LEMON LOLLIES

I try really hard to be a blank slate, and to not let this mystical thing that may go under the name of creativity take the first bus out of here, which leads me to look into purchasing packs of special Oreos off the internet for the price of a month's rent (why, America, why did you have to be too cool for us) and seven hundred and fifty grams of cashew nuts at the supermarket, and to actually buy comic books that only Little Match Girls would read, and last but not least to entertain myself in the fine art of producing confectionery. At least one can put their sugar thermometers to good use and suck lollies like one sucks carrots (exactly), to forget for a moment that there's way too much love to go around these days.

APPLE & BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE

When weeks are dangerously dull you need reminders of nice things that happen around you, namely

- cheap kids’ clothes

- bones from the 15^th century dug up at the back of your office

- gathering around said bones and staring at them in excitement for long periods of time

- sugar thermometers

- crumble.

As much as I’d like to share the first four items of the list with everyone, you probably have normal-size physiques and you don’t therefore fit into tops for fourteen-year-olds; the bones have sadly been moved for someone else’s eyes and excitement; and my new sugar thermometer has now become my most treasured possession joint winners with my blender, so back off.

I am however nice enough to contribute to the niceness of your week with the below recipe for the nicest crumble. There’s fresh summery fruit in it and a crunchy crumbly topping with oats and things plus a date caramel layer that makes everything so delicious and sweet and sweet things are the best and they improve the quality of your week (life?) a billion percent.

We can’t really complain after all.

GLUTEN-FREE BANANA CREAM BISCUITS

I am known for being the biggest flour geek (hah) and I really couldn't hide one bit of my excitement when I first took a bite of one of these biscuits (yeh ok fine. I chucked like twenty of them in my mouth like I'd never seen a biscuit before). It's because shortbread is the first thing I've baked from scratch in my life and these are like shortbread but taken to the next level. There's no gluten in sight, just this boatload of protein that is lupin flour which I got from a health food store in Italy, and almonds and this delicious subtle hint of banana. Shall we then mention the creamiest ever creamy banana & almond butter filling. Hello, my name is Iz and I am the bearer of joy a.k.a. crumbly creamy vegan gluten-free banana biscuits.

MINI BOSTON CREAM PIES

I don’t usually get emotional about things (she says, then cries her heart out watching The Muppets Christmas Carol. Why did you have to die, Tiny Tim, although you don’t actually die). However lately I’ve been in this funny mystical mood as a result of which I am quite at peace with the universe and most its inhabitants. Officially surviving the winter (only JUST) has helped, and so has the prospect of squatting in lovely new one-bedroom flats in Bermondsey, thanks Alex I love you too.

But let’s get to the cake part shall we. Well it so happens that this introspective state I am in has led me to fond memories of the best trip ever to America last year, and to this rainy day in Cambridge, Massachusetts after a gourmet dinner of watery salad (don’t ask). Adam who is known for being a part-time guardian angel promptly saved me from everlasting grumpiness and took me to Veggie Galaxy where I had this massive slice of Boston cream pie.

So here’s me sharing the recipe for a mini version of it (I’m only small), and celebrating that one day and today and everything in-between. Like trips with people I care loads about, and being upset about turning a quarter of a century old, and the longest darkest winters; almost running away from everything; people sticking with me even though I can’t possibly figure out why, the view of Tower Bridge from the bus in the morning, going to work only to make friends, nice songs, lunch breaks, ideas, little white fluffy dogs and the calming verse from the age of break – ‘something good will come from nothing’.

SBRISOLONA - ITALIAN CRUMBLY ALMOND TART

To make up for the Englishness of my last bakes I go back to Northern Italy with this one and it might be an Italian common feature but I’m also going back to hilarious names, see Panpapato.

Sbrisolona is dialect for ‘big crumbly thing’ and this thing is in fact quite big and very crumbly. It is also very delicious and it’s not the kind of tart that you slice and eat in a civilised way so unless you’re one of those people that eat an almond with a knife and fork you can break it into pieces as big as you like (or just jump to the next level and don’t even break it into pieces and eat the whole thing like an enormous biscuit. Don’t tell anyone I said that).

It's also perfect for nice weather. As in, if you eat three quarters of it over the sink you can go for a walk (crawl?) to Stoke Newington and you may even get tanned (if you're not me).

See? Happy days all around.

GOLDEN SYRUP BUNDT CAKE

Long weekend in Italia implies coming back to sunny (!!!) London with a tummy full of vegan piadina, a slightly lighter weight on my chest and a head full of ideas. It would be nice to sleep at night sometimes however dreams of cakes and biscuits and things made with buckwheat and sugar sprinkles and lupin flour (yes, flour shopping, yes) and clouds and kittens and seaweed do make me all excited and creative (oooh, creative). So whilst my to-do list of cakes grows and grows and the space in my flour cupboard (!) worryingly diminishes, here’s a recipe for the sweetest moistest cake you’ll ever taste, prepared and baked kind of as soon as I stepped out the plane this morning. It shouts ENGLAND all around because of the golden syrup, but oh well, it could be worse. It could be raining.