Recipe: Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies with Mackays Christmas Preserve

These gingerbread cookies are the most festive cookies, ever. I make the dough a day in advance and leave it to chill in the fridge. You can either take a few chunks out a time to make fresh cookies as and when you need, freeze it for a later date...or just eat them all in one go. I've tried this recipe with a few different jams and preserves, my favourites being Mackays Christmas preserve or...

Review: Pizza Express Christmas Menu

Last week Boy and I set out to try the Pizza Express Christmas menu for lunch. It's probably the most festive I've felt so far. I heard a Christmas song for the first time this year...you know when your ears prick up and you do a double take - yes, I am hanging up my stocking on the wall thank you, Slade. So down to business, this year's Christmas menu... To start, I opted for Arancini Provola,...

Recipe: Mini Christmas Cakes

“Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord…” This Sunday will mark the last Sunday before Advent, and it is therefore dubbed Stir-up Sunday. A British tradition hailing back to the Victorian era, where families would gather in the kitchen to each take a turn to stir the pudding ingredients and to make their own wishes. Some hide coins in the mix, that once found are thought to bring health and happiness...

Review: The Great British Butcher Giftset

Now that Christmas is well on the way, it's time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. Being quite organised, I usually write a list of ideas for my loved ones quite early on...including a little letter for Father Christmas myself. However, this year I seem to be having an unorganised streak. I have no clue what to get for anyone and where to start. I suppose starting with food is always a good...

Recipe: Chilli Jam

It's been almost a year since I've lived in my own place. At the start I had great intentions to fill my window sills with happy herbs and flowers. But within the first fortnight I'd managed to kill off most of my plants, even those that didn't need much care. After an emergency visit to Mum's Plant Hospital for some much needed TLC they soon started to thrive. Almost a year on, I've got to the...

Recipe: Crumble-topped Pear & Almond Slice

Another week, another recipe to use up what's lurking around my fridge. This week, pears. After getting Ruby Tandoh's book Crumb the other week I've bookmarked a few recipes to try. You may remember rye & caraway bagels, they went down very well. This recipe is essentially a sweet bread topped with honeyed pears, almonds and crumble. Great with a steaming mug of coffee for breakfast. Although...

Recipe: Cinnamon Apple Duffins (Doughnut Muffins)

Apple and cinnamon, possibly one of my favourite combinations. Not to mention that these duffins don't take a lot of time at all to make. Inspired by my favourite ones from Bea's of Bloomsbury, these are perfect for the colder months. Best served fresh from the oven with a large steaming mug of coffee. Cinnamon apple duffins (doughnut muffins) (Recipe adapted from Sweet Treats & More,...

Recipe: Cherry and Ginger Swirl Loaf

Over my time of baking and blogging I've tried out a few recipes using jam as an ingredient. Its such a versatile ingredient to both sweet and savoury cooking that I don't think people use enough. Take this recipe, a standard loaf cake, swap the cherry with raspberry jam and the ginger for lemon zest and you have transformed it to something more suited to Spring. Its handy to have one of these...