I adore pavlova. It’s one of my all time favourite puddings that I will happily eat all year round. The crisp meringue shell against the soft, slightly chewy marshmallow like interior is a real delight and the perfect vehicle to carry billows of cream and fruit. Pavlovas are incredibly versatile; you can pipe or shape the meringue however you choose, layer it up or opt for a huge mound. You can go for smaller individual rounds or one large sharing wreath. Whatever you choose, it’ll always be a crowd pleaser and a real showstopping centrepiece. Today, I’m using rhubarb. It’s vibrant pink hue ..read more

If you’re looking for a dinner party dessert, this might just be the perfect option for this time of year. If you follow me over on Instagram, you would have seen that I first tried this tart with a gingersnap biscuit base. I knew I wanted a big ginger hit and also a fairly quick no bake recipe. But after a couple of tests, I just found the base a bit too crumbly and cheesecake like. This needed a crisper, thinner base. So I upped the ginger in the caramel and opted for a chocolate pastry which I think works beautifully. The process may take a little longer but it’ll make such a great festive ..read more

Summer has officially arrived and the weather here in London has been glorious. The freezer is stocked up with ice, my summer dresses have taken centre stage in my wardrobe and all of my favourite cooling desserts are on heavy rotation. Every year when the summer days roll around, I tell myself I’ll dust off the ice cream machine and have a proper play around but I can probably count the number of times I’ve used it on one hand *hides face* Now, I completely agree that the flavours of custard based churned ice creams are superior but I still seem to get drawn to those quicker, no churn, conde ..read more

It’s doughnut time! This week is the last week of Fairtrade Fortnight (22nd Feb - 7th March) and I’ve made the fattest, fluffiest doughnuts in partnership with Waitrose to celebrate. Waitrose have the largest range of Fairtrade products in a UK supermarket and all of their own label tea, coffee, sugar and bananas are currently Fairtrade - something to be very proud of! I don’t make doughnuts often because deep frying can feel like a LOT of effort but I’ve had such a craving for them lately, I couldn’t resist. Custard doughnuts will always and forever be my favourite filling and infusing the cu ..read more

It’s hard to talk about blondies without mentioning its more famous sibling, the brownie. There are plenty of textural similarities between the two, with both having those signature chewy edges and a dense fudgy interior. I tend to reach for a brownie when I’m in the mood for a pure chocolate hit but blondies are ideal for when I fancy something that plays with more caramel notes, highlighting the richness of butter and brown sugar. Using a great butter like Kerrygold is key here. It’s made using milk from Irish grass fed cows and brings such a signature buttery flavour to my baking. We start ..read more

Not sure how I’ve gone so long without sharing a tiramisu recipe, especially as it’s one of my all time favourite desserts, but better late than never. Some may say that a tiramisu is a bit retro or a little old fashioned. And while it’s often not the most exciting item on a dessert menu, to me, it’s a timeless classic. There are quite a few variations for making tiramisu, some use egg whites, some use no eggs at all, some opt for marsala and some are heavy on the cream and light on the mascarpone. This tiramisu right here is exactly the way I like it. Heavy on the mascarpone and rich with eg ..read more

Say hello to this years Christmas cake. Two layers of dense, fudgy chocolate cake sandwiched together with whipped mascarpone and a spiced blackberry compote. Think of it as a bit of a riff on a black forest gateau but with a little twist. The festivities this year will be a lot smaller than usual but dessert is one thing we won’t be cutting out. A fat slice of this while cosied up on the sofa after dinner is something I’m really looking forward to - as well as a slice the next day for breakfast. This is my go-to chocolate cake recipe and I’m obsessed with the dark, moist crumb. It’s incredib ..read more

The festive season is well and truly here, and I’m taking it back to an old school classic. Millionaire’s shortbread always reminds me of school dinners and as a child I’d try and eat each layer separately, licking the chocolate, getting the caramel layer stuck in my teeth and then savouring the shortbread layer which was always my favourite part. I’ve given this version a little festive tweak with some orange zest, cinnamon and cardamom incorporated in the buttery shortbread base. I tend to make this layer a bit thicker than standard to help cut through some of the sweetness of the caramel a ..read more

I’ve always found loaf cakes to be a real comfort. They’re not necessarily the most fanciful or stylish cake you can have but more often than not, they are straightforward and reliable. Just a gentle pour of icing to glaze or a quick dusting of icing sugar is enough to finish off a humble but inviting loaf. Easy enough to bring together on a weeknight but still special enough for a little weekend celebration, this loaf cake has been one I’ve turned to multiple times over the last month. The toasty caramel notes from the brown butter, along with the light tang from the yoghurt gives a crumb th ..read more

Autumn is well and truly here and it has brought along some of my favourite things. Cosy evenings, crisp leaves, and recipes full of spice, caramel and all shades of beige. It truly is the most comforting time of year. Given all that’s going on in the world at the moment, I’ve found myself reaching for little things to bring warmth to otherwise slightly dreary days. Naturally, baking plays a big part in that and I’ve been drawn to more simple, humble cakes rather than big multi layered projects that require a whole day to assemble.  This hazelnut coffee cake ticks a lot of boxes. I’ve u ..read more