Sweets

Sweets and confectionery occupy a particular space in my kitchen — they’re the things made for gifting, for the end of a dinner party when someone produces something small and sweet alongside the coffee, or for the jar on the counter that disappears by mid-week without anyone admitting to eating it.

Cornflake crack with chocolate and sea salt is the recipe that best represents this category.

Fudge, truffles, caramel-based sweets, and a few South African and English confectionery traditions are all represented. These are the recipes that get requested as gifts, that appear in the hampers I put together in December, and that make the kitchen smell like a very good version of a sweet shop when you’re making them.

Most of these keep well, which is part of their value. Made ahead, stored properly, and brought out at the right moment, a good homemade sweet is worth considerably more than the effort it cost.