Category: Baking
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Blueberry, Lemon and White Chocolate Cookies
I write this as I eat cookies. Cookies for breakfast are fine yes? Maybe they’re more suited to the weekend – if pancakes are too ambitious on Saturday morning, then opening a packet of Marylands isn’t too offensive – but Monday? I haven’t even found the wagon, let alone fallen off it. But what can…
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French Recipe: Goat’s Cheese and Onion Tart
It may just be residual stress from cookery school, but making a tart – sweet or savoury – is up there in the top five reasons to bring me out in a cold sweat. Various forms of confrontation are another. As is speaking French. But back to tarts; over the last 6 and a half…
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Burnt Basque Cheesecake with Poached Rhubarb
I’m not what one would describe as a perfectionist. Gaylord and my mum commiserate about my appalling washing up and Gaylord has a mini panic attack whenever he sees how I hang laundry. There are occasional times though when I’m seemingly possessed by perfectionism; it kind of sneaks up on me and has me bound…
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How to Make Hot Cross Buns
If you’re ever uncertain about what time of year it is – who knows why, maybe you have a nice bunker – I’d advise you to go to the supermarket. They will set you on the right path straight away because as soon as one holiday is shunted out the door, the next is sequinned…
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French recipe: Dauphinoise Potatoes with Thyme and Nutmeg
This weekend, I made two dishes of dauphinoise potatoes in two days. A tale of two gratins. We mustn’t compare or pick a favourite – just like a careful parent soothing offspring who are indignant to know the truth of the phrase ‘we love you equally.’ This makes no sense to the children who always…
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French recipe: Pain au Chocolat
What are the first three foods that come to mind when you think of France? Take your time, I will wait. Ready? Let’s see – I assume baguettes are up there? Baguettes seem to grow like grass here. What about delicate pastries like eclairs? Or their 1600 cheeses? Basically, anything involving butter? France is pretty…
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Toffee Apple Pie with Easy Homemade Pastry
The beginning of November is marked by a sudden chill in the air, cold hands and feet for people with poor circulation (including yours truly), conkers and shiny toffee apples. Or at least, the toffee apples make an appearance in the UK, the same can’t be said for here in France. So, to recreate that…
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Spiced butternut squash muffins
This post was originally published while I was living in Manchester, on 29th October 2018, and I think these little spiced butternut squash muffins deserve so much more from me than being buried in my archives! Here they are with some updated photos. The spooky glamour of Halloween ended quite abruptly for me a couple…
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Apple and Custard Cinnamon Rolls
Unlike babka, whose introduction started with ‘the babka incident’, cinnamon rolls have always had a ubiquitous presence in my life. Soft, chewy and warming, that sticky glaze covering your hands, they are a comfortable duvet in edible form. But with a little makeover, these apple and custard cinnamon rolls might as well be a cocoon,…
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Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Caramel and Chocolate
Finally, finally, after five years of writing this old blog, I bring you peanut butter banana bread. The fact that this is my first recipe for banana bread is honestly shocking. Considering that for years I have kept a stash of bananas in my freezer for the entire purpose of a regular supply of banana…