All Hallow Recipes

The uplifting aroma created by squeezing, juicing and shredding sour oranges to create bitter marmalade is a rewarding seasonal ritual.  Seville oranges are ready to pick from mid December, although they can normally be found in the shops from the first week of...

We were so fortunate that we enjoyed a glorious October afternoon for our allotment club gathering on Wednesday.  The children were very excited to try their home grown baked beans as well as share their produce with the other allotment holders and...

Whatever the weather, our friend and neighbour Emma Chambers, makes a delivery of her vegetables with a cheery smile.  She grows most of her produce within the walls of the Shaftesbury Estate, Wimborne St Giles and at the beginning of the week we receive...

After spending some time working in York recently, I also took the time to discover the city's intriguing chocolate history.  Now that I  have returned to Dorset, hardly a day goes by when I am not tasting fine chocolate or experimenting with sweet and...

I will never forget a particular late summer day I visited All Hallows. This was at a time when my friend Helen lived in the farmhouse.  She has been gathering damsons from the tree in the walled garden and had been working in the kitchen for several hours...

To make sixteen individual brioche buns, you will need: 50 ml (2 fl oz) lukewarm water 15g (1/2 oz) of fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon dried yeast 50 ml 2 (fl oz) milk at room temperature 150 g (6 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature 50 g (2 oz) caster...

My friend Jo popped over to see us yesterday.  She is married to a miller who is the fifth generation to work their watermill near Shaftesbury in Dorset. It's the busiest week of the year for flour millers and bakers, but her husband (who also trained as a...

January brings a much needed calm to the farmhouse.  The opportunity to slow down, recharge and prepare for the coming year.  Seed catalogues are strewn across the sofa as we try to realistically pare the order to a manageable number of packets.  A box of Seville...

You will need  900g (2lbs) redcurrants, washed well and leaves removed but stalks can remain Measure the water depending on the ripeness of the fruit. If the currants are under rip then allow 300ml (1/2 pint)  but if they are ripe simply add half this amount.  If you...

Select a good quality marmalade or ideally make your own for this cake.  Even though the Seville season has drawn to a close this year, there is no reason that you cannot make a 'three fruit marmalade' or even a lemon and lime variety.  This is a great preserve to...

To make 12 cakes using a 7.5cm (3inch) cutter you will need: 175g (6oz) Self- raising flour 85g (3oz) Butter cut into cubes 50g (2oz) Light brown soft sugar 50g (2oz) Currants 1 teaspoon mixed spice 1 medium free range egg & 1 tablespoon milk – beaten together METHOD...

We all have our favourite marmalade recipe, handed down on a scrap of paper that easily came to hand as notes were quickly scribbled.  Or perhaps yours was torn from a weekly magazine the printed words now splattered with juice and sugar and the ink faded. Nothing...

Just recently Lisa gave a private AGA class in a beautiful Dorset farmhouse close to Sturminster Newton.  As well as teaching the lovely Jules how to prepare partridge from her shoot, they spent a cosy afternoon preparing a rich fruit cake so that it could bake slowly...

There are so many versions of this recipe and everyone claims that their particular favourite is the original! This adaptation was shared by a neighbour who regularly won the village produce show each year.  You may like to add a teaspoon of mixed spice and a handful...