Nigella Express...

During my first few weeks at university, I phoned my mum to ask how to cook tinned soup. Needless to say, I've come a long way since that day which left mum convinced I wouldn't survive the year. I have a little stash of recipe books in the kitchen but my favourite by far is Nigella Express. I love Nigella. Although her recipes can hardly be classed as healthy, they work every time. So, after a week of feeling absolutely rubbish with a cold that left me melty-faced and squinty-eyed, I decided I needed to indulge in something comforting like eating cake. I'd also purchased 15 eggs at the supermarket (don't ask) so baking seemed like a good way of using some of them up. I flicked through my cooking bible and came across a childhood favourite - butterfly cakes.

Now, my favourite thing about Nigella is that she actively encourages you to experiment. Her recipes are the only ones I ever mess about with - she suggests plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder, I only had self-raising flour, so rejigged the recipe accordingly. Nigella also favours a whipped cream topping, but I'm old school and wanted traditional buttercream. I also decided that a blob of jam hidden in the centre couldn't hurt!

Every recipe I've made from this book has been a success - my favourites are the oaty breakfast bars, home-made guacamole, chicken and ham pie, and easy-peasy rocky road bars. Although some recipes are repeated from earlier books, I don't mind this. I also have Nigella Lawson: How to Be A Domestic Goddess, but I don't seem to use that one quite as often. I'm now debating whether to invest in Nigella's latest offering - Nigella Kitchen, so watch this space! Now, I'm off to scoff some butterfly cakes - I've decided they're the cure to the grotty cold that I can't shift!