CELEBRITY chef Andrew Nutter had a great time tasting recipes from eight imaginative cooks at the Lancashire Food Festival held in Accrington.

The finalists in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph Benedictine Secret Recipe competition each allowed Andrew, of Nutter's restaurant in Edenfield, to study their recipe ingredients before he tasted the end product.

Winner, with Benedictine Au Chocolat, was Alison Hargreaves, of Brook Street, Clitheroe, who won a year's supply of Benedictine, a limited edition "original" framed Benedictine poster from France and a limited edition branded flask and cups.

Second place went to Pat Sutton, of Main Street, Gisburn, who won a year's supply of Benedictine and a limited edition branded flask and cups. In third place was Mrs Joanne Rudge, of Lisbon Drive, Darwen, who won the flask and cups and a bottle of Benedictine.

Mrs Hargreaves' recipe is as follows:

200g plain chocolate

125g ratafia biscuits

40ml Benedictine

125g slightly salted butter

125g caster sugar

250ml milk

2 eggs

40ml whipped cream

MELT the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water.

Soak the ratafias in the Benedictine.

Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the melted chocolate.

Put the milk and eggs into a saucepan and stir over a gentle heat to thicken the custard enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not let it boil. Slowly pour the custard into the chocolate mixture, stirring continuously.

Leave in a cold place until it thickens and sets.

Spoon half the mixture into a glass dish and cover with a layer of ratafias.

Swirl the cream through the centre and arrange the remaining ratafias round the edge.

Refrigerate the pudding for several hours until required. Serve with a dish of poached fruit or fresh fruit salad with this rich chocolate pudding.

A chocolate treat

WITH the Easter holidays fast approaching, it's time to start thinking about . . . chocolate, of course!

Celebrity chef Nigel Smith, of the Feilden's Arms, Mellor Brook, is on the case and has prepared a flavour-filled dish to delight chocoholics.

Nigel is sharing his recipe for tiramisu, a light dessert which will have Easter guests asking for seconds.

Ingredients for chocolate sponge:

4 eggs

4oz sugar

3oz flour

1oz cocoa powder

WHISK the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold into the eggs and sugar mixture. Spread on a lined baking tray about 1cm thick. Cook until springy to touch and leave to one side.

Ingredients for tiramisu mix:

1lb 4oz marscapone cheese

Castor sugar to taste

pt double cream (semi-whipped)

LINE a terrine mould with cling film. Cut up sponge so it fits the terrine -- you will need three altogether. Beat the marscapone cheese with some sugar and gently beat in the whipped cream. Leave to one side.

Ingredients to soak sponge:

4tbsps instant coffee

pt boiling water

2 measures of Tia Maria or other coffee flavoured liqueur

SOAK one piece of the sponge in the coffee mixture (not too much, or the sponge will go soggy). Place in the terrine. Spoon on half of the cheese mixture and continue until you have three layers of sponge and two layers of cheese.

Leave to set overnight if possible.

Remove from the terrine and serve with a sauce of your choice.