Petticoat and Pie: recipes

There's a strange wheezing sensation going on in my lungs.

It's called Bronchitis and I've been well and truly struck down by the bugger.

I've spent days cooped up, coughing and spluttering under a fortress of blankets, reading book after book, watching film after film, guzzling Lucozade by the gallon and exceeding the recommended daily intake of Strepsils easily by ten.

The doctor's orders were "strong antibiotics and rest."

I think he might have forgotten to mention one more remedy.

These are my Poorly Pancakes and they happen to be the only thing I look forward to whilst I'm feeling under the weather.

Not only are they deliciously fluffy and gluten free, they're also high in Vitamin K and full of antioxidants which boost the immune system and protect your ticker.

Exactly what you need when you're a poorly panda.

(Especially as they're also painful easy and ready to go in under ten minutes flat.)

The speedy secret behind my pancakes is all thanks to Nigella. I've kept a jar of her Homemade Instant Pancake Mix in my cupboard for as long as I can remember.

It lasts forever, takes no time at all to throw together and makes four batches worth of the fluffiest American pancakes known to mankind!

In a big jar, sift in:

4 cups of plain flour (I use a regular gluten free blend)

3 tbsp baking powder

2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 tbsp caster sugar

(1 tsp Xantham Gum if using gluten free flour)

To make four thick pancakes, enough for two people, all you need is:

1 cup full of your ready made pancake mix

1 big knob melted butter

1 cup of milk

1 egg

And for the syrup:

1 pack of fresh blueberries

200ml good quality maple syrup

Okay. Take one cup of your pancake mix and add it to a large mixing bowl.

Pour in your milk...

Crack in an egg...

Melt your butter in a saucepan and throw that in too...

And give it a whisk!

If you're lazy like me you'll use an electric handheld instead of a wooden spoon. If not, then take the day off. These and Poorly Pancakes, after all.

You should be left with a firm, thick, creamy batter.

Give it a few minutes to rest and get your blueberry syrup ready.

On a low heat, add your blueberries to a saucepan.

Pour in the maple syrup, just enough to cover the berries.

It keeps well and can be used for drizzling over ice cream and porridge later on in the week when you're feeling back to your best.

Whilst that gently bubbles away, heat a large, oiled frying pan and fill a small pancake sized disk with your batter.

After a couple of minutes, release your pancake, flip it over and repeat.

A few minutes on each side should do the trick. If you've made them extra thick you can double check they're ready by gently pressing with a spatula. If any batter seeps from the sides, give them a little bit longer.

Keep them covered until you're ready to serve.

When the syrup turns deep purple and most of the blueberries have popped, pour it into a jug and put it on the table, ready for your pancakes.

Stack 'em up high and get drizzling!

Wriggle under your duvet in fluffy socks and whack on a series of Homeland.

Maybe being poorly isn't so crepe after all.

Let me start by saying just how much I hate traditional trifle.

I won't bore you with the details. I'm guessing you probably loathe the stuff too.

Soggy, sherry soaked biscuits smothered in overly sweet, fake tasting jelly topped with crappy custard and watery cream.

I think it's only fair we give the old goat a make-over just in time for the weekend.

What do you think?

Sure, it's got custard, a fruit element, hits of booze and it's smothered with cream, but this is a new take on an old classic with a really nice twist.

I've whipped them up for countless dinner parties over the years and I think I've finally got the recipe down to a T

...rifle. Sorry.

To make a pud big enough for 6-8 guests, you're going to need:

2 packs of Lady Fingers (also known as savoiardi biscuits)

5 tablespoons dark rum

5 tablespoons good quality maple syrup

2 tins Carnation Caramel

1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes

4 ripe bananas

Bird's instant custard powder. I'd definitely recommend this over ready made custards. As tempting as they might be, they don't set well and make the trifle very liquidy (technical term). Otherwise, feel free to make your own from scratch if you're that way inclined!

300g double cream

100g walnuts

40g golden caster sugar

1 tablespoon butter

A chunk of dark chocolate, grated for decoration

Firstly, get your custard on the go. Whip it up according to the packet instructions, adding milk and heating on the hob without over stirring as you go.

When it's ready, pop it in the fridge to cool it's jiggly little self down.

Boring bit done, grab the rest of your ingredients.

Stir together your syrup and rum. One by one, dunk your biscuits in the bowl for a couple of seconds on each side, you don't want them soggy, just nicely coated.

Lay them out in a large trifle bowl in one flat layer, squishing them down as you go.

Pour over any leftover liquid and slice up your bananas in long, diagonal slithers.

Spread them out over your biscuits and grab your cans of caramel.

In a bowl, combine with the salt and stir. Have a taste and see what you think. Too much will ruin the flavour, you just want little hits of saltiness dotted about here and there.

Once you're salt-isfied, glug your sweet, salty gloop over the bananas and spread!

Coooor, look at those layers! Makes you want to lick the screen doesn't it.

Go ahead, nobody's watching, I won't judge you, I'm an avid screen licker in private too but that's just between us.

Go fetch your cooled custard from the fridge and spread it out over the caramel.

You should have something that looks a little bit like this:

Pop everything back in the fridge and whilst your layers are getting well acquainted, turn the oven up to 200.

Place your walnuts in a baking tray and leave them to toast for ten minutes. Meanwhile, make your toffee candy coating.

This bit requires a beady little eye and a stroke of luck.

Too hot and your toffee will burn. Too cold and your toffee falls flat. On a low heat, slowly simmer the 90ml water with the sugar until it completely dissolves. Don't be tempted to stir it at this point, just be on the lookout, scout.

Add the butter, a pinch of salt and turn up the heat. You want your toffee thick and brown, so after a few minutes of boiling away, it should be ready.

Turn off the heat and grab yo' nuts!

Pour them into the toffee and stir well. Once they're good and coated, lay them out on a sheet of baking paper until you're ready to serve.

The trifle needs an hour or so to chill, but depending on dinner deadlines you can keep it there for as long as you wish. I sometimes even leave mine overnight if I'm being an organised little cook and it comes out just fine.

Either way, whip your cream just before serving up and spread over the chilly trifle.