...AND FOR PUD

TORN FRUIT CAN BE A CUT ABOVE

THE choice of whether to cut or tear fruit will have an impact on how it looks and how it behaves when dressed.

Take figs, for example: tearing gives them an interesting texture and allows whatever partner you opt for, be it honey or olive oil, to cling on and permeate the flesh.

USE PARCHMENT FOR LOVELY ICE LOLLIES

AVOID melting lollies that don’t look appealing by removing them from the mould and refreezing.

Fill a mug with boiling water and dip the lolly mould in for a couple of seconds. Remove the lolly and store in a Tupperware box with baking parchment layered between each one to stop them sticking.

MAKE PERFECTLY EVEN CHOUX BUNS

USE a pencil and a small cookie cutter to mark out 3cm circles on baking parchment, spacing them 2cm apart.

Flip the paper over before you pipe so you don’t have pencil marks in the choux (I found this out the hard way), then use as a guide.

Voila — precise, professionallooking buns every time.

PEARS POACHED IN WINE — PERFECTION!

WORKING in the world of food photography, you find yourself examining pieces of fruit in a whole new light, admiring their form and physique with as much enthusiasm as you would put into finding the perfect ripeness and flavour.

Poaching pears is the best way to show off their elegant figures, so start by picking out fruit with interesting curves (I like a Conference pear).

Poach them in wine and sugar with a few bay leaves thrown in. I like to double-dip them in the syrup just before serving to make them extra glossy.

Serve the pears standing up on a chocolate crumb, and if you get a wobbly one, simply slice the base to make it stand upright.