Sweets for your sweetie

New England Blueberry Pancakes

Serves 4-6

Bring back wonderful childhood memories by serving these heartwarming pancakes for a winter's breakfast. As an extra treat, serve with crispy bacon or breakfast sausages and just watch his face light up.

¼ cups/150g all-purpose (plain) flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
¼ tsp salt
1 cup/250ml buttermilk
¾ cup/185ml milk
1 tbsp sugar or honey
2 tbsp/25g butter, melted
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup/120g fresh blueberries
melted butter or vegetable oil, for frying
butter and maple syrup or honey, to serve

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and make a well in the middle.

2. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, about ½ cup/125ml of the milk, the sugar or honey, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour into the well and, using a whisk or fork, stir gently until just combined with the dry mixture. If the batter is too thick, add a little more milk so that is can be poured. Do not overbeat - a few floury lumps do not matter. Gently fold in the blueberries.
3. Heat a large frying pan or pancake griddle (preferably nonstick) over medium heat and brush with melted butter or vegetable oil. Drop the batter in small ladlefuls on to the hot surface and cook until the edges are set and the surface bubbles begin to break, about 1 minute.
4. Turn each pancake and cook until just golden underneath, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in a low oven until all the batter is cooked.
5. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup or honey.

Summer Berry Shortcakes

Makes 8

This dessert celebrates summer's lavish harvest of strawberry and other berries. Serve it with lashings of whipped cream.

1½lb/675g (about 6 cups) fresh ripe strawberries & other summer berries, hulled and sliced
2-3 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar
1-2 tbsp raspberry juice or 1 tbsp orange juice
2 cups/225g all-purpose (plain) flour
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
6 tbsp/90g unsalted butter, diced
1 cup/250ml heavy (double) or whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks and chilled confectioners' (icing) sugar, for dusting
mint leaves, to decorate

1. Put the berries in a large bowl and toss with the superfine sugar and fruit juice. Leave to stand until the juices begin to run, stirring occasionally.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C/Gas 7) and grease a baking sheet. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingertips, rub it into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Using a fork, lightly stir in all but 1 tablespoon of the cream, little by little, to make a soft dough.
3. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead 6-8 times, until smooth. Pat or roll the dough into a rectangle about ½in/1cm thick. Using a round cutter, stamp out 8 rounds or, if you prefer, cut into eight 3in/7.5cm squares. Arrange 3in/7.5cm apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining cream and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake until set and the tops are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer the shortcakes to a wire rack to cool.
5. Using a fork or serrated knife, split the shortcakes horizontally in half. Place the bottoms on 8 dessert plates and spoon the berries over them, reserving some for decoration. Spoon the chilled whipped cream over the berries. Place the shortcake tops on the cream, and decorate with a sliced berry. Dust with the confectioners' sugar and decorate each with a mint leaf.