The Botanical Kitchen
Recipes, travel and the occasional rant
Whenever I have egg whites left over I rustle up some macaroons or pavlova or mousse. I had just the right amount left to make a batch after making some lovely Cranberry Curd which I used to fill these ones for a Christmassy treat. 200g icing sugar 50g cocoa powder 250g ground almonds 220g caster […]
As some of your know my camera’s SD card died earlier this week so I’ve been struggling to get access to the last few weeks pictures. I am delighted to say that I have prevailed over technology (for now!) and can share with you my favourite images from the Chocolate Festival on the Southbank a […]
These are wonderful little canapés. I demonstrated them at The London Chocolate Festival recently and they were a big hit! I’ve filled them with raspberries in the recipe below but you could use any soft berry or fruit. They are topped with an easy chocolate ganache. If you’re put off by ganache, give this version a […]
This is a mini canapé version of the Hazelnut and Coffee Biscotti recipe which I made at the London Chocolate Festival. It’s super simple so you can make it with the children. I serve this with a hot chocolate dipping sauce. Make the biscotti up in advance and the sauce takes minutes to make so it’s great […]
A whole 3 days dedicated to tea and coffee? How fabulous I thought and indeed it was! Tucked away on London’s Southbank was a maze of boutique coffee and tea companies all with their stories to tell. First off, the gorgeous light, nutty coffee from The Ethiopian Coffee Company which I used in my Hazelnut and Coffee Biscotti. (Sssssh don’t tell […]
Biscotti is know to have come from the Tuscan region of Italy but the word is derived from Latin. Biscotto derives from “bis,” Latin for twice, and “coctum” or baked (which became “cotto,” or cooked). The first bake is in a loaf, then sliced and toasted. This second trip to the oven draws off moisture, and leaves […]
Making cake pops is a really good way of using up leftover cake or cake that maybe didn’t turn out to plan. I made a chocolate loaf using a different recipe than I usually do. It tasted amazing but really didn’t look too pretty. Usually I’d cut it up into square chunks, pipe swirls of […]
Loaf cake is so versatile and lasts really well. It’s a staple in our house and goes into packed lunches, school picnics or acts as a good pudding after weekday quick meals with ice cream, custard or a simple cuppa tea. I’ve given you three drizzle options below. Hibiscus Syrup for those of you […]
I’m warning you. These are decadent. I mean really, really decadent. I’ve added an extra layer of caramel to the version below because I made these for my girls as a ‘well-done-at-school-treat’. The caramel balances the bitterness of the chocolate really well. For an adult version leave the caramel out and serve with a dollop […]
OK so I have to confess that I did not make the Damson jam. I started and then just ran out of patience! I did try it with some Damson compote but it was a bit too runny and gloopy. This combination of flavours is so autumnal and goes perfectly with a strong latte or espresso. […]
This recipe uses ground pistachio nuts instead of almonds. It works just as well as long as you grind the nuts quite finely and remove any unground flakes. I’ve used a simple chocolate flavoured double cream filling but you could also use white or dark chocolate ganache, a buttercream or even Nutella. If you prefer […]
I love making macaroons. I did make one bad batch which put me off for a while. I got really frustrated until I retraced my steps and worked out that I had used too much liquid food colouring and disturbed the balance of liquid in this recipe. It’s really worth trying to find food colouring […]