Hong Kong Travel Basics

I am finally bringing more travel content to The Boy Who Bakes and first up, Hong Kong. Over the next couple weeks I will posting a handful of posts to help you plan and inspire any upcoming trips to Hong Kong. Todays post is a primer on Hong Kong, some need to know information before you visit plus it’s a way for me to showcase all the photography I do when I travel when the images don’t always relate to the bakeries and food scene I am writing about. The post will be interspersed with some useful knowledge to have before your visit.

Over the 10 days we stayed in the city, after the most disastrous journey ever arriving 20 hours late after an unexpected and very unwelcome detour through Singapore, we stayed in a couple different neighbourhoods. We stayed with friends in Central, and we stayed in a hotel in Quarry Bay, both on Hong Kong Island. We wanted to explore as much of the city as possible so other than Hong Kong Island, where we visited many different neighbourhoods from Central to Wan Chai, we hopped across to Kowloon side and explored Tsim Sha Tsui and Sham Shui Po plus we got on a boat and spent a day tripping around the islands south of Hong Kong Island and of course we had to get the MTR out to Lantau Island to visit the Big Buddha at Po Lin Monastery.

The Basics

Hong Kong is known as a ‘special administration region of The People’s Republic of China’. A British colony from 1842 until 1997 it now lives in something of a halfway house. It has its own government (although recent protests show it’s maybe not as independent from China’s rule as it might seem on paper, something locals are not happy about) and exists under the idea of one country two systems, being a part of China but existing under a different legal framework, namely the British system it inherited. It is an extremely densely populated city, with a population of 7.39 million. The city is made up of 230 islands the main three being Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Lantau. The official languages are Chinese and English. Cantonese is the major dialect found in Hong Kong and English is incredibly common although not 100% of the time, thankfully signage is almost always bilingual.

Useful Info

What do you need to know before arriving in Hong Kong? Firstly for those of you wondering if you can enjoy a visit there when you speak no Cantonese don’t worry, English is widely spoken and due to Hong Kong’s history as an English colony the signage is very commonly bilingual. Bottom line, it’s always a good idea to try and learn at least a few key words and phrases of the local language but in Hong Kong its not the barrier it might be elsewhere.

The currency is Hong Kong Dollars (HKD) and $10 roughly equates to €1.12, £1.12 or $1.26 USD. The stereotype of Hong Kong is of an expensive city to visit but that wasn’t our general experience. Unless you’re eating at high end restaurants food is not particularly expensive, especially when compared to other major cities like London, and most of the times it’s actually cheaper. However, if your tastes run on the expensive side then Hong Kong has more than enough places to empty your wallet. Drinks can be a little pricer and this can be alcoholic or caffeine based drinks. Coffee at ‘third wave’ coffee shops, the places that roast their own coffee, the places I like to visit because I am a coffee nerd, cost about $45 HKD, plus a bottle of beer in the Central neighbourhood will run you around £6 (Central is both a nightlife, restaurant and expat district so this is the more expensive neighbourhood for some things)

Talking of drinking, the legal drinking age is 18 plus there is no open-bottle law so you can drink in the street if you so wish, but be careful of traffic, there are 18,000 taxis in this city, don’t let one of them hit you, be sensible. It also wasn’t something we saw a lot of, so use your common sense and drink where you would normally.

Hotel prices like in any city vary widely but one tip if you’re travelling on a budget is to avoid staying on Hong Kong Island, especially in Central which is a definitely a little pricier. The hotel we stayed at, East Hong Kong, was located in Quarry Bay in the east of Hong Kong Island and, for the quality, was significantly cheaper than the same style hotels in Central, it also had an amazing view over the Hong Kong Harbour, definitely worth a look..

I’ll get into this more in another post but getting around is incredibly easy with a brilliant metro system, buses, trams and thousands upon thousands of taxis (and yes, Uber operates in HK too)

When to Visit

Hong Kong gets some extreme ends of the weather spectrum and there is definitely prefereable seasons to visit depending on your likes. Summers are hot, and that should be with a capital H for both hot and humid. Leaving the happy confines of air conditioned spaces (everywhere is air conditioned in HK) is like immediately walking into a wall of heat, so be prepared and keep water with you at all times. March to May is spring and the time I would choose to visit (although saying this we visited late May and for me it was almost too hot and humid!) June to August expect it to very hot and stormy. Autumn will be on the cooler side but in winter it will be surprisingly chilly. I would happily visit in any season but I would likely avoid the height of summer simply because heat and humidity are not my jam and the rain might put a dampener on your plans.

City or Countryside

Whilst these images, and those that appear in film and tv, don’t really show it well, Hong Kong is an incredibly green country, almost three quarters of it’s land is countryside. It’s not like London or New York with its city parks dotted throughout the urban centres, the city centres are completely surrounded by green spaces, open natural green spaces, beaches, mountains, water, all manner of countryside. There are beaches a plenty, hikes for all you walkers out there and amazing view points for those of us that like getting up high. One of the best things we did on this trip was to hire a boat and spend a day exploring the different islands south of Hong Kong Island, stopping off at the fishing village of Po Toi O and enjoying the freshest seafood lunch at Fat Kee restaurant. Whilst the city is incredible it is absolutely worth spending a day or two exploring outside the main areas and seeing a different side of the city.

Dim Sum Ettiquette

Your’e in the dim sum capital of the world and you should definitely be visiting a couple different dim sum restaurants whilst you’re here. There are a couple things I didn't know about before visiting that I thought I would pass on. Firstly you’ll be seated with others, its a communal experience and you’ll be directed to wherever empty seats are in the restaurant. When you sit down a kettle of tea will be placed in front of you with your dishes, alongside a bowl. The tea isn’t for drinking it’s to wash your dishes. They’re clean, don’t worry, this is done mainly out of custom. Unless your’e dining in high end dim sum places the chances are the menus will be in Cantonese so it’s worth brushing up on the name of some dishes you want to try to make it easier to communicate with the staff. If you want to follow the local etiquette then before pouring tea for yourself make sure everyone else is topped up, its only polite. If the tea is poured by a waiter or waitress you can tap the table as a polite thank you.

Over the next couple week or so I will have a few post for you about my trip, a guide some of my favourite cafes and bakeries and a helpful guide to getting around the city.

London Chocolate Openings

Pump St Bakery

I like to say that London is one of the worlds best chocolate cities and in the last few weeks it got a little bit sweetwer, with two new openings of note. Firstly I want to tell you about one of my favourites, a bakery I will, and have on multiple occasions, travelled to for their wonderful pastries and breads but also a place that makes and sells world class chocolate, Pump St Bakery. This is a family run affair, set up by Chris and Joanne Brennan, a father and daughter duo. Chris, an avid home baker, retired and took his hobby full time. First came the bread, then the pastries and then maybe even more excitingly came the chocolate. Considering the quality of the chocolate they make you might be a little surprised to find that they are based in the sleepy village of Orford. A beautiful picturesque English village it something you might see when watching a period drama not what springs to mind when you think chocolate. In their factory hidden away just outside the edges of the village however, lies their bakery and chocolate production facility where they have been quietly producing chocolate since 2012. I say quietly but in reality they have been making some serious waves, the chocolate is available all over the world and I have seen in places as far and wides as New York and Tokyo. For the last few years they have been putting out what I consider to be some of the best chocolate in the world. They source beans direct from the farmers, helping support sustainable cocoa production and turn those into an amazing array of chocolates. 

But back to the bustle of London. Pump St’s bakery is not exactly a quick jaunt from London and whilst you can buy their chocolate from many places in the city you cannot get the full range easily and you definitely cannot get their wonderful baking so for the second time, the last time being 3 years ago, the bakery has popped up in Shoreditch. They have taken over the In House space, a dolls house sized shop located on Redchurch St in Shoreditch. The important things to note are that a) this is a short term pop-up they are only here until Sunday and b) if the previous incarnation is anything to go by get there early to avoid disappointment, the baking sells out fast! There’s probably a good chance you’ll spot me there all week, I am a huge fan of their eccles cake. I would go so far as to say it is the best I’ve ever had and trust me with the amount of eccles cakes I’ve had I must qualify as some sort of self proclaimed eccles cake expert and definite willing quality assurance officer.

Besides the daily deliveries of fresh baked goods there is also plenty of chocolate goodies to stock up on. They sell an amazing and intriguing variety of bars, everything from single origin dark and milk bars to coffee infused varieties (in partnership with Workshop Coffee) to the very special bakery series that marries the two sides of their business. Think dark chocolate with the addition of sourdough and sea salt or a milk chocolate that is infused with crumbs of rye bread or the newest in the line up, a delicious panettone bar. At the pop-up they are also launching their first ever cocoa powder which to me seems like a massive feat for a comparatively small company. The cocoa powder is a natural variety, as apposed to dutched, but it’s not your everyday natural cocoa powder. When a cocoa is ‘dutched’ it is washed in a potassium carbonate solution that removes a lot of the acidity present in cocoa and darkens the colour. Pump St wanted to avoid this process so they conch the cocoa nibs before pressing it into powder which naturally removes a lot of the acidic notes creating a cocoa powder that is seemingly a halfway house between traditional natural cocoa powders and dutched versions. I for one am very excited to bake with this and see what the difference is. 

Pump St Bakery/Chocolate Pop-Up
In House
67 Redchurch St
London
E2 7DJ
Open Tuesday 13th Nov-Sunday 18th Nov 2018

Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse 

The second chocolate opening of recent weeks is Le Chocolat by Alain Ducasse. Based out of Paris the famed Chef, Alain Ducasse, set up his chocolate business back in 2013 with the aim of creating chocolate from bear to bar that he could use across his many restaurants around the world, of which there is currently around 30. The original shop is housed in an old Citroen garage in the Bastille neighbourhood, in the 11th Arrondissement of Paris and it is a wondrous, beautifully designed space. They took a rough and ready space that had been neglected for many years and transformed it into a gown up, sophisticated chocolate haven. As with many chocolate companies, finding the equipment to make chocolate was a little tricky so in the kitchens you will find a variety of repurposed machines, equipment originally intended for roasting coffee, grinding mustard seeds, or even making paper, now used to create chocolate. As with Pump St, Le Chocolat is a bean to bar producer meaning they buy beans and process that into chocolate. One of the differences is that whilst Le Chocolat also makes chocolate in its bar form they also make enrobed chocolates and pralines. The pralines also happen to be my favourite thing they make. They make traditional almond and hazelnut versions but also more modern peanut and coconut varieties too.

Whilst the company has been around since 2013 and recently expanded into Japan until recently their only footprint in Europe was the handful of shops that exist in Paris. A couple weeks ago this changed when they jumped across the pond and opened in London, in the new fashionable Coal Drops Yard, a beautiful shopping and restaurant district just north of Kings Cross Station. The development has taken an 1850’s coal storage yard which then became a haunt for ravers in the 90’s and turned it into a shoppers delight. They have kept much of the architectural features and very successfully redesigned the space for a modern purpose. The aesthetic suits Le Chocolat perfectly as it’s all bare brick and industrial elements, exactly as you would find in the original Paris location. In Paris not only did they incorporate old machinery they used a lot of vintage finds to outfit the retail store including many elements from an old Parisian bank. 

If you are looking for something a little different Christmas they also have a nice range of edible Christmas decorations, from a build yourself Christmas tree to a massive Christmas slab that comes complete with its own mallet. Plus if you feel a little old for a Cadburys advent calendar they also make their own spin on the idea. They will also, in the not too distant future, be opening a cafe next door that has a similar mission to Le Chocolat, a cafe serving coffee sourced and roasted for use within the Ducasse restaurant group. 

Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse
Unit 15
Bagley Walk Arches
Coal Drops Yard
London
N1C 4DH

Best Bakeries in New York City

When I was a teenager I dreamed of escaping my hometown and moving to the big city. That big city wasn't London though, it was NYC. I grew up on Friends and a whole host of other tv shows and films that made the big apple seem like the dream. It was decided, I would move to NYC to live my sophisticated life in the West Village, in a classic New York townhouse; think Carries apartment in Sex And The City, but the whole building, small dreams right?! Whilst I have changed my goals slightly over the years, NYC is still amongst my favourite cities to visit and I’m lucky enough to go back every few years. As baking became my career and basically my entire life, I started to view the city through a different lens and once you get passed the tourist hustle and bustle you get one of the best food cities in the world, specifically one of the best baking cities in America. Like London, NYC seems to thrive on trends, meaning almost every time I visit there is a handful of new bakeries to explore. The list below is therefore woefully incomplete, I could write a whole book on NYC and its bakeries (don’t think I haven't tried to get that gig) so think of this list as the places currently at the forefront of my mind, the places I go back to time and time again, or the newer spots that left a strong impression. New York will always be a big source of inspiration for me and if you've never been before let this list wet your whistle, for when you do finally visit. 

Baked

When it comes to New York Bakeries no one does classic american treats better than Baked. The original location, in Red Hook, opened in 2005 making it a legit classic by this point. I first visited over 8 years ago and I schlepped out to Brooklyn, deep into Red Hook (thank god for the Ikea ferry that drops off you a short walk away) and fell in love with the bakery, they really know what they are doing. If you’re one of those visitors that doesn't leave Manhattan then no need to despair as they have since opened a location in Tribecca. If you are looking for layer cakes, brownies, cookies or bundt cakes there really is few places that do americana better.

Doughnut Plant

I have been visiting NYC for over 10 years and each and every visit there will be at least one visit to the Doughnut Plant. Despite the fact that this place has been around for so long I will never tire of the doughnuts here, there is just something very special about the doughnuts this place churns out daily. There are other doughnut shops in the city, some with more trend points and press at this point but for me these are the best ‘nuts in the city. They make both cake and yeast doughnuts and something the same flavour in both styles to please all comers. The cake doughnuts are incredibly tender, which is rare for cake doughnuts which I often find unacceptably dry. The cake doughnuts have just that right amount of chew, the style of doughnut that unlike brioche feels more classic in style and something harder to find these days. What makes this place stand out though isn't just the dough but the filling, specifically the way they fill the doughnuts. Most ring doughnuts do not come filled but Doughnut Plant has figured a way to get filling all the way around said doughnuts and it basically makes the perfect combination of a ring doughnut and a filled doughnut. My two all time favourite doughnuts are the cream cheese carrot cake and the coconut cream yeast doughnut, now I just to know when they’ll open a London shop.

Black Seed Bagels

Time for some classic New York bagels, something savoury for a change, but to NYC purists this place is breaking some rules. Instead of a true New York style bagel this place describes their style as a cross between the NY style and Montreal style bagels. Whatever style they use these are damn good bagels. I often stay in the Lower East Side and a Black Seed breakfast bagel is my favourite way to start the day.

Supermoon Bakehouse

Supermoon is one of the newest bakeries in the city and one of my favourites. Set up by baker Ry Stephen and business partner Aron Tzimas this spot is churning out the most incredibly baked goods, specifically laminated pastries with some doughnuts thrown in for good measure. Ry was the baker that set up Mr Holmes Bakehouse in San Francisco but has since moved on from the West Coast and set up shop in the heart of the Lower East Side. Despite what some websites have tried to claim this is not simply an Instagram darling (trust me, I have been to plenty of spots in NYC that do a roaring trade on the ‘gram but who’s product is more myspace worthy, this isn't one of them) Ry’s speciality is the croissant and yes they do make a plain croissant (side bar - I hate the term plain when it comes to food, plain chocolate, plain croissant, plain bagel. There is nothing plain about any of these things when made well, they are fabulous and the wording simply bad) but what they are known for is their filled croissants.

The flavours of the croissants, and everything else for that matter, change regularly so at any given time you might be served a raspberry white chocolate version, a matcha white chocolate version or maybe even an almond white chocolate twice baked delight. But it isn't just sweets here, they make an NYC, a New York Croissant, filled with lox, cream cheese and capers, which I am sure is fabulous were it not for my hatred of lox. My favourite of the savoury of the options has to be the ham and cheese, which you absolutely have to have warmed, it is filled with the as stated ham and cheese but also a pepper rich béchamel which makes this more of a meal than a snack. I last visited in the middle of a bitter winter, missing a huge snow storm by just a few hours, and this was the comforting dish I was crying out for. After visiting the bakery a handful of times and chatting with Ry it is clear they really have a passion and drive to make the best pastries going and as far as I am concerned they are doing a damn good job of it.

Mah Ze Dahr

My editor at Bake From Scratch, on hearing I was visiting NYC declared that I absolutely had to visit another slightly newer NYC bakery, Mah Ze Dahr. In some ways the opposite of Supermoon, it’s in the West Village, more classic in its approach and look maybe even understated a little, Mah Ze Dahr is quietly producing a whole array of delightful baked goods. Set up by former Wall St executive Umber Ahmad, Mah Ze Dahr, a spin on the Urdu word mazedar which means unexpected magic, is a very with class. The interior is a right on trend mix of dark blue and marble, with accents of copper dotted around the store. The baking matches perfectly. Think feta and spinach hand pies that are at once both simple and swoon worthy, incredibly tender brioche doughnuts, an array of perfect cookies and still yet more. This is a very with such a wide variety of styles and influences but which seem perfectly blended together, nothing out of place and everything crying out to be tried. It is also hard not to fall in love with the owner, Umber, who has an infectious smile and laugh, and over the times I have been lucky to meet her incredibly warm and welcoming.

Daily Provisions

Most will come to this spot for the crullers (2018 trend anyone?) but for me it the breakfast sandwiches that will keep me coming back. That isn't to say I didn't like the crullers, the maple version had an amazing flavour but to my taste was a little on the oily side. I have been told by many a friend this must have been a bad day so I will give them another shot but I will most definitely be having the breakfast sandwich again and again. New York is the city of the BEC, the bacon egg and cheese, you can get them on almost every street corner, from the cheap and cheerful bodegas, to the carts on the streets of midtown, they are synonymous with the city. The BEC here though is no bodega sandwich. They have taken the idea and elevated it and not in a pretentious way that strips the dish of its heart, simply a spin to put their own stamp on it. Their version has thick cut Berkshire bacon, think a slab of crisp pork belly, topped with american cheese and then topped with what they lovingly refer to as wake-up sauce, a spicy mayo based topping that makes for the perfect condiment. They also serve a range of breakfast gourgeres which I definitely need to go back and try. 

Four and Twenty Blackbirds

By now this place needs no introduction, they make the best pie in NYC, hands down. Based in Brooklyn there will be a lot of tourists that never make it to one of their shops and that would be a shame, a big shame. Not only is Brooklyn one of my favourite boroughs this bakery is making pies that make me want to move to the states, that or open a pie shop in London. They have one foot in tradition and nostalgia and the other firmly planted in inventive and unusual. You can get everything from a black bottom oatmeal pie, a throwback to civil war era baking when pecans became expensive and scare, to a matcha custard pie, a vibrant green pie that would be more at home in the bakeries of Tokyo. On my last visit, after sparking up a conversation with their barista, I was convinced to try a lavender latter, yes lavender and coffee, which I wanted to hate with every fibre of my being, it sounded like the fever dream of a bearded hipster that dreams of making bean to bar chocolate in his spare time (wait does that sound like me!) but despite my misgivings this thing was damn tasty but lets keep that between you and me. From the pies I tried it would genuinely be tough to choose a favourite, but as they were not selling the matcha by the slice last time I visited thats the one I want to go back and try.

Russ and Daughters

Not a bakery per se, this is a Jewish Deli with a history. A stalwart of the Lower East Side this shop dates back to 1914, and it is still run by the same family today. The reason for the inclusion in this list is two fold. Firstly they sell a whole variety of Jewish and old school New York baked goods, think black and white cookies, rugelach, bialys, in fact this is the place I first tried a Black and White, called a cookie but really more of a dense disc of cake topped with chocolate and vanilla icing; one day I want to do a search across the city to find the best version going. But what I came for was the babka; not a super gooey, too sweet version like many others this is more restrained more bread like but for me this is no bad thing. I actually brought a loaf of this home and now have sliced and stored in the freezer, waiting to become french toast, an idea I have borrowed from the deli themselves who make this dish at their fabulous cafe a few streets over. The second reason I love this spot, other than their design which I have a huge fondness for, is the sandwiches. On a recent work visit to the city where I was basically locked in a studio for a couple days a bagel from here filled with egg salad was exactly what I needed. They use bagels from the Bagel Hole in Brooklyn and they are a spot on version of a NYC style bagel, smaller than most but with that perfect texture.

Although this is also far from complete below is a map of these spots plus a handful of more. Make sure to bookmark this as I will update the map as and when I can 

Bakery and Sweets, recommendations from Edd Kimber, The Boy Who Bakes

Best Bakeries in Chicago

Well, I am finally back home, exhausted and happy to be back in my own bed, and my own kitchen, for a while. Over the last month I feel like my life has been a mix of crappy in-flight meals, weird hotel beds and constant jetlag. I have travelled more across the US in the last month then I have in years, visiting 4 cities in a very condensed period of time, quick visits just in and out. First there was the #BakeLikeABrit tour with Bake From Scratch Magazine, travelling through San Francisco, Minneapolis and New York and then this past week I went to Chicago for the first time to work with the guys from Nordicware. Because I am obsessed with baking, I of course took these opportunities to explore as many bakeries as I could possibly hope to squeeze into the small amount of free time I had and thanks to the horror that is jet lag I managed to visit a lot. Jet lag has just one upside, waking up at the crack of dawn, or actually well before it most mornings, meant getting to bakeries as they opened, the key still in the door, fresh baking still pouring out of the oven (one bakery even opened an hour earlier than normal when I accidentally turned up an hour before they officially opened up for the day). Over the next few weeks I am going to write a few posts about some of my favourite bakeries I visited on these trips and first up is my most recent trip, my first visit to Chicago. 

I, of course, like most tourists visiting the States, have been initially lured mainly to the coasts. I’ve visited New York multiple times, fell in love with San Francisco the second I set foot in the Mission and even visited DC when I was 18. But for someone who would describe himself as fan of both travelling and of the US, I had never made it far from the ocean. I had many preconceptions of what the midwest would be like, mainly cold but very friendly and maybe with a less exciting food scene compared to say NYC or SF. Im not completely sure where the later idea comes from but thankfully this idea was completely wrong and both Minneapolis and Chicago were amazing food cities with the friendliest welcome I have experienced in the US.

Chicaco was maybe more of a whirlwind than the other places on these trips, I might have been there for five days but the majority of my time I was at the International Homewares Show which whilst fun really could have taken place anywhere in the world, after you've seen one convention centre you’ve seen them all. Thankfully I arranged my travel in such a way that I had a day and a half to explore the city fully and then a few early mornings more to get out to a bakery before heading off to the show. I landed Thursday afternoon with a packed bakery list in hand but also with a bad case of jetlag. I was so incredibly tired I could not imagine exploring the city properly and actually enjoying myself. I ended up dragging myself not to a bakery instead just a classic Chicago style hot dog joint, the Weiner Circle. Always listed as one of the must-try Chicago dogs this was my chosen spot purely because it was lodged in my mind after seeing it in some long ago forgotten movie from the 90’s. With a full stomach and ridiculous levels of tiredness I ended up back at my hotel and crashed out. The morning after, with time running out, I hit the road hard going from bakery to bakery, like some sugar obsessed cookie fiend..

Bang Bang Pie

It’s safe to say when I reached out for recommendations, Bang Bang Pie was the place that came out on top. When Erin Mcdowell (baker supremo at food52.com and author of The Fearless Baker) suggested I HAD to go, who was I to argue. I love American style pies, I think they’re the best of American baking and something I wish was easier to come by back here in London, the perfect thing for our cold wet climate. Bang Bang is instantly welcoming, lots of exposed brick, a great playlist, and very strong coffee, this is the sort of place I would hang out at a lot if I lived here. Conscious of how many places I had planned to visit this day I struggled a lot choosing between pie or biscuits for breakfast. Biscuit are maybe more commonplace for that early morning hour, available here as a variety of sandwiches or served up simply with gravy, which I need to fly back to Chicago to try. As I was there for the first time however, I felt I had to try the namesake, the pie. They use a mix of cookie crumb and leaf lard pie crusts and as much as love the former it is the latter that has my heart. I went for what seemed the most breakfast appropriate, the triple berry jam, which despite its name isn't actually that sweet, which makes this pie stand out. The crust is tender, flaky and fully of flavour, the perfect vessel for a simple berry mixture that tastes fresh and bright. It is topped with crumble instead of more pastry making this a surprisingly light slice of pie, this would be heaven in the summer serve a la mode with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. An extra shout out goes to the filter coffee that comes strong and with unlimited refills which helped me stay awake that morning.

www.bangbangpie.com

Fat Rice Bakery

Whilst at Bang Bang I got chatting to Michael, the owner, and after giving me a tour of the kitchen he graciously offered to give me a tour of the neighbourhood and two incredible bakeries. The first was Fat Rice Bakery, attached to the very well known Fat Rice restaurant, a Maccanese restaurant that is seen as one of Chicago’s best restaurants. If you know anything about Maccau then you know at one point it was a Portuguese colony and its food culture has forever left its mark. When it comes to baking this is especially obvious. The Chinese love of egg tarts can be traced to the Portuguese introducing them to Macau and even though the Chinese version is different the similarities are undeniable. The version on sale at Fat Rice is more Portuguese in style and is delicious but not the thing I came to try. One of the pastry chefs at Bang Bang had told me about their incredible cured egg snickerdoodle. Relatively unknown outside the states, the snickerdoodle is a cookie I can imagine you grow up on; a simple affair it is a soft sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar, delicious but not necessarily that interesting. At Fat Rice however, they have taken this idea and turned the volume way up. They have kept the base of the cookie basically the same but the gone is the cinnamon sugar replaced with a ceylon tea sugar, delicious. Where it starts to sound a little unusual is the filling as the cookie is stuffed with a cured egg yolk. The yolk basically forms the salty element to balance out the sweetness of the cookie, think salted caramel, or salted milk chocolate. It might sound odd until you have tried it but boy does it work well, I absolutely loved this cookie, it was a genius combination. They also sell their unique take on a Chicago hot dog and whilst it looks utterly opposite to the classic dog it tastes spot on and was delicious, with a strong hit of the characteristic celery salt that defines a Chicago style hot dog. It is the snickerdoodle I will be going back for but next time I really need to go and try the restaurant too.

www.eatfatrice.com

Cellar Door Provisions

There is no trend in baking this year that pleases me more than the proliferation of the canelé. Tricky to bake perfectly and needing expensive copper moulds to bake; they used to be hard to find and when you were lucky enough to spy some they were often heartbreakingly bad, soft and chewy, laking that crisp outer shell and depth of flavour. But over the last six months or so it is safe to say they have become a legit trend. Not so trendy that you are sick of the sight of them, they're a little too esoteric and difficult to perfect to become mass market, but enough so that when a craving strikes you don't have to head to bordeaux to find a good example. Cellar Door is a small cafe/restaurant turning out incredible food with a stellar pastry line up to boot.. They have recently expanded their hours, now serving dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, a destination I am told should be on the top of my list for my next stop in Chicago. This visit was a quick in and out, I was there for one thing, the canelé. I’d heard it was the best in the city and was excited to see if it could live up to expectations. The texture and flavour were fabulous, they make a slightly smaller than normal version but this just means you get a higher ratio of crust to interior which is no bad thing in my book. The other thing to note is the restaurants incredible bread. They sadly no longer sell the bread by the loaf but if you are dining in the restaurant you will absolutely fall in love with their stunning sourdough, served with homemade cultured butter. I can happily say they are making some of the best bread I have had the last year, amazing stuff. 

www.cellardoorprovisions.com

Mindys Hot Chocolate

Mindy Segal is one of the best known pastry chefs hailing from the windy city, opening her eponymous restaurant in 2005. She was also awarded James Beard award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2012 and in 2015 released the brilliant book Cookie Love. Her baking has a distinctly american bent, think cookies, brownies, coffee cakes, and doughnuts. This is a place that speaks my language. And when I am talking about this place I am specifically talking about the bakery outpost in the Revival Food Hall, I sadly didn't have a chance to make it to the restaurant proper but was lucky enough to try a whole host of goods from the bakery. Whilst sat waiting for a friend in the food hall, in a sugar daze from my bakery tour that morning Bo, the pastry chef from the bakery, walked over and introduced himself and handed over an insane amount of baking for me to try, I’m talking something like 10 different cookies, cakes and slices, insane! Thankfully the team at Nordicware were all to willing to sample the goods and lets just say there were very happy that morning. If you have been reading this site or following me online for any amount of time you probably know my aversion to cupcakes. I’m just not a fan. My reasoning is this; there is nothing wrong with cupcakes per se, it is simply that when buying one it is very hard to tell by simply looking whether they will be good or bad and 9 out 10 times I am disappointed by overly sweet and dry cupcakes. So it’s not that I hate cupcakes, it’s rather that finding a truly good example is pretty hard. But when it comes to the chocolate cupcake served here, they’re bloody delicious! The chocolate cake has a deep rich chocolate flavour, not too sweet and the perfect texture. But it is the buttercream where this cake shines. They use a mousseline buttercream which is what I would refer to as a meringue based buttercream and it is perfect for this cake, impossibly silky and just the right amount of sweetness this is one cupcake I would happily enjoy! 

www.hotchocolatechicago.com

Doughnut Vault

It is safe to say that Chicago is a city obsessed with doughnuts. I was given more recommendations for doughnut spots than any other style of baking but sadly I only had time to visit this one spot, so next time I'm going on a doughnut crawl around the city. It was hard to ignore the call of the Doughnut Vault because of the sheer amount of recommendations I received for it. They have two locations, the original tiny store in River North, a cute hatch with barely enough room for a handful of customers at any given time, and the bigger bakery just across the river in West Loop. With a reputation as strong as this place and a space as small, you know what that means; queues. The original location, the vault itself, is well known for selling out every day so bear that in mind. They make a whole host of doughnut styles, from cinnamon sugar coated apple cider doughnuts, to filled berliners, to my new obsession the ‘old fashioned’ that beautiful imperfect doughnut that rips apart as it fries, leading to a crunchy outer shell and a perfectly tender inside, why this style is impossible to find in London is a complete mystery to me, if anyone needs an idea for a new bakery trend here is a sure fired hit! One morning I treated the team to a 12 doughnut selection and I am pretty sure I over ordered, they were done with sweets by this point, I had after all been bringing in baking each and every morning for them to try. Of all the doughnuts I tried my two favourite styles were the jam filled berliners and the old fashioned. It is also important to note that the jam filled doughnuts are a ridiculous size, probably three times the size of a regular doughnut and completely packed with jam, this is definitely a doughnut to share. If queuing isn't your thing then I have a little tip to help you get your doughnut fix a lot quicker. My favourite coffee shop in the city, Sawada Coffee, is owned by the same restaurant group so they have a daily selection of the old fashioned doughnuts and there’s no queue, plus they serve my new favourite drink, the hipster imagined Military Latte, a matcha latte spiked with a shot of espresso and a hint of vanilla. It sounds odd and I am not the type of person to order this sort of drink but I was intrigued and it’s fabulous, with one hell of a caffeine hit

www.doughnutvault.com

Floriole

I have followed this bakery on Instagram for years so was excited to visit but my lousy planning and useless time keeping meant this was a more rushed visit that I would have liked. I arranged to meet a friend there early morning but arrived to find the bakery was closed. Thanks to the team they let us in a little early and we basically had the run of the place for an hour. Sadly this was also a visit on my last day and so I was reaching the upper limits of my sugar tolerance and so had to limit the amount of things we could try. A savoury pastry was absolutely the way to start and since the ham and cheese croissants were being pulled from the oven as we arrived, they were the obvious choice and were exactly what I wanted, crisp and flaky on the outside and tender in the middle packed full with cheese and ham this was the perfect breakfast pastry. I took a passion fruit tart and canelé to the show to taste test and the passion fruit tart was fabulous, bright and vibrant, the team loved it! I also thought the canelé was delicious although personally I missed the flavour beeswax imparts on this pastry. Traditionally made with what is known as white oil, a 50/50 mix of melted butter and beeswax, it is believed to contribute to the crisp outer shell but even more so I think it adds a wonderful honey note to the baked canelé that for me, is a big part of the charm with this pastry. I missed it sure but no so much that I wouldn't order these again and again. On my next visit I will absolutely be back to try more of the menu, this is definitely my sort of place.

www.floriole.com

This is, of course, nowhere near an exhaustive list of Chicago’s bakeries but these were my favourite spots from my recent visit and I look forward to exploring more of what the city has to offer next time. I had high hopes for Chicago and I was happy to find a welcoming city that I cannot wait to visit again sometime soon. 

Christmas Chocolate Ombré Cake

Everyone loves Christmas cake right? Wrong. It might not be surprising to you, maybe you are one of the dried fruit haters, but it always catches me a little off guard that not everyone loves traditional Christmas baking as much as me. So for those people, I say Chocolate! You surely must love chocolate?! This is a really simple chocolate ombre cake that Stork have asked me to put own spin on. You can find the original recipe here, and below is what I did to make my version.  

Traditional Christmas cake takes a long time to make, in fact it normally takes months to mature. The benefit of this recipe and using Stork with Butter is that you can whip it together in no time, no having to wait for the butter to come to room temperature. This really can be made at a moment’s notice. For my decoration I have gone for a modern take on the ombre trend, making a watercolour style. Instead of a neat graduation the different buttercream is brushed onto the cake before smoothing out, leaving a smooth, almost marble-like look to the colour. To add a bit of Christmas glamour I have finished the cake with a little bit of edible gold leaf, and simple piped chocolate Christmas trees. 

Chocolate Ombré Cake

Follow the instructions here on the Stork website making the cake layers and the vanilla frosting. 

To make the ombré colours, take the vanilla frosting and divide into two portions, 3/4 into one bowl and 1/4 into another. Add the cocoa powder and the boiling water to the smaller portion and beat to combine. Split this chocolate frosting in half and add a large spoonful of the vanilla frosting to one half, beating to combine. You need to add just enough vanilla frosting to the chocolate to make two varying shades of chocolate. 

To decorate the cake, place the darkest cake layer onto a serving plate and top with a small amount of the vanilla buttercream, spreading flat. Top with the second, lighter chocolate cake layer and again top with a layer of buttercream. To finish place the final cake layer on top and spread the remaining vanilla buttercream across the top and sides of the cake, not worrying too much about making it perfectly smooth.  

Take the two chocolate frostings and spread small amounts across the sides of the cake. Use a spatula or bench scraper to gently smooth this into the vanilla frosting, leaving a nice watercolour effect. Carefully press the gold leaf to the sides of the cake (I find this is best done with a small soft paintbrush).  

To finish the cake, place 100g dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water and stir until about 3/4 of the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and stir until the remaining chocolate has melted. Place the chocolate into a piping bag and snip off the end. Cover a baking tray in baking parchment and pipe the chocolate onto the parchment into rough Christmas trees of varying heights (these actually look better when a little rustic, so don't worry about perfection). Pop the baking tray into the fridge for about 15 minutes or until you can carefully peel the trees from the parchment. When ready to serve carefully press the trees onto the sides of the cake.  

Kept covered, this cake will keep for up to three days. 

(This post is sponsored by Stork but all words/opinions are my own)

San Francisco Coffee Shops

I have been in San Francisco the past week, eating my way across the city, and I've quickly fallen in love. This is most definitely a city I could happily live in, I just need a green card so any eligible bachelors please form an orderly queue! With a ten hour flight and an eight hour time difference I landed with a unusually, for me anyway, bad case of jet lag, waking up very early each and every morning. This means on one hand I was able to enjoy some truly stunning sunrises (this was from Noe Valley, a lovely residential neighbourhood that sits next to the Castro) and on the other I was surviving on a diet composed heavily of coffee. As today in International Day and San Francisco is a city in love with caffeine here are some of my favourite spots I visited.

Le Meridien

I know what you’re thinking, hotel coffee, really? Due to my screwed up sleep, I woke up before any coffee shops had opened so took advantage of Le Meridien’s room service and coffee offering. For me these little luxuries makes me disproportionally happy, breakfast in bed whilst dressed in a fluffy white robe is all I need to wake up right! Le Meridien has a partnership with Illy coffee so it’s a big step up from the usually undrinkable hotel coffee I am used to and really helped make those early morning a little easier to handle. Plus, with this view, how could you not want to enjoy a lazy breakfast and coffee looking out over the city!

The hotel was also the perfect place for exploring the city, it is located near every transport link you could need and the best bit for me was that it was a mere two minutes walk to the Ferry Building so exploring the wonderful San Francisco Farmers Market was just a stroll away.

333 Battery St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Blue Bottle

The upstart of American coffee. They're definitely not Starbucks big, but they're getting there with shops in the Bay Area, LA, NYC and even in Tokyo. In San Francisco they have locations in the Ferry Plaza, Hayes Valley, and a few downtown. My drink of choice on this trip was the New Orleans Iced Coffee, a delicious cold brewed coffee with chicory thrown in for a true New Orleans flavour, its a solid iced coffee, perfect for those hot SF days.

315 Linden St. 
San Francisco, CA 94102

Four Barrell / The Mill

These guys are definitely a local favourite, I stumbled upon multiple cafes using beans from this roaster and some of my favourite hits of caffeine came from coffee made with their beans. The Mission location is a full on hipster fever dream with exposed bricks, beams and a handful of taxidermy heads mounted on the wall. So yes the original location isn't my favourite in terms of design but they have a space alongside Alamo Square and The Painted Ladies that is much more my style. In 2012 the guys behind Four Barrel teamed up with the brilliant baker Josey Baker (yes that’s his real name) to open The Mill, a combo bakery coffee shop space (you might also know it as the home of the $6 toast). Its a gorgeous bright space and the perfect place to start your day. Out of all the coffee I had this week this place made the best cappuccino. Add some toast to your coffee and you have a fabulous breakfast.

736 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Sightglass Coffee

This flagship of this local chain is slightly off the regular tourist track in SoMa but it's a gorgeous spot and they serve pastries from one of the best places in the city, Neighbour Bakehouse. They also make a really good vanilla iced coffee, perfect if you like your coffee flavoured, but lightly so. You can also get coffee from Sightglass at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on a Saturday and at the San Francisco MoMa.

270 7th St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Jane

This is another coffee shop that does great coffee buts beauty lies in so much more than that. They have two stores but for this I am referring to Jane on Larkin, the food offering here is a bit special. In this shop you can get a series of different pastries made with a croissant dough and they are fabulous! My favourites were the sausage and provolone croissant and the lemon poppy seed knot. My tip would be get there early, these sell out quick! 

925 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Reveille Coffee

With all my painfully early mornings I needed somewhere to get my much needed morning fix. At the start of my trip I was staying in Noe Valley in an airbnb, who's hard futon may have contributed slightly to my lack of sleep. Each morning I would make the walk over the mountainous hills to the Castro and enjoy breakfast at this wonderful spot, former food truck gone bricks and mortar. The weather was unseasonably warm so took advantage of the cute outside space, enjoying a coffee and a breakfast sandwich as I slowly started to feel a little human again. They also have a number of other locations across the city, plus the original truck is still going

4076 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Paris and Pastries, again!

Surprise surprise I've just arrived back home from my favourite place in the world, the city that refreshes me, that feeds me all the pastries in the world, Paris. Where else! I really should expand my horizons and explore other cities but I love that place. I needed an escape, a couple of days away from the city, away from work, a break to just chill out. I am lucky that Paris is so easy to access, it's just a few hours away from my house in London and sometimes it feels like a home away from home (maybe I should just bite the bullet and move). On this trip I didn't really plan anything, I wanted to wander around and explore the city, eating pastries and drinking wine. I also decided to try my hand at vlogging. Maybe I am too old for it but after quickly becoming smitten with Snapchat, vlogging seemed like the logical next step. Let me know what you think?

List of places I visited in the Video

Du Pain et Des Idees
- brilliant boulangerie in Canal St Martin
Pierre Herme
- my favourite macarons in Paris, plus try the Ispahan Croissant, my favourite Paris bite
Drinks at Freddys and dinner next door at Semilla
Coffee at La Fontaine de Belleville
Yann Couvreur
- brand new patisserie in Belleville, very good all around but the Merveille was my favourite
Fou de Patisserie
- pastry concept store serving patisserie from different pastry chefs across paris
Coffee in the Marais from Boot Cafe
Market on Boulevard Richard Lenoir (thursdays and sundays)
Eclairs from Eclair de Genie
The cookery school we filmed the Facebook Live in is called La Cuisine Paris and is a great spot to take a class whilst in Paris. 

Whilst I was in town David Lebovitz asked if I fancied filming a Facebook Live with him, which of course I did. So I am now the weird guy security stops and looks at weirdly when their case contains cake tins, parchment paper and a thermometer. Between thunder storms, torrential rain and crazy humidity I whipped up a batch of my Passion Fruit Caramels from Patisserie Made Simple in my adorable Airbnb and to my extreme pleasure David declared them as good as the original caramels that inspired my recipe from Jacques Genin. You can watch the full video on David's channel here and the recipe is below. 

Passion Fruit Caramels

Ingredients - Makes 30  

150ml passion fruit pureé (approx. 10 fruit)
300g caster sugar
100g unsalted butter, diced

Method
Halve the passion fruit and scrape out the seeds and flesh into a sieve over a small bowl. Push the flesh and juice through the sieve and measure out 150ml of this purée. Lightly grease a 23cm x 13cm loaf tin (although the exact size is not crucial) and line with foil or baking parchment, then grease the lining. Have this ready by the hob, so that it is right by you when the caramel reaches the correct temperature.

Put all the ingredients in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Cook until the sugar and butter have melted, then cook the mixture, without stirring, until it reaches 122ºC. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the caramel into the prepared loaf tin. Leave to set for at least 4 hours before cutting into pieces. These caramels will keep for up to one week wrapped in baking parchment and stored in an airtight container.

Taken from Patisserie Made Simple by Edd Kimber, published by Kyle Books. Priced at £19.99. Photography by Laura Edwards.

Summer Recipes

As I write this I am sat staring wistfully out of my window. Its slowly starting resemble summer out there and I would prefer to lying in a park somewhere with an ice cream or a big cold glass of pimms. Instead I am stuck inside nursing another day of killer headaches. But I can dream. In a few days I will be escaping to Paris for a few days of wine, pastries, walking and wine (yes wine deserved a second mention). Fingers crossed the whisper of summer travels with me. For me the best thing about summer has to be the fruit, fresh red cherries that stain every piece of clothing imaginable, juicy peaches that are impossible to eat without getting covered in sticky peach juice, summer is a bakers delight, a nice fresh break from the rich and heavy flavours we associate with winter. 

As it is the queens 90th Birthday today, it seems appropriate to start thinking about summer and the picnics, garden parties and summer fairs that I long for. For a really quick and simple summer dessert you can’t really get much easier than the Eton Mess, a basic mix of meringue cream and berries and it’s a classic for good reason, it’s an absolute winner. But you don’t need a recipe from me for that! So instead take a look at this recipe I did for stork taking the idea of an Eton Mess and translating it into cake! It is super simple, it uses an all-in-one method so takes mere minutes to put together and its a nice alternative should the weather take another turn and the warmth dips a little. Full recipe is available here.

Summer isn't just about cake for me it is all about the picnic. I love a picnic. love. I need it to have a real blanket, not one of those clever inventions with the plastic bottom, no a real blanket. There should also be pimms, scones with all the fixings and of course plenty of savoury snacks. homemade scotch eggs or sausage rolls will always make an appearance. Neither are difficult recipes to make and thankfully you can flavour them exactly the way you want and hands down a handmade version always beats a mass produced version both of which generally suck! For my ideal scotch egg I want classic flavours of sage and pork but for sausage rolls nothing beats pork, garlic and fennel. It is such a classic flavour combination, fennel seeds are one of my favourites and I will never bore of them, used sweet or savoury. If you want to make things easy you can use ready made puff pastry but I think it is worth a little extra effort to make some cheats pastry, rough puff pastry. To take my pastry up a notch I also flavour it with paprika, it gives the pastry flavour but also a little boost of colour. The full recipe is available here.

Social Media Tips

Last week I was invited to give a talk about the way I use social media for my career in food at the new Discovery Space at the Three Mobile store in Islington (think of it like going to an Apple store to learn basics on how to use your phone) and it actually got me thinking about the way I use twitter, Instagram and all the socials. It’s not as if I actually have a social media plan, I don't really schedule posts, I don't use diagnostics or check my engagement but in some ways I think that is to my benefit. 

My biggest tip is that social media is supposed to be fun and it ever feels like a job you're taking it too seriously (of course thats different if you are using it for a company). 

After thinking about it for a while I did realise that I have some habits that have become useful, the first and most important tip would be authenticity. I follow accounts that have a point, I love a pastry chef that is showing off his work, a travel writer that shows me places I will never get to visit and cute sausage dogs just being cute (I wont apologise for my love of cute dogs!). Whilst different the one thing these accounts have in common is consistency, they post what they're known for and this feels like an authentic voice, if it was random pictures with no cohesive feel it doesn't grab peoples attention, maybe unless you are Kim Kardashian. Along with that another tip I have learnt is regular posting, if you leave long gaps between posting content the lower your engagement gets, for Instagram I would say once a day is what I personally aim for but I don’t push it, if I don’t have a good picture I would rather not post. 

I also use different social media for different things. Instagram (my favourite) is my creative area, I don't post random pictures but normally it is shots I have spent some time on, almost as a portfolio for my work. Twitter is obviously for chatting and I use that on a real mixed level, some work, some personal, lots of whatever. Snapchat, my latest obsession, is where I don’t follow any rules, it’s the younger sibling of the social media world and it’s simply for fun, yes I put work stuff on it, but its almost a behind the curtain look plus a whole host of random things I see/do during my day, its the social media where I let loose (follow me, like everywhere else, @theboywhobakes) 

At the class I also gave a quick guide to the way I take pictures for Instagram and while this is easier to do in person these were a few tips I gave.

1. Natural light - unless you are adept at using studio lights with a delicate hand, food generally looks awful with flash, especially when that flash comes from your phone or your compact camera - turn it off.

2. Follow some of your favourite accounts and learn what you like and dislike from their style and let it influence your own style, dont just steal other peoples ideas but by learning what you like and dislike you will start to develop your own style.

3. Edit with a delicate hand. Most filters are too strong straight out of the box, turn them down before posting, it looks more natural and it just looks better.

4. Edit outside of Instagram. The app has come a long way in its editing abilities but I still prefer to use a more pro app and my favourite is VSCO Cam, its just the best. 

5. Variety. Don't always post pictures that look exactly the same. I follow accounts that use the same set up and over time, whilst they are pretty images, they look too similar and it gets stale.

That is barely touching the surfaces of how you can use social media but I thought a few tips could help. If you want to learn more about how to use your mobile devices check out the listing at the Discovery Spaces from Three and follow me @theboywhobakes everywhere for any upcoming classes I’m running. 

Fluffy Easter Bunny Cupcakes

I remember that when I was a kid the height of sophistication at a birthday party was the butterfly cake, a fairy cake with its middle cut out and turned into miraculous butterfly wings, simple, cute and of course delicious. The little kid version of me didn't think there was anything wrong with simple and even after many a butterfly cake he definitely didnt get bored of those little cakes. These days however, that simple cake probably wouldn't meet most peoples standards, too easy, too plain, too boring. Thankfully you can still make a brilliant cupcake with minimal effort that looks so much better than the old school butterfly cake. 

My friend Ruth, of The Pink Whisk fame, has come up with a brilliant recipe for Easter, in collaboration with Stork, a fluffy bunny cupcake. It takes no more effort than the old school butterfly cake but has way more visual appeal and a lot more going on in terms of flavour. I made a batch a few days ago and they were super quick to put together and using Stork With Butter means the cakes were light and fluffy and, as it can be used straight from the fridge, they took minutes to pull together. The decoration is in Ruth's characteristic simple and practical style, meaning it is easier to do than it looks. I think they would be the perfect thing for an easter weekend party and a brilliant thing to do with the kids over the half term holiday, why don't you make a batch and post a picture online using #storkbunny @bakewithstork 

For the full recipe and step by step pictures visit http://bakewithstork.co/EddsBunnies

(This is a sponsored post but all opinions and content are my own.)

Eggnog Layer Cake

Christmas is definitely in full swing, mince pies have been made and mulled cider has been consumed. If you fancy something a little bit different this year how about making my eggnog layer cake, the final recipe for my collaboration with Stork this year. Three layers of spiced cake and a buttercream flavoured with bourbon, It's certainly festive but the not the usual cakes and bakes we are used to this time of year. If you dont get around to baking the cake before Christmas swings around no fear, simply ignore the name and call it a spiked spice cake, it really shouldn't just be for christmas anyway!

For the full recipe follow this link.

(this a sponsored post but the content and words are all my opinions)

Sticky Toffee Christmas Puddings

I can't be the only one that hates Christmas Pudding? Actually, I know I’m not because I hear it all the time, too rich, too heavy and the last thing you want to eat after a big Christmas meal. But, in this country, we seem to be sticklers for tradition. I get that, I like tradition too, well to a point! I also feel happy to rip up the rule book and start again. When Whitworths asked me to come up with a twist on the classic Christmas Pudding, using their great range of dried fruits, nuts and seeds I took it as an opportunity to rethink Christmas dessert. So out went the overly rich dark Christmas Pudding and in came a lighter, individual version, still packed full of fruit, but served with a butterscotch sauce instead. Plus they are smaller individual puddings so they don't feel so extravagant at the end of the meal.

To flavour the puddings I started with the idea of Sticky Toffee Pudding and basically added in more layers of flavour. I kept the classic date base but added dried apricot and sultanas to boost the flavour, texture and to take some inspiration from the traditional pudding with its cornucopia of dried fruits. It couldn't be a Christmas Pudding without some alcohol in there too so the pudding has a good splash of rum hiding in there too. Instead of the brandy butter, another dreaded Christmas recipe for me, I used a simple butterscotch sauce and served it with a little praline. They are as pretty as a picture and whilst they shouldn't only make an appearance at Christmas these would be a wonderful alternative to the classic, much maligned pudding. 

Christmas Sticky Toffee Pudding

225g dates
200ml water
100ml rum
75g unsalted butter
175g light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp honey
2 large eggs
200g self raising flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
50g apricots, roughly chopped
50g sultanas
50g crystallised ginger, roughly chopped 

Butterscotch Sauce 
50g unsalted butter
100g light brown sugar
1/4 tsp flaked sea salt
100ml double cream

Praline
150g chopped nuts
175g caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) and lightly grease 10 dariole moulds.

To make the butterscotch sauce place the butter, sugar and salt into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until melted and smooth. Allow to bubble away for a few minutes before adding the cream, stirring to make a smooth sauce. Set aside whilst you make the puddings. 

To make the puddings place the dates, water and rum into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer and cook until a thick date paste has formed. Scrape the paste into a bowl and set aside for the moment.

Place the butter, sugar, vanilla and honey into a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time beating until combined before adding the next. In another bowl mix together the flour, baking soda and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat on slow speed until just combined. Add the date puree and the dried fruit and mix until smooth and combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared moulds and place onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the pudding spring back to the touch. Remove from the oven and turn onto plates immediately. 

To make the praline place the sugar into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar has melted and caramelised, turning a deep brown. Add the nuts and stir together until evenly coated in the caramel. Tip out onto a parchment lined baking tray and use a spatula to press into a thin layer. Set aside until cool. Once cool break into pieces. 

Serve the puddings whilst still hot with the caramel and pieces of the praline.

For more recipe inspiration visit whitworths.co.uk/recipes or follow them on Twitter @Whitworths and Facebook and Instagram @WhitworthsUK.

(This is a sponsored post but all content is my own words/opinions)

Lemon and Passion Fruit Bundt

I like big bundts and I cannot lie! Yes I may have just missed National Bundt Day but a boy can still celebrate. There is just something about a bundt cake that I love and this Lemon and Passionfruit version is about as simple as it gets. With the cold of winter slowly settling in this bright and zingy drizzle cake is the perfect pick me up, a great alternative to all the rich festive baking that is starting to take hold. For the full recipe visit the Stork website

Blueberry and Lemon Victoria Sponge

Whenever someone asks me what to bake if they've never really baked anything before I always suggest a Victoria Sponge, it is very simple (especially if using the all-in-one method) and it teaches you a lot about baking as it uses some very basic baking techniques. However, just because you are making a classic recipe, doesn't mean you have to keep the flavours classic. This version of the recipe that I have written as part of my collaboration with Stork, uses Blueberry and Lemon to add a little twist, check out the full recipe here.

Passion Fruit Butterfly Cakes

Do you remember the first cake you ate? Probably not, but if like me you grew up in the 80's and 90's there is a strong chance it might have been the butterfly cake. Simple and quick to make I remember these as a feature at all the school parties, every friends birthday party and I remember making them at home too. They were always the simplest cake, flavoured with whipped cream and a little jam. To give them a modern twist I have flavoured mine with passion fruit and coconut. Check out the full recipe that I have written for Stork here

Cake Decorating Tips

In a continuing series of posts for Stork I have written a guide over on their blog about how to decorate a cake, so if you want to learn how to decorate a layer cake with either a simple swirl, ruffle piping or a with rosettes then take a look here there is also a wonderful recipe for a chocolate and dulce de leche layer cake too, a delicious celebration cake!

Funfetti Dino

I have been doing a little work with Stork this year and have been developing a few fun recipes for them. The first one online is up just in time to celebrate the release of the new Jurassic World film, if you are taking your kids to see it this weekend and want a fun project to go along with it, how about this Funfetti Dino (would also make a great birthday cake!)

Check out the full recipe here http://bakewithstork.co/Dinosaur 

Bookshelf - 'A Lot on Her Plate' by Rosie Birkett

I have told myself time and time again that I don't need any more cookbooks. I have more than enough, more than I could possibly need or even realistically cook from, yet I constantly find myself at my local bookshop with a stack of new cookbooks to read and devour. Recently however, there have been a number of books published that I have wanted to jump straight into and cook from, books like Diana Henry's recent ode to chicken 'A Bird In The Hand' which has so many bookmarked recipes that I'll be cooking from it for a very long time. Rosie Birketts debut cookbook 'A Lot On Her Plate' is another of these books. There is no gimmick that this book hangs from, instead it's simply about Rosie's 'love of a good meal' as any cookbook should be. This is about food and the love of cooking, and importantly it has nothing to do with the current trend of books pushing a restrictive diet that seems thoroughly joyless and dull.

I say this because there seems to be a raft of recently published cookbooks that tell you __ (insert random food item) is the reason you're not skinny and gracing the cover of vogue. Look, I've been on many diets before, I used to weigh 20 stone and that wasn't due to one particular food, it was a litany of issues. I finally lost the weight by educating myself about what I was eating and then enjoying a balanced diet, seems like common sense to me. But no, some authors wont be happy unless you are avoiding sugar like the plague, eating like a caveman or following whatever fad is on trend at the time. To me these books seem to encourage people to have a bad relationship with food and they demonise one type of food without giving you the full picture. Im not saying we shouldn't consider reducing the amount of sugar we eat or maybe cutting back on meat, I just hate the way these issues are rammed down our throats like wonder cure-alls.

I know that seems like a huge tangent but what im trying to say, in an admittedly ham-fisted manner, is that Rosie's book avoids falling into any of those fashionable pitfalls and is almost the antithesis to those book as it is simply a book about the love of food and cooking and that is what I want from a cookbook. Sorry for the rant, the book is released April 23rd, go and buy a copy!

Kemma Pau
A Lot on Her Plate - Rosie Birkett
(Hardie Grant 2015)

25ml vegetable oil
1 large white onion, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g lamb mince
1 1/2 tsp salt
pinch of plain flour
2 heaped tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
1 small green chilli, finely chopped
50g plain yoghurt
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
50g fresh or frozen garden peas, cooked
4 cumin brioche buns (see book for recipe)
butter, for spreading
lime wedges, to serve

Heat the oil in a frying pan set over medium heat and saute the onion until golden brown.

Add the coriander, ginger and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes or until starting to colour. Add the lamb and salt and fry over high heat until browned and the mixture has dried up a little. Add the flour and stir into the mince mixture. 

In a small bowl mix together the coriander, spring onions, mint and the green chilli, stirring together. Add the yoghurt to the lamb and stir to combine. Add the coriander mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the bay leaf and the peas and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the tomato has softened. 

cut the brioche buns in half and toast, spreading with a little butter. Serve the mince with brioche, sprinkling with a little extra chopped coriander, serving with the lime wedges on the side.

Kitchen Experiments - Rhubarb Vodka

    This will hopefully be the first post of an irregular running feature, giving you a little insight into my world. I spend my days trying out new recipe ideas, sometimes they work sometimes not so much. These experiments often end up in my books or magazine features but sometimes these experiments are purely to fulfil my inquisitive nature and these will, now, hopefully find a home here.

    I am a proud Yorkshireman, I was born and brought up in Bradford just a mile from the Rhubarb Triangle, that glorious area which each and every January brings us the best forced rhubarb, thin stemmed and bright pink. With the start of the year being dark and cold, rhubarb is one of the bright lights that helps make the winter months more bearable.
    
    As with blood oranges if I find a good crop of rhubarb available at my local greengrocer I scoop it up, not really knowing what it will be used for but knowing I would regret not buying it. Almost inevitably this means I end up buying too much but I refuse to let it rot, I will always find a way to use it, whether that be in a crumble, as a jam or as a topping for my porridge it will get used. This weekend I had a few stems left over from a photoshoot and had no real appetite so instead of cooking it to enjoy now I decided to extend the season and turn it into Rhubarb Vodka, a tipple I can enjoy much longer than the rhubarb season itself lasts. I made the vodka this morning but it will take about a month before the flavours of the rhubarb has infused into the vodka and it is ready to drink, check back with me late March to see how it turned out. 

    If you want to try it all you need is 200g of thin stemmed, pink rhubarb (trimmed weight) cut into 1 inch long pieces, 50g caster sugar, a couple strips of orange peel and 750ml vodka. All you need to do is add the rhubarb and sugar to a 1 litre capacity jar and mix together. Allow to macerate for an hour or so then add the orange peel and the vodka, stirring together. Place the jar into a dark cool space and leave for a month, shaking the jar every day. Once ready pour the mixture through a sheet of muslin to strain out the rhubarb and bottle.

New Website and Recipe

If you have been reading The Boy Who Bakes for any amount of time you might notice it is looking all shiny and new. The site hadn't been updated for about 4 years and frankly I was bored of the look and it needed a change, If I was bored of looking at it I can't imagine what you thought of it! So over Christmas when everyone was asleep from too much food* I sat fiddling with squarespace designing the new site and I'm really happy with it, I hope you like it too!

You might notice that there is both a recipe and a blog page and this is for two reasons. I used to be able to post a recipe every week but at the moment I don't always have the time these days. I still want to blog but I also want the recipes I do post to be easy to find so I decided seperating the two would be the best way to go. The blog will feature things from my travels, posts about cookbooks im enjoying and basically everything but my recipes, which will of course find a home over on the recipes page - I hope that makes sense and works.

To confuse matters just a little bit more, to kick off the new site I wanted to tell you about a fab recipe I wrote for the lovely folks over at Designsponge. If Chocolate and Amaretto Pudding Pie sounds and looks good to you then head over to Designsponge and check out the full recipe. 

*and a bit too much wine!