Mincemeat Shortbread Squares with Almond Crumble

Mincemeat Shortbread Squares with Almond Crumble

Mincemeat Shortbread Squares with Almond Crumble are a great alternative to mince pies at Christmas. Incredibly quick and easy, there’s no pastry to make and no cutting and rolling out. A substantial, buttery shortbread base is covered in rich mincemeat. This is topped with a spiced …Read more

Chai Spiced Star Bread

Chai Spiced Star Bread

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 …Read more

Savoury Tear & Share Star Bread

Savoury Tear & Share Star Bread

Savoury Tear & Share Star Bread looks impressive, but it’s actually not difficult to create. Filled with layers of sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, basil, salami, roasted onions and garlic plus fennel seeds, you won’t be able to resist pulling off a piece and eating it warm …Read more

Genoa Cake

Genoa Cake

Genoa Cake, full of currants, sultanas, mixed peel, cherries and flavoured with almond and lemon, is a real treat. Based on an Italian yeasted Christmas bake, the British version is a wonderful cake to enjoy at any time of year. Even for novice bakers, it …Read more

Cranberry & Orange Scones with Orange Butter

Cranberry & Orange Scones with Orange Butter

Cranberry & Orange Scones are so quick and easy. To make them, I take the classic British  fruit scone and give it a twist by using dried cranberries soaked in orange juice plus orange zest. To make them even more orange-y, serve them with a …Read more

Parmesan & Cheddar Biscuits

Parmesan & Cheddar Biscuits

Parmesan & Cheddar Biscuits might just be the best cheese biscuits you’ve ever tasted!  Intensely cheesy and buttery, but so light and melting. Great as an indulgent nibble or wow your guests by serving with drinks.     These cheesy biscuits as so good that …Read more

Turkey, Sage & Cranberry Dog Biscuits

Turkey, Sage & Cranberry Dog Biscuits

Turkey, Sage & Cranberry Dog Biscuits are an easily made Christmas treat, full of natural ingredients that your pooch will love.     I’ve posted quite a few Christmas recipes for us humans, including Mincemeat, Mince Pies, Panettone Bread & Butter Pudding and Turkey Stock. …Read more

Turkey Stock made in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker

Turkey Stock made in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker

Although I’ve put this post in the ‘recipes’ category, it’s hardly a recipe at all. To make turkey stock, or any other meat stock really, it’s simply a case of putting the bones plus any scraps of meat, skin and fat plus selected vegetables in …Read more

Homemade Sage and Onion Sausagemeat Stuffing

Homemade Sage and Onion Sausagemeat Stuffing

Forget those over priced, palm oil laden packet stuffing mixes. My Homemade Sage & Onion Sausagemeat Stuffing is so much better and contains just a few simple ingredients: onions, garlic, dried sage, fresh parsley and crumbs made from leftover bread. Delicious mixed with pork sausagemeat …Read more

Panettone Bread & Butter Pudding

Panettone Bread & Butter Pudding

Fancy something a little different to the traditional Christmas pudding this year? I love Panettone Bread & Butter Pudding as a delicious, light and easily made alternative. Good for using up leftover panettone after Christmas too.   CHRISTMAS CAKE, MINCE PIES & CHRISTMAS PUDDING: A …Read more

Sweet shortcrust pastry: as easy as (mince) pie

Sweet shortcrust pastry: as easy as (mince) pie

THERE IS A NEWER VERSION OF THIS RECIPE HERE There’s no mystery to making light, buttery and melt-in-the-mouth sweet shortcrust pastry at home. So much better then any ready-made pastry in the shops, if you haven’t made it before, you might be surprised how easy it …Read more

Homemade Christmas Mincemeat: easier than you think

Homemade Christmas Mincemeat: easier than you think

Did you know that Homemade Christmas Mincemeat is incredibly easy? It’s really just a case of mixing up the ingredients, leaving overnight and then putting in a low oven for a couple of hours. Then it’s ready to put in jars! Get making my easy …Read more