Easter Nests

Yes, these are cute; yes, they are kitsch, but I love them all the same - Nigella Lawson

The verdict: How could you not love easter nests? Cute, so easy to make, and hello? chocolatey!

Unusual or substituted ingredients: I wasn't sure if I'd be able to buy shredded wheat here (it's such an English sounding ingredient!), but yes, in the cereal aisle, there it was. It comes in pillow like biscuits (about the size of weetbix) so it needs to be broken up, and that's about the hardest job of all in this recipe. That, and not eating the chocolate before you melt and mix it with the shredded wheat.

Oh, and stopping your husband from eating the bird's eggs (sugar coated solid chocolate eggs, not actual bird eggs!!) straight out of the bag.

Special utensils or cookware: None. This is a no-bake recipe - the most "baking" you have to do is melting the chocolate with a bit of butter in the microwave!

Repeatability: This is a very quick and easy thing to whip up at easter - if you are having people over for coffee or having a lot of kids (grandchildren, nephews and nieces, whatever) it is easy to make these. Nigella must make them big, as she got 5 nests out of the mix. I got 12. I don't think you want them too big, to be honest.

Sauciness: Well, you know how I feel about chocolate - it's always saucy! This is a simple recipe though that Nigella includes in her "children" chapter - it is definitely something that the kids could make with some help, and I'm pretty sure they'd make a big mess, but have fun doing it!

Overall pleasure level: I didn't mind these at all! 7 out of 10 for me! Happy Easter everyone!

Pizza Casareccia

While we all struggle to produce that thin-crusted, charcoal redolent pizzaiolo's pizza and fail, the Italians recognise that you need to go to the pizzeria for that and have instead devised a home-made alternative, doughier and with more topping, but very good in its own but different way - Nigella Lawson

The verdict: I LOVE homemade pizza - homemade from scratch that is! It is so easy and so yummy, and makes you feel very clever. I know pizza is so easy to get delivered, but when you have the time to make it (which I happen to have right now) it is so worth it!

Unusual or substituted ingredients: The great thing about pizza is that you can pretty much use what you've got in the fridge. Most people will have some cheese (even cheddar is fine!) and a bit of meat and some onion and capsicum or mushroom, or whatever you like on a pizza. You can go gourmet or traditional, whatever you like! The recipe (while it gives toppings) is really about making the pizza base.

Special utensils or cookware: None at all! You just need a bowl, a flat surface (on which to knead) and a baking tray. Although if you are me, feel free to cheat by using a KitchenAid with a dough hook for the kneading part - frees up a few minutes in which you can chop the toppings!

Repeatability: I will definitely make this again! Nigella suggested that this pizza should feed 4 people "generously". Husby and I ate all but one piece between us for dinner, it was that good!!

Sauciness: Mmmm, yes. I really liked that the recipe used half a tin of chopped tomatoes, rather than tomato paste, for the sauce. Interesting that this is spread on the pizza base before it is baked, and then you put the toppings on and bake again, enough to melt and brown the cheese (mmmm melted cheese!)

Overall pleasure level: Erm, I think mmmmmmmm melted cheese probably sums it up really!

Boston Cream Pie

This is not a pie at all but a cake ... . ...and for some reason the addition of chocolate brought the word 'cream' into play. - Nigella Lawson

Yes, this is a cake. And it doesn't have cream in it (well, not really). But it does have chocolate, and it does have a custardy filling. And it's a layer cake. What more could you want?

The verdict: It's pretty good in the eating, although the construction failure left me disappointed. The picture in the book shows a very thick, very yellow custardy filling, with thick chocolate ganache just oozing slightly over the side of the cake.

Yeah, my version didn't quite go like that. I guess I didn't cook the creme patissiere filling enough, and even though I was rocking on the chocolate ganache making to 'Born Slippy' by Underworld, I probably didn't beat it enough either. Hence the filling and icing ran right off the cake onto the cake plate. And the table. Sigh. It still tasted good!

Unusual or substituted ingredients: Just Nigella's usual fat-free fare of double cream, milk, chocolate, eggs, sugar and butter (and a few other bits and pieces. Nigella uses her victoria sponge recipe for the cake bit. Who knows if this is traditional, but it works fine - a fairly plain solid-ish cake is probably best I suspect.
Special utensils or cookware: I made the Victoria sponge part using the food processor - last time I made it I did it the traditional way, but I figured I'd try the magimix this time.

That might explain why the cakes turned out somewhat flatter than I would have liked?

Repeatability: This cake is pretty fussy to make - you have to do the cakes, then the custardy bit (creme patissiere) and then the chocolate ganache - the ganache part is done in a saucepan, using an electric hand mixer - optional is the grooving part described above - and so it does require you to set aside some time for the baking etc, and then the construction. But it's an impressive looking thing (or at least, it would be if the filling didn't all run out) and so is a good choice for impressing non-baking guests!

Sauciness: C'mon, anything with chocolate ganache (with plenty left over) is bound to be a bit saucy!

Overall pleasure level: Hmm, 6.5 out of 10 for this. Would have scored higher but for my disappointment after the construction phase.

Autumnal Birthday Cake

That's a benefit of using this as a birthday cake: you can allow yourself a little ironic leeway - Nigella Lawson

I'm not entirely sure it was ironic that I made this cake for a friend who's birthday is February 29, and who turned 41 this year - I did joke that it was entirely appropriate that I was making him an autumnal cake as he entered the autumn of his years at the junction of summer and autumn!

The verdict: With a cake that uses almost half a litre of maple syrup (in the cake and the icing) I'm not sure why I was so surprised when it tasted almost like pancakes!

Unusual or substituted ingredients: Well, I've mentioned the maple syrup already - quite expensive it makes it too, if you use the real stuff (at least here in Australia!) - but definitely worth it, I think - I'm always a bit suspicious of things like "maple flavoured syrup".

Special utensils or cookware: Nothing special required, if you are a baker and have the required tins! It did have an unusual method (well, at least, one I've never used before) to make the icing. It uses egg whites, maple syrup, sugar and a few other bits and pieces - which is beaten with an electric hand mixer in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, until it thickens like meringue. It was quite amazing to watch the mixture change from a browny syrup into fluffy white meringue!

Repeatability: I've been wanting to make this cake for a while but kept putting it off because it looked a bit fussy and time-consuming - but it's not really that bad at all - I mean, it's clearly not the quickest cake, having to do the cakes and then the icing, but for such an impressive looking cake, it's worth it!

Sauciness: Definitely! Especially the yumbo icing. I really was amazed at the flavour of this cake. And really moist too - very good cake, definitely something a bit different!

Overall pleasure level: I give this an 8.5 - moist delicious autumny goodness!

Banana Bread

This is the first recipe anyone hesitant about baking should try: it's fabulously easy and fills the kitchen with that aromatic fug which is the natural atmospheric setting for the domestic goddess - Nigella Lawson


OMG I can't believe I haven't baked anything for the blog for over 6 months! - RoseRed

The verdict: Yes, it really is a very good banana bread - I just finished the last piece today, a week after making it, and it was still moist and deliciously banana-y. I've been, somewhat indulgently, eating it for breakfast, but it would be the perfect morning or afternoon tea cake - because it is very cake-y, not so much with the bread-y.
Unusual or substituted ingredients: I'm not sure I've had a banana bread with sultanas in it before - I almost didn't use them, but decided I would, since how would I know if it was a good idea unless I tried it? And it was a good idea, as was the idea to heat the sultanas in a small amount of rum before adding them to the mix - it's barely discernable in the end product, but it just adds that certain something. You could, of course, leave out the sultanas and/or the alcohol if you wanted and I'm sure it would still be an excellent banana bread.

Special utensils or cookware: None at all. I used a silicone loaf pan (love my lovely tupperware) and it came out very cleanly, I suspect it would do the same in a regular loaf pan.


Nigella does ask you, in the method, to combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and salt) in a bowl and combine it with a wooden spoon or your hands. You then mix the combined dry ingredients into the buter/sugar/egg/banana mix. While I did this, to be honest I can't see the point of combining it in a separate bowl. Next time, I'll just put them all in a sifter and sift them into the wet ingredients. Nigella doesn't say to sift the flour, and there may be a reason for this, but it seems to be a much easier way of achieving a similar outcome!!


(Also, a word of warning and reassurance - the wet mix - butter, sugar, eggs, banana - looks a whole lot like ... erm ... curdled vomit (sorry!) while you are mixing it. But once you add the flour, it looks just like a regular cake mix - so don't think you've done something wrong if it looks a bit off initially, ok!)

Repeatability: I would definitely make this again. I always seem to have overripe bananas, and this is a great recipe for using them up. Like all banana cake/bread recipes, there is an indication of the number or weight of ripe bananas you should use - me, I just use what I've got (as long as it isn't a ridiculously different number) - I don't worry if it is one more or one less banana, it all seems to work out in the end.
Sauciness: Sticky and moist and delicious!

Overall pleasure level: I give this 8.5 out of 10. I do love a banana recipe, especially one that keeps so well. Yum.

Key Lime Pie

The sourness of the limes sets off its temple-aching sugariness - Nigella Lawson

The verdict: This is a good pie. In a way, it's not so much a pie as a base with some light, fluffy filling that is the most unfilling pie filling I've ever had. Confused? Sorry. I was at first too - really, I was expecting the kind of creamy, citrus-intense filling you get in a lime (or lemon) tart. Even though I read the recipe and saw that you are to whisk egg whites, it didn't quite sink in. The results are good though.

Unusual or substituted ingredients: None. Lime, biscuits, eggs, sugar. Oh, that said, Nigella herself talks in the intro to the recipe about the fact that you probably won't be able to find key limes and that maybe you can get key lime juice but she just uses regular limes. So it's not so much a key lime pie, as a wannabe key lime pie. Never mind.


Special utensils or cookware: You'll need a springform tin and some way to crush the biscuits for the base. I did it all in the food processor then pressed the crumbs into the foil lined tin with the bottom of a container as above. I must say, it was inspired of me to think of lining the tin. She didn't say to do it but I did it because my tin is showing signs of age. It's a very soft, floppy pie, the foil helped it not fall apart completely once it's done.


Repeatability: I'd do this again quite happily but I'd do some things differently. I think I'd cook it longer and I'd aim to do more accurately what she says, which is to make sure the base goes up the side of the tin a bit more. It's a floppy filling - it needs support.

It comes out of the oven having risen like a souffle, but then it sinks down a little. Nigella says this is how it should be. I rather liked the uneven, golden rise on mine!


Sauciness: Very saucy, if, like me, you have a husband who is made infinitely happy by the promise and subsequent cooking of a lime flavoured dessert!

Overall pleasure level: Vastly pleasurable. It's easy to throw together (even with the whisking of egg whites, which is not something I'm thrilled about generally speaking). High pleasure for minimum effort really. We gave it a 7.5 out of ten, because really, it has to be made again and probably even again and again to be perfected.

Butterscotch Layer Cake

This is the sort of cake that people call 'very rich' but then go on to have three slices with languorous ease - Nigella Lawson



The verdict: This is, hands down, one of the best cakes I've ever had the pleasure to make. It was great fun, taught me a thing or two and turned out perfectly. You can't ask for more.

Unusual or substituted ingredients: For this cake, you need to make caramel before you even start the cake. Not being much of a confectioner, this presented a challenge for me.



I was a bit nervous and in fact ruined the first batch. All that boiling sugar syrup turns to burnt caramel in an instant. Despite Nigella warning that caramel is meant to burn, I don't think she meant this much.


I made it again, and the second time, it was the warm, golden brown you expect. You put that aside and get on with the cake which is one of those lovely 'blitz everything' recipes that I love Nigella for.

She asked for Golden Caster Sugar and I finally figured out that in Australia, CSR produce 'Raw Caster Sugar' which I'm reliably informed is the just the thing. It, along with the brown sugar (she asked for light muscvado) gives the cake a lovely, not overly cloying richness.



The caramel is later mixed with 400g of cream cheese which sounded really, really odd to me but then I'm not technically a caramel lover so I was open to whatever she said to do, even if it did sound odd. Blended together, it makes the most delicious icing and filling.

Special utensils or cookware: I finally got to use the sponge tins I bought a long time ago. That's the only thing, really, that you'll need to get if you don't have some already. The rest is standard.



Repeatability: After a string of Nigella failures, which I haven't documented here because, well, I'm not keen on dwelling on such things, I was beginning to lose faith, but this cake is about as good as it gets. I just loved it. I made it for my husband's 40th birthday - he requested it after we spent a while leafing through books, and it delivered. Make it. It's fabulous.

Sauciness: So delightfully rich, so beautiful to look at - you can't beat it. Decadent and saucy!



Overall pleasure level:

If the amount of times I told the story of this cake at work today is any indication, it's got a high pleasure rating from me. I loved looking at it; I loved eating it; I loved serving it. Loads of pleasure to be had from this special treat. I'm giving it 9 out of ten for all round greatness.