Well here we are nearly pancake day again. Shrove Tuesday this year is 21st February and of course who can forget Valentines Day

CHOCOLATE PECAN TARTLETS

This recipe makes four, divide by two for your

Valentine Dessert

Ingredients

225g semi-sweet biscuits (digestive or Rich Tea)

2 tsp ground cinnamon                    3tbsp golden syrup

50g butter

For the filling

2 eggs 25g soft dark brown sugar

4 tbsp golden syrup, warmed 15g butter or margarine

25g plain dark chocolate ½tsp ground cinnamon

75g pecan halves, lightly chopped

Grated chocolate and caster sugar, to decorate

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4, 10 minutes before cooking the tartlets. Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs and then mix with the cinnamon.

2. Heat golden syrup and butter until blended, then mix in the biscuit crumbs. Use to line the base and sides of four 12.5cm tartlet tins. Chill.

3. Beat the eggs and sugar together until blended. Set aside.

4. Gently heat the syrup, butter or margarine and chocolate, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat, cool slightly then beat to the egg mixture. Fold in the chopped nuts and then the cinnamon.

5. Spoon filling into the tartlet tins. Bake for 25 minutes or until the filling has set.

6. Remove from the oven and serve warm, sprinkled with grated chocolate and caster sugar.

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake day) 21 February

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT PANCAKE

Ingredients

• 4oz plain flour

• Pinch of salt

• 1 egg

• ¼pt milk

• ¼pt water

• Oil for frying

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt. Make a well in the centre.

2. Break egg and drop in the centre of the flour

3. Add the milk, whisking or beating with a fork.

4. Stir in the water and add a couple of drops of oil. Mix well.

5. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan.

6. Drop a few tablespoons of the mixture into the pan. Move the pan around to spread the mixture out.

7. Shake the pan to loosen the pancake and then toss and cook on the other side.

8. When cooked, add flavourings of your choice. (My favourite is the traditional lemon juice and sugar)

9. Repeat until all the mixture is used.

NB. You can stack the pancakes on a hot plate using greaseproof paper or parchment to separate them. Keep them warm over a pan of hot water or in the oven. You can also make them in advance, cool and then freeze them in a stack again  using the paper to keep them separate