The Botanical Kitchen
Recipes, travel and the occasional rant
As some of you may remember I contacted Pipedream Restaurant about being a Chef for a day and holding my very own afternoon tea. Well it all took place last Saturday and here’s an overview….. I was very nervous because I was stepping into the kitchen where Masterchef winner Tim Anderson and his fellow contestants […]
This is a really easy Austrian cheesecake recipe that a friend of mine gave me at University. There is no biscuit base like the American style cheesecakes. If you can try to get Quark cheese as it has a sour taste which gives a nice flavour to the cake. I’ve used apricots in this recipe […]
A lot of people get so nervous about Swiss Roll but it’s really not too hard to do. I’ve filled this one with some simple Clementine Marmalade I made with leftover clementines. You can use your favourite brand of marmalade or even some orange curd. You’ll need 125g plain flour 125g caster sugar 4 medium […]
Just like the Chocolate Loaf Cake, this is a super easy and quick recipe. It just takes a while baking in the oven so a good one to make the night before you need it, or in the morning as you potter about the kitchen doing other stuff, or just before you go for an […]
Bananas always get too ripe too quickly in our house because we have a very warm and sunny kitchen. So my daughter uses them for Banana and Chocolate Loaf Cake. If you don’t have time for an hour in the oven though, try these easy all-in-one-method-cupcakes. They are great for children and adults alike because […]
These loaves are perfect for breakfast or lunch boxes. The bananas are super healthy and adding the oats means these have an extra GI boost too. You’ll need 140g soft unsalted butter 270g soft brown sugar 280g plain flour 150g rolled oats 2 eggs 3 medium sized ripe bananas (around 200g) 1 tsp baking powder […]
I know that Bakewell Tarts traditionally have a jam filling but I think they work really well with compotes and curds too. This tart is a great one to make at Christmas time as cranberries are so readily available in the supermarkets. I’ve used a simple compote for the one below but you can also […]
If you’ve had a good look round this blog, you’ll notice lots of little food. I’m a big fan. This is such a brilliant recipe. You can have it in the pastry cases as I’ve described below or simply as a little salad inside a leaf of gem lettuce or on top of some parchment […]
I demonstrated these simple cups at the London Chocolate Festival and they were a real hit. You can make the cups from pastry or shortbread. I’ve given you both options below. They can then be filled with caramel and topped with the simple mascarpone ganache like the one below or filled with curd and topped […]
Aachener Printen is a speciality gingerbread or Lebkuchen sold in the masses to the masses at Christmas. Recipes are closely guarded secrets but my German friend gave me this version. You’ll need 500g golden syrup 500g plain flour 50g candied peel 2tsp baking powder 2tsp ground star anise 2tbsp ground coriander seeds 2tsp ground cinnamon […]
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 […]
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 […]