Recipe makes

PUBLISHED: 13:41 16 October 2018 | UPDATED: 13:41 16 October 2018 Charlotte Smith-Jarvis Make our espresso walnut rum chocolate slices Picture: Archant Archant They say you should never mess with a classic – but Charlotte disagrees. Try making her espresso walnut, rum and chocolate slices. They say you should never mess with a classic – but Charlotte disagrees.“Why on earth would you want to do that?” my colleague Nick looked aghast at me over the desk last week after I’d told him about my ‘mad’ baking idea.Sometimes the best results come from our experiments. Let’s face it, if no one had moved on and played about with the plain sponge, the world of cake (and afternoon tea) would be exceedingly dull wouldn’t it?My inspiration began with a friend Nicola offering (read – frantically tried to offload) a bumper crop of walnuts from her garden to me. I never say no to home grown produce and as I … [Read more...] about Recipe: Make our indulgent Espresso walnut, rum and chocolate slices

Video PUBLISHED: 17:56 27 September 2018 | UPDATED: 17:56 27 September 2018 Charlotte Smith-Jarvis Wagon Wheels by Charlotte Smith-Jarvis Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN Archant Charlotte Smith-Jarvis attempts to make a lunchbox classic - the Wagon Wheel. I’m a child of the 80s, and that was undoubtedly one of the best eras for lunchbox treats.It seemed not a week went by without some new fandangled biscuit being dreamt up by the confectionary bods.Of course you had your Gold bars, Clubs (mint was my favourite) Kit Kats and the like, but nothing beat the jubilation of opening a whiffy, soggy sandwich laden lunchbox to find a gleaming, brand spanking new choccie bar.You had your Rocky. A bar smothered so outrageously with chocolate it threatened to break your teeth on a cold day.The Time Out was a revelation – a lovechild of the Kit Kat and Flake which somehow made it into the realms of being lunchbox suitable.But the best of all for me was … [Read more...] about Recipe: Make ‘Wagon Wheels’

PUBLISHED: 15:54 19 September 2018 | UPDATED: 15:54 19 September 2018 Charlotte Smith-Jarvis Blackberry and liquorice cake bars Picture: Archant Archant Make our autumnal berry bake with a quirky twist. I must admit, it’s a little depressing visiting the countryside close to my home at the moment. Where there was once an abundance of berries, now remain just a few tiny brambles, surrounded by browning stems. Rose hips (used as itching powder on my brother when we were kids) poke through, bearing just a few remaining delicate petals. All those signals that we’re crawling to those ever darker nights are around us in nature.Not that I don’t like autumn and winter, with their pot roasts, stews and pies, but I’m just not ready yet. I’d quite like one more sunny long weekend in the garden with a good book!However, time and tide change for no man (or woman) so we have to make the most of these remaining edible gems.Just don’t … [Read more...] about Recipe: Make our yummy blackberry and liquorice cake bars

PUBLISHED: 10:06 10 July 2018 | UPDATED: 10:06 10 July 2018 Charlotte Smith-Jarvis Pavlova trifle Picture: Archant Archant Put a bit of Australian sunshine into your weekend with one of these sweet and colourful Antipodean recipes. Vovo biscuits and Cherry Ripe brownie bites Picture: Ella Bodsworth We’ve gone all Aussie this week! And to tie in with all things antipodean, what better than some bonza recipes to take you down under? These three sweet bakes wouldn’t have gone amiss at Kylie and Jason’s nuptials and are just the ticket for your summer barbecues. So skip to it, mate. Let’s get cooking. Cherry Ripe brownies (Serves 12-16) Cherry is one of the most amazing flavours ever. I mean, come on, of all the variations of cola, cherry has to be the best doesn’t it? I like the Fentiman’s one – mostly because it comes in a curious vintage-style bottle which somehow makes you feel like it’s travelled from a soda parlour of … [Read more...] about Recipe: Make one of our Australian-inspired bakes