SARAH RAINEY BAKES

Who doesn't like a hash brown? They're my absolute favourite part of a fried breakfast. Crispy and golden on the outside, filled with soft buttery pieces of potato, oozing with bad-for-you-but-oh-so-good oily deliciousness. Mmmm. I'm making myself hungry. Anyway, these ones are even better (big claim, I know) than the ones you get out and about, as they're oven-baked rather than fried - so you get all the yumminess and none of the unhealthiness. Better still, they're incredib

I have a new book out! Hurrah! Six Minute Showstoppers came out this week and I am SO excited to share my new recipes with you. I'll be posting plenty of sneak peeks online, but for those of you who want a hard copy (or e-book) in your hands, you can buy one here on Amazon. And whenever book shops open again, it'll also be on the shelves there! Anyway, for now, here's a tasty pud to tide you over. Ginger biscuits, piled high with pillowy clouds of cream cheese frosting... wh

It's that time of year again: the days are short, the nights are dark and cold... and I want to do nothing else except snuggle up on the sofa and stuff my face with beige foods. Like chips. Oh, and this super-speedy tart. Packed full of juicy berries, creamy custard and crisp flaky pastry, it's the perfect Monday pick-me-up. So pop one in the oven with your dinner tonight and marvel at how easy it is to make - and how impressive it looks (and tastes) when you take it out of t

Tarte tatins - a type of posh, upside-down apple tart - always make me think of MasterChef, particularly the way judge Gregg Wallace pronounces the classic French dessert (and his mouthwatering recipe for them). They're the ultimate dinner party treat: golden, crisp pastry, traditionally enveloped over the top of a pan of caramelising apples and then flipped upside down once it's baked to a crisp. My miniature versions are something of a cheat, but they're no less delicious -

Three ingredient baking is one thing. But how about an entire three-ingredient dinner? Or breakfast... or lunch... come to think of it. These herby salmon crepes - made from just cream cheese, eggs and smoked salmon - would go down well for any meal, and they're just as lip-smackingly satisfying as they look. Using cream cheese in crepe batter makes it light and fluffy, rather than stodgy with flour - and if you use a flavoured variety (this recipe calls for garlic and herb,

Toasty flakes of coconut, a light, crispy biscuit to satisfy those hunger cravings - AND no added sugar. There's a reason these little coconut cookies are a smash hit, with kids and adults alike, from the moment they lay eyes on them. I love using bananas as a binding agent, as they behave just like flour, butter and eggs - but in a single ingredient. And using maple syrup as a sweetener avoids the need for sugar, as well as adding a caramelly twang that sets these cookies we

It's one of those gorgeous January days when, despite the wintry chill in the air, the sun is shining, the skies over London are piercing blue... and suddenly 2019 feels full of possibility. And tasty food, obviously. In a slight variation on my usual theme, this morning I've been testing a recipe that uses some pretty healthy ingredients. Don't worry, I'm not going all maca powder and hemp seeds on you... these are very ordinary, recognisable foods that just happen to be goo

Today, dear bakers, I want to talk to you about Fifteens. Now, I grew up in Northern Ireland. And much as I love my Motherland, it's not exactly the home of gourmet patisserie. But what we do like to boast about is our Fifteens. As anyone from Norn Iron will tell you, Fifteens are a delicacy. The sort of sweet, gooey, marshmallowy treat that no school fair, coffee morning or kids' party would be complete without. I grew up eating, and making, them by the dozen. And now you ca

This simple sponge cake is a secret showstopper. It may look plain but it's sweet, light and fluffy as a cloud. Serve it for afternoon tea, with morning coffee - or make it for your loved one this Valentine's Day, filled with jam and topped with a generous dusting of icing sugar. Made without butter and no raising agent except well-whisked eggs, the Italians call it 'pan di spagna' and flavour it with a little lemon zest or vanilla extract. Not only does it taste great, but i

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas... and here's to all the exciting baking adventures ahead in 2018. I know it's meant to be a time for cutting back, cutting down and hitting the gym after all those mince pies, but I want to talk about CHEESE. Firstly because I love it. And secondly because there is SO MUCH cheese left over in my fridge after the holidays. And this is a great way to use some of it up and counteract the January blues. My easy cheesy scones co

These sparkling, jewelled jellies are the perfect festive dessert - especially if you're looking for something a little different to mince pies and Christmas pud. The clever bit is the bubbles... by heating half the prosecco, and pouring the other half in just before they go in the fridge, you trap the bursting bubbles in the jelly. They are brilliantly boozy - but it's Christmas, so that's allowed. And if you fancy a teetotal alternative, you can use sparkling elderflower or

These easy cheesy dippers are the perfect party snack. Made from mozzarella, eggs and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, they couldn't be simpler to whip up - and they're a real crowd pleaser. I like to serve mine with chunky tomato salsa, but they work well with hummus, guacamole or even a steaming bowl of chilli con carne and some sour cream. Makes around 18 dippers Ingredients: 3 x 125g mozzarella balls 2 medium eggs Handful of fresh parsley Method: Preheat the oven to 200C and gr

Baking for breakfast shouldn't be allowed... but these nutty granola bars are basically a souped-up version of a bowl of cereal, so you can pretend they're good for you. I love granola - the bittier, the better. This one uses the Co-Op's own brand, which contains toasted coconut, raisins, nuts and dried fruit), but you can bake with any you prefer. Eat them first thing in the morning, half-way through the day for an energy-boosting snack, or any time you need a pick-me-up. An

When my sister and I were little and craving something sweet, we knew exactly what to do. We'd raid the cupboards for some marshmallows, sandwich them together between a couple of chocolate digestives and stick them in the microwave for 30 seconds. Cue squidgy, gooey, melty, chocolatey deliciousness (and some very sticky fingers). Our homemade s'mores were the inspiration for this indulgent pie. I like to stick the pan in the middle of the table at parties, with plates of hob

People often ask me what the most impressive three ingredient recipe I've come up with is. And my response is always the same: this insanely delicious, dense, moist, syrupy cake, drizzled with honey and scattered with toasted flaked almonds. Because if making an ENTIRE CAKE with just three ingredients isn't impressive, what is? This recipe is also pretty timely: honey cake is traditionally made to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year, which - my Jewish friends tell me

Some days – the grey, mizzly ones that made up most of our ‘summer’ – you just need to snuggle up on the sofa with a mug of tea and a big bar of chocolate. And if you’re looking for something more sophisticated than Dairy Milk, then chocolate bark is for you. Made by melting good quality chocolate into a thinner, more rustic slab and drizzling it with all sorts of tasty topping combinations, it not only hits those chocolate cravings but makes an impressive gift. And it’s seas

Like posh Mini Cheddars, these little rounds of cheesy goodness will transport you back to your childhood. I like to serve them as canapes at parties, but they'd make a great mid-afternoon snack - or you could dish them up after dinner, topped with YET MORE CHEESE. Whyever not. I like them because they're crumbly and soft in the centre, rather than crispy, so it's a bit more like a cheesy scone than a biscuit. You can use any hard cheese - it doesn't have to be parmesan - but

I discovered an amazing thing the other day. I was in the supermarket, stocking up on peanut butter, and, lo and behold, on the shelf beside the nut butters and the jams and marmalades, I saw a vision. And that vision was called MALTESER CHOCOLATE SPREAD. It seems to comprise mashed up Maltesers, with little orbs of crunchy maltiness, enrobed in a sugary and delicious chocolate spread. Aka sheer heaven. So obviously I wanted to use it in some baking. These little muffins are