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Sweet & savoury snacks
Fresh Mint & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is probably my favourite flavour of ice cream. And whether you have an all-singing, all-dancing ice cream maker, a simple one like mine, or none at all, this creamy, fresh and indulgent treat is really easy. …Read more
Cheesejacks are moreish little bites of oats baked with cheese and whatever seasonings you fancy. A crispier version of savoury flapjacks, I love them with drinks or just as a tasty nibble on their own. Adapted from The Cranks Recipe Book. CHEESEJACKS & …Read more
Apricot & Almond Scones take a classic combination and use it to flavour wonderfully light, American-style scones. Dried apricots are soaked to bring them back to plump lusciousness and are complemented by flaked almonds and a touch of almond extract. Heavenly with a light drizzle …Read more
Raspberry & Coconut Scones might just be my best ever scone. Bursting with juicy raspberries and with the sweet taste of coconut brought by desiccated coconut, coconut milk and a light coconut drizzle, I think they’re irresistible. Use fresh or frozen raspberries in these American-style …Read more
Dandelion Syrup made at home is an interesting little project if you’ve plenty of pesticide-free flowers. Use the golden, delicately flavoured syrup as you would honey: over pancakes, at breakfast with yogurt or oats. Indeed anywhere you want to add sweetness with a little intriguing …Read more
Sourdough Crackers are a satisfying way of using up excess sourdough starter. But I think they’re so good it’s worth making extra starter just so you can bake them. Great on their own as a tasty nibble, or eat with cheese, dips or as a …Read more
Blueberry & Lemon Scones, studded with juicy fruit & flavoured with zingy lemon zest, are a not-too-sweet, easy to make treat. Use fresh or frozen blueberries in these American-style scones. To most Brits, a scone is something you slice through the middle and …Read more
Cheese & Ham Scones with Wild Garlic are great when you fancy a change from classic cheese scones. Still with plenty of cheese, they’re also studded with little morsels of ham. When wild garlic is in season, I love the subtle flavour it brings. At …Read more
Gazpacho Smoothie with Wild Garlic is a refreshing drink or light meal with lots of raw blended vegetables. Perfect on a hot day, you can substitute a small clove of garlic and greens such as spinach when wild garlic isn’t in season. If you want …Read more
Coconut Oil Popcorn made at home is a fraction of the price of those expensive shop bought bags of ‘posh’ popcorn. Ready in less than 10 minutes, you’ll never go back to the packet stuff once you’ve tried this. We all need a …Read more
Savoury Granola, a mix of seeds and nuts toasted with your choice of flavourings, is great for quickly adding nutrition, texture and flavour to loads of different meals. Kept in a jar in the fridge, a batch will last for weeks, ready to sprinkle over …Read more
Tamarind & Mint Chutney is a fruity, sweet and sour, tangy Indian-style condiment. It’s great for dipping into with snacks like onion bhaji, spiced potato balls or aubergine fritters. Using convenient jarred tamarind paste, the chutney’s made in minutes. Just whizz the ingredients together and …Read more
Onion Bhaji are easy to make at home with none of the stodginess found in most supermarket versions. Mine have a very light batter so that the taste of the onions and spices come through. In this post I’ll also tell you about a simple …Read more
Sourdough Pancakes are a great way of using up some of the discard created when you feed your sourdough starter. Light and fluffy, these American-style pancakes are fantastic with butter and maple syrup. Eat as a weekend breakfast treat or dessert with warm berries and yogurt. But …Read more
Fresh Cream Muffins. How good does that sound? But it’s not just a filling of whipped, vanilla-scented cream that makes these muffins so special. There’s also a lemony preserve and juicy sultanas in the light, buttery muffins. Who doesn’t love a sweet muffin? Everyone will …Read more
Coconut & Coriander Chutney is a delightful combination of creaminess and tart lime with the freshness of herbs. I add a final tarka of fried mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried chilli to add depth of flavour. My favourite way of serving this Indian-style condiment …Read more
Aloo Bonda, also known as Batata Vada, are wonderful little spiced potato balls coated in a chickpea flour batter and deep fried. Served as a snack, starter or part of a larger Indian-style meal with chutneys for dipping, you’ll be surprised how such simple ingredients …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 …Read more
Basic Biscuit Dough is a great recipe to have in your repertoire. From this base, you can flavour the dough with all sorts of add-ins to make a range of tempting biscuits. In this post I share with you my basic dough for crisp, buttery …Read more
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, 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
Grain Free Granola is great for breakfast sprinkled over yogurt or porridge and fruit or even smoothies. Suitable for gluten-free diets, it’s packed with coconut, seeds and nuts, but without the added sugar of commercial varieties. Made in less than 30 minutes, it keeps in …Read more
Broad Bean Paté with Goats’ Cheese & Mint is a wonderful dish for Spring and Summer. With a combination of earthy broad beans, tangy goats’ cheese, refreshing mint and a hint of lemon, it’s light but satisfying. It’s fabulous spread thickly on toasted bread or …Read more
Aubergine Fritters are one of those foods that are really simple but so satisfying: golden chickpea batter on the outside, soft and creamy inside. I think these could even convert those who don’t usually like aubergine, but the recipe works with courgette too. Paired with …Read more
Easy Seed Crackers are light, crispy and delicious. Grain-free, gluten-free, made with nothing but seeds, water and your chosen seasonings, they’re the perfect crunchy accompaniment to spreads, dips, soups or cheese. Add to lunch boxes or enjoy as a healthy nibble. If …Read more