As the days get warmer, we want fresher, lighter recipes. Winter warmers are on their way out, and the spring months bring the promise of fresh produce, outdoor dining and plenty of sweet treats to keep the whole family happy.

Read on for three recipe ideas that include our favourite spring food trends - great no matter how much you plan on using your oven!

The last supper

When spring arrives and the weather begins to get warmer, many families swap out comforting roast dinners in favour of fun barbecues and outdoor dining.

However, spring does also include Easter - a great opportunity to give the roast a send-off before you switch to more summery dinners. Roast lamb is a favourite in the spring; give it a fresh new flavour by incorporating Mediterranean ingredients, which are perfect for warmer weather.

We really love this Greek roast lamb recipe for an Easter Sunday roast. Instead of roast potatoes, new potatoes add a fresh flavour that will convert any sceptic. It's a firm family favourite that's perfect for spring celebrations, with seasonal veg and a twist on a classic favourite.

Hot off the press

If you're not a fan of hot cross buns...well, we implore you to reconsider. Are you aware that you can now get several different flavours of hot cross bun? If the traditional cinnamon and raisins aren't your thing, chocolate chip versions have begun to appear in supermarkets, and these may well convert you. Even if you're a die-hard traditionalist, it's good to try these new twists on the timeless Easter treat. We've been eyeing up these chocolate orange ones from Waitrose.

If you feel like trying out some seasonal baking, why not try making your own hot cross buns? It's the perfect way to use your oven and practice for The Great British Bake Off.

Mint to be

Always a controversial ice-cream flavour (perhaps its association with toothpaste has tainted public opinion?), mint has many uses beyond choc-chip. Mint leaves have a milder flavour that leans more savoury and is a far cry from your dentist's favourite mouthwash. If you've ever had a mojito, you'll know it's a lightly refreshing taste that still has a little earthy hit.

What's great about mint is how well it pairs with other seasonal favourites. Think lamb with mint sauce, or green veggies with mint; these are classic combinations that are miles away from ice cream. Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines rely on this herb, and we reckon spring is the perfect time to try tabbouleh. Serve warm as a fresh side dish to meat, or add feta cheese for a great lunch on the go. It's also a no-cook classic - perfect if your oven is out of use. Keep your eye out for mint in other recipes; you'll be surprised how versatile it can be.

If your oven needs to be repaired before the spring festivities can begin, visit the Cooker Spare Parts homepage and browse our huge range of high-quality cooker spares.

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With summer now in full swing and temperatures set to rise, things are starting to heat up across the country. Never is this more true than in the kitchen during meal prep, where things can boil over pretty quickly – especially on a hot summer’s day.

While the phrase “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” springs to mind, here at Cooker Spare Parts, we believe that the kitchen should be accessible to all – even if you suffer from thermophobia!

If your kitchen is prone to bouts of boiling heat, we’ve got a few choice tips to help keep your kitchen running smoothly without resulting in a meltdown.

Reduce heat in the kitchen

First things first, the easiest and most obvious way to reduce heat in kitchen areas is to simply crack open a window.

The additional airflow can work wonders in no time, while patio doors can also provide ample ventilation.

But what if you don’t have patio doors or only have a small kitchen window?

Is all hope lost? Is it time to throw in the tea towel? Should we resign ourselves to cooking in inferno-like temperatures for the rest of our days?

Not quite. Here’s a few ways to beat the heat in your kitchen this summer.

Oven Embargo

Oven cooking has a knack for heating up the entire kitchen, particularly if your kitchen is small and compact.

While this can be great news in the wintertime when the weather is colder than a mother-in-law’s kiss, it’s not as welcome when the kitchen is already hotter than a heatwave in hell.

Avoiding oven cooking during the bouts of baking sun is a wise move. Instead, try to rely on other kitchen appliances, like a slow cooker or microwave.

Bake Smart

Oven cooking can’t always be substituted and sometimes you may find there’s simply no alternative. If this is indeed the case, try to plan ahead and schedule your oven cooking at cooler times of the day, such as the early morning or late at night.

Boiling Over

Boiling water on a stove top can have a dramatic effect on the kitchen environment. Even with an extractor fan above the hob, it’s still common for the whole kitchen to become a sauna, misting up the windows like a culinary steam room.

Opting for boiled foods during hot weather is asking for trouble, so try to avoid stove-top boiling during bouts of extreme heat outside.

The Great Outdoors

If you feel like your kitchen is too hot to cook in, why not revere that psychology somewhat and use the weather to your advantage?

Hot weather is a prime setting for alfresco dining, so why not take advantage of the conditions and go the whole hog by cooking outside too?

Embracing barbeque season can have multiple perks, from the social aspect of a BBQ to the sheer novelty of cooking outside.

Best of all, it gets you out in the open and out of the kitchen, minimising the kitchen heat considerably. 

There you have it: four fool-proof ways to reduce the heat in your kitchen his summer without affecting your cooking. For more information on how to reduce heat in your kitchen, drop us a line on 02920 452 510 or click the button below to get in touch online.

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If the record viewing figures of The Great British Bake-Off have taught us anything, it’s that Britain is a nation that loves baking. Millions of viewers tune in each week to see the would-be bakers get hot under the collar in their quest to become Star Baker.

For further proof, look no further than Greggs. The home of the Steak Bake is the most popular high-street dining brand in the UK according to YouGov, handily beating off the likes of McDonald’s, Subway and Wetherspoons.

There’s no denying it: us bake-loving Brits can’t get enough of our beautifully British baked goods.

Sadly, like any great love story, there can be hardships and tragedies along the way. Kitchen hiccups and mechanical mishaps can put your baking dreams on ice in an instant, particularly when it comes to a problem-oven.

Luckily, there are ways around it. It’s not always easy, but where there’s a will there’s a way!

Read on for our fool-proof guide on how to bake without an oven and earn yourself a Paul Hollywood handshake the hard way!

Why bake without an oven?

If your oven is broken, the best course of action is, of course, to get it fixed as soon as possible. Life without an oven can be a real pain so it’s well worth attempting to fix it before you resort to alternatives.

It could be as simple as replacing an oven knob or fixing door hinge, so be sure to do some detective work and give your cooker a once over. You may be able to get it back up and running a lot easier than you think.

How to bake when oven is broken

If, despite your best efforts, you find that your oven is out well and truly of commission, baking probably seems like an impossible task. However, that’s not always the case.

While it can be difficult and is far from ideal, there are ways to bake without an oven.

From cakes and cookies to bread and brownies, you might be surprised at just what you can achieve with non-oven baking. Here are a few tops tips on how to bake without oven power.

Microwave

If you happen to own a microwave – which most 21st-century British homes do – there’s a veritable world of microwavable flavourables quite literally at your fingertips, particularly if your microwave has a convection mode.

The simple mug cake is the perfect example of microbake mastery and notoriously easy to boot; however, the list doesn’t stop there. In fact, you can bake a huge variety of goodies in the microwave, from bread and pizza to cake and brownies.

If you’re thinking of exploring the world of microwave baking, a silicone Bundt pan is well worth purchasing. Metal pans are obviously not suitable for microwave use, while the hole in the middle of the Bundt pan allows it to cook through to the centre.

Stove

An expected feature of any decent kitchen, the humble stove top is the typical partner in crime for the oven: the Bonnie to its Clyde, the Rodney to its Del Boy, the…Kevin Hart to its Dwayne Johnson? You get the idea.

Like any good double act, when one falters, the other picks up the slack. The stove is the perfect support system should your oven take a tumble; however, there is more than one way to bake using the stove top.

Here are the three most popular methods of baking with a stove.

Skillet

The almighty skillet is a multifaceted piece of hardware that can lend its cast-iron credentials to a variety of baked delights. Ideal for baking cookies and brownies, this method is also ideal for muffins, Welsh cakes and scones.

Steaming

A classic method of yesteryear, steaming is a great way to bake without an oven, most famously used for making Christmas Puddings. While this can ideally (and most easily) be achieved using a steamed pudding mould, the same effect can be created using a bowl sealed with foil via the traditional wrap and tie method.

Dutch Oven

One of the most versatile options for non-oven baking, the Dutch oven is essentially a cast-iron cooking pot made of heavy-duty metal. While it can be used for a variety of purposes – from stews and casseroles to curries and meat roasting – Dutch ovens are also perfect for baking bread and even capable of baking cakes.

Slow Cooker

Often overlooked and under-utilised, slow cookers are great outside the box kitchen appliances when it comes to baking.

While they are commonly used for casseroles, stews and the like, slow cookers are also great for baking a wide variety of breads and delicious desserts: from cakes, puddings and pies to brownies, cookies and crumbles.

Provided you line the slow cooker first or place your ingredients in a silicone pan (or a metal cake/loaf tin), baking with a slow cooker can be a breeze.

Pressure Cooker

Much like the slow cooker, a pressure cooker is also capable of baking a variety of dishes yet is, more often than not, criminally overlooked.

Whether you’re looking to bake bread, desserts or anything else you may fancy getting your bake on with, chances are that you can get it done in a pressure cooker. In fact, you can even use it to make cheesecake and, what’s more, it often cooks better than conventional oven methods.

Best of all, pressure cookers don’t hang about when it comes to cooking times and you could have the finished dish in your hand within 30 minutes. If you follow the instructions to the letter and do everything by the book, you could have delicious baked goodness is no time!

Problems of baking without an oven

While it is clearly possible to bake without an oven, it’s by no means a long-term solution. We’re sure Mary Berry would agree that there really is no substitute for the oven when it comes to creating a baking masterpiece.

Daily cooking without an oven can be a frustrating experience that limits your culinary options. What’s more, over-reliance on pan-frying and microwaves can quickly have a negative effect on your diet and a notable impact on your waistband.

Get back to baking with Cooker Spare Parts

While baking without an oven can be a cool little novelty and a fun way to test your kitchen skills, it’s no replacement for the real thing.

If you’re without your oven due to an appliance malfunction or a faulty part, the best solution for your overall baking experience is to simply get your oven repaired. It may even be a lot easier to fix than you think!

If you can get to the bottom of your oven issue and find out what’s putting your baking dreams on ice, you may be able to fix it by simply replacing the problem part with a spare from Cooker Spare Parts.

To ensure your cooking habits don’t go off the boil, give us a call today on 02920 452 510. Alternatively, keep your oven running hot by hitting the button below.

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Here in Britain, we all love a slice of cake not and again, so to brighten up your Friday, we thought we would share some lovely pictures of cake with you.

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We start with the delicious coffee and walnut cake, and the recipe comes from BBC Good Food and it is hard to see why anyone would not like this. This cake is the perfect partner for your mid-morning (or mid-afternoon) cup of coffee! The creamy filling complements the coffee perfectly. All in all, this cake is a winner in our eyes!

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Next up is the fantastic Vanilla Cheesecake from Jamie Oliver. We can always rely on the main man himself to provide us with some delicious recipes, and this is a particularly easy recipe. Using classic digestive biscuits as a base and vanilla extract, this cheesecake is an American classic that we Brits love to have a slice of now and again! Thanks for brightening our Friday, Jamie!

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Finally, we have a mouth-watering Chocolate cake from Mary Berry, the queen of baking! This chocolate gateau has four layers of chocolatey goodness with a truffle filling, topped off with chocolate icing! We’re all thinking the same thing, how much we want a slice of that cake now, but we’ll have to make do with the picture!

We hope our top 3 favourite cakes have brightened up your Friday morning, and don’t make you too hungry! Now where did we leave that coffee and walnut cake….