I seem to gone on a bit of a pastry bender over the last few weeks. Forgive me – but tarts of all kind are perfect summer foods. The Company Sophie Conran who make some exquisite stuff very kindly sent me some products to review. The most adorable mini chopping board and oven glove. Having used cheap plastic chopping boards for so long it is … Continue reading Two tarts perfect for the Summer – Lemon Tart and Easy Fruit Tart
I’m yet to find anybody who dislikes these beauties. There’s something pretty wonderful about homemade caramel slices that is even more decadent than the shop bought versions. Each step of making these is really straightforward but it is time consuming waiting for the caramel to cool – you really can’t add the chocolate layer while the caramel is too hot or it ruins the chocolate. … Continue reading Caramel slices (Millionaire’s Shortbread)
I have a confession to make. I don’t actually particularly like hot cross buns. I want to like them, I think they smell amazing, but mixed peel is seriously not for me. However, as with anything homemade, these hot cross buns are a horse of a different colour so to speak. The apricot glaze and the addition of a couple of apples add to the … Continue reading Hot cross buns
I have recently got into baking bread in a big way this year. I find it a relaxing weekend afternoon activity with the added bonus that my house is filled with the wonderful aroma of fresh bread. In addition I love that you can make a delicious loaf for a fraction of the price that you would pay for something similar inan upmarket bakery or … Continue reading Wholemeal bread – basic, no mucking around bread
As is well documented by this blog I am a fan of sweet treats. Scones are no exceptions to this rule. Occasionally I watch the Vicar of Dibley and I laugh when the Vicar says something about being greedy and it strikes a chord with me. In this case the quote, Jesus did a lot of things right, didn’t he? I mean men’s bottoms are … Continue reading The perfect buttermilk scones
I had a piece of red velvet cake at work this week that had me dreaming of making it all week. Enter Sunday, the day of the week when I usually bake. Unfortunately the red velvet cake wasn’t to be – the recipe I followed for the sponge had far too much cocoa in it for the red colour in it to show up (I … Continue reading Rich chocolate cake with mascarpone frosting
I love a good loaf cake. If highly decorated cupcakes were the vamp of a cake based fictional drama loaf cakes would be the ultimate ugly duckling who turns into a swan. This cake uses spelt flour which is lower in gluten and higher in protein than normal flour and the only sugar comes from dark honey. The use of wholemeal spelt flour was entirely … Continue reading Honey and lemon loaf
I am well aware that Pavlova is generally more of a summery food than one for the depths of winter. However, hear me out. Frozen berries work wonderfully in this recipe and this recipe is amazing following a Sunday roast or for a special occasion. Plus, as its Valentine’s Day coming up, do you really want to pass up an opportunity to say “This my … Continue reading Pavlova
Christmas is well and truly upon us. If, like me, dried fruit based desserts leave you uninspired, try this gem of a dessert. This one is perfect for a special occasion; it looks impressive, packs a real punch in the flavour department and although making it is time consuming, it isn’t a difficult thing to bake. I did get a bit of pastry shrinkage with … Continue reading Chocolate and salted caramel hazelnut tart
I have recently got into baking bread from scratch in a big way. The thought used to fill me with dread, thinking I would fail horribly leaving me with a loaf that was burned on the edges and raw dough in the centre. Then I discovered that all you need is confidence and time. I like to mix my bread ingredients by hand so I … Continue reading Homemade focaccia
The Bunfight 