Delicious, easy recipes by Jay Wadams
Welcome to
Days of Jay
I'm Jay, cookbook author and food photographer.
Days of Jay is my website, where I share easy, delicious recipes for home cooking.
My recipes are packed with photos and useful tips and tricks to help you as you cook. They are all inspired by healthy, seasonal ingredients and my travels across the globe, especially in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, and Australasia.
I am so excited to have you here, so let's dive in and get cooking!
Welcome to
Days of Jay
I'm Jay, cookbook author and food photographer. Days of Jay is my website, where I share easy, delicious recipes for home cooking.
My recipes are packed with photos and useful tips and tricks to help you as you cook. They are all inspired by healthy, seasonal ingredients and my travels across the globe, especially in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, and Australasia.
I am so excited to have you here, so let’s dive in and get cooking!
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Well, the countdown is until the year’s end, and Christmas is just around the corner. Check out some of my most popular Christmas and festive recipes below!
Nussecken or Nut Corners are a famous German Christmas time treat made from a buttery shortbread base, topped with apricot jam and a layer of caramelized hazelnut. After baking, they are sliced into triangles, and the corners are dipped in delicious dark chocolate. Let me tell you, they are completely irresistible!
My simple recipe for Mini Berry Pavlovas with lots of tips and techniques to make sure you get the perfect Christmas pavlova!
My easy recipe for making traditional Oktoberfest Lebkuchenherzen or Gingerbread Hearts at home. Hang these brightly decorated hearts around the neck of your sweetheart (or eat and enjoy!)
Lusciously soft, chewy and gently flavoured with a hint of honey, Honey Vanilla Caramels are pure pleasure. Homemade candy is easier to make than you might think!
Even though I grew up on the other side of the world in New Zealand, it wouldn’t be Christmas Day without a Classic British Christmas Cake. This dense and sweet cake, packed with dried fruit, spices and plenty of brandy is an absolute must for the festive season and is something I look forward to…
Sweet, juicy and fragrant with a cinnamon sugar coating, Fried Apple Rings or Apfelkücherl are one of my favourite German Christmas market treats. You don’t have to stand around in the snow to enjoy them though, with my simple batter they are super easy to prepare at home.
Delicate, crumbly pastry filled with aromatic spiced fruit, Christmas Fruit Mince Pies are one of the most delicious treats of the season. One is never enough!
Possibly the tastiest of all German Christmas cookies, Vanillekipferl are, crumbly, buttery crescent-shaped cookies, scented with heavenly vanilla. Yum!
Super light and fluffy on the inside and crisp and sugary on the outside, my German-style Donut holes or Quarkbällchen recipe is so easy it’s like kitchen magic. Made without yeast, they are ready in minutes. Perfect for parties or sharing with friends (or just eating all to yourself!)
The ultimate German Christmas cookie, Zimtsterne or Cinnamon Star Cookies are deliciously chewy morsels, topped with a crisp layer of snowy white meringue.
The Latest Recipes From My Kitchen
Discover my latest and greatest recipes below, or use the search function to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Seared Duck with Pomegranate
Juicy duck breast served with a sweet and sour pomegranate sauce. Seared Duck with Pomegranate is a delicious meal for two or perfect for a dinner party. Serve with jewelled couscous for a showstopper dinner.
Asparagus and Lemon Risotto
Creamy, rich risotto with fresh in-season asparagus and bright zingy lemon. The perfect meal for two.
Stifado (Greek Beef Stew)
This rich and sumptuous recipe comes from my good friend Deirdre Guthrie, owner of the Gardens of Irini in Bellapais, Cyprus. The secret to this dish is the long, slow cooking time, which makes the flavours extraordinarily intense and the meat meltingly tender.
Turkish Bread (Ramazan Pidesi)
Pillowy soft, golden brown bread with a crunchy topping of nigella and sesame seeds? It can only be Turkish Bread or Ramazan Pidesi. This delicious bread is so simple to make and is perfect for filling, stuffing, dipping and more.
Chicken Marbella
The Silver Palate’s Chicken Marbella is a fabulously retro dish bursting with Mediterranean flavour. The sweet, sour and salty combination of olives, capers, red wine vinegar, prunes and garlic has won fans for generations and for good reason – it’s delicious!
White Chocolate Macadamia Blondies
White Chocolate Macadamia Blondies are, in my opinion, even more delicious than a classic chocolate brownie. With a gorgeous caramel flavour and a soft, fudgy texture, the glorious combination of white chocolate and macadamia nuts is simply irresistible.
Shrimp, Watermelon and Feta Salad
Shrimp, Watermelon and Feta Salad is a glorious mixture of textures and tastes, with cool watermelon perfectly pairing with garlicky shrimp, salty feta cheese and a pop of chilli. This simple recipe is summer on a plate!
Hot Cross Buns
Deliciously sweet and sticky, my easy Hot Cross Buns recipe is perfect for baking this Easter. Serve generously slathered with salted butter.
Recipes By Meal Type
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My FAvourite German Cake Recipes
While people often associate Germany with pretzels and beer, it’s really all about coffee and cake!
