Ray McVinnie knows his apples, and how to turn them into a selection of sweet treats that you are going to find it hard to choose between. But they are made with apples so that's all part of our 5+ A Day, right? Who says we have to choose? Try the warm apple and almond cake with mascarpone, the fine French apple tart and the granny smith cobbler but save some room for the winner of our latest reader recipe competition. I was in the kitchen with Ray last week judging 179 entries to find a winner that has surprised us both. It is a recipe that neither of us has ever made and we sure will do again, but that is all I shall say until the big reveal next week.
In the meantime we have some excellent insight on bone broth (that I have taken, perhaps unfairly, to calling hipster broth) from Mikki Williden and dumplings from Peter Gordon and Suzanne Dale, who gave me her recipe for dumplings made with butter - another thing I had never made but certainly will again.
It's cupcake day on 24 August, you can find out how you can register to bake and sell cupcakes to raise funds to support SPCA centres around the country here. You can get some inspiration for your baby cakes through Warren's nice, ice baby column and in our cupcakes collection.
What's for dinner? A bowl of Kathy Paterson's ham soup.
