Sweet party bites

Method

• step 1

  Cream tea bites Split 6 scones. Sandwich them together with a 227g tub of clotted cream and ½ a jar of strawberry jam. Cut into quarters and serve like triangular sandwiches, pointy-side up (makes 24).

• step 2

  Mini choc ice balls Use a melon baller to scoop 25 small balls of vanilla ice cream from a 500g tub. Freeze on a tray for 1 hr until solid. Melt 200g dark chocolate and spread 100g finely chopped pistachios on a tray. Dip the balls in the chocolate using a cocktail stick, then roll in the nuts and freeze for 30 mins or until serving (makes 25).

• step 3

  Cheat’s lamingtons Buy 2 x 350g Madeira sponge cakes. Trim, then cut into 20 x 3cm cubes. Freeze until solid. Heat 200ml double cream, then remove from heat and stir in 200g chopped white chocolate until melted. Cool a little. Spread 2 cups of desiccated coconut on a tray. Dip each frozen cake completely into the chocolate, then roll in the coconut to coat all sides (it might help to hold each cake on a skewer). Firm up on baking parchment for at least 30 mins before serving (makes 20).

• step 4

  Apple & marzipan tarts Thinly roll out a 375g pack puff pastry. Divide into squares (roughly 20 x 5cm), then prick each all over with a fork. Spread onto baking sheets. Peel, core and slice 2 Bramley apples into 2cm pieces. Place a small slice of marzipan on each square (you’ll need about 200g), top with some apple and bake at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 10 mins until crisp. Dust with icing sugar to serve (makes 20).

• step 5

  Lemon fancies Use a 4cm pastry cutter to cut out 20 circles from bought lemon tarts (you’ll need 2 large tarts). Top each with a raspberry and dust with icing sugar.