In The Test Kitchen

Every day, food director Jane Curran and the food team work on developing and testing new recipes for woman&home in our test kitchen. It's a big, white working kitchen on the 10th floor of our office building. It's got a view over London, but it's also got a wall of fridge-freezers, three ovens, two sinks and just about all the kitchen equipment we'll ever need (though there's a lot you can do with a sharp knife). It's in this test kitchen that the team comes up with new ideas for recipes, thinking about the latest food trends, what's piled high in Borough Market down the road and what people are Googling that week.

We're going to open the door of the test kitchen and share what we're working on. Follow what we're up to and share what you've been cooking on woman&home's Facebook page or on Twitter

using @womanandhome #inthetestkitchen.

Wine Hot Chocolate - We Tried The Foodie Trend Everyone's Talking About

25 October 2016

We've seen it all over Instagram and we wanted to try it for ourselves... Yes, we're talking about wine hot chocolate! Nearly equal parts milk and wine with broken shards of dark chocolate melted in, we had to give it a go and find out what the fuss was about. Here's what we thought...

Read the full blog post: Wine Hot Chocolate - We Tried The Foodie Trend Everyone's Talking About

6 Of The Best Tom Kerridge Recipes

6 July 2016

Celeb chef Tom Kerridge shares 6 of his best recipes with us - from his Weekend Roast Chicken (trust us, it's AMAZING), to his Green Chilli Con Carne which is a really exciting new take on the classic, you'll be amazed at just how easy they are to make!

Read the full blog post: 6 Of The Best Tom Kerridge Recipes

10 Delicious Ways With Shellfish

29 June 2016

There are 10 VERY simple rules you need to follow when buying shellfish. Follow our guide on how to make the most of your prawns, mussles, clams and oysters - and trust us when we say, keeping things simple is always best!

Read the full blog post: 10 Delicious Ways With Shellfish

10 Protein Rich Alternatives To Meat

22 June 2016

Protein is an essential part of a balanced diet, and most people get theirs from red meat which is also rich in iron and vitamin B12, but if you're vegetarian or simply want to cut down your meat-intake, there are so many alternative sources. We've rounded up the 10 best protein-rich alternatives to meat for you to try!

Read the full blog post: 10 Protein-Rich Alternatives To Meat

3 Drinks Real Dads Want For Father's Day

15 July 2016

If you're wondering what your loved one REALLY wants for Father's Day this year (Sunday 19 June), why not take the advice of our three daddy bloggers and buy him a bottle of something he's sure to love. What's even better is that these all make FAB last minute gifts too!

Read the full blog post: 3 Drinks Real Dads Want For Father's Day

5 Cupcake Decorating Ideas

8 June 2016

It's The Alzheimer's Society's first ever Cupcake Day on 16 June and all over the UK, people will be baking and decorating cupcakes to raise money for the charity. Sign up for a free Cupcake Kit and find inspiration on how to decorate them with our 5 easy decorating ideas. Happy baking!

Read the full blog post: 5 Cupcake Decorating Ideas

7 Things You Didn't Know About James Martin

1 June 2016

He's one of the nation's best loved TV chefs, but how much do YOU know about James Martin? Find out what he's been up to since finishing Saturday Kitchen, how he enjoys spending his free time, what makes him nervous and loads more about the Yorkshire-born chef.

Read the full blog post: 7 Things You Didn't Know About James Martin

Peter Gordon's Crusty Baked Wasabi Mushrooms

25 May 2016

Celeb chef Peter Gordon let us visit him at home to see how he makes these fab crusty baked wasabi mushrooms from his book Savour: Salads for All Seasons. Make as a starter or a main for a really fresh new take on a salad.

Find the recipe: Peter Gordon's Crusty Baked Wasabi Mushrooms

7 Healthy Cookbooks You Need In Your Life

18 May 2016

There are SO many healthy cookbooks out there, but which ones are going to fit in with your life and schedule? Here's our edit of healthy cookbooks that we LOVE and that should get you cooking with healthier, fresh ingredients!

Read the full blog post: 7 Healthy Cookbooks You Need In Your Life

James Martin's St Emilion Macarons

11 May 2016

One of our favourite celeb chefs, James Martin stopped off at the woman&home test kitchen to show us how to make his incredible St Emilion macarons. For those of you who miss watching him on Saturday mornings, here he is, doing what he does best!

Find the recipe: James Martin's St Emilion Macarons

José Pizarro's Baked Eggs With Jamon, Peas And Tomatoes

4 May 2016

Acclaimed chef and restaurateur José Pizarro popped into the test kitchen to show us how to make his fab baked eggs with jamon, peas and tomatoes recipe. This recipe is SO good to share and perfect served with crusty bread for dipping! Brunch is sorted.

Find the recipe: José Pizarro's Baked Eggs with Jamon, Peas and Tomatoes

The New Iced Coffee Everyone's Talking About

13 April 2016

Forget frappuccinos and iced lattes; ever thought of trying a coffee tonic? Coffee tonic is an iced coffee that's so easy to make at home and has been creating quite a buzz among coffee aficionados. It's a refreshing summer drink that gives you the buzz of a coffee and the ritual of cocktail, though it's alcohol-free. We wanted to find out for ourselves whether this combination actually works, and here's what we found when we made it ourselves in the test kitchen...

Read the full article: The New Iced Coffee Everyone's Talking About

7 Kitchen Gadgets That You'll Actually Use Every Day

6 April 2016

You don't need loads of kitchen equipment to make cooking easier, but it's good to know which gadgets are worth spending money on and which ones aren't. We've made things a lot easier and picked out our top 7 kitchen gadgets and we promise you'll find yourself using them every day too.

Read the full blog post: 7 Kitchen Gadgets That You'll Actually Use Every Day

Tefal ActiFry Review: Does It Work?

30 March 2016

So we'd heard that it only takes a spoonful of oil to make a kilo's worth of chips in a Tefal ActiFry, but we almost couldn't believe it - so we tried it for ourselves. Find out what we thought and whether the chips passed the test of being fluffy on the inside and perfectly golden on the outside.

Read the full blog post: Tefal ActiFry Review: Does It Work?

The Hot Cross Bun Twist Everyone's Talking About

16 March 2016

We saw it in a TV ad and we couldn't wait to give it a go. What are we talking about...? Hot cross buns with bacon, of course! Does it work? We'll tell you EXACTLY what we thought about it.

Read the full blog post: The Hot Cross Bun Twist Everyone's Talking About

7 Ways To Cut Your Food Waste

2 March 2016

Do you buy food that ends up going in the bin? Are you clear on what the difference between a use-by, best-before and sell-by date is? We've got 7 simple tips for cutting your food waste (and saving some money along the way!).

Read the full blog post: 7 Ways To Cut Your Food Waste

The Best Easter Eggs In The Shops

24 February 2016

Find the best Easter eggs in the shops this year - there's something to suit every taste and budget, from giant hand-finished masterpieces, to smaller tokens for the kids. There are so many options to choose from, so we've given you a helping hand!

How To Taste Wine In 4 Easy Steps

17 February 2016

Wine tasting can be daunting if you've never done it before. If you're wondering what you're meant to think about while sniffing it, when to spit or whether you're doing it right, relax! We've made things super easy and broken it down into 4 easy steps so you'll be wine tasting like a pro in no time!

Read the full blog post: How To Taste Wine In 4 Easy Steps

9 Worst Types of Dinner Party Guest

10 February 2016

No matter how hard you prep for your dinner party, there doesn't seem to be a foolproof way of arming yourself against nightmare guests. We've all hosted for someone who's committed one of these 9 dinner party faux pas, and if you've been unlucky enough to host for more than one, then our hat goes off to you! Just make sure you leave them off the guest list next time...

Read the full blog post: 9 Worst Types of Dinner Party Guest

10 Inventive Ways To Improve A Salad

27 January 2016

Trying to eat healthy but bored of the same old salad recipes? Forget about eating the same bland leaves day after day and find out how to bring some excitement back into your menu with these 10 fantastic, inventive ways to improve a salad.

Read the full blog post: 10 Inventive Ways To Improve A Salad

10 Foods To Boost Your Immune System

20 January 2016

It's that time of year again when we're on a bit of a low after the festivities and the cold weather has started to take its toll a little. If you feel like your body is in need of a little boost, try these 10 fantastic foods to support your immune system and you'll be glowing!

Read the full blog post: 10 Foods To Boost Your Immune System

9 Healthy Eating Changes Everyone Can Make

13 January 2015

It's the start of the new year and we all have resolutions and plans for how we can improve our diet and lifestyle. Often, however, our goals and expectations are unrealistic and unachievable, but it really is possible to make a few small swaps and still see and feel a world of difference. Find out the small healthy eating changes you make that will make a big difference.

Read the full blog post: 9 Healthy Eating Changes Anyone Can Make

4 Cheeses Every Cheeseboard Needs

9 December 2015

One of the main pleasures of a dinner pary is the cheeseboard at the end, so if you're hosting and aren't sure which cheeses to choose for yours, have a look at our guide and pick the cheeses that are an absolute must!

Read the full blog post: 4 Cheeses Every Cheeseboard Needs

7 Christmas Dinner Mistakes That Everyone Makes

2 December 2015

Hoping your Christmas dinner will go off without a hitch? We know that it's hard work and sometimes things don't go quite to plan, but here are the 7 most common mistakes people will make this year and how to avoid them.

Read the full blog post: 7 Christmas Dinner Mistakes That Everyone Makes

Nutri-Blitzer Review: How Does It Work?

25 November 2015

Smoothies are a great way of getting your 5-a-day, but when it comes to choosing a blender/juicer/blitzer (whatever you want to call it), where do you begin looking? There are so many choices out there, so we decided to give the JML Nutri-Blitzer a go to find out whether it's as good as it claims to be...

Read the full blog post: Nutri-Blitzer Review: How Does It Work?

Stir-Up Sunday

18 November 2015

It's time to get cracking with preparing your Christmas pudding! It's Stir-Up Sunday this weekend, which means you can gather in the kitchen with the whole family and get cracking with it. What is Stir-Up Sunday exactly and where does the tradition come from? Find out the answers, as well as a fantastic recipe for a classic Christmas pudding in this week's blog post.

Read the full blog post: Stir-Up Sunday

What Is Bulletproof Coffee?

11 November 2015

You may have already heard of the the celebrity food trend that is bulletproof coffee, but if you haven't, it's essentially coffee blended with butter and coconut oil. Sound bizarre? We thought so too, so we decided to give it a go in the test kitchen and find out what all the fuss was about. Find out how we got on...

Read the full blog post: What Is Bulletproof Coffee?

The Making Of The Christmas Issue

4 November 2015

woman&home's December issue is out now and it's packed with all the recipes you'll need for your best Christmas feast ever, as well as a special Christmas food supplement to inspire you when you're entertaining. As we all know, it's going to be a busy month! For the first time, the food team has revealed what it's like behind the scenes of our big Christmas food shoot and how we develop, test and cook exactly as we say in the magazine. Watch our video to a peek into our busiest time of year, as well as Food Director Jane Curran's must-haves for cooking Christmas dinner.

Read the full blog post: Behind The Scenes Of The Christmas Food Shoot

Unique Christmas Gifts For Foodies

28 October 2015

It was this weekend, crunching on fallen leaves and pulling our coats tighter, that we thought about Christmas shopping properly for the first time. There are 8 Saturdays until Christmas, so now's the time to start planning. This is where we come in. The food team has selected the best Christmas gifts for foodies that we could find, ranging from stocking fillers under £10 to cookery courses and kitchen gadgets that cost more than £100, with lots of best value finds in between. This Sagaform colour pop tea pot is officially on our list.

9 Things We've Learned About Paul Hollywood

21 October 2015

We learned 9 random facts about Paul Hollywood when we caught 5 minutes with him. We already know he's the king of baking, but did you know his son is his harshest critic, what he'd have for breakfast as a child at his dad's bakery and what we can expect from the next series of Bake Off!

Read the full blog post: 9 Things We Learned About Paul Hollywood

13 Things To Remember When Hosting A Dinner Party

14 October 2015

It's officially dinner party season! As the long nights draw in, we'll inevitably end up spending more time indoors which gives us the perfect reason to bring together our nearest and dearest and host. If you want your dinner party to go off without a hitch and for guests to leave feeling full, looked-after and perfectly content, make sure you've gone through our checklist before your guests arrive!

Read the full blog post: 13 Things To Remember When Hosting A Dinner Party

7 Things We Learned From The Great British Bake Off

7 October 2015

It's the Bake Off final tonight, which means that Mary and Paul will be putting the remaining three contesants through their paces one last time. They've really been tested this season, having to make elaborate Victorian bakes, learning to use alternative ingredients as well as foods no one had heard of before. We too feel like we've picked up a thing or two along the way, so here they are, the 7 things we learned from this season's Great British Bake Off.

Read the full blog post: 7 Things We Learned From The Great British Bake Off

Food Boxes: The Best Subscription Boxes

30 September 2015

Food shopping has changed forever! Find the best food subscription boxes that take the hassle out of shopping, including recipe and meal boxes, cocktail making kits and a wine subscription. Have a bit of fun with your food, experiment with new ingredients and recipes and forget about wasting hours every week in the supermarket!

Read the full blog post: Food Boxes: The Best Subscription Boxes

How To Make Chocolate Curls

23 September 2015

How do you take an ordinary cake or dessert and really take it to the next level? How do you make it look really professional? The answer's simple - by adding chocolate curls. It might look like a really cheffy skill, but in actual fact it couldn't be easier to make them and they can really add a touch of class to your pud. Our food experts reveal the secrets to making the perfect chocolate curls every time; all you need to do is follow our step-by-step guide.

Read the full blog post: How To Make Chocolate Curls

What's In A HelloFresh Box?

16 September 2015

A recipe box that is delivered to your door, with all the ingredients already measured out for you? We were interested. Food Director Jane Curran unboxes one in the test kitchen and tries out one of the recipes. But what will she make of it?

Read the full blog post: What's In A HelloFresh Box?

DIY Liqueurs

9 September 2015

Now's the perfect time to bottle the last of summer and make your own DIY liqueurs. It's one of the more sociable ways to start preserving. The beauty of it is that unlike making jam or chutney, homemade liqueur takes minutes to prepare. This is all about the waiting game, which means you'll have something delicious to look forward to in a few months' time or (whisper it) give as a gift come Christmas.

Read the full blog post: 5 Homemade Liqueur Recipes That Are Worth The Wait

Free-From Bakes Made Simple

2 September 2015

This week, the Bake Off contestants are getting in a sweat over baking for an intolerance and using alternative ingredients. Now, avoiding processed sugar, gluten and dairy when baking needn't be difficult and shouldn't put you off! Experiment with new ingredients and be creative. To get you started, we've rounded up some of our easiest free-from bakes and thrown in a few tips for good measure...

Read the full blog post: Free-From Bakes Made Simple

So Easy! 3-Ingredient Desserts

25 August 2015

While the Bake Off contestants go mad over Spanische Windtorte (no idea either!), we're taking it easy in the test kitchen this week. VERY easy. We're going to prove that you don't need to have a meltdown over meringue and the like to make a delicious dessert. We've got 7 impressive desserts that need just 3 ingredients (or fewer!). Don't believe us? Take a look.

Read the full blog post: 3-Ingredient Desserts

How To Bake Bread: 7 Tips You Need To Read First

19 August 2015

There's going to be an awful lot of pushing and pulling (and plenty of anxious waiting-by-the-oven shots) on the Great British Bake Off tonight as the contestants will be making bread under the watchful blue eyes of Paul Hollywood. We feel for them, and we know how frustrating it can be when you've spent all that time and effort (that dough won't knead itself!) only to feel disappointed with the results. This week, we're sharing the 7 stages of making bread and what to expect, so that your baking will be foolproof every time.

Read the full blog post: How To Bake Bread: 7 Tips You Need To Read First

9 Secrets To Making Biscotti

12 August 2015

It's just two weeks into the Great British Bake Off and they're already busting out a technical challenge that no one has ever heard of (and we include ourselves in that: what ARE arlettes?!). Who's got time to make puff pastry anyway, let alone in reverse? The real star of the show is biscotti. These twice-baked Italian almond biscuits are quietly sophisticated and a match for coffee, dessert wine or liqueur. Plus, it's easy to make them when you know how.

Read the full blog post: 9 Secrets To Making Biscotti

7 Baking Mistakes Everyone Makes

5 August 2015

This week, just as in about every other kitchen (and office!) across the UK, we're all about the Great British Bake Off. Twelve contestants are going to bake it out in front of judges Paul and Mary, making madeira cake (pictured), frosted walnut cake and Black Forest gateaux. We know they're talented because they made it this far, but some will crack like eggs under the pressure... It got us thinking, what are the baking mistakes that everyone makes without even realising?

Rad the full blog post: 9 Baking Mistakes That Everyone Makes

Have you got baking tips? Share them on woman&home's Facebook page or tweet us using @womanandhome #inthetestkitchen.

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