This Chocolate and hazelnut roulade is a firm favourite at Christmas time, thanks to the Ferrero Rocher and Baileys flavours. 

For those looking for an alternative to classic festive puds, this roulade is a good crowd-pleaser, as chocolate and Baileys recipes always go down a treat.  However, the Baileys in this recipe is optional, so if you're making a dessert for kids as well as adults, you can leave it out of the filling. 

We recommend assembling the roulade several hours ahead of your guests' arrival. Then, just pop it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.

Ingredients

• 100g hazelnuts
• 4 large, free-range eggs (separated)
• 75g golden caster sugar
• 75g self-raising flour
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder for dusting (optional)
• 300ml double cream
• 1-2 tbsp icing sugar (optional)
• 1 tbsp Baileys (optional)
• 15 Fererro Rocher (we used a selection or original, dark and white)
• 8 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread

You will also need a 25cm x 32cm Swiss Roll tin, lightly greased and lined with baking paper so that it is slightly higher than the edges of the tin. 

Method

• Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. Toast the nuts in the oven while it warms up. Set the nuts aside to cool, then blitz 75g of the nuts in a food processor until finely ground. Chop the remaining nuts and then set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together for 5-6 minutes until very thick and creamy. Gently sift in the finely ground nuts, flour, nutmeg and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Beat a spoonful of egg white into the cake mix to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest, being careful not to knock out too much air.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle over the reserved, chopped hazelnuts. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the sponge is risen, golden and springy. Turn the hot sponge out onto a sheet of baking paper dusted with caster sugar, then roll up from the long side like a Swiss roll with the paper. Set aside to cool.
• For the filling, whip the cream, icing sugar and Baileys (if using) into soft peaks, then set aside about ⅓ for finishing. Finely chop most of the Ferrero Rochers, reserving a few to decorate, and fold into the cream.
• Unroll the sponge and spread the inside with the hazelnut spread, then the cream mixture. Roll up again into a spiral. Transfer to a serving board or plate and dollop on the reserved cream. Roughly chop the reserved chocolates and use to decorate the roulade, then dust with cocoa powder and slice to serve.

Baileys cheesecake is such an indulgence – it’s perfect for a special occasion, especially around Christmas when you’re looking for that show-stopping dessert that you know everyone will be impressed by. 

This Christmas cheesecake recipe really is very easy to make and you just need to follow a few simple steps, before popping it in the fridge to chill until your guests arrive. A fantastic dinner party dessert, your guests will be more than impressed.

As far as Baileys recipes go, this is one of our favourites. Get this sparkly cheesecake out for something very special to end a festive meal. 

Ingredients

For the base:

• 200g Amaretti biscuits, crushed in a food processor 
• 100g salted butter, melted
• 1sp mixed spice

For the creamy filling:

• 300ml double cream
• 350g soft cheese
• 100g caster sugar
• 4 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream

For the jelly top:

• 2 leaves platinum-grade gelatine
• 5 tbsp cranberry juice
• 2 tsp golden balls and star sprinkles to decorate

You will also need:

• 20cm round spring-form tin, lined with baking paper

Method

1. Start by making the jelly top. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out each sheet, then stir into 150ml of just-boiled water until dissolved. Stir in the cranberry juice and set aside to cool. 
2. Mix together the biscuits, butter and mixed spice until it looks like wet sand. Tip into the lined tin, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon to smooth. Chill while you prepare the filling.
3. In a mixing bowl, whip the double cream to soft peaks, then add the soft cheese, sugar and Baileys, whisking together until the mixture is stiff. Spoon onto the base of the cheesecake, smoothing the top to level and make a shallow, swirled groove with the back of a teaspoon by rotating the tin. 
4. Slowly pour over the cooled jelly topping, then leave to chill for 2 hours before serving.
5. To serve, score the edge of the jelly layer/filling with a sharp knife, then remove the tin. Take care not to pull the cheesecake apart. Scatter over the golden balls and star sprinkles. 

Master this chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted praline for a seriously impressive pudding to serve when hosting. 

Similar to a chocolate brownie mix, this rich chocolate cake also happens to be gluten-free and it's a fantastic alternative Christmas pudding option.  

Unlike some Baileys recipes, the liqueur in this dessert is in the cream that you add to serve, instead of in the actual torte, so if you've got little ones coming to lunch, they can still enjoy the chocolate pud just without the cream.

Ingredients

• 150g butter
• 325g dark chocolate
• 150g caster sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 50g ground almonds

For the Baileys cream:

• 200ml double cream
• 1-2tbsp sifted icing sugar
• 4tbsp Baileys original liqueur

For the salted almond praline:

• 50 g caster sugar
• 25g chopped blanched almonds, toasted

Method

• Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with a layer of tin foil. Very carefully scatter over the sugar making sure the layer is as even as possible and covers most of the surface. Bake for 10 mins. Check to see if the sugar has melted and turned golden. If yes, remove from the oven. If not, then cook for a further 1-2 mins.
• As soon as the caramel is out from the oven, scatter over the nuts and a little sea salt. Leave to set. Once cold, break into pieces and blend in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.
• To make the cake, melt the butter, chocolate and sugar in a bowl set over gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 5 mins.
• Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Then whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with electric beaters until stiff but not dry. Fold them into the chocolate mixture with the ground almonds.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 35 mins until risen and the top feels firm. Cool in the tin for 5 mins then transfer to a wire rack until completely cold.
• To make the Bailey's cream, use an electric whisk and whip the cream and icing sugar together until firm and then gradually whisk in the liqueur.
• Dust the cake with cocoa powder, serve in wedges with the Bailey's cream and almond praline. Add a little gold leaf to each serve if wished.

TOP TIP: The texture of the cake should be really moist and fudge-like. To test it, insert a skewer into the middle. It should come out piping hot and clean, but slightly tacky to the touch. 

This chocolate, hazelnut and Irish cream liqueur bombe has two essential qualities that makes it the perfect alternative Christmas pudding; it can be made in advance to save time on the day and it's an easy crowd-pleaser.

Baileys recipes always go down well at Christmas time and this quick recipe can be completed in three simple steps that will take you under 45 minutes from start to finish. 

Looking for Christmas dessert ideas that are suitable for kids? Simply omit the Irish cream liqueur from this pud for a booze free option, and use any chocolate you like in the ice cream instead. 

Ingredients

• 365g chocolate Swiss roll, cut into 1cm slices
• 150g dark chocolate
• 400ml double cream
• 1 x 397g tin condensed milk
• 75ml Irish cream liqueur
• 150g Ferrero Rocher, crushed
• 50g dark chocolate
• 10g butter
• ½ tbsp caster sugar
• 100ml double cream

You will also need a 21cm 2 litre bowl lined with 2 layers of cling film for this recipe.

Method

1. Line the bowl with slices of swiss roll, breaking up the last few slices to plug any gaps. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring after 30 second intervals until completely melted. Spread this over the swiss roll and place into the freezer for 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the cream and condensed milk together until it forms soft peaks. Fold in the liqueur and Ferrero Rocher, pour into the lined bowl, place back into the freezer for at least 6 hrs.
3. When ready to serve, make the chocolate sauce by melting the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. In a separate pan melt the butter with the caster sugar and double cream. When the sugar has dissolved, combine with the melted chocolate. Pour over the bombe to serve. Crumble over any remaining Ferrero Rocher, if desired.

This Stracciatella chocolate orange bombe Alaska is a luxurious pudding that takes a lot less effort than it looks to put together, making it a simple showstopper to serve this Christmas.

We love Christmas dessert ideas that can be completely made ahead and this recipe is one of them. The meringue turns almost marshmallowy in texture and it will keep well for 2-3 days. 

For added wow factor when you serve this pudding, add indoor sparklers!

Ingredients

For the praline:

• 60g caster sugar
• 55g whole almonds 
• 16 viennese biscuits
• For the ice cream:
• 1tin condensed milk 
• 600ml double cream
• 1tbsp vanilla paste
• 2 flakes, sliced into shards
• 1 large orange, zested and juiced
• 3tbsp Cointreau (optional)

For the meringue:

• 3 medium free range egg whites
• 180g caster sugar
• 2tsp cocoa powder

You will also need a 24cm (1.5ltr) glass pudding bowl, lined with two layers of cling film.

Method

1. Start with the praline: lightly grease a small baking tray with a little oil.  In a saucepan, heat the caster sugar over medium heat until it melts into a caramel, swirl around the pan as you do this to melt evenly. Stir in the nuts and leave on the heat for a minute or two to toast the nuts. Pour the mixture onto the greased tin and set aside to harden. 
2. Once cooled, break up the pieces and either finely chop or place in a food processor and pulse to chop roughly. Set aside. 
3. For the ice cream, whisk the cream and condensed milk together until thick. Fold in the shards of flake, orange zest and juice and Cointreau if using.
4. Pour half the ice cream mixture into the lined pudding bowl. Sprinkle over the praline, then pour over the remaining mixture. Place the biscuits over the top in an even layer. Cover with clingfilm and freeze for 6hrs or overnight. 
5. Just before serving, finish the bombe with the meringue covering. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time and continue whisking. Once you have a smooth glossy mixture, fold in the cocoa gently to create a ripple effect.
6. Remove the bombe from the freezer and sit in hot water for a minute to loosen. Turn upside down onto a platter or stand, and remove the cling film. Spoon over the meringue topping to cover the ice cream. Blow torch the meringue to toast, then serve immediately.

These Chocolate coffee brownie mince pies are a moreish twist on a classic festive treat

Made in advance, they're ready to serve as a surprise when you have guests over during the holidays.

The sweetness of these festive treats is carefully balanced with the bitterness of the coffee, making for a delicious pudding that is sure to surprise and delight.

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 210g flour
• 2tbsp icing sugar
• 120g butter
• 1 medium egg

For the filling:

• 75g butter
• 100g chocolate, melted
• 125g light muscovado sugar
• 75g plain flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 2tsp instant espresso coffee powder, mixed with 2tbsp boiling water
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 260g mincemeat
• Icing sugar, to dust

You will also need a 12-hole muffin tin and a 10cm cutter for this recipe.

Method

• For the pastry: in a food processor, pulse the flour and icing sugar with the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse until a dough is formed. Wrap with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 mins.
• For the filling: melt the butter and chocolate together over a low heat. In a separate bowl, mix together the muscovado, flour and baking powder. Stir in the melted butter mixture, espresso mix and eggs.
• Heat the oven to 160Fan/Gas 4. Roll the pastry out on a well floured surface, to 3mm thickness. Using a 10cm cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Press into a 12 hole muffin tin.
• Spoon heaped teaspoons of the fruit mince into the base of the pie, then top with the brownie mixture. Fill the mixture to just below the pastry rim. Bake in the oven for 18-20mins until puffed up and cooked through.
• Remove and allow to cool before dusting with icing sugar and serving.

These dainty madeleines are the ultimate afternoon treat. The zingy bottlegreen Summer Raspberry cordial adds a delicious flavour to the icing and a gorgeous, subtle pink colour.

The cakes only take 10 minutes to bake and use mostly store cupboard ingredients, making them the ideal last minute bake if you have unexpected guests over for tea. If you don’t have madeleines tins, fairy cake tins make a good alternative.

Instead of dried rose petals for decoration, you could use freeze-dried raspberries or simply a little more finely grated lemon zest. Alternatively, you could drizzle the madeleines with melted white chocolate for a sweet finish.

Ingredients

• 100g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100g plain flour
• ½tsp baking powder
• 100g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• Finely grated zest ½ unwaxed lemon
• 75g icing sugar
• 2 - 3tbsp bottlegreen Summer Raspberry Cordial
• Dried rose petals, to decorate, optional

You will need

• 2 x 12-hole nonstick madeleine tins

Method

1. Whisk the caster sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer for 5 - 8 mins until thick enough to leave a trail.
2. Sieve the flour and baking powder over the egg mixture and gently fold in. Fold in the melted butter and lemon zest then cover and chill for at least 30 mins or overnight.
3. Butter the tins generously and place into the freezer or fridge. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
4. Place a spoonful of batter into each of the holes, the mixture will spread as it cooks so don’t worry about levelling the surface. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the centre has risen into a hump and the madeleines are golden and springy to the touch. 
5. Meanwhile, stir together the icing sugar and cordial until smooth and thick then brush over the scalloped side of the warm madeleines. Leave to cool and set before transferring to a serving plate and scattering with rose petals. 

Womanandhome.com created this recipe as part of a paid partnership with Bottlegreen.

Semifreddo is a delicious frozen dessert with a light, mousse-like texture. This recipe, flavoured with bottlegreen Pomegranate and elderflower cordial, takes just 20 minutes to make and only uses six ingredients.

For the most attractive finish we suggest slicing the semifreddo and serving with a scattering of extra pomegranate seeds and roasted, chopped pistachios.

It’s a good idea to roast nuts in bulk so you always have them on hand for future recipes. We recommend cooking on 180C/Gas 10 on a lined baking tray for 8-12 minutes. Keep a close eye on them and shake the tray regularly as they can quickly turn from golden to burnt.

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• 4 egg yolks
• 125ml Bottlegreen Pomegranate & Elderflower Cordial 
• 250ml mascarpone
• 90g pomegranate seeds, plus extra for decoration
• 50g pistachio nuts, roasted and chopped

You will need

• 900ml loaf tin, line the base and sides with a single sheet of baking paper that overhangs

Method

1. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and set aside. 
2. Use an electric whisk to beat the yolks with half the cordial for about 10 mins, until the mixture is thick and foamy.
3. Beat the mascarpone and remaining cordial until softly peaking. Fold the mixtures, pomegranate seeds and pistachios together.
4. Pour into the tin and freeze until firm - at least 4 hrs. 
5. Run a knife along each short end then invert onto a serving plate and peel away the paper. Scatter over the extra pomegranate seeds and nuts for decoration.

Womanandhome.com created this recipe as part of a paid partnership with Bottlegreen.

This Eton mess tart combines all the flavours you would traditionally expect from this very British dessert with a modern chocolate twist.

Eton Mess 
is a pudding that is over 130 years old, but it's always in fashion thanks to its enduring popularity and simplicity. 

For a pudding that will really impress guests, try this twist on the traditional sweet treat by making an Eton mess tart - a perfect dinner party dessert or sweet course if planning lunch ideas for entertaining friends.

The key to nailing this recipe is all in the chilling - so make ahead if you think you might be rushed on the day you're planning on serving it. 

Ingredients

• 230g ready-rolled all-butter shortcrust pastry
• 250g mascarpone
• 200g white chocolate, broken 
into pieces
• 100g butter
• 50ml double cream
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• a few strawberries, mini meringues, and mint leaves (to decorate)

You will also need a 20cm tart tin, baking beans 
and baking paper.

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190C/Gas Mark 5. Line the tin with the pastry, pushing into the edges and trimming off the excess. Chill for 30mins.
2. Line with baking paper, fill with baking beans and bake for 20mins. Remove the beans and paper, prick the base with a fork, and bake for 10 mins, until crisp and golden.
3. For the filling, melt the mascarpone, chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir once melted and set aside to cool.
4. Whip the cream and vanilla, and gently fold through the mixture. Pour into the pastry case and chill until set.
5. Decorate with the fruit, meringues and mint leaves.

If you're planning a Jubilee party or any UK-themed celebrations this very British cheesecake recipe with its eye-catching Union Jack design is an easy crowd-pleaser.

Whether served as a dinner party dessert, as the show-stopping final course when entertaining friends for lunch, or as a delicious picnic pud, this British cheesecake is a great go-to recipe.

For the perfect Union Jack design on the top of your cheesecake, use a ruler when you decorate it. This will keep your lines straight and will avoid the hassle of rearranging the berries.

If you really want to impress (and have time!), polish your blueberries with some kitchen roll - it will make the colour contrast much more pronounced for a picture-perfect pudding.

Ingredients

• 250g (9oz) Hobnobs biscuits
• 125g (4½oz) butter, melted
• 1 vanilla pod
• 600g (1lb 5oz) full-fat Philadelphia
• 100g (4oz) icing sugar
• 284ml pot double cream

For the topping:

• 350g (12oz) blueberries 
• 350g (12oz) raspberries

You will also need:

• 25.5cm (10in) cake tin with removable base, lightly oiled

Method

1. For the cheesecake recipe base, whizz the biscuits with the melted butter until you have fine crumbs. Press into the base of the tin and chill.
2. To make the filling, split the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife, and add to a large mixing bowl with the cream cheese and icing sugar, and beat until smooth. 
3. Whip the cream separately until you have soft peaks, then gently beat into the cream cheese mixture. 
4. Spoon the mixture on to the biscuit base and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, but overnight is better, if you have time.
5. To decorate, run a knife gently around the edges of the cheesecake, remove from the tin and slide it off its base. Arrange the berries in the shape of the Union Jack and serve immediately, or keep in the fridge until needed.

For more fun ideas for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, see our round up of the best Jubilee decorations, take our Royal Family quiz or check out the cheapest Prosecco and champagne deals in the supermarkets to serve some fizz with your very British cheesecake!

This Easter carrot cake is a real showstopper. Using carrots and pineapple in the cake mix makes it so moist, and pecans, coconut and sultanas create a great texture.

Our Easter carrot cake is a semi-naked cake, meaning that it isn’t fully iced, leaving a little of the cake on show. This style of cake is still on trend, and also a lot less effort than icing a full cake! While there are many different Easter carrot cake decorating ideas you can try, we've used fondant icing to create mini carrots and foraged some gypsophila from the garden for a soft, spring finish to the cake.

When it comes to Easter cake ideas, an Easter carrot cake is an impressive and moreishly tasty crowd-pleaser, albeit not as traditional as a Simnel cake.

This multi-layered cake never fails to impress – we add ours as the centrepiece to our Easter table décor with a few Easter biscuits to complete the look.

You will need four 18cm sandwich tins lined with baking parchment for this recipe, but you can also bake the cake in batches if you don’t have enough tins. 

Ingredients

• 325g plain flour
• 125g wholemeal flour
• 1tbsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2tbsp ground cinnamon
• 300g unrefined caster sugar
• 300ml sunflower oil
• 4 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 1tbsp vanilla extract
• 100g each chopped pecans, desiccated coconut and sultanas
• 300g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
• 432g can pineapple chunks (drained weight 260g), drained and puréed

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 560g Philadelphia cream cheese
• 200g butter, softened
• 200g icing sugar, sifted

For the Easter carrot cake decoration:

• 250g pack fondant icing
• few drops each orange and green food colouring

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C. In a very large bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together. Stir in the sugar, then the oil and eggs. Mix it all together then add the remaining ingredients. 
2. Give it all a good mix then divide equally between the cake tins (or leave half in the fridge while you bake 2). 
3. Bake the cakes for 20-25 mins until springy and cooked through. 
4. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a cooling rack.
5. To make the frosting, whisk half the cream cheese with the butter and sugar until well combined, then add the remaining cream cheese and beat together. 
6. Use the frosting to sandwich all the cakes together, then put onto your serving plate and cover the sides and top, using a palette knife.
7. To make the carrots for the decoration, colour two thirds of the fondant icing with a few drops of orange colouring. Knead the remaining icing with the green colouring.
8. Take small pinches of orange icing and roll into smooth rounds, before pinching one end. Repeat until you have as many as you want. 
9. Use a knife to create scratches in the carrots and use a toothpick to create a small dip in each top, where you’ll attach the “stalk”. To make the stalks, push the green icing through a garlic crusher. Pinch small bunches together and stick to the tops with a little water. Leave to dry before adding to the cake. 

This Easter biscuits recipe makes sweet and lightly spiced treats to enjoy this spring. They are easy to make and fun to decorate, making them the perfect recipe to bake if you're at home with kids or grandchildren over the Easter holidays.

These attractive biscuits are the perfect way to add some edible Easter decoration ideas to your Easter table décor; add a bowl of biscuits to the table or pop one biscuit next to each person's place name  around your Easter lunch table.

You can also use the iced biscuits to decorate Easter cakes, or just enjoy the process of making them and eating them afterwards!

This Easter biscuits recipe includes ginger and cinnamon to give a classic biscuit recipe a seasonal spin, but these spices can be removed if you prefer.

We made a simple pastel icing for these Easter biscuits by using just a tiny drop of food colouring. You will need disposable piping bags and fine-tip piping nozzles if you want to recreate a similar decoration for your biscuits. 

Ingredients

• 350g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2tsp ground ginger
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 125g butter
• 175g light soft brown sugar
• 1 large free-range egg
• 4tbsp golden syrup

For the icing:

• 4 free-range egg whites
• 900g icing sugar
• a few drops of food colouring, from supermarkets or craft shops ( just a tiny amount to make pastel colours)

Method

1. Mix together the dry ingredients and put into a food processor. Add the butter, whizz together then add the remaining ingredients and pulse until it comes together. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 mins. Roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin and cut out the shapes. Heat the oven to 180C. Put the biscuits onto lined baking trays and bake for 12-15 mins until light brown. Cool then put onto a wire rack.
2. To make the icing, whisk the egg whites and sugar together until smooth. separate the mixture into 3 bowls and colour each one separately.
3. To decorate, fill 3 piping bags fitted with nozzles, with half of the mixture from each bowl. Outline the edges of each cookie with icing, doing a third in each colour. 
4. Add a little water to the remaining mixtures. Fill 3 more piping bags and fill the centres with the corresponding colour of icing. Leave to set. Once hard, pipe on faces with the lining icing.

We love these rabbit-shaped cookie cutters from Lakeland, or you can also order a set of Easter-themed cookie cutters from Amazon which would also work really well with this recipe. 

Our Simnel cake recipe makes a traditional rich fruit cake for Easter topped with a layer of marzipan and 11 marzipan balls.

Simnel cakes have been eaten since medieval times, and although they are now thought of as a traditional Easter cake idea, the cake was originally a Mothering Sunday tradition. It is thought that the name of the cake comes from Latin, where the word 'simila' means fine, wheaten flour.

Much like a Christmas cake, a Simnel cake features many of the elements of a traditional fruit cake – namely a mixture of dried fruits such as sultanas, currants, raisins and candied mixed peel as well as the inclusion of brandy to 'feed' the cake. The main difference between a simnel cake recipe and Christmas cake is the use of marzipan. Unlike a Christmas cake where marzipan can be used under royal icing, on a Simnel cake the use of a marzipan layer on the top of the cake is the main decoration, along with eleven marzipan balls spread equally on the top, each symbolising Jesus's disciples (minus Judas).

You can make a Simnel cake up to a week ahead of when you want to eat it, but just ensure to add the marzipan layer no earlier than the day before you swerve it for freshness and flavour.

Ingredients

• 500g marzipan
• 175g butter
• 175g light muscovado sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 250g plain flour, sifted
• ½tsp baking powder
• 50g ground almonds
• 300g mix of raisins, sultanas and currants
• 50g candied peel, chopped
• zest 1 lemon
• 2tsp mixed spice
• 2tbsp milk
• 2tbsp brandy
• 1tbsp apricot jam

You will also need an 18cm loose-bottomed cake tin, greased and double-lined with baking parchment for this Simnel cake recipe.

How to make Simnel cake:

• Preheat the oven to 170 C, 150 C fan, gas 3. Roll out a third of the marzipan into a round the size of the cake tin and set aside.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually add 3 eggs while beating.
• Sift in the flour and baking powder, fold in the almonds, then add the rest of the ingredients, apart from the apricot jam and the last egg.
• Spoon half the mixture into the cake tin, place the rolled out piece of marzipan on top, pressing lightly, then cover with the rest of the cake mix. Make a slight dip in the top of the mixture to stop it rising when cooking. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, until nicely browned, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool.
• Roll out half the remaining marzipan to the size of the cake. Spread a thin layer of apricot jam on the top of the cake and lightly press the layer of marzipan on, crimping the edges. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 balls. Beat the last egg and use to brush the cake top, then stick on the marzipan balls. Put the cake under a medium grill for a minute or so to glaze. The cake will keep for up to 7 days in an airtight container. You could also wrap it and store in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.

This easy hot cross buns recipe proves that while it's quick to pick up a packet from the shops, it's worth the extra effort to make some at home too. After all, there is nothing quite like a hot cross bun just out of the oven!

Just like a Simnel cake or Easter cake ideas, hot cross buns are synonymous with spring. Traditionally hot cross buns are eaten on Good Friday, but there's no reason why you can't tuck into these hot cross buns at any time of year.

As well as being  simpler than you think to make, the wonderful thing about homemade hot cross buns is the possibility of customising the recipe to your tastes. Add chunks of chocolate and a spoonful or two of marmalade to make the hot cross buns chocolate and orange flavour, or grate cheddar cheese for a savoury spin on the original recipe. 

You can also use any leftover hot cross buns to make a chocolatey hot cross bun bread & butter pudding. 

Ingredients:

• 250ml full-fat milk, warm to the touch, not hot
• 1 egg
• 7g sachet Yeast
• 500g strong white bread flour, pus extra for dusting
• 50g caster sugar
• 1/2tsp salt
• 2 tbsp mixed spice
• 100g Italian mixed peel
• 200g sultanas
• 1 lemon zest
• 1 orange zest
• 100g unsalted butter, softened

For the cross:

• 60g plain flour
• 1tsp vegetable oil

For the glaze:

• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 1/2tsp mixed spice

You will also need:

• piping bag
• floured oven tray

Method: 

1. Whisk together the milk, egg and yeast. Tip the flour, sugar, salt, mixed spice with the mixed peel and sultanas into the bowl of a mixer, mix with a using a dough hook while adding the liquid, once combined add the butter a little at a time and continue to knead with a dough hook until the dough has an elastic consistency.
2. Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and cut the dough into 10 pieces, mould each into a ball using the palm of your hand in a circular motion, push down firmly and the dough will spring back. Arrange the balls in the oven tray leaving a 2cm gap between each one. Leave in a warm place covered with a clean damp tea towel to proof for 1 hr 30 mins - 2 hrs, until they have almost doubled in size. Heat oven 250C, Gas 9.
3. To makes the crosses: mix the flour, oil with 5tbsp water, put into a piping bag and pipe crosses over the buns.
4. Put the buns in the oven and bake for 20 mins until golden on top.
5. For the glaze: Heat the cinnamon and jam with 1tsp of water in a small pan, mix to combine and brush over the warm buns.

If you love the flavours of traditional Christmas cake then you're going to adore this quick and easy cheat's version - a Christmas Cake Tray Bake that is perfect for when you don't have much time but still want to make something yourself to enjoy over the festivities. 

Like traditional Christmas cake decorating ideas, we've kept the classic icing of marzipan and fondant in this recipe to add taste and texture - as well as to help preserve the sponge's softness. You can drizzle the cake with a little brandy or rum to add extra flavour, or keep it booze-free for a family-friendly Christmas dessert.

You will need a 7x11 inch rectangular tray bake tin, lined with baking parchment, for this recipe.

Once made, your Christmas Cake Tray Bake will keep for between 2 and 3 weeks if stored in an airtight cake tin.

HOW TO MAKE A CHRISTMAS CAKE TRAY BAKE

Ingredients

• 125g (4 1/2 oz) butter, softened
• 125g (4 1/2oz ) golden caster sugar
• 3 small eggs
• 150g (5 oz) plain flour
• 500g (11b 2oz) mixed dried fruits
• 1 tsp mixed spice

To decorate:

• 1 tbsp warmed, sieved apricot jam
• 300g (10oz) marzipan
• 200g (7oz) royal icing sugar
• silver sugar balls or cake decorations

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 5.
2. Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until really light and creamy. Then gradually beat in the eggs. 
3. Fold in the flour, fruit and spice to give a soft dropping consistency.
4. Bake for 45-50 mins until just firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely.
5. Brush with apricot jam then roll out the marzipan on a lightly dusted work surface. Spread the top of the cake thinly with jam then press the marzipan on top.
6. Make up the royal icing sugar as directed on the pack, then place in a small piping bag, snip the end and drizzle over the cake. Decorate with sprinkles then cut into slices.

Err on the side of ‘underbaked’ with this Burnt Basque Cheesecake–it may look too wobbly, but trust us, its done! 

To give this cheesecake a festive spin and add it to our roster of favourite Christmas dessert ideas, we've added a mullberry sauce. But, if you can’t find fresh mulberries, or they’re out of season, you can substitute for blackberries and the cheesecake will still taste great. 

You will need a 20cm springform cake tin for this Christmas cheesecake recipe, which should be greased and lined before you begin.

How to make a Burnt Basque Cheesecake with Mulberry sauce:

Ingredients

For the cheesecake:

• 650g cream cheese, room temperature
• 200g granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 330g double cream, room temperature
• Pinch sea salt
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 30g plain flour, sieved

For the sauce:

• 350g fresh mulberries, stalks removed 
• 35g granulated sugar
• Zest and juice of 1/2 orange 
• 1tbsp honey
• 25ml dry sherry (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C/Gas 6. 
2. Start by lining the tin with a large square of parchment; pressing in the base, edges and sides, repeat by overlapping a second piece, ensuring it’s 5-6cm higher than the tin when lined. The edges will be creased and quite rough, this is what gives the cheesecake its charm.
3. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together in a stand mixer for around 5 mins until the sugar granules have dissolved. 
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour in the cream, followed by the salt, vanilla and flour. Make sure there are no lumps of flour in the mix and pour into the tin. 
5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45-50 mins, until the edges are a little firm but the middle still has a lot of wobble. The top of the cheesecake will rise and burn and possibly crack, but you mustn't panic - you want that. Overbaking will ruin the texture completely.
6. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for one hour - the cake will sink during this time, again that’s good. Place in the fridge to chill completely before serving. 
7. While the cake is chilling, you can make the sauce. Add all of the ingredients apart from the sherry to a saucepan and cook over a medium heat until the sweet mulberries burst and the liquid extracted has reduced by ⅔. Add in the sherry (if using), mix well and leave to cool.

Recipe and food styling by Keiron George

Give this wonderful Christmas pudding cheesecake a try if you have any leftovers following your Christmas Day feast.

This recipe if one of those easy Christmas dessert ideas that doesn't need cooking (so more space in your oven for the turkey and roast veg) and can also be prepped in advance and then fetched from the fridge when you're ready to enjoy it. 

One of the easier Christmas cheesecake recipes in our roster for the festive season, you will need a 18cm/7” cake tin to make it and you can adjust this recipe to your taste by adding as much Christmas pudding as you want (or have leftover).

If you know how to make a Christmas pudding from scratch, we suggest making extra this year so that you have enough for this crowd-pleasing dessert. 

How to make a Christmas pudding cheesecake:

Ingredients

• 150g leftover gingerbread biscuits (or gingernuts)
• 75g unsalted butter, melted
• 360g cream cheese
• 100g icing sugar
• 150ml whipping cream, lightly whipped
• 2tsp vanilla paste
• 5g powdered gelatin (soaked in 25ml water)
• 100-200g leftover Christmas pudding
•  4 clementines, peeled and sliced

Method

1. Blitz leftover gingerbread biscuits to a coarse crumb in a food processor, or add to a food bag and crush with a rolling pin. Mix with the melted butter and place into the base of the cake tin - pressing firmly with the back of a spoon. Chill.
2. Whisk the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together. Add the soaked gelatin to a small saucepan and melt over a low heat, add half of the cream cheese mixture and stir until melted. Whisk this back into the cream cheese until smooth and fold through the lightly whipped cream.
3. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the base, adding chunks of the leftover Christmas pudding. 
4. Place in the fridge for 4 hrs, or overnight, until set.
5. Remove from the cake tin - you may need to run a palette knife around the edge, or lightly heat the sides with a kitchen blow torch. Transfer to a cake stand or plate and arrange the clementine on top.

Recipes and food styling by Keiron George

Friands are also known as financiers and originate from France. They are beautiful and delicious bite-lets that work great as part of an afternoon tea or for serving with coffee. We've paired our friands with gooseberry and hazelnut but they work well with lots of different fruits such as blueberry, plum and raspberries.

Make sure you whisk up the egg whites really well as this is the only aeration that takes place. There's no self-raising flour or raising agent anywhere else. 

You can purchase a friand mould online but if you can't find one or there's no time, you can also use a muffin tin. Just make sure you grease your moulds well so that the tasty friands don't stick during cooking.

Ingredients

• 115g gooseberries
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 100g ground almonds
• 50g plain flour
• 175g icing sugar
• 3 medium egg whites
• 120g butter, melted and cooled
• 2tbsp chopped hazelnuts
• you will need:
• friand mould or muffin tin, greased

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C, Gas 4. Cook the gooseberries in 2tsp lemon juice over a medium heat for 3-5mins until they just begin to burst open. Set aside to cool. 
2. Combine the ground almonds and flour in a large bowl and then sift in the icing sugar. Mix well and leave to one side.
3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and then place into the flour mix with the melted butter and lemon zest. Fold carefully until combined. 
4. Spoon the batter into the friand moulds so they are around three-quarters full, then place a spoonful of the gooseberry mix on top and a sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts. Bake for 12-14 mins until they have slightly risen and they are lightly golden.

Try plums instead

If you can’t find gooseberries, use sliced Victoria plums instead

One-pot dinners aren't only great because they save on washing up but they are usually incredibly simple too, just like this chicken ratatouille.

We've used lots of summer vegetables but you could use any seasonal veg that is suitable for roasting. Just make sure you cut up into pieces which will all cook at similar times or add in any quick cooking veg towards the end.

Chicken is great here but you could also use fish, such as salmon, though this will only need 15 mins, so pop the fillets on top of the vegetables later into cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 large aubergine, chopped into chunks
• 2 courgettes, halved lengthways, deseeded and chopped
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• small handful of pitted green olives
• 4 garlic cloves, bashed
• 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• small bunch basil, leaves only
• few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
• 250g cherry tomatoes, on the vine
• 1 lemon
• 4 chicken breasts, skin on
• You will need:
• a large roasting tin

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C, Gas 6. Mix together the aubergine, courgette, red onion peppers, olives and garlic cloves in your roasting tin, drizzle over a 2tbsp olive oil and mix with your hands. Tuck in the basil leaves and scatter over the thyme leaves.
2. Place the cherry tomatoes on top of the vegetables, quarter the lemon, squeeze the juice over the vegetables and tuck the squeezed quarters in the vegetable mix.
3. Rub the chicken breasts with 2tbsp olive oil and place skin side up on top of the vegetables. Season all over with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30-35mins until the chicken breasts are cooked through.

Why not use halloumi?

Replace the chicken with halloumi – pop on the veg for the last 15 mins of cooking!

Semifreddo is a great summer dessert - frozen and full of flavour thanks to our addition of peach, pistachio and amaretto. 

The great thing about semifreddo is that it can be made in advance so if you're hosting a dinner party you can prepare it a few days before to reduce the stress levels on the day!

Ingredients

• 500ml double cream
• 1tbsp vanilla bean paste or extract
• 175ml amaretto, plus 2tbsp
• 4 eggs
• 120g caster sugar
• 100g pistachios, chopped
• 4 peaches
• 1tbsp butter
• you will need:
• 1.8 litre (3pt/2lb) loaf tin, lined with cling film

Method

1. Around 30mins before making, place a large bowl and the whisk/beater of an electric mixer in the fridge. Remove when ready, pour the double cream into the bowl with 1tsp vanilla paste and 2tbsp amaretto and whisk until soft peaks form. Place the bowl and cream back in the fridge.
2. Put the eggs and sugar in a large heatproof bowl placed over simmering water. Whisk until thick, pale and double in volume. Remove from the heat and whisk to cool.
3. Fold the cream mixture gently into the eggs along with 75g of chopped pistachios. Pour into the prepared loaf tin and place in the freezer for at least 5 hours, but preferably overnight.
4. Before serving, cut the peaches in half and remove the stones. Slice each half into 4-6 segments. Heat a large griddle or frying pan and fry the peach slices for 8-10 mins until beginning to golden. Pour in the amaretto and cook off the alcohol for 1-2mins before adding in the butter. This will thicken the amaretto and create a sauce.
5. Remove the semifreddo from the freezer 10mins before serving and serve a slice with a spoonful of the peaches and amaretto sauce. 

Make it alcohol free

For an alcohol-free version, there are some great zero alcohol Amaretto’s on the market. Look out for a brand called Lyre’s online.

This bean salad with courgette is the perfect way to use up a glut of vegetables. Whether you grow them yourself or get them from a green grocer or supermarket, beans and courgettes are everywhere in summer. 

We've paired these summer veg with a lovely zingy-tahini dressing. If you prefer, use a classic dressing - the bean salad with courgette will still be delicious!

Ingredients

• 4tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
• 2 medium courgettes, sliced
• 3tbsp pine nuts
• 225g podded broad beans
• 200g runner beans, trimmed and sliced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2tsp tahini
• 1tsp wholegrain mustard, or to taste
• small handful of parsley, chopped

Method

1. First, fry the courgettes. You may need to do this in 2-3 batches. Heat a tsp of olive oil in a large frying pan and lay slices of courgette on top. Season with salt and pepper and fry for a few mins until golden. Turn over, season the cooked side and allow the other side to cook for 2-3 mins until golden also. Repeat with the remaining courgette slices. Set aside to cool.
2. Remove the oil from the pan and toast the pine nuts for 1-2 mins. Set aside. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the runner beans and broad beans for a few mins until just cooked through. Drain well and run under cold water to cool them. Leave in the colander to dry off. 
3. Place the courgettes and beans in a large bowl. Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, tahini and wholegrain mustard with a good pinch of salt and pepper to create a dressing. Pour onto the courgettes and beans and mix really well. Spoon out onto your serving platter or bowl and scatter over the parsley and pine nuts. 

Make the beans shine

Broad beans become even brighter if you peel off the skin of the bean. You can pop the bean out of the slightly tough skin by giving it a little squeeze.

Lamb koftas are great for relaxed dinners or BBQs and the green sauce, made with parsley, gives the spiced lamb an extra zing. 

If you don't have skewers, you can form the koftas into meatballs or even use the kofta mixture to make meatballs for other recipes.

Ingredients

• For the lamb koftas:
• 800g lamb mince
• 2tsp ground cumin
• 3tsp ground coriander
• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2tsp pepper
• For the green sauce:
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 20g bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• 4 anchovies, finely chopped
• 1tbsp capers, chopped
• 125ml olive oil
• 1tsp Dijon mustard
• You will need:
• 12 skewers, soaked in water for 20 mins if wooden; and 2 baking trays, lightly greased

Method

1. Place all the lamb kofta ingredients in a large bowl and mix together with your hands. Squeeze everything together so that it combines well.
2. Weigh the mixture and divide by 12 to work out how much each kofta should weigh. This is much easier than trying to guess how much to put on each skewer. Weigh out enough mixture for one kofta, take a skewer and form the meat around it. It should be sausage-shaped and approximately 12-cm long. Repeat until you have 12 koftas.
3. Heat the oven to 200C, Gas 6. Place 6 koftas on each baking tray - it will be easier to fit them on if you alternate the direction they are facing when you put them on the tray. Roast in the oven for 15-20 mins, turning once halfway through.
4. Meanwhile, make the green sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and seasoning to taste. You may also wish to add more dijon mustard depending on your preference.
5. Serve the koftas with couscous or a fresh spring green salad.

Grill these on the BBQ!

These are great for cooking on a BBQ. Just watch your fingers on the hot skewers.

Full of sunny flavours, this prawn and chorizo jambalaya will please any dinner party guest or work as a family supper when you want to make something a little more special.

Summer is a great time for seafood which is why we've replaced the classic chicken with succulent grilled prawns. They're not the cheapest ingredient so feel free to use peeled prawns if that's easier; these will also work if you have some squeamish guests. 

Ingredients

• 1tsp vegetable oil
• 200g chorizo, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 300g long-grain rice
• 1tbsp tomato puree
• 1 x 400g tin tomatoes
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 600ml fish stock
• 16 large skin-on prawns
• to serve:
• small handful chopped parsley
• 150ml soured cream
• lime wedges

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick lidded saucepan. Add the chorizo and fry for 2-3 mins, until the oil has released from the chorizo. Remove from the pan, leaving the oil behind, and set aside.
2. Add the onion, celery and green pepper to the pan and fry on low for 8-10mins until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 mins.
3. Stir through the cajun seasoning then tip in the rice and add the chorizo back in with the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, thyme leaves and fish stock. Give it all a good mix, pop the lid on and cook for 20mins, stirring occasionally. If at any point it seems too dry, add a little water. 
4. Meanwhile, grill the prawns under a hot grill. Once the jambalaya is cooked, Remove from the heat and place the prawns on top before taking to the table. Serve with dollops of soured cream and lime wedges.

Try a more classic jambalaya

For a more classic flavour combination replace the prawns with grilled chicken and the fish stock with chicken stock

Our cod bruschetta are full of fresh flavours and the cod adds a lovely salty taste. Bruschetta are a universally loved starter—they are also great as a party food if you don't mind your party food a little messy. 

When purchasing fish, it's best to try and buy a sustainable option. You can look out for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) logo which means the fishery has been independently assessed. If you can't find sustainably caught cod then any white fish (such as haddock or pollock) will also work well.

If you're serving these cod bruschetta to guests who don't love hot food then you can leave out the chilli or remove the seeds before chopping the chilli up. You could also leave some without chilli so everyone can enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 4 anchovies, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• small handful of coriander, chopped
• 300g cod
• 3tbsp olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle
• 1 large baguette
• lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C, Gas 6. Mix the shallots, anchovies, tomatoes, red chilli (to taste) and coriander (reserving a little for garnishing) together in a bowl, season well and leave to one side.
2. Place the cod in a roasting tin, season and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast in the oven for 15-20mins until cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Slice the baguette into 2cm thick slices. Toast the slices, drizzle with a little olive oil and spoon some salsa on top.  Finally, flake some cod over the salsa on each slice and top with a sprinkle of chopped coriander. Serve on a large platter with lemon wedges to squeeze over.

Make them fully loaded

Load these up as much as you can. They’ll be a little messy but so worth it!

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes Serves 4

Easy

4 free-range chicken breasts, skin left on 250g (9oz) mini cooking chorizo (from M&S, Sainsbury's, Waitrose) 200g (7oz) cherry tomatoes 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed juice 2 lemons handful parsley, leaves removed and roughly chopped

1 Heat the oven to 200 C, 180 C fan, 400 F, gas 6. Place the chicken, chorizo and cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin, season, drizzle with a little olive oil and cook for 10 minutes. After this time, add the chickpeas, and spoon some of the juices from the tin over the chicken breasts.

2 Return to the oven for a further 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the chorizo is beginning to blacken. Squeeze over the lemon juice, scatter over the parsley and serve immediately.

Per serving: 490 calories, 23g fat (8g saturated), 16g carbohydrate

Smart idea This would also be lovely with some wilted spinach or kale added to the pan in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve with roast potatoes.

Make your own tartare sauce Mix a good-quality mayonnaise (we like Delouis Fils, from Sainsbury's and Waitrose) with a little Dijon mustard, lemon juice, chopped parsley, drained and rinsed capers and chopped gherkins.

Ingredients

• 125g (4½oz) Parmesan, grated
• 85g (3½oz) breadcrumbs
• 60g (2½oz) plain flour, well seasoned
• 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 600g (1lb 5oz) sustainably caught cod fillet, cut into finger-sized pieces
• 2-3 ciabatta rolls, halved and toasted
• homemade tartare sauce (see recipe below) lettuce, gherkins and lemon, to serve

Method

1. Mix the Parmesan and breadcrumbs and put in a shallow bowl. Put the flour in another bowl and the eggs in another. Sprinkle salt over the fish then dip in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess as you go.

2. Heat a frying pan with a generous amount of sunflower oil and fry the fish fingers for 2 to 3 minutes. If freezing, fry for 1 minute, cool, freeze and reheat in a 200 C, 180 C fan, 400 F, gas 6 oven for 10 minutes.

3. Spread each ciabatta half with tartare sauce. Top with lettuce and fish fingers; serve with gherkins and lemon wedges.

4. To make your own tartare sauce mix a good-quality mayonnaise (we like Delouis Fils, from Sainsbury's and Waitrose) with a little Dijon mustard, lemon juice, chopped parsley, drained and rinsed capers and chopped gherkins.

One of the best things about spring, after the improving weather, is the abundance of fresh produce on offer. This spring salad uses some of the best ingredients that spring has to offer; asparagus, radishes and watercress to name a few. 

You can experiment with the amount of each ingredient you use too. Let your fridge guide you—if you have more of one ingredient than another leftover then use it up. or, if you have a preferred ingredient, chuck some more of that in. You could also use frozen broad beans here; still give them a blanch and pop them out of their shell so the salad remains super green. The beauty of this salad is in its versatility—tweak it slightly and it'll still taste sublime.

Plus, it's great for you too. Sunflower seeds are wonderful for your skin, heart and immune system, while many of the ingredients while help you hit your five-a-day with ease. 

Ingredients

• 4 asparagus spears, sliced
• 4 radishes, quartered
• 50g sugar snap peas, sliced
• 100g broad beans, blanched briefly and de-shelled
• 1 small courgette, sliced into discs
• 1 salad onion, sliced
• 1 baby gem lettuce
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• Juice of half a lemon
• 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 50g watercress
• 2-3 sprigs dill, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

Method

1. Mix together the asparagus, radish wedges, sugar snap peas, broad beans, courgette and salad onion. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Prepare the baby gem lettuce into leaves and wash. 
2. Mix together the dijon mustard, lemon juice and slowly add the extra virgin olive oil to create a smooth dressing. 
3. On a large plate, place a few of the larger baby gem leaves, now start to cover with the vegetables, then add the rest of the baby gem leaves and then the remaining vegetables. 
4. Finish by scattering the watercress, dill and sunflower seeds over the salad. Lastly, dress the salad with the dressing.

What could I add to my spring salad?

If you want to serve up a more substantial spring salad, try roasting a chicken, shredding it and mixing through the roasted meat. You'll still get the goodness of the vegetable packed salad as well as a the protein from the chicken. 

And if you're a pescatarian, this dish would also work well with fish or seafood—especially prawns or shrimp.

For an extra pop of flavor, you could even add some fruit to really jazz up this spring salad recipe. Try strawberries for a really unique taste. 

This asparagus and brie tart recipe makes the most of the short asparagus season. The season starts towards the end of April and lasts until June time. Buy British where you can—they'll taste nicer and it's much better for the environment. 

You don't need to be an advanced cook to attempt these little tartlets. They're really easy but so impressive. Perfect for a light lunch or take on a picnic, they will taste good cold too. 

These tarts are also lovely with a soft goats cheese or any cheese that holds up well to melting, if you don't have brie. You don't want anything too strong though—let the flavour of the asparagus sing!

Ingredients

• 1 x 320g pack of ready rolled puff pastry
• 12 spears of asparagus, bottoms snapped off
• 120g Brie, cut into four 30g slices
• 4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
• 1 egg
• Splash milk
• You will need: baking tray lined with parchment paper

Method

1. Preheat an oven to 180C, Gas 4. Unroll the pastry, keeping it on the parchment paper, and divide into 4 squares. 
2. Crack the egg into a bowl and add a splash of milk, whisk together to create an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the 4 squares with the egg mixture. Sprinkle the thyme leaves over the squares and then lay a slice of brie on top from one corner to the opposite. Season with salt and pepper. Place the asparagus on top of the Brie and then fold over the other corners of the pastry to meet on top of the asparagus so that it’s now wrapped in pastry. 
3. Place the asparagus tarts on to the baking tray, leaving space between them. Brush the top of the tarts with more egg wash. Bake for 20-25 mins.

Can I make these vegan?

These asparagus & brie tarts are easy to make vegan. Use a vegan puff pastry (such as Jus-Rol), swap the brie for a vegan alternative (such as Shamembert) and use a plant based milk to brush on to the pastry instead of the egg and milk wash.

What can I serve with these asparagus and brie tarts?

These can be served on their own as canapés or as part of a bigger lunch or dinner spread. However, if you want them to be the main part of a meal, they could also be served with fresh green vegetables or a delicious green salad. 

Roast chicken doesn't have to be boring. Jazz yours up with this delicious coconut chicken recipe. Cooked with indulgent coconut cream, and pops of flavor in the form of chilli and lemongrass, it feels like a real taste sensation. 

This roast coconut chicken is a great dinner option for when the weather heats up, as it would be complemented excellently with a fresh spring salad. 

If you're popping this on your meal-plan for the week, we recommend using free-range chickens. Not only does it mean the chicken has been given a better life but the meat tastes better, too.

Ingredients

• 2 red onions, peeled, halved and cut into wedges
• 1 whole chicken (approx 1.5kg)
• 2 x 160ml tins of coconut cream
• 1 bunch of coriander
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 red chillies, sliced 
• 2 sticks lemongrass, halved lengthways and bashed
• 3 limes, cut into wedges

Method

1. Preheat an oven to 210C, gas 7. In a deep roasting tray add the red onions and place the chicken on top, stuff the inside of the chicken with half of the coriander, the sliced chilli, the lemongrass and the garlic cloves.
2. Shake the cans of coconut cream, open and pour over the top of the chicken. Massage the cream all over the chicken. Wash your hands and season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Place the chicken in the oven. After 20 mins, baste the chicken generously with the juices that are forming at the bottom of the tray. Cook the chicken for another 40 mins and then baste again. Return to the oven for another 20 mins. Remove the chicken from the oven and check that the juices are running clear from where the thigh joins the breast. If it needs longer reduce the temperature of the oven to 160C, Gas 2, baste again and cook until the juices run clear. If you need to cover the breasts of the chicken to stop the skin from burning then do so with a piece of foil.
4. Once cooked, leave the chicken to rest for 15-20 mins covered with foil. Serve with wedges of lime.

What would go well with this coconut chicken recipe?

This coconut roast chicken is made even more wonderful when served up with some healthy green veg. Tenderstem broccoli or steamed spring greens are particularly good. 

Equally, if you're looking for something to do with the leftovers the next day, this roast coconut chicken could work brilliantly cold with some rice and salad, for a yummy lunch. 

How do you keep a roasted chicken from drying out?

It's worth making some adjustments to your chicken whilst cooking to prevent it drying out. As suggested in our above recipe, you can place foil over the chicken in the last few minutes of cooking, which will prevent it from becoming too dry while it cooks.

And, if you want to eat this recipe in the days after cooking it, it can be a good idea carve all of the meat off of the bone and keep it tightly wrapped up in tin-foil in the fridge, to help it maintain its freshness, and keep it from drying out.

Most people think of lamb as the spring meat, but this beef steak is delicious and makes a great spring time meal—best enjoyed outside if you can!

There are all sorts of zesty ingredients in this delicious, such as anchovies, dijon mustard, lemon and capers, so there's no doubt that it's packed full of flavor. For the steak (the most important part) we've used rib eye, which is often considered the most tasty. However, feel free to try a different cut, such as hanger (a beef cut that's actually praised for its flavor), if you'd like to try something new.

Ingredients

• 6 beetroots
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 ribeye steaks, brought to room temperature
• 1 red chicory, prepared into leaves
• 1 white chicory prepared into leaves
• 2 tsp capers
• 2-3 sprigs of dill
• 1 large spring onion, finely sliced
• Creme fraiche, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C, Gas 4. Boil the beetroots in salted water for 15 mins and then check if they are done by inserting a knife into one, if it’s not easy to pierce, continue to cook checking every 5 mins.
2. Once cooked, drain the beetroot and under cold running water rub the beetroot so that the skin begins to come off.  Chop the beetroot into similar size pieces, toss in 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil and season well. Roast for 15 mins, check and return to the oven if they need longer, they should have a little colour around the edges.
3. For the steak dressing, finely chop the anchovies and add to a bowl, combine with a tsp of dijon mustard, a large pinch of lemon zest and a half the lemon juice. Start to slowly add 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil while whisking to create a dressing. Mix in the chopped parsley. 
4. Heat a griddle or frying pan until hot, turn the heat down to a medium high heat, add a small amount of the remaining olive oil and add the ribeye steaks. Cook the steaks for 2-3 mins on each side to achieve a medium steak. Try not to move the steak too much so that you build a good crust. Once cooked on both sides remove the steaks from the pan and leave to rest for 2 mins, drizzle with the remaining extra virgin olive oil and season with salt, cover with foil or a lid large enough to cover them.
5. Remove the beetroot from the oven, place in a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add the chicory leaves, the sliced spring onion and dill. Toss all together with salt and pepper.
6. Slice the steaks into 1cm strips. On a large platter, lay the slices of ribeye at one end and dress with the caper, parsley and anchovy dressing. Now lay the beetroot and chicory on the rest of the platter. 

How else can I cook spring beef with beetroots?

While we suggest cooking this recipe in a frying pan, you can absolutely take advantage of the BBQ with this dish. If you're lighting up the barbeque as the nights get warmer, cook the steaks on that instead of on the hob. You'll get a lovely flame-grilled flavour.

This creamy crayfish risotto is a deliciously indulgent dinner recipe, full of flavor.

A staple of Northern Italy, risotto has spread across the globe and become a favourite dish for millions. 

For our crayfish risotto we recommend using Signal Crayfish. They're not native to the UK, but were brought over in the 1970's and have since wreaked havoc on their British counterpart, and the riverbeds. By using them for culinary purposes you can help bring them down to a more manageable level. They're also delicious, thankfully!

Ingredients

• 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 15g butter, plus 50g butter, diced
• 320g arborio rice
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 250ml white wine
• 1ltr hot vegetable stock
• 1 lemon
• 200g crayfish, cooked
• handful of parsley

Method

1. In a large frying pan or saucepan, melt the 15g butter and 2tbsp olive oil and gently sweat the onions and celery without colouring. Once they have softened, raise the heat and add the rice. Begin to fry, stirring constantly and after 1min add the white wine and continue to stir.
2. Once the wine has cooked into the rice add the 1st ladle of hot stock and season with a pinch of salt. Turn the heat down slightly, let the rice absorb the stock and continue to add the stock a ladleful at a time, always stirring. Continue this for around 15 mins. Check the rice and if it’s still undercooked, add more stock and continue cooking and stirring.
3. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the crayfish. Remove from the heat straight away and add the rest of the butter and the extra virgin olive oil, zest the lemon into the risotto and squeeze the juice of half the lemon into the risotto. Mix this all in well and leave to stand for 2 mins, add the parsley and serve.

How to make crayfish risotto more indulgent

Add a generous spoon of mascarpone to your crayfish risotto if you are feeling extravagant—this will make the dish creamier and elevate the taste if you need something that truly feels restaurant-quality.

This baby radish galette is essentially a tart, packed full of fresh and delicious flavors. 

Galettes are great for those cooks who are a little less confident with pastry. This baby radish galette doesn't require any pastry making or rolling out. Although, of course, you can make your own if you feel confident. Galette is a French term which basically means a free-form tart; they've been around for years but they have been making a come back recently because they look so beautiful.

If you're planning some alfresco dining, this baby radish galette is a great option. It's delicious cold so bake it ahead and take it with you on a picnic or serve up in the garden and let the beautiful radishes delight your guests.

This baby radish galette is a little different to the classic varieties as we've made it rectangular—typically, galettes are round. But never fear, because there's no compromise on taste—we defy you not to love this. 

Ingredients

• 1 x 320g pack of ready rolled shortcrust pastry
• 300g baby (small) radishes
• 1/2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
• 250g ricotta
• 10g butter, melted
• Small handful chopped dill

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C, Gas 6. Unroll the pastry keeping, it on the paper. Using a fork, pierce the pastry all over, leaving an edge all the way around the pastry of 2-3cm. This edge is the pastry that will be folded over to create the crust.
2. Cut the radishes into random shapes: halves, wedges, discs and so on. Toss with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, picked thyme leaves, garlic, and a good seasoning of salt and pepper.
3. Crumble over the ricotta, leaving the 2-3cm edge again and scatter over the radish pieces. Fold in the edges of the pastry, brush the folded edge of the pastry with the melted butter and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Once cooked remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly and sprinkle over the dill. Serve with a green salad.

What is a French galette?

Put simply, a galette is a term used for anything which has a pastry base which is then folded into the toppings on the surface. Typically it has a savory filling, but some recipes can be sweet too, depending on what you prefer. Galettes are normally pretty to look at, finished with crimping or patterns around the outer edges, and a show-stopping topping. This is why they make for great dinner party dishes.

Bring the flavours of the Mediterranean into your home with this classic dish, pasta primavera. Although it uses classic Italian ingredients, the delicious dish was actually invented in America. We've included delicious seasonal spring ingredients to make it taste extra fresh and look beautifully colorful—and to help you hit your five-a-day. So say goodbye to boring bowls of reheated couscous, and hello to vibrant plates of zesty pasta. 

Ingredients

• 1 courgette
• 4 asparagus spears
• 2 garlic cloves
• 350g dried pasta,  Trofie, penne or similar 
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 150g shelled peas
• 150g shelled broad beans
• 125g mascarpone
• 1 lemon
• Handful flat leaf parsley or mint
• 50g pecorino

Method

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, dice the courgette into 1cm cubes, slice the asparagus into thick discs, and peel and chop the garlic. If you’re using frozen broad beans, remove the thin layer of shell around the beans. 
2. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions. 
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and add the olive oil, add the diced courgette and begin to colour, add the asparagus just after and then add the garlic, taking care not to burn the garlic. Turn down the heat and add the peas and broad beans, mascarpone, the zest of a whole lemon and the juice of half. 
4. Once the pasta is cooked, using a ladle add some of the pasta water to the vegetables and then drain the pasta. Tip the pasta into the vegetables and toss all together, check the seasoning, tear or chop the herbs and add to the pasta. Finish with plenty of pecorino.

Can I make pasta primavera in advance?

If you plan on serving warm, it's best to plate pasta primavera up as soon as possible. However, if you want to have it cold the next day for lunch, it'll still be just as delicious. Just leave the leftovers to cool to room temperature and then place in the fridge. Let it warm up a little before eating so it's not super cold—you won't get the full breadth of flavors if it is.

What is primavera sauce made of?

Primavera sauce is often a very light, vegetable-laden dish, which is why it's most popular to eat during the spring or summer months.

Often, primavera sauce is typified by its lemon, herby flavor too, making it a flavorsome and filling, but refreshing dish that works well as a light supper, lunch or dinner. 

Typically, it is a light, more creamy white sauce, but it's not unheard of to make primavera sauce with tomatoes—although it is more unusual. 

Scallops look elegant and impressive but they are pleasingly speedy and easy to prepare.

Scallops are always the starting point of the best 30 minute suppers. They cook so quickly and are easy to prepare. You can find them on most fish counters in supermarkets or at your local fishmonger. In this recipe we have paired them with a salty fatty mixture of bacon and black pudding then cooked this all together in the shell. The scallops are served with blanched samphire.Samphire is a variety of succulent from the parsley family and has a fresh and flavour. If you cannot get your hands on it simply serve this with the same quantity of blanched asparagus. For further seafood inspiration, step this way.

Ingredients

• 150g samphire
• 2 rashers unsmoked, rindless bacon
• 100g black pudding, cut into cubes
• 6 scallops, cleaned (keep the shells)
• 3tsp butter
• 20g capers
• juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Remove the tough, woody stems from the samphire and rinse well. Boil for 3 mins then plunge into iced water.
2. Meanwhile, in a hot, dry pan, fry the bacon until crispy. Set aside on kitchen towel. Break into small crispy pieces.
3. In the same pan, fry the black pudding cubes until crispy. Set aside.
4. Heat a barbecue or grill. Put each scallop back into its shell with ½tsp butter and seasoning.
5. Cook for 4 mins until lightly charring at the edges. Meanwhile, mix the capers, lemon juice, bacon and black pudding, then spoon a little onto each scallop. Cook for a further 1 min and serve immediately on top of the samphire. Perfect with chilli jam or green tabasco.

We adore rustic soda bread as it’s delightfully simple to rustle up. 

For the ultimate winter warmer enjoy this loaf straight from the oven with a scrumptious bowl of comforting soup. It's ideal served with a hearty chicken soup such as Baxters Favourites Chicken Broth. This recipe makes one loaf that will serve four. 

There’s nothing more domestic goddess/godly than pulling a freshly baked loaf from the oven to accompany a simple mid-week meal. But honestly, this looks a million times more impressive than it really is. With no proving time and minimal kneading, soda bread is much simpler than most bread to make. The difference here from a regular loaf is that soda bread uses bicarbonate of soda (as opposed to yeast) as the raising agent. So just as when it’s used in cakes it doesn’t require time proving in order to activate. 

The addition of cheese and fresh chives elevate this simple bread to something more special. It’s ideal for soup dipping, but we also love using it as a great canapé base. By slicing it and cutting bite-sized chunks and topping it with a spiral of smoked salmon or a smidge of pate you can create a unique canapé in minutes. 

Ingredients 

• 200g natural yoghurt
• 80ml Guinness or another stout
• 230g plain flour
• 100g plain wholemeal flour
• 1/4tsp sea salt
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1tbsp pumpkin seeds, plus extra for the top
• A handful of chives, snipped into cm lengths
• 60g leftover cheese, grated or crumbled we used a mixture of Colston Bassett and Cheddar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. In a jug combine the yoghurt and stout. Put the flours, salt, bicarbonate of soda, seeds, chives and three quarters of the cheese in a bowl and add the yoghurt mixture. Mix until just combined, don't worry about floury patches at this stage. Set aside for about 10 mins, doing this will make the dough more workable.
2. Knead the dough until smooth, it will be quite sticky. With floury hands shape the sticky dough into a ball and place onto a well-floured baking tray. Flatten down the top to create a thick disk and sprinkle over the remaining cheese and seeds. Use the side of a floured wooden spoon to press a deep cross into the top of the loaf. Bake for 30 mins. Transfer to a wire rack to cook.

Hush puppies are little balls of fried cornbread batter that can be served as a side alongside smokey barbecue food or as a starter or canapé with a tangy dipping sauce. 

This hush puppies recipe uses smoked pancetta and Cheddar to add a rich flavour to each bite - perfect when paired with a flavoursome Sriracha maple dip. 

Ingredients

• 140g smoked pancetta
• 150g coarse polenta 
• 80g self-raising flour
• 1tbsp caster sugar 
• 100g Greek yogurt 
• 2 eggs
• 100g mature Cheddar, grated 
• 40g jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
• 20g fresh coriander, finely chopped
• oil for frying (we used vegetable oil)

Serve with sriracha maple dip

• 6tbsp maple syrup
• 1½tbsp Sriracha (hot chilli sauce)
• ½tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. In a non-stick frying pan, cook the pancetta for 5 mins, until crispy. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
In a large bowl, mix the polenta, flour and sugar. In another bowl, whisk the yogurt and eggs until combined. 
2. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the flour mixture and fold in the cheese, jalapenos, coriander and crispy pancetta until combined. Divide the batter into small balls using 1tbsp mixture for each ball – wetting your hands with water will help prevent the mixture from sticking. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 
20 mins or overnight. 
3. For the dipping sauce, put all the ingredients in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk to combine 
and leave to simmer for 2 mins. Then transfer to a small bowl for serving. This can be made ahead too – simply reheat just before serving.
4. To cook the hush puppies, heat the oil in a saucepan. Fry the balls of batter for 2 mins until crunchy. Keep warm in a low oven until all the balls have been fried. 
5. Transfer to a serving platter and eat warm. 

Buttery soft brioche buns aren't as hard to make at home as you might think. The soft dough needs a gentle touch and patience with proving time but the results are more than worth the wait. 

This recipe produces 16 delicate mini buns that make the perfect canapé base, so we've filled ours with slightly spicy, lemony prawns. 

Ingredients

For the brioche buns:

• 150ml warm milk
• 1tbsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fast-action yeast
• 275g bread flour, plus extra to dust
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg and 1 yolk, plus another yolk for glazing 
• 60g soft unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 20g black and white sesame seeds, to garnish

For the prawn filling:

• 350g cooked king prawns
• 60g mayonnaise
• 1 stick celery, cut into 1cm chunks
• 5g chives, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
• pinch cayenne pepper
• juice ½ lemon, plus wedges, to serve

You will need: a standing mixer with a dough hook

Method

1. For the brioche buns, mix the milk, sugar and yeast in a bowl, and leave to bubble for 5 mins. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Slowly add the milk mixture to the flour and add the egg and extra yolk to create a scraggy dough. Begin to knead on a medium speed. 
3. Add a third of the butter and knead for at least 3 mins before adding another third of the butter. Repeat until all the butter has been added.
4. Knead for 5-10 mins until the dough wraps itself around the hook and begins to slap the sides of the bowl. You may need to add another 1tbsp flour. The dough is ready when you can pull off a small portion of it using wet fingers to prevent it from sticking, and stretch it without breaking. This is known as the windowpane test.
5. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Dust your fingers with flour too. Pull the edges of the dough over and into the centre to form a ball. Carefully turn over and transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover with cling film and leave until doubled in size. This will take around 2 hrs.
6. Knock-back the dough with a brief knead and divide into 35g portions. Form into tight balls or ovals, place on a lined baking tray and cover with oiled cling film. Leave for another 1 hr or until doubled in size.
7. Heat oven to 200C/Gas 6 and place a shallow baking tray at the bottom.
8. Uncover your buns, brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Have a cup of water ready.
9. Place the buns in the middle of the oven and pour the water in the tray at the bottom. This creates steam, which helps the buns rise.
10. Bake for 20 mins or until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
11. For the prawn filling, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and reserve until needed. This can be done the day before. Spoon a little sauce into the sliced brioche before adding some prawns and celery. Garnish with cayenne pepper and additional chives, and serve with lemon wedges.

Our sticky tamarind curry is a real crowd pleaser. It’s worth the time it takes to cook as the tender meat melts in the mouth. This tamarind curry is easy to prepare ahead and can also be frozen.

Make up a bigger batch and then freeze separate portions so you can heat up some tamarind curry in a hurry!

We’ve used beef chuck which comes from the shoulder. It’s relatively cheap to buy and can be quite tough as it is from the part of the animal that has worked the hardest during its life. Beef chuck benefits from a long, gentle cook and is full of flavour. It’s perfect for casseroles, stews and this tamarind curry!

Ingredients

• 1tbsp oil
• 1.5kg beef chuck, cut into 3cm cubes
• 3 onions, chopped
• 1tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 green chilli, sliced, plus extra to serve
• 500ml beef stock
• 2tbsp light soy sauce
• 45g brown sugar
• 2½tbsp tamarind paste
• 200g sugar snaps and mangetout
• 100g baby leaf spinach
• handful coriander leaves, to serve
• black sesame seeds, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the beef in batches to brown and seal, remove and set aside. In the same pot, add the onions, ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 5 mins.  
2. Return all the beef to the pan and add the stock, soy sauce, brown sugar and tamarind paste. Simmer for 2 hrs, covered, until the meat is tender.
3. About 40 mins before the stew is cooked, remove the lid and turn up the heat up to allow the stew to reduce.
4. Meanwhile, blanch the sugar snaps and mangetout for 2 mins in boiling water. Drain, and stir into the stew with the baby leaf spinach. Cook for a further 5 mins. Top with coriander and sesame seeds, and serve with rice.

This beautiful dish of lamb steak and roast vegetables also works great on the BBQ

This dish looks both elegant and appealing but it is deceptively straightforward to prepare - perfect if you are having friends round for dinner. When you think of steak your mind probably goes to beef rather than lamb but lamb rump has incredible flavour and it is much more affordable. Roasting red peppers whole is our favourite way to cook them - it brings out their sweetness and breaks down the flesh into a tender, melt in the mouth consistency. We then toss the peppers in a vinaigrette to create a lovely accompaniment to the lamb. The final element is a mix of herby aubergine and sugar snaps but it would be great with these roast potatoes as well.

Ingredients

• 2 lamb rump steaks
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 4 romano red peppers
• 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2tbsp sherry vinegar
• 120ml olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves picked
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 aubergine
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 200g sugar snap peas
• salt and pepper
• 40 mint leaves

Method

1. Rub the lamb with the cumin and paprika and leave to marinate.
2. Grill the peppers at a high heat until the skins are charred and blackened. Mix together the vinegars and olive oil and stir in the garlic, thyme and rosemary. Place the charred peppers into the marinade and leave them to rest for 45 minutes.
3. Slice the aubergine into four thick slices, splash with 1tbsp olive oil and grill until charred and blackened too.
4. Quickly blanch the sugar snaps in water and toss in the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper.
5. Mix the mint leaves with the aubergine and sugar snaps and allow them to rest.
6. Place the lamb into a frying pan and heat over a gentle heat until the outside is browned, then place this into the oven and bake for around 8 -10 mins. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 mins.
7. Place the roasted pepper on the plate along with the slice of aubergine, Slice the lamb into 4 and then arrange it next to the aubergine. Season the lamb and it's ready to go.

Marinated mozzarella is marinated and then roasted with bay leaves and salami in this is a super simple one tray winner.

So you have probably marinated meat and maybe even fish before but have you ever tried marinating cheese? Mozzarella is a very mild and creamy cheese. It is really elevated when soaked in this spicy dressing as well as cutting through its richness. Cooking the mozzarella with a base of either a bay or lemon leaf further imparts flavour onto the mozzarella. If you prefer you could add a layer of Parma ham or chorizo instead of the salami. This would make a delicious starter for a Meditaranean feast with a side of focaccia and a glass of white wine.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• pinch of chilli flakes
• 45ml olive oil
• 2 lemons
• 4 x 125g packs mozzarella (this should be 4 balls)
• 30 fresh lemon or bay leaves
• 12 slices of salami or fennel salami
• You will need: a large non-stick baking tray

Method

1. Toast the fennel seeds and chilli flakes. Mix them with the olive oil, and the juice and zest of both lemons.
2. Cut each ball of mozzarella into 6 and add to the marinade. Leave to soak for an hour, or overnight if you can.
3. Heat the oven to 180C/ Gas 4. Place two lemon leaves onto a tray, then add a slice of salami on top. Next, add 2 mozzarella pieces and then put another leaf on top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients then bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the tray and splash them with the remaining marinade and serve.
4. To eat them, remove the top leaf, fold them in half and they are ready to go.

A delicious and creamy chicken dish that will transport you to Italy’s Lombardy region where it’s a specialty.

Mascarpone is a specialty cheese of the Lombardy region and it creates a wonderfully delicate creamy sauce for this chicken dish. If you can’t find it then you could use cream cheese instead, it just may alter the texture of the sauce slightly. Farro is a type of grain with a nutty flavour - we have mixed it together with a blend of sun dried tomatoes, marjoram and garlic to serve as an accompaniment to the chicken and to help soak up the sauce. It would make a lovely dish to serve at a dinner party as you can prepare most elements ahead of time and just fry off the chicken and warm the sauce at the last minute. For more chicken recipes step this way.

Ingredients

• 100g mascarpone
• salt and pepper
• a sprig of fresh thyme
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 2 chicken breasts, skin on
• 75ml olive oil
• 100g Farro
• 100g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• a sprig of marjoram, leaves picked
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
• 200g green leaves like Cavolo Nero, kale or sweetheart cabbage

Method

1. Mix the mascarpone with salt, pepper, thyme and a tbsp of the lemon juice.
2. Lift the skin of the chicken breast, keeping it attached to the breast at oneside but leaving a cavity. Either using a piping bag or spoon, put the mascarpone mix under the skin and chill the remaining mixture in the fridge.
3. Heat 1tbsp of the olive oil in an oven-proof pan and fry the chicken, skin side down for two minutes, until the skin browns, flip the chicken over and then bake in the oven at 200C/Gas 6 for 10 -15 mins.
4. Bring 150ml water to the boil, add 1/2tsp salt and the faro. Put the lid on, turn the heat down low and cook. Once the water has all been absorbed, dress the farro with the remaining lemon juice, the sun-dried tomato pieces, 2tbsp olive oil and the marjoram.
5. In a frying pan heat 1tbsp olive oil and fry the sliced garlic for 1 min followed by the green leaves, fry gently until the leaves begin to wilt. Add a splash of water to steam the greens and add a pinch of salt. Mix the greens into the farro and herbs.
6. Take the chicken out of the oven and allow to rest. Then cut the breasts into 3 pieces
7. Warm the remaining mascarpone in the roasting pan to make the sauce.
8. Spoon the farro salad onto the plate and arrange the pieces of chicken on top. Pour the mascarpone sauce around the chicken and serve.

This hearty beef and borlotti stew is a meld of an old Greek dish and an Italian stew. A great one pot favourite.

A rich and aromatic one pot meal made with gently cooked beef and topped with a fresh and zingy rocket dressing. Chuck steak is taken from the shoulder and neck of the cow which traditionally makes it a little tough, but if cooked down slowly it is tender and delicious - and much cheaper than other cuts of steak. Deglazing pans that you have seared meat in is a great way to create an easy and unctuous sauce. It achieves this by emulsifying any residual fat and releasing flavour from the browned meat (fronds) that is left on the bottom of the pan. This would go well with a hunk of sourdough bread or this couscous salad.

Ingredients

• 1tbsp cumin seeds
• 1tbsp coriander seeds
• 1tsp chipotle paste
• 800g beef chuck steak
• 4tbsp virgin olive oil
• 500ml red wine
• 2 onions, diced
• 10 cloves garlic
• 400g potatoes, chopped into large cubes
• 1x 400g tin borlotti beans
• 2ltrs beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• small handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 sprig parsley, roughly chopped
• 300g cherry tomatoes, blanched and peeled
• For the dressing:
• 100ml olive oil
• 1/2tsp salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 70g rocket
• 2tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• You will need: a large oven-proof pan

Method

1. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds and grind to a powder. Mix with the chipotle paste and rub this spice mix on to the beef.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pan and fry the beef to seal it. Set to one side.
3. In the same pan, fry the onions and garlic until they are starting to caramelise. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and then add the beef back in with the potatoes, borlotti beans, stock and chopped herbs.
4. Place in the oven at 160C for an hour.
5. Coat the tomatoes with 1tbsp of the olive oil, the salt and the lemon juice.
6. To make the dressing: Using a blender, blitz the, rocket, mustard and vinegar with 20ml water. On a high speed add all the oil.
7. Mix the tomatoes and the rocket dressing and then spoon them over the stew as it’s being served.

This recipes looks tougher than it is, it’s really two simple simmering dishes put together but the smells are incredible.

You may have mainly come across artichokes on a pizza or in a jar at the supermarket. But it is fun to prepare them at home as well. We poached these artichokes in a herb and wine court bouillon until knife tender - simple yet delightful. These are then served with lentils simmered with a mirepoix, the flavour enhancing base to a sauce, like ragu - traditionally onion, carrots and celery and garlic. The dish is finished with a crunchy walnut and olive crumb, which adds a textural element to the meal as well as a final hit of flavour for your palate.

Ingredients

• 8 baby artichokes or 4 larger artichokes
• 375ml white wine (we used Falanghina)
• 375ml olive oil
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• For the lentil crumb:
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 250g lentils
• 1 ltr vegetable stock
• 195g green pitted olives, roughly chopped
• 100ml olive oil
• handful of chopped parsley
• 50g Italian hard cheese, finely grated
• 100g chopped walnuts

Method

1.  Trim the artichokes, by removing the outer leavesand then cutting across the artichoke. Using a peeler trim the stalk to remove any of the outside skin.
2. Simmer the artichokes in the white wine, olive oil, bay leaf, rosemary, garlic, sugar, lemon juice and vinegar. Cook until you can insert a knife into the artichokes with hardly any resistance. You can leave the artichokes in the liquid, until you are ready with the rest of the food.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan and lightly fry the onion, carrot and celery. Add the lentils and stock and cook until soft and tender. Once cooked, fold in 125g green olives and the chopped parsley.
4. In a food processor, pulse together the remaining olives and walnuts and stir in the grated parmesan. Spread out on a tray and bake at 150C for 30 mins until it starts to brown and crisp up.
5. To serve place a good spoon full of warm lentils on the plate. Add the artichokes and a little of the poaching juice onto a plate and scatter with the crunchy walnut crumb.

True flavours of the Mediterranean – this dish is simple but impressive.

Cooking fish can seem intimidating to some people but this recipe for pan fried sea bass will show you how easy, and delicious, it can be to prepare at home. The crispy skinned bass is served alongside tender and golden sauteed courgettes. Adding the lemon zest and fine herbs to the courgettes after cooking stops them from browning and developing an acrid flavour. Whereas more woody herbs like rosemary can be cooked without it interfering with their flavour. This is finished off with a simple lemon sauce and is a perfect speedy weeknight meal. If you fell you have mastered the art of cooking fish at home then give this Salmon Papilotte or this Tuna with Noodles recipe a try.

Ingredients

• 2 fillets of Seabass
• 300g medium courgettes
• 200g baby courgettes
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 lemons, juiced and zested
• 3 cloves of garlic
• A few sprigs each basil, mint and marjoram
• 3tbsp butter
• A sprig of rosemary, leaves finely chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Roughly chop all but one of the medium courgettes into equal sized wedges. Grate the remaining courgette and sprinkle with salt. Slice the baby courgettes into small rounds.
2. Heat 3tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and fry all of the courgette pieces until they wilt slightly and colour nicely.
3. Tip the cooked courgette into a bowl and add the lemon zest and all but 1tbsp of the juice. Once they have cooled add the chopped basil, mint and marjoram and stir the mixture together.
4. Season the sea bass with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
5. Heat the frying pan and add the remaining olive oil, heat until hot and add the sea bass fillets skin side down. Turn the heat down a little and leave the fish to relax in the pan, don’t be tempted to press the fish down if there is any tightening of the flesh.
6. Spoon the courgettes into two serving bowls and then add the sea bass on top.
7. Add the butter into the fish pan and warm it until it starts to bubble, keep heating it until it just starts to brown. Toss in the chopped rosemary and a final splash of lemon juice and pour this fragrant sauce over the top of the fish.

This recipe will fill your kitchen with fragrant aromas of aniseed and asparagus, it’s heavenly.

Salads have a tendency to be bland and a bit limp. However this recipe proves that they don’t have to be. It marries together a unique combination of ingredients and is finished off with a vibrant dressing. Crisp ribbons of raw fennel and asparagus are tossed together with samphire. Then all the ingredients are enveloped in our zingy Aperol and orange sauce. Samphire is a variety of succulent from the parsley family and has a salty yet fresh flavour. If you cannot get your hands on it simply double the quantity of asparagus. Buying a bottle of Aperol specially for this recipe? We recommend that you make yourself a glass of Aperol spritz to enjoy alongside this salad. For further salad inspo check out this beetroot salad or this rice salad.

Ingredients

• 3 oranges
• 45ml Aperol
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 300g green asparagus
• 1 large fennel bulb
• 90g samphire
• A handful of salad leaves
• 15ml white wine vinegar or white balsamic
• 2 tsp of caster sugar or honey
• 100g Pecorino Romano

Method

1. First segment the oranges by peeling the oranges and then using a knife cut out each segment of orange, taking care not to get any of the inner membranes of the orange segments.
2. Juice the remaining cores of the oranges and mix the juice with the Aperol and olive oil and season well.
3. Using a peeler, peel the bulb of fennel in ribbons and do the same with the asparagus. Place these ribbons into ice-cold water for a few minutes and they will crisp-up and really take shape.
4. Add the samphire, orange segments, salad leaves and toss well. Dress with the Aperol dressing and mix well. Serve onto a plate and finish by peeling the Pecorino on top.

This almond, strawberry and cream loaf cake is a simple bake with maximum impact. When a bowl of strawberries and cream doesn’t quite cut it, whip up this tasty cake for smiling faces all round. Loaf cakes make a delightful afternoon treat as they are easy to make and slice! We've elevated the humble cake with an indulgent cream cheese frosting. After all, why should cream cheese be reserved for the likes of carrot cake? It's a delicious alternative to whipped cream or a classic buttercream icing. It's best to use British strawberries in summer when they are in season. They taste even sweeter and juicer.

Ingredients

• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 75g ground almonds
• 16g freeze dried strawberries crisps or pieces
• 100g self-raising flour
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1tsp almond extract

For the top:

• 180g cream cheese
• 40g icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla bean paste
• 200g strawberries, cut in half

You will need:

• 20x10cm loaf tin loaf tin, lined with baking parchment

Method

1. To make the almond cake. Heat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar until pale in colour. Mix in the eggs and ground almonds. Fold in the flour and baking powder and finally the freeze dried strawberries. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. After 5 mins cooling in the tin transfer the cake onto a wire cooling rack.
2. Once the cake is completely cool prepare the topping. With the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese, vanilla bean paste and icing sugar for 5 mins.
3. Spoon onto the top of the cake and use the back of the spoon to spread. Refrigerate for 1hr to set. Before serving arrange the strawberries on top.

Light and easy, our cherry and plum brioche jam pudding makes the perfect summer dessert. It's like bread and butter pudding, but we've spread the brioche slices with jam rather than butter. Using brioche gives this dessert extra special finish and is similar to the French dish Pain perdu. Pain perdu translates as lost bread. This is because stale bread or brioche is used to make the indulgent dessert. We recommend that you choose an extra fruity conserve with lumps of cherry inside. We used Waitrose morello cherry extra fruity preserve which worked a treat. The lumps of cherry made our brioche and jam pudding extra delicious. Serve with ice cream or double cream for a luxurious finish but it's tasty on its own too.

Ingredients

• 8 slices (about 250g) brioche
• 120g cherry jam
• 3 plums, stones removed and sliced
• 2 nectarines, stones removed and sliced
• 50g raspberries
• 15g pistachios, chopped
• icing sugar, optional, to serve

For the custard:

• 600ml full-fat milk
• 2 eggs
• 30g caster sugar
• 2tsp vanilla bean paste

You will need:

• 20x27cm oven proof dish or tray lightly buttered

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Spread the sliced of brioche with jam and tear up. Put into the dish. Arrange the fruit and nuts on top.
2. Mix the custard ingredients together and pour over. Bake for 30 mins.Cool for 5 mins before serving and sift over the icing sugar, if using.

These mammoth olive and halloumi bread loaves are biggies and great for sharing and tearing. Serve alongside a classic tomato soup or as a hearty side to a fresh salad.You could experiment with the things you use to adorn the top. We kept it simple with mixed olives. However, you could dress your up with capers, pickles, even chunks of fresh veg to make them even more vibrant. You could experiment with different fillings too. We used pesto and halloumi, because we can’t get enough of the squeaky cheese. But you could try it with our roast tomato and mozzarella sandwich.

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 7g dry yeast or 14g fresh yeast
• 40ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 2tsp sea salt
• 100g halloumi, cut into 4 slices
• 4tsp pesto
• 150g black and green olives
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Tip the flour into a bowl and stir in the yeast. Add 300ml lukewarm water and combine to form a dough. Add the olive oil and salt and then knead the dough, either in a mixer with a dough hook or on a lightly floured surface, for 8-10 mins until smooth and elastic.Put the dough into an oiled bowl and smother the top with a little more oil. Cover with a clean damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for 1 hr or until almost doubled in size.
2. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Then divide two of the pieces in half again. Shape the four large pieces into flat disks, place a slice of halloumi and tsp of pesto into the centre. Fold the dough over pinching the seams firmly together.
3. Place on a flour dusted baking tray. Put a damp cloth on top and prove for a further 30 mins. Cover the smaller pieces in cling and place in the fridge. On a floured cutting board roll the smaller pieces of dough into 15cm rounds. Create a lattice pattern by making alternating incisions using a sharp knife.
4. Brush the halloumi filled rolls with the egg. Stretch a smaller piece of dough over each to expose the holes. Tuck the edges underneath. Press half an olive into each gap.Heat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. Once hot cook the rolls for 20 mins. Serve warm.

These all-in-one breakfast-filled rolls could become your new favourite brunch dish. While we have made the rolls from scratch, obviously you can use a shop-bought for ease. However, once you see how easy the rolls are to make, we're sure you'll be converted. The smell that will fill your kitchen is reason enough and the taste is second to none. You can also use the rolls to dunk in soup, fill with your favourite sandwich filling, or use them at your next barbecue. The egg helps to bind everything together and stop the filling from drying out. But you can experiment with your favourite breakfast ingredients. We recon black pudding or some cooked peppers would make a welcome addition.

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g dried yeast or 14g fresh yeast
• 7g sea salt
• 10g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• For the filling:
• 12 rashes of streaky bacon
• 150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 100g spinach
• 6 medium organic eggs
• 100g baked beans
• parsley to garnish
• You will need:
• baking sheets lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Put the flour, yeast and salt into a mixing bowl. Mix in the butter and 300ml tepid water to form a dough. Knead the dough for 10 mins. Either use a dough hook attachment on a stand mixer or tip the dough onto the work top and push the dough firmly away with the palm of your hand and folding it back over itself repeatedly.
2. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with cling film. Rest in a warm place for 35 mins.
3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 min, then divide into 6 equal-sized pieces. Shape by pulling the edges into the centre, flip them over and push them under the palm or your hand in circles on the work surface. Once smooth place the rolls onto the prepared baking sheets leaving space between them. Leave to prove for 30 mins under a clean damp tea towel until doubled in size.
4. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Bake the rolls for 10 mins, turn the tray and cook for a further 5 mins, then place on a wire rack to cool. Once the rolls are cool cut off the tops and hollow out the inside leaving about 1cm of bread on the crust. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
5. To make the filling: cook the mushrooms and bacon in a non-stick frying pan until coloured. Add the wet washed spinach to the pan to wilt. Divide the filling into each roll and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Crack an egg into each, season with salt and pepper and put into the oven. Cook for 15 mins then spoon the beans over and cook for a further 5 mins. Scatter over the parsley and serve with the lids.

Serve our bread art focaccia warm and you’re in for a real treat. Experiment with your own edible artsy design and create a magnificent, unique centrepiece for a summer table. Try serving it with our red pepper houmous or instead of toast in this delicious brunch option of eggs, asparagus and crispy ham. If you have leftovers, which is unlikely! Warm them through in the oven with a slab of goats cheese and a drizzle of olive oil for a really lovely lunch. We used a selection of red onion, herbs, colourful peppers, spring onions, chilli and olives to decorate our focaccia. You could really use any vegetables that are edible raw or even add other elements such as cheese. Alternatively, if you prefer traditional focaccia just stick to the classic, rosemary sprigs and salt.

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 7g sachet fast action or 14g fresh yeast
• 3tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 2tsp sea salt

For the decoration:

• 1tsp sea salt flakes
• 2-3tbsp olive oil

A selection of seasonal veg that can be eaten raw such as:

• Red onion
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Spring onions
• Olives
• Chillies

You will need:

• Large baking sheet, lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Tip the flour into a bowl and stir in the yeast. Add 300ml lukewarm water, the olive oil and salt and then mix to form a dough. Knead the dough, either in a mixer with a dough hook or on a lightly floured surface, for 8-10 mins until smooth and elastic.
2. Put the dough into an oiled bowl and smother the top with a little more oil. Cling the top and leave in a warm place to prove for 1 hr – 1 hr 30 mins until doubled in size.
3. Roll or stretch the dough out to rough 35cm x 25cm rectangle, put onto the prepared baking sheet and make deep dimples with your fingers all over the dough.
4. Artfully arrange the herbs and vegetables close together, to create an elaborate pattern. Press them into the dough a little and brush over olive oil. Leave in a warm place for 20 mins. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
5. Bake for 15 mins then brush or drizzle over a little more olive oil. Return to the oven for 5 mins, cook until golden.
6. Drizzle over a little more olive oil if you dare, and scatter over sea salt flakes, before serving warm.