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Christmas baking recipes are some of the most enjoyable treats to cook over the festive season. So I’ve brought together more than 40 of my favourites. From sweet favourites like mince pies and fruit cakes, to savoury sausage rolls and pies with melt-in-the-mouth pastry, homemade …Read more
Mince Pie Biscotti are deliciously light and crunchy sweet biscuits, full of Christmas fruit, spice, and nuts. Flavoured with the same mincemeat used to fill traditional mince pies, you won’t believe how easy it is to make these artisan-style biscuits. Perfect eaten alongside a tipple …Read more
Spiced Fruit Bread is flavoured with cinnamon, mixed spice, orange zest, and is studded with bursts of juicy, plumped-up dried fruit. Wonderful buttered for breakfast or afternoon tea, I think it’s even better toasted first to bring out the subtle sweetness and rich taste. Made …Read more
Shokupan Hot Cross Bun Loaf is a wonderful combination of super-soft, fluffy Japanese-style milk bread and the traditional British fruity and warmly spiced Easter treat. Whether cut into slices or pulled apart and eaten as buns, you’ll love this surprisingly easy loaf spread with butter. …Read more
Apple & Oat Quick Bread, with flavours reminiscent of toffee apples, is so much easier than traditional cake. With a caramel-like flavour from brown sugar contrasting with tart apple, plus hints of vanilla and wholesome oats, it’s a wonderful treat thickly sliced with a cuppa, …Read more
Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bread is delicious sliced and spread with butter for breakfast, at teatime, or as a snack. A few days after baking, try it toasted to bring out even more flavour. Soaking the raisins before adding to the dough ensures they’re plump and juicy. …Read more
Light Brioche Loaf is made with an easy, overnight dough enriched with butter, eggs, and milk. The result is a full flavoured loaf with a soft and fluffy crumb. Unlike most brioche recipes, you don’t need a stand mixer for this one and the kneading …Read more
Fruit Soda Bread is a quick and easy teatime treat or snack. I love slices of this soft and light loaf spread with butter and sometimes jam too. With no yeast, no proving, and no kneading, you can put it together in less than 10 …Read more
Homemade Malt Loaf, despite its name, is a traditional British favourite that’s a type of teatime cake. With a gloriously sticky texture, the rich, dark loaf is packed with juicy raisins and has the intriguing flavour of malt extract. So easy to make, Malt Loaf …Read more
Mincemeat Christmas Tree is a stunning looking but deceptively simple tear and share bread. With fruity mincemeat between layers of lightly sweet, buttery dough, it’s a great alternative to mince pies. Made using my overnight, no-knead bread method it’s really simple too. Bake in just 15 minutes, …Read more
Fig & Fennel Sourdough is lightly sweet and spicy. Made with my easy overnight, no-knead method it’s great for both beginners and experienced bakers. I love it sliced and spread with butter, toasted or not. With no added sugar, I think its semi sweet flavour is also good …Read more
Fruit Tea Loaf is a traditional sweet treat that’s adaptable to whatever dried fruit you have and whichever spices and flavourings you like. It contains no added fat (other than a little in the egg) but is delicious spread with butter. Perfect with a cuppa or to …Read more
Brioche Hot Cross Buns are a richer version of the classic Easter sweet and spicy fruit bread. You still get warming spices and plump sultanas studding the dough. But here there’s a buttery brioche flavour too. Unlike many brioche recipes, you won’t need a stand mixer …Read more
Chai Spiced Star Bread, sweet, buttery and spicy, is a treat at any time of year. But I think it’s especially good at Christmas as, although not complicated to make, it looks really impressive. And those who don’t relish mince pies, Christmas cake and the like …Read more
Who doesn’t love Hot Cross Buns at this time of year? With their roots in Britain’s pagan past and its celebration of the return of Spring, making a batch of these fruity and spicy buns isn’t difficult, even if you’ve never made bread before. THANK …Read more
Spiced Fruit Sourdough uses my easy, overnight, no-knead method to create a loaf full of rich flavour. Dried fruits are steeped in honeyed black tea and orange zest and the soaking liquor replaces water in the dough to add even more flavour. Baked in a covered …Read more