In early December, Jess Zero Waste Cafe Food Coordinator welcomed a group of keen home bakers for a hands-on dessert cooking workshop with Jess, celebrating simple, seasonal baking that’s low-waste, plant-based and perfect for festive gatherings.

The workshop focused on two crowd-pleasing desserts that are ideal for winter entertaining: a zesty Lemon Drizzle Loaf and a rich, dairy-free Chocolate Tart. Both recipes use everyday ingredients, minimal equipment, and can be made with store-cupboard staples, proving that delicious desserts don’t need to come with unnecessary packaging or food waste.

Jess guided participants through each recipe step-by-step, sharing practical tips on:

• Reducing food waste when baking
• Choosing flexible, plant-based ingredients
• Making desserts ahead of time to save energy and stress
• Adapting recipes to what you already have at home

As with all our workshops, the emphasis was on building confidence, sharing skills, and showing how small choices in the kitchen can support a more sustainable lifestyle.

Below are the two recipes we made during the session, perfect if you missed the workshop or want to recreate the bakes at home.

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Recipe 1: Lemon Drizzle Loaf

A light, fluffy loaf with a sharp lemon drizzle… ideal with a cup of tea.

Ingredients

Lemon Drizzle Loaf

• 275g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 195g caster sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
• 100ml sunflower oil
• 170ml water

Sugar Topping

• 120g caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Lemon zest

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (Gas Mark 6) and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and lemon zest.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the lemon juice, sunflower oil and water.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix gently with a wooden spoon until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and tap gently to release any air bubbles.
6. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. While the cake is still hot, pierce the top with a skewer and pour over the sugar topping mixture.
8. Lift the cake out of the tin and allow to cool before slicing.

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Recipe 2: Dairy-Free Chocolate Tart

A rich, indulgent chocolate tart with a spiced biscuit base, completely plant-based and perfect for making ahead!

Ingredients

Base

• 200g ginger nut biscuits
• 80g coconut oil, melted
• ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt

Ganache

• 1 x 400g tin full-fat coconut milk
• 300g dark cooking chocolate
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of flaked salt

Method

1. Line the base of a 20cm cake tin with a removable base using non-stick parchment paper.
2. For the base, crush the biscuits in a food processor or bash in a bag with a rolling pin to create a coarse crumb.
3. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the spices, salt and melted coconut oil.
4. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared tin to form an even, compact layer.
5. For the ganache, gently heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until steaming (do not boil).
6. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla and flaked salt.
7. Leave for a couple of minutes, then whisk until smooth.
8. Allow the ganache to cool for 15 minutes before pouring over the base.
9. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or ideally overnight, until fully set.
10. Release from the tin and serve.

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Baking Skills That Go Beyond the Recipe

Workshops like this aren’t just about the food, they’re about connection, confidence and community. Participants left with new skills, inspiration for festive baking, and the reassurance that low-waste cooking can still feel special and indulgent.

A huge thank you to Jess for leading such a welcoming and informative session, and to everyone who came along and got stuck in.

Keep an eye on our website and social media for more food workshops, seasonal cooking sessions, and practical ways to live well for less