Candice Brown’s undeniable talent and charm led her to sweet victory on the 2016 season of GBBO. Since then, she has published a cookbook titled Comfort, written a regular column for the Sunday Times, and starred in the popular television show, Dancing on Ice. Now, with all her familiar style and flair, Candice’s new cookbook Happy Cooking shines a light on food for the soul, and familiar treats to pick you up on hard days.
With warmth and candour, Candice shares her own struggles with mental health alongside over 100 recipes for sweet and savoury dishes to suit any mood. There are no shortage of dishes to make you smile, from childhood favourites like homemade chicken nuggets, to effortless midweek meals, like prawn and chorizo fried rice.
So, join our six volunteer home cooks as they savour their favourite recipes from this brand new book.
From the book
Happy Cooking: Easy uplifting meals and comforting treats
A cookbook to lift the spirits and soothe the soul
Packed with nourishing and restorative recipes
From nostalgic comfort dishes to indulgent bakes
Who: Morgana Chess – Campaigns Officer, Ebury
What I made: Nectarine & Fig Galette
What I thought: I’m not sure my food photography skills quite do this justice, as both my housemates and I really enjoyed this fruity galette. The fresh figs and nectarines were infused with a sugary mix of ginger and lemon, topped off with crispy pistachios which balanced all the flavours nicely. Wrapped up with shortcrust pastry and paired with vanilla ice cream, this made a really lovely pudding that was simple to pull together too.
Who: Ellie Auton – Communications Assistant, Ebury
What I made: Spicy Chicken and Cashew Traybake
What I thought: I love recipes where you can just whack it all in the oven,and this was perfect for an easy midweek meal. I especially loved the addition of cashews & olives – the different textures and flavours were so yummy. I served mine with rice, but you could definitely eat this on its own as its packed full of potatoes and veg. Such a quick and easy meal that I’ll make time and time again!
Who: Alice King – Publicity Manager, Ebury
What I made: Swedish Cinnamon Buns
What I thought: I have never tried to make cinnamon buns before, and was fearful that my incompetence as a baker would mean these would turn out as a complete disaster, but they worked so well! Candice breaks down the method into manageable steps, making this recipe really easy to follow. The addition of cardamon is lovely, and I could have probably eaten the buttery cinnamon filling straight out of the bowl.
Who: Lara McLeod – Brand Executive, Ebury
What I made: Tiramisu Bread and Butter Pudding with Baileys Cream
What I thought: This pudding is two of my favourites rolled into one. It is an impressive pudding, and was met with pure delight when I served it to my friends. It was actually quite simple and stress-free to make, too. The combination of the pudding with the Baileys cream was delightful, and I would really recommend committing to the cream as well. A really tasty way to finish off a meal.
Who: Abby Watson – Campaign Manager Ebury
What I made: Goat’s Cheese, Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Filo Tart
What I thought: This is a really rich, deliciously decadent recipe. It would be really easy to personalise to your taste if you’re veggie or don’t like smoked fish – but I would really recommend this combo! A perfect lunchtime recipe that’s really simple to pull together.
Who: Steph Reynolds – Head of Campaigns, Ebury
What I made: Chicken Sausage, Butternut Squash and Burrata Lasagne
What I thought: This was my veggie take on Candice’s chicken sausage, butternut squash & burrata lasagne – I never knew lasagne could taste this good! It really is a masterpiece. I don’t eat meat so I swapped the suggested chicken sausages for their plant based equivalent. It quickly became a new weeknight staple for me. The pasta sheets soak up the ‘sauce’ so you end up with this incredible flavour unlike any other lasagne I’ve ever had. Absolutely perfect for cold, cosy autumnal evenings – it’s like a hug in a pot.
