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Barb’s Kitchen Stories, Peterborough (2026)

28/05/2026

Apple Crumble Trifle 🍎👇🏼

When you can’t decide on one dessert… why not mix 2 faves together? This dessert looks impressive, but really it’s just a few delicious elements layered together. Save this one next time you want to impress (and indulge) your friends.

🥚For the Custard
8 egg yolks
600ml whole milk
60g sugar
60g flour
Vanilla extract (optional)

Separate the eggs and place the yolks in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and whisk until combined. Add flour and vanilla extract, whisk until smooth. Heat milk in a saucepan until just hot (not boiling). Gradually whisk hot milk into the egg mixture. Return mixture to the saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until thickened, about 5-10 minutes.

🥣 For the Crumble Topping
Ingredients
500g plain flour
250g butter
250g sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and butter. Mix with fingers (or stand mixer) until crumbly. Spread crumble mixture on an oven tray. Bake at 180°C fan for 10-15 minutes until golden.

🍯 For the Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
200g butter
250g brown sugar
600ml pouring double cream

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until simmering. Once simmering, stir constantly for 1 minute, then remove from heat.

🍏 For the stewed Apples
Ingredients
8-10 apples
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tbsp sugar

Peel, core, and slice apples into small chunks. In a pan over medium heat, cook apples with sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of water until softening but not fully broken down. Remove from heat.

To put it all together, you’ll also need:
20-30 savoiardi biscuits (or homemade sponge cake cut into fingers)
300ml double cream, whipped with 2 tbsp sugar to soft peaks

In a trifle dish, layer savoiardi biscuits or cake cubes, custard, apples, crumble, and caramel sauce. Repeat layers until the dish is filled. Top with dollops of whipped cream, sprinkle with crumble, and drizzle (generously!) with caramel sauce.

27/05/2026

Home cooking shouldn’t be expensive, but…

Let’s be real- food prices are rising and when you see a dinner recipe you like, only to find out when you’re at the supermarket it requires about 30 ingredients (3 of which you’ll use a teaspoon of and will probably never touch again)… it can get a bit stressful.

This is why I love super simple, nostalgic dishes like this- you can make a dinner for your family with just a few items and really get the most of your ingredients.

A few other things to note:
👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 This will feed 2 adults and 2 kids, but if the kids are older and have more of an appetite, you can always throw in a few more sausages!
💰The Prices are in Australian dollars
🛍️ I bought the food from a mainstream supermarket and opted for the basics, but prioritised free range eggs & high quality Australian sausages without too many unnecessary added ingredients in them

Let’s get into the recipe and get dinner on the table! ⬇️✍🏻

Ingredients:
6 sausages
140g plain flour
4 eggs
200ml milk
Olive oil / cooking oil
Head of broccoli
1kg potatoes for mashing
Gravy granules (or DIY gravy with meat juices, flour, onions)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the sausages in a dish with some oil (a generous coating on the bottom of the dish) and bake for 15 mins or until browned.

To make the batter, beat the eggs and flour until smooth. Slowly add the milk and whisk together.

Tip: If the sausages are still cooking and you’ve made the batter, this is a great opportunity to start boiling the potatoes.

Remove the sausages from the oven and crank the heat up to 220°C. Whilst they’re still hot, pour the batter over the sausages and place back into the oven for 20-30 mins.

Whilst this cooks, mash your potatoes and boil the head of broccoli. Finally, make the gravy up with boiling water (you can use the broccoli water for this to get a few extra nutrients in!)

Once the batter in the Toad in the Hole has risen and looks golden, remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Smother with gravy and bore your kids about how you used to eat dinners like this when you were their age 😏

27/05/2026

Tuna Mornay Conchiglioni recipe 👇🏼

I know Tuna Mornay is considered an Australian classic, and for good reason- it’s perfect for a simple and comforting weeknight dish which pleases a crowd and isn’t too harsh on your wallet. But trust me, it feels all the more special when you take 10 mins extra time to fill up some Conchiglioni (giant pasta shells) and top it with a golden panko crumb before popping it in the oven.

Ingredients
500g Conchiglioni (Giant Pasta Shells)
1/4 cup olive oil
100g butter
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 Bunch of kale or silverbeet, thinly sliced
75g plain flour
2L milk
2 large lemons (zest and juice)
200mL sour cream
1x 425g tin of tuna in olive oil
150g grated cheddar
50g grated parmesan

For the crumb
1 Cup Panko breadcrumbs
50g Parmesan
50g Cheddar
1 tsp Chilli flakes

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then add in your pasta and cook for 2 minutes less time than the packet instructions.

Meanwhile in a large, shallow saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil and melt the butter. Add in your garlic and sliced greens and cook until wilted, then sprinkle over the flour. Stir well- the flour will thicken and form a paste. Next, gradually add your milk and keep stirring until it comes to the simmer and you have a thick sauce. Remove from the heat.

Next, stir through your lemon juice and zest, sour cream, drained tuna and the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside about 1 cups worth of the mixture for later to fill your shells for the topping.

Once your pasta is done, drain well, and hold back roughly 25 shells or enough to form the patterned top, then add the rest of the pasta to the pan with the sauce and stir to combine.

Take the spare shells and start to layer them on top of the pasta and sauce in a circular pattern. Once laid out, fill each shell with the sauce you set aside (the shells don’t have to be completely full).

In a small bowl, mix together your ingredients for the crumb then sprinkle over the pasta. Bake in the oven at 200°C for 15-20 mins until golden and bubbling.

27/05/2026

Spiced Sardine Meatballs with Parsley and Feta 👇🏼

Sardines might not be a common ingredient on everyone’s shopping list- but because they’re so good for us and delightfully affordable. I’ve tried lots of different ways to make them delicious even for those not super keen on fish, and this one is my absolute favourite. The spicy tomato sauce mellows out the strong sardine flavours and makes for the perfect omega-3 packed alternative to your usual beef meatballs.

Recipe:

For the meatballs:
1kg Whole Sardines (or 600g of
sardine fillets)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Juice of 1 lemon

For the sauce;

6-8 large tomatoes, diced (or 2 tins
diced tomatoes)
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
50g feta cheese

For the sardines, you can either buy them pre-filleted, or, if using whole sardines, gut them and remove the heads. Next, debone them- the easiest way to do this is to pry open the fish from the belly with your fingers, then gently flatten them onto a cutting board to loosen the spine. Flip the sardines over and pull out the spine with your fingers- it should come away with the bones in one piece.

Once prepped, place the sardine fillets onto a cutting board and roughly chop them with a knife until they form a mince. Next, add the sardine meat to a large mixing bowl with the spices, garlic and lemon juice. Mix together with a wooden spoon or your hands, and then roll them into meatballs about the size of golf balls.

To make the sauce, add the tomatoes to a large frying pan and cook on medium heat for about 10 mins or until soft and broken down (if using tinned tomatoes, just bring them to a
simmer). Add in the spices, season well and stir.

While the sauce is simmering, add the meatballs to the pan one at a time. Cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, before turning your meatballs and simmering for a further 15 minutes or until they reach at least 72°C in the centre.

Remove the pan from the heat then sprinkle your fresh parsley and crumbled feta over the top.

25/05/2026

Send to someone you wanna take to the market🧑🏼‍🌾

“How cooking can change your life” and “Beyond the Barcode” speeches)

25/05/2026

Cinnamon buns but make them blueberry 🥣🫐 Recipe👇🏼

Dough:
7g sachet dried yeast
250mL milk
50g caster sugar
90g butter
2 eggs
550g plain flour

Blueberry filling:
500g blueberries (fresh or frozen)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
50g sugar

Cinnamon filling:
2 Tbsp cinnamon
250g soft butter
300g brown sugar

Blueberry & lemon icing:
250g icing sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp blueberry syrup from the filling (just to add colour!)

Method:
Add your milk to a saucepan and heat until lukewarm. Add your sugar and yeast to a large mixing bowl, then pour over the warm milk, stir and allow to sit for 5 mins until foamy.

Next add your flour and slowly mix into a soft dough. Add your butter bit by bit, kneading it into the dough until smooth. Remove the dough ball from the bowl, knead for a few minutes to shape, then pop back into the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm spot for an hour or until doubled in size.

While it’s rising, add the blueberry filling ingredients to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 10 mins until the sugar is dissolved. If it’s very runny, mix 1tsp of cornflour in a cup with a dash of cold water until dissolved, then add this to thicken the filling. Remove from the heat.

While it cools, make your filling and icing- make the cinnamon filling by mixing together the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. For the blueberry and lemon icing, gradually add lemon juice to the icing sugar, stirring until it forms a thick glossy icing. Then take a tsp of your blueberry filling (just take the syrup and not the blueberries) and stir into the icing so it becomes pink.

Pour the icing over while still warm and dig in!

25/05/2026

Need a sweet treat but the pantry is bare? Zesty lemon possets are a winner 🍋 Save this recipe for a quick three ingredient dessert!

This is a wonderful Mary Berry Lemon and Lime posset recipe where I substituted the lime for extra lemon

Ingredients:

600ml double cream
150g caster sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 4 lemons

Method:

Put the cream, sugar, and lemon zest into a saucepan. Heat gently over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the cream is just under scalding point (just hot enough to touch).
Remove from the heat and add the juice of your 4 lemons.

Add to cocktail glasses or individual ramekins and chill in the fridge until set.

(If you don’t love the texture of the zest, strain the mixture before you pour into glasses).

Decorate and serve chilled 🍋

23/05/2026

Proper Yorkshire Puddings 👇🏼 recipe below

One thing people LOVE to ask me as soon as I say I’m from Yorkshire is “can you teach me how to make Yorkshire puddings then? Mine always flop!”

So I’m here to show you my fool proof Pud recipe, so that you can take your roast dinners to the next level just in time for Christmas.

Makes 12+ Large Yorkshire Puddings

Ingredients:
200g plain flour
6 eggs
300mL milk
Olive oil

Method:
The first step to a perfect Yorkshire pudding is a very hot oven. Preheat your oven to 230°C or 210°C fan force.

Once the oven is hot, grab your muffin tin and drizzle each hole with 1cm olive oil, then place it into the oven to heat up whilst you make the batter.

Add your flour to a large mixing bowl then crack in the eggs. Using a whisk, mix the flour into the eggs, beating really well until combined. It’ll be very thick at this point, so slowly add the milk bit by bit and whisk well each time, making sure there are no lumps. Transfer the batter to a jug for easy pouring.

Remove the tray from the oven (make sure it’s been in for at least 10 mins), then quickly pour in your batter. I like to fill it by roughly 2cms or half full. You should hear it sizzle as it hits the hot oil, which is what will make your Yorkshires puff up. If you have extra batter, don’t worry- you can refill the tray after the first batch and make more if you like.

Pop your tray in the oven to cook for about 20-25 minutes (don’t open the oven door while baking or they’ll sink!) or until they’re puffed up and golden brown.

And there you have it!! Foolproof Yorkshire Puddings.

Of course, there is a final step to making these 100% Yorkshire- smother them in gravy!

23/05/2026

Before you reach for a packet snack… 🧀

My must have cupboard staple is high quality extra virgin olive oil, and by having some great infused oils on hand too (I’m using the Christmas infused kit from Cobram Estate), you can whip up wholesome, tasty dishes to share in minutes.

With 4 delicious infused Extra Virgin Olive Oils, this is the perfect gift for the die hard foodie in your family!

So here’s my method for this Hot Honey Marinated Feta with Dukkah and Crispy Garlic Sourdough for when your friends pop over unannounced- they’ll think you knew they were coming when you serve this up 😉

Marinated Feta:
1 Block high quality feta or goats cheese
3 Tbsp Cobram Estate Chilli Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsps Honey
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Sprinkle of any chopped herbs

Spiced Dukkah
You can pick up a high quality dukkah at most supermarkets, or you can throw together these ingredients to make your own!
1 Tbsp toasted nuts, finely chopped (pistachios or hazelnuts work well)
1 Tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 Tsp ground coriander
1 Tsp ground cumin
1 Tsp dried oregano
Pinch flaky sea salt and black pepper

Garlic Sourdough Toasts
½ loaf crusty sourdough
3 Tbsp Cobram Estate Garlic Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Flaky Sea Salt

Method:
Slice your feta or goats cheese into large chunks, then add to a bowl and add all the other marinated feta ingredients. Stir to coat the feta well, then transfer onto a plate or serving dish and sprinkle over a few tsps of your spiced dukkah.

For the toasts, roughly slice up your sourdough, drizzle generously with Cobram Estate’s Garlic Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil, add flaky sea salt and toast in the oven or under the grill until golden and crunchy. Serve up next to your Marinated feta, and that’s it!
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23/05/2026

Bakewell & Brioche Recipes ⬇️🍒

Brioche
Makes either 1 loaf, flower buns, or cinnamon buns

400 g white bread flour
50 g caster sugar
7 g dried yeast
2 tsp salt
100 ml buttermilk/milk
3 eggs
175 g soft butter

Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, buttermilk & eggs in a bowl until it comes together into a ball. Knead for 8 mins, then add the butter and knead for another 8 mins or until well combined. This is a sticky dough, so a mixer is helpful! Place into a clean, lightly oiled bowl, and allow to rise for 1 hr or until doubled in size. Next, shape your dough. For the loaf, cut it into 6 balls then add to a lined loaf tin. If making flower buns, cut the dough into smaller pieces, roll into balls & form flower shapes. If making cinnamon rolls, roll the dough into a large rectangle. Mix 150 g brown sugar, 150 g soft butter & 2 tsp cinnamon into a smooth paste, then spread over the rectangle. Fold the dough in half, cut into 1 inch strips, then twist & roll into buns. Whatever you’re making, leave it to rise for 30 mins - 1 hr or until doubled in size, brush with egg & bake at 200ºC (180ºC fan) for 12-20 mins or until golden brown on top.

Bakewell Traybake

Pastry:
300 g plain flour
150 g cold butter
70-90 ml cold water

200 g raspberry jam
400 g butter
400 g caster sugar
8 eggs
1 tsp almond essence
200 g ground almonds
50 g plain flour
200 g cherries, pitted & halved (optional)
400 g icing sugar
2 tbsp flaked almonds

Rub the flour & butter together until it forms a fine crumb. Add enough water to bring it together into a dough, then roll it out to 3-5mm thick & layer in a large rectangle tin & cut off any excess. Smooth the jam into the pastry case, then add the cherries.

For the filling, cream the butter & sugar together, gradually beat in the eggs & almond essence, then fold in the ground almonds & flour. Spoon into the pastry case. Bake at 200ºC (180°C fan) for 45 mins - 1hr or until risen, firm and golden. Allow to cool completely. Mix the icing sugar with water a tablespoon at a time until smooth, then spoon over the Bakewell, sprinkle with almonds & leave to set.

22/05/2026

Add this to your Christmas baking list! Recipe👇🏼

Mince Pies are really so easy to make and are well worth the extra time as they taste 10x better than supermarket pies! If you have kids, they’ll love cutting out the shapes from the pastry, and your neighbours and friends will love a few of these wrapped in brown paper as an early Christmas treat. So get baking!

Pastry:
380g plain flour
250g butter
120g caster sugar
1 egg

Fruit Mince Filling:
125g raisins
175g currants
75mL br4ndy
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest and juice of 1/2 orange
125g finely cubed butter or shredded suet
125g dark brown sugar
50g mixed peel
1 apple, finely diced or grated
1 tsp mixed spice

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C fan.

Let’s make the fruit mince filling first. You can make this in advance or double up and keep some in the fridge for spontaneous mince pies, as the flavour just keeps on getting better with time! Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine, then set aside while you make the pastry.

For the pastry, rub the flour and butter together in a large mixing bowl to form a fine crumb. Add in the sugar and the egg and mix together. Tip out onto a floured surface and carefully fold together into a rough ball, then roll out to roughly 3-5mm thick. Cut into circles and use the circle to line your greased cupcake tin. This is a very soft pastry, more like a shortbread, so you’ll need to be very delicate with it!

Fill each pastry cup to the top with your fruit mince filling. Then with your leftover pastry offcuts, roll them together into a ball, roll out onto your floured surface to 3-5mm thick again, and then cut out your pastry stars. Pop a star onto the top of each mince pie, wash with egg or milk and sprinkle with caster sugar, then pop into the oven to bake for about 20 mins or until golden brown.

Barb’s Kitchen Stories

28/05/2026

27/05/2026

27/05/2026

27/05/2026

25/05/2026

25/05/2026

25/05/2026

23/05/2026

23/05/2026

23/05/2026

22/05/2026

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