The Combination Cake

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY – 2    TOTAL COST – £3.05    SERVES – 8

The Combination Cake

Sometimes it is asking too much when you are expected to be able to choose just one pudding off the dessert menu. It can be an agonising decision; chocolate, or cherry? Cream or strawberry? Well for those of you who feel that it is simply unreasonable to have these amazingly tasty flavours separate, I introduce you to the Combination Cake. This chocolate, plum, cherry, and strawberry cream cake is a fantastic desert which is not only easy to make but also tastes delicious.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

For the cake:

2 cake tins

200g self raising flour

200g caster sugar

some soft butter for greasing

100g cocoa powder

4 medium sized eggs

2 tbsp milk

2 tsp of baking powder

The icing on the cake

For the Icing:

300ml double cream

50g caster sugar

2 tbsp Strawberry flavouring

50g glazed cherries

50g plum jam

Here are the 5 easy steps:

• Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a bowl and add all the other ingredients for the cake. Preferably using an electric whisk, mix everything together until you have a smooth mixture.
• Divide mixture between the greased cake tins and bake in a pre heated oven at 180* for 20 minutes.
• To test if they are cooked insert a sharp knife and if it comes out goey then the cake needs a few more minutes. When the cakes are out of the oven remove them both from the tins immediately and place on racks to cool.
• To make the icing whip all the ingredients apart from the glazed cherries together until firm and split in half for the middle of the cake and the top.
• Add the glazed cherries to the middle and top for decoration. To get the whipped effect of the cream simply use the back of a spoon.

Home made Nando’s

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY – 1    TOTAL COST – £3.40    SERVES – 2

Nando's

I think it’s safe to say that many of us who had never set foot in Stoke-on-Trent before we came to Uni, at some point after arriving here had that normal Nando’s craving and turned to the nearest fellow fresher to ask the burning question: “So where’s the nearest Nando’s?” Only to have them reply “I don’t know actually I was wondering the same thing.” Bemused by this strange answer (only the occasional hater who has not yet lived would say “Huh? What’s Nando’s?”)

It is only when you stumble upon a Stokie that you realise the horrific truth that there is no Nando’s in Stoke. Or Staffordshire. Or anywhere nearby. In fact the only way to satisfy you peri peri needs is to travel 30 miles to either Birmingham or Manchester… This painful revelation is hard to come to terms with at first but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The answer to your prayers is a simple homemade Nando’s.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

One whole raw chicken cut exactly in half so that each half has a breast and a thigh. BEST PURCHASE – from Pak Foods, on Stoke Road, a small chicken can cost as little as £1.80 but in the supermarkets will cost around three times as much. Also if you ask nicely they will cut the chicken for you
Appropriately spiced Nando’s marinade to suit your taste
Normal Nando’s sauce, also chose the spiciness to suit
2 medium potatoes
1 stick garlic bread
Or instead of potato’s and garlic bread then any other of the side dishes you would usually order from your local Nando’s, spicy rice or coleslaw for example.

The 5 easy steps:

• Pour the jar of marinade over your chicken then leave in the fridge over night (or for 2 hours).
• Once your chicken has marinated it’s time to start cooking. Place the two chicken halves and marinade into an ovenproof dish and cook in a pre heated oven at 180* for around an hour, regularly turning and using a spoon to spoon sauce over the chicken halfway through cooking.
• Chop your potato’s into wedges, boil for 15 minutes then drain and place on a baking tray with salt and a dash of Nando’s sauce and put into the oven with the garlic bread for another 15 minutes.
• After chicken has been in the oven for an hour, remove and pour some normal Nando’s sauce on, then grill for around 10 minutes turning frequently and adding more sauce when it’s needed.
• To test if the chicken is cooked, simple insert a skewer or sharp knife to check there are no pink juices inside. Remove wedges and garlic bread for the perfect accompaniment to your delicious chicken and don’t forget the all important Perinaise – add some Nando’s sauce to some Mayonaise to bring your dish alive with flavour.

You have now completed your amazing homemade Nando’s for a fraction of the price and without having to travel a whopping 30 miles.