GREECE: Loukoumades Loukoumades These were suggested by my very grown-up cousin and aunt — Beatty Jones and Tet Jones. I know that nothing will give them greater pleasure than knowing my balls are on the internet. I added a bit of orange blossom water to the honey...it needed tarting up. INGREDIENTS: 2 (.25 ounce) packages... Continue Reading →

GHANA: Accra Banana Peanut Cake Accra Banana Peanut Cake Lori, the flower is for you ❤️ INGREDIENTS: 4 cups all-purpose flour1⁄4 cup cake flour4 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon salt1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda10 ounces butter or 10 ounces margarine2 1⁄2 cups sugar4 eggs, lightly beaten8 bananas, mashed1⁄2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped1 teaspoon cinnamon DIRECTIONS: In a medium... Continue Reading →

GERMANY: Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte  Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte This takes a morning to make and is no small undertaking. I’m predicting it’s going to be heavenly. Thanks Cameroon! INGREDIENTS: Cake1 cup or 125 g All Purpose Flour3⁄4 cup or 95 g Cornstarch1⁄4 cup or 30 g Dutch Cocoa Powder1 tsp. Salt5 tbsp. unsalted Butter, melted1 cup or 200... Continue Reading →

GEORGIA: Churchkhela  Churchkhela Yuliya Aleksandrovna suggested this tasty number and warned it would take some effort. She was right, in reality this baby takes a week to make properly. I made one string, but imagine they are more normally made in the bucketload, when grapes and walnuts are in abundance. Not tricky, but requires patience...lots... Continue Reading →

GAMBIA: Mango and Ginger Cream Parfaits Mango and Ginger Cream Parfaits I want to thank a few kind people for their help with Gambia — Sebastian Barnick, Khadi Anton, Diago Dieye and (of course) Kip Kiprop. Turns out West Africa, isn’t a big dessert eating region. I could make the millet-yogurt dish called Chakary, but... Continue Reading →

GABON: Chakery Chakery INGREDIENTS: 1 pint vanilla yogurt8 ounces sour cream12 ounces evaporated milk20 ounces crushed pineapple1 dash nutmeg1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla2 cups couscous DIRECTIONS: Mix all the ingredients except the couscous together to make the sauce. Cook the couscous separately with water as directed on the package. Serve Chakery sauce over couscous.

FRANCE: Clafoutis Clafoutis I’ve not said this before, but my Mum’s side of my family is a cooking dynasty...seriously. My Mum was a great cook and her Mum Daff (my granny) was a brilliant cook too...well before it was trendy. My sister Kate Crofton and cousins Tet Jones and Jackson Jones — all bionic in... Continue Reading →

FINLAND: Mustikkapiirakka Mustikkapiirakka Thanks to one of my oldest pals Charlie Stuart for suggesting this one. We went to school together (and Charlie also went to UWC Atlantic) and have known each other for 40 years... INGREDIENTS: For the crust:12 T. unsalted butter, softened½ cup regular sugar + 2 T. light brown sugar1 large egg1 ½... Continue Reading →

FIJI: Custard Pie Custard Pie This one’s for you Nile. Thanks for the suggestion. I really think this is one of my favourite puddings in the world. INGREDIENTS: 2 cups flour2 tsp baking powderPinch salt125g cold butter1 egg4 tbsp cold milk for base2 tbsp caster sugar for base3 tbsp brown sugar for custard3 cups milk... Continue Reading →

ETHIOPIA: Coffee Cake Coffee Cake I feel decidedly conflicted by this one. I have it on good authority that there is only really one truly Ethiopian dessert and I made it for Eritrea. That said, there are all sorts of desserts that are popular in Ethiopia (including this one) but they are usually of Italian,... Continue Reading →