12 holiday-inspired bakes to brighten your coffee table
From Greek-inspired cakes to Spanish-style slices and Italian snacks, these Mediterranean bakes will whisk you away for ultimate holiday feels
Looking to add a bit of sunshine to your afternoon tea spread? Want to indulge in a spot of Italian baking? End a meal of meze sharing plates with one of theses cakes, bakes or sweet treats and dream of bathing on a Mediterranean island. Mediterranean-style baking recipes Fragrant orange portokalopita This syrup-soaked cake from Edd Kimber is inspired by the sunshine flavours of Crete. Cannoli Create a batch of homemade cannoli for a sweet Italian treat for your next dinner party, served with a shot of espresso. Portuguese custard tarts Make classic Portuguese custard tarts Pastéis de Nata with step-by-step help from the test kitchen. Dusting the pastry with icing sugar gives the tarts a golden, caramelised crust when cooked. Loukoumades (Greek doughnuts) One of the pleasures of a Greek holiday comes in those moments after dark (and after dinner) when everyone moves to the tables in a local square to drink coffee and eat plates of tiny cinnamon-scented doughnuts. Whether your preference is for the sugar-dusted variety or those soaked in honey, try making them at home for a crowd-pleasing dessert with a difference. Check out more doughnut recipes here. Effortless madeleine 'baba' Cut corners with this cheat on a rum baba – it’s simple to make, and you can use whichever rum you like. Sicilian ricotta cake This impressive Sicilian ricotta cake will steal the show at dinner, with chunks of chocolate studded through creamy baked ricotta. It's deceptively easy to make, too. Baklava Try our version of baklava, drenched it in a salted honey sauce. This sweet and sticky filo pastry treat comes packed with four types of nut, cardamom and cinnamon. Italian lemon cake Amalfi lemons give a strong, intense lemony aroma in our Italian cake recipe, making a fitting summery cake which is a real crowd pleaser, too. Tres leches cake with rum and toasted coconut Tres leches is translated from Spanish as ‘three milks cake’, where evaporated milk and cream are used alongside condensed milk. Biscotti These twice-baked Italian biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea. They are traditionally made with skin-on almonds that give a delicate nutty flavour. Lemon and lime tart The perfect make-ahead French pud and similar to a classic tarte au citron – recreate Edd Kimber's epic lemon and lime tart with a coconut macaroon case and fill with a citrussy curd. Dark chocolate, olive oil and sea salt focaccia Achieve baking heaven with our sweet focaccia. Peppery olive oil and dark chocolate pair really well – throw some sea salt in the mix for a sweet/salty edge. French crullers Make Edd Kimber’s crullers, a classic French dessert, for glazed donuts which are crispy on the outside and light on the inside. Churros with hot chocolate sauce Make these Spanish sweet treats for a comforting dessert or breakfast. The rich, indulgent hot chocolate sauce is also delicious over ice cream.
A syrup-soaked cake inspired by the sunshine flavours of Crete
Try Edd's fragrant orange portokalopita, then discover his devil's food cake, lemon and lime tart, brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies or black and white tahini cookies. Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to spend a bit of time on the beautiful Greek island of Crete. The village we stay in has a brilliant bakery that produces a whole host of filo-based dishes and, while they’re all delicious, they never seem to include my all-time favourite Cretan treat, portokalopita – so I had to learn how to make it myself. This cake is unique because instead of flour it’s made with dried filo pastry. The resulting cake is surprisingly tender, with an unusually lacy texture. Because the recipe uses dried filo, it’s reasonable to assume it was originally made as a way to use up any left-over pastry that had become too dry to use for other recipes. The origin story, however, suggests it was invented by thrifty cooks who had scraps of left-over pastry after making spanakopita. This is also a recipe that fits into the siropiasta category of Greek desserts – cakes and pastries soaked in simple syrup to keep them moist. Traditionally the batter is made with oil but I prefer the flavour of butter. But feel free to use an equal quantity of oil should you want a more traditional version. In this version the usual orange-flavoured syrup is deepened with a fragrant blend of cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. While the included amount is entirely used up in the cake, you can always make a little extra to drizzle over the fresh oranges slices, if you like. View Green Video on the source website Fragrant orange portokalopita recipe
12 best matcha recipes for vibrant drinks, desserts and bakes
Add matcha green tea powder to your bakes for an earthy, bitter, savoury note. Our matcha recipes include cupcakes, crepes and tiramisu.
Want to know about matcha tea? Fancy making some recipes with matcha? Read our guide all about this healthy green tea, then check out our superfood recipes. What is matcha? Matcha is a finely ground powder made of processed green tea leaves. Traditionally, matcha has been consumed in East Asia, namely in Japanese tea ceremonies, where serving and drinking matcha as hot tea symbolises a meditative spirituality. These days, it’s also used as a flavouring and dye in desserts and drinks, such as mochi, ice cream and lattes. ‘Ceremonial-grade’ matcha refers to the higher quality powder used in tea ceremonies, whereas ‘culinary-grade’ refers to that of a lower-quality, even though no standard industry definition or requirements for matcha exist. How do you use matcha? The simplest way to begin using matcha is as a flavouring, think of it as a spice like vanilla or cinnamon. Try it as an ice cream flavouring or by making a matcha milk shake. Matcha salt - a mix of sea salt and matcha powder - makes a new sprinkle for poached, boiled or fried eggs. Check out our trend spotlight on matcha for more matcha recipes and the best matcha spots in London.
This rhubarb and custard cake recipe is soaked in vanilla milk syrup, filled with rhubarb jam and covered in mascarpone whipped cream
Try Edd Kimber's rhubarb and custard cake, then discover his devil's food cake, lemon and lime tart, brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies or black and white tahini cookies. Rhubarb and custard is about as British as the victoria ways to showcase forced rhubarb, grown in the Rhubarb Triangle, a small area of Yorkshire close to where I grew up. Forced rhubarb differs from its chunkier cousin in how its grown: the roots are placed inside large sheds which are devoid of daylight and, in the dark, the rhubarb shoots up quickly in search of light. This sped-up growth leads to a more intense pink colour, a bright vibrant flavour and a less stringy texture. To use this classic flavour pairing in a way that heroes the rhubarb I chose not to add lots of other competing flavours and to keep the whole thing light to make a perfectly spring-like cake. Made with a light genoise soaked with a vanilla milk syrup, it is filled with rhubarb jam and vanilla pastry cream, and, instead of a heavy, sweet frosting I opted for a mascarpone whipped cream. I was also inspired by Wayne Thiebaud – whose famous paintings of cakes and pies have inspired many a baker – and decorated the cake with nostalgic simplicity. If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer you can test if the jam is ready by spooning a little onto a saucer you have chilled in the freezer for 15 mins. Wait a few seconds, then push the jam with your fingertip. If it wrinkles, the jam is ready. View Green Video on the source website Rhubarb and custard cake recipe
Cardamom, coffee and milk chocolate doughnuts
This trio of flavours works in absolute harmony together and all bounce off of one another to make a deliciously flavoured treat.
Try our cardamom, coffee and milk chocolate doughnuts, then discover mini doughnuts, baked doughnuts and ring doughnuts, plus more doughnut recipes. Recipe author and first Great British Bake Off winner Edd Kimber says: "Who doesn’t love a jam doughnut? It is joyous in its simplicity and delicious in all of its nostalgia. Maybe you’d argue there is no point messing around with something so simple and pure. But why not? Sometimes taking a classic like that and having a play around can create something new and exciting, and delicious in a completely different way. In this recipe I wanted to take something that we all know and love, and give it a modern spin, adding an interesting flavour combo that makes these simple brioche doughnuts into something new. That flavour combo? Coffee, cardamom and milk chocolate. "I first had cardamom and coffee together when visiting an Arabic coffee roaster where the coffee was roasted alongside cardamom and ground together to make an incredibly punchy mug of coffee. Milk chocolate and coffee are long-time partners but with the addition of cardamom it’s absolute heaven. "As there are multiple elements to this recipe you can make life easier and make this over two days. On day one, make the coffee pastry cream, cardamom sugar and brioche dough. Once the dough is kneaded, form it into a ball and put it into a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Leave at room temperature for 20 minutes before transferring to the fridge to prove slowly overnight (it can also be left in the fridge for up to three days). When you shape the doughnuts the dough will be cold so it can take up to twice as long to prove." View Green Video on the source website Cardamom, coffee and milk chocolate doughnuts recipe
Small balls of bread dough baked together as a pull-apart loaf, coated in a sticky caramel glaze... perfect for sharing with friends over the Christmas holidays
Try Edd Kimber's sticky toffee monkey bread, then discover his devil's food cake, lemon and lime tart, brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies or black and white tahini cookies. Baker, author and first ever Great British Bake Off winner Edd Kimber says: "Monkey bread is most commonly made in a bundt and make it in all manner of different bakeware. Personally I love making desserts in a cast-iron frying pan so that they’re served straight from the oven. But let’s back up, what is monkey bread? At its simplest it’s small balls of bread dough baked together as a pull-apart loaf, coated in a sticky caramel glaze. In this version this glorious dish is combined with sticky toffee pudding to make something spectacular. To ensure this is as sticky and saucy as the dessert, I make this dish a little differently than the classic method. The caramel-esque brown sugar sauce is not just added to the cast-iron pan and baked with the bread dough – half is reserved and added after baking, giving it a more generous level of sauciness, akin to a sticky toffee. Now you could of course serve the dessert as is but a drizzle of cream or custard would never go amiss." View Green Video on the source website Sticky toffee monkey bread recipe
Impress guests over the festive season with our best Christmas baking ideas, from classic mince pies, stollen and Christmas fruit cake to decorated cookies
Looking for the best ever Christmas baking recipes. We've got everything from Christmas cookies to classic mince pies, Baileys chocolate tiffin to Christmas cupcakes, plus a crowd-pleasing white chocolate Christmas cake to treat yourself and loved ones during the festive season. We've also got plenty more indulgent Christmas dessert recipes to serve to your family and friends during the holidays. For quick and easy festive entertaining, check out our no-cook Christmas entertaining ideas. Get the big day off to a delicious start with our Christmas breakfast ideas and if you're looking for last-minute present ideas for the foodie in your life, our homemade edible Christmas gifts are sure to bring a smile to their face. Best Christmas baking ideas Bûche de Noël Serve this bûche de noël for a Christmas dessert showpiece. This festive log features layers of chocolate sponge, chantilly cream and chocolate buttercream. Cinnamon biscuits These crisp iced biscuits are flavoured with warming cinnamon and ginger spices. They are sure to fill your kitchen with enticing festive aromas. Buttermint madeleines Edd Kimber reimagines the nostalgic flavour of Murray Mints in these festive madeleines, made with browned butter and finished with a smooth white chocolate shell – perfect for afternoon tea. Classic mince pies It's just not Christmas without a mince pie. Making your own shortcrust pastry is easy, and investing in decent shop-bought mincemeat makes all the difference. Make-ahead Christmas cake Get ahead for Christmas by baking this classic festive fruit cake, covered in marzipan and fondant icing. With gentle spices, citrus flavours and ginger wine, this easy bake is full of flavour and sure to impress a crowd. Classic stollen This gently spiced, festive bake is bursting with dried fruit and marzipan. A great homemade gift or afternoon pick-me-up. Baileys cake A real showstopper of a cake, this three-tiered beauty is all dark chocolate and Baileys Irish Cream. It's perfect for an impressive Christmas dessert. Vegan gingerbread men Enjoy some festive nostalgia with a batch of vegan gingerbread men. They're easy to bake and fun to decorate. Stollen bites Make these pretty stollen bites for a fun Christmas baking project – you can use any mixed dried fruit, such as cranberries, sour cherries or apricots. Gingerbread cupcakes These moreish spiced cupcakes are great fun to make over the festive season for the whole family. Vegan Christmas cake Everyone will enjoy a slice of this Christmas cake, which can be baked and matured up to eight weeks before Christmas. Feed the cake weekly with your choice of brandy, rum or whisky for extra moisture and a warming flavour. Stollen buns The marzipan and dried fruit in stollen are quintessential Christmas flavours, reworked here into a snowball-like bun by London's Fortitude Bakehouse. Gluten-free chocolate fudge cake Turn your hand to baking this festive chocolate fudge cake this Christmas, which just happens to be gluten free. Cozonac Bake this sweet Christmas bread from Prestige Patisserie in Tottenham this Christmas. It’s studded with raisins, nuts, chocolate and Turkish delight and infused with rum. Pistachio and cherry nougat pandoro Cut corners by assembling this impressive festive centrepiece with shop-bought pandoro – it’s a bake which will get everyone in the festive spirit. Gingerbread pie Bake this glorious gingerbread pie, showcasing a blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, for a Christmas bake that’s designed to impress. Chocolate panettone We've given this sweet Italian bread a decadent twist with dark chocolate – the perfect treat to serve visitors over the festive season. Tiramis-czhoux tower You can guarantee friends and family haven’t come across this hybrid before, where balls of choux pastry are stuffed with coffee-drenched ladyfingers and boozy pastry cream. Christmas lamingtons Give lamingtons a festive makeover in this recipe from Morny Bakehouse, with white chocolate icing, a cherry yuzu jam centre and a buttercream crown. Christmas pavlova Individual pavlovas are filled with caramelised pineapple, topped with vanilla-infused cream and finished with a passionfruit coulis. This is a truly showstopping dessert by Covent Garden restaurant, Ave Mario. Christmas tart Fill a shop-bought tart case with brandy-soaked dried fruit and two types of almond for an effortless festive dessert, best eaten with brandy butter. Pandoro semifreddo This easy yet standout pandoro recipe is sure to bring the wow factor to any Christmas table. The chocolate and amaretto semifreddo is all encased in an Italian pandoro bread and topped with a crown of crunchy pistachios. Ecclefechan tarts A must-try alternative to festive mince pies, flavoured with very strong tea, grape molasses and brown butter. Christmas crumble Expand your Christmas repertoire with this festive take on your fave pud. Use up left-over mincemeat – jarred or homemade – for extra flavour. Lebkuchen Honey-sweetened German treats spiced with cinnamon and ginger, lebkuchen are famously festive biscuits. Bake a batch this winter to really get into the Christmas market spirit. Vegan raspberry and lemon trifle Impress your guests with this classic layered dessert. The easy homemade custard uses vanilla-flavoured soya milk and gives a traditional flavour and colour to the custard. Caribbean rum cake This decadent and boozy cake from Caribbean chef Keshia Sakarah is fed with spiced rum and traditionally served during the festive season. Panforte This Italian dessert is popular during the festive season. Chewy, nutty and sweet, it's packed with pistachios, almonds and dried fruits. Florentines A great little Christmas treat to bake at home. Hang them from ribbons as an edible Christmas tree decoration or stack them on a plate and enjoy with a comforting cup of tea over the festive season. Christmas fudge Check out this festive gingerbread fudge that takes just a few minutes to prepare. You can easily double the recipe to make two batches, so you have plenty for gifting. Christmas biscuits Looking for a foodie festive activity to do with children? Our spiced Christmas biscuits make perfect edible decorations to hang from your tree or mantle. You can leave them out for Santa or wrap them up as a gift, the possibilities are endless! Rum and raisin cake Stir up this make-ahead Christmas cake with a spiced, boozy twist and your kitchen will be filled with alluring, festive smells. Chocolate yule log Need a show-stopping dessert recipe to impress guests over the Christmas period? Check out our indulgent festive yule log with a boozy Baileys cream and crunchy hazelnut brittle, the perfect festive bake. Baileys chocolate tiffin Looking for an easy edible gift to give friends over the festive season? Check out these indulgent chocolate tiffins with our favourite Christmas drink in solid chocolate form. You don’t have to include the edible glitter but it does give added bling. Check out our other Baileys recipes here. Christmas cupcakes Looking for Christmas treats to bake? Soak up the cuteness of our melted chocolate snowmen cupcakes. These easy-to-make cupcakes are great fun to bake with the whole family and make for quick and easy Christmas party food. Street cart soft pretzels Soft yet slightly chewy, with a dark golden skin from being boiled before baking, these pretzels are slow-fermented for a richly flavoured dough. Finish with fat crystals of salt. Indonesian pandan, raspberry and white chocolate blondies Pandan and raspberries give a colourful and festive edge to these blondies, while the tartness offsets the sweet white chocolate perfectly. White snowball cake Need a show-stopping cake to serve family and friends over the festive season? Check out our indulgent white chocolate Christmas cake recipe. It might not be snowing outside, but one bite of this cake and you'll feel like you're in a winter wonderland. Filled with coconut and covered in white chocolate, it's sweet and indulgent. Sour cherry stollen bars Looking for Christmas treats to bake? Jazz up your stollen this Christmas with our easy sour cherry flavoured bars. The ingredients list may look lengthy but it’s all about building up the textures and flavours to make this the most moreish bar ever – way better than regular stollen. Check out our best cherry recipes here. Snowball madeleines Give the English madeleine a festive spin by infusing with the flavours of a classic snowball cocktail. After Eight cake This showstopping cake is a glorious combination of chocolate and mint that makes an excellent dessert for a festive party. White chocolate cranberry cheesecake blondies Make your blondies extra special with a festive sprinkling of cranberry flavour and a swirl of decadent cheesecake filling. White Christmas cake Want a show-stopping easy Christmas bake? Check out our super light vanilla cake, an easy alternative to serve on Christmas Day in place of a normal fruit cake. In order to keep the colour as white as possible, use a very light-coloured butter such as Lurpak or keep beating the butter until it lightens in colour. Looking for other show-stopping cake recipes? Click here. Mexican chocoflan This festive flan cake, featuring chocolate, caramel and cinnamon, is known as 'flan imposible' and combines two popular Mexican desserts. Black cake Make this classic Caribbean as a Christmas cake alternative – featuring port, dark rum and dried fruits, it's rich and decadent (and amazing at Christmas). Black forest gateau Turn the clock back with our nostalgic black forest cake with a modern twist. Christmas rocky road Traditional digestives are swapped for ginger biscuits, whilst cranberries and pistachios add some festive colour in this crowd-pleasing Christmas rocky road. Whisky crumble mince pies We've added a splash of booze and morello cherries to this classic Christmas treat and topped with buttery crumble for extra indulgence. Moldavian layered pie with hemp cream Traditionally made on Christmas Eve in Eastern Romania, this pie sees layers of flatbread soaked in a honey syrup and spread with a hemp seed filling. Rum and almond fruit cake Want an easy fruit cake with no fuss? Impress your guests this Christmas and jazz up your cake with rum and a simple almond buttercream. Make it now or save the recipe to whip up an easy Christmas baking idea. Nepali spiced fruit and nut tart Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger give this nutty tart a real festive edge. With a kick of spiced rum, it's a grown-up dessert that's perfect for Christmas. Baileys truffles Treat someone special this Christmas with these melt-in-the-mouth chocolate truffles with a boozy kick from Baileys cream. Gluten-free mince pies Christmas baking, gluten-free style. These boozy mince pies with meringue tops don't compromise on flavour or texture, plus they look impressive, too. Boozy mincemeat pie Want a boozy pie to feed a crowd over the festive season? Our elegant recipe turns the humble mince pie into a fantastic Christmas dessert. Use shop-bought shortcrust pastry and a good-quality mincemeat to save time. Finish with a dusting of silvery icing sugar. Click here for other exciting sweet pie recipes... Chocolate-dipped honeycomb Looking for easy edible gifts for Christmas treats to bake at home? Ready in 20 minutes, our quick and super fun honeycomb recipe is dipped in dark, milk and white chocolate, the perfect Christmas treat for someone with a sweet tooth. Try one of our other edible gift ideas here... Russian honey cake Check out our impressive Russian cake recipe with moreish burnt-honey icing. This layer cake takes a bit of effort to make but it's the perfect cake to show off to friends and family for any special occasion over the festive season. This Russian honey cake recipe is created by original GBBO winner and expert baker Edd Kimber. Baileys fudge Homemade fudge is a great little sweet treat for Christmas. Perfect with coffee to finish off a meal or as an energy booster, it keeps for up to a month in an airtight container. Plus we've got an easy how-to video and it only requires 4 ingredients, the perfect festive bake. Spiced rum bamkuchen Present this show-stopping dessert on Christmas Day for an impressive festive bake, packed with golden marzipan and dark rum. Slice it open to reveal the many layers which will wow your guests. It might take a bit of time to prepare, but it's worth the effort! Try more of our boozy cake and bakes here. Clementine yoghurt cake Move over Christmas fruit cake, our gluten free festive clementine cake is in town and it's zesty and super moist. Slice it up and watch everyone come running for a piece of this fruity and sweet, yogurty deliciousness. Mini Viennese mince pies How do you make mini mince pies taste even better? Add even more buttery goodness with a Viennese swirl biscuit topping, zesty oranges and boozy amaretto of course! Cranberry and ginger tiffin Make this simple, indulgent tiffin to treat someone you love this Christmas. You can swap the white chocolate for dark or milk – go for the recipient’s favourite. The cranberry and ginger flavours really lift the buttery biscuit. Ready in only 30 minutes. Gingerbread Advent cookies Looking for fun Christmas baking ideas? Make your own edible Advent calendar with our quick and easy gingerbread cookie recipe. The kids can eat them one day at a time or all at once! We have more biscuit recipes here. White chocolate roulade with Baileys Treat your loved ones to a great dessert with this luxurious festive bake made with white chocolate and Baileys. It's easy to make and requires very little effort – prepare it next time you host a festive dinner party. Chocolate, hazelnut and cinnamon kugelhupf Kugelhupf is a light Christmas cake similar to brioche or baba and is popular in central Europe. This version is made with chocolate, hazelnut and cinnamon, a great alternative to the traditional British Christmas cake recipe. Plus, it's easy to make, too. Christmas muffins These tangerine and marzipan muffins are easy to make and ready in under an hour – serve with an afternoon cup of tea or for an indulgent festive breakfast treat.
Eggnog is baker Edd Kimber's favourite festive tipple. In this recipe, the spiced, creamy drink is transformed into his all-time favourite cheesecake
Try Edd Kimber's eggnog cheesecake, then try his devil's food cake, lemon and lime tart and black and white tahini cookies. Find more Christmas dessert recipes here. View Green Video on the source website Eggnog cheesecake recipe
To get that buttery flavour into these madeleines, the butter is browned for toasty, warm notes. The madeleines are then finished with a white chocolate shell
Try Edd Kimber's buttermint madeleines, then try his devil's food cake, lemon and lime tart, brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies or black and white tahini cookies. View Green Video on the source website Buttermint madeleines recipe
Easily adapted to whatever flavours take your fancy, pavlovas are also great for preparing ahead. This one is topped with mulled wine cherries for festive flavour
Try Edd Kimber's mulled wine cherry pavlova, then try his devil's food cake, lemon and lime tart, brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies or black and white tahini cookies. Find more Christmas dessert recipes here. View Green Video on the source website Mulled wine cherry pavlova recipe
Transform a childhood favourite into a grown-up dessert with the umami flavours of brown butter and miso
Try Edd Kimber's brown butter miso treacle tart, then discover our ultimate treacle tart, treacle tart with salted honey crust and brioche treacle tart. We've also got plenty more more indulgent dessert recipes to try, including treacle sponge, sticky toffee pudding, Manchester tart, gypsy tart and apple crumble. "As a child, a treacle tart appealed mainly because of its sweet and sticky texture. As an adult, that intense sweetness can be a little overwhelming – a bit saccharine. In this version I wanted to keep the charm of the original but give it the balance and depth I was craving. To achieve this I deployed a couple of my favourite tweaks: adding miso and brown butter for depth, and a hint of something savoury, salt to balance the sweetness and a touch of lemon zest to provide brightness. The resulting tart is absolute heaven. When making this sort of dessert most people reach for basic white bread for the breadcrumbs, but you can – and should – play around with the type of bread. If you have wholemeal sourdough on hand it will give the tart an even more pronounced flavour." View Green Video on the source website Brown butter miso treacle tart recipe
Caramelised apple and brown butter cheesecake bars
Reintroduce autumnal spiced flavours in a new way with these treat bars inspired by comforting apple crumble
Try Edd Kimber's caramelised apple and brown butter cheesecake bars, then try his devil's food cake, lemon and lime tart, brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies or black and white tahini cookies. As summer comes to an end, my preference for gently spiced baking slowly increases, with ginger and cinnamon making more frequent appearances, giving everything I bake a toasty warm vibe. These spices, when paired with apple, immediately conjure the idea of a classic apple crumble – but in this recipe it morphs into a delicious bar with a brown butter crumble and thick cheesecake layer. I like using Granny Smiths because they are tart and have a quintessential green apple flavour. They can also be caramelised without becoming mushy or overly sweet. View Green Video on the source website Caramelised apple and brown butter cheesecake bars recipe
This take on a traditional German cake sees a rich, yeasted sponge filled with vanilla cream and plum compote, topped with honeyed almonds
Try Edd Kimber's bee sting cake with plum, then discover more of his bakes: pistachio and chocolate cookies, brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies, black and white tahini cookies or strawberries and cream hand pies. The bee sting cake, or bienenstich kuchen, is a German recipe that is a cake in a very old sense – before the invention of chemical leaveners, there was a tradition of cakes being made with yeast instead of baking powder. Made of a brioche-like dough enriched with butter and eggs, the cake is topped with a layer of honeyed almonds, then split and filled with a rich vanilla cream. In my version, I like to add a second filling – a plum compote, which is delicious paired with the vanilla and honey notes. View Green Video on the source website Bee sting cake with plum recipe
13 classic bakes to try around the world, plus where to try them
From croissants to curry buns, the world is filled with great bakes – these are classics you need to try
As a lifelong fan of all things carbohydrate, travelling the world in search of the best baked goods is a task I take on willingly and with every ounce of enthusiasm I possess. From trying to find the secret cookies sold by cloistered nuns in Madrid to searching out the best egg tarts in Hong Kong, every trip I take is centred around a sweet treat, or three. This has resulted in a little black book of deliciousness: details of bakeries in every country I have visited, ready to share with friends and family, and now with you. Even when I haven’t made it to certain countries, I still love repeating this process at home in the UK. I haven’t made it to Australia, but I know a great spot to find a brilliant anzac biscuit. I haven’t made it to Argentina, but I have a favourite spot to get alfajores at home. You can travel the world eating delicious baked goods or you can eat the world simply by stepping outside your front door. 13 classic bakes to try from around the world Croissants – France France is THE country when it comes to pastry and choosing a favourite from the pantheon of French classics is nigh on impossible, but it is pretty hard to beat a perfectly made croissant. Croissants have their origins in Vienna and the ‘kipferl’, a traditional crescent-shaped pastry. This Austrian pastry found favour in France in the 19th century after an Austrian baker set up shop in Paris, but it wasn’t until the French started making this crescent-shaped roll with laminated pastry that the croissant we would recognise today came to be. When visiting France, you can tell a croissant made with butter or margarine simply by looking at it (most of the time, at least). Butter croissants are straight, while those made with margarine tend to have a curved crescent shape; they’re also sold as ‘croissant ordinaire’. Whereas my fellow Brits might be tempted to eat their morning croissant with butter and jam, the French are more likely to enjoy the croissant plain, dipping it in their morning cafe au lait. Where to try: Des Gâteaux et du Pain 89 Rue du Bac, 7th Arr, Paris, France Pastel de Nata – Portugal The Portuguese custard tart might, at a push, be the one bite I would call my all-time favourite. So much so that I once spent an entire week in Lisbon eating as many as I could in order to find my all-time favourite. I managed 23. A worthy way to spend a week, if you ask me. Portuguese tarts, like many traditional local treats, have their origins in the convents and monasteries of Portugal. The invention of these delectable tarts is widely credited to 18th century monks living at the monastery in Belem, just outside Lisbon, yet food historians believe the true origin to be even older. The story goes that the monks used a lot of egg whites to starch their robes, leaving them with a glut of yolks. The result was the enduringly popular custard tarts, a symbol of Portuguese gastronomy. Often served alongside a cup of strong coffee, they are served with sachets of icing sugar and cinnamon, with it left to you to add as you personally prefer. Where to try: Manteigaria Rua do Loreto 2, Lisbon, Portugal Cardamon bun – Sweden Sweet and sticky, perfumed with floral cardamom – these buns are a true match made in heaven. The Swedes might be more famous for their cinnamon buns, but their cardamom buns have a special place in my heart (and my stomach). It is believed cardamom had a presence in Swedish cooking since the 13th century, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that cardamom buns became the treat we know and love today. Cardamom is a Swedish staple, used not just in the popular buns but in cookies, waffles and savoury cooking. Cardamom buns are commonly served as part of the fika tradition, a break where coffee and sweet treats are enjoyed with friends, family and colleagues. Where to try: Fabrique 385 Geffrye St, London, E2 8HZ Pie – USA Pie is probably too broad of a term to mean just one thing, but what I mean here is an American-style pie made with a flaky crust and filled with a fruit filling. I’m talking a classic apple pie with a lattice crust or a berry pie topped with streusel. There is something about the charm and cosiness of a slice of pie that always wins me over. The pie could be enjoyed sitting at the counter of a southern diner with a big mug of coffee or from a fancy bakery in the city. The draw and pull of a good slice of pie is ever present when I am stateside. Pie is something that arrived in America with English settlers, but in the US it evolved from a humble British version and became a fully fledged culinary classic, with local specialities available almost everywhere you go. From peach pie in Georgia to Key lime in Florida, pie is truly cemented in American culinary tradition. Where to try: Four and Twenty Blackbirds 439 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States Maritozzi – Italy It would be almost impossible to have missed the rise of the maritozzi over the past five years. A relatively unknown dessert suddenly exploded and took over the world. This incredibly simple dish – a soft bread roll stuffed with whipped cream – was traditionally a Roman breakfast dish rarely found outside of the Italian capital. As the recipe gained international attention, it has morphed into something altogether more fancy as bakeries make versions filled with a host of different flavours. The classic version, still my favourite, gets its name from the tradition of men giving these to their prospective wives as part of their proposals. Marito translates as husband and it is from this tradition that the buns are supposedly named. In the 19th century the buns became a breakfast staple, served alongside a morning cappuccino. My favourite is still sold at Regoli Pasticceria, close to the Coliseum. Where to try: Regoli PasticceriaVia dello Statuto, 60, 00185 Roma RM, Italy Kare pan – Japan Step into any Japanese konbini (convenience store) or bakery and you’ll likely find a version of the kare pan (curry bread), a soft bread roll that is stuffed with a Japanese curry and coated in crisp panko breadcrumbs before being deep-fried. Quite possibly my ideal form of snack, these curried breads originated in a period of Japanese history when Western foods were becoming more and more popular. These buns were developed after curry powder was introduced by the British Royal Navy in the 1860s which eventually led to many popular dishes in Japan today, such as curry udon or rice. Where to try: Happy Sky Bakery 40 Hanway Street, W1T 1UT, London Pineapple bun – Hong Kong If it isn’t clear already, I absolutely love and adore all things bread, so it should come as no surprise that I am smitten with Hong Kong staple, the pineapple bun. Confusingly, it contains zero pineapple. Instead, the bread allegedly gets its name from its resemblance to the fruit. It is a very fluffy bread roll, topped with a sweet and crunchy layer, incredibly similar to Mexican concha. In fact, one of the origin stories for these buns is that Chinese natives, who had emigrated to Mexico, were deported and returned to Hong Kong, bringing with them the concha, which became known as the Mexican bun before taking the name pineapple bun. In the city’s cha chaan teng, a Hong Kong-style cafe or diner, these buns are often served at breakfast, sliced and stuffed with a slab of butter so thick you leave teeth marks in it. Served alongside a sweet milk tea, this is my favourite Hong Kong breakfast. Where to try: Kam Wah Cafe 45-47 Bute St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong Alfajores – Argentina These cookies are popular across much of South America, but are most associated with Argentina – Argentinians eat more alfajores than anywhere else in the world. A simple sandwich cookie, they’re made from cornflour, giving an incredibly tender melt-in-the-mouth texture. The filling for this cookie is most commonly dulce de leche (milk caramel). They can be finished with a dusting of icing sugar, coated in chocolate, rolled in coconut or even glazed with a thin icing. Where to try: Sur Chocolates Churros – Spain While a traditional British breakfast is often a savoury affair, there are many countries where a sweeter option is more traditional. In Spain, for example, churros, the thin fried sticks of dough, are served alongside a rich mug of hot chocolate, almost too thick for drinking but perfect for dunking. There are two main varieties: churros, the thin, ridged style you probably picture when you think of churros which are crisp and light, and porras, a much thicker version often a little doughier, made with a touch of baking soda to make the batter puff up when fried. Where to try: Chocolat C. de las Huertas, 59, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain Baklava – Turkey Baklava is popular in many countries and the origin of this delicacy is hotly contested. Its vast popularity is widely credited to the vast Ottoman Empire. Baklava would be adapted dependent on local ingredients and this is still evident today. In Greece, it is usually made with honey, orange and walnuts, whereas in Turkey, the country most associated with baklava, it commonly features pistachios. Made by layering up paper-thin sheets of filo with a filling of ground nuts and sugar, the resulting pastry is incredibly crisp and very sweet thanks to the copious amount of syrup poured onto the baklava post-bake. Where to try: Antpelier Baklava 33 Green Lanes, Newington Green, London N16 9BS Anzac biscuits – Australia The anzac biscuit is an Antipodean icon and an extremely popular export. Just as the UK was introduced to ‘third wave’ coffee via Australian and Kiwi expats, many of us had our first taste of this delicious biscuit in these same coffee shops, baked by owners missing a taste of home. The name comes from ‘Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’ which was established during the First World War. The biscuits, made with golden syrup, oats and coconut, have a surprisingly long shelf-life and because of this, they were the perfect treat to include in care packages sent to soldiers serving abroad. The biggest thing to consider with an anzac biscuit is chewy or crisp? They can easily be made either way, but my personal favourite is a chewy anzac. Where to try: Juliets Quality Foods 110 Mitcham Rd, London SW17 9NG Bougatsa – Greece I have, sadly, not yet stepped foot on the Greek mainland but have, thankfully, visited many of the beautiful Greek islands. Crete was where I fell in love with bougatsa, a Greek custard pie. Thin crisp layers of filo pastry are filled with custard and served dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon, not dissimilar to Portuguese custard tarts. Custard is the most popular version with tourists, but there is also a traditional version made with a local cheese, myzithra, made from goat’s and sheep’s milk. The latter results in a pastry that is slightly sour and tangy. Made in large slabs, it is served chopped into bite-size pieces and dusted with icing sugar. Where to try: Bougatsa Chania Apokoronou 37, Chania 741 50, Greece Honey cake – Russia Honey cake, with its multiple layers and toasty flavour, is popular in many former Soviet countries, including Ukraine and Lithuania. Versions of the cake can also be found further afield in Eastern Europe and even in parts of the Middle East. Made with a cake batter that is thick, almost biscuit-like, the recipe results in thin crisp layers that will eventually soften after being layered with whipped and sweetened sour cream mixture, resulting in a cake that is surprisingly tender with a warm toasty flavour balanced with the tang of sour cream. In recent years, the cake has grown in popularity and has started appearing at bakeries across the world. In fact, I first tried the cake at the now sadly shuttered 20th Century Cafe in San Francisco. The cake is not overly complicated, but it does take a significant amount of time and effort to make, especially considering it usually has 10 layers of sponge. This is possibly why it is closely related with special occasions such as birthdays and weddings. Where to try: Honey Cake by Mary 20 Richardson Road, Hove BN3 5RB England More like this 20 food experiences around the world that every food lover should try The UK's best artisan bakeries 13 must-visit UK foodie destinations, picked by the experts Sea to spa: 9 ocean inspired wellness experiences
Brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies
Naturally gluten-free oat flour creates a dense, fudgy texture and depth of flavour in these blondies, studded with fruit and chocolate
Try Edd Kimber's brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies, then try chocolate brownies, biscoff blondies, white chocolate fudge cake and more chocolate desserts. This recipe is in celebration of one of my favourite ingredients, oat flour. This naturally gluten-free flour not only helps create fabulous texture but also adds the flavour you’d expect from oats: subtle sweetness and a warm nuttiness. Used to make blondies, the texture is dense and a bit fudgy, while also a touch cakey but with plenty of chew. To partner with the oats, these blondies are studded with blueberries and milk chocolate. A perfect treat for a road trip or any other summer adventure. View Green Video on the source website Brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies recipe
Make the most of warmer evenings with a hands-off seasonal dessert that’s ideal for gatherings and barbecues
Try Edd Kimber's amaretto roasted peaches, then discover griddled peaches with amaretto cream, Persian peach mess with brown sugar almonds or coconut, cayenne and peach ice lollies. View Green Video on the source website Amaretto roasted peaches recipe
Pack up a taste of summer for a picnic with custard and strawberry filled hand pies
Try Edd's strawberries and cream hand pies, then discover fennel, sausage, tomato and mozzarella hand pies, strawberry tart or roasted strawberries and vanilla cream. View Green Video on the source website Strawberries and cream hand pies recipe
Filled with custard and cinnamon butter and spiced with cardamom, these Scandi buns are a must-make
Try Edd Kimber's solskinnsboller, then try cinnamon rolls, hot cross kanelbullar or babka buns. Cinnamon buns are a staple country and over the past decade cardamom buns have also grown in popularity as Swedish baking has become more common on our little island. This recipe is inspired by another traditional Scandinavian bun, the solskinnsboller from Norway. Traditionally, these buns were baked in northern Norway to celebrate the return of the sun after the darkness of winter, the buns designed to look a little like the sun itself. In my version of the recipe, a soft, butter-rich brioche dough is infused with ground cardamom, then filled with a cinnamon butter and topped with a simple vanilla custard. They might be a tad more involved than your traditional cinnamon bun, but the results are so worth the effort. Edd Kimber is a baker, food writer and the author of seven cookbooks, including his latest, Small Batch Cookies. Find him on Substack and Instagram @theboywhobakes. View Green Video on the source website Solskinnsboller recipe
Elevate your favourite chocolate chip cookie with creamy, nutty and on-trend pistachios
Try our pistachio and chocolate cookies, then bake Edd Kimber's devil’s food cake, clementine and ginger viennese whirls or chocolate and hazelnut paris-brest and try these chocolate dessert recipes. It's almost impossible to have escaped the rise of the Dubai Chocolate Bar over the past six months – it is the viral trend that just won’t quit. This chocolate bar, filled with kataifi pastry and pistachio cream has inspired thousands of social media videos but also real world copycats, from brands making their own versions, to bakeries and restaurants making dishes inspired by the bar. While pistachio cream was already on its way to becoming the new Nutella, the chocolate bar may have fully cemented the paste as the new king of the spread and condiment aisle. As with its chocolate and hazelnut sibling, not all pistachio cream is made with quality in mind. My personal preference is to check the back of the jar and look for a version that declares it is made with at least 45% pistachios – you’ll be looking at a much better quality product. When the percentage of pistachios isn’t mentioned, sugar tends to the most prominent ingredient, with pistachios as more of an afterthought, leading to an overly sweet product. Instead of recreating the chocolate bar itself I wanted to make a cookie using the pistachio spread, a take on a classic chocolate chip cookie but stuffed with the spread and made with added chopped pistachio for better texture. View Green Video on the source website Pistachio and chocolate cookies recipe
Discover the allure of panela: a rich, treacly sugar from Central and South America, akin to jaggery. Its deep, rum-laced flavour elevates every bite
Bake this panela loaf cake, then check out more of Edd Kimber's bakes, such as this lemon and lime tart, spiced chai banana bread, raspberry and coconut loaf and blood orange loaf cake. View Green Video on the source website Panela loaf cake recipe
Showstopping layer cakes, unique cookies, hearty pies and much more - discover all of our Edd Kimber recipes here
Edd Kimber was the first Great British Bake Off winner, is one of the UK’s best-loved bakers and the author of five baking books (Small Batch Bakes, One Tin Bakes, Patisserie Made Simple, The Boy Who Bakes and Say It With Cake). He's written plenty of recipes for olive over the years and you can find them all here – from Christmas showstoppers and impressive layer cakes to unique cookie ideas, savoury bakes, elegant desserts, hearty pies and much more. For more baking inspiration, check out our cake recipes, best biscuit recipes and afternoon tea recipes perfect for entertaining. 77 Edd Kimber recipes Devil's food cake It's a classic: Edd Kimber shares his expert tips for creating a deep, dark chocolate cake. Which glorious frosting will you choose – classic fudge or Swiss meringue? Cardamom, coffee and milk chocolate doughnuts This trio of cardamom, coffee and chocolate works in absolute harmony together and all bounce off of one another to make a deliciously flavoured treat. Mulled wine cherry pavlova Easily adapted to whatever flavours take your fancy, pavlovas are also great for preparing ahead. This one is topped with mulled wine cherries for festive flavour. Mincemeat maritozzi buns Maritozzi are classic buns from Rome made with an enriched dough and filled generously with cream. This version adds mincemeat to the dough and filling to make a festive version of the Italian bun. Buttermint madeleines Edd Kimber reimagines the nostalgic flavour of Murray Mints in these festive madeleines, made with browned butter and finished with a smooth white chocolate shell – perfect for afternoon tea. White chocolate peppermint flødeboller Flødeboller are a popular Danish Christmas market treat featuring a chocolate-covered meringue centre with biscuit, wafer or marzipan base. Try this wintry version, made with a crisp chocolate biscuit base, peppermint meringue filling and a white chocolate shell. Eggnog cheesecake Eggnog is baker Edd Kimber’s ultimate festive tipple, and here he turns it into his dream dessert – a creamy, spiced cheesecake with a gingernut base and a whipped honey crème fraîche topping. Spiced orange and brandy butter cake This spectacular cake, full of spice and winter flavours of orange and brandy is a great alternative for those who don’t like a traditional Christmas cake. Christmas cookies Use cranberries, pistachios and other festive ingredients to make these impressive cookies. You can even turn them into cookie sandwiches with a decadent pistachio buttercream! Check out our classic iced Christmas biscuits recipe next. Black Forest pavlova Impress friends and family over the festive season with a stunning black forest meringue tower. This gorgeous Christmas dessert is filled with dark chocolate ganache, boozy cherries and mascarpone cream. Pure indulgence! Mulled apple bundt cake Edd Kimber's festive bake gets its apple flavour from multiple sources: apple purée, chunks of spiced apple, and an apple caramel sauce made from reduced apple juice. See more easy bundt cake recipes. Snowball choux bun tower Make Edd Kimber's glazed choux bun tower for a dazzling Christmas Day dessert. Filled with coconut cream and finished with vanilla icing, it's as decadent as it is beautiful. Try more choux pastry recipes, from classic chocolate eclairs to decadent black forest profiteroles. Mint chocolate mousse pots Want to serve individual desserts to your guests this Christmas? Try our creamy chocolate and peppermint pots for an impressive way to finish your dinner party. If you love mint chocolate, try this mint chocolate brownies recipe next. Gingerbread bûche de Noël A beautiful rolled cake flavoured with warming ginger and cinnamon, Edd Kimber's bûche de Noël comes filled with a lemony Lotus Biscoff cream. White chocolate cranberry cheesecake brownies Make your blondies extra special by adding cranberries and a decadent vanilla cheesecake swirl. Find lots more brownies recipes to try next. Mulled wine winter puddings Looking for individual festive desserts that are easy to make? Check out our mini winter puddings with mulled wine - perfect for feeding your hungry guests over Christmas. White chocolate Baileys aux merveilleux Aux merveilleux are a French treat – a simple affair of meringue discs sandwiched with a flavoured cream and rolled in chocolate shavings. Snowball madeleines Give the English madeleine a festive spin by infusing with the flavours of a classic snowball cocktail. For something more classic, try our honey madeleine recipe. After Eight cake This showstopping After Eight bundt cake is a glorious combination of chocolate and mint that makes an excellent dessert for a festive party. Eggnog custard tart If you love egg custard tarts then you'll love Edd Kimber's Christmas inspired eggnog custard tart. Why not impress your guests with this dessert recipe, it may take a little time to make, but it's definitely worth it. No-bake chocolate tart with PX sherry Raisiny pedro ximénez sherry adds classic festive flavour to this delicious chocolate tart. It’s also a no-bake recipe so can be whipped up with little effort. Clementine layer cake This is a festive spin on a classic victoria sponge – instead of jam and cream it is layered with a homemade clementine curd (you can use shop-bought if you prefer) and a champagne-spiked cream. See more showstopping cake recipes here. Baileys pecan blondies Take your blondies up a notch and top with a white chocolate Baileys ganache to give them a boozy, festive boost. Try our custard cream blondies recipe next. Gingerbread trifle Check out this super festive and indulgent trifle recipe from Edd Kimber, with rum cardamom custard, gingerbread Christmas trees, juicy pears and caramel cream. Discover more trifle recipes here. Pandoro French toast with blueberry and sage compote Try this quick and easy buttery Italian-style french toast. This alternative french toast uses pandoro (similar to panettone) for a more decadent breakfast recipe, perfect for Christmas day morning. Christmas ice cream sandwiches Try these Christmassy pecan and chocolate-chip cookie sandwiches with homemade mincemeat ice cream. This gluten free recipe is super fun to make with children and a great way to jazz up any homemade cookies. Caramelised apple and brown butter cheesecake bars These caramelised apple and brown butter cheesecake bars combine the cosy flavours of apple crumble with a rich cheesecake layer. Spiced with cinnamon and ginger, they’re full of texture, keep for up to four days and make the perfect autumn treat to share, or savour yourself. Bee sting cake with plum This bee sting cake with plum is a delightful twist on a traditional German classic, combining a rich, yeasted sponge with the luxurious flavours of vanilla cream and tangy plum compote. The cake’s brioche-like dough is topped with a layer of honeyed almonds, creating a wonderful contrast of textures and a beautiful golden finish. Brown butter miso treacle tart Transform a childhood favourite into a grown-up dessert with the umami flavours of brown butter and miso. Pistachio and chocolate cookies Elevate your favourite chocolate chip cookie with creamy, nutty and on-trend pistachios. Chocolate and hazelnut paris-brest This impressive French patisserie is given a nutty twist with an indulgent Nutella filling for a showstopper dessert. Learn to make more elegant French dessert recipes here. 'Nduja fennel pastries A savoury weekend baking project – Edd shares a clever shortcut for making croissant-style dough, then gives it a spicy Italian twist. Vietnamese coffee loaf cake A rich, creamy cake inspired by classic Vietnamese iced coffee, with a unique buttercream. Love coffee cake? Try our Irish coffee cake recipe next. Chocolate crinkle cookies This recipe from Edd Kimber makes some seriously good chocolate crinkle biscuits. With a rich, fudgy centre and sugar-dusted exterior, these dainty cookies make the perfect snack to enjoy with a cup of coffee. Keep baking with more of our best cookie recipes. French crullers With a little help from Edd Kimber, you too can create these crispy on the outside, light on the inside donuts (glazed two ways). Try more of our doughnut recipes next. Carrot cake cupcakes A classic cake in cupcake form, made all the more delicious with an orange cream cheese frosting. You don't need any butter for this recipe – it calls for light olive oil instead. See our best cupcake recipes for lots more ideas. Lemon and lime tart Make your next lemon tart an epic one with Edd's Kimber's coconut macaroon tart case, filled with a zesty lemon and lime curd. It's the perfect make-ahead pud for a special occasion. Amaretto roasted peaches Make the most of warmer evenings with a simple, hands-off dessert perfect for gatherings and barbecues. After minimal prep, your oven does all the work, leaving you free to enjoy a summer cocktail while you’re rewarded with syrupy peaches and ice cream. Brown butter blueberry and oat milk chocolate blondies While some may hesitate at the thought of a gluten-free dessert, gluten-free oat flour gives these blondies their wonderfully dense, fudgy texture, proving that you don’t need gluten to create a deliciously indulgent treat. Packed with blueberries and chocolate, they’re the perfect treat for those seeking a deliciously wholesome dessert. Black and white tahini cookies Bake these dramatic-looking tahini and chocolate cookies and see if friends can guess the secret ingredient. Black tahini adds a deep nutty flavour which balances well with the sweet white chocolate ganache centre. Use up the rest of your jar of tahini with more tahini recipes. Blueberry scones Ramp up your scones up by adding blueberries, crème fraîche and a zingy lemon glaze to the mix. Perfect for an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. Love scones? You need to try this peanut butter and jelly scones recipe next. Strawberries and cream hand pies These strawberry and cream hand pies are perfect picnic food—crisp, golden pastry filled with silky vanilla custard and sweet, jammy strawberries. Easy to pack and even easier to eat, they’re a summery twist on a classic flavour pairing. Spiced chai banana bread This gently warming banana bread flavoured with black tea and spices (to mimic masala chai) is a wonderful spin on a classic. Blood orange loaf cake Edd Kimber's show-off bake combines the ruby-red brilliance of blood oranges with crunchy poppy seeds and grated marzipan. See more loaf cake recipes here. Blackberry and blueberry crumble pie Check out Edd Kimber's impressive black and blue crumble pie, with a blackberry and blueberry filling and a cardamom crumble topping. We've got lots more blackberry recipes if you've got a seasonal glut to use. Maltesers marble cake Wow family with Edd Kimber's showstopping marble bake topped with malt milk chocolate glaze and Maltesers. Love a marble cake? Try this stout and chocolate marble cake recipe next. Bakewell blondies Take your blondies to the next level with the classic flavour and ingredients of a cherry bakewell. Nutella swirl buns Brighten up your weekend with these indulgent chocolate and hazelnut buns, swirled with a decadent Nutella and chocolate chip filling. Next, try our cheat's cinnamon buns recipe. Rhubarb and custard cake A light genoise soaked with a vanilla milk syrup, filled with rhubarb jam and vanilla pastry cream, then covered in a mascarpone whipped cream. Stem ginger cookie sandwiches Check out these soft, chewy ginger cookies with caramelised white chocolate ganache. These cookies make a great sweet treat to go with your afternoon tea. Spiced chocolate oatmeal pie Check out Edd Kimber's seriously impressive spiced chocolate oatmeal pie. This recipe is a great alternative to pecan pie and a real indulgent crowd pleaser. Lamb sausage rolls Looking for a quirky snack to hand out at your next dinner party? Try these meaty, spring lamb sausage rolls with mint and lemon. Just make sure you buy all-butter pastry if you want them to really wow. For a party centrepiece, try this tear and share sausage roll recipe next. Dirty chai ombre cake Inspired by the dirty chai (a masala chai latte with a shot of espresso), this showstopping cake boasts layers of chai ganache and chocolate ombre sponge. Key lime tarts Key lime tart pairs lime juice with condensed milk which makes for an easy yet magical flavour combination. Discover more lime recipes here. Blueberry shortcakes You can’t have afternoon tea without scones – they are quite rightly the heroes of the occasion. This version is a little different though. It uses American-style buttermilk shortcake which is a cousin of the scone and the filling is a simple blueberry compote and mascarpone cream. Dulce de luche banana bread Afternoon tea has a reputation for fussiness and recipes that need a lot of patience to make. These mini loaves are incredibly easy to make but still look elegant enough for the fanciest tea. Chicken, leek and bacon pie This classic British pie is a great warming recipe for those winter months; what's more, it will be a winner with the whole family. Chocolate and peanut butter snack cakes Impress your friends and family with these fun and quirky chocolate snack cakes with peanut butter. These individual mini cakes may take a bit of time to make, but they're well worth the wait. Plus, keep them in an airtight container and they'll last for up to 3 days. Biscoff cheesecake Check out our indulgent cheesecake recipe with crunchy Biscoff biscuits, creamy biscuit spread, and lightly whipped cream. Use up your jar of Biscoff with more Biscoff recipes, from cupcakes to cookies. Russian honey cake Check out this impressive Russian cake recipe with moreish burnt-honey icing. This layer cake takes a bit of effort to make but it's the perfect cake to show off to friends and family for any special occasion. Matcha white chocolate roulade This light and creamy dessert is a great alternative to the classic Swiss roll and it's less than 350 calories per serving, too. We've got more pretty roulade recipes to try next. Chocolate and passion fruit layer cake Check out this stunning chocolate cake with a creamy passion fruit curd. This moist and indulgent creation is a real showstopper and will make for an epic celebration dessert. Just look at that shine! Fennel, sausage, tomato and mozzarella hand pies These easy-to-make golden American hand pies are super crispy and packed with gooey mozzarella, the perfect lunchtime snack. Nutty caramel tart with coffee ganache This decadent dessert recipe with nuts, chocolate ganache and coffee, is the perfect way to finish a sophisticated dinner party. Discover more sweet tart recipes here. Lime, mint and milk chocolate cake This stunning mint chocolate loaf cake with zesty lime makes for a show-off sweet treat to serve your friends and family. Whisky and rye salted caramel apple pie This apple pie recipe is a great twist on the classic. Whisky is added to the thick and crunchy pastry, and caramel added to the apple filling for a more decadent and grown up taste. Plus Edd's step-by-step guide to the perfect lattice crust. Babka buns Here, Edd has crossed the flavours of a babka with the look of Swedish cinnamon buns to create these chocolate and salted pistachio babka buns. Chocolate and tahini bundt cake This indulgent bundt cake recipe from Edd Kimber combines chocolate, tahini and sesame brittle. If you’re not sure how this will taste, think peanut butter and chocolate but with more depth. Check out our review of the best bundt tins to find the perfect tin for this cake. Salted milk chocolate liquorice caramels This clever recipe from Edd Kimber combines caramel with subtle hints of liquorice, covered in milk chocolate with a sprinkling of sea salt for a really indulgent treat. Be warned, these delicious caramels won't last long. Brooklyn blackout cake Edd Kimber has put his own twist on this classic American chocolate cake by flavouring the custard filling with white chocolate and cardamom. The outside is decorated in a silky-smooth chocolate frosting to preserve the original cake's look and flavour. Whisky and rye waffles This waffle recipe from Edd Kimber is a little more fun than the traditional kind of waffles. Made with cocoa and rye flour and served with a whiskey-spiked caramel, these are definitely the more grown-up cousin to the classic. Japanese egg sando Egg sandwiches are a staple of most classic afternoon teas. This version takes inspiration from Japan. The filling is made with a Japanese mayonnaise that makes a much more flavourful sandwich and it is topped off with some quick pickled cucumbers. Russian buttercream Try this simple, lesser-known buttercream made with condensed milk – it's great on coffee cake, but is a great frosting option for any kind of bake. Flaky pie crust Master a beautifully flaky pie crust. This easy guide uses vodka as opposed to water to get a lighter, softer dough. Check out our best easy pie recipes to find the perfect filling for your pastry. Clementine and ginger viennese whirls A rich yet light butter cookie made with clementine zest and filled with punchy ginger buttercream. Perfect paired with a steaming mug of tea or coffee. No knead hot cross bunsTry these addictive buns for a hassle-free Easter bake that the whole family can enjoy. Toast and slather in butter to make the most of this traditional Easter treat. Hot cross bun cookies Bake a batch of these pretty spiced cookies for an Easter treat that the whole family will love. These wholesome cookies are packed with oats and raisins, and decorated with icing to resemble hot cross buns. Browse more Easter baking recipes here. Sticky toffee monkey bread These small balls of bread dough baked together as a pull-apart loaf and coated in a sticky caramel glaze are simply perfect for sharing with friends over the Christmas holidays.
olive podcast: EDD KIMBER on 10 things you need to know about elevating your bakes
Listen to expert baker Edd Kimber share 10 tips and tricks you can follow to elevate your bakes
This week @missj9 is joined by food writer, author and expert baker Edd Kimber as he shares 10 things you need to know about elevating your bakes, with loads of useful tips and tricks to take your creations to the next level. Next discover the UK's best artisan bakeries. View oEmbed on the source website Bonus episode Listen to Edd share his top 3 baking tips: View oEmbed on the source website
Edd Kimber shares his expert tips for creating a deep, dark chocolate cake. Which glorious frosting will you choose – classic fudge or Swiss meringue?
Try our devil's food cake recipe, then check out our chocolate fudge cake, easy chocolate cake, black velvet cake and Edd's Malteser cake. Now try more Edd Kimber recipes. Baker's tips: how to make the best devil's food cake Recipe author and expert baker Edd Kimber says, 'It’s hard to quantify what exactly makes a devil’s food cake different to any other chocolate cake, but to my mind the devilish variety is moist, deep and rich in colour, and is always made with some form of acidic ingredient (buttermilk, yogurt, soured cream), which helps with moistness and overall flavour, as acidity can help brighten and intensify chocolate notes. My version doesn’t stray too far from the classic, but it does add rye flour, which contributes to the cake’s overall rich flavour. When it comes to the frosting, there are two options for different skill levels – a classic fudge frosting, and a slightly more complicated Swiss meringue buttercream.' Devil's food cake recipe
olive podcast: 10 things you need to know about French pastries
In this week's episode, baker and author Edd Kimber shares 10 things you need to know about French pastries
This week baker and author Edd Kimber is back to talk about his specialist subject – patisserie! Edd shares 10 things you need to know about the history, traditions and stories behind some of the most iconic French pastries and bakes. For more baking inspiration, see our Edd Kimber recipes. View oEmbed on the source website
Check out Edd Kimber's ultimate recipe for a beautifully flaky pie crust. This easy guide uses vodka as opposed to water to get a lighter, softer dough
Follow Ed Kimber's go-to method for the best pie crust, then also check out how to make shortcrust pastry and rough puff pastry. Now try more Edd Kimber recipes. You might be intrigued by the appearance of vodka in the ingredients for this pie dough recipe. When water and flour are mixed it activates the gluten, and gluten makes for a tough dough. By contrast, vodka has very little water content, which stops this from happening. The method will also seem a little unusual, but the two-stage addition of butter helps to balance a tender dough with a flaky result. By rolling up the dough, you add even more flakiness. It’s a method I have borrowed after watching the custard tart bakers of Lisbon at work. This recipe only makes the pie dough, look out for Edd Kimber's pie recipes coming up...