MATTY'S TRAYBAKE TALES PART 4: TRIPLE CHOCOLATE

Here comes part 4 of my tray bake tales and it may just be the one you have all been waiting for. It's the chocolate tray bake and this one is a proper chocoholic's delight. If you whip up this recipe then you will have a gorgeous chocolate sponge that's sticky and gooey with a smooth milk chocolate icing spread all over the top. Just in case there wasn't enough chocolate already for you, the whole shebang is finished off with a couple of crumbled flake chocolate sprinkled on top to make this a proper triple chocolate treat.

BRILLIANTLY BRIGHT BEETROOT HUMMUS

Having been watching and enjoying the latest series of My Kitchen Rules Australia in the UK over the last two weeks, I was bowled over by a particularly gorgeous looking beetroot hummus that was made by one of the couples during their instant restaurant. I wanted to try it and so this weekend I had a look at some recipes for beetroot hummus and came up with this take on this delicious dip that not only looks so brilliantly bright and vibrant but tastes like nothing I've ever had before as well. It's so delicious!

SUPER SLOW COOKED ROGAN JOSH

One of the best things about the weekend is that I have more time to play in the kitchen and when I'm feeling like I want a big plate of comfort food there is nothing better than getting the slow cooker out and making a delicious curry from scratch. No ready made sauces from a jar here, it's all about a homemade curry paste made with an array of herbs and spices and then frying it up with some onions and carrot before letting it simmer for hours until it's ready to be bulked out with some Quorn chicken and more fresh veg.

TASTY THAI CRAB CAKES

My Thai butter bean patties were a right little tasty treat. Not only are they super delicious but they are also super versatile. So much so that with a few little tweaks I transformed them into some Thai fish cakes. I've still kept the butter beans in them, they work  really well with the shredded crab meat and mashed potatoes. Add in the rest of your ingredients including a smidge of lemon, rice wine vinegar, fresh herbs and a glug of fish sauce to really ramp up the eastern vibe. Be prepared to get your hands on some crackin' crab cakes. 

MATTY'S TRAYBAKE TALES PART 3: GORGEOUS GINGER CAKE

A year ago I made a beautiful cake which I christened  my "Jamaican Me Crazy" cake. It went down a storm with my friends and family so when it came to thinking of my third tray bake tale it made sense to transform it into my next terrific all in one treat. Made with dark black treacle and muscovado sugar, this cake has a delightfully sticky sponge which is flavored with the warmth of all spice, mixed spice and little nuggets of finely chopped stem ginger, not just in the cake but scattered over the ginger syrup icing as well. It really is a simple but gorgeous bake.

TASTY THAI BUTTER BEAN PATTIES

When it comes to Thai food in the UK you can often get lumbered with red and green curries. As nice as they are, it's nice to try something different sometimes. When I whipped up these butter bean patties I wasn't expecting them to be Thai inspired but on first bite, those flavors of lemon, coriander, chili and sesame all work together to give them a distinctive taste of the east. The great thing about them is that other than boiling some potatoes, all you really need to do is chuck everything in a bowl and mix together and then roll the mixture of polenta for some added crunch. Simples!

SMOKIN' SWEETCORN SOUP

It's time for another soup recipe now and this one uses the smoky flavors chipotle along with sweetcorn to create a kind of tex-mex vibe to this gorgeous soup which also blends sweet potato, pepper and veggie bacon to make a truly vegetarian treat. Fresh coriander (stalks and all), cumin seeds and garlic work alongside a hint of cayenne pepper thrown in for a bit of heat to produce a cuddle in a bowl that if you play your cards right, you can have on the table in just under 30 minutes. Quick, simple and tasty, what's not love!

BANGIN' BANG BANG SALAD

"Bang Bang" is a traditional Chinese dish which refers to the noise made by the bashing of the chicken normally served with the dish with a wooden mallet in order to flatten it and make it easier to shred and scatter over the top of the accompaniments. The chicken is then normally served with a satay like peanut sauce and that is where the inspiration for this salad has come from. As this is a veggie salad there is obviously no chicken, just lots of fresh raw vegetables dressed in that delicious nutty sauce, perfect as a side dish at your next summer BBQ.

PER TUTTI MANCHESTER (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

I'm up in Manchester a lot for concerts and gigs and normally I have an idea about where I'm going to eat before each visit. This week however I traveled up sans schedule and stumbled across Per Tutti as I got off the train at Deansgate. I didn't know anything about the place or what I was in for so with zero expectations I headed through the door ready for some food.

MATTY'S TRAYBAKE TALES PART 2: LEMON DRIZZLE

My second tray bake tale is another classic, the lemon drizzle cake. This delicious citrus treat is another super easy bake to whip up any day of the week and one that is bound to whack a smile on everyone's face! This recipe differs slightly from my other tray bake tales as it includes the addition of a sugar and lemon juice mixture that is brushed over the cake when it's removed from the oven which is then soaked up by the sponge to create a super sharp, moist tray bake that's is an essential for anyone's baking repertoire.