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Buttery shortcrust rests then rolls; one disc lines a pie dish, fills with sliced spiced apples, the second disc tops it. Egg-washed, sugared, vented, baked golden. The juices thicken with cornflour as they cook so the bottom doesn't go soggy.
Ricotta is drained in muslin for at least 4 hours (overnight ideal) to lose the wet whey. A pastry dough of plain flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, Marsala, vinegar, butter and egg yolk is mixed, kneaded smooth, rested for 30 minutes, then rolled out very thin (pasta-thin). Discs (12 cm) cut; wrapped around oiled metal cannoli forms; egg-wash sealed; deep-fried at 180°C for 90 seconds until amber and crackling. Cooled, the shells lift off the moulds. The drained ricotta sweetens with icing sugar, vanilla and orange zest; chocolate chips and chopped candied peel fold through. Piped into the shells at the moment of serving; ends dipped in chopped pistachio or chocolate; dusted with icing sugar.
A short-cook caramel: butter, brown sugar, cream and a splash of vanilla, brought to soft-ball stage and dropped to a temperature where it coats and clings. Sticks pushed into the stem ends of cold, dry apples. Each apple gripped by the stick and lowered into the caramel, swirled to coat, lifted clear, and set on a buttered tray. The toppings, if you want them (chopped peanuts, sprinkles, crushed pretzels), go on while the caramel is still tacky.
A dough rich in toasted sesame seeds, almond, aniseed, cinnamon, orange-flower water, melted butter and a touch of saffron rests for 1 hour. Rolled thin (3 mm); cut into rectangles; each rectangle slits 4 times lengthways but not through. Each piece folds and twists into a rosette by threading one corner through the centre slits. Fries in moderately hot oil. Hot rosettes plunge into warmed honey + orange-flower water; soaked for 2 minutes; lifted; sprinkled with sesame.
A two-stage dish. First, thin crepes (much thinner than a pancake - almost see-through) cooked one side only on a buttered pan, stacked under a clean cloth. Then a filling of farmer cheese (or ricotta drained well) mashed with egg yolk, sugar, vanilla and a little lemon zest. A heaping tablespoon of filling on the cooked side of each crepe, folded into a tight envelope, and fried briefly in butter on both sides until golden. Served warm with cold sour cream and a spoon of red-berry compote.
Two mixtures, one tin. The brownie batter goes in first: dark chocolate and butter melted, sugar and eggs whisked light, folded together with flour and cocoa. The cheesecake topping is full-fat cream cheese beaten with sugar, an egg yolk, vanilla and a squeeze of lemon - the lemon keeps the white layer bright against the brown. Spooned over the brownie in dollops, then dragged through with a knife to make figure-eight ribbons. Baked low and slow so the cheesecake sets without browning much; cooled fully before slicing.
This cherry clafoutis combines a crisp pâte brisée case with a custardy batter filled with juicy cherries and a hint of kirsch. Serve it warm, dusted with icing sugar, to enjoy the soft fruit and golden surface.
A simple dough: flour, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, ground nutmeg, baking powder. Kneads to a smooth firm dough; rests for 30 minutes. Rolls to 5 mm thick on a floured surface; cuts into tiny 1 ½ × 1 ½ cm squares (or 1 × 2 cm rectangles) with a knife or pasta-cutter wheel. Deep-fries in batches at 160°C for 4-5 minutes till deep amber. Drains; cools fully (chin-chin crisps as it cools).
This elegant tart marries crisp sweet shortcrust pastry with a glossy dark chocolate ganache studded with fresh raspberries. Chill it before serving to allow the ganache to set, then slice with a warmed knife for neat portions.
Brioche-style dough: bread flour, yeast, milk, eggs, butter, sugar, salt. Kneads 10 min till elastic; rises 1 ½ hours. Chocolate filling: dark chocolate + butter melted with cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, cools to spreadable. Dough divides in half; each rolls to a rectangle 40 × 25 cm; filling spreads to edges; rolls up tight; cuts lengthways down the middle; the two halves twist around each other (the iconic babka braid). Lifts into a buttered loaf tin; rises for 45 min; bakes for 35 min at 180°C. Sugar syrup brushes over hot.
A rich enriched dough is mixed and kneaded; first rise overnight in the fridge for the best flavour and easier handling. The next day, the cold dough rolls into a wide rectangle; chocolate filling spreads thick to the edges; rolls into a tight log. The log is sliced lengthwise, twisted into a braid (cut sides facing up to expose the chocolate), tucked into a loaf tin and proofed. Bakes; brushes with sugar syrup hot from the oven.
Dark chocolate and butter melt over a bain-marie. Eggs and sugar whisk together until pale and ribbony, this gives the crackly top. The melted chocolate folds in, then a small amount of flour and cocoa, and chocolate chunks. Bake until the centre wobbles slightly; cool fully (or you'll get fudge soup).
A no-bake chocolate slab built on a half-and-half blend of milk and dark chocolate, melted with butter and golden syrup, then loaded with broken digestives, dried apricots, raisins and pecans. Not as sweet as rocky road, not as dense as tiffin: the agnostic family recipe that uses up the bottom of the cupboard.
An elegant and impressive dessert of crispy meringue rolled around a rich chocolate filling, creating a beautiful spiral when sliced. The contrast between the light, airy meringue and the dense, silky chocolate filling provides the perfect balance of textures and flavors in this sophisticated French-inspired creation.
A rich and airy chocolate soufflé that rises dramatically in the oven, creating a show-stopping dessert with a molten chocolate center. This classic French preparation requires precision timing and technique, but rewards you with an elegant and impressive dessert that looks far more complicated than it actually is.
A two-layer Scottish bakery classic: a chocolate-cocoa biscuit base packed with raisins, sealed under a glossy milk-chocolate top. No oven needed and no chocolate measured for the base, just cocoa for depth and golden syrup plus butter for binding. The fridge does the work.
A choux-like dough cooks on the stovetop: water, butter, sugar, salt and a touch of vanilla bring to a boil; flour is dumped in all at once; cooked for 2 minutes stirring vigorously until the dough comes together as a ball that pulls away from the pan. Cooled slightly, eggs whisk in one at a time to a smooth thick pipe-able dough. Transferred to a piping bag with a star nozzle (1 ½ cm star tip). Heat oil to 175°C. Pipe directly into the oil, cutting each churro to 12-15 cm length with scissors. Fry for 90 seconds per side until amber. Drain on paper. Roll immediately in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm with hot chocolate.
A milk-and-butter enriched dough, kneaded long enough to develop the gluten that gives the buns their pillow-pull texture. Rolled into a rectangle, brushed with melted butter, scattered with a brown sugar-cinnamon-salt mix. Rolled into a tight log, sliced into 12 equal spirals, set in a buttered tin with a small gap between each (so they rise into each other to give the soft pull-apart edge). Risen until puffy, brushed with egg wash, baked. The sugar inside the spiral half-melts into a soft caramel ribbon. Brushed with a warm syrup glaze as they leave the oven and dusted with icing sugar (or topped with a thick water icing) for the bakery-window finish.
A round baking dish (or shallow gratin dish, or 9-inch pie plate) butters and dusts with sugar. Ripe cherries (washed; traditionally stones in, see Notes) scatter in a single layer. A simple batter of eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, plain flour, whole milk, double cream and a touch of melted butter whisks together (or blender'd) to a smooth thin consistency. Poured over the cherries; sprinkled with a little extra sugar. Baked at 180°C for 35-40 minutes until risen, golden, slightly cracked on the surface, just-set in the centre. Dusted with icing sugar; served warm with a glug of cream.
Classic French crèpes: delicate, tissue-thin pancakes with a tender crumb and subtle vanilla flavor, serving as the foundation for infinite sweet and savory variations. These timeless crèpes are fundamental to French cuisine yet require precision and practice to master, rewarding with elegant, versatile results.