It's Pie Time
With my Chocolate Brownie & Toasted Pecan Praline Pie. Also on the menu is my Sticky Apple Chai Pudding, Cinnamon & Chocolate Marble Loaf and the best midweek eat – my Baked Vodka Pasta.
Hey Friends!
I hope you are all well – welcome to November. I am not quite sure how we have got here as I am 96.3% certain it was literally just September like the other day. This year has flown by and quite frankly, I am mad at that. All those goals and dreams and aspirations I had at the start of the year have now been officially postponed to 2026. I boldly claimed that this year would be MY year. Instead, it was the year I got married, a swollen eye, e coli, covid, a sprained ankle, food poisoning on more than 3 occasions and more migraines than I can keep track of BUT ain’t none of that gonna ruin how I end the year – which I have readjusted, re-evaluated and realistically set the goals to be:
Become festively plump, stuffed to the brim with roast potatoes at all times.
Continue drowning in buttery, baked goodies.
Over commit and under deliver in telling everyone I will always bring the cake/pudding/sweet treat to whichever social gathering I have said I can attend.
If I can’t emphatically do the above, I will officially declare myself defeated.
In other less dramatic news, we have been keeping it filthy over here with the baking and by we, I mean my team consisting of me and my 6 other personalities: Snoozy, Snacky, Sassy, Silent, Sad (99.9% of the time over a failed bake – see former newsy where I failed at making my birthday cake 5 times) and Sweaty (post Padel – yes, I have become *that* person). I have been contemplating investing in myself and extending my current team as I am almost certain 5 of those personalities are secretly forming a Union ready to revolt at any moment but can someone PLEASE have a word with me because the minute I think about relinquishing any sort of control, I find myself hands and teeth clenched, forehead clammy and dripping in fear.
Do I have control issues? Absolutely but quality control is a necessity in the baking world.
I currently fulfil the roles of Writer, Baker, Recipe Developer, Content Creator, Photographer (an iPhone counts, okay??), Picture Editor, Videographer, Video Editor, Copywriter, Company Director, Accountant, Personal Assistant (to Milo and myself), Receptionist and Team Organiser. So, a number of roles with very little holiday allowance but my my, the perks are truly wonderful.
So far this year, staff have been treated to:
12 different cakes from around the world (I know we all expected this to be over by now and it is the most dragged out series known to mankind but honestly they take me an age to film and edit).
A number of random cakes, birthday cakes, everyday cakes and cakes that should never, ever be repeated.
A shit tonne of failed bakes which, I have you know, is part of team building, staff motivation and personal development.
And lastly, a trip to Mexico (incoming next week – a honeymoon do-over if you will, please send me your best wishes, prayers and good luck that this trip will be less disastrous than the last).
If you couldn’t tell, life is good over here at the Last Bite HQ. Lots in planning, lots in the making and lots of deliciousness in store for you in the coming weeks. Some upcoming goodies include:
Banana Tart Tatin with Cinnamon Rum Ice Cream
Chocolate Alfajores (which will be part of the Christmas biscuit edition!)
Berry Meringue Cake (your post xmas dins pud wink wink)
And the moment everyone’s waiting for…my annual Gingerbread House meltdown.
Quadruple the fun means quadruple the yum. This week we are serving up warm, cosy, comforting eats perfect for hosting a crowd, a date, a mate or just yourself (which means no sharing – MAJOR win).
First up, we have my Sticky Apple Chai Pudding. Am I slightly obsessed with making puddings, soaking them in a sauce, topping it with ice cream and finishing it with lashings of piping hot sticky butterscotch? Absolutely. Last time we had a banana and chocolate version, this time we level it up with Apples and Chai. As someone who has been very verbal about their indifference slash borderline hatred for apples, believe me when I say a slice of this is akin to the perfect autumnal day. And as someone who LOVES autumn, there could be no better endorsement than that.
Marble Cake is a classic. It’s the sort of cake which mesmerized me as a child – what do you mean I can have both vanilla and chocolate sponge together, at the same time, all in one?? Magic. And whilst the OG is perfect as is, I have given it a Rubes twist by inserting cinnamon into the convo, alongside a salted milk chocolate glaze. The swirly twirly mingling of the batters is not only so satisfying when sliced but levels up the classic with that subtly spiced twist. My Cinnamon & Chocolate Glazed Marble Loaf is a great beginner bake, doesn’t need any fancy pants equipment to make and keeps well for a few days. And you know what leftovers mean?? Cake for brekkie.
One midweek eat which is made on repeat in my house the minute it starts to get colder, is my Baked Vodka Pasta. Every man and their dog has their version of vodka pasta on social media but I promise you, mine isn’t like the rest. Featuring chorizo and a touch of heat and finished in the oven for that lightly charred top, eating this piping hot and straight it out of the pan is my idea of the perfect night in. Chuck in some garlic bread focaccia (sharing in the next newsy!) to dunk in the ooey gooey cheesy sauce and that is a snapshot of what I believe heaven looks like.
Finishing up the menu this week is my Chocolate Brownie and Toasted Pecan Praline Pie…or tart. Whichever terminology tickles your pickle. I shared this a while back (about over a year and a half ago but with hazelnut instead) and I have been dreaming of it ever since, so knew it was time to revisit, give it a revamp, tweak it, alter it, change it, and make it even better than it was before. Think chocolate pastry. Think purposely underbaked brownie, studded with chunks of milk choc. Think salted pecan praline. Think a mountain of heavily vanilla bean spiked whipped cream. Think shaved chocolate to finish. And that my friends, that is the sort of filth that is missing from all our lives. Dirty, filthy, disgustingly delicious. Gimme the whole pie and gimme it right now.
Starting off the recipe haul strong with my Sticky Apple Chai Pudding. Let’s address the elephant in the room and let me just come out loud and proud and say I am 100% obsessed right now with making puddings, soaking them in a sauce, topping it with ice cream and finishing it with lashings of piping hot sticky butterscotch. Whatever the fruit may be, just know I will be considering it to see whether it would be pudding-worthy.
Last time we had a banana and chocolate version, this time we level it up with Apples and Chai. As someone who has been very verbal about their indifference slash borderline hatred for apples, believe me when I say a slice of this is akin to the perfect autumnal day. And as someone who LOVES autumn, there could be no better endorsement than that.
Simple to make and quick to bake, this is a warming, cosy and comforting slice of nice. A simple apple and almond sponge, soaked in a chai butterscotch sauce, served up warm for an indulgent little sweet treat. In addition to this sumptuously saucy, sickeningly sexy slice, I am also sharing with you my beloved Chai Spice mix recipe. The below will make more spice mix than you need for the recipe but store the leftovers in a sealed container and they will keep good for up to a year.
Add the chai spice to buttercreams, sponge batters, whipped creams, biscuits, pastries, bread and of course…your tea. It’s a warming blend that’s perfectly balanced – the smell of chai in the air is mildly intoxicating and feels like a hug in a cup. It’s so good, even my mum asks me to make her the blend. The teacher learning from the student?? I feel like I have made it.
Recipe Makes: 10 inch x 13 inch / 25 x 33 cm deep baking tray
Recipe Serves: 12 to 15 portions
Y O U – W I L L – N E E D –
Chai Spice Mix
3 tbsp Ground Ginger
2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp Ground Cardamom
1 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Powder
3/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground Star Anise
Pinch of Ground Black Pepper
Pudding
275 g Seasonal Apples, peeled & cored
1 tbsp Lemon Juice, fresh
300 ml Whole Milk
4 Large Eggs
75 g Unsalted Butter, melted
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1.5 tsp Almond Extract
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
440 g Plain Flour, sifted
115 g Light Muscovado Sugar
70 g Dark Muscovado Sugar
4 tsp Baking Powder, sifted
1.75 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted
1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
¼ tsp Salt
Sauce
410 ml Evaporated Milk
300 ml Double/Heavy Cream
300 g Unsalted Butter, diced
300 g Light Brown Sugar
1.5 tsp Chai Spice Mix (I go heavy but if you like it more subtle opt for 1 tsp)
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
1.5 tsp Cornflour, sifted
M E T H O D –
Preheat oven to 150C Fan/170 C/335 F/Gas Mark 3 and liberally grease the bottom and sides of a 10 inch x 13 inch / 25 x 33 cm deep baking tray with butter.
Make the Chai Spice Mix by adding all the ground ingredients together in a small Tupperware. Seal and give it a good shake to mix. This makes more spice mix than you need to use for this recipe but stored in a sealed container, will keep well for 12 months.
For the sponge, add the peeled apples, alongside 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1.5 tbsp of water to a food processor or blender. Blitz until just pureed – don’t over blend as we don’t want the apples to oxidize and go brown.
Add all the wet ingredients for the sponge: pureed apples, milk, eggs, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, almond extract and vanilla bean paste into a large bowl. Give it a good stir with a balloon whisk and mix until smooth. Leave to one side.
Into a larger bowl, add all the dry ingredients for the sponge: flour, sugars, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon and salt. Use a whisk to thoroughly mix – integrate all the ingredients now to avoid overmixing in the next step.
Pour the wet ingredients into the larger bowl and thoroughly mix using a balloon whisk. Once you are left with little to no visible flour streaks, use a rubber spatula to wipe down the edges and bottom of the bowl to ensure there are no flour pockets.
Transfer the batter to your greased tin and use the back of a spoon to level out the batter. Pop the tray into the oven and bake for 30 to 32 minutes.
Whilst the sponge is baking in the oven, make the sauce by adding all the ingredients to a pan and placing over a medium heat.
Allow the butter to gently melt, stirring little and often for the sauce to get saucy. Once the sugar has dissolved and the butter has completely melted, allow the sauce to cook for a further 5 minutes to reduce slightly and thicken.
Once the sponge is baked (give the top a press and if it bounces back, you’re all good), remove from the oven.
Use a skewer to poke holes into the sponge (the more the better) before carefully pouring about 3/4 of the hot sauce over the top. Don’t worry about the liquid pooling, let time do its thing. Cover the top of the tin with clingfilm and allow the pudding to sit for at least 30 minutes to soak up all the liquid.
When ready to serve, portion up the sponge into 12/15 generous servings and use a fish slice or spoon to scoop out. Transfer to a serving plate, top with some vanilla ice-cream, a drizzling of the reserved sauce before finishing with a light sprinkling of sea salt.
Next up, we have my Cinnamon & Chocolate Marble Loaf. So sure, me making another loaf cake and glazing it in a choccy sauce isn’t exactly ground-breaking but with cosy season on our doorsteps, all I want is delicious sweet treats to enjoy alongside my morning cup of coffee or as a mid morning, mid afternoon, pre dinner and post dinner snack.
And this? This is just that. With a tender, buttery soft, dense yet light cinnamon spiced cake marbled with black cocoa and smothered in a salted milk chocolate glaze - it’s a satisfyingly easy and elevated take on a classic marble cake. Best served up after freshly glazed and alongside a cup of coffee, a slice of this would also work beautifully well topped with whipped mascarpone and some boozy macerated blackberries. I wish I could show you a picture of said set up but I’ll level with you folks, I have just thought of that now. Damn you hindsight.
I know some people think cinnamon and chocolate isn’t a pairing that goes well together, however I think the subtle spicing teamed with the sweet, salted chocolate is a formidably tasty duo. Don’t believe me? Give the below a go and gimme your thoughts.
Please note this recipe was developed in collaboration with All Things Butter for which I am a brand partner for but you know I’ll only ever share the good stuff with you!
Recipe Makes: 1 x deep 2 lb loaf tin
Recipe Serves: 8
Y O U – W I L L – N E E D -
Loaf
100 g All Things Butter Unsalted, room temp
80 g All Things Butter Cinnamon Bun, room temp
125 g Caster Sugar
100 g Light Brown Sugar
3 Eggs, large
225 g Plain Flour, sifted
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted
1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted
3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt
175 g Greek Yoghurt, room temp
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
25 g Black Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, sifted
50 ml Buttermilk, room temp
½ tsp Almond Extract
Glaze
160 ml Double Cream
150 g Milk Chocolate, bar/callets
¼ tsp Sea Salt
M E T H O D -
Preheat the oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a 1 x 2lb deep loaf tin. Lower the oven rack to no higher than the middle to ensure the loaf doesn’t brown too quickly when baking.
Add the butter and sugars to a stand mixer bowl and use a paddle attachment to beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and mix until combined. We don’t want this aerated, we want this to be just mixed but emulsified – if the mix looks curdled, continue mixing on a high speed until smooth.
In a separate bowl, add the flour, bicarb, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix using a balloon whisk before adding to the stand mixer bowl alongside the Greek yoghurt and vanilla.
Mix on a medium speed until smooth.
Into another bowl add the cocoa powder, buttermilk and almond extract. Mix well until smooth. Add 300 g of batter to the bowl and fold until just combined.
Use an ice cream scoop or piping bag to add both batters to your tin – you want to go for a checkerboard pattern with the batters, alternating scoops of each one.
Once all the batter has been added, use a skewer or sharp knife to marble the batter. I like to drag the batter from top to bottom and then side to side.
Firmly tap the base of the tin onto your worktop to remove any air pockets before placing into the oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until the top is domed and holds it’s shape when gently pressed. To ensure the batter is cooked insert a skewer to see if it returns any unbaked batter. If it does, place back into the oven for a further 5 minutes.
Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring and wrapping to a sheet of clingfilm. Leave to cool at room temperature.
Once cool, make the glaze by adding the double cream to a pan. Place over a medium heat and bring to a near boil. Add the chocolate and salt and cover the pan with a lid for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, mix well until glossy and smooth. Leave to cool until lukewarm – you want this to be thickened but still fluid.
Place your loaf onto a cooling rack with a tray placed underneath. Pour the glaze over the top to cover.
Pour over any surplus chocolate collected in the tray beneath for a generously thick glaze. Leave to set before slicing with a warm knife.
If you thought we were done, think again and unbuckle that belt another notch because my Baked Vodka Pasta is one of the best midweek eats you can treat yourself to. Of course, there are no rules as to when and what day you make this, but nothing and I mean NOTHING can make the thought of a Tuesday feel more tolerable than knowing this dinner is waiting for you at the end of the day.
Every man and their dog seems to have a recipe for this and RIGHTLY SO. It’s a pasta dish that holds me in a chokehold and whilst there are some incredible versions of it knocking around, there are also some horrors, and I am pleased to announce that this is not one of them.
My take on this spiced, deep tomatoey, cheesy, ooey gooey, pasta dish is baked in the oven for that lightly charred and crisp finish and is a great way to use up any leftover cheese that you may have knocking around in your fridge. This is also a recipe I churn out post-Christmas, when I’ve inevitably over inflated my ability to consume diary and bought every cheese known to mankind to grace my cheeseboard. Whilst I have opted for Comte (a strong, bold, slightly nutty cheese akin to Parmesan) and Mozzarella (cause who doesn’t love a cheese pull?), you can add whatever cheeses tickle your pickle. Go for a mix of hard and soft cheese for a robust yet creamy, saucy finish.
This will forever be on heavy rotation in my household and is the ultimate good mood food sorta dish. It’s too good to not share and I can confirm makes for great leftovers, eaten hot or cold.
She’s a winner winner, baked pasta dinner.
Recipe Serves: 6
Y O U – W I L L – N E E D –
Sauce
Approx 150 g Shallots, finely chopped
3 Cloves Garlic (make sure they are big), finely chopped/grated
125 g Pancetta, diced (can leave out for veg friendly)
150 g Chorizo, diced (can leave out for veg friendly)
1 Red Chili
Pinch of Chili Flakes
Crack of Sea Salt & Black Pepper
5 Fresh Basil Leaves (make sure they are big)
125 g Tomato Paste
50 ml Vodka
275 ml Double/Heavy Cream
Pinch of Sugar
80 g Comte Cheese, grated
Pasta
300 g Conchigle (or whatever shape pasta you want)
80 g Mozzarella, roughly torn/chopped
40 g Comte Cheese, grated
40 g Comte Cheese, cubed
M E T H O D –
Add a good glug of EVOO to an oven proof pan and once warm, add the diced shallots, pancetta, chorizo garlic and chili.
Cook until onions start to go translucent and add the chili flakes, and a good crack of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute.
Add the basil and tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste has gone a deep red colour – be patient with it here, allow the tomato paste time. The deeper the colour, the deeper the flavour at the end but please don’t get deep colour mixed up with burnt!
Pour in the vodka and cook until evaporated. NOTE: For anyone concerned re vodka and serving to kids or those who don’t drink – any alcohol content does get cooked out and is merely there for acidity, not for flavour. If you wish to skip, substitute for lemon, a splash of vinegar (apple cider, white wine or even balsamic would work) or stock.
Pour in the double cream and pinch of sugar. Mix well until smooth before adding 80 g grated Comte. Mix well before tasting and adjusting the seasoning accordingly. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting – remembering to stir little and often.
Cook your pasta in heavily salted water according to packet instructions, until al dente. Make sure you reserve two ladles of pasta water once cooked.
Add the pasta to the sauce alongside the pasta water, grate over 40 g Comte, lightly mix and taste once again.
Add the cubed Comte and mozzarella to the top, pushing some nuggets of cheese down to the base of the pan before pop under the grill for 5 minutes until lightly charred.
Finish with a grating of cheese (sorry for any dairy intolerances) and some basil leaves before scooping and serving whilst hot.
Moving onto the main bake of the day, my Chocolate Brownie & Toasted Pecan Praline Pie. It tastes every bit as indulgent as it sounds but we are breaking down something that sounds super complex, into something that is easy to make at home. The velvety rich brownie filling sits on top of a crisp Chocolate Sweet Shortcrust Pastry and is topped with a Salted Pecan Praline and smothered with a cloud of Vanilla Bean Chantilly Cream.
This is the sort of bake that you can easily dissect and make your own. It’s a little something that if you didn’t like one component, you could enjoy another, all whilst perhaps teaching you a new skill or help you master something you’ve never tried. Whilst you could completely sack off the entire bake and just bake the filling as brownies in their own right, we are using that deliciously, rich, fudgy filth to fill a chocolate pastry case.
It’s indulgent, its naughty, it’s salty, sweet, sumptuous and divine. It’s one hell of a sexy slice and a glorious little treat. I use a deep tart tin to bake all my tart cases (approx. 2.5 inch deep) and had some surplus brownie mix so used that to make some mini muffins and wow – my sister has never hoovered up something so quick. I blinked and all 6 muffin bites had gone, and her response was “no regrets”. Love that energy from her.
If that’s not enough to convince you – LOOK AT IT.
I know I go a bit extra with the bakes on here and occasionally throw everything including the kitchen sink at one ‘simple’ bake but this one truly centres around one part: a brownie.
I’ve made a few different variations on brownies over the years and yes, I will eat them if they are sat in front of my face, but they aren’t the bake that gets those happy feels in my tummy going. You know when you internally drool a little and have to compose yourself and force yourself to think of anything but the bake sat in front of you that no one is serving up and you’re like CAN YOU JUST SERVE IT UP ALREADY?!
Yeah, a brownie is never going to get that reaction from me. But I know they are crowd pleasers and here at the Last Bite, I aim to please. And with Thanksgiving and Christmas on its way, this showstopper sweet treat will even draw gasps, ooh’s and ahh’s out of the most scroogiest of Scrooges.
If you were tempted to lick your screen here, I don’t blame you cause same.
Recipe Makes: 1 x 25 cm / 10 inch tart
Recipe Serves: 12
