Baker and Bowl

Merry Christmas everyone!! Its been a minute since I posted anything on here... back to work, and life resuming to a certain level, left less time for baking. (Plus I needed to stop eating all the bakes!) But I have missed it so much! I promise to bake a little more often and share it here. Thanks to everyone who has been watching, and especially to those who have kept encouraging me and celebrating my return. Wishing you a wonderful festive season. Lots of love Kiran xx

Want to hear a story? It's about these MEXICAN CRINKLE COOKIES and how my love for baking started!

Well.. when I was 5 yrs old, I was super shy (yes hard to believe for some!), and I wouldn't talk much. So in order to help me gain confidence, I had lessons with the lovely lady called Mrs Morris. She and her daughter used to play games with me, help me read out loud, take me to the beach etc, just so I would feel comfortable and talk. I remember it being so fun.

My strongest memory from that time, is baking chocolate cookies, in Mrs.Morris' kitchen with her daughter. I can remembered distinctly mixing the cookie dough in a big ceramic bowl, and the pure joy it brought me, making them. But most of all I remember the divine flavour of those cookies! Deep chocolate, almost brownie like, but not too sweet. I'd never eaten cookies like that since.

Years later, I came across this recipe for crinkle cookies; I loved how they looked, so I baked them. When I took that first bite, the taste sent me right back to Mrs.Morris' kitchen! I'd found the recipe for those amazing cookies! It made my heart very happy. And now I bake them for others, and they enjoy them, just as much as I did.

So I hope you try baking them too. Whether it's for loved ones or for yourself! It's a simple recipe, fun to do with kids too! Hit BOOKMARK to Save the recipe. And of course let me know if you do! Enjoy!

Makes 20-24 cookies

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 tablespoon instant coffee granules, not coffee grounds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs - room temperature
• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

** Instructions are pinned in the comments

My second wild garlic recipe! This delicious, creamy, WILD GARLIC HUMMOUS is perfect for these warm spring days we are enjoying at the moment.

It's so easy and quick to make. Whip up a bowl, and enjoy it with toasted pitta, crackers, in a sandwich, or some crudities. Perfect for picnics too!

If you aren't lucky enough to forage* some, then you can get it at some local green grocers, as well as online from or It has a wonderful, delicate garlic flavour, not as strong as garlic cloves.

* if you are unsure what the leaves look like, it's advisable to purchase from a grocers and not forage.

Do SAVE this recipe, and try it out! I'd love to know if you do!

INGREDIENTS

1 can of tinned chickpeas (drained)
125g of wild garlic (chopped)
2 tbsp tahini
1/4 salt
4 cubes of ice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon

Add the chickpeas, wild garlic, tahini and salt to a food processor. Blitz until you have a thick paste consistency. Add the ice cubes, and drizzle in the olive oil. Blitz again. Once its a creamy consistency add the lemon juice for a final blitz. Add extra salt to taste. Enjoy!

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My first bake! I made these gorgeous COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM for the lovely NHS staff at Charing Cross Hospital. They have been working tirelessly for us, and this was just a little something to say thank-you, and appreciate all they do.

I absolutely love baking for my friends and family, and I'm always asking them if they liked them! In this case, I couldn't ask all the staff if they did, but they were truly baked with and for love.

The beautifully creamy vanilla buttercream was flavoured with my favourite vanilla extract from

The trick to make it creamy is to sift the icing sugar 2-3 times, and to whisk the very soft butter and icing sugar together for 10-12 mins, using an electric whisk, or stand mixer. It's worth the time and effort!

Hope you SAVE this post and give this trick a try!

Happy Easter Everyone! Why not turn some of your choccy easter eggs into a fun dessert! My EASTER EGG PINATA DESSERT is filled with a delicious STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE MOUSSE. Delicious and fun for all the family!!

Do SAVE/BOOKMARK and try it out!

MAKES 3 EGGS
• 200g strawberries, hulled. Plus 2-3 extra for filling the egg
•  5 tablespoons granulated sugar , divided
•  1/4 cup full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
•  1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•  3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream, cold
• 3  medium sized chocolate easter eggs
• 1-2 crumbled shortbread biscuits (or any biscuits of choice)
• Chocolate easter decorations

Instructions

• Place strawberries and 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor and process until smooth. Add cream cheese, vanilla extract, and process for several seconds just until blended.

• Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks start to form. Add strawberry mixture and whisk on low speed just until blended, being careful not to overbeat. The mixture should be soft at this point, it will firm up more once chilled. Place in fridge.
• Cut easter eggs in half if they are whole ones, crumble the shortbread and add some chopped fresh strawberries. Top with the strawberry mousse and chocolate decorations, more crumble and fruit if you wish. Leave the sides of the eggs clear
• Take the top half of the egg and place it on a lightly warm pan to melt gently, for a few seconds. Place this on top of the filled half and hold in place. It should seal in a few seconds.
• Use a rolling pin or something similar to break/smash. Enjoy!




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Sweet, Spicy and Fragrant! This is how I would describe this refreshing milk drink - THANDAI!

As per the previous post , THANDAI POWDER (swipe to see photo) is a mix of nuts, spices and rose petals, and when mixed with milk and sugar, creates this amazing blend of deliciousness! SEE RECIPES BELOW.

Traditionally drunk today for Holi, it's a cooling drink to take you through spring, into summer. So don't just enjoy it today, but through the next few months!

Do take a pic and share with me if you do, and don't forget to SAVE this recipe! Thanks so much!

Ingredients for THANDAI POWDER - makes approx 1 cup of powder.

- 1/4 cup almonds
- 2 tbsp cashews
- 2 tbsp pistachios
- 1/4 cup fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1/2 tbsp black peppercorns .uk
- 1 tsp powdered cardamom
- 12 strands saffron
- 1.5 tbsp dried rose petals

Blend the spices, apart from the rose petals together in a spice or coffee grinder. Set aside. Blend the nuts in small batches and sieve, repeat until all the nuts are blended. Mix into the spice blend. Grind the rose petals just a little so the break up and mix those the rest of the powder. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge. Will last a few months, if you don't use it all up!

For the milk, add 1.5 tbsp of thandai powder to 1 cup of milk of choice. Add 1-2 tsp of icing sugar to taste. Mix and drink! Served cold.

Some prefer to let the milk sit with the powder for 10 mins and sieve, but I prefer to drink it with the spices and petals. Enjoy!

Happy Holi! Today is a day celebrating Spring, and the Indian festival of colour and abundance - Holi! These colourful CHOUX BUNS, filled with THANDAI CHANTILLY CREAM are perfect for today, or any day!

Thandai is actually a refreshing summer drink popular in India and is always served during the festival of Holi.

It's made by mixing milk with a powder made of cashews, pistachios, almonds, peppercorn, fennel seeds, poppy seeds along with saffron, cardamom and rosepetals.  Now doesn't that sound delicious?! Trust me, it is! Swipe across to see the photos!

Today,  I've used the powder to make a light delicious chantilly cream to fill these gorgeous choux buns. The recipe for the buns is in a beautiful e-book by the amazing

Don't be afraid to make choux pastry. I was at first, but actually it's a very quick and simple pastry to make and the results are soooo good. Feel free to message me at any time if you need any help of advice.

This is my contribution to monthly collab, hosted by the lovely Kayla . This months theme is Choux pastry.. of course!

As always, please SAVE this post if you like it, it really helps with being able to share this post with many more! Thanks!!

The THANDAI CHANTILLY CREAM is (for 20 buns):
10 tsp of thandai powder (recipe in next post)
8 tbsp sifted icing sugar
2 cups double cream

Mix the thandai powder with the double cream, and leave in the fridge for 10-15 mins, for the flavours to develop. Add the icing sugar, mix well and whisk with an electric whisk until stiff peaks have formed. Transfer cream to a piping bag with a star nozzle. Cut the tops off the choux buns with a serrated knife and fill with the delicious cream. Alternatively,  instead of piping them in, just dollop them in. Enjoy!!

Best piped and eaten the same day. Unfilled buns can be kept in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Whipped cream can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Choux recipe

Spring has sprung!! Has everyone noticed all the beautiful cherry blossoms outside?! Sooo pretty!

As an Ode to Spring, here is Mama Baker's Birthday Cake. A beautiful carrot cake (BBC Good food recipe) made with a SPICED CHAI CREAM CHEESE FROSTING using chai spice drops from . The design was inspired by mum's favourite painting Almond Blossoms by Vincent Van Gogh. She even has a mug with the print on it. It's perfect for spring! SCROLL ACROSS to see the painting!

These spice drops are so fab! I used them for the first time and with just 3 drops, the frosting flavour was transformed! No need for lots of spice powders.

Hope this inspires you to bake something pretty for Easter; or just to notice the blossoms outside.

Do SAVE this post if you like the cake and would like some creative inspo! Please DM me if you need help with anything!Happy Friday!

CHILLI CHEESE LOAF - Wow! I never thought bread could taste so good! This combo of spicy fresh green chillies, with a sprinkling of .uk red chilli flakes and a good amount of mature cheddar cheese , make this a great loaf to bake and eat!

Made in a Dutch Oven , the bread recipe is from , and I added 200g cheese, 1/4 cup chopped green chilli, 1 tsp red chilli flakes and 1 tsp cumin to the dough.

I've been listening to the podcast called The Crumb and there is a whole epidode dedicated to Dutch oven bread baking. By the end of the episode, I had to make one! I totally recommend the podcast; it's such a joy to listen to and you just want to bake something right away!

This loaf is pretty easy to make but does have a lot of resting time, so I do recommend it as a weekend bake. But when you are done, you can leisurely enjoy it!

Do hit SAVE of you like it, and tag me if you decide to make this spicy treat!

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There is nothing more perfect to show your mum how much you love her than a PERSIAN LOVE CAKE! Made from fresh seasonal oranges & lemons, pistachios & almonds, with a hint of cardamom (or you could add cinnamon instead!) & rose, its a wonderful bake to celebrate Mother's Day, today, or to have anyday!

Perfect with a cup of tea, I'm sure any mother (or father) figure will love it!

SAVE it today if you would like to try, & take a pic & send me if you do! Enjoy!

- 200g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra melted for greasing
- 250g golden caster sugar
- 4 free-range eggs,
- ½ unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest and juice
- ½ orange, finely grated zest and juice
- 2 tsp orange blossom water
- 150g plain flour, plus extra for tin
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 100g ground almonds
- 100g ground pistachios, leave a few whole bits
- 3 tbsp natural yoghurt

To decorate

- 200g icing sugar
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 10-15 drops rosewater
- 1 tbsp edible dried rose petals
- 25g pistachios chopped

Method

- Preheat oven to 170C/160C Fan. Brush bundt tin with melted butter, being careful to get into every corner, & dust with flour, shaking to coat the tin, then turn it upside-down & tap to remove excess flour. Put in fridge.
- With a hand mixer, cream together butter & sugar for about 5 minutes, until really pale & light. Gradually add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well & scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each egg. Add lemon & orange zests, juices & blossom water and mix again.
- Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda & cardamom into the bowl. Add ground almonds, pistachios & yoghurt & mix well. Spoon mixture into the prepared tin & spread evenly using the spatula.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until cake is well risen & a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin for 1–2 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To decorate, beat icing sugar with enough lemon & orange juice to make a smooth, thick but pourable icing. Add few drops of rosewater to taste. Carefully spoon the icing over, decorate and serve.

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS Happy International Women's Day!! Let's celebrate all the wonderful women, who have an impact on our lives; and show our love for them today, and everyday!

I made these bars with some very special women (and men) in mind.. the volunteers, and the doctors, at our local Covid vaccination centre. These lovely people, give their time, to making sure everyone gets their jab smoothly and efficiently. Thank you, to you all for keeping us safe. 🤗💖

Made with recipe, but I switched out the Oreos for dark chocolate Digestives ( ), and added my little creativity for the heart design. I will put a reel up soon, showing how to do that! Hope you like them!

So hit SAVE if you liked them, and send me a photo, and tag me if you make it! Xx

Weekend baking is here! Why not try my healthy CHAI SPICED BANANA BREAD! A yummy snack to take you through to Sunday!

It's coming up to a year since we were asked to sing happy birthday (twice!) and stay at home. And a year since we all went banana bread mad. This variation is a guilt-free one!

So hit the bookmark icon to SAVE if you would like to try it, and do send pics if you do. I lovvveee seeing your recreations! Happy weekend!

- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil or high quality vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas plus 1 whole banana for the top
-  1/4 cup milk of choice
-  1 teaspoon baking soda
-  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger powder, 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4tsp ground cardamom
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour 
-  1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• Preheat oven to 165°C and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk.
• Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and spices, and whisk to blend. Lastly, stir in the flour, just until combined. Gently fold in walnuts.
• Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan, slice the whole in half and place on top, and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
• Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for at least 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the bread from the pan. Carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Welcome to March! A brand new month.. the days are getting longer and brighter, and spring is definately blooming! And there is definately hope of lockdown ending floating in the air!
It's also citrus season. With plenty of these juicy fruits available, its time to make all kinds of fresh zesty treats! Think lemon cake, and orange sorbet, lime cheesecake and lemon mousse. So many gorgeous options!

March includes UK Mother's Day, my twin nephews' & my mother's birthdays, and the colourful Indian festival of Holi! So many reasons to create this month.

Hope you all have a wonderful month ahead, what ever you have planned! Xx

Yesterday was Banana Bread Day, as well as my Brother's birthday. So I had the choice to post my chai spiced banana bread, and show you yet another lovely BB; or to post my brother's cake choice, which is this scrumptious CHERRY & CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE!

This dark choco cake, topped with milk choco mousse, swirled with dark morello cherries and black cherries, oozes with flavour and chocolate goodness. A perfect celebration cake! It certainly was appreciated at home.

Hope you SAVE this recipe and try it soon! Enjoy!

I'll leave the banana bread recipe for another day, stay tuned!

For the cake
25g cocoa powder,
3 tbsp boiling water
100g caster sugar
100g self-raising flour
1 level tsp baking powder
2 large free-range eggs
100g butter, plus extra for greasing
2 tbsp brandy

For the mousse
100g dark chocolate, broken into squares
200g milk chocolate, broken into squares
450ml whipping cream
1 tub dark morello cherries
1 tin dark cherries fruit filling

FOR METHOD SEE COMMENTS

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A delight to make, and a true delight to eat! Presenting my PESTO BABKA! I've been wanting to make a Babka loaf for quite some time now (my baking list is very very very long!), so when it came up as the theme for this month's , hosted by I was super excited!

I used recipe for the dough, but used ready made pesto, as it's the most delicious pesto I've eaten. Plus it saves time! The result is sooo good; I totally recommend this bake! Plus the satisfaction of making this bread is beyond words! Swipe across to see the finished Babka and swirl..

Do hit SAVE to bookmark this recipe, and send me a message or a pic if you do! Or dm me. If you need any help.

Happy Friday everyone! Here is my flawless FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND TORTE. It's not only a thing of beauty (just look at it!); it's a thing of taste! Its fudgy, chocolatey, and has a great almond crunch. A simple bake for the weekend, topped with fresh berries, for a winning treat. Do you think this is a good weekend bake?

SAVE if your would like to make it. Or SHARE it was a friend that might enjoy it too!

200g dark chocolate , roughly chopped
200g unsalted butter , chopped
4 large eggs , separated
75g granulated sugar
75g date sugar
100 g almond flour/ground almonds
¼ teaspoon salt
cocoa powder , for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch/20cm (or a 9-inch/23 cm) springform pan.

Place chocolate and butter in a medium heat-proof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl, and stir occasionally until melted. Set aside.

In a large bowl, place egg yolks and 75g date sugar, and whisk by hand for a minute until pale and thick. Stir in chocolate mixture, almonds, and salt.

In a mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and the granulated sugar on high speed until thick, shiny, soft peaks form.

Using a spatula, fold one-third of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture until mixed. Fold in remaining mixture in 2 additions until combined.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. The cake should be set on the sides but still wobbly in the center. Allow to cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until completely set.

Sift cocoa powder over cake before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Okay, okay, okay.. I'm reallllly late with my Pancake Day post.. I was experiencing lockdown fatigue 🙁 BUT I'm back.. and promise this pancake goodie is worth the wait.. It's my RASPBERRY & ROSE CREPE CAKE! These gorgeous pink pancakes are raspberry flavoured, and stacked with a hint of rose sweetened whipped cream (also known as Chantilly Cream).

Made using Jamie Oliver's crepe recipe, combined with a few tablespoons of powdered freeze dried raspberries (depends how pink you want them) from , the flavour of the crepe is soooo good. And that hint of rose in the cream makes such a delicate combination.

This Pink Pancake Post is also in support of Breast Cancer Awareness . A charity doing their utmost to encourage woman to check themselves, and support those affected by breast cancer. So everyone, please keep checking your body 💕

Do SAVE this post if you like it, and send me pics or tag me if you make it! Enjoy!

When Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year fall on the same weekend, then you have to combine the two! Presenting my ROSE DUMPLINGS! Filled with a veggie combo of leeks, carrots, and mushrooms, they were really fun to make! I used beetroot juice to naturally dye the roses, and food colouring for the leaves as I didn't have any spinach. Def would go the natural route!

Hats off to all those dumpling makers out there. I still need to practise my wrapping skills. I found I made the dough too thick, so once steamed they were quite doughy. So any tips on how to make them more delicate would be greatly appreciated! Please do DM me! I will do a little reel showing the wrapping technique soon. Stay tuned for it!

This my contribution to Valentine's Day Floral theme collab . Hosted by .

And contributing to hosted by .inc and

Kung Hai Fat Choi! Happy Year of the Ox! These sweet and spicy CHINESE FIRECRACKER ROLLS are a perfect little snack to enjoy today (or any day)! Filled with tofu and spices, they are parcels of delight! And to double your happiness dip them in your favourite Asian dipping sauce! Enjoy!

Makes 18-20 puffs
3 tbsp char sui sauce (from Asian stores)
1.5 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tsp Sriracha
1 tsp hot water
2 tsp sesame seeds - plus extra for top
1 spring onion chopped fine
1 small onion chopped
3 tsp ketchup
280g firm tofu chopped into very small cubes

1.5 x 380g packet of ready roll puff pastry
2 tsp milk

Marinate all the filling ingredients for 2-3 hours or overnight. In a pan, saute and dry out the filling,  allowing the onions to cook and soften. Leave to cool.

Pre-heat oven at 160°C Fan. Cut 8x7cm rectangles from the puff pastry. Add 2 tsp of the filling to form a log shape. Brush water along the edges of the pastry and roll together into a log, sealing the outer edge with water. Press the 2 open ends down, and seal by indenting them with a fork on both sides. Brush with milk and scatter with sesame seeds.

Place on baking try, lined with greased parchment paper, and bake for 20-25mins until puffed and golden brown. Enjoy!