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Inspired by Elizabeth David's recipe for flourless chocolate cake in French Provincial Cooking, these gorgeous little Baci Cakes are a wonderful combination of chocolate and hazelnut.  Ingredients 12 hazelnuts 285g cooking chocolate (70% cocoa), broken into pieces 7 eggs, separated 225g butter 225g caster sugar 225g ground hazelnuts (sometimes labeled hazelnut meal) 3 teaspoons coffee 2 teaspoons dark rum (optional) Chocolate ganache 375g cooking chocolate (70%cocoa), broken into pieces 190g butter, roughly chopped Method Preheat the oven to 180oC/160oC fan. Double line a regular muffin tray with paper patty pans. Spread out the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast them...

Inspired by a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi, Phillippa's daughter Sophie created these devine Peanut and Salted Chocolate Macarons. Ingredients 165g soft icing sugar 90g finely ground almonds 3 egg whites 60g caster sugar 30g finely chopped lightly roasted peanuts (other nuts can be used) 60g cooking chocolate (70% cocoa), roughly chopped 30g salted cultured butter, roughly chopped pinch of salt (optional) Method Preheat the oven to 170oC/ 150oC fan. Sift the icing sugar and ground almonds together into a bowl. In another bowl, using a whisk or electric hand-held beater, beat the egg whites with the caster sugar until stiff...

These delightful little Cheese & Chive Gems are great with soup and in lunchboxes, and they are particularly delicious split and filled with iceberg lettuce, tomato and a smear of good whole-egg mayonnaise (preferably homemade). You can cook these in an old-fashioned gem iron (check online or in second hand shops) or a small muffin tray.  Ingredients 1 egg About 200ml milk 150g self raising flour 125g strong cheddar, grated 2 Tbsp finely chopped chives 2 tsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 70g chopped ham (optional) butter, for brushing Method Preheat the oven to 220°C/190°C fan. If you are using a gem iron,...

This is based on a recipe from In the Kitchen by Allan Campion & Michele Curtis. I love it because it requires very minimal prep, has no onion or garlic and is a long slow cook - so it is suddenly ready and you don’t feel like you’ve been cooking. Making it all the more enjoyable! I like to serve it with crusty bread and a spinach salad. It is also delicious with barley or couscous. Ingredients 6 lamb shanks 1½ tsp harissa 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp allspice ⅓ bunch coriander inc roots, chopped...