How to bake cookies:

Makes 18
10 mins preparation, 8-10 mins baking

1. Heat oven to 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas mark 4) & prepare 2 baking trays
2. Beat 4 oz g butter, and cream together with 3 oz g (soft) brown sugar until light and fluffy
3. Stir in 6 oz g self-raising flour, 2 tbsp golden syrup, 2 tbsp milk and any other desired ingredients (e.g. chocolate, fudge, or raisins if you're trying to convince yourself you're being healthy)
4. Aggresively throw balls of dough onto the trays (or alternatively, drop onto tray with a spoon). The dough doesn't need to be flat on the tray because it will be melted flat in the oven.
5. Bake for 8-10 mins.

Tips:

• Use large chunks of chocolate (a square or two from a bar) instead of chocolate chips; it tastes much better
• Generally using brown sugar instead of caster sugar tastes better, but caster sugar is always fine instead if you run out

How to bake shortbread:

Makes 16
20-25 mins baking

1. Heat oven to 160 ^oC (325 ^oF, gas mark 3)
2. Mix 9 oz plain flour and 3 oz caster sugar, then rub in 6 oz butter.
3. Knead well to form a smooth paste
4. Roll into a rectangle, cut into fingers & decorate with a fork
5. Place on tray & bake for 20-25 minutes.

If you're feeling even more unhealthy

How to bake crumble:

Serves 4
30 mins baking

1. Heat oven to 190 ^oC (375 ^oF, gas mark 5)
2. Place 12 oz fresh fruit in large overproof dish
3. In a mixing bowl, rub 2 oz butter with 4 oz self-raising flour until it forms small crumbs
4. Mix well with 2 oz sugar
5. Spread over fruit and bake for 30 minutes, until fruit is cooked and top is golden.

Why not try?

• Adding oats
• Pear and apple is a good combo
• Rhubarb crumble

Some food for thought

"Said I'll be a minute, of course I was an hour
Never disturb a baker when he's mixing up the flour" - Skepta

How to bake scones:

Makes 8
10 mins baking

1. Heat oven to 220 ^oC (425 ^oF, gas mark 7)
2. Mix 8 oz self-raising flour with a pinch of salt, rub in 2 oz margarine and stir in 1 oz caster sugar and 2 oz currents/sultanas/raisins if desired.
3. Separately, beat 1 medium egg, and add enough milk to bring to 150ml of liquid. Add most of this to the mix (a little is left for brushing the tops of the scones later).
4. Knead lightly of floured surface, roll out to 1cm in thickness, cut out with scone-cutter.
5. Repeat Step 4 with remaining dough, until out of dough
6. Brush tops with remaining egg-milk mixture
7. Place on baking tray & bake for about 10 minutes.

What now ?

• Cut the scones in half (horizonally, not vertically) and add jam & clotted cream in the middle.

How to bake a basic cake: (aka. a victoria sandwich)

Serves 8
40-45 mins baking

1. Heat oven to 180 ^oC (350 ^oF, gas mark 4) & prepare an 18cm sandwich tin (i.e. circular tin).
2. Cream 4 oz sugar and 4 oz butter in a bowl until fluffy and nearly white
3. Add 2 (beaten) eggs to the bowl with 1 tbsp milk, whisk.
4. Pour into tin (line with greaseproof paper if it isn't non-stick). Bake for 40-45 mins.

Less boring cakes:

How to tell when cake is finished:

Skewer the cake with something thin (e.g. a fork, a chopstick) - if there is cake mix left on after this has been removed, the cake isn't ready yet.

With cakes, don't open the oven too early or the cake will collapse and be ruined :(