Delicate, spiced pastry packed with curried chicken thighs and vegetables. Continue reading “Chicken curry pasties”
Category: Pastries
Lemongrass & kamrut lime custard tarts
This is a British classic with a twist: sweet, buttery almond and lime pastry with a delicately set flavoured custard filling.
Curried crab tarts
These delicious tarts are packed with crab flavour and are quite certain to be devoured without any trace! Continue reading “Curried crab tarts”
Yorkshire curd tarts with a twist
My take on this great British classic is certainly not fully authentic – but in my opinion no recipe should be so precious that it can’t cope with being tinkered with! Continue reading “Yorkshire curd tarts with a twist”
Bacon & caramelised onion tarts
There’s very much a Quiche Lorraine vibe going on with these tarts. And this Lorraine has no soggy bottom!
Smoked mushroom & Dolcelatte tarts
With the smoked mushrooms, blue cheese and hint of tarragon sitting on crisp, buttery puff pastry, these easy tarts are full-on comfort food. Continue reading “Smoked mushroom & Dolcelatte tarts”
Black Forest choux buns & éclairs
Fruity, tangy and suitable chocolatey, with a cheeky kirschy-kick! Continue reading “Black Forest choux buns & éclairs”
Chorizo, Manchego & caramelised onion tartlets
Packed with flavour, I return to these gutsy mini tarts frequently for simple snacks, as part of an Afternoon Tea spread or even for a picnic in the garden! Continue reading “Chorizo, Manchego & caramelised onion tartlets”
Strawberry and orange mini Bakewell tarts
One egg (yes, just one egg) goes a long way: it actually makes 10 of these Bakewell Tarts to be precise! Continue reading “Strawberry and orange mini Bakewell tarts”
Simple vegetable tarts
Very delicious tarts using practically whatever vegetables you have…..an ideal lunch or light main course. Continue reading “Simple vegetable tarts”
Apple and almond lattice tart
An easy tart using wonderfully sharp autumal apples with a kick of almonds, this is lovely served simply with custard or a dollop of crème fraîche. Continue reading “Apple and almond lattice tart”
Carrot & caraway mince pies with smoked sugar
This is my take on Heston Blumenthal’s delicious Night Before Christmas mince pies that can be bought in Waitrose.
Continue reading “Carrot & caraway mince pies with smoked sugar”
Coffee and walnut choux buns
Something of a sweet treat to welcome in the Autumn. As if I needed an excuse! Continue reading “Coffee and walnut choux buns”
Vegan “sausage” rolls
Forget those indifferent vegan “sausage rolls” that were sold by a certain UK high street chain bakery; these rolls are packed with flavour.
Coriander glass dim sum
The joys of Har Gow: transluscent steamed dumplings, with a pork and prawn filling. Little bites of sheer pleasure. Continue reading “Coriander glass dim sum”
Christmas stuffing sausage rolls
Well, a sausage roll is for any time of the year, but I quite like to add a few festive flavours around Christmas: chestnuts, dried apricots, Stilton, perhaps a few cranberries: oh, and just a kick of mustard. Continue reading “Christmas stuffing sausage rolls”
The best lemon meringue pie
A true British classic, this recipe is dedicated to my late gran who used to make THE BEST lemon meringue pie I have ever had: any other lemon meringue pie that I have tried since has not quite been as good. Continue reading “The best lemon meringue pie”
Smoked cheese & onion pasties
Some of my favourite dishes arise from using whatever is lying around and these full-flavoured pastries do just that: with the additional use of the indoor smoker for the remains of a block of cheese and some onions… Continue reading “Smoked cheese & onion pasties”
Ispahan éclairs: with a cheat’s mousse filling!
These éclairs – with the great flavours of raspberry, lychee and rose – are made with a cheat’s mousse and are topped with raspberry fondant. A sweet treat that is bound to please! Continue reading “Ispahan éclairs: with a cheat’s mousse filling!”
Stem ginger scones
The sweet heat you get from stem ginger works particularly well here in these quirky scones that are simple to make and will brighten up any day! Continue reading “Stem ginger scones”
Bacon and goats’ cheese cruffins
The combined flavour of salty, spiced bacon, creamy goats’ cheese and buttery pastry is hard to beat and these are fast becoming one of my “go to” savoury bites. Continue reading “Bacon and goats’ cheese cruffins”
Easy spiced orange & vanilla Danish pastries
Always a total comfort to eat (cue what has got to be guilt-free indulgence!), these buttery pastries, with with an orange and vanilla almond filling, evoke the flavours of Panettone. Continue reading “Easy spiced orange & vanilla Danish pastries”
Quick and easy festive Danish pastries
Whether made using traditional Danish pastry dough, a shortcut version or, even simpler, commercial puff pastry (the all-butter variety, not the cheap, nasty version made with oil!), these festive treats are sure to hit the spot. Continue reading “Quick and easy festive Danish pastries”
My YouTube video for my apple, marzipan & mincemeat tart
As I am getting to grips with YouTube, I am very much enjoying being filmed as I cook some of my favourite dishes. Continue reading “My YouTube video for my apple, marzipan & mincemeat tart”
Smoked mackerel pastry rolls
This is a recipe I am very proud of: I had some smoked mackerel pâté to use up and had that “I wonder if this will work…” moment. Luckily, it does work and it is now one of my go-to dishes for buffets and the like. Continue reading “Smoked mackerel pastry rolls”
Smoked ham and fennel tart: a great “left-overs” dish
I adore classic dishes and often like nothing more than to bake a true classic without embellishment. However, while clearing out the fridge and thinking how to use up what was left in there, I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to make my twist on the brilliant Quiche Lorraine: so much for unembellishing! Continue reading “Smoked ham and fennel tart: a great “left-overs” dish”
Tangy fruit éclairs & tips for a neat glaze finish
A fruity take on éclairs: one of my favourite pastry treats. Fresh, frozen or even tinned soft fruit work well here to give a sticky, tangy icing. In this post, I also give a recipe for an easy fruit mousse filling and tips for achieving a neat sticky glaze. Continue reading “Tangy fruit éclairs & tips for a neat glaze finish”
Strawberry millefeuille pastries
Shatteringly crisp, buttery pastries, glazed with lemon syrup, filled with an almond and vanilla cream and fresh strawberries: what is not to love?
Herby sausage rolls
A good sausage roll should bring a smile to one’s face and have a very moreish quality: one should never be enough! A far cry from those mass-produced affairs you can buy from high street chain bakeries that are full of squidgy pink “meat”! Continue reading “Herby sausage rolls”
Salted honey tart
I adore honey and love using it in both sweet and savoury dishes. The sweetness in this very easy recipe is carefully balanced with the salt and gives a dessert that has always proved hard to resist.
“Britain’s Best Home Cook – episode 4”: our roasts followed by a crab or cauliflower dish
Last week, the roasts cooked by Dipa and me on Britain’s Best Home Cook were chosen as the judges’s favourites, which was a real thrill: and I was so pleased for Dipa, my wonderful “bench buddy” in the show. So we were given the task of choosing the ingredient for the Ingredients Challenge: crab or cauliflower…. Continue reading ““Britain’s Best Home Cook – episode 4”: our roasts followed by a crab or cauliflower dish”
Stilton, pear & piccalilli pork pies
I loved making my ultimate pie during “pie week” on Britain’s Best Home Cook, and as expected there was much debate among us contestants (as well as among the judges) regarding whether a pie needs a bottom as well as a top…..
Personally, I am in the “I really don’t mind as long as it tastes good” camp! Continue reading “Stilton, pear & piccalilli pork pies”
Roasted cauliflower cheese tart
If you like cauliflower cheese you really must make this tart!
I have been making this particular tart for several decades and I never tire of it, whether made as one large tart to serve at the table or made into small individual tarts. Savoury comfort food at its best, this tart is perfect served hot with a salad, and whenever I serve it, it always goes down well. Continue reading “Roasted cauliflower cheese tart”
Croissant-wrapped sausage rolls (croissage rolls!)
For me, a sausage roll is truly one of life’s simple culinary pleasures. As long as it has a generous, well-flavoured filling and a crisp, buttery pastry, I can eat one (well, several!) at any time of the day or night. Continue reading “Croissant-wrapped sausage rolls (croissage rolls!)”
Layered pork pithivier pie
This hearty pie, packed with layers of tender herby pork, apples, caramelised onions and mustardy-sausagement is excellent served either hot or cold. Continue reading “Layered pork pithivier pie”
Quick lemon cheesecake fruit tarts
Something of a cheat of a recipe, using handy shortcuts, these gorgeous tarts can be made up very speedily and with total ease, yet they taste as good as any of the high-end tarts you can buy for a small fortune!
Chicken, chorizo & sweetcorn plaited tart
Chicken, chorizo and sweetcorn, in a rich sauce and wrapped up in crisp, buttery puff pastry, giving a savoury tart that is wonderful served hot for any meal or cold for a buffet or picnic. Continue reading “Chicken, chorizo & sweetcorn plaited tart”
Sourdough croissants
While I make croissants using commercial yeast fairly often and sourdough bread frequently, I am fairly new to making sourdough croissants. But boy have I been missing out: not only is the flavour even better than using commercial yeast, you get even crispier croissants that truly shatter as you break into them. Continue reading “Sourdough croissants”
Choux buns with blackcurrant craquelin & blackcurrant and white chocolate cream
Who doesn’t love a choux bun or éclair? Crisp pastry, creamy filling and a sticky topping…..such a treat! And they are so simple to make, yet look deceptively difficult.
Continue reading “Choux buns with blackcurrant craquelin & blackcurrant and white chocolate cream”
Chocolate & orange bi-coloured viennoiserie
Bi-coloured croissants and the like have been doing the rounds for a few years and has been on my “to make” list for some time, especially as they can look striking. In essence, you have a croissant dough with a second, coloured dough running through it.
Continue reading “Chocolate & orange bi-coloured viennoiserie”
Lemon sherbet cruffins (quirky viennoiserie!)
This is my take on cruffins: rich, buttery croissant pastries baked in muffin tins. For this batch I have gone for a tangy lemon filling, dusted with a lemon sherbet-esque caster sugar. For added zing, I have topped these cruffins with lemon icing and a few dried raspberry pieces. Continue reading “Lemon sherbet cruffins (quirky viennoiserie!)”
Easy beetroot, goats’ cheese & walnut tart
This is a very simple tart that is great eaten either hot or cold and is, for me, tart that can be enjoyed at any time of the year, although it is one of my “go to” summer bakes. It can be assembled in minutes so that is is merely a matter of baking the tart. Continue reading “Easy beetroot, goats’ cheese & walnut tart”
Pork, apple & apricot pie: a left-overs feast!
This thrifty pie, made with a simple mustard-flavoured hot watercrust pastry, is packed with pork, stuffing, juicy apricots, sharp apple, a few pickled vegetables and roasted onions: left-overs from a roast dinner and store-cupboard ingredients. Continue reading “Pork, apple & apricot pie: a left-overs feast!”
Cashew nut & cocoa nib snaps
These biscuits, which are a cross between brandy snaps and florentines, are incredibly easy and quick to make, with a batch made and ready to eat in under 30 minutes. Continue reading “Cashew nut & cocoa nib snaps”
Quick & easy Cherry, walnut & maple syrup pastries
These are very quick and easy treats: small sweet pastries that are crisp, buttery and wonderfully sticky: quite fabulous served with coffee or tea! Continue reading “Quick & easy Cherry, walnut & maple syrup pastries”
Sfogliatella pastries with a honey, orange & pistachio filling
This is my first attempt at these challenging Italian pastries – pastries I tried for the first time only a few years ago. It goes without saying that I had to have a go at making these, relying solely on a loose recipe description from a bakery….. Continue reading “Sfogliatella pastries with a honey, orange & pistachio filling”
Luxury orange shortbread mince pies with a macaroon topping
I usually prefer to make mince pies using shortbread dough rather than pastry: it makes them more special than a standard pastry mince pie and it is really no harder to make. Besides, Christmas would not be Christmas without shortbread! And whenever I have made these mince pies, they have gone very quickly. Continue reading “Luxury orange shortbread mince pies with a macaroon topping”
Tarte tatin
After a very inspiring run of many years, bringing so many food bloggers together, the Secret Recipe Club is sadly coming to an end. Continue reading “Tarte tatin”
Beef & ale Cornish pasties
Having not made pasties in a long while, I felt it time to make a batch. Continue reading “Beef & ale Cornish pasties”
Spiced lamb & pistachio rolls with spiced pastry
I am such a fan of sausage rolls; with a well-flavoured filling and light, melt-in-the-mouth pastry, they never fail to give me a feeling of total satisfaction when eating them! Continue reading “Spiced lamb & pistachio rolls with spiced pastry”