I know for most people Easter is all about chocolate, but the traditional Easter cake is actually Simnel Cake, which is a fruit cake covered in marzipan. I love it, but if I presented a slice of fruit cake to my husband or nieces after Easter dinner, I'd never be allowed to bake another cake … Continue reading Lemon Bakewell Tarts
Pumpkin Spice doesn't actually contain any pumpkin. It's a mix of spices that is usually used to flavour pumpkin pie. Made from a combination of nutmeg, cloves, all spice, cinnamon and ginger, it screams autumn (pun absolutely intended) and is everywhere at this time of year. Pumpkin Spice is synonymous with coffee now, but it … Continue reading Pumpkin Spice Swiss Roll
How do you make a lemon meringue pie even better? Turn it into a cupcake, of course! These heavenly little cupcakes consist of a sweet lemon sponge, filled with tangy lemon curd and topped with silky smooth marshmallowy meringue on top. Seeing as it's my birthday this week, I've added a bit of alcohol in … Continue reading Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Here in the UK, we're celebrating our new King's coronation this week. Up and down the country people will be coming together for afternoon tea, picnics and buffets, while watching the King's procession through London and the coronation ceremony. So I thought I'd share my extra special Curd recipe for you to use in cakes, … Continue reading Limoncello Curd
As Mother's Day is right around the corner, I thought I'd show you how to make Sugar Roses. Now, I am well aware that my sugar roses aren't the neatest; cake decoration is certainly NOT my forte. But I love the idea of someone making their mum a cake or batch of cupcakes (I recommend … Continue reading How to Make Sugar Roses
Hello Pesketeers, have you missed me? At the end of December last year, I decided to put my recipe book away for a bit to focus on other projects. I wasn't planning to be away for quite so long though, I can't believe it's now October! Where has the time gone? However, I return with … Continue reading Caramel Apple Muffins
This luxurious, four layer, mint chocolate cheesecake is the perfect dessert to serve as an alternative to Christmas Pudding on Christmas Day, or as a table centrepiece for a New Years Eve party. It's rich, chocolaty, and with a Viscount biscuit base and a mint coconut ice top, it's got a lovely hint of mint … Continue reading Mint Choc Cheesecake
Next up for Halloween - Meringues. Crisp on the outside, marshmallowy on the inside, light, sweet and impressive when served at a party. They're traditionally served with whipped cream and fresh fruit, but these cute little Meringue Ghosts are dipped in white chocolate and crushed pistachios. They're the perfect sweet treat to serve at a … Continue reading Meringue Ghosts
It's October, which means it's officially Spooky Season! So every week this month I'm going to be sharing some Spooktacular recipes and ideas. Whether you're planning a Halloween party or just want some creepy treats to snack on whilst watching horror films, I'll have something for you. But before we get onto the new stuff, … Continue reading This is Halloween, This is Halloween . . .
I haven't gone mad, Courgette Cake is a thing, I promise! Most people pull a face when I offer them a slice, because it sounds weird, I get it. But once they've tried it, they love it. It's similar to carrot cake - slightly spicy, moist, nutty and moreish. I developed this recipe years ago, … Continue reading Courgette Cake
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine gave me a load of rhubarb. Her neighbour grows it in his garden, and they've had so much of it this year, they were giving it away to anyone who would take it. And well, I've never been one to turn down free produce! To tell you … Continue reading Rhubarb and Orange Crumble with a Pistachio Crumb
You'd never know these muffins were dairy free. The texture and rise is just like a normal muffin, and they taste delicious - zesty, sweet and full of blueberries. I've made them using coconut milk and oil, instead of butter, soured cream, milk or yoghurt, so they're completely dairy free. (They are, however, made using … Continue reading Dairy Free Blueberry and Lemon Muffins
OK, so I know what you're thinking, but jelly (or jello, for my friends on the other side of the pond) is definitely NOT just for kids; especially not this one! Made with fresh fruit, Pimms and prosecco, it's the perfect dessert to eat outside, in the sunshine, watching Wimbledon . Weather you're a tennis … Continue reading Wimbledon Jelly
I had an elaborate cake planned as my Easter recipe this year. I was really excited about it too. But half way through baking it, my oven broke. Again! This is the second time in less than 12 months that our oven has broken. Last time it was one of the fans, this time, the … Continue reading Mini Egg Cookies
This recipe is adapted from a Golden Coconut Pyramids recipe in my very old Dairy Book of Home Cookery (see my About Page for more info). I was making meringues for a special Easter recipe I'm developing, and the Coconut Pyramids was right next to the meringues in the book and it caught my attention. … Continue reading Flourless Almond Biscuits
Raspberries and white chocolate make for a delicious match, we all know that. Whether in cakes, biscuits, traybakes or indeed, muffins, it's a classic flavour combination we all love. The days are getting longer now, here in the UK we've even had a few days of sunshine, which really lifts the mood. So I'm being … Continue reading Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins
Sometimes I can work at a recipe for weeks, making it over and over again, changing it slightly each time until I'm happy with it. And sometimes I can chuck a load of ingredients in a pan, throw chocolate on top and it turns out better than I ever expected. This is one of those … Continue reading Choconut Treats
If you're planning on cooking a romantic meal for someone this Valentines (and lets be honest, the restaurants still aren't open, so now's the time to do it!), then these Boozy Brownies make the perfect dessert. They taste divine - chocolate, cherries and Kirsch = a match made in heaven! But they can also be … Continue reading Boozy Brownies
I've made these shortbread biscuits every Christmas for about about 8 years, and every year people comment on how nice they are. I take a batch into work instead of Christmas cards, and package the rest up in cellophane to use as stocking fillers for friends and family. My sister-in-law actually requests them as part … Continue reading Orange Shortbread Biscuits
The 30th of November is St Andrew's Day - the Patron Saint of Scotland, so I thought we could celebrate with a sweet treat. I thought about sharing a recipe for Scottish Tablet, but to be honest, there are so many great recipes out there for tablet, I wouldn't be sharing anything new. It's also … Continue reading Soft Scotch Sugar Sweets
Remember, remember the 5th of November. Gunpowder, treason and plot . . . Tomorrow is Bonfire Night in the UK. A night where we gather together to light bonfires, eat Treacle Toffee and watch firework displays. If you've never experienced Bonfire Night in Britain before, it's hard to describe the atmosphere. There's a buzz in … Continue reading Upside Down Spiced Plum Cake
Hello my lovely followers. I haven't posted for a few weeks now, as my oven broke. Nightmare! It's all fixed now, though, and Autumn is well and truly here - my favourite season. So I thought I'd share one of my oldest and favourite dessert recipes, an autumn twist on a traditional Bakewell Tart. Bakewell … Continue reading Autumn Bakewell Tart
Easter is a big celebration for my husband's family. We all gather at his parent's house for a feast and an Easter Egg hunt. If the weather is good, they have a buffet of sandwiches, salads and quiche or a barbecue outside. If it's cold or wet, it's a traditional roast dinner with all the … Continue reading Simnel Scones
What's not to love about Millionaire's Shortbread? - Buttery shortbread, sweet caramel and crunchy chocolate all together in bite sized pieces. Add a hint of champagne and you take it to a whole new level! It's really easy to make too, this recipe doesn't even need you to bake the shortbread. The cooling time between … Continue reading Millionaire’s Champagne Shortbread
I love Halloween, it's one of our oldest festivals and one of my favourites. Whether you choose to light a candle and remember loved ones who are no longer with us, eat your body weight in chocolate and scare yourself silly watching horror films or don your finest fancy dress costume, douse yourself in fake … Continue reading Shallow Grave Chocolate Orange Fudge Cake
Frangipane is the sweet filling you find in a Bakewell Tart. Its made from ground almonds, sugar and eggs and you can literally make it in less than 2 mins. I have made my own Bakewell Tarts using this frangipane recipe many times using short crust pastry, a spoon of cherry jam in the bottom … Continue reading Cherry and Apricot Frangipane Tarts
Put the lime in the coconut and spread rum icing all over the top . . . that's how the song goes right? This sweet, tangy cake recipe is so summery and yummy it'll keep you going back for more. It's a big hit at parties as it's something a bit different to the usual … Continue reading Lime and Coconut Cake
This simple recipe makes a yummy, tangy, sweet curd that is great in cakes, biscuits and pastries. There's no need for a thermometer or any special equipment or ingredients and unlike jam making, the mixture shouldn't boil, so there's no molten sugar spitting at you. It also makes a lovely homemade gift. Pour into a … Continue reading Easy Lime Curd
It's my birthday! So of course, this post had to be about cake! Especially as the weather outside is awful. Even the cats have given up on dodging puddles and are sheltering inside. I don't bake a lot of sweet things as my husband doesn't have a sweet tooth and I end up stuck with … Continue reading Orange and Ginger Cupcakes with Orange Velvet Frosting
Does anyone remember a TV program that was on in the mid 00's called Cook Yourself Thin? It created healthier versions of favourite dishes for people who were trying to loose weight. I really enjoyed it, and this recipe is from it. It's not 'healthy' as such, but it doesn't include any cream or sugars, … Continue reading No Cream Chocolate Truffles
I love a flapjack, but I don't like them to taste too buttery or be too stodgy. I like to pretend they're good for me as they're full of rolled oats and sometimes nuts and dried fruit. But in reality they are packed with sugar and syrup. Now, we're all allowed a treat every so … Continue reading Honey Nut Flapjacks
I really hate food waste, I have a compost bin for all my fruit and veg peelings and a freezer full of bits that I somehow manage to turn into "Bitsa Meals" (a meal consisting of bits-a this and bits-a that). So when I discovered half a packet of oaty biscuits in the cupboard that … Continue reading Cherry And Almond Tiffin
Pesky Recipes 