Featured Recipe
Chestnut and Prune Brownies
Tuesday, December 16, 2025| |
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A fudgy decadent chocolate brownies that is made with chestnuts, prunes and sweetened with xylitol. It’s full of fiber, potassium and antioxidants thanks to chestnuts. Plus it’s sugar free and naturally gluten free. These brownies will keep well for up to 5 days in an airtight container. They also freeze well, wrapped in cling film, for up to a month.
Xylitol is a natural sweetener that tastes very similar to sugar, has a similar texture, and can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio in most recipes.
Nussprinten
Sunday, December 14, 2025| |
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Printen are an integral part of the Christmas season in Germany. As you stroll through the Christmas market, the typical scent of aniseed, cardamom and cinnamon wafts through the air. Whether plain, covered in icing or chocolate, baked with nuts or garnished with almonds – the variety of creations is sure to satisfy every tastebud.
Nußprinten are a variation on traditional Aachen Printen (a traditional gingerbread speciality that have been baked in Aachen / Germany since around 1820) in which the gingerbread is topped with hazelnuts and coated with chocolate. It is a delicious combination of aromatic gingerbread, crunchy nuts and delicate chocolate. These well spiced cookies are usually sold in the form of long bars. However, they can only be called ‘Aachener Printen’ if they are actually made in Aachen.
Mini Mohn-Nuss-Striezel – German Mini Poppy and Nut Braids
Friday, December 12, 2025| |
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A delicious braided yeast bread with hazelnut and poppy seed fillings. Almonds or walnuts can be used instead of hazelnuts. If desired, you can also add some raisins or apples into the poppy filling. The preparation is quite simple. The three main components are the yeast dough, the poppy seed filling and the nut filling. While the yeast dough is rising, you can prepare fillings, which saves time and is very practical. Or you can prepare the filling one day and the dough the next day.
Mohnstriezel has its roots in European baking traditions, particularly in countries such as Austria, Germany, Hungary and Czechia. Originally intended as a festive treat for Christmas and Easter, over the years it has found its way into everyday life and is now enjoyed all over the world. In addition to the classic poppy seed filling, there are numerous variations of poppy seed strudel. It can also be filled with jam, other nuts, raisins or chocolate. This allows you to adapt the recipe entirely to your preferences and the season.
Oxtail Ragout with Celery
Wednesday, December 10, 2025| |
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Richly caramelized oxtails are simmered low and slow with vegetables in a wine sauce until the meat comes off the bones. It can be eaten on its own or served mashed potatoes (cauliflower puree if you are on keto), bread dumplings and pasta.
A ragoût is essentially the same as a stew, except that most recipes for ragout are originally French, and often chunks of meat and vegetables cooked together at a low heat for a few hours until tender. But it also can be made with fish or just vegetables. A ragù is an Italian pasta sauce that is usually made with minced meat and/or vegetables.
Maustekakku - Finnish Spice Cake
Monday, December 08, 2025| |
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Maustekakku, aka Finnish spice cake, is a traditional dessert that is particularly popular at Christmas time, but it's so good that you can and want to eat it all year round. It is characterised by its rich blend of spices such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger, which give the cake a warm, aromatic flavour. The cake is particularly aromatic, tender and moist, thanks to the use of sour cream and applesauce. This cake is often served plain, but can also be dusted with icing sugar or coated with a glaze - perfect for cosy winter days or anyday when you crave for something sweet and comforting.
Nut Roast with Maple Cranberry Sauce
Sunday, December 07, 2025| |
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Try this hearty, delicious and festive chestnut roast with naturally sweetened cranberry sauce-packed with comforting parsley root and chestnut mushrooms, with sweetness from port-soaked cranberries and buttery, earthy chestnuts. The naturally sweetened cranberry sauce recipe is made with fresh (or frozen) cranberries, maple syrup and orange zest. It’s easy to make and tastes amazing. The chestnut roast is packed with flavour even the carnivores would enjoy it. It is perfect for Christmas and special occasions.
Panellets
Friday, December 05, 2025| |
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Panellets are traditional Catalan marzipan pastries that are usually served on All Saints' Day, but they are ideal for any holidays or special occasions. The succulent dough with sweet potato and almonds is so delicious and moreish. Traditionally, these almond pastries are coated with pine nuts, but you can also roll them in chopped almonds or a mixture of pine nuts and almonds instead of pine nuts. The basis for panellets is a gluten free dough made by mixing ground blanched almonds, sweet potato puree and sugar (or erythritol for a healthier alternative). The optional addition of lemon zest for a fresh, lemony flavour.
Sekerpare - Turkish Semolina Cookies in Syrup
Wednesday, December 03, 2025| |
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Sekerpare is a classic Turkish pastry made with semolina, flour and powdered sugar that are then baked until golden brown and left to steep in sweet syrup. The syrup makes it particularly moist. Sekerpare is one of Turkey's most beloved desserts after baklava and you will find them in every Turkish bakery and restaurant. These little treats are something special. And as soon as they go into the oven, the heavenly aroma will lure the whole family into the kitchen.
Sekerpare translates as ‘sugar pieces’ or ‘a piece of sweetness’, and this Turkish dessert is definitely SWEET. I didn’t even pour all the sugar syrup over the cookies...my family actually finds them better without syrup. If you want to make them round, I would suggest that you top each cookie with a whole hazelnut or almond.
Before starting the dough, we will make the syrup first, as it needs some time to cool down. Pour the cooled syrup over hot Sekerpare and let the sekerpare cookies absorb the syrup as they cool. Once all the syrup absorbed (usually 3-4 hours), sekerpare will be soft and tender enough to eat with a fork. Enjoy them with a a cup of tea or coffee.
Piña Colada Macaroons
Tuesday, December 02, 2025| |
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These delicous piña colada coconut macaroons are perfectly golden crisp on the outside, soft and sticky inside, and finished with a drizzle of lime drizzle, diced pineapple, cocktail cherries and a sprinkle of lime zest. Store them in a well-sealed tin in a cool place for around two weeks.
There are crystallized and natural dried pineapples. The natural dried pineapples are excellent for snacking, but for this macaroon recipe, we need crystallized variety.
Tahini Chicken
Thursday, November 20, 2025| |
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An easy weeknight chicken dinner that packs a punch of flavour. A sprinkle of fresh mint on top adds a burst of freshness. The tanginess of lemon perfectly complements the natural sweetness and earthiness of creamy tahini, creating a harmonious and intriguing blend that tantalizes your taste buds. The tender and juicy chicken is perfectly infused and roasted, making each bite amazingly flavourful. I have paired it with a simple bulgur cranberry salad, but you can pair it with almost anything. A green salad or some roasted vegetables are both wonderful.
Coconut and Grapefruit Bars
Monday, November 10, 2025| |
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A fun twist on a classic lemon bar, these coconut grapefruit bars come together quickly using sweet yet tangy fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. Don’t use storebought grapefruit juice as it usually contains added sugar which masks the fruit's natural tanginess.
The combination of the citrusy grapefruit topping and the buttery coconuty base creates a delightful contrast that keeps you coming back for more! These are so easy to make and a perfect dessert for a party or potluck. If you’re a fan of citrus desserts, I’m sure you will enjoy these pretty pinky bars. Since grapefruits are naturally milder, so I have added some lemon juice to the curd, making it more tangy. But you can absolutely use just grapefruit juice.
Brush the buttery crust with two egg yolks after blind baking it before adding the topping. This extra step creates not only a more flavourful, glossy finish, but also a barrier that prevents the topping from making the crust soggy.


