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!

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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German Mulled wine recipe title card showing a mug of Glühwein and a man holding a mug of mulled wine.

A warming, gently spiced mug of Glühwein, or German Mulled Wine is one of the great pleasures of Christmas and the winter months. It is simple to make at home and fills the whole house with the most incredible aroma!

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Quarkbällchen German Donut Holes title card.

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!)

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German Christmas Stollen Title card showing two pictures of Stollen.

German Christmas Stollen is always a real treat during the holiday season. Made from an enriched yeast dough, loaded with rum-soaked fruit and candied peel, Stollen is delicious served with a cup of coffee or a warming mug of Glühwein.

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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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German Braised Red Cabbage title card.

No festive table in Germany would be without a big pot of braised red cabbage, flavoured with apple, cloves and juniper berries. Depending on where in the country you are, this could be called Rotkohl or Blaukraut and it is the perfect accompaniment to roast goose.

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Mini Berry Pavlova title card.

My simple recipe for Mini Berry Pavlovas with lots of tips and techniques to make sure you get the perfect Christmas pavlova!

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Title card for Spitzbuben, showing cut out unbaked spitzbuben cookies on a tray and completed spitzbuben.

Spitzbuben are one of the most beautiful traditional German Christmas cookies. Also known as Linzer Augen or Linzer Cookies, the delicious combination of buttery short pastry and tangy redcurrant jelly is a Christmas classic.

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German Cinnamon Star Cookies zimtsterne.

The ultimate German Christmas cookie, Zimtsterne or Cinnamon Star Cookies are deliciously chewy morsels, topped with a crisp layer of snowy white meringue.

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Fried Apple Rings Title Card.

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.

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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.


Turkey Stroganoff Title Card.

Turkey Stroganoff

Turkey Stroganoff is a wonderfully quick and easy dinner and always a crowd-pleaser. With a delicious creamy mushroom sauce and plenty of pasta and green beans, this lighter take on stroganoff can be made with fresh or leftover turkey.
Baked Teriyaki Glazed Salmon Title Card.

Baked Teriyaki Glazed Salmon

With juicy, tender salmon fillets smothered in an utterly irresistible homemade teriyaki sauce, my easy Teriyaki Salmon recipe is a weeknight wonder. Packed with flavour and goodness, this is a meal the whole family will enjoy.
Classic German Cheesecake käsekuchen with fresh fruit

Käsekuchen – German Cheesecake

Perfectly tangy, light and fluffy, a traditional German cheesecake or ‘Käsekuchen’ is a true baker’s delight. My tried and tested recipe works every time and is ideal for serving with coffee or as a dessert.
Lemon Ricotta Cake Title Card

Lemon Ricotta Cake

Light and airy, my Italian-inspired Lemon Ricotta Cake makes a lovely, simple treat after a meal. With a delicate, creamy, fluffy texture and a fresh, lemony kick, it’s hard to stop and just one slice! (And let’s face it, one piece is never enough!)
German Nut Corners Nussecken Title Card.

Nussecken (German Nut Corners)

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!
Chocolate hazelnut babka, braided chocolate loaf.

Chocolate Hazelnut Babka

With layers of sweet yeast dough, lavishly smothered with chocolate and studded with crunchy hazelnuts, my Chocolate Hazelnut Babka is completely irresistible.
Cashew Chicken Stir fry with bell peppers and basil.

Cashew Chicken

My quick Cashew Chicken recipe is so easy to make and miles better than any takeout. With tender chicken thighs, colourful peppers and crunchy cashews in a delicious sauce, this family-friendly recipe is a real crowd-pleaser.
Homemade marzipan title card.

Easy Homemade Marzipan

My Homemade Marzipan recipe is super easy and tastes miles better than store-bought. This eggless, no-bake recipe comes together in minutes with just three ingredients. Perfect for Christmas time, fruit cakes, cookies, marzipan candy and more.

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.

Fresh Home Made Pasta
Steak and Salsa Salad
Zigeuner Schnitzel or Gypsy Schnitzel on a plate served with french fries and a glass of beer
Feta and Pesto Stuffed Chicken
Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe Title Card.
Garlic Herb Crusted Chicken

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