Articles & Recipes

With days getting longer and temperatures creeping up, we naturally move to put away the stew pots and casserole dishes, and give our weekly menus a shake up in favour of something lighter. We’ve put together our top 5 recipes for Spring to help you ring the changes, and celebrate our seasonal heroes!

It’s hard to beat a freshly-toasted hot cross bun with butter or clotted cream, and for that reason it’s pretty rare to find any leftovers round here! However, those of you capable of exercising a bit more restraint may find yourselves with spare hot cross buns sitting sadly in the bread bin, once the Easter festivities are over, and if they’re too stale to freeze it can be hard to know quite what to do with them.

We remain sceptical about the concept of ‘leftover’ hot cross buns, but – should you find yourself in this situation – we can’t think of a nicer way to finish them off! Serves 4.

It’s Easter, so why not go all-out for chocolate and whip up this easy, fudgy cake! Relatively quick and easy to make, it’s perfect for unexpected guests or a post-dinner treat. Serves approx. 8.

Studded with dried fruit and subtly flavoured with lemon and nutmeg, these tasty biscuits are just the ticket after a spring stroll! Makes about 20 biscuits.

Flavoured with our own, locally-distilled gin, this special twist on the classic Lemon Drizzle cake is a perfect teatime treat for G&T-loving mums everywhere.

These little cheesecakes are perfect for an indulgent pudding - decorate the tops with mini-eggs, chocolate sprinkles or whatever tickles your fancy! Makes 8

A little of this goes a very long way, so it’s best served in espresso cups or tiny ramekins – fresh strawberries or raspberries are a nice accompaniment. It’s simple to make, but remember to allow several hours’ chilling time. Makes 4 small servings.

Get creative and make your very own edible work of art! The decorating is fun to do with children – you can prep and prove the dough ahead of time, if you like, so all they need to do is add the toppings before a final prove and 20 minutes’ baking time. Makes one large focaccia loaf.

If you’re a fan of our Lobster Thermidor, why not try this delicious crab-centric version? Rich, creamy and packed with flavour, it’s delicious served with fresh bread for mopping up every last bit! Serves 4 as a starter.

With a little adult help, young children can have a go at making these easy cookies – whether they enjoy weighing ingredients, rolling dough, making thumbprints or adding the Nutella and decorating, there are plenty of ways for them to get stuck in!

This delicious, savoury pie is pretty straightforward to put together (you can even make the filling ahead of time and refrigerate it until needed). Serve with salad or your favourite seasonal veg. Serves 4.