Rainy weekends are best for staying in and baking. And that is what I did this weekend. I started out with Nigel Slater's Soft Hazelnut Cookies, from there worked on perfecting a coconut and lime pot de crème recipe and ended with madeleines. My mother gave me her old madeleines tin and I wanted to use it. I refused to buy a silicon form and am so glad I now have her old metal one. It gives the edges of the madeleines the perfect crispness.

A few weeks ago, when we pruned our fruit trees during a warm spell, I brought in some of the branches and hoped they'd blossom. First the pear blossomed beautifully, bringing Spring into the living room. One they were finished, the cherries opened up. The cherries are still blossoming and it is fun to watch each flower open up. Then on Friday I couldn't resist and bought a bunch of lovely tulips and filled a vase. The ones in the garden are slowly poking their leaves up, but it will still be several weeks, if not more, before my garden is filled with tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.