Happy Monday team! Hope you had a gorgeous weekend.

I’ve been writing this substack for 2 years now and it’s served as a brilliant platform to share weekly meal plans with other solo cooks, share more in-depth information on recipes than other platforms allow you to, and most importantly to create a community of people who want recipes for one that bring ease and joy. I love this platform both as a writer and a reader but I realised it probably wasn’t serving you in the best way possible.

I currently share meal plans every other week and recipes around once or twice a month, with my other recipes being hosted on my website. Whilst I hope this has proven useful to you, I think we can do better! So things are going to be changing.

Very soon you’re going to have the ability to have a meal plan every week, with the additional benefit of swapping out meals you don’t like or want for other options (and a shopping list that adapts to this), plus all my single-serve recipes in one place so you don’t have to jump between a meal plan and a website- it’s all on one app!

I’m incredibly excited to fully launch this and really hope it makes cooking for one even easier, and we’re only a couple of weeks away!

In the meantime, I appreciate meal plans have been a bit slower, so I wanted to share 5 of my previous summery meal plans for you this week, so you have multiple options depending on what you fancy.

Big love and happy cooking,

Eleanor x

The sun is shining, the heat is relentless, and I’m back sharing another meal plan! I must start by apologising for a lack of meal plans over the last few weeks. I have been in the process of moving house whilst also being in the process of setting up a new format for these meal plans. I’ll share more (on both) soon, but I’m really hoping that the new format for recipes and meal plans will be much more user friendly for you all, and will give you even more freedom to wonderful weekly meal plans.

For now, enjoy this one! It’s full of some of my favourite simple summery suppers from my cookbook (which was published 2 years ago yesterday!). If you don’t already have the book you can find it here. A reminder to read the recipe notes in this one as there are a couple of swaps to ensure there’s as little food waste as possible.

Big love, and happy cooking,

Eleanor x

MEAL PLAN 45: July 26

Read more

I created this particular recipe to bring all the elements of a perfect crumble together in a smaller portion for my small batch bakes series. The mandatory custard too, is homemade, though don’t let that scare you. It’s truly exceptionally simple and incredibly delicious.

I’m also going to share the links to all of my previous Small Batch Bakes recipes, for ease & inspiration.

Big love & happy baking,

Eleanor x

The Perfect Apple Crumble

A 3 ingredient crumble with a ratio that’s easy to remember, so you can scale up or down as you please. Half pressed, half scattered, for the perfect biscuity crumble topping.

Homemade Vanilla Custard

A reminder to you, and to myself, that homemade custard is so much easier than you might think. Serve warm or cold and eat any leftovers with sliced banana for true nostalgic comfort.

Subscribe now

Small Batch Bakes: All Episodes

If you’re new here (hi hello welcome) then you may not know that I write weekly meal plans complete with (printable) categorised shopping list, recipes notes, tips for leftovers and dietary requirement swaps to make cooking for one even easier!

We’ve got some really summery recipes this week. I adore my greek chicken skewers with tzatziki slaw, they’re fresh and so flavourful but incredibly satisfying! That and my sticky halloumi slaw slider are in strong competition for my favourite Friday night dinner so feel free to swap the days around according to what you fancy! I’ve included prep and cook times for each recipe (as always) so you can organise according to your schedule too.

I hope you love them!

Big Love & Happy Cooking,

Eleanor x

MEAL PLAN 44: May 2026

Read more

We’ve got the world’s greatest picnic sandwich, simple one pot pastas, small batch bakes perfect for sharing in the sun and much more. Enjoy!

1. Gilda Caesar Salad

The most delicious summer snack on the most delicious summer salad and quite frankly the perfect lunch or dinner to eat in the sun.

2. Aubergine Carbonara & A Spritz

A vegetarian alternative to everyone’s favourite roman pasta, with silky strands of rich and slightly smoky carbonara contrasting with the herbaceous fizz of the spritz, you’ve got a late summer dinner that you’re not going to want to share- and thankfully, you don’t have to x

3. Ricotta Banana Bread

I despise a dry banana bread but this couldn’t be further from that. Exceptionally moist, flavourful and, as always, completely delicious. Light, bright and perfect for summer.

4. Tomato Spaghetti with Vanilla

The base of this is Marcella Hazan's 3 ingredient pasta sauce, which is unbeaten in my eyes. The only different I'm making is adding vanilla…truly, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. It’s quick, easy and fresh.

5. Loaded Hashbrowns

I don’t have a written recipe for these because they’re so simple. Crispy hash browns topped with either smashed avocado, feta & hot honey, or creamy scrambled egg, chorizo & pecorino. A quicker, easier and, in my opinion, more delicious brunch alternative to a full English and great for summer hosting.

Subscribe now

6. Crumpets Original

Picture this, it’s early morning on what is going to be a beautiful, warm summers day. You’ve got a hot cup of tea and, even better, a plate of hot crumpets soon to be dripping with butter. Baking on a hot day might not sound like the most appealing activity, which is why crumpets are so perfect for summer. If you fancy something more savoury, try my chive crumpets with smoked salmon and cream cheese.

7. Homemade Quiche

Not only is it one of my favourite things to eat, but also one of my favourite things to bake. What’s more it’s another brilliant summer bake, best served warm with a crisp salad. Try my Herby Feta & Spinach Quiche or my French Onion Quiche.

8. Halloumi & Crispy Chickpea Salad

A summer salad that won’t go soggy, is packed with flavour and leaves you satisfied is my kind of summer salad. Fresh, creamy and punchy.

9. Meatballs with Romesco & Feta

Romesco might be the epitome of a summer sauce. The flavour is so fresh, with a slight edge from vinegar and nutty underdone from almonds. Perfect with homemade meatballs (even better if they’re barbecued).

10. Cheese Scones

Another great bake for summer, the oven only needs to be on for 20 minutes or so, and these would be the perfect picnic treat.

11. Halloumi Bean Bake with Harissa & Green Olives

Fresh summer flavours of tomatoes, herbs and green olives topped with sticky, sweet halloumi. Minimal prep time so you can spend more time in the sun.

12. Tomato & Garlic Spaghetti

Simplicity at its finest. I actually need to make this again because looking at this picture is making me salivate.

13. Muffaletta Focaccia Sandwich

When I say this is the best sandwich I’ve ever made I’m not lying. The chopped olive salad with the rich meats and salty cheese might change your life. Must make for my next picnic.

Big Love & Happy Cooking,

Eleanor x

If you’re new here (hi hello welcome) then you may not know that I write weekly meal plans complete with (printable) categorised shopping list, recipes notes, tips for leftovers and dietary requirement swaps to make cooking for one even easier!

This week’s meal plan is pretty delicious, if I do say so myself! Most of the recipes can be made in under 15 minutes— and all of them can be prepped in under 20, meaning dinner is on the table in not time at all. Minimal effort for maximum reward is exactly what I want when cooking for one.

I hope you love them!

Big Love & Happy Cooking,

Eleanor x

MEAL PLAN 43: May 2026

Read more

I’ve got a double wammy for you today!! The fifth instalment of my series ‘More Ways Than One’ is out, and I’m including those recipes in my Solo Cook’s Meal Plan for the week, which is at the end of this newsletter.

If you’re not familiar, every month I make one prepable dish and show you how to make at least 3 deliciously different dinners from it. If you’re new to the series, welcome, here’s a reminder of what we’ve made so far:

Halloumi, Chickpea & Aubergine Traybake 3 Ways

Roast Chicken 3 Ways

Pulled Harissa Chicken 4 Ways

Beef & Lentil Ragu 4 Ways

For this month’s recipes, we’re starting with delicious, juicy, homemade meatballs!! These are then transformed into 4 different dishes: my Thai red curry coconut noodle soup, my roasted red pepper & mozzarella meatball orzo, my garlic honey soy meatballs and my meatballs with romesco and feta.

Subscribe now

A large part of why cooking for one can be overwhelming is having to think of something new to cook every single night. So, to make this as easy as possible for you, I also write weekly meal plans complete with (printable) categorised shopping list, recipes notes, tips for leftovers and dietary requirement swaps to make cooking for one even easier!

This week’s meal plan features these 4 meatball recipes, plus another, so you have a recipe for every night of the week ready to go.

So, without further ado, here are the recipes, plus the meal plan.

Big Love & Happy Cooking,

Eleanor x

Prepable Beef Meatballs

The starting prep for this is homemade juicy beef meatballs. They’re incredibly easy to make and can be used so many ways throughout the week. Note that the meatballs can stay raw in the fridge for 3-4 days (so enough time to make all 4 meals) as long as the beef mince doesn’t expire before that. If it does, you can freeze the meatballs raw and thaw before cooking each day.

Garlic Honey Soy Meatballs

The meatballs are pan-fried in sesame oil until golden, then set aside while a simple glaze of garlic, soy sauce, honey and water comes together in the same pan. Everything goes back in to finish cooking and absorb the sauce, which reduces down into a rich glaze that coats every meatball. It is the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like considerably more effort than it actually was.

Roasted Red Pepper, Meatball & Mozzarella Orzo

Jarred roasted red peppers, coconut milk, fresh basil and water are blended into a silky, vibrant sauce that the orzo bakes directly in, absorbing every bit of flavour as it cooks. The meatballs sit on top throughout, finishing in the oven alongside the pasta. It is a one-dish dinner that looks and tastes far more involved than it actually is, and it comes together in around 30 minutes once your meatball prep is done.

Thai Red Curry Meatball Noodle Soup

This Thai red curry meatball noodle soup is a single serve, one-pot noodle soup that takes four meatballs from the prepable beef meatball batch and simmers them in a rich, fragrant broth of Thai red curry paste, coconut milk and water. Knife-cut or ramen noodles and tenderstem broccoli cook directly in the broth, absorbing the flavour as they soften, before the whole thing is finished with soy sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a slight zing that lifts everything beautifully.

Meatballs with Romesco Sauce & Feta

These meatballs with romesco sauce and feta are a single serve dinner that takes four meatballs and serves them over a bold, smoky, homemade romesco — a Spanish-inspired sauce made by blending jarred roasted red peppers, blanched almonds, garlic, vinegar and fresh basil. The whole thing is finished with crumbled feta and fresh herbs, with crusty bread for scooping.

MEAL PLAN 42: May 2026

Read more

Honestly I absolutely love the freedom that cooking solely for myself brings. Call me selfish if you so please, but choosing what to eat every day is FUN and if I don’t have to consider someone else in that decision then that makes life a whole lot easier.

So here’s a day on my plate. Is it tragic? I’ll let you decide, but you already know my answer.

7.30am A Cup of Tea: always. I am proudly my mother’s daughter and a cup of tea is truly what gets me out of bed in the morning. I don’t drink a full litre, like she does, but one mug (strong, but milky) usually back in bed or

8am Make Breakfast: I’m almost always a savoury breakfast person but had a hankering for bircher muesli this morning. Unsure why but I shan’t question it. I’ve found that if I don’t make my sweet breakfasts too sweet then I really enjoy them, and I’m not left craving something salty afterwards. This bircher is a really gorgeous alternative to a hot porridge, it’s lighter and fresher, so works well in the spring/summer months, but still substantial enough that I won’t be left screaming for a snack 30 minutes later. You can make it overnight but it only needs an hour or two to soak so if you’re a late breakfaster, like me, then you can make it in the early morning. The full recipe for my bircher muesli can be found here.

10.30am Eat Breakfast: I think fairly self-explanatory, though probably worth acknowledging that, though I love encouraging people to take time to enjoy their solo meals sans distractions, breakfast is almost always eaten at my desk. Either working or watching a youtube vlog (speaking of, I’ve launched my travel vlogging career if you fancy a breakfast watch yourself).

11am Coffee: A ritual I love and look forward to every day. I bought a huge 2.5kg bag of beans from my favourite independent coffee shop so it truly feels like I’m at the cafe every day.

Subscribe now

1pm Lunch Time: A thank you to my past self here, as lunch was mostly pre-made. My small batch bakes mini quiche are a gorgeous springtime lunch and because they make more than one portion (2-4 portions, depending on how hungry you are), I had some leftover from the previous day’s filming. I made two flavours of quiche: herby spinach and feta and double cheese and caramelised onion and served with a simple side salad. I must admit I’m fussy when it comes to salads because they can be soooo bad, but when you get a great dressing, they can also be soooo good. This dressing is a miso, mustard and sweet vinegar situation and provided the perfect balance of salt, sweet and heat for a salad dressing. Simply mix 1 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp a sweet vinegar (I used my mum’s homemade damson vinegar but balsamic would work, or any other fruit-infused vinegar. Alternatively, use 1/2 tbsp white wine/cider vinegar and 1/2 tbsp maple syrup/honey), 1/2 tsp white miso paste, 1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard and a pinch of salt together until you have an emulsified salad dressing then toss through your favourite green leaf. I made two flavours of quiche: herby spinach and feta and double cheese and caramelised onion.

4pm Bone Broth: because I like a fun drink but don’t want the inevitable spiral of impeding doom that may or may not come from having a second coffee. Plus 11g of protein in one sachet is quite fun, if you like that sort of thing.

7pm Dinner: And of course, it’s a one pot one portion recipe. A very easy, very delicious one too, if I do say so myself. This halloumi hack is also one of the most brilliant cooking techniques I’ve ever heard of, and I will never skip it when cooking halloumi again!! This bake must be served with thickly-sliced, toasted bread slathered in a very generous layer of butter. I insist.

And there we have a day on my plate. I don’t know about you but that definitely didn’t feel that tragic to me! Each day looks different but truly, cooking for yourself really can be easy and freeing and delicious.

Finally, if you need more inspo for what to cook on a weekly basis then check out my meal plans!! 5 easy recipes, 1 shopping list, minimal food waste, maximum deliciousness.

Big love, and happy cooking,

Eleanor x

Welcome back to Small Batch Bakes, the series that serves more than one but fewer than many.

This series is very dear to me because for so many years I felt like I couldn’t bake, because the people I would want to share it with weren’t nearby, and it never felt accessible enough to me as a solo cook. This series feels like the perfect solution—baking the perfect amount, from scratch, with a few to share or keep for yourself for later.

This is the 13th instalment of the series. Unlucky for some, but not for us, because this week is all about quiche! Not only is it one of my favourite things to eat, but also one of my favourite things to bake. Quiche epitomises everything I love about baking. There are enough elements to it that you really feel as though you’ve made this from scratch (bonus points if you make your own pastry), but each element is simple enough that it doesn’t feel like an overwhelming task to create. Most importantly, the final bake is something I genuinely want to eat every day.

When developing this recipe, I couldn’t decide between two flavours and, if you know me at all, then you’ll know that there is only one solution to that—and that is to do both.

Caramelised Onion & Double Cheese Quiche

Loosely inspired by the flavours of a French onion soup, this quiche has a deliciously jammy layer of caramelised onions on the bottom and is topped with two cheeses: mature cheddar, for a punchy flavour, and Gruyère for a milder, nutty, and slightly sweet flavour.

Herby Spinach & Feta Quiche

Again, loosely inspired by spanakopita, this quiche is filled with a chopped mixture of spinach, feta, and lots of herbs. I opted for tarragon and dried mint, but fresh mint, parsley, or dill would all work well.

Tin Size

As these are mini quiches, you need a mini tin. I used a 15cm loose-bottom tart tin, which I actually found in Sainsbury’s. If you can’t find that, then you could also make super mini quiches in a muffin tin, but I tested this and found that you end up with much more pastry than filling, so I prefer the tart tin. If you don’t have—or don’t want to buy—either, then you could also just double up the recipe and make one large quiche (but where’s the fun in that, hey?).

The Recipes

For ease, I have separated the recipes for each flavour, and if you click the links below, it will take you to my website where the recipes are. It’s worth noting that each recipe makes 2 mini quiches of the same flavour. If you want to make one quiche of one flavour and the other quiche of another flavour, then keep the pastry and egg custard recipes the same and just do half the amount of each filling.

Subscribe now

RECIPE: Caramelised Onion & Double Cheese Quiche

RECIPE: Herby Spinach & Feta Quiche

Big love and happy baking,

Eleanor x

This recipe on instagram was in partnership with Ballymaloe Relish, but this post is not part of that ad. This post may also contain affiliate links which means I may earn commission on any products you purchase, at no additional cost to you x

I first had this combination on a solo trip to New York. I met a lovely friend and fellow cook Justine Doiron for brunch at Agi’s Counter in Crown Heights and she insisted we ordered devilled eggs with anchovies for the table. What a revelation! The earthiness of the curry powder, the salty depth of the anchovies and the fruity heat of the hot sauce completely transforms your standard eggs on toast into something really quite spectacular.

Loosely inspired by devilled eggs, with the curry powder and spicy hot sauce, I’m sharing two ways to eat it here, firstly fried—the anchovies nestled in as the egg cooks. Secondly, boiled and jammy— the anchovies gently laying on top upon serving. Different but equally delicious. I hope you love them!

Big love and happy cooking,

Eleanor x

Read more

If you’re new here (hi hello welcome) then you may not know that I write weekly meal plans complete with (printable) categorised shopping list, recipes notes, tips for leftovers and dietary requirement swaps to make cooking for one even easier!

This week’s meal plan features some really lovely simple recipes like my chicken piccata and spicy vodka beans, as well as some recipes that, though simple, feel special like my chicken and prawn paella.

I hope you love them!

Big Love & Happy Cooking,

Eleanor x

MEAL PLAN 41: April 2026

Read more

Hope you had a glorious Easter weekend if you were celebrating (and a glorious weekend if you weren’t)! Welcome back to Small Batch Bakes, recipes that serve more than one but fewer than many. If this is your first time seeing the series then here are a couple of my favourite previous episodes:

I have a brilliantly easy recipe for you this bank holiday Monday and it’s the perfect way to use any leftover hot cross buns that you might have. Initially I was going to share a bread and butter pudding recipe but a) I’ve shared a few of those before and the method is the same every time and b) thought this recipe would be slightly more interesting, albeit just as simple!

So, these are my Hot Cross Bun Monkey Bread Muffins. If you’re not familiar, monkey bread (which I believe originates from Hungary) consists of small dough balls rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar, then stacked in a bundt tin and baked together to create a pull-apart sweet loaf.

I’ve taken inspiration from that idea, but used hot cross buns soaked in a simple custard, then rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked into individual muffins.

The result is 4 deliciously tender pull-apart muffins from gloriously squidgy insides and a crispy cinnamon sugar top. Very very easy but perhaps a little more exciting than your classic bread and butter pudding.

Big Love & Happy Baking,

Eleanor x

Small Batch Hot Cross Bun Monkey Bread Muffins

Makes 4 Muffins

1 Egg

80ml Double Cream

70g Light Brown Sugar

1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

4 Hot Cross Buns

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Icing Sugar, to dust

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

2. Make the custard by whisking together the egg, double cream, vanilla extract, and 20g of the light brown sugar. Once smooth, set aside.

3. Cut each hot cross bun into quarters, then add to the custard. Toss gently until the pieces are well coated, then leave to soak for 10 minutes.

4. While they are soaking, add the remaining 50g of sugar into a shallow bowl along with the cinnamon and mix together, place the hot cross bun pieces in the bowl and toss in the sugar until fully coated.

5. Place 4 pieces of hot cross bun into each hole of a muffin tin. Repeat until you have 4 muffins, then bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops are crisp and the muffins have risen slightly.

6. Allow to cool slightly, then dust with icing sugar before serving.

If you’re new here (hi hello welcome) then you may not know that I write weekly meal plans complete with (printable) categorised shopping list, recipes notes, tips for leftovers and dietary requirement swaps to make cooking for one even easier!

This week’s meal plan is based around the third instalment of my series ‘More Ways Than One’ where I take one prepable halloumi, aubergine and chickpea traybake and make three delicious, single-serve dinners from it. You can find the recipes from this week in the newsletter before this.

I hope you love this week’s recipes!

Big Love & Happy Cooking,

Eleanor x

MEAL PLAN 40: March 2026

Read more

Roast Chicken 3 Ways

Pulled Harissa Chicken 4 Ways

Beef & Lentil Ragu 4 Ways

I’ve had several requests for a vegetarian edition, so that’s what we’re making this month! I’m reentering a traybake era which takes me back to when I first started ‘one pot one portion’ over 3 years ago. The first recipe I ever posted was a marmalade sausage traybake (which you can now find in my cookbook) and I remembered being slightly baffled when it went viral because it was so simple—such is the beauty of a traybake! So we’re back, not only with a new single-serve traybake series on instagram, but also with a halloumi, aubergine and chickpea traybake forming the basis of this months ‘More Ways Than One.’

Halloumi, aubergine and chickpeas all complement each other with the 3 providing a great balance of texture, a nice saltiness from the halloumi and nuttiness from chickpeas. All 3 are also flavour sponges and work well with many different spices, which makes the perfect base for this series. In the initial traybake the aubergine is roasted on its own first, to begin the softening, before the chickpeas and halloumi are added with just a gentle spice and seasoning, to roast until everything is soft and just beginning to caramelise.

From there we’ve got 3 different dinners, each using a third of the traybake. Firstly a fresh but satiating salad with olives, pine nuts, fresh herbs and a preserved lemon and maple dressing. A bad salad is a truly tragic thing, so trust me when I say I wouldn’t share a salad recipe unless I was genuinely thrilled to eat it every day of the week. This one was gobbled up (though only on one day of the week, because I only made one portion, of course).

Secondly, a speedy turmeric and coconut curry. This recipe is also based on one of the very first one pot one portion recipes I shared for a similar chickpea and coconut curry (also available in my book thank you for asking). It’s been so long since I made it and I almost forgot how with just 2 spices you can make a particularly lovely curry. To go with it I’m also sharing a recipe for a simple yoghurt flatbread, a recipe I think everyone should know.

Finally, a baked rice with halloumi, chickpeas and aubergine. This recipe is actually based on a recipe I developed for a second book proposal* but I really wanted to share it because it was so brilliant. Initially somewhat inspired by jollof rice, this version is a herby tomato baked rice with the baked trio. I love that the halloumi soaks up some of the stock while it’s baking and gets even more squishy and delicious.

So there you have it! 1 base recipe and 3 ways to use it. I hope they help make cooking for one that little bit easier, and as always, if you’re cooking for more people then simply scale up as necessary!

Big love and happy cooking,

Eleanor x

Halloumi, Aubergine & Chickpea Traybake

Read more

I’m not unaware of the conversation around this type of content and how it could lead to comparison (or judgement). What you eat is unique to you and what works for me may not work for you for so many reasons, and vice versa.

That being said, I wanted to share this because, when it comes to cooking for one, I think my style of day-to-day cooking is less about planned recipes and more about seeing what I’ve got in and how best I can use it. I think this way of cooking, the tips and tricks for cooking for one, are better represented in a day of eating as opposed to a planned recipe, hence my decision to share—plus I personally love watching what other people eat, I think the anthropologist in me finds it incredibly fascinating.

So here it is! A relatively normal day that you can watch below, then I’ve written the recipes (plus additional tips, tricks and ingredient substitutions) for breakfast and lunch below. The dinner recipe was a test and is coming soon so make sure you’re following along on IG if you fancy that.

Big love and happy cooking,

Eleanor x

Peach & Rhubarb Coconut Chia Pudding

Read more

Now I wang on and on about the joy that can be found in cooking or baking for one, but I thought it would be rude not to share at least some of that joy with the man I’m planning on sharing my life with (on his birthday, at least). And let me tell you there are very few things in life that bring this man as much joy as a kinder bueno. He’s tried every variation and I’d go as far as to say that there is rarely a day that goes by without at least one form of chocolatey hazelnuty wafery goodness being consumed.

So my cake plan this year was to move away from the safe, reliable zone of a classic, round, layered cake and plunge myself into the risky business of sculpting. Now I am no artist, but my skills with a palette knife aren’t bad (helped by 8 years working in a bakery as a teen/young adult) and I thought, if a regular kinder bueno brings him so much joy, imagine the wonder he would feel upon seeing a GIANT Kinder Bueno.

And so my quest began.

As with many important bakes, I do absolutely no testing beforehand. My nervous system loves me thank you for asking. If I’m not developing my own recipe I also tend to come up with the idea for the cake, plus the flavour profiles or specific components I want to include, then do a bit of research and pick a different recipe for each element. I don’t think I’ve ever actually followed a full cake+icing recipe from one person, there are always 3-5 different recipes involved. That’s also exactly what I did here and so actually I can take no credit for any of the recipes so please, if you do make any form of this cake, show these recipe creators some luuurve.

Subscribe now

So why did I choose these specific recipes?

Let’s start with the cake. I have used a chocolate cake recipe by Lindsay Conchar over and over and over again. It is practically the only one I make because it has everything I look for in a chocolate cake. It’s oil based, which keeps it unbelievably moist, it incorporates boiling water which hydrates and blooms the cocoa, and it’s basically made in one bowl. Everyone I’ve made it for LOVES it. This time was no exception.

A kinder bueno is filled with a delicious white chocolate hazelnut cream and I knew I wanted to make something similar to use as the filling of the cake, sandwiched between each layer. I found a recipe by Ash Baber, for what is essentially a white chocolate nutella, that fit the bill. I opted for something like this as opposed to a buttercream because it’s slightly thicker texture seemed more secure for the carving.

Finally, I don’t particularly enjoy an American buttercream but I do very much enjoy a Swiss meringue buttercream. They’re less sweet, more stable and smoother to ice with. However, Swiss meringue buttercream involves beating eggs over a bain-marie and if I’m completely honest I couldn’t really be bothered to do this—the mere thought of the sticky mess it creates was overstimulating me tbh. So I opted for an Italian meringue buttercream instead, which gives the same result but you only have to make a sugar syrup, which is far less sticky. BBC Good Food came through with a recipe for this.

THE RECIPE

I don’t have a formal written recipe for this but I will do my best to explain the process below. I have also linked all the recipes I used below.

Chocolate Cake Recipe

White Chocolate Hazelnut Cream

Italian Meringue Buttercream + Nutella

Milk Chocolate Shell + Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Baking

1. The link for the white chocolate hazelnut cream is for a full kinder bueno cake, but as you can see, I used different recipes for my cake and just made the white chocolate hazelnut filling from this link. Make this first, so it has time to set. You can put it in the fridge but it might get too firm so, if it does, microwave it for just a couple of seconds before using until you have a nutella-like consistency,

2. Make the chocolate cake in a large rectangular baking dish (mine was 14”x10” which worked very well). It took a similar amount of time to bake as the recipe states for a round tin, but keep an eye on it just in case. Let it cool completely when it’s baked.

3. Make the buttercream according to the recipe then, once done, gently whip through a hefty amount of Nutella. I didn’t measure, I just went on taste, but I’d say it was probably 400-500g.

4. The chocolate shell is just melted chocolate, but don’t do that until the rest of the cake is fully assembled.

Assembly

1. Start with your chocolate cake rectangle. You want to cut it in half lengthways but slightly off centre (so actually not in half if we’re being technical) so you have one half that is slightly wider than the other half.

2. You then want to cut them in half horizontally, so each half becomes 2 thinner halves. You should be left with 4 rectangular layers of cake, 2 slightly wider than the other 2.

3. Place one of the wider layers on your cake board, spread over around 1/3 of the white chocolate hazelnut filling until the layer is evenly covered. Place the other wider layer of cake on top of this and then cover that one with 1/3 of the filling too. Next, put a thinner layer of cake on top, then cover with filling. Finally, put the last layer of cake on top. Let this chill in the fridge for an hour or so to firm up.

4. Once firm, start to gently carve it. You want to smooth out the shape so rather than looking like stacked rectangles, it looks like a semi-circle (like a pipe cut in half). It doesn’t need to be perfect because the buttercream creates most of the shape, so don’t shave off too much cake. Once it’s slightly smoothed, cut out two ‘V’ shapes 1/3 and 2/3rds of the way along the cake so create the shape of 3 separate pieces of kinder bueno. You also want to shave the very ends of the cake down at an angle to create the right shape.

5. Cover the whole thing in a thick layer of buttercream, smooth it over into the shape of a kinder bueno, and keeping the buttercream in the V’s thinner, so the gap doesn’t fill in. Set in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight until the buttercream is set.

6. Melt the milk chocolate (probably around 600g) for the shell. You’ll be covering the whole cake in chocolate but do it one third at a time as it’ll be much easier to smooth out before it sets (I didn’t do this and regretted it. A hairdryer had to get involved). Once the whole cake is covered, let it set then melt the dark chocolate (only around 150g) and pipe a drizzle over the top.

7. You’re done!!

EDIT

I completely forgot to add a slice shot, mainly because I completely forgot to take one!! I will provide the only picture of the inside of the cake that I have, but I will warn you it ain’t cute, because it was accidentally stamped on…yes you heard that right. Several drinks were consumed and someone mistook the bag that the cake was in for something else and stamped on it hehe. Not to worry, the cake had already been served by this point so it was only the leftovers that were trampled. So yes, here is the photo I have, you can see what the layers would have looked like had they not been in contact with someone’s shoe xx

If you’re new here (hi hello welcome) then you may not know that I write weekly meal plans complete with (printable) categorised shopping list, recipes notes, tips for leftovers and dietary requirement swaps to make cooking for one even easier!

The meals are all recipes I’ve shared before across socials or in my cookbook and I try and pick meals that reflect the seasons/weather/general food vibes I think you might like!

Big Love & Happy Cooking,

Eleanor x

MEAL PLAN 39: March 2026

Read more

Why does doing things alone have to be a secret?

When it comes to solo dining and talking about solo dining, I’m never actually worried about being alone, only what people think about me being alone. Feeling comfortable in your own company is one thing but feeling comfortable being seen in your own company is another. And once you are comfortable with that I think the whole thing becomes even more enjoyable.

Whenever people do speak about solo dining it almost always includes an exclamation of ‘oh I love getting a counter seat when I’m eating on my own.’ There are only two reasons I can think of as to why a solo diner might choose a counter seat. Firstly, because you get a view of the chefs at work—but this isn’t something that only a solo diner could experience. A party of any size who books a counter seat can see the kitchen, and, sure, there are some restaurants for which people claim you absolutely must sit counter-side, but in my experience this phrase doesn’t come up anywhere near as frequently for multiple diners as it does for solo diners. Which leads me to think the second reason is more convincing. A counter seat means you are less exposed. Less seen.

Going back to the first video I made about solo dining, I think there’s a huge stigma around aloneness. Being seen as being alone comes with almost no positive connotations. If we’re pushing this thought outside of the boundaries of solo dining, then this is even more true for society’s views of women who are alone. The classic (see also: misogynistic) bachelor vs spinster narrative, attitudes to unmarried men vs unmarried women, distinguished gentleman vs crazy cat lady, as if women who do anything alone are either undesirable, problematic or completely mad.

God forbid a woman simply enjoy her own company.

I’m sure there are many people who would see someone eating alone and internally praise that person’s confidence, their self-assurance or ability to spend time with their own mind (or, perhaps even better, think nothing at all of it), but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to also assume that some people may feel pity towards said solo diner, perhaps wonder if they had no friends or had been stood up.

Subscribe now

It’s a funny thing, that people automatically assume that if someone is doing something alone it’s because they had no one to do it with. An exception to this, I think, would be solo travel but even then I think that’s because solo travel comes with a promise that ‘you’ll meet people along the way’. The idea being that you arrive solo but you don’t actually travel solo. I’ve done this type of travel, just as I have done dinner for one out of necessity rather than choice but, as I get older and more comfortable in my own company, I also do both simply because I want to experience them alone.

Experiencing something alone is different to experiencing something with someone else. Both great, don’t get me wrong, but different. If I choose to go for dinner alone it’s because I want that specific experience. Not because it was the last resort. (On a separate note, I sometimes feel a level of guilt towards my boyfriend, friends, or family when I choose to do something alone…perhaps that’ll be the topic of the next discussion).

It seems there are two barriers to entry when it comes to solo dining, then. The first is your own mind. The second is everyone else’s. You need to be comfortable in your own company (or at least, willing to practice) first, and once you’ve done that you need to be comfortable being seen in your own company. If you think about it, no one really knows why you’re there. You could have been stood up, sure. But you could also be a world-renowned food critic, the owner of the restaurant, an author finding inspiration for your next novel. The narrative is simultaneously entirely up to you and completely out of your control. So actually, if we can’t control the minds of everyone else in the restaurant, then I suppose we’re back to just one barrier.

Accepting that people may think things that aren’t true about your solo dining situation means that you can then be solely focused on your own enjoyment. Quite frankly I would never choose a counter seat because they’re so damn uncomfortable!! I hate perching and I hate having my legs either dangling above the floor or slipping off a bar that’s slightly too far away. Give me a table, a chair and sturdy ground upon which to place my feet please and thank you. Am I more visible? Yes. Is that more scary? Yes. Does that change how I feel about the experience of dining alone? Honestly yes a little bit, BUT less and less every time I do it.

A classic case of fake it ‘til you make it, being comfortable being seen alone does get easier and, what’s more, it gets more fun. I love taking my notebook and a pen with me and pretending I’m the next Grace Dent. Plus, other people might be looking at me but guess what, I’m looking at them too. The ultimate people watching experience, I love guessing whether a couple are on a first date or in a fully fledged relationship, wondering how the trio across from me know each other or what line of work the large group in the corner are in. I won’t find out but I guess they won’t find out if I’ve been stood up or not either and that’s a power balance I’m very comfortable with.

Subscribe now

I suppose part of the reason I want to start this discussion is because doing things alone shouldn’t have to feel secret or hidden, and it needn’t be seen as a last resort. As with many things that bring reward, practice is needed before it feels fully comfortable but this is a skill I’m more than happy to practice, and share along the way.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this, or about your own solo dining experiences so do feel free to leave a comment.

Big love,

Eleanor x

Welcome back to Table For One!

I’ve decided to start sharing more of the recipes I make just for myself, that don’t make the instagram grid. Not because they’re not good enough (far from it, in fact) but either because I simply didn’t think to film them or I didn’t think they would resonate with my audience as much as my classic one pot one portion or small batch bakes recipes do. But I’m very excited to be sharing them with you!

This week I wanted to share this recipe for chicken meatballs and 5 ways you could use them. I had a packet of chicken mince in my fridge and rather than making four/five completely different meals from it I decided to make the whole thing into a batch of meatballs that I could keep in the fridge to eat throughout the week. Sort of like my ‘more ways than one’ recipes where I take one base and transform it into different recipes!

These are flavour packed, and this particular way of making a meatball gives you the smoothest, most tender, almost melt in the mouth result! I hope you love them.

Big love and happy cooking,

Eleanor x

Italian Chicken Meatballs

These perfect chicken meatballs are packed with flavours of sun-dried tomato and fresh herbs. Anchovies season and add depth and sour cream keeps them deliciously tender and moist, though feel free to use ricotta or cottage cheese instead.

Read more

Whilst I still appreciate the religious roots of Shrove Tuesday it doesn’t quite hold the same meaning for me now. However, I still bloody love crêpes and because they’re a dish that I would never really think to make on a day-to-day basis, I will most definitely take the opportunity to make them today.

So here are 3 pancake recipes for you today. Whether you want something sweet, savoury or slightly different, I hope you love the versatility of these recipes and have fun making them- tonight or any night!

Big love and happy cooking,

Eleanor x

Single Serve Crêpes

A classic crêpe recipe, scaled down just for you. This can be used for sweet or savoury pancakes—my favourite always being the classic lemon and sugar. Here this makes 3 crêpes for you to top and fill to your heart’s content.

Spinach & Ricotta Crespelle

In this recipe I take the crêpe recipe above, but make 2 pancakes instead of 3, stuffing them with a delicious spinach and ricotta filling (the same one used to make these malfatti) then top with mascarpone and cheese. Baked until oozy and golden, these are a serious winner and I can’t believe I’ve waited 30 years to make them.

Korean Vegetable Pancake with a Chilli Crisp Egg

A slightly different, but no less delicious option. This vegetable pancake has its origin in Korea (where they’re known as yachaejeon) and is the perfect dish to use up odds and ends of any vegetables you have lying around. Have this for your dinner, then a sweet crêpe for dessert.