Recipes

I've always thought French toast is a cross between eggy bread and bread and butter pudding. Which actually doesn't give it the credit it deserves, as it's a delicious breakfast treat for people young and old, especially amazing served with fresh fruit, jam or hazelnut chocolate spread. It's also the best way to use up slightly stale bread. 

Many people are put off by French patisserie recipes because they seem very complicated. It's usually because they consist of several stand alone recipes, combined to make something very special. But really what this means is if you get a handle on a few relatively simple recipes, you'll be able to wow your friends and family with seemingly complicated ones dishes.

Poached fruit not only makes an excellent desert in its own right, but it's also ideal for using in various pastries and tarts, as it softens the fruit perfectly while preserving taste and colour. You can poach any fruit using the recipe below, but it's most useful for softening up hard fruit before using it for baking.