Each day in November, we will share tips and ideas for creating special moments in the comfort of your own home, so you can enjoy a month full of cosy comforts without a hefty price tag. Replace your trip to the coffee shop and take the opportunity to upskill with your own warming drinks, courtesy of our expert barista, Celeste Wong. Bake your own treats for a budget-friendly pick-me-up. Choose from our colourful tarts to add a splash of sunshine to your day, or pick an aromatic bake to fill your kitchen with comforting aromas. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @olivemagazine if you’d like to stay up to date on all of our cosy November activities. Here’s what to expect…
Warming drinks to curl up with
Warm up with our selection of cosy drinks in the comfort of your own home. Curl up with a hot chocolate – we have plenty to choose from, including our luxury hot chocolate, mulled hot chocolate and white hot chocolate. Why not take things up a notch with a splash of Bailey’s come evening, in this decadent Baileys hot chocolate. Want to raise your coffee game? Our expert barista, Celeste Wong, has created some luxurious coffee recipes, with step-by-step guides, so you can bring your local coffee shop experience into your own home, for all the comfort at a fraction of the price. Try her gingerbread latte, special mocha or autumnal pumpkin spice latte. For a dairy-free option on your coffee break, fill your kitchen with aromatic spices with this aromatic chai latte.
Calming aromas to fill your kitchen
Filling your home with warming aromas of freshly baked treats is a simple way to treat yourself, as well as giving your space an instant lift. Let the smells of fresh cardamom glide through your kitchen courtesy of Maunika Gowardhan’s nankhatai biscuits or our quick cardamom buns. Prefer cinnamon? Prep these cinnamon buns in advance then serve warm from the oven for an aromatic treat. Or mimic the scents of masala chai in Edd Kimber’s ultimate spiced chai banana bread. Freshly baked cookies are one of life’s simple pleasures, so fill your kitchen with the gorgeous smells of our triple-chocolate cookies, chocolate chip cookies or Biscoff cookies. Add in a fresh cup of tea and dunk in these simple chocolate-dipped shortbreads to melt into a simple, budget-friendly treat. Chocolate always cheers up the soul, so put those left-over bananas to good use and make this top-notch chocolate chip banana bread to enjoy slice by slice through the week.
Splashes of sunshine to add some colour to your day
Beat the winter blues with a colourful bake. Add some sunshine to your afternoon by tucking into these gorgeous custard tarts with golden, caramelised pastry crusts. Honey, lemon and ginger are the tonic in these sticky honey cakes, or cheer up your day by preparing these retro jam tarts, with a palette of sunny colours of jam to dollop into the crumbly pastry cases. Golden-hued turmeric is thought to have a host of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties – get more of the colourful spice into your routine by whipping up this turmeric latte at home. A splash of colour at cocktail hour comes courtesy of these bright, boozy piña colada tarts.
Quick comforts to cheer you up
Give yourself an instant cheer up with these quick, cosy treats. Fancy something sweet but don’t want to turn on the oven? This clever microwave chocolate mug cake is ready in just five minutes. Want to perk up your afternoon without the hassle or the cost? Our peanut butter thumbprint cookies are easy to make and only require a few storecupboard ingredients to assemble. You can also use handy readymade croissant dough to create these comforting apricot and hazelnut pastries. Or kick off your day with the ultimate treat in just 15 minutes by making this plant-based mocha porridge.
Mindful baking projects for kitchen therapy
A long weekend afternoon is the perfect opportunity to spend time in your kitchen with our mindful projects. Spend a little more time making a batch of these fluffy golden crumpets – freshly toasted and slathered with butter, they’re well worth the effort. Treat yourself to some downtime in the kitchen by baking your own light, beautifully crusted baguettes – just wait until your home is filled with the irresistible aromas of freshly baked bread. Make brilliant use of a lazy weekend by perfecting the art of these light-as-air savoury cheese soufflés.
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @olivemagazine if you’d like to stay up to date on all of our cosy November activities.
