SIMPLE STICK AND POKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 2 x 12 hole bun tins or mini muffin tins with paper cake cases. Put all the fairy cake ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together with electric hand beaters until smooth. If you don’t have these you can use a wooden spoon or balloon whisk (see tip).
• Dollop the mixture into the prepared cases until it’s all used up. Bake for 10-12 mins or until golden and springy. To be sure they’re cooked through, poke a cocktail stick into the centre of one of the cakes in a middle row – if it comes out cleanly, it’s cooked. Leave to cool in the tin for 5-10mins then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
• Mix the icing sugar with enough water to make it the consistency of thick cream. Colour some or all of the icing with a few drops of your chosen food colouring(s) then drizzle over the top of the cooled fairy cakes. Sprinkle with your chosen toppings while the icing is still wet. Leave to set firm before serving. Will keep for 2 days in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 220°C (200ºC fan). Season brisket generously with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place potatoes in a large roasting pan and drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place brisket on top of potatoes, fat side up.  Roast until brisket develops a deeply golden brown crust on top and potatoes are cooked, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Reduce oven to 150°C (130ºC fan). At this point, remove potatoes if roasted potatoes are desired, or leave in pan for stewed potatoes. Add stock to pan and season beef again with salt and pepper. Cover pan tightly with foil. Return to oven and continue cooking until brisket is tender and a fork meets almost no resistance when inserted, about 2 hours 30 minutes.  Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing (against the grain for tender slices!). Serve with potatoes.