Instant Bread and Butter Pickle

This is a great recipe for those who are new to pickling and aren’t necessarily interested in being in it for the long haul; if you want to enjoy pickles but haven’t had the forethought to plan a few months ahead. The recipe came about because I was having friends over for a BBQ pulled pork feast and decided last minute to make this as an accompaniment (I also added a whole chilli as I wanted to...

Gooey Chocolate Brownies (With an Easter Twist)

These gooey brownies are extremely easy to make and taste amazing! If you are feeling creative, try topping some them with flaky nests. I have to admit, they were slightly fiddly, but were well worth the effort as they looked great and tasted extra chocolaty. Makes 2 small trays (around 18 brownies)   Ingredients: 200g caster sugar 125g salted butter, melted 30g cocoa powder ½ tsp vanilla...

Easy Peasy Cheat's Crème Patisserie

This is not a pastry cream that the French would be proud of, but it’s quick, easy, and will happen on your first attempt (yes, I have been through many boxes of eggs before trying to achieve custard that doesn’t resemble something I could eat on toast for breakfast). Ingredients: 250ml whole milk 50ml single cream 80g caster sugar2 egg yolks, plus...1 whole egg2 tbsp corn flour1 tsp vanilla...

Wedding Series – The Guest Book

I thought long and hard about how I wanted to receive (and keep) messages from our guests on the day. And I‘m glad I did! Even if a guest book seemed quite a trivial component of the day; after all, your loved ones will wish you well in person on the day, why do you need them to also write it down?  I have three reasons why:  1) you may not even get to speak to them at all, 2) even if you...

Mini Baked Vanilla Cheesecakes

I don’t think I know of one person who doesn’t like cheesecake – more specifically, BAKED cheesecake- and these mini versions are a great crowd pleaser as they don’t require cutlery (unless you’re feeling extra posh) and are individually sized so you can make exactly as many as you require. I added raspberries as a topping but most berries would work nicely.   For the base: 100g digestive...

My Favourite Face Masks

I thought that some of you would find a quick rundown of my favourite face masks a helpful read. Just to give you some context; at this time of year my skin is dry/combination, having the potential to be problematic and spot-prone all year round. I tend to favour masks that resurface and decongest but that don’t strip my skin of all of its moisture. I have also had reactions to lavender and mineral...

Chia Berry Jam

Happy Mother’s day to all the UK readers! I decided to post a recipe for this delicious chia berry jam today, seeing as I made a batch and included it in a hamper of tasty goodies for my lovely mum (whom by the way eats a diet free from sugar, gluten, nuts, and dairy). The jam is very easy to prepare and has that same ‘jammy’ texture you come to expect from the standard shop-bought varieties; but...

Winter Eats - Spiced Milk Porridge

This is a recipe for those cold, wet morning (like we have so often in England) when you absolutely must start off the day with something warm inside your belly.  To save on time, you can make the milk several days in advance, keep it in the fridge, and then simply reheat when needed.  I made porridge with oats and quinoa but you could make straight up oatmeal, or even add the hot milk...