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!

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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Apricot Glazed Christmas Ham title card.

Sweet and sticky with a touch of spice, my Apricot Glazed Christmas Ham recipe is sure to please the Christmas crowds. Made with a delicious apricot glaze, this ham is the tastiest, most stress-free Christmas main around.

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Perfectly tender, rosy roast beef is easier than you think! Slow Roast Beef where the beef is seared before roasting at a very low temperature produces juicy, delicious beef every time.

Perfectly tender, rosy roast beef is easier than you think! Slow Roast Beef produces juicy, delicious beef every time.

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Biscotti or Cantucci are a deliciously crunchy Italian treat. My recipe for Almond and Apricot biscotti is so easy and perfect for the festive season. Serve with a strong espresso or a glass of Italian vin santo.

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Chewy, creamy, perfect caramels with a delicate hint of honey, my recipe for Soft Honey Vanilla Caramels is super easy and dangerously addictive.

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!

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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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German Dominosteine Chocolates Title Card.

Dominosteine are a traditional German Christmas praline made from layered gingerbread, fruit jelly and marzipan, all coated in a luscious layer of rich dark chocolate. These delicious treats are fun to make at home and are so tasty!

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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!

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!

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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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Speculaas Dutch Spice Cookies

Speculaas or Dutch Spice Cookies are a wonderfully old fashioned Christmas treat and so delicious! These light and crisp cookies are full of fragrant and exotic spices, perfect for the festive season.

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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.


Easy German Apple Cake

Easy German Apple Cake

My easy German Apple Cake recipe is a tried and tested family favourite. Known as Versunkener Apfelkuchen (sunken apple cake) around these parts, this traditional cake is very popular and totally delicious.
The best oktoberfest recipes title card showing Oktoberfest roast Chicken and Bavarian pretzels.

The Best Oktoberfest Recipes

The tents have been hoisted, the rides have been built and the beer is chilled. That’s right, it’s Oktoberfest time in Munich! Check out these delicious Bavarian and German recipes for celebrating at home!
Pumpkin and Feta Galette.

Pumpkin and Feta Galette

With golden roasted squash, lightly caramelised onion and tangy feta, my Pumpkin and Feta Galette makes a fabulous fall lunch. This free-form tart is made by hand, so no mixers or special dishes are necessary.
With sweet, plump summer blueberries encased in a flaky all-butter pie pastry, my recipe for Fresh Blueberry Pie is always a winner. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for guaranteed smiles at the table.

Fresh Blueberry Pie

With sweet, plump summer blueberries encased in a flaky all-butter pie pastry, my recipe for Fresh Blueberry Pie is always a winner. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for guaranteed smiles at the table.
Blueberry Streusel Cake Title Card.

German Blueberry Streusel Cake

Packed with sweet summer blueberries, a hint of lemon and topped with gloriously buttery streusel, my German Blueberry Coffee Cake is incredibly delicious and simple to make. Perfect for a special occasion or just for snacking. Serve this sweet treat with plenty of whipped cream and a cup of coffee. Yum!
Blueberry Friands Title Card.

Blueberry Friands

Blueberry Friands are one of my all-time favourite tea-time treats. Made with ground almonds and fresh blueberries, these buttery little cakes are always a crowd-pleaser and seem to disappear faster than I can make them! This easy recipe is all made by hand, so no mixer is required.

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 Beef Cannelloni Recipe
Zigeuner Schnitzel or Gypsy Schnitzel on a plate served with french fries and a glass of beer
German Potato Dumplings Title Card.
Juicy Maple Glazed Pork Chops
Sweet and Spicy Devilled Sausages

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