Brandy Snaps
Golden syrup is used to make modern brandy snaps but the original brandy snaps sold at fairs were made from treacle. They were a...
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sjfbilton
- Mar 15, 2021
- 5 min
Lost and Found
Losing or misplacing stuff is a daily occurrence in my house. For me it’s usually a particular kitchen utensil. For my husband, it’s...
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sjfbilton
- Jan 15, 2021
- 2 min
Seville Orange & Chocolate Tart
We all know that Seville oranges make fabulous marmalade but how about using them in a tart? This dessert takes its inspiration from the...
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sjfbilton
- Dec 14, 2020
- 4 min
A Very Gingerbread Christmas
Gingerbread is synonymous with Christmas. From houses and lattes to lebkuchen and gingerbread Santas there is likely to be some sort of...
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sjfbilton
- Oct 28, 2020
- 3 min
Pumpkin & Onion Tourte
Inspired by a recipe from Bartolomeo Scappi’s Opera (1577) Like many recipes of this period the original (which you can see below)...
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sjfbilton
- Aug 12, 2020
- 3 min
The Red Currant Conundrum
We had another bumper crop of red currants this year but what are you to do with them? Jelly is all well and good but I still have some...
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sjfbilton
- Aug 7, 2020
- 3 min
Oats in the North, Wheat from the South by Regula Ysewijn
Some of the happiest years of my childhood were spent in the small Aberdeenshire town of Ellon. When my parents decided to move back...
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sjfbilton
- Jul 3, 2020
- 3 min
Spiced Strawberry Shortcake
We don’t tend to think of pairing spices with strawberries but these sweet red fruits take to the warmth of spices surprisingly well....
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sjfbilton
- Nov 2, 2019
- 4 min
Golden Pumpkin Cake
‘Sturdy’ is not a terribly complimentary adjective when applied to a person’s figure or a cake. It implies something quite solid. But...
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sjfbilton
- May 3, 2019
- 3 min
Victoria & Albert Biscuits
When is a cake a biscuit? This question was raised in 1991 regarding the humble Jaffa Cake. The manufacturer McVities argued that Jaffa...
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sjfbilton
- Mar 10, 2019
- 4 min
Nan’s Almond Tarts
This post has been more difficult to write than I imagined. The past few days I have been restless, wanting to write, and knowing that it...
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sjfbilton
- Feb 23, 2019
- 3 min
Orange Cardamom & Walnut Slices
Great minds think alike… Or so the adage goes. Even so when you ask a dozen or so cooks to make a dish inspired by a single word, it...
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sjfbilton
- Dec 28, 2018
- 1 min
Christmas Pudding Stuffing
Here’s a suggestion for how to use up any left over Christmas pudding you may have. Makes around 600-650g Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable...
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sjfbilton
- Oct 15, 2018
- 3 min
Upside Down Quince & Cobnut Cake
The quince is the trickster of the fruit kingdom. The scent and colour of these deeply aromatic golden globes hints at a succulent,...
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sjfbilton
- Oct 14, 2018
- 1 min
Pumpkin Cookies with Hazelnuts & Chocolate
Pumpkins and squash are surely the antidote to dull and gloomy autumn days? Their often gnarly exterior encases vivid and sweet tangerine...
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sjfbilton
- May 18, 2018
- 2 min
Bride Pie
Adapted from The Experienced English Housekeeper by Elizabeth Raffald (1769) The Bride Pie was the forerunner to the wedding cake (you...
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sjfbilton
- Mar 8, 2018
- 3 min
Sticky Fig Cake
There is something about figs even in this day and age that causes people to titter. With their curvaceous exterior and fleshy pink...
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sjfbilton
- Dec 15, 2017
- 4 min
The Mince Pie Antidote
The appearance of the first mince pies in our shops seems to get earlier every year. I spied a small display in my local supermarket in...
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sjfbilton
- Dec 4, 2017
- 2 min
Spiced Medlar Loaf
I made my annual batch of medlar mincemeat last week. As always I picked far too many medlars and as a consequence ended up with more...
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sjfbilton
- Nov 15, 2017
- 2 min
Carrot Pudding with Caramel Sauce and Buttermilk Ice Cream
Despite living in the intense heat the Victorians who had settled in India were still partial to a traditional British pudding after...
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