There’s an air of mystique around baking, but it’s easy to master with a little guidance. Cakes, bread, pies, tarts, slices, biscuits, crumbles and flans – here are my favourite baking recipes
Mushroom & Cheese Pies Thanks to chef Simon Sandall who rattled off this suggestion on the spur of the moment when we were making beef Wellington together and wondering what to do with leftover mushroom duxelles and pastry off-cuts. You could always make the duxelles specifically for these pies and whip up a larger batch […]
Lotus Paste Shortbread Biscuits Cheong Liew tells me that these lotus paste shortbead biscuits are typically served with jasmine tea at the end of a Chinese banquet and, while golden lotus seed paste (lin yoong) is traditional, they can be filled with red bean (hong dou sha), black sesame (hei zhi ma xian) or any […]
Pedro Ximénez Sherry & Date Puddings These simple Sherry and date puddings are inspired by part of a far more elaborate recipe by Cheong Liew in his book My Food. He adds ginger for an extra dimension, so stir 2 teaspoons of ginger juice into the batter if you like ginger’s pepperiness (made by squeezing […]
Potato Focaccia I love authentic focaccia made with a generous amount of olive oil. My recipe is inspired by Ligurian-born restaurateur, Lucio Galletto, who uses more water and oil in his recipe than many I’ve seen, which is what makes his focaccia so delicious. I love how versatile focaccia is and especially enjoy potato focaccia […]
PolvorónesAndalusian Shortbread These Spanish shortbreads hail from the southern region of Andalusia and are particularly popular at Christmas time. The name comes from the Spanish word polvo, meaning powder or dust, referring to their crumbly texture – the dough is the crumbliest I’ve ever worked with! They’re popular in Latin America and the Philippines and […]
Date Scones This recipe is inspired by Matt Moran’s date scone recipe in Australian Food, which is in turn inspired by the scones his Nan, Valda made. The dates and mixed spice make them so tasty I don’t think they need jam or cream, just lashings of Pepe Saya butter – but feel free to […]
Herb Scones I love herb scones alongside a bowl of soup, but they also make a great savoury addition to afternoon tea. Use just one herb or a mixture of any fresh herbs you like: parsley, chervil, dill, chives, tarragon or thyme – even a little very finely chopped rosemary – in this versatile, tasty […]
Cheese Scones Given scones British heritage, I like to use a good crumbly cheddar in my cheese scones; most of it mixed into the dough and a little saved to sprinkle on top. Depending on your oven, the topping may brown unevenly, so check after 10 minutes and if necessary turn the tray around to […]
Pumpkin Scones Pumpkin scones are perhaps the most Aussie scone of all, made famous by Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen, wife of a Queensland Premier. Use leftover roast pumpkin if you have some (you’ll need about 1 cup mashed), in which case you may need to add a splash more milk. These pretty orange scones are delicious […]
Spungata (Ligurian Apricot Tart) This delicious fruit tart, called spungata in Liguria and spongata in neighbouring Emilia-Romagna, is similar to what other Italian regions call crostata. In Liguria it’s often given as a gift when visiting friends and family. Apricots are a common filling, but it’s also made with apples, pears and other fruits; the […]
