all bran and cheatin' tarts!!!

So, if you haven't found a recipe that has inspired you yet on here...maybe one of these ones will! Next week is our second baking group night and we are having a Valentine inspired night. Everyone has to bake something with this most romantic celebrations in mind so I suspect there will be lashings of chocolate, some love hearts sprinkled about and maybe some strawberries thrown in somewhere along the way...anyway, we hope that the sheer variety of treats baked by our group will suit every taste!!! Until then, lets get these last delicious recipes on here! Heather is David's sister and she lives in Brighton. She was up visiting and thought she'd come along as an honorary member! Its a shame we might not see her for a while but she promised to keep in touch and send us regular updates about her cooking!!!! She was another one who pretended she just baked something easy but if you'd tasted this load you'd know she was used to baking up treats and was a rather accomplished kitchen dweller!!! Here is her recipe for 
Heather's all-bran loaf
Ingredients
2 cups All Bran cereal
2 cups soft brown sugar
2 cups dried fruit (raisins, sultanas..or any other combination of dried fruits)
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 pint milk

METHOD
Place All Bran, sugar, fruit and milk into a large mixing bowl and leave to stand for 1 hour.
Then, mix in the flour.
Grease and line a loaf tin and turn mixure into the tin. Do not fill mixture more than 3" as loaf will rise while cooking!
Bake in preheated oven at 180oC/350oF/Gas Mark 4 for 50-60minutes.
Cooking times will vary depending on appliance. Check to see if loaf is cooked by inserting knife into middle. If knife is dry, then it is ready.
Turn onto cooling rack and leave to cool. 
Isn't it amazing that such a healthy and sometime despised breakfast cereal can turn into such a yummy and moist cake! I think Jane spread butter on the slices we each devoured but I can't remember as they disappeared so quickly!!!
Last and by no means least were Richard's tarts! We were all eyeing them greedily and somewhat in awe of his little party cases. I would never attempt pastry but it seemed that Richard had pulled out all the stops and rustled up something way beyond the norm!!! Well it didn't take long until Richard came clean and admitted that the cases were in fact bought and I have to say I was relieved and delighted to find out that you could still create something completely amazing by being clever and not necessarily baking from scratch! I, for one am a huge fan of ready made pastry anyway but this was something I had never thought of. Richard renamed them his Cheatin' tarts which was very apt and we al enjoyed them even more knowing that Richard was indeed human and just like the rest of us! I wonder though, if we might have a pastry themed night soon and learn how to make out own pastry...apparently you need cold hands to work the dough so that's me out for one!!!! Anyway, here's how to make cherry chocolate perfection!
Richard's cheatin' tarts
Ingedients:
8 individual tart cases(shop bought if you want to cheat!)
200g Nutella
1 small jar of wild Italian cherries in light syrup (or similar compote or fresh banana)

4 teaspoons of icing sugar and a handful of crushed walnuts

Put the fruits in the bottom of the pastry cases along with a sprinkling of crushed walnuts. Mix the the nutella with the icing sugar to make a stiffer consistency otherwise it will be too runny when finished. Melt the nutella mixture for 10 seconds in microwave on high power until runny to aid pouring. Pour into the cases and smooth over the fruit with a knife. Lightly refridgerate until serving.
Voila - a quick and easy tart! 

I think you'll agree that the picture makes you just want to grab one and eat it in one mouthful! Oh and Richard got his wild cherries from Sarti's Italian Deli on Wellington Street in Glasgow.
I have to sign off now but I can't wait to BLog about our next group and tell you all about the yummy things we all created!!!
Love Hot, sweet and yummy xxx