Crème caramel, a distant cousin of the crème brûlée, is a smooth, decadent custard-based dessert. The good news is that it really isn’t as tricky to make at home as you may think it is. Here’s how it’s done. The science...

Let me start by assuring you that making your own doughnuts is one-hundred-and-ten percent worth it. It may take a bit of effort and some patience, but you havenʼt lived until youʼve eaten a fresh doughnut, believe me. Before we get to...

Unless you are a chef or have spent a few years at cooking school, you can be forgiven if you have no idea what tempering chocolate involves or why you would do it. But here’s the thing, it’s the art...

Flour, butter, water and eggs. These ingredients, mixed in different ways and in different proportions, can produce a myriad of baked goods – bread, doughnuts, scones, eclairs, tart shells, pie shells or croissants… the list goes on and on. Have...

It’s pretty tough to define toffee, since people all over the world have varying ideas about what characteristics truly define the sweet stuff. It can be crunchy or chewy; plain or nutty. Some varieties have a chocolate coating and others...

Marshmallows have been around for centuries, believe it or not. Originally they were made using gum extracted from the root of the marshmallow plant – no surprises there – but what is surprising is that in ancient times marshmallows were...

Modern day nougat has come to us from France (thank you, French confectioners), although some historians think it actually dates back to the ancient Middle East. Either way, this delicious treat has found its way into most cultures; in Spain...

I have to admit that including brownies in ‘the science behind’ series may be a bit of a stretch since there really isn’t all that much science that goes into making brownies. Nevertheless, everyone needs a perfect brownie recipe, and...

I’m always a bit reluctant to make sweets. Baking cakes and cookies, that’s not too scary but using a sugar thermometer and working with sugar syrup can be pretty intimidating. If you relate to this, I think you may enjoy...

Few desserts are more decadent than pavlova, with its irresistible layers of meringue, cream and fruit. Anna Pavlova must have been honoured to have this delicious creation named after her. Pavlova is basically meringue, which is simply sugar combined with...