Cardamom biscuits

Round little cookies that are comfortingly spiced and very easy to eat. As a bonus, they’re very quick and easy to put together! I had some chickpea flour from making MiMi Aye’s Burmese tofu–absolutely delicious and so easy, please get her book and try it–so I went from one cookbook to another as I returned … Continue reading →

Leftover turkey noodle soup

A much-needed bowl of something to soothe. This is the holiday leftover meal from my family, along with pie (of which more later, hopefully). And it just seems like a joke to provide a recipe, but since most leftover turkey noodle soups tend to be more pasta-style I thought I’d provide this friendly suggestion. It … Continue reading →

Apple caramels

Another caramel thing, but who’s complaining? I’ve wanted to try this recipe for years and here it is: soft golden caramels with a cosy apple flavour. It’s coming up to Bonfire Night, which is when British people set things on fire when it is cold (as opposed to summer, when we set our food on fire to make the … Continue reading →

Salted Caramel Brownies

Okay, so, make these. I know at this point salted caramel is a cliche foodie thing which has become more of a gourmet marketing label and not necessarily an indicator of delicious caramel, but this bakes up into a tray of something friendly, inviting, and genuinely very good. Recently I made these for a party. I was a bit nervous, … Continue reading →

Brownie cookies, which are ridiculous in the best way

Brownie cookies. Forget any vaguely brown, sticky-sweet double chocolate cookies you might have had: these go full-on with plenty of melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chunks. I have to say one of my favourite textures in baking is melted chocolate and butter. It’s just so glossy and is the perfect colour. And when you … Continue reading →

Roasted chestnut cookies

  I love how these look like snowballs. That, plus the fact they’re made of pulverised roast chestnuts, is the reason I made them a couple of years ago and why I made them again this year. Couldn’t remember how they were supposed to taste like, but I after several bakings, I can confirm these cookies … Continue reading →

Star-shaped eggnog creams

These are heart-shaped custard creams made festive: more generous and well-defined spice amounts, a little rum extract in the filling, and the suggestion you make them star-shaped. Twee? Yes. And they’re delicious. Continue reading →

Cranberry pistachio shortbread

A bigger batch of these cranberry-studded biscuits with the addition of pistachios. I love the gold, green, and deep red together. These are my favourite holiday cookies because I find them well-balanced and not too sweet. Sweet-tart dried cranberries and fragrant clementines always evoke the holidays for me, and here they perfectly brighten up a rich shortbread. A handful of pistachios … Continue reading →

A little eggnog

A nutmeg-spiced custard which is light enough to drink, several of my favourite things in one mug. The first time I had eggnog was last year, when Mary and I made up a big frothy bowl of it for Christmas using Alton Brown’s recipe. It’s always a delight to try something new and delicious with … Continue reading →

Small batch vanilla bean marshmallows for your hot chocolate

Vanilla is my favourite spice. Forget thinking of it as timid and beige–forget it, alright? It’s beautiful, dark, full, and rich, and should be respected. Marshmallows bear this perfume wonderfully. These ones have a fluffy egg white base, which means they melt slowly and perfectly into a mug of hot chocolate. There are a bunch of ways to make … Continue reading →