Rhubarb and Custard Pie Pudding

I can draw inspiration from anywhere. I think it’s perhaps my strongest quality and truly beneficial to my career as a chef. It does not matter to whom I speak…

Poppy Seed and Blood Orange Sticky Cake

I’m not one to give up on a recipe. In fact I will repeat making it until I get it right. Ok. it may have been perfectly fine the first…

Pancake Day, The British Larder Way! Raspberry, Lime and Coconut Pancakes

Where is the year going!?! Well it’s nearly  Shrove Tuesday, which is the last day before Lent and known to everyone as Pancake Day.

We love a good pancake, there…

Lemon Curd Tarts

This luxurious and velvety lemon curd recipe is very close to my heart. I have had this recipe for nearly 15 years and it’s been used in many of the…

Makin’ Whoopee…Salted Peanut Whoopie Pies…

I have not been this excited about mastering a recipe in years! Reading the news paper and Delicious magazines predictions on what’s  ”hot” this year in the line…

Coconut Panacotta and Passion Fruit Eggs

Happy New Year!! Wow it’s nearly 2010, the end of a decade and time for an extra special New Years party.

This  is the perfect party recipe, it raises the…

Tamarind Pears with Creamed Tapioca and Toffee Pear Lollipops

It’s incredible how certain foods have certain meanings for different people. For example I like tapioca, it reminds me of my Mum, Sundays and happy family time spent together, whereas …

Clementine Sherbet Verrines

I cannot believe its already December and we are heading for Christmas full steam ahead. I get great satisfaction  when my colleagues start asking for ideas and hints on how…

Date, Almond and Clementine Christmas Stollen

I have a special affection for marzipan and almonds,so at every opportunity  to create something containing either one of these will be grabbed with both hands. With Christmas just a…

Fresh Cranberry and Chestnut Cantucci

I cannot believe it’s already November, where has the year gone? I have to start making plans for Christmas and have actually been developing Christmas recipes for months but  this…

Reminiscing About El Bulli Menu 2009…Salted Peanut and Corn Snow Wafers

I have a special affection for Spain, I feel truly at home when I’m there. They have exceptional food, brilliantly jaw dropping innovative chefs, fantastic architecture, art, produce and wine.…

Damson Parfait with Olive Oil and Thyme Sable

This recipe is dedicated to UK  Thermomix as featured in the Yes Chef Magazine October 2009.

I have had the privilege to use the previous models…

Twice Baked Quince and Hazelnut Crumble with Quince Custard

This is a pretty humble dish in itself  but the kind of dessert  that would be perfect to round off a lovely family Sunday roast with all the trimmings. It’s…

Chocolate and Amaretti Torte with a Divine Chocolate Frosting

The recipe for this chocolate and amaretti torte with a divine chocolate frosting could not have come at a better time than during the national Chocolate Week 2009.…

Orange and Cardamom Soaked Brioche Buns

Credit goes to Valentine Warner for inspiring me to make these fabulous orange and cardamom soaked brioche buns. I was watching Val on telly a few months ago making something…

Fig and Pine Nut Tart

I feel incredibly privileged to live in Britain, especially close to London as we are the “food  capital” of the world, well that’s my opinion. You can buy nearly anything…

Classic Tart Tatin with Velvety Crème Anglaise

I’m known as the Queen of Tart Tatins….even if I have to say so myself!

I’m looking for perfection when it comes to this classic dish and these are the…

Victoria Plum and Blackberry Frozen Ice Cream Slices

The signs of autumn are in the air. The mornings are crisp and the sun is reluctant to show it’s face. I definitely feel the change in the season as…

Old Fashioned Jam Tarts

This recipe gives me that lovely and overall warm feeling. It’s simple and easy to make but brings back priceless memories of my Grandmother.

We went to visit her during…

Damson and Bramble Plate Pie

I love this concept, Mr.P told me a lovely story a while ago after he had visited a chef in the Newcastle who made plate pies. I liked the idea…

Hedgerow Fruit Pastels

Working as a chef in a top Michelin stared restaurant you get to learn the tricks of the trade. The chances are that you will make pate fruits, as we…

My Farewell Celebration Cake for Mum; Lemon, Polenta and Almond Cake

This lemon, polenta and almond cake recipe has been with me since I was a young commis chef working in a London restaurant. This is another one of my recipes…

Stem Ginger Ice Cream

The sticky sweet but strong distinctive flavour of stem ginger is a taste that you either love or loathe.

How amazing is it that your taste, likes and dislikes change…

Plum Upside Down Cake

The plum season is about to start and it’s amazing how many different varieties of plums are available. I like each for different reasons, some are sweeter than others, some  juicier…

Thyme Poached Apricots

Apricots are one of my favourite summer fruits. I love the round bright orange yellow colours that shout sunshine, holidays and happy thoughts. It reminds me of my uncles farm…

Gooseberry Polenta Slice

Gooseberries and rhubarb never used to excite me. Only recently did I start to appreciate the British love affair with these tart seasonal delights. I have never thought that I…

Mandarin Sorbet

With the summer predicted to be a scorcher it’s best to be prepared. It’s time to sift through the recipes, select the winners and be ready to move when the…

Elderflower and English Wine Jelly

The short elderflower season is drawing to an end.

I’m feeling a bit sad as it means that this wonderful gift from Mother Nature is not going to be around…

Gills Baked Gooseberry and Ginger Nut Cheesecake

Dear Gill,

A big apology for not replying to your letter and saying thank you for sharing this remarkable recipe with us. Your cheesecake recipe will be one that I…

Loquat Iced Tea Smoothie

When I received loquats in the  box of wonderful inspirational goodies last week I could hardly contain my excitement. Loquats ,also known as nispero fruits, are medium size oval-round milky…

Restaurant Sat Bains presents a “Sweet Curry”

I’m going to tell you about my visit to Restaurant Sat Bains again and again…! We had a brilliant time and experienced the warm glowing feel that you…

Pink Peppercorn Strawberry Jelly and Thyme Infused Honey Custard

Wow did I have fun making this dish today!

Thanks to Great British Menu last week featuring the Welsh heat with Stephen Terry and James Sommerin. Both their desserts reminded…

Soufflé Orange Tapioca Cream

I was horrified to hear the  negative comments from the general public on tapioca pudding.

Last week I was doing a cooking demonstration to a group of ladies who all…

Date Slice with Earl Grey Tea Bananas and Stem Ginger Ice Cream

Sticky toffee pudding is as British as British could be.

I have eaten many sticky toffee puddings in my lifetime and have found that more than once the texture is…

Mixed Spiced Ice Cream

The best kitchen gadget and the number one must have for 2009 is the phenomenal Thermomix. There is very little that this machine wonder cannot do in the…

Buttermilk Pudding with Blood Oranges

When I received an invitation to spend a morning in the pastry section of Rocco Forte’s Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair with head pastry chef Fabien Ecuvillon I was delighted. Fabien…

Plum Tart Tatin with Mulled Plum Sorbet

Making tart tatin used to be my “party piece”. I love the wow factor which I still get  after all these years. It’s a warm fussy feeling and a sense…

Roasted Cardamom Panacotta with Stewed Rhubarb

This roasted cardamom panacotta with stewed rhubarb is exactly what the British Larder is all about. The combination of flavours, textures and unusual methods is a sheer delight.

Sophistication with…

Mulled Plum Sorbet

“Sugar and spice and all things nice. That’s what little girls are made of”. You might think that I have now completely lost the plot!? Perhaps I have, but this…

Sticky Orange Cake with Natural Yogurt Topping

This Sticky Orange Cake with Natural Yoghurt Topping is a tribute to my very good friend Fabien. Fabien is an outstanding pastry chef and the two of us certainly have…

Fine Pear Tart

I’m very excited about this fine pear tart.Firstly I had made a fresh batch of rough puff pastry and was very pleased with myself. Secondly I have finally followed a…

Conference Pears Under Pressure

The inspiration for this recipe came from the book ‘ Under Pressure’ by Thomas Keller. I love this recipe for many reasons, one of which is that the pears do…

Bite Size Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

Doughnuts could be described as devils food; you simply just can’t get enough of them. Or shall I say that’s my excuse!

As these Bite size cinnamon sugar doughnuts  limit…

Quince Brule Tarts

Quinces were introduced to Britain during the late 16th century from the Mediterranean. It made its appearance at the end of a large banquet, as it  helped with the digestion…

Banana and Date Loaf

Inhale a deep breath of air; the aroma of freshly baked Banana and Date Loaf caresses your nose and all your senses. My mouth starts to water and the memories…

Milk Tart

This recipe takes me back to my childhood. South Africans would know the name of this dish as Melk tert and not surprisingly the English translation is Milk Tart. There…

Individual Square Rhubarb Tarts

Square is funky and fun. I love making these gorgeous looking rustic tarts. They always look attractive and catch the eye but I must confess the pretty pink forced rhubarb…

Vanilla Sous-Vide Rhubarb

Tender stem forced Yorkshire rhubarb is definitely recommended for this recipe. The soft pastel pink colour is trapped in the young skin of the forced rhubarb. If  the rhubarb is…

Spelt Russet Apple Slice

The nutty wholemeal rich spelt shortbread base is a pure melt in the mouth delight. I spent a cold grey Friday wandering the streets of London looking for inspiration. I…

White Hot Chocolate Espuma with The Ultimate Chocolate Brownies

I had been asked to help out with a canapé function a couple of weeks ago. I got all excited, as I wanted to make Catharine’s ultimate very…

Catherine’s Ultimate Very Chocolaty Brownies

Chocolaty, gooey, deliciously rich is the only way to describe Catherine’s ultimate very chocolaty brownies. A few months ago the whole support team at work took part in a cooking…

Spiced Apple and Olive Oil Cake

This Spiced Apple and Olive Oil cake is a tribute to an Egyptian chef who used to work with me. Using olive oil instead of butter makes this cake interesting.…

The Bilbao Breakfast

This recipe is a memory of last spring when we went to the Basque country, Northern Spain for a pure stuff your face weekend. We had a table booked for…

Cinnamon Baked Plums

This recipe is one of the very first recipes that I specially produced for The British Larder.This website has been a dream in the making for a long time. The…

Mango & Blackcurrant Espuma

Who would have thought that the old-fashioned Cream Whipper would have become fashionable again? Squirty cream had been at the forefront of Gastronomy during the 60’s and 70’s. They then…

Mini Cinnamon and Apple Whirls

Breakfast or afternoon tea will be a perfect time to enjoy these Mini Cinnamon and Apple Whirls. The Russet Apple Compote is a recipe that I have prepared and kept…

Sweet Short Crust Pastry

Following recipes word for word has been one of my weaknesses in life. However I love to add my own twist and take on recipes, I suppose it’s all part…

Rough Puff Pastry

Making puff pastry has always been one of those things that I just simply do not do. Purely because it takes for ever and then I have the fear that…