DESSERTS AND BAKING

ORANGE AND LEMON CUPCAKES

I used to make these as vanilla cupcakes, but one day my eldest son requested something a bit different—so I came up with a citrus combination that has become a family favorite. I think the sweetness of the orange cupcakes complements the sharpness of the lemon-flavored icing really well.

MAKES 12

INGREDIENTS

• 1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup superfine sugar
• 2 large, free-range eggs
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• zest and juice of 1 large orange (approx. 3 tablespoons juice)
• 12 paper cupcake liners

For the icing:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• zest and juice of 1 large lemon

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a non-stick muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
• Either with a wooden spoon in a large mixing bowl or with an electric mixer, cream the butter until it is fluffy, then beat in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Gradually mix in the flour and beat well until the mixture is light in texture. Stir in the orange zest and juice. Beat together for a few minutes to make sure all is well combined.
• Divide the cupcake batter equally between the 12 cupcake liners.
• Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the cakes are golden on top but still light and springy to the touch. Take them out of the oven and cool.
• To make the lemon icing, put the softened butter into a medium mixing bowl, sift in half of the confectioner’s sugar and beat the two together. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then sift in the remaining confectioner’s sugar and beat well. To finish, evenly spread the lemon icing onto each cupcake and they are ready to eat.

MY BROWNIES

I couldn’t really write a cookbook without including brownies. My schoolfriends used to love it when Mum made a fresh batch of brownies; these were very American and not that well known in the 70s and 80s in southeast England, although now, of course, they are famous worldwide! There are so, so many extras that you can add to brownies: chopped pecans or walnuts, broken-up pieces of white chocolate, dried cherries, and so on. But I have opted for a very simple recipe, partly because my kids pick out the nuts, and partly because I love them just like this—with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on the side—for dessert.

MAKES APPROX. 16 BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS

• flour for dusting the pan
• 3½ ounces bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken up into chunks
• 10 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 cup sugar, preferably raw superfine sugar
• 2 large, free-range eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup self-rising flour

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour a non-stick baking pan, about 9 x 9 inches.
• To melt the chocolate, place the broken-up chocolate pieces in a medium heatproof mixing bowl. Rest it on a pan of gently simmering boiling water (the water only needs to be about 1 inch deep). The moment the chocolate has melted take it off the heat and let it cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, in a separate mixing bowl beat the butter until it becomes lighter in color, then add the sugar and beat well until it becomes light and fluffy. Gradually whisk in the beaten eggs and mix well. Stir in the vanilla and the melted chocolate (making sure the chocolate is not too hot, so it doesn't cook the eggs). Mix in the flour and combine well.
• Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25–30 minutes. Take it out of the oven and cool slightly, then invert the brownies onto a wire cooling rack or plate. The brownies should be moist and a bit gooey. Cut into squares or rectangles, and serve.

ARTY’S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

My eldest son loves chocolate chip cookies; this recipe is the first he made for me, hence the name. I think they are addictive—once I start munching them I find it hard to stop, and the smell of home-baked cookies is hard to beat. If you want an extra citrus twist to these, you can add the zest of one orange when you’re mixing in the chocolate pieces.

MAKES 18–20 COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

• 1 stick salted butter, softened to room temperature
• ⅓ cup raw superfine sugar
• 1 large, free-range egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup all-purpose or light spelt flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken up into little chunks (or milk chocolate if you prefer)

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper—or use a non-stick sheet.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the egg and the vanilla and beat well. Then mix in the rest of the ingredients.
• Spoon tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the baking sheet, spacing them out well, so they won’t stick together as they expand in the oven, and gently flatten them slightly.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and just firm to the touch; they will harden up as they cool.
• Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Then eat!

CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-FLAVOR LOAF CAKE

It makes me happy to have a loaf cake on display at home, sitting on a glass cake stand. It’s so welcoming. And the joy of this is that you can use the basic recipe and then choose the flavor you want, depending on your mood: vanilla, lemon, or chocolate—or whatever you like. For the one in this photo I made a vanilla cake mix and stirred in melted chocolate without mixing it in too much—to give it a marble effect.

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

• flour for dusting the pan
• 1¾ sticks butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 cup superfine sugar or granulated sugar
• 3 large, free-range eggs
• 1⅔ cups self-rising flour

Choice of flavors:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• OR zest and juice of 1 lemon
• OR 3 ounces melted chocolate
• OR zest and juice of 1 orange

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch non-stick loaf pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until the butter becomes paler and takes on the consistency of thick cream, then gradually beat in the eggs.
• Gently fold in the flour. Add the flavoring of your choice, mixing well, before pouring the cake batter into the loaf pan and smoothing the top with a knife.
• Bake for 50 minutes, until the cake is golden on top and firm and springy to the touch.
• Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then turn it out of the pan onto a wire rack or plate—and it’s ready to eat!

LINDA’S LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

This is a loaf cake that my mum liked to make and it remains a firm favorite of mine. The lemon syrup poured over the freshly baked cake seeps down into the sponge and adds a special moisture to the taste. Perfect to have with a cup of tea in the afternoon.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• flour for dusting the pan
• 1 stick butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
• ¾ cup superfine sugar
• 2 large, free-range eggs, beaten
• finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
• 1½ cups all-purpose or light spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch non-stick loaf pan.
• In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon (or use an electric mixer). Gradually beat in the eggs and mix until light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon zest, flour, and baking powder, and mix well. Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and mix well again. Then beat in the milk.
• Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.
• In the meantime, mix the remaining lemon juice and the confectioner’s sugar together in a small bowl to make a glaze.
• When it’s ready, take the cake out of the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then turn it out onto a plate. Pierce the top of the cake all over with a thin skewer. Spoon the lemon glaze carefully and evenly over the cake until all of it is absorbed. Ready to eat.

PEACHES AND CREAM PAVLOVA

My second eldest son loves meringues, so we make this dessert together. It has a wonderful meringue base topped with sweetened vanilla whipped cream and ripe sliced fruit. It also works really well with seasonal ripe peaches or nectarines, but if you can’t get a hold of them, you can scatter a mix of fresh berries—such as blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries—on top. Or, to make it more autumnal, sliced ripe pears with toasted pecans and grated chocolate on top works well, too.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large, free-range egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
• pinch salt
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup superfine sugar

For the topping:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 peaches or nectarines, halved, pitted,
• and thinly sliced

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are light, airy, and nearly stiff. Add the lemon juice, salt, and the 1½ teaspoons of vanilla, and continue beating at medium speed while adding the sugar a little at a time.
• Spoon this meringue mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it out to form a round base, about 6-7 inches wide.
• Bake in the oven for 1½ hours, or until the outer part of the meringue is crisp. Turn off the heat and leave it in the oven for 1½ hour. Then take the baking sheet out of the oven and slide the meringue gently onto the serving plate.
• In the meantime, prepare the cream and fruit topping. Whip the cream until it just stiffens and holds its shape, and then mix in the vanilla. You do not want to over-whip the cream.
• Smooth the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cooled meringue. Then decorate with the peaches or nectarines in a design spiraling out from the center. Ready to serve.

MAPLE SYRUP BAKED PEACHES AND APRICOTS

This is a yummy summer dessert when peaches and apricots are in season. If you can’t find both ripe at the same time, just use either peaches or apricots. It makes for a sweet, light dessert that I think works well after an indulgent meal.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ripe peaches
• 12 ripe apricots
• 2 tablespoons butter, finely diced
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• Slice the peaches in half and take out the pits, then do the same with the apricots. Arrange the fruit, hollow side up, on the baking sheet. Divide the butter evenly between the hollowed-out peach and apricot halves.
• Drizzle the maple syrup over the fruit and sprinkle the fresh thyme on top.
• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until bubbling hot and turning golden. This is heaven served with vanilla ice cream, with cream poured over the top, or simply on their own!

PLUM AND PEAR CRUMBLE

Crumble is delicious and I like to think of it as deceptively guilt-free. It packs a whopping fruity punch and is also very versatile. You can play around with the fruit combinations, using apples and blackberries instead, or berries, depending on what is in season. This dessert can be served on its own, but is also great with custard, whipped cream, or ice cream.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

For the filling:

• 8 ripe plums, cut in half and pitted
• 4 ripe but firm pears, cored and cut lengthwise into quarters
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the crumble:

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup ground almonds
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• 7 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into cubes

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Cut the sliced plums and pears into bite-sized pieces and put them into a medium baking dish (about 10 inches). Sprinkle the brown sugar and the cinnamon evenly over the fruit and stir together well.
• To make the crumble, put the flour, oats, ground almonds, and brown sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Then add the butter and gently rub these ingredients together using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• Scatter the crumble evenly over the prepared fruit in the baking dish.
• Bake for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp, and serve warm or at room temperature.

CREAMY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

This rich mousse is great for a dinner party dessert, with quite a “grown-up” dark chocolate edge to it. The whipped cream in the recipe adds lightness to the mousse. And of course, you could use a good-quality milk chocolate instead, to make it less “grown up!”

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken up into chunks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large, free-range eggs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

• Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium stainless-steel or heat-resistant glass bowl set over a pan half-full of gently simmering water. Stir occasionally and once the mixture has melted, take the bowl off the heat and allow it to cool slightly until just warm.
• Separate the eggs, setting aside the 2 yolks in a small bowl or cup, and then whisk the egg whites and sugar together with an electric mixer or handheld whisk until they have set to a foamy consistency that can form soft peaks.
• In another bowl whip the cream until it too just forms soft peaks, and then whisk in the vanilla extract.
• Once the melted chocolate has had a chance to cool slightly, thoroughly stir in the egg yolks. Now stir in 2 dollops of the whisked egg whites to allow the mix to become smoother, and then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites. Fold, rather than beat them in, as you do not want to knock the bubbles and air out of the mix.
• Finally, lightly fold in the whipped cream and divide the mousse equally between 4 ramekins, small bowls, or pretty teacups. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• I like to take the mousse out of the fridge half an hour to 1 hour before serving to give it a chance to come to room temperature again.

COCONUT RICE PUDDING WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Rice pudding has always been a family favorite. We used to love it when Dad told us the story of how Mum learned how to make baked rice pudding. When they were newlyweds, she kept asking what his favorite dishes were. He mentioned rice pudding. Mum had never made it before and she found a very complicated recipe that was a complete failure—she was so disappointed. So my dad called up our Auntie Jinny in Liverpool and she talked Mum through how easy and tasty it could be. We all loved it.

I cook this rice pudding in a saucepan on the stovetop, and the hint of coconut makes it feel delicately exotic. The dried coconut is an optional extra—I think it gives the pudding a nice texture, but the rice has a creamy smoothness that is just as satisfying without it. The swirl of chocolate sauce on top transforms it into a good dinner party dessert.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup Arborio or short-grain rice
• 14.5 ounce can coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ cup raw superfine sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons dessicated coconut (optional)
• chocolate sauce, to serve

METHOD

• Place the rice in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour in the coconut milk, then rinse out the can with the 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the pan too.
• Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring well, and then add the sugar, vanilla extract, and coconut. Now simmer gently, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until the rice is just cooked through.
• Serve with a drizzle of chocolate sauce on top.

ICE CREAM CELEBRATION CAKE

This is my favorite cake to make for birthdays. I buy the pound cakes, but if you want you can make your own, by following the cake recipe, and using the vanilla flavor option. It’s a surprising cake, because it is iced, so it looks like a normal frosted cake until you cut into it and see the ice cream center. Kids and grown-ups alike devour it.

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 8 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 9-inch butter pound cakes, store-bought is fine or homemade (see Choose-Your-Own-Flavor Loaf Cake)
• 2 pints ice cream, mixed flavors, such as vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry (or use all one flavor)

For the icing:

• 10 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
• 3¾ cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• ¼ cup room temperature milk or warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Decorating sprinkles, or other cake decorations of your choice

METHOD

• Line the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch round, deep, non-stick cake pan with parchment paper. Cut the pound cakes crosswise into slices about ⅔ inch thick. Then completely line the cake pan with the cake slices, slightly overlapping them so there are no gaps (make sure you leave aside some cake slices to lay over the top of the cake later). Using your hands, push the cake down into the sides of the pan.
• Allow the ice cream to soften so that it is easy to scoop out of the cartons. Spoon the ice cream, one flavor at a time, into the prepared cake-lined pan. Use a spoon to press the ice cream down so there are no air pockets. Repeat until the cake pan is filled with ice cream. Then layer the reserved cake slices over the top of the ice cream and press them down firmly. Place a plate over the top of the cake, then put it in the freezer to allow the ice cream to fully freeze again—at least 1 hour, but you can leave it overnight.
• To make the icing, put the butter into a large mixing bowl, then gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar, mix in the milk or warm water, and add the vanilla extract. Beat together well until the icing is light and fluffy.
• When the ice cream has frozen hard again, take the cake out of the freezer and turn the cake pan over onto a plate. Peel away the parchment and spread the icing evenly over the cake, then put the cake back in the freezer until you are ready to serve it.

NUTTY SWEET PIE

This is a tasty variation on a traditional pecan pie—which I love—but this makes a nice change and is delicious served with whipped cream on the side, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top. For the crust, you can use my Shortcrust Pie Pastry recipe on, and the golden, nutty filling is quick to throw together.

SERVES 8–10

INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces Shortcrust Pie Pastry, or 1 store-bought refrigerated ready-to-roll crust
• flour, for dusting work surface
• 1 stick butter
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup or corn syrup
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2⅔ cups mixed nuts (such as Brazils, walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts), coarsely chopped
• 2 large, free-range eggs, lightly beaten

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Get out a metal pie dish (or use a 9-inch fluted metal removable-bottom tart pan).
• Roll out the pastry on a clean, floured surface to a thickness of about ⅛ inch, slightly larger than the pan. Drape it over the rolling pin and then lay it carefully into the pan. Press the dough into the corners, trim off the excess pastry, and then chill the pie crust in the fridge for half an hour. Line the bottom of the pastry shell with parchment paper and pour in some baking beans or rice (for blind baking the pastry). Bake the pastry shell for about 10 minutes in the middle to lower part of the oven. Then remove the baking beans or rice and parchment paper, and bake the pastry for 10 minutes more, or until it is a light golden color. Take it out of the oven and set aside to cool.
• In a medium saucepan melt the butter and golden syrup together. Turn off the heat, then mix in the brown sugar and the vanilla extract. Add the nuts and mix well so they are well-coated in the sugary melted butter. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then stir in the beaten eggs. Mix well, then pour the filling into the cooled pastry shell.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling has set, but is still a little soft. Let the pie cool a little before serving.

DELICATE APPLE TART

My step-grandmother first showed me this recipe when I was in my early teens, and I still love to make it today. I think of this tart as quite graceful; it doesn’t need to try too hard. The ingredients are few, but the taste is wonderful.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry:

• 2⅓ cups all-purpose or light spelt flour
• 1½ sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• a little butter, at room temperature, for the pan
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 4–5 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:

• 4 or 5 apples (use crisp eating apples, not cooking apples)
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 3 tablespoons superfine sugar, preferably unrefined (raw)
• ⅓ cup apricot jam (I use St. Dalfour jam)
• 1 tablespoon water

METHOD

• To make the pastry, put the flour, chilled and cubed butter, and the salt into a medium mixing bowl and mix with a spoon or knife until all of the butter is coated with flour.
• Add the water and mix with your fingertips, kneading just until the mixture comes together to form a ball. Take care not to overwork it; pieces of butter should be visible in the pastry (and will give it a wonderful flakiness). Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a large, thin baking sheet, measuring about 11 x 15 inches.
• On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a thickness of about ⅛ inch, to the shape of the baking sheet. Gently wrap the pastry around the rolling pin and unroll it onto the sheet pan. Keep it cool in the fridge while you prepare the apples.
• Peel and quarter the apples, core them and then slice them thinly. Arrange the thin apple slices on the pastry in a neat, overlapping design (like the pattern of tiles on a roof), leaving a 2-inch border around the edges, then fold the pastry edges in over the apples to form a frame.
• Dot the butter evenly over the top and then sprinkle sugar evenly over the apples.
• Bake for 60–75 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and crisp and the apples are browned.
• In a small saucepan melt the apricot jam over low heat with 1 tablespoon of water mixed in, then brush it over the apples. Ready to serve.