All-Time Classics

Perfectly crusty, soft, and just a little bit tangy on the inside – sourdough bread is great for sandwiches, dipping into creamy soups, or just good enough with a slab of salted butter. This recipe is a continuation of our first recipe on making your own sourdough starter. If you’ve managed to make your own – congratulations! Just before you rush to use your starter, do a quick check:

Is my starter ready to be used?

It is best to use the starter when it is at its peak height (look for when it’s doubled in size) during the rising and falling stages of growth. Do this test to ensure it’s ready for use: Mix your starter to distribute bubbles evenly then drop a spoonful of starter into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s ready to go. But if it drops to the bottom, allow it to rest for a few hours longer. And if you’re still feeling antsy, do a quick smell check: Your starter should smell sweet and slightly sour, and be light in colour. If the starter begins to turn pink, green, or dark brown that goes beyond the surface of the starter then that’s a sign of bad bacteria growth so the starter should be discarded. This recipe makes 2 hefty loaves of sourdough bread.

Bread is something many people can’t live without. It is versatile, nutritious, gives you energy for the day and is widely accessible. Sliced sandwich bread available in supermarkets is the go-to option for many of us, but nothing comes as close (and as inexpensive) as homemade bread. Whether it is a humble white loaf or a sourdough made with exotic grains and wild yeast that has been passed down through the years like a precious family heirloom, the flavour difference between homemade bread and store-bought options is dramatic. After making and tasting their first homemade loaf, many people ditch store-bought bread forever. It smells so good and can taste amazing with just butter. Home bakers take some time off for bread making on the weekends, making sure their families have sufficient bread for the week. Furthermore, many store-bought bread brands have added milk and sugar for a richer taste and softer texture – not good things to eat if you are vegan or are trying to avoid added sugars. But it can be daunting for absolute beginners to make their first loaf. They are surrounded by conflicting information and have no idea where to start. Some recipes are geared towards experienced bakers, while others try to run before learning to walk, failing at making more complex bread such as ciabatta and baguettes. They get discouraged and decide to give up their homemade bread goals. The key is to learn the basics, then work up to more adventurous recipes as you get more familiar with the bread-making process. That is the most important lesson I have learned as a home baker of two years. Beginners need to get used to handling bread dough and not give up on their first failure. Let’s get started on your bread-making journey with a recipe you can’t go wrong with: the basic white bread.

What you need to make your first loaf of bread

First, go to the supermarket or a bakers’ supply shop to get the following equipment. Don’t scrimp on these items – they will make you

Alphonso mango is a type of seasonal mango from India, considered to be among the most superior varieties of the fruit in terms of sweetness, richness and flavour. Here we use it as topping for the delicious bar cookies, if it is difficult get a hold of fresh Alphonso in where you live, you can always opt for the canned version, just make a visit to your nearby Indian food store (such as Mustafa) and you will be spoilt with choices of Alphonso products on the shelves. In place of these particular mangoes, any sweet Thai mango would do fine! Want more mango recipes? Try this: Passion fruit cake topped with fresh mango.

Love cinnamon sugar donuts, or cinnamon sugar anything? Then this recipe is perfect for you. This bite-sized cake can be eaten straight from the baking tray, with the warm taste of cinnamon and just the slightest zing of orange in every bite. We love pairing this with a good cup of tea or coffee. The recipe calls for unsweetened apple sauce - which you can substitute with apple puree (even the kinds that come as baby food), and unflavoured olive oil in place of butter. Cinnamon and nutmeg give it a slightly spiced flavour, while the sprinkling of brown sugar on top is just perfection. Let's get to it.

Are you a puff lover? Whether it's creamy durian puffs or the classic chocolate eclairs, puff pastries are absolutely delicious and versatile indulgences. These Japanese Custard Puffs (also known as Shu or Choux) are baked choux pastries with sweet, crackly, crunchy cookies topping and filled with custard and whipped cream in the centre. If you're not a fan of cooking with cream, fret not! The whole process to make these Japanese cream puffs is extremely short. Choux pastry comes together in about 10-15 minutes. Most of the ingredients are cooked together on the stove; this initial cooking causes the starch in the flour to gelatinize, which will help the pastry hold onto steam and puff up. The pastry shell and the crackly top is actually created separated then laid on top of each other. This recipe makes 24 pieces of light, sweet, crackly puffs, and enough coconut custard cream to fill the shells. Looking for more Japanese treats to make? Try this simple Ichigo (strawberry) mochi recipe. If you're feeling experimental, try out different sweet fillings such as Strawberry Jam, Nutella or Peanut Buttercream. Or if you simply prefer savoury puffs, then check out this simple Cheese Herb Puffs Recipe which you can make to complement any main savoury protein!

Almond milk is also a flavourful substitute for dairy milk in baked goods, and so is perfect for vegans or those who want to avoid dairy products. Its creamy consistency and rich taste make for delicious ice-cream, cakes, cookies and pastries. (Read more: How to make your own almond milk!) Homemade almond milk is the best substitute because its texture is the most similar to cow’s milk. This means you should get the same results and don’t have to tweak the recipe. It’s also the most suitable alternative for lattes and other milk coffees, as almost milk can with withstand high temperatures from steaming without producing a burnt taste. Below is a simple brownie recipe that uses almond milk. If you use cake mix kits, you can simply replace the amount of water specified with almond milk for tastier results.

Love all things chocolate? Us too. Check out this simple brownie recipe, super easy chocolate bread, banana-choco peanut cake, a decadent chocolate cake recipe, or how about a coffee-chocolate log cake?

Ask anyone for their favourite go-to breakfast item and more often than not, kaya toast with two soft boiled eggs will be mentioned. It's not hard to see why - soft white bread spread with a generous amount of creamy kaya together with a thick slab of butter, enjoyed with milky tea or coffee - what are great way to start your day! Kaya at its most basic form is made using eggs, sugar, coconut milk and pandan leaves. The green from the Kaya comes from pandan extract. This recipe is lovingly contributed by home cook Anne Leong.

Perfect for your weekday dinners, this Truffled Mushroom Soup recipe boasts an earthy mushroom flavour elevated with the unmistakable fragrance of truffles. Bring your culinary creations to a new level and easily impress your friends and family when you serve up this creamy cuppa! This 4-step recipe allows you to effortlessly whip up a comforting bowl of soup without any fuss.

The tastes of olives and artichokes are the heroes of this homemade Focaccia bread that can be served as a hearty appetiser or a satisfying breakfast treat. If you don't have artichokes, sundried tomatoes, rosemary, red onion, cucumber and even spinach greens would do perfect! Your imagination and tastebuds are the limit here. This recipe creates a soft, chewy Focaccia and is complemented by a generous topping of herbs and garlic.