People often talk about bread making as a bug of some sort that people catch. Well, I’ve definitely caught it, and in an effort to move up a rung on the artisan bread making ladder, I made a batch of bagels. This isn’t a quick recipe. You need to time things carefully so that you’ve [...]
A lot of people are scared of baking their own bread. There’s a lot of misconceptions out there: It takes too long – not true. A very decent soda bread can be made in under an hour, start to finish. Granted, a proper loaf needs time for the yeast to work it’s magic, but even [...]
There’s nothing quite like a good chocolate brownie. It’s not quite a cake, not quite a biscuit, but more of an indulgence than either. A good chocolate brownie recipe is one of those things every cook should have up his or her sleeve. This recipe is excellent, a straightforward brownie recipe with an extra flourish [...]
Every now and then, I have to make a cake. The urge often strikes at this time of year, with the indulgence of Christmas a fading memory and no sign of the rotten weather passing soon. This cake provides a hint of what’s to come, using last autumn’s fruit. Line the bottom of a 20cm [...]
This is a traditional Italian torte, loaded with hazelnuts and poppy seeds, rich with ricotta cheese. It goes well with a cup of good, strong coffee. First butter and line a 28cm tart or cake tin, one with a removable base, with greaseproof paper. Toast 125g of hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over a [...]