;and chop into chicken-breast-sized chunks. Simmer these in the stock for 20 mins, covered with a lid, then allow to cool in the stock. Ideally, do this the day before and leave to chill in the fridge. The seitan chunks can also be frozen if you wish. When you&rsquo;re ready to use the seitan in a recipe, pat it dry with kitchen paper then chop or tear into smaller pieces before cooking, if you like.

Serve this warming bowl of spicy, nourishing chicken noodle soup whenever you fancy some comfort food. You can make the base a day or two before serving

Satay chicken noodle soup with squash

pumpkin

tbsp oil

chicken thighs

garlic cloves, crushed, garlic purée

thumb-sized piece of ginger, crushed or 1 tbsp ginger purée

chicken stock cubeor 1 tbsp concentrated liquid stock

coconut milk

tbsp light soy sauce

tbsp peanut butter, smooth

sugar

tbsp fish sauce

rice noodles

spring onions, chopped

coriander leaves

beansprouts

salted, roasted peanuts, chopped

chilli oil, to serve (optional)

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Toss the squash with 1 tbsp oil and some seasoning on a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/kimberley-wilsons-top-5-baking-trays">baking tray</a>, arrange in a single layer and roast for 35-40 mins, or until soft and starting to caramelise around the edges. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a deep pan or <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/test-best-casserole-dishes">casserole dish</a>. Season the chicken, then cook until browned all over. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring for a min or 2, then add the stock, coconut milk, whole chillies, soy and 250ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and poach the chicken for 20 mins.

Remove the chicken, shred the meat with forks and return to the soup, discarding the bones. Spoon 2-3 tbsp of the soup into a bowl with the peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add to the soup with the juice of 1 lime, the sugar and the fish sauce. Check the seasoning, adding more lime, sugar, soy or fish sauce if you want to. Keep the soup warm while you cook the noodles following pack instructions.

Drain the noodles and add a handful to each bowl. Pour over the soup and top with the squash, spring onions, coriander, beansprouts, peanuts, chilli oil and sliced chilli (if using). Serve with extra lime wedges.

Make this classic pie whilst cherries are in season. It's the perfect summer dessert served just warm with plenty of cream or ice cream

Cherry pie

plain flour,

ground almonds, plus 2 tbsp

cold butter

white caster sugar

cherries

cherry jam

caster sugar,

2½ tbsp cornflour

egg white, beaten

First, make the pastry. Tip the flour, 50g almonds, butter, sugar and&nbsp;&frac14; tsp salt into&nbsp;a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-five-best-food-processors">food processor</a>.&nbsp;Blend until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Beat the egg yolks with 2 tbsp cold water, drizzle over the flour and butter mixture and blend again until the dough starts to clump together. Tip onto a work surface and knead briefly to bring everything together into a smooth dough. Divide into two pieces and shape each lump into a puck shape. Wrap and chill for 30 mins. Will keep, wrapped and chilled, for up to two days.

Remove the stones from the cherries &ndash; either cut&nbsp;them in half and pop&nbsp;out each stone, or use a cherry stoner. Toss the cherries with the jam, sugar and cornflour until there are no floury patches.&nbsp;

If the&nbsp;pastry has been chilled for longer than 30 mins,&nbsp;bring it out of the fridge 20 mins or so before rolling, as it will be very firm. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Dust a surface with a little flour, then unwrap one piece of pastry. Carefully roll it out until it&rsquo;s large enough to line the base and sides of a 25cm pie dish, skillet pan or cake tin. The pastry will be very delicate, if any cracks appear when&nbsp;rolling,&nbsp;squash them back together and keep going. Lift the pastry over the&nbsp;rolling pin and into the&nbsp;dish &ndash;&nbsp;don&rsquo;t worry if it breaks, just patch it up by&nbsp;pushing it into the corners and up the sides and closing any holes.&nbsp;There should be a little overhang around the edges. Sprinkle the reserved 2 tbsp almonds over the base, then spread the cherries on top to fill the pie in an even layer.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-best-rolling-pins">Roll out</a> the remaining pastry so it&rsquo;s large enough to cover the pie. Brush a little beaten egg white around the pastry edge. Top the pie with the pastry lid as it is (piercing&nbsp;a hole in the centre for the steam to escape), or make a lattice topping. To do this, cut the pastry into strips, however wide you like. Arrange half the strips in one direction over the pie, leaving a few centimetres gap between each. Weave the remaining strips under and over these in the opposite direction, creating&nbsp;a lattice pattern. Squash the pastry together around the edge, then trim the excess with a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/kitchen-knives-how-buy-best">sharp knife</a>.

Crimp the edge for a neat finish, or use any pastry scraps to make shapes to run around the edge &ndash;&nbsp;we used a piping nozzle to cut small circles. Stick them on with a little more egg wash, then brush the whole pie with a thin layer of egg wash. Sprinkle over a little caster sugar. Bake for 55 mins-1 hr, checking the pie after 40 mins. The edges may brown more quickly than the centre, if this happens, wrap a little kitchen foil around the edge to protect it.&nbsp;

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 1 hr. If you cut it too soon, the fruit juice will be very runny and flood the pie. Best served just warm with cream or ice cream.

These decadent, American-style dessert bars are the fairer cousin of the brownie, with the same dense and fudgy texture

White chocolate blondies

butter,chopped into small pieces, plus a little

white chocolate,chopped into small pieces

½ tsp baking powder

soft light brown sugar

golden caster sugar

tsp vanilla extract

Grease a 21 x 21cm brownie tin with a little butter, then line the base and sides with baking parchment. Place the butter and 100g white chocolate in a bowl, suspended over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir every few mins, until the butter and chocolate have melted. Remove the bowl from the pan and leave to cool for 15 mins. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl, with 1/4 tsp salt.

Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the mixture until it looks thick and foamy – this will take a few mins. The egg mixture is ready when it leaves a trail from the beaters, which sits on the surface for 2 secs.

Add the vanilla to the melted chocolate and give it a good stir – don’t worry if it has separated. Pour into the whisked eggs and sugar. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together, until most of the buttery streaks have been folded in. Sieve the flour mixture into the bowl and fold together again, add the remaining chocolate chunks and stir until well combined.

Pour the mixture into your tin, smoothing it into the corners. Bake for 30-35 mins for soft centred blondies (if you prefer a cakey texture, leave for another 5 mins). Check if the blondies are cooked by giving the tin a gentle shake, they should be mostly set but a little bit of a wobble in the centre is fine. Cool completely in the tin – the blondies will sink in the middle as they cool, just like brownies. If you try to remove the blondies too soon, they will be too soft to cut, so be patient. Once cool, cut into 16 squares. The blondies will keep for 5 days in a sealed container.

Fill your kitchen with the delicious scent of red wine, brandy, orange and spices in gluhwein. It's the perfect grown-up drink to help you warm up on wintery days

Gluhwein

orange,halved and sliced

red wine

caster sugar

cloves

cinnamon

star anise

ginger(peeled)

milliliters brandy,rum, amaretto

Put the orange slices, wine, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and ginger in a large pan. Warm gently for 10-15 mins, being careful not to let the mixture boil. Add the alcohol, pour into glasses and serve warm.

Make our easy katsu curry with options to adapt the recipe for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets. You'll need chicken or tofu depending on your preference

Katsu Curry

tbsp rapeseed oilor vegetable oil

pouches cooked rice(we used brown basmati)

½ large cucumber,peeled into ribbons

mint leavesor coriander leaves,

lime wedges,to serve

onions,chopped

carrots,chopped,

garlic cloves,crushed

tbsp curry powder,mild

½ tsp ground turmeric

tbsp cornflour

chicken mini fillets,or

breadcrumbs(gluten-free if necessary)

Katsu curry

First, make the curry sauce. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, cook the onions and chopped carrots until the onions are soft and starting to caramelise, about 8 mins. Add the garlic and ginger and sizzle for another 30 secs, then stir in the curry powder and turmeric. Once the spices are warmed through, add the coconut milk, maple syrup or honey and 100ml water. Season well, cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 mins.

Now make the katsu. In a wide bowl, mix the cornflour with 4 tbsp water and some seasoning. Dip the chicken or tofu into the flour mixture (if cooking for both vegans and meat eaters, make sure you dip the tofu first to avoid mixing it with meat). Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl and dip the chicken or tofu in it, turning until well coated.

When the onions and carrots in the curry sauce are soft, blitz using a hand or table-top blender. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water, check the seasoning, adding more salt, maple syrup or some lime juice, if you like. Keep warm.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken or tofu for 4-5 mins on each side until golden and cooked through. Warm the rice and divide between bowls. Top with the curry sauce, katsu chicken or tofu, and serve with the cucumber, carrot ribbons, herbs and lime wedges.

Use this easy crêpe mix to make sweet or savoury pancakes. There's enough for main course and dessert for a family of four so it's perfect for Shrove Tuesday

Easy Crêpes

sunflower oil,

Easy crêpes

Weigh the flour in a large jug or bowl. Crack in the eggs, add half the milk and a pinch of salt. <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-whisks">Whisk</a> to a smooth, thick batter. Add the remaining milk and whisk again. Set aside for at least 30 mins.

Heat a large non-stick crêpe pan or <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-non-stick-frying-pans">frying pan</a>. Add a drizzle of oil, then wipe out the excess with kitchen paper. When the pan is hot, add enough batter to just cover the surface, swirling it and pouring any excess back into the bowl. The pancake should be as thin as possible. When the edges are peeling away from the sides of the pan, shake it to see if the pancake easily releases and is browning on the underside. If not, cook a little longer. Flip and cook the other side for a minute or two. Serve, or keep warm in a low oven.

The ultimate easy-going food for a crowd: a tear-and-share dough ball platter, served with rosemary-spiked gooey cheese, ready for some serious dipping

Baked Camembert Dough Ball Platter

unsalted butter, chopped

strong white bread flour

fast-action dried yeast, plus another 1/2 tsp

olive oilor rapeseed oil,

tbsp fine polentaor cornmeal

boxes camembert

egg, beaten

poppy seeds

tbsp sesame seeds

toppingsfor the cheese (optional) herbs

Baked camembert dough ball platter

Warm 350ml water in a saucepan until steaming, then remove from the heat, add the butter and set aside to cool until you can comfortably put your finger in the liquid. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a tabletop mixer. Add the cooled liquid and combine to make a soft dough. Knead for 10 mins by hand, or 5 mins in a mixer, until the dough feels stretchy and smooth. Return to a clean, oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Leave somewhere warm to rise for 11/2-2 hrs or until doubled in size.

Grease and line your largest baking tray (ours was 42 x 33cm) with baking parchment. Grease the parchment too, then scatter over the polenta. Remove the cheeses from their boxes and place on the tray, spaced well apart. Brush each one with a little oil, slash the tops a few times with a sharp knife and poke in some fresh herbs, if you like.

Pour the egg into a shallow dish, the poppy seeds in another and the sesame in a third. Knock the air out of the dough and knead again for several mins. Take a small piece of dough (about the size of a whole walnut ) and roll it into a ball. Dip the top in egg, then into one of the dishes of seeds, and place on the baking tray, seeded-side up. Continue rolling and dunking the dough, leaving every third piece seedless, filling the tray but leaving a little space between each ball of dough. When you have used all the dough, you may need to reposition the dough balls to ensure the baking tray is evenly covered.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Cover the tray with a few sheets of oiled cling film and leave for 30 mins-1 hr until the dough has doubled in size and the balls are touching. Bake for 25-30 mins until the dough balls are cooked through and the cheese is oozy and melted. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then serve.

This twist on a classic Yule log uses the tropical flavours of passion fruit and coconut to create a terrific tropical centrepiece for your Christmas table

Passion Fruit, Chocolate & Coconut Roulade

butter,

gluten-free dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

eggs,

cocoa powder

ground almonds

tub mascarpone

double cream

Malibu(optional)

icing sugar

passion fruit curd

passion fruits, flesh scooped out

coconut flakes, toasted

edible gold glitter(optional)

Passion fruit, chocolate & coconut roulade

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 33 x 23cm Swiss roll tin and line with baking parchment, then grease the parchment too. Tip the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place it over a pan of gently simmering water. Leave to melt, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and allow to cool a little (alternatively, melt it in short bursts in the microwave).

Put the egg whites in a large, clean bowl, and the yolks and sugar in another. With very clean beaters, whisk the whites until they are just holding soft peaks. Transfer the beaters to the yolks bowl (no need to wash them) and beat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale.

Add a large spoonful of whites to the yolks and mix with a large metal spoon to loosen the yolks a little. Add the remaining whites and gently fold into the yolks, avoiding knocking out too much air.

When nearly all incorporated, sieve the cocoa over the surface, scatter over the almonds and pour in the melted chocolate. Continue folding until the mixture is well combined, then scrape into your tin. Spread the mixture to the edges and level the surface. Bake for 15-18 mins on the middle shelf of the oven until the surface is crisp and the cake feels springy.

While still warm, turn the roulade out onto a large piece of baking parchment, removing the parchment you used to bake the roulade on. With a small serrated knife, make a shallow incision about 1cm in from one of the shorter edges, making sure that you don&rsquo;t cut all the way thorough. Starting from this end, roll up as tightly as you can, bending the cut piece inwards to get the centre of the roll tight, using the baking parchment to help you and stop the layers sticking. Leave to set and cool.

Tip the mascarpone, cream, Malibu (if using) and icing sugar into a bowl and whisk until softly whipped. Carefully unroll the roulade &ndash; it will crack in places, but don&rsquo;t worry. Spread a third of the cream all over the surface, leaving a border of about 1.5cm all the way around. Drizzle the passion fruit curd all over the surface and top evenly with the passion fruit flesh.

Starting from the end that you used before, re-roll the roulade as tightly as you can, bending the cut piece into the cream to get the centre of the roll tight. Place the roulade, seam-side down, on a serving plate or board and spread the remaining cream all over the outside. Press the coconut flakes all over the top and sides, and dust with a little gold glitter, if you like. Chill and serve within a few hours. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

Have fun preparing these puff pastry pizzas with kids. Chop up any veg you have into small pieces and let everyone choose their own toppings

Puff Pastry Pizzas

sheet ready-rolled light puff pastry

tomato purée

tbsp tomato ketchup

oregano

mozzarellaor cheddar

sweetcorn, olives, peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, spinach, basil

Puff pastry pizzas

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll the pastry, cut into six squares and arrange over two baking trays lined with baking parchment. Use a cutlery <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/kitchen-knives-how-buy-best">knife</a> to score a 1cm border around the edge of each pastry square. Bake for 15 mins, until puffed up but not cooked through.

While the pastry cooks, make the sauce and prepare your toppings. Mix the tomato purée, tomato ketchup, oregano and 1 tbsp water. Grate the cheese and chop any veg or herbs you want to put on top into small pieces. Set aside.

Remove the pastry from the oven and squash down the middles with the back of a spoon. Divide the sauce between the pastry squares and spread it out to the puffed-up edges. Sprinkle with the cheese, then add your toppings. Bake for another 5-8 mins and serve.

This low-fat Christmas side dish is the perfect sweet-savoury combination. Or try one of our simple twists using preserved lemon, ginger wine and bacon

Braised red cabbage

red cabbage(about 900 grams)

red onion

cider vinegar

milliliters red wine

butter

Quarter the red cabbage and remove the core, then finely shred. Tip into a large pan with the red onion, brown sugar, cider vinegar, red wine, butter and cinnamon stick and season well. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid, lower the heat and cook for 1 1/ 2 hrs, stirring every so often. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 30 mins until tender. Will keep for two days, or can be frozen for two months. Reheat until piping hot.

Combine the flavours of salty cheese and sweet honey to create a dish that’s so much more than the sum of its parts. Rich and decadent, serve with warm pitta

Baked feta with sesame & honey

tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

block feta

honey,

olive oil,

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the sesame seeds in a shallow dish and brush the block of feta all over with the honey. Carefully press the honey-coated feta into the sesame seeds, turning so that it&rsquo;s well crusted with seeds.&nbsp;

Put the feta in a baking dish (it should fit snugly), then sprinkle over the oregano and a pinch of sea salt. Drizzle with some olive oil. Bake for 15-20 mins until the feta is soft, then drizzle with a little extra honey and serve with the pitta breads on the side.

Give this classic dish a makeover with a touch of spice. We've kept it mild, but you can boost the heat with added curry powder or fresh chilli, if you like

Lamb keema shepherd's pie

tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for drizzling

onions, chopped

lamb mince

ginger,

garlic cloves, crushed

turmeric

tbsp curry powder

lamb stock cubeor beef stock cube

sweet potatoes,

potatoes,

mature cheddar, grated

frozen peas

poppadums(optional)

green chilli, thinly sliced (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions until soft and starting to brown, about 8-10 mins. Push to one side of the pan and add the lamb. Leave the meat alone until the underside is browning, then break it down with the back of a spoon. Leave to brown for a few mins more, then stir in the ginger, garlic, spices and tomato purée. Stir for a few mins until the mixture is sticky and aromatic.&nbsp;Add 600ml water, the stock cube and&nbsp;the sugar.

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