Sweet Treats – Bangers & Balls

13/10/2021

Barmbrack: Haunting Irish Halloween Traditions You’ve Never Heard Of

Few cakes come with credentials as astounding as Brambrak. It’s a traditional Irish Cake with a sizeable claim to fame- one slice will reveal your future.

Come Halloween, a Barmbrack would be baked, sliced and served amongst family and friends in almost every Irish home. But unlike a simple sponge, this cake had a mystical twist. Buried within the fruit-filled cake hide a number of charms- the baker’s tools of divination. To find one within your slice was to steal a glance into your future.

28/06/2021

Elderflower Turkish Delight: The Ultimate Sweet Temptation?

I’ve loved Turkish Delight ever since reading Narnia as a child. It sounded almost too good to be true, and tasted even better. Inspired by the magical flavours of Elderflower, I decided to reclaim this sweet from the clutches of the wicked Ice Queen and create my own. You’ll find the recipe below- it’s almost […]

22/06/2021

Shark Infested Custard Creams: Britain’s Most Dangerous Biscuit

During this morning’s meeting, a bleary eyed Xanthe wandered into the kitchen, eager to see why on earth her parents were talking to their computer, rather than playing with her (a mystery indeed). Her eyes lit up as she spied treats on the table- a pack of custard creams. “Can I have a biscuit?” she […]

04/05/2021

Parma Violets: My Love Affair With A Flavour That Divides The Nation

Tastes and smells are one of the most powerful tools for unlocking our memories. Perhaps that’s why childhood sweets have such a special place in our hearts. There’s just something about the sweet treats of our youthful days that stick with us. The taste, the smell and the vibrant packaging have the spellbinding power to […]

29/04/2021

The Shocking Truth About Supermarket Honey- it’s Not What You Think

Picking up a jar of honey at the supermarket, you’d imagine you could feel pretty certain of it’s ingredients. In fact it’s often listed on the side- ‘100% Honey’. I was shocked to find out that often honey is not what you think it is. Despite labels promising pure honey, loopholes in international regulations mean […]

28/04/2021

Dandelion Honey- So Good You Won’t Believe it’s Not Honey!

I would describe myself as an imperfect vegan. I’m resolute in my avoidance of most things, and find buckets of joy in living a life that is both inline with my morals and brimming with delicious food. Despite this, there’s one thing I just can’t seem to give up. Eggs were a breeze, and I […]

04/04/2021

An Easter Message from Bangers and Balls HQ.

Easter is a time of abundance after 40 days of Lent – with a day off for St. Patricks’ Day of course. A whole month with no sweets, sugar and I don’t how many Hail Marys and Stations of the Cross. This was the backdrop of my childhood Easter of the 80 and 90s. Praying […]

03/04/2021

Simnel Cake – Not Your Grandma’s Fruitcake

Simnel Cake has long been a staple of Easter celebrations. An irresistible combination of rich fruitcake and lightly toasted marzipan, it’s easy to understand its standing as a well-loved Easter classic. Fruit cake may not be the most glamorous of the Easter treats, but you’d be a fool to overlook it. In truth it’s a […]