My Journal

Pump Street at Home

8 November 2023
The world at large and most certainly my own world has completely changed since we last spoke. But in the last month of heartbreak and sorrow in the news, there has been one constant - BAKING. Mixing butter and sugar, the odd egg, a smattering of flour and the all important chocolate (and by that I mean Pump Street Chocolate) is my home made soothing balm. And out of the batter comes a ray of light and the ability to share a little joy.

While we are discussing all things sweet, I am SO excited to introduce you to Pump Street at Home. This new series of recipes and videos will showcase beloved favourites from the award winning Pump Street Bakery and some of my own special home baked treats packed with Pump Street Chocolate. Jo Brennan, co-funder of Pump Street Bakery & Chocolate and I can’t wait to share all our tips and tricks for baking success from the warmth of my kitchen. I will share all the recipes, tips and videos on the site, on YouTube you will find all the recipes together in their own category and additional teasers and reels on Instagram.  Make sure you are subscribed to never miss any of the baking fun. 

Personally, this is a project and collaboration that is very close to my heart. Jo championed me from the very earliest days of Building Feasts, is a wonderful mentor, confidante, an inspirational business owner and my favourite fellow culinary explorer. Our friendship spans almost a decade, beginning during my final month of pregnancy with my fourth son. I spent the month of August 2014 in Suffolk, camped out at the fairly new but already famed Pump Street Bakery where Jo and I became fast pals bonding over food, design, all things bread and chocolate, life balance and have since not stopped talking about everything and anything in between.

I’ve shared some of my favourite times in the kitchen with Jo, including our Pump Street Bakery weekend takeover last year. I ran one of my first Supper Clubs from the Pink Palace (AKA the Bakery) and had the honour of cooking the Pump Street Christmas Party for the entire team giving me the inspiration for some of the recipes we will share with you over the coming months. Baking with Pump Street Chocolate has influenced my sweet and treat creativity and encouraged me to explore different uses and methods with chocolate, cocoa and cacao nibs to incorporate them into just about everything I make.  

Welcome to our first instalment in the series. The famous Pump Street Bakery (and quite frankly, quintessential) Chocolate Chip Cookie with golden crisp edges and soft, just cooked centre and a generous amount of large unctuous chocolate pieces. The technical consideration into the method of this recipe sets it apart from its competitors on these pages.  But as I always say, you can never have too many Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes in your armoury.  

Click here for the recipe and video.

Side note: this classic recipe is also the magic ingredient in the new Pump Street Chocolate Cookie Chip Bar, which completely blew my mind on first bite. It is quite literally a chocolate bar that tastes just like this chocolate chip cookie. Trust me, make the cookies, eat the bar.  Your life will improve exponentially.   

Happy baking people. Keep your eyes out for my next journal entry, coming next weekend with a Thanksgiving roundup and a few entertaining hacks. In the meantime, keep safe, stay kind to yourselves and others around you and share some love.