Cornflake, Sultana & Chocolate Chunk Cookies


There's always time for cookies!

I've sort of had a love / hate relationship with baking cookies. Who would have thought there'd be such a battle to get the perfect texture, crisp on the outside and chewy in the centre. Not to blow my own trumpet but, ok maybe a little, these cookies have not only the best texture but the cornflakes are also a surprisingly great addition. I think I've cracked them!

Yeah oats would do, but cornflakes lend a great golden flavour and a good crunch alongside some super plump sultanas. And who doesn't love chocolate chunks too?



I'm most certainly baking these again on the weekend. If they've got cornflakes in then I'll be eating them for breakfast. All part of a balanced diet!


C O R N F L A K E   S U L T A N A   A N D   C H O C O L A T E   C H U N K   C O O K I E S
(Makes a dozen large or two dozen small cookies)


120g unsalted butter, room temperature
115g soft light brown sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
150g sultanas
75g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
145g self raising flour
50g cornflakes
pinch salt

  • Heat the oven to 180 degrees and cover two cookie sheets with baking paper.
  • Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
  • Add the vanilla extract and egg, and gently beat until combined.
  • Add all of the remaining ingredients and gently fold together to form a dough.
  • Tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a minute or two until smooth.
  • Use a tablespoon to scoop a cookie at a time onto your prepared cookie sheet, or an ice cream scoop if you're making large ones. Place evenly spaced on the tray, leaving plenty of room between each.
  • Bake for 12 minutes until golden, but soft in the centre. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.


Christmas Canapés with John Lewis


So now we're in November I can talk about Christmas, right?

I'm not sorry to say that I'm fully in the festive spirit after John Lewis invited me to an evening of canapés and cocktails at the Waitrose Cookery School in Finchley.

The cookery school has long been one of my favourites in town - possibly because a selection of Christmas inspired cocktails were ready and waiting for us at the bar - but also because of the huge variety of classes they have on offer.

When I first heard we'd be making up to 5 different canapés in just a few hours I was pretty intrigued as to what was on the menu and how much cooking we'd actually do. I'm not one for fiddly bits and finesse but Chefs Gerry and Shauna expertly guided us through each step and added a whole heap of new recipes to our festive repertoire. So if you fancy some confit duck samosas with spiced pear puree or maybe parmesan risotto balls, I'm your girl. And cocktails? I'm a dab hand at a spiced gin and tonic and my new favourite, the spiced blackberry fizz.


I've decided to share my favourite recipes from the night because the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! Especially as I've recreated them at home since the class and LOVE them.


S P I C E D   B L A C K B E R R Y   F I Z Z
(Recipe from Waitrose Cookery School, serves 1)


For the spiced blackberry cordial (easily doubles)

400ml water
200g caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
peel of 1 orange
200g punnet of blackberries

  • Bring the water, sugar, cinnamon and orange to a gentle simmer before adding the blackberries, cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool fully before straining the juice through a fine sieve, pressing out the juices from the berries.

To serve:

white/spiced/dark rum or vodka, your choice
ginger beer
tonic water or sparkling water
freshly sliced ginger
orange slices
fresh blackberries

  • Fill your glass with ice and pour over a measure each of your preferred spirit and blackberry cordial. Top with equal amounts of ginger beer and tonic water. Add a slice each of ginger and orange and a blackberry to finish.



H A Z E L N U T  &   C H O C O L A T E   O R A N G E   B I S C O T T I
(Recipe from Waitrose Cookery School, makes up to 30 biscuits)


50g blanched hazelnuts
120g plain white flour
pinch salt
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp cream of tartar
35g dried cherries
25g orange dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 egg
zest of 1/2 an orange

  • Heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  • Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes until just golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
  • Place all of the remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix to form a biscuit dough, adding a few drops of water if needed to bring the mixture together.
  • Upturn onto a floured work surface and knead until soft. Roll out the dough into two sausages the length of your baking tray.
  • Place the dough sausages on a tray spaced apart and bake for 15-20 minutes until firm to the touch, but still soft in the centre. 
  • Remove from the oven and reduce to oven to 140 degrees.
  • Leave to cool slightly before diagonally slicing into 1cm thick pieces. Place on the tray once more and bake for a further 12-15 minutes until crisp.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool fully before serving.

And now we're all feeling super festive, I'm off to have a peak at John Lewis' Christmas gift inspiration. Thanks for inviting me guys, I learnt so much and would seriously recommend the cookery school classes to all.

I have not received payment for this post - just some canapés, which I greatly enjoyed. All opinions genuinely my own.


Ginger & Golden Syrup Bonfire Cake


Its been a busy week at work and whatnot but also in mentally preparing myself for the biggest bake I've ever done. Persephone's wedding cake! Flick and I are pretty honoured to be making a giant stack of brownies for the special day tomorrow. So whilst my kitchen is filled with countless trays and kilos of chocolate, I've just squeezed in some time to make a birthday cake for my Stepdad.

I'm slightly envious of his bonfire night birthday, the perfect time for a big ginger cake and some fireworks in the garden. (We'll forget the year a Catherine wheel set the garden gate on fire!) So whilst I'll be wearing my dancing shoes and shimmying around during P's reception, I'm sending this cake over in my absence.

A super tall, sticky ginger and golden syrup cake, soaked in more golden syrup and topped with sticky toffee popcorn from Popworks. There's heaps of sparklers for the top for tomorrow night, but for now I've improvised! 



G I N G E R   & G O L D E N   S Y R U P   B O N F I R E   C A K E
(Serves 12)

225g golden syrup
100g unsalted butter
100g golden caster sugar
75g glace ginger pieces
200ml full fat milk
2 eggs, beaten
225g self raising flour
1tbsp ground ginger
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp salt
2-3tbsp extra golden syrup
popcorn to top

  • Heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease and line a deep 6 inch round cake tin.
  • In a saucepan over a medium heat, melt the golden syrup, butter and sugar together until smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
  • Add the ginger, milk and eggs and stir together.
  • Place the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the wet ingredients.
  • Fold the mix together and pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Mine started browning on the top half way through so I popped a foil hat on.
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and pour over a generous dollop of golden syrup, smoothing over the top.
  • Leave to cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool fully.