Galette des Rois, King Cake, Twelfth Cake … there are different names and different recipes for this always irresistible concoction depending on the country of origin. Some are like brioche, some are a fruit cake but this is a French version, with buttery puff pastry enclosing a frangipane filling. Continue reading
It’s rice pudding, Jim, but not as we know it. This is a version of the Spanish arroz con leche and it’s delicately spiced with lemon zest and cinnamon. You can eat it warm or lightly chilled. Continue reading
“Better than mince pies,” said my husband, devouring two in quick succession. These mincemeat swirls, or pinwheels, are the lazy girl’s answer to Christmas catering. With a bigger than average ratio of filling to pastry, they require less than an hour of your time and only three ingredients. Continue reading
I have warped a blameless biscuit into a Hallowe’en horror. With apologies to Edvard Munch (apt name) and to Germans, Austrians and Swiss everywhere, I present … my Screaming Skull Cookies. Continue reading
This wonderfully warming, autumnal crumble is very adaptable: I love the combination of plum and blackberries with the spices and hazelnuts, but you can use plums alone, or swap them for blackberry and apple, or just apples.
And it has one big advantage: you make the filling and topping a day or more ahead and bring them together just before you want to eat, giving you more time to spend with family and friends. And we all need a bit of that after the past 18 months.
I’ve got a new recipe in development featuring greengages, but while I perfect it (hopefully before the wasps get them), here’s a reminder of some of the other plum and autumn fruit recipes you could be cooking. Continue reading
This nectarine galette is another very summery dessert, easy to make and even easier to scoff. I served it to guests recently and it vanished in a matter of minutes. Continue reading
No jelly, no custard, definitely no Hundreds and Thousands, but these individual lemon, passionfruit and blackberry trifles are worthy of the name all the same. Ring the changes with different berries and citrus – they’re very versatile. They’re summery little desserts but you can make them all year round if you have fruit in the freezer. Continue reading
Tiny tarts that taste like summer. A couple of mouthfuls and they’re gone, but they’re light to eat, simple to make and go down a treat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche. Continue reading
Well, this is embarrassing. You know how hard it’s been to keep track of the days of the week during lockdown? So, yes, I managed to mislay Easter. Continue reading