The RSPB's Big Wild Sleepout has arrived so it's time to grab your sleeping bag, pitch your tent (or build a den!) and brush up on your night time nature id skills so you can get to know your wild neighbours a little better.
As well as spending a night under the stars to find out which creatures call your garden home, you can also raise money to help protect them. If you're sleeping out without a tent or for the first time then why not get people to sponsor you? Or you could invite your friends and family to sleepout with you by hosting a Sleepout party, then putting on a spread and asking your guests for donations in exchange for some tasty treats.
For a little inspiration for what you can cook to turn your Sleepout party into a real wild night out, chef Sybil Kapoor has very kindly shared some delicious recipes with us that are guaranteed to tantalise your taste buds. We've got seven scrummy recipes to share with you throughout the week so check in every day for the full delectable menu.
Afternoon tea
Get the party started early and invite your guests over for a spot of afternoon tea and some games and challenges around the garden. Nature scavenger hunt anyone?
Raspberry almond tart
SERVES 6
225g/8oz rich shortcrust pastry
FRANGIPANE FILLING100g/3½ oz butter, softened100g/3½ oz caster sugarfew drops of almond extract2 medium eggs, beaten100g/3½ oz ground almonds
RASPBERRY TOPPING340g/12oz raspberries½ tablespoon icing sugar, sifted
1 Preheat the oven to fan 180°C/gas 5. Roll out the pastry and line a 20cm/8in tart tin with a removable base. Prick the pastry with a fork, line with greaseproof paper or foil and fill with baking beans. Chill for 30 minutes.
2 Bake the pastry case for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to fan 170°C/gas 4. Leave to cool slightly.
3 To make the frangipane filling, beat together the butter, sugar and almond extract until pale and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs. Finally mix in the almonds. Spoon into the cool pastry case and bake for 15–20 minutes or until the almond filling is golden and slightly risen. Don’t overcook or the filling will be too dry.
4 Remove to a wire rack. Once cool enough to handle comfortably, remove from tin. Leave until cold.
5 Cover the almond filling with a tightly packed, single layer of raspberries, all sitting pointed side up. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Recipe taken from Simply Baking Cookbook by Sybil Kapoor, published by National Trust Books. Photography by Karen Thomas