It is an effortless recipe for homemade Vanilla Extract that requires only two ingredients of excellent quality: vanilla pods and 95% rectified spirit. This strong alcohol is an ideal choice for vanilla extract. Although it has its specific taste and odour, unlike rhum or bourbon, it allows the vanilla to centre stage and the colour of the extract comes entirely from the vanilla, not the alcohol. The Homemade Vanilla Extract is quick and easy to make; however, extracting flavour from vanilla pods takes time. Allow at least six months up to a year for the extract to mature, and you will end up with a homemade wonder that will fill your bakes with a fantastic aroma. Find the recipe here.

My, oh my! These buns are so light, delicate and pillowy that you can’t stop eating them! They’re St Lucia buns, served in the run-up to Christmas across Scandinavia. The sweet rolls are eaten traditionally on the 13th of December, St Lucia’s Day (also known as The Festival of Light), in celebration of Lucia, the patron saint of light and the victory of light over darkness. These golden-hued saffron buns are formed into an S shape that resembles a curled-up cat and two raisins are added to represent its eyes. The slightly sweet rolls taste best warm with butter. Find the recipe here…

Traditional sweet mini pies baked and eaten in the festive season before Christmas. Mince pies are made from short crust pastry filled with the sweet mix of dried fruits, spices, citrus zest, all soaked in alcohol. These festive pies of English origin have been known there since the 13th century. They originally were savoury, not sweet as consisted of a mixture of minced meat, suet, fruits and spices. Today almost every housewife has her own recipe for mince pies and mincemeat if she prepares a homemade version of the pies. I prefer less sugary filling but use a bit sweeter French buttery pastry. Try my recipe here…

Mincemeat needs at least two weeks to macerate before using in mince pies. Dried fruits, almonds, spices and orange zest have enough time to soak beautifully in sherry, and their flavours become rich and complex. Although I’m not entirely against store-bought mincemeat as you can buy a very good one, but when is homemade its taste is completely different. Homemade mince meat is easy and quick. Cooking takes only 10 minutes, dried fruits, almonds are available at grocery stores, and you can control the amount of sugar which may be important. The homemade mincemeat can be made up to six months in advance. Find the recipe here….

There are many recipes for a perfect homemade coffee ice cream. Some call for instant coffee granules, other for steeping grounds in hot milk to get the desired coffee flavour. I simply use a concentrated brewed coffee of good quality and add it to the creamy mixture which makes the taste of the ice cream the way I like. One teaspoon of coffee liqueur enriches the flavour but it is not essential and can be replaced with an extra teaspoon of brewed coffee. The homemade coffee ice cream is velvety, creamy and insanely delicious. Find the recipe here…

Financiers are small cakes made of ground almonds, icing sugar, egg whites, flavoured with brown butter (beurre noisette). They are light, moist, and full of flavour, beautiful to look and so absurdly delicious to eat! Their outsides are browned and crispy, the insides - pillowy soft. The financiers are traditionally baked in small rectangular moulds and therefore they resemble bar of golds. I don’t have a dedicated financier tin so used a mini muffin pan which, believe me, doesn’t affect their taste and structure. The slightly tart raspberries are the perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of the sponges. Find the recipe here….

This ice cream is for serious chocoholics only, so rich and full of real dark chocolate that one scoop is enough, believe me. The ice cream base requires tempering eggs with hot cream, however, this is the best base ever because makes the ice cream incredibly creamy and smooth. Furthermore, it’s simple to make and worth the effort. The dark chocolate ice cream doesn’t require an ice cream maker and special equipment. After cooking, cool it and then freeze in an airtight container or a covered loaf tin. Find the recipe here…

This is a traditional polish fruit cake called Placek ze sliwkami I bake in mid-August when first summer plums appear on the markets. This sour-sweet treat is actually an autumnal cake in which traditionally yellow-fleshed dark Hungarian Plums are used. We love homemade Placek ze sliwkami because is very comforting and full of fresh fruits. Perfect to feed the crowd and as a fabulous dessert for a garden party or picnic. If you don’t spot Hungarian Plums on the market or supermarket, other varieties such as Damsons Plums and Italian Prunes Plums work well either. Find the recipe here...

Strawberry season is peaking and the fruits are at their best. They could not be any sweeter than they are now so this is the best time to enjoy these summer berries. If you are crazy about the strawberries and love them sincerely so much that you add them to every possible meal or drink, you won't ignore this recipe. The velvety creamy strawberry ice cream of a deep flavour will become your favourite summer dessert and a must on the menu. It is extremely addictive but also very rich so one scoop is enough to feel the summer vibe. Find the recipe here…

A rich taste, smooth, velvety texture and the scent of real vanilla make this ice cream compellingly addictive. It’s amazing in a crispy cone, perfect with a hot apple pie, caramel sauce or fresh fruits, a great base for a decadent warm chocolate topping.  Handcrafted vanilla ice cream is a fantastic treat and a world apart from the store-bought stuff. A cooked custard base - very classic - can be used for any flavour you can dream up. Is there anything better than a big bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream on a hot lazy day? Find the recipe here...