SUNKEN HONEY PEAR CAKE

 I am often asked whether I eat everything that I bake. It's a question that continues to amuse me, and I remain undecided as to whether I should be offended or deeply flattered by the suggestion that I physically ingest several large cakes by myself on a weekly basis. Ego massaging aside, it's a question that should come as no surprise: we as readers crave resolve to a story, and love few things more that the reassurance that our protagonists (whether they be human or food stuff) will live happily ever after.

Free to a good home, my cut-into creations tend to take their leave with friends, family, boyfriend and on occasion, the sweet lady who lives downstairs and was really very understanding that time our boiler leaked and her ceiling fell in.

While I adore the abundance and indulgence that characterise baking, the propensity for waste continues to trouble me. Consistent recipe development, testing and tweaking results in a lot of baked goods, and it can be tempting - crazy as this may sound - to chuck anything in the bin that isn't quite perfect. I have to remind myself that baked goods, perfect or not, should be enjoyed and treasured. Otherwise, what is the point in all of this?

And I'll admit - I give things away because it's lovely, but also because I know my willpower is only so strong, and that one day I will succumb to my much-nurtured fantasy of eating chocolate souffle in the bath. It's a beautiful image, but one that I'm not quite ready for just yet.

Were I to be caught on at a weak moment, however, this sunken pear and honey cake would go rather well with the large glass of Prosecco, scented candles and whale sounds that populate the aforementioned fantasy. Drizzle with extra honey or reduced poaching syrup if you're planning a particularly long soak.

 THE INGREDIENTS

2 poached pears (recipe here)

125g butter

75g soft light brown sugar

50g clear honey

2 eggs

50g ground almonds

75g wholewheat flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp baking powder

THE RECIPE

Poach the pears according to the recipe. Preheat your oven to 180C fan, and line a small loaf tin with baking parchment. Lay the pear halves onto kitchen paper to dry them out ahead of baking.

For the cake, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then drizzle in the honey with the mixer running. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine before each additional. Sieve in the almonds, flour and baking powder, and fold into the mixture. Pour into the prepared tin, and level the surface with a palette knife. 

Dust the rounded side of each pear half with flour, leaving the flat side clean. Gently arrange on top of the cake. Try not to push them down while you arrange them, as you don't want them to sink beneath the batter in the oven. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the surface is risen around the pears, golden, and a knife comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

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BAKED PEACHES WITH LEMON VERBENA CREAM

Earlier this month I was lucky enough have three of my recipes published with The Telegraph, in a feature I wrote on how to bake with tea.

Tea is one of my favourite baking ingredients. It's versatility, both in terms of blends and substance, is perfect for baking, and the aromatic punch of fresh and dried leaves alike can elevate baked goods to new heights of flavour and complexity.You can read my advice on how to bake the best out of your brew here.

Lemon Verbena is not strictly a tea of course, but the dried blend of this fabulous herb has a light, subtle tang which adds a new depth of flavour to fresh, thick whipped cream. While this recipe calls for peaches, this fragrant verbena cream would also sit beautifully alongside figs, pears or plums.

My recipe for baked peaches with lemon verbena cream is available on The Telegraph lifestyle here.

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OLIVE OIL POLENTA CAKE WITH PEACHES {DAIRY AND GLUTEN FREE}

A belated Happy Easter! I hope you were all able to enjoy the sunny long weekend. The weather is divine and it really does feel like Spring has finally sprung.

Easter often gets overlooked as a holiday in the UK, with children preoccupied by the chocolate, and adults (myself included) enjoying the double bank holiday. Fear not, I'm not about to launch into an attack on modern values - that would be very hypocritical from the girl eating a white chocolate egg as she types.

Rather, it seems a shame that the familial, season celebrations that this holiday used to encompass seem to have been forgotten. Easter marks the end of winter, new life and a certain circularity which isn't captured by other traditional celebrations. If nothing else, Easter should be an opportunity to rest up, take stock and spend time with the people you love.

Now, enough of the sentimentality. This recipe is perfect for those of us who, just maybe, overdid it a little of the sweet stuff this weekend. A health tonic it is not, but this cake is gluten and dairy free, and can be whipped up in less than an hour. Peaches, while not strictly in season just yet, are one of my favourite foods and work perfectly with the sweet, gooey centre of the cake. Any baked fruit would do - plumbs, pears and apricots all work beautifully too.

  THE INGREDIENTS

100ml olive oil

75g caster sugar

125g ground almonds

75g polenta 

1 tsp baking powder (use gluten free if needed)

2 eggs

1 lemon, zested

peaches

2-3 peaches

honey

salt

THE RECIPE

Begin with the peaches. Preheat your oven to 180C, then slice the peaches into 8 pieces each. Arrange in a dish that is lightly greased with oil, and drizzle with honey and a sprinkling of salt. Bake until soft - this will be around 30 minutes, depending on how ripe your fruit is.

For the cake, line a 7" tin with baking parchment, and lightly oil the sides. Mix together the oil and sugar until the mixture is foamy and pale. Beat in the eggs.

Separately, combine the ground almonds, polenta, baking powder and lemon zest. Add this to the oil mixture, and beat until well-mixed and pale. Pour into your prepared tin, and bake for 25-30 minutes at the same temperature as the peaches. The cake is done when it has the slightest of wobbles in the middle when shaken, and has a pale crust on the top.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for ten minutes, before carefully transferring to a wire rake. Serve the cake warm or cold piled high with peaches, and with some crème fraiche (or dairy-free alternative) if desired. 

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