Life here is never boring, and sometimes, even the simplest of things takes a twist, which leaves us wondering how we manage to get through a day without some disaster, or another. However, the sweet reward of a fig and almond cake makes everything better. On Saturday, we headed out …

Culinary references to a version of calissons lead to medieval Italy but these sweets are commonly associated with Aix-en-Provence – Calisson d’Aix. This came after 16th-century farmers planted the first almond crops in the region. These delicious calissons have been consistently made in the same way for many generations. Traditional …

Almond and browned butter are the main ingredients of a little French pastry called a financier. Originally, these pastries were called visitandines, named after the order of French nuns who created the recipe in the Middle Ages. I’m not sure in what shape the Sisters of the Visitation made them …

Ground almonds add a touch of richness to an already delightful clafoutis with sweet sun ripened cherries topped with crème fraiche or crème anglaise.