What To Cook With This Month
by Holly Thomson
When it comes to the art of chocolate, who better to guide us than the 'Boy Who Bakes' and chocolate master, Edd Kimber. Known for his meticulous yet accessible approach to patisserie, Edd's brand new cookbook has just landed - and we're sharing an exclusive taste of his creations.
In this trio of recipes, Edd brings his signature flair to several show-stopping chocolate desserts.
Whether you're baking for Easter, for a spring birthday of a family gathering - make sure you put one of Edd's incredible cakes or puds at t he heart of your celebrations this month.
Recipes to try this month
Tahini Milk Chocolate Paris-Brest
Burnt Honey and Caremelised White Chocolate cake
10 amazing ingredients to try this month
Callebaut’s luxurious caramel chocolate couverture offers a rich, buttery profile that has made it a staple for pastry chefs worldwide. Each batch is infused with caramelized sugar and milk, finished with a subtle hint of salt to perfectly balance the sweetness.
Think toffee, toasted buttery white chocolate heaven.
Pariani Chopped Sicilian Pistachio, 100g
Pariani Chopped Sicilian Pistachio, 100g
Sicilian pistachios are loved all over the world for their vibrant green colour and intense pistachio flavour. They have slight bitter notes that come from being grown in volcanic soil, giving them a flavour that goes with sweet and savoury dishes alike.
Madagascan Gourmet Vanilla Pods x 10
Madagascan Gourmet Vanilla Pods x 10
Unlike synthetic vanilla, real vanilla is a complex ingredient with over 250 compounds, offering a rich and layered flavour.
However, it’s also one of the world’s most expensive spices, and its journey from plant to product is fraught with challenges. Vanilla requires careful hand-pollination and takes up to five years to mature, with crops vulnerable to extreme weather and theft.
Lamiri Harissa, 190g
Lamiri Harissa, 190g
Lamiri harissa brings the bold, smoky flavours of Tunisia straight to your kitchen. Imported from La Marsa, this family recipe has been passed down through generations of the Lamiri family, using Baklouti chillies dried in traditional wood-burning ovens for a deep, aromatic heat. Stir the paste into soups and stews, spread it over flatbreads or whisk it into tomato sauce to serve with lamb meatballs and a cooling spoonful of yoghurt. It’s also a classic way to bring richness and warmth to couscous dishes across North Africa.
Flavoured with tabil - a Tunisian blend of caraway and coriander - Lamiri harissa has warm, earthy undertones beneath its gentle smokiness. The family sources ingredients directly from local farmers, ensuring the freshest spices and fullest flavour. For a quick marinade, mix the harissa with yoghurt, lemon and crushed garlic; it’s fantastic with lamb, chicken thighs or monkfish. A little goes a long way, delivering instant depth wherever you use it.
Sous Chef urfa pepper - or isot biber - is a deeply aromatic Turkish chilli with a flavour unlike any other. The peppers ripen on the plant until they turn a deep purple, then undergo a traditional two-stage drying process: sun-dried by day and tightly wrapped at night to “sweat”. This slow curing concentrates their natural oils, giving the flakes a warm, rounded heat with smoky, almost raisin-like sweetness and a subtle citrus note.
Urfa pepper is essential in dishes like çiğ köfte and lahmacun, where its gentle warmth and complexity shine. But it’s just as good used simply - fry a pinch in butter and drizzle it over breakfast eggs, swirl it into yoghurt for a quick dip, or scatter it over roasted aubergines and grilled meats. Rich, savoury and versatile, it’s an easy way to bring authentic Turkish depth to everyday cooking.
Two Fields x Sea Sisters Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 120g
Two Fields x Sea Sisters Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 120g
Two Fields x Sea Sisters sardines make it effortless to serve a nourishing, flavour-packed meal. Enjoy the tender fillets piled onto toast with a squeeze of lemon, or add them straight from the tin to salads and grain bowls for instant protein. Sourced from well-managed Cornish fisheries, Sea Sisters sardines are a standout example of sustainable British seafood, preserved in small batches of Two Fields’ aromatic extra virgin olive oil.
These sardines are a versatile pantry staple you can turn into dinner in minutes – stir them into pasta, fried rice or tomato sauce for an easy boost of richness. For a quick snack, mash them with crème fraîche, lemon and herbs to make a zingy dip for crackers or crudités. The olive oil they’re packed in is produced in eastern Crete using regenerative farming methods, made from hand-picked, cold-pressed Koroneiki olives for a fresh, fruity flavour with a peppery finish. Beautifully packaged in fully recyclable tins, this British–Greek collaboration is as sustainable as it is delicious.
Emma Basic Roasted Black Sesame Seeds, 150g
Emma Basic Roasted Black Sesame Seeds, 150g
The seeds are already roasted, saving you time in the kitchen. The roasting process intensifies their rich, nutty flavour. They’re a great way to add extra protein and fibre to your dish.
Roasted sesame seeds are a tasty topping for baked goods. Scatter them over pretzels and burger buns.
Thiccc Sauce Honey Butter Louisiana Sauce, 150ml
Thiccc Sauce Honey Butter Louisiana Sauce, 150ml
Emma Basic Dried Black Fungus Mushrooms, 80g
Emma Basic Dried Black Fungus Mushrooms, 80g
Black fungus, also known as wood ear mushroom, is a staple of Chinese cooking. The dried mushrooms must be soaked in warm water before use, where they rehydrate into springy, jet-black curls. Mild in flavour but fantastic at absorbing seasoning, they take on whatever you cook them with - soy sauce, garlic, chilli and aromatic oils all cling beautifully to their surface.
These versatile mushrooms are used in soups, braised dishes and Chinese hot pot, adding texture rather than overt flavour. They’re also delicious served cold in salads or tossed through fried rice. Try them in Pippa Middlehurst’s miso chicken claypot rice, where the black fungus soaks up the savoury, umami-rich sauce and adds gentle crunch to each bite.
