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.

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!

A plate of Vanillekipferl or Vanilla crescent cookies surrounded by Christmas decorations, walnuts, clementines and a candle.

Possibly the tastiest of all German Christmas cookies, Vanillekipferl are, crumbly, buttery crescent-shaped cookies, scented with heavenly vanilla. Yum!

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Christmas Fruit Mince Tart

There’s nothing quite like the delicious aroma of a freshly baked Christmas Fruit Mince Tart to let you know the festive season has really begun. With brandied fruit mince and a buttery almond pastry, this recipe is perfect for a Christmas feast.

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Candied Orange Peels title card.

Candied Orange Peel makes a great gift (especially when coated in lashings of dark chocolate). It’s easy to make at home and a great way to turn orange peel (which would usually be tossed out) into a tasty candy.

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Eierlikör Linzer Cookies Title Card.

These perfectly crumbly Eierlikör Linzer Cookies are filled with Advocaat spiked pastry cream. They make a delicious addition to your Christmas baking, especially served with a big mug of eggnog or Glühwein!

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German style Gingerbread hearts

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!)

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Classic British Christmas Cake recipe title card.

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…

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Cinnamon Star Bread Title Card showing star bread from two angles. Text overly 'Sweet Cinnamon Star Bread'.

One of my favourite Christmas bakes is Cinnamon Star Bread. With the delicious flavour of cinnamon rolls, this sweet bread recipe makes a beautiful loaf to feed a crowd. It is also actually much simpler than it looks, relying on clever cutting and twisting of the layers of dough to achieve the beautiful design.

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My Mulled Wine Cheesecake is full of Christmas’s rich spices and flavours. A deep-red, almost black mulled wine jelly on top of a creamy citrussy filling with a deliciously spicy base. This fabulous no-bake cheesecake is Christmas heaven!

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Beetroot Cured Salmon Gravadlax

We’ve landed back in beautiful Munich to the clear and crisp skies and very chilly nights of late winter. It’s not quite spring yet, but the promise of it hangs in the air, brightening the mood and sending the locals outside to soak up every last bit of available sun. I’m rather enjoying the opportunity…

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Homemade Irish Cream couldn’t be easier to make, tastes streets ahead of the commercial stuff, can be adjusted precisely to suit your sweet tooth and makes an excellent gift for friends – if you are prepared to share it!

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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.


Lemon and Caper Chicken Piccata

Quick and easy, bursting with flavour, my Lemon and Caper Chicken Piccata Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner as it is ready in minutes and is full of bright, bold flavours that everyone can enjoy.
Pink Champagne Panna Cotta

Pink Champagne Panna Cotta

Pink Champagne Panna Cotta with a layer of creamy, delicious vanilla panna cotta, topped with a bright, jewel-like rosé jelly is a wonderful after dinner treat, and the perfect dessert for a party or a special occasion.
Steak and Salsa Salad

Spicy Steak and Salsa Salad

If you are looking for big, punchy flavours then Steak and Salsa Salad is the recipe for you. Smoky grilled steak with a vibrant salsa and a zesty lime and coriander dressing. Perfect for summer barbecues or a weeknight dinner at home.
German Strawberry Cake or Erdbeerkuchen is made from a heavenly combination of soft sponge cake, creamy vanilla custard, and fresh spring strawberries,

German Strawberry Cake

German Strawberry Cake or Erdbeerkuchen is made from a heavenly combination of soft sponge cake, creamy vanilla custard, and fresh spring strawberries, all topped with a sweet, clear jelly. The most beautiful of all summer cakes.
Packed with roasted peppers, tangy feta, fresh herbs and chewy orzo, this bright and beautiful pasta salad is a summer favourite. Orzo and Roast Pepper Salad gets better as the days go by, so make a big batch to take you through the week!

Orzo and Roast Pepper Salad

Packed with roasted peppers, tangy feta, fresh herbs and chewy orzo, this bright and beautiful pasta salad is a summer favourite. Orzo and Roast Pepper Salad gets better as the days go by, so make a big batch to take you through the week!
Juicy, tender Grilled Chicken Satay Skewers coated in a spicy peanut sauce are perfect for summer. Serve with a fresh, spicy salad and basmati rice.

Grilled Chicken Satay Skewers

Juicy, tender Grilled Chicken Satay Skewers coated in a spicy peanut sauce are perfect for summer. Serve with a fresh, spicy salad and basmati rice.
With layers of juicy poached chicken, fresh herbs, salty bacon and sweet apricots, my recipe for Chicken and Apricot Terrine is perfect for the summer months. Slice thickly and serve with crusty bread and a good chutney. Yum!

Chicken and Apricot Terrine

With layers of juicy poached chicken, fresh herbs, salty bacon and sweet apricots, my recipe for Chicken and Apricot Terrine is perfect for the summer months. Slice thickly and serve with crusty bread and a good chutney. Yum!
Panzanella Tuscan Bread Salad

Panzanella – Tuscan Bread Salad

This delicious recipe for Panzanella Tuscan Bread Salad comes from my Aunt Peggi and it is a glorious summery meal. With ripe tomatoes, salty cheese and fresh basil, it’s perfect for a summer BBQ.

Recipes By Meal Type


light-bites
Main Event
Sweet Things
cocktail hour

Marillenknödel – Austrian Apricot Dumplings
Wurstsalat (German Sausage Salad)
Easy Cherry Tomato Tart
Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian Plum Tart)
Homemade Chocolate Popsicles

Looking for Dinner Inspiration?


Below are some of my most popular dinner recipes. Quick and easy with simple ingredients and big flavours.

Italian Pork and Fennel Ragu title card.
German Sauerbraten recipe card.
Melt in your mouth pork, topped with a vibrant green sauce, Salsa Verde Pork Tenderloin is so incredibly tasty it is worth making two as the first is guaranteed to disappear in a flash!
Chicken and Chickpea Pilaf
Garlic Herb Roast Pork

My FAvourite German Cake Recipes

While people often associate Germany with pretzels and beer, it’s really all about coffee and cake!

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Easy German Cake Recipes