Sweet things

Equal Weight Victoria Sponge A British summer time classic – an Equal Weight Victoria Sponge Cake. When I crave a traditional light sponge, this is where I go - its truly delicious, fresh, light, with just the right amount of sweetness. Some people may call it a pound cake – but I always knew these classic sponges as an equal weight cake! It’s a great base when making any sponge ... Read more

Reverse Oat Cookies When you think of an oat cookie, it’s usually one packed with oats and held together with a touch of flour. But these Reverse Oat Cookies change the game! They’re made with oat flour, giving them that signature oaty sweetness, while malted wheat flakes take the place of traditional oats, adding a delightful crunch and depth of flavour. They’re ... Read more

Oaty Fruity Boost Bars These Oaty Fruity Boost Bars are a simple and satisfying mix of chewy oats, dried fruits and crunchy seeds. With a combination of dates and apricots, they offer just the right amount of sweetness. The mixed seeds add a nice crunch and a little extra nutrition, while the oats provide a hearty texture, making them a great snack for a quick energy boost at any time of day. ... Read more

Perfectly Plump Hot Cross Buns This is my favourite recipe for Hot Cross Buns, slightly adapted from Richard Bertinet's superb version. I find that making a tangzhong (a flour-and-liquid roux) gives these buns the perfect texture, a soft, pliable crumb with just enough tenacity to hold up under a generous smear of butter without tearing or collapsing. I’ve never been a fan of most ... Read more

Easter Simnel Muffins These Easter Simnel Muffins are a nod to the larger Simnel Cake often baked at Easter. A little easier and quicker than the large cake, they make for a great alternative, easy to share, store, and pack up for an Easter picnic! For a classic touch, top each muffin with a marzipan ball, symbolizing the apostles in the traditional Simnel Cake. Or, for a more playful, creative ... Read more

Blood Orange Upside-Down Cake  This Blood Orange Upside-Down Cake is a fragrant, light-textured sponge with a bold citrus flavour. The delicate zest of the oranges adds subtle depth, while the marmalade enhances the orange notes. If you don’t have blood oranges, regular oranges work just as well - I just love the incredible colour that blood oranges bring. Remember, this is an ... Read more

Spiced Carrot Cake Loaf This Spiced Carrot Cake Loaf is full of flavour, thanks to the well-balanced blend of spices. The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots, creating a subtly spiced, delicious taste. The cake has a soft, moist crumb, that holds together well whether cut into thick or thin slices. Topped with a smooth cream cheese ... Read more

Poffertjes (Dutch for mini pancakes) are little flying-saucer-shaped snacks very popular in the Netherlands and gaining popularity elsewhere, such as Germany. They're made using a special Poffertjes pan and commonly sold from stands at events like Christmas markets, carnivals, on the street for passing shoppers or for a tasty breakfast at home. Served in a paper bag, on a skewer or simply on a ... Read more

Brown Bread Ice-Cream using the Ankarsrum Ice-Cream Attachment It might sound like a strange mix with brown bread and ice-cream but it works fantastically well. The toast infused ice-cream coupled with caramelised breadcrumb nuggets that give sweetness, light maltiness and texture to this delightful brown bread ice-cream made with the Ankarsrum Ice-Cream Attachment for the Ankarsrum Mixer. You ... Read more

Panettone Style Cookies   Making a panettone just before Christmas, when time is disappearing quicker than the evening sun, can seem like an indulgent project. However, if you love the taste of panettone and want to bake something everyone will enjoy, these cookies are something you’ll definitely want to "accept". They’re easy to make, the dough can be prepared ahead of time, ... Read more

Torsten's Sourdough Pumpkin Croissants using a Dough Sheeter Great customers don't grow on trees but this one actually grows them. Torsten Junker of family-run "Junker's Nursery" not at all far from us in Wellington grows the kind of trees literally fit for a king. He's also an accomplished home baker and has been trying out one of our Japan Kneader Dough Sheeters to make, Sourdough Pumpkin ... Read more

We came up with this idea, Pwdin Bara Menyn (Bread and Butter Pudding), as a way to re-use leftover croissants years ago when I had a café attached to the bakehouse, and it’s real comfort food – a perfect dessert for these chilly, last days of winter. Because it’s made with croissants and baked on parchment, there’s no additional butter (normally used to grease-proof ... Read more

Tear & share brioche with a pesto and cheesy filling Having a soft and sumptuous, comforting and tasty brioche that is stuffed with cheese and pesto is a marvellous thing, but to share it is even better. This is a great way to use up any odd bits of cheese that are knocking about in the fridge. This recipe is with pesto but you could just as easily use tapenade, semi dried tomatoes, Marmite ... Read more

What exactly are Mendiants? Mendiants have quirky roots in France from the Middle Ages. They were part of the Provençal tradition with toppings denoting the original robes of the four Mendicant order of friars. Today they are a well-loved tradition in many a French household and if you try making these they could be a firm favourite in yours. Mendiants are commonly eaten over the Christmas ... Read more

Finnish shortbread are not actually Finnish! Now that's out of the way they are shortbreads and 100% tasty. The Danes say they invented these traditional Christmas biscuits and call them Finnish bread (Finskbrød in Danish) where as the Swedes maintain that they invented these tasty Yuletide treats and call them Finnish sticks (Finska pinnar in Swedish). The Finns could not give a hoot, and ... Read more

Like many countries in Europe, Belgium has a tradition for waffles with two very popular varieties widely eaten today: the "Brussels" waffle and the "Liege" waffle. The Brussels waffle, has been adopted by the USA, where it has become known as the "Belgian" waffle. In the USA, the recipe has evolved to make a lighter and sweeter waffle, risen by egg rather than yeast. On the other hand, the Liege ... Read more

Make 6 jet black brioches for a bit of fun - why not make some with and some without the carbon powder for an interesting mix!   Mix the flour with carbon powder, dried yeast, sugar and vanilla powder then mix in eggs, honey, milk and rum. Knead by hand for about ten minutes or using a mixer for 2-3 minutes, then add the butter cut into pieces and knead again until it is completely ... Read more

Hot-Cross Bun recipe by artisan baker Aiden Chapman For Easter, baker Aidan Chapman of the Phoenix Bakery in Weymouth likes to do things properly and his annual two-week stint making 1000s of hot-cross buns is no exception. Here is his recipe for exceptional buns, perfect to make at home, that don't take too long to make. Makes about 12 buns Method For the dough In a large bowl, add all the ... Read more