Valentine’s Day is upon us, and my social media feeds are brimming with romance-inducing recipes. From Keto to Paleo, via Vegan and Whole-30, there seems to be something for everyone. Unless … unless, like me, you’re simply looking for something un-restrictively indulgent and delicious, all rolled into one sinful dish. I guess I’ve got this niche covered: what’s more mouth-watering than dulce de leche, full of Latin passion (and sugar)? Dulce de leche is such a brilliant addition to cakes and desserts – from the Uruguayan dessert Chajá to strawberry cupcakes: You can buy dulce de leche in ma ..read more

New Year, new country, new resolutions. Having moved back to Germany after almost two decades in the UK, it feels more like a new adventure than a homecoming. The first step to getting used to a new place, I think, is to explore the local cuisine, from curry sausages, potatoes with most meals, to pickles in all shapes and forms – a journey I will share with you, one dish at a time. I’ll start with this surprisingly unknown delicacy from Dresden: the Eierschecke. When you search for traditional German cakes you’ll find Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, Marmorkuchen, Donauwellen and various types of ..read more

Sometimes you just need to have your cake and eat it.  The other day I stumbled across the picture of an apple cake, which Christie of A Sausage Has Two had posted on her Facebook page. I absolutely had to have a slice ofChristie’s Omi’s apple cake, and pronto. The quickest and easiest type of German cake is the Rührkuchen, literally  ‘stir cake,’ a type of sponge cake made from flour, butter, sugar, eggs and baking powder and whatever else you fancy. You stir it, bake it and eat it. We usually enhance Rührkuchen with vanilla sugar and lemon zest, and occasionally cocoa powder for a chocolate ..read more

As the country is gripped by a Siberian cold wave (cue the muffled sound of real Siberians chuckling at the comparison), we crave calories. Ignore health warnings and a looming obesity crisis, our bodies tell us, forget your good intentions and instead have a slice of cake. My friend Anita’s answer to this dilemma is not to cut out indulgent food, but to layer it with goodness. Almonds are high in fat, release their energy slowly, boost brain power and – incidentally – seem to reduce your appetite. What’s not to like? For this recipe I’ve substituted some of the flour with ground almonds, skin ..read more

Meatballs, patties, hamburgers – small balls of meat, stuck together with egg and breadcrumbs, are part and parcel of most European childhoods. The difference is not so much what you put into them but how you serve them! In Sweden, as, incidentally, in most Swedish furniture chains that specialise on cheap and cheerful flat-packed furniture, meatballs generally come in a light gravy and with a side of mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. Despite there are being no official guidelines, this is definitely what most non-Swedes imagine Swedish meatballs to look like. And why not? I am sure that m ..read more