FEBRUARY ROUND UP
my favourite things of the month plus a recipe for the best rice krispies treats
I’ve officially been on Substack writing Sweet Things for one month! At the end of each month, I’ll share a little round up newsletter plus some recommendations. This edition is available to everyone but from March, it will only be available to paid subscribers.
If you’d like to receive all newsletters and additional recipes, it’s easy to upgrade your subscription for just £5 a month / £50 a year. This allows me to continue sharing with you!
Hello friends,
We’ve made it to the end of February! And on a leap year no less! This also marks my first full month on Substack and what a fun ride it’s been. A huge thank you to everyone who has subscribed, shared, sent lovely messages and baked the recipes. Here’s to many more months of Sweet Things.
This week we have our first end of month round up. A place where I share some of the sweetest things I’ve enjoyed over the past few weeks, from bakeries visited, desserts eaten and recipes by others that have caught my eye. I’d love to hear things that you’ve enjoyed this month too!
Also, for paid subscribers this week, I’ve got a short and sweet recipe for some rice krispie treats. They’re arguably one of the best no bake recipes you could make and are so much fun to whip up and eat. I make mine with brown butter (of course), tahini, flaky salt and a little nutmeg and let me tell you, they are delightful. I’ve been having some with a cup of tea most afternoons this week and it has exponentially made my day better.
USA MINI BOOK TOUR
In case you missed it on Instagram, I’m coming to the US! I’ll be there this Spring to talk about my new cookbook and all things dessert. So if you’re based in NYC, Seattle or San Francisco, then I can’t wait to meet you!
I’ll be in:
Seattle - 7th May with Book Larder. Book Tickets here
San Francisco - 8th May with Omnivore Books.
NYC events will be confirmed and updated soon!
I’ll also be eating my way around all of those cities so any recommendations are very welcome.
Okay, let’s get to the round up!
SWEET THINGS OF THE MONTH
Buns at Forno
It’s not often that I’ll make the journey from South London to the depths Hackney. For many reasons that we won’t go into. But earlier this month, I travelled for over an hour in the pouring rain to Forno and it was worth every minute on the bus, tube, overground and bus. If you like buns, this is the bakery for you. They sell classic maritozzi buns that you’ve probably seen all over Instagram, filled to the brim with the airiest fresh cream. But the Veneziana, a brioche filled with custard, was calling my name. And my goodness, what a bun. So soft! So light! So generously filled! And not too sweet. Strong 9/10.
Easter Chocolate
Is it too soon? Perhaps. But will it stop me from cracking open the mini eggs? Absolutely not. I have a few Easter chocolate go-to’s ranging from ‘very cheap and far too sweet but I love it’ to ‘very fancy and a little pricey but worth every penny’. This month I stumbled across something that sits toward the lower end of the spectrum. The Lindt white chocolate eggs. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed them but they were just so creamy. And the perfect little size for a quick sugar hit. I also tried the M&S mini eggs, which are similar to the Cadbury’s originals that we all love but noticeably larger and shinier. I appreciated the weightiness of them and the pretty speckling, but I did miss the matte pastel vibes of the classics. I’d give both a 7/10
Farro Bakery, Bristol
If I see a kouign-aman, I will order a kouign-aman. I feel like they’re quite an underrated pastry choice. I’ll agree that they’re usually not the most visually exciting item on the shelf, but when they’re good, they are GOOD. So the next time you see one, give it a try. I had a fabulous one at Farro Bakery in Bristol at the beginning of the month and the caramelised base and pure butter flavour was just dreamy. An easy 9/10.
And an honourable mention to the rhubarb galette and canelé that I also picked up here. Wonderful.
Other recipes
There are plenty of incredibly talented people writing and developing recipes that I would love to eat. Here are two that caught my eye this month.
Elisa (@saltedrye) posts the most beautiful and imaginative bakes on Instagram and I was so intrigued by her recent french fry cakes. Yes, french fries. In a cake! If there’s anyone that can pull it off, it’s Elisa.
I’m a big rice pudding fan so naturally, anytime someone posts an image or recipe about it, you have my attention. Sophie Bamford from All Day Cake posted some rice pudding content that made me want a big bowl of the stuff, immediately. Rice pudding tart? Yes please.
Right, on to this weeks recipe!
BROWN BUTTER, TAHINI & NUTMEG RICE KRISPIES TREATS
