Brendan Bakes

There are many recipes for gingerbreads, but this one, in my view, is one of the finest. It is moist, light, and deliciously aromatic with its range of spices. It uses honey instead of golden syrup. Best stored for 24 hours after baking to allow the flavours to develop. Delectable and delicious! Ingredients 320g of […]

Ingredients: 150g of sifted plain flour 125g of melted butter 150g caster sugar 2 large eggs – lightly beaten 2 tbls of whole milk 1 tsp of fast-acting yeast 1 tsp of vanilla extract Method: First melt the butter and allow to cool Whisk the eggs with the caster sugar until nearly white and fluffy […]

I like my ginger cake spicy, citrusy and gingery, so this recipe has evolved over the years to deliver all three flavours. Ginger cake was the afternoon tea cake of choice when I was growing up in Ireland and it still remains one of my favourites. The key is to add fresh ginger rather than […]

Preparation tear off two pieces of non-stick parchment to cover two trays measuring 15” x 14”/38cm x 36 approx. On the two pieces of parchment, using a pencil, draw a circle 10”/26cm using a fish/dinner plate, for example. Turn the paper over so that the pencil mark is facing the tray. When you have the […]

Great to stimulate the tastebuds of all those courageous people who are quitting cigarettes during the ‘Stoptober’ campaign. This is a great cake for a tea party or special occasion. Yet, it is fairly simple to make: just follow the recipe carefully. The poached pears not only look great but add lovely flavour and texture […]

Here’s a simple but delicious loaf cake that would be ideal with morning coffee but would also make a good dessert with some vanilla ice cream, crème frâiche or Greek yoghurt. Chocolate and orange are a classic combination. I’ve added an orange glaze and pieces of candied orange peel  (see my recipe on this site) […]

Preheat oven to 175C/350F/Gas 4. Butter and flour the individual tins. I used mini, straight-sided, sponge tins available from Lakeland. But a muffin 12-hole tray will also work. Ingredients Makes 12 175g unsalted butter 175g caster sugar 225g plain flour 40g ground almonds I tsp baking powder 1 tsp mixed spice 175g sultanas 175g currants […]

Ingredients 250g/8ozs spelt flour 125g/4ozs spelt wholemeal 1 ½ tsp baking powder 2 tsp vanilla extract *¾ tsp hazelnut extract 3 large eggs 250 ml sunflower oil 250g/8ozs caster sugar 2 tbls good quality cocoa powder 2 tbls plain yoghurt Preheat oven to 180ᵒc/375ᵒF. *can be bought on line at ‘Bakery Bits’. Gives an excellent […]

Introduction A couple of years ago we met a lovely couple – Neville and Janet – while out walking Monty-the-Labradoodle. Turned out that they are great dog lovers and sometimes look after Monty for us which makes us all happy! Neville is also a keen gardener and has an allotment where he grows a lot […]

About two years ago I was introduced to Iranian cooking through Margaret Shaida’s classic book The Legendary Cuisine of Persia. The use of fruit in savoury dishes is a particular feature of this magnificent culinary tradition. Dried red barberries are especially common – imparting a tart flavor to various rice and meat dishes. Looking through […]