We are super lucky in Tasmania, as we have access to an amazing dairy company that churns butter and sells tasty milk and cream. Before we end up in an endless debate about why butter is better than margarine and have bloggers and large conglomerates sue us, our opinion is simply that butter tastes better.

Since the shop opened, we have always made croissanty bits. Every morning it reminds me a little of London, walking into the Connaught hotel to see Arlet, our baker, bobbing along with his fine backside, teasing strips of dough into their requisite shapes.

The unmistakeable aroma of buttery oven-baked dough wafts along the street as Hobart begins to wake. Often we get caught up in the rush of preparing the shop, but a short stroll to the fridge and soon enough the nostrils remember and the tastebuds begin to dance salaciously upon the tongue in anticipation.

There’s an abundance of fresh fruit to slam on some rum babas, and fabulous local nuts to coax our daughter into eating something resembling healthy… although we’re often left arguing on the stairs about the nutritional value of doughnuts.

If you are in search of a good croissant, look for the crumbs: the best croissants in Paris are the ones with the pigeons flocking around, ready to swoop on those flaky good bits.

Baking is all about organisation, so here is the big tip: once shaped, your hand-crafted croissants can be frozen until needed; our muffin batters can be made the day before; doughnuts can be kept in the fridge overnight, ready for frying at daybreak (just remember, if guests are staying with you overnight, to splash plenty of flour around in the morning so they appreciate all your apparent hard work, baking throughout the night).

Finally, we all know that some ingredients must come from overseas or the ‘big island’, but supporting a local farmer where you have the chance to walk amongst the beasts before they are milked is pretty special. It gives you a connection to your baked goods that makes them taste even better.

My favourite way to have croissants? Milk crate, astro turf, and bad pastry-chef–made coffee in the early morning light.