"Having worked a large portion of my life in a bakery it reminds me of the quiet mornings before the doors were opened to the public, and the clatter of the day began, but it also reminds me of childhood."

Vanilla adds a depth of flavour to the cake and is the classic ingredient in Chantilly cream

These cookies are fun to make with younger family members.

"Passion fruit, stewed gooseberries, diced mango, macerated raspberries or some lemon curd all work just as well within the assembly as the traditional strawberry."

"They moved from children's party staple to fancy wedding adornment, a cupcake tower is very handy for weddings guests and party goers, each one a perfect single serve."

"If strawberries are not a favorite, you can fill them with any soft fruit, grilled peaches work very well or poached pears."

Adding some vegetables to these muffins is a handy way to have a relatively healthy snack to hand. I find them particularly useful when traveling with children. 

"Three contrasting layers are brought together to create the enduring favourite, one soft, one crisp, and one crumbly."

"Originally intended to accompany ice cream, that is still a great use for them today. These cookies make two wonderful sides of an ice cream sandwich as the chewiness allows you to bite into the sandwich without squishing the ice cream."

"We had versions with chocolate peanut butter cups, cherries in syrup, colourful candy sweets, but my favourite was always the simple vanilla. It was baked to perfection each time with a dark golden top and a creamy, yet crumbly interior rich in flavour."