Three Spring Recipes
Carrot cake screams ‘spring’ to me, and by adding some golden caramel into the frosting, you have a classic with a twist that (trust me) you’ll keep reaching for. It’s also worth taking advantage of dried and fresh edible flowers right now to give your desserts an elegant and unique finish that looks really impressive. And for those of you hosting this weekend, a pavlova is the perfect dessert to prepare ahead of time; simply assemble its parts when you’re ready to plate. They’re also the ideal blank canvas for vibrant rhubarb while it's in season. Finally, in those moments of downtime, I’ll be relaxing with a moreish honey madeleine alongside an afternoon cup of tea.
Rhubarb Raspberry Compote & Lemon Frangipane Meringue Tart
I always jump at the chance to use some Rhubarb. It’s one of my favourite ingredients and try to fit it into everything when its in season. The tartness from the Rhubarb marries really well with the sweet Raspberries in this tart. Layer in some nutty Almond Frangipane and its a perfect match. Little do you know its all sitting under that beautiful glossy meringue top.
Three Winter Warmer Recipes
I love adding a twist to classic recipes, keeping their comforting core but bringing in some new textures and flavours. I always try to cook with the seasons too, so right now is the perfect time to use winter citrus, apples and pears.
Brazil - Pão de Queijo
These evoke strong memories from my days working in a 5 star hotel. On long shifts where we all needed a pick me up; one of the Brazilian chefs, Tony, would make these for us. They really perked us up and meant we all got to stop for 5 minutes to eat together. This is a really easy recipe and the tapioca flour is a must! It’s responsible for these Pão de Queijo’s iconic texture.
Brown Butter, Espresso, Choc Chip Duo Cookie
Why choose between two cookies when you can have both?!
Sweden - Semlor
Typically eaten around Easter time these Cardamom buns are filled with a soft almond paste and finished off with a tall piping of lightly whipped vanilla cream. Delicious.