September 25, 2025
According to Michael, “most people have never had great Baklava”. And he insists, “it should be pronounced properly with the emphasis on the first or last syllable, but most importantly "it shouldn’t be confused or sound anything like Balaclava".
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September 11, 2025
Here’s one to confuse your taste buds. Normally you’d expect to bite through the soft filling, in this case soft apple oozing with cinnamon nutmeg and sultana flavours, whilst preparing to hit the biscuity or flaky case...
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September 04, 2025
This olive oil-rich Italian bread is a family favourite. Crisp on the top and bottom, the airy sponge centre can be anything from 20mm to a door-stopping 60mm thick. Top with herbs and salt flakes, or pad out with a variety of vegetables to make a fuller meal.
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August 27, 2025
Queen Maria of Romania was born Princess of Edinburgh to Queen Victoria's son Alfred and Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, then later married Prince Ferdinand of Romania who eventually became king. She was a popular Monarch and this famous Romanian cake created in her name, will likely be found in any great grandmother's recipe notebook.
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August 22, 2025
Pan de higo (literally “fig bread”) is a traditional Spanish delicacy that sits somewhere between a fruit cake, an energy bar, and a sweetmeat. Despite the name, it’s not really a bread in the usual sense. The history is likely from the Moorish influence as...
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August 06, 2025
When I told Michael that this was the first recipe I ever learnt, and the only one I made in my early days, he asked if it was the student pudding pairing to tuna pasta!
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August 01, 2025
This sweet treat is soft, chewy, bitty and crispy all at the same time, turning to a fudgy melt-in-your-mouth flavour, and a seeming contradiction of textures that makes it all the more interesting.
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July 26, 2025
Frozen raspberries covered in dark chocolate are a delicious, refreshing treat that combines sweet-tart fruitiness with rich, bittersweet cocoa. They're popular as a healthy-ish indulgence or an elegant snack...
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July 19, 2025
Caramelised Spanish toast — or "Torrijas caramelizadas" — is a heavenly Spanish dessert that's especially beloved during Easter but enjoyed year-round for its rich, indulgent flavour and custardy texture...
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July 09, 2025
Our kids often ask for a cake or biscuit etc, but I’m very conscious of not letting them have too much sugar. Would you believe they still willingly hand their party bags in to me so I can decide which sweets they can have, rationed over as long as I can get away with! So...
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July 04, 2025
Cherries are in peak season now. Huge shiny ripe ones at our local farmers market sell out in the first hours. This simple classic French dessert of fruit traditionally uses black cherries, baked in a light custard and served warm or cold. Perfect for summer.
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June 28, 2025
Citrus fruits were used in cooking as early as the 13th century, especially in the courts and wealthy households of southern Europe. Lemon custards and tarts were...
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