James Martin's recipes for American cheesecake, honey and hazelnut cake and jam shortbreads

James has provided us with three recipes:

• American Cheese Cake

• Honey and Hazelnut Cake

• Jam Shortbreads

American Cheese Cake

Ingredients

• 25cm sponge (cut from a large bought flan case)

• 200g caster sugar

• Finely grated zest of 3 lemons

• 4 tablespoons of cornflour

• 3 tablespoons of sultanas (soaked in a little bourbon)

• 850g full fat soft cream cheese

• 3 eggs, medium size

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• 375ml double cream

• Jack Daniels to taste or bourbon (optional)

• 10 small bananas

• 25g butter

• 2 tablespoon sugar

• Caramel sauce or maple syrup

• Sprig of mint

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Butter a 25cm loose-bottomed cake tin.

• Cut the sponge horizontally into two discs. Use one to line a buttered cake tin.

• In a bowl mix together the sugar, lemon zest, cornflour and sultanas using a wooden spoon, then beat in the cream cheese. Add the eggs one by one, also add the vanilla essence, beating constantly until all the eggs are well incorporated.

• Slice open the vanilla pod, remove the seeds with a sharp knife and place the seeds into the cream mixture, add a splash of bourbon (about 60 ml), if using, and mix everything together well. Add the cream and beat well until the mixture is smooth. Pour gently over the sponge base in the cake tin.

• Sit the tin in a baking tray filled with 2-3mm of warm water to help create steam during cooking. Place into the pre-heated oven and bake for 50 minutes until the top is golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool and set completely before removing from the tin.

• Just before serving, peel the bananas and fry in the butter and sugar until brown and slightly caramelised.

• Serve, cut into wedges, with the bananas and a drizzle of caramel sauce or maple syrup.

Honey and Hazelnut Cake

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 225g / 8oz honey

• 6 eggs, separated

• 110g / 4oz plain flour, sifted

• 110g / 4oz ground hazelnuts

• 100g / 3½ floz milk

Method

• Grease a cake tin and preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

• Leaving the honey in the jar, place in a pan of hot water so it stays runny.

• Place the egg yolks into a large bowl. Pour over the honey and beat.

• Gradually add the sifted flour and ground hazelnuts.

• Bind the mixture with the milk.

• Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture. Pour into the buttered tin, bake for 40 minutes.

• When cold turn out

Jam Shortbreads

Ingredients

• 85g / 3oz icing sugar

• 170g / 6oz plain flour

• 55g / 2oz cornflour

• 30g / 1oz ground almonds

• 255g / 9oz butter, cubed

• A few drops almond essence

• Icing sugar for dusting

• Jam or fruit curd of your choice for filling

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas Mark3 and butter a muffin tray.

• Sift the sugar, flour and cornflour into a bowl and add the ground almonds. Add the butter and the almond essence and rub or mix in until there are no lumps of butter remaining.

• Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to form a smooth dough. Break off small pieces of dough, roll them into balls just large enough to fill the holes in the muffin tray a third of the way. Flatten the tops slightly with your fingers.

• Bake for about 8-12 minutes until they are light golden colour.

• Remove, and using the back of a teaspoon, make an indentation in the top of each biscuit. Leave to cool, then tap the biscuits out gently. They are quite fragile when still slightly warm, so handle with care.

• When all the dough is baked and cooled, dust the top of the biscuits with icing sugar and then, using a teaspoon, fill the indentation with your chosen filling.

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