Posts Tagged “cake”

We Love Raspberry Ripple Slices

We Love Raspberry Ripple Slices

Gluten, wheat and milk free. We Love Cake was founded in 2002, when the owner tried living as a coeliac for a week. He was so disappointed by the baked goods on offer that he decided to build the first ever dedicated gluten, wheat and milk free bakery in the UK! Raspberry Ripple Slices are…

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Nielsen-Massey’s Vanilla Extract

Nielsen-Massey’s Vanilla Extract

A drop elevates. There is no pleasure greater than baking. Tempting aromas fill one’s home. Even a simple cake speaks of old-fashioned comfort. Not too many ingredients but they must be of the best quality. Vanilla Extract from Nielsen-Massey is flavourful and convenient. Nielsen-Massey’s Vanilla Extract is ubiquitous in every serious baker’s larder. It’s versatile,…

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Lewis and Baker Traybakes – A WINNER

Lewis and Baker Traybakes – A WINNER

Winner – Food Gift 2020 It’s been a funny old year and that unpleasant strangeness will likely last till Easter. Christmas won’t be the usual affair and those hastily-planned new arrangements might now have to include gifts ordered online. Food lovers will be glad to hear that the pressie under the tree need not be…

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Baking at the 20th Century Café

Baking at the 20th Century Café

Iconic European Desserts from Linzer Torte to Honey Cake This book can’t fail! Baking at the 20th Century Café: Iconic European Desserts from Linzer Torte to Honey Cake is the book for which many of us have been waiting. If food lovers have visited either Vienna, Budapest or Prague they would have had not only…

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Ladurée Teatime

Ladurée Teatime

What could be more quintessentially English than afternoon tea? A great location helps, and they don’t come much more iconic than London’s Covent Garden. Add a little French je ne sais quoi and one is looking at a rather delicious package. Covent Garden was buzzing with life before it became such a tourist hub. The…

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Vegetable Cakes

Vegetable Cakes

I have just returned from a trip to delicious Thailand. There were curries, refreshing and spiced salads, and noodles aplenty. There were also desserts, and these were, for the most part, made of vegetables. Seems like we in Europe are a bit behind the wave of that particular culinary classification. Vegetable Cakes: The most fun…

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Pinocchio Afternoon Tea at The National Theatre – review

Pinocchio Afternoon Tea at The National Theatre – review

It’s snowy in London and it does rather give the impression of a Christmas landscape. At that time of year one’s fancy might turn to a theatre trip with the kids – nothing taxing like King Lear, but perhaps a children’s classic like Pinocchio might fit the bill? The National Theatre has the ideal production,…

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100 Cakes and Bakes by Mary Berry – review

100 Cakes and Bakes by Mary Berry – review

This is another in the series from My Kitchen Table, offering good-value volumes of easy-to-make recipes, and in the case of 100 Cakes and Bakes those recipes have been penned by none other than the queen of cakes, Mary Berry, who has inspired a generation of would-be home bakers. We have a royal wedding approaching…

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Balans Soho Society, Seven Dials – restaurant review

Balans Soho Society, Seven Dials – restaurant review

I have had many a vibrant Brunch at Balans and I am drawn there for the Eggs in Hell – 2 eggs poached in a tomato chilli sauce with a sprinkle of parmesan, and Balans potatoes. It should be a signature dish. Yes, lots of visits to other branches but this was the first time…

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Yuzu Cupcakes with Matcha Tea Frosting – recipe

Yuzu Cupcakes with Matcha Tea Frosting – recipe

Looking for Japanese flavours in a dessert but using traditional Western techniques? This could be the recipe for you. Yuzu Cupcakes with Matcha Tea Frosting are little fancies that would be a welcome addition to a very English afternoon tea, but they use very Japanese Yuzu juice giving a citrus tang; and then there is…

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Afternoon Tea at Home by Will Torrent – review

Afternoon Tea at Home by Will Torrent – review

I was expecting a great book from this well-respected chef, Will Torrent. I wasn’t expecting the volume to have that overwhelming feel-good factor. That comes from a reminder of traditional sweet treats in the recipes, bringing comforting memories. And contemporary innovations bringing the realisation of ‘I can do that’ dusted with a smug ‘won’t the…

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Sprinkles by Jackie Alpers – review

Sprinkles by Jackie Alpers – review

Baking is, thank goodness, enjoying something of a revival. We are reconnecting with some old-fashioned culinary values – the kitchen filled with tempting aromas, a cake on a glass stand, some home-made chocolate treats. But much of the appeal of the candy is the fact that it is also eye-candy. They look beautiful. Perhaps these…

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Chocolat by Eric Lanlard – yes, its chocolate – review

Chocolat by Eric Lanlard – yes, its chocolate – review

The world loves chocolate, and combine that with a dashing chef with a rich French accent and recipes for goods that have graced many a French patisserie window, and one has the makings of a successful cookbook. Yes, it’s true that one can’t actually hear Eric’s Gallic tones but one can imagine. Eric has impeccable…

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Celebrity Bake Book – Mary Berry – cookbook review

Celebrity Bake Book – Mary Berry – cookbook review

It’s a feel-good cookbook in every regard. It’s in support of The Ben Kinsella Trust, which was set up to raise awareness of knife crime after the death of young Ben. It has the comforting feel of a good old-fashioned cookbook with attractive and slightly retro graphics and simple recipes for things that one would…

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Lotte’s Kitchen with Lotte Duncan – restaurant review

Lotte’s Kitchen with Lotte Duncan – restaurant review

There is no mistaking that this is indeed Lotte’s Kitchen. I am sure an aerial view would show this cafe as a pink blob. This pastel-coloured venue is, if you know Lotte Duncan, just what you would expect and just what you would hope for. You will likely recognise Lotte Duncan from her numerous food…

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The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook by Lindsay Landis – review

The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook by Lindsay Landis – review

Surely we have all licked out the bowl after mum has made cookies. But let’s make it clear what we mean by a cookie. A cookie is a biscuit if you are an American. A biscuit is a cookie if you are British. Something like a scone is a biscuit if you come from the…

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Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts by Alice Medrich – review

Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts by Alice Medrich – review

It’s no surprise that I love cooking. I bake bread, make pies, curries, casseroles and roasts but, to tell the truth, I have never managed a great repertoire of desserts. Perhaps it’s because I don’t want to spend hours and hours in the kitchen confectioning a fiddly sweet creation. I might have a passion for…

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Afternoon Tea at Dukes – restaurant review

Afternoon Tea at Dukes – restaurant review

Dukes boutique hotel is tucked away in a quiet courtyard in London’s stylish St James’s.  It was the winner of “England’s Leading Boutique Hotel” at the World Travel Awards 2011 and it’s no surprise. Whilst its salubrious location is part of the charm it still stands apart from much of the local competition. It has…

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The Art of French Baking by Ginette Mathiot – review

The Art of French Baking by Ginette Mathiot – review

Ginette Mathiot was one of the most celebrated French food writers. She was so respected that she was awarded Officier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French government. She was into her 90s when she died after a long and celebrated career. Ginette Mathiot wrote over 30 books including the famous Je Sais Cuisiner –…

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Cake Decorating Skills by Tracey Mann – review

Cake Decorating Skills by Tracey Mann – review

It’s just the time to start getting anxious about Christmas. All that shopping …and all that cooking and baking. It’s a special season, when we want to make an extra effort for family and friends; our usual delicious food but with a little more care taken over presentation. Sweet things and large cakes can provide…

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