Masterchef's Natalie Allen opens her second 'Sweet Things' in Notting Hill

We get straight in there to ask Natalie about her celebrity clients' indulgences!
Masterchef's Natalie Allen opens her second 'Sweet Things' in Notting Hill picture

Natalie Allen was a finalist on MasterChef in the same series as Thomasina Miers before opening Sweet Things in Primrose Hill. It quickly became a favourite with the famous - David Walliams, Nigella Lawson and David Beckham often pop in. Her second site in Notting Hill opened in January, and is London's first cashless cafe, so no faffing around with old-fashioned coins.

They serve homemade cakes and crepes filled with mature cheddar and onion marmalade, as well as cookie dough and black forest cupcakes. But what we really want to know is whether the celebs choose from their vegan, gluten and dairy-free cakes, or whether they'd rather go for the double-layer chocolate sponge with Oreo buttercream filling...

Which are the most popular items?
The red velvet cupcake, Oreo cupcake, lemon drizzle loaf cake and our Great Taste award-winning carrot cake.

How did you get the idea of going cash-less? How are customers finding it?
I was on a family holiday in Holland, and we went to a family friendly cafe that was cashless, I thought it was such a great idea. 90% of customers really like it, some remain unconvinced. We are likely to do the same with the four year old Primrose Hill Sweet Things shop in the coming months.

Given that Primrose Hill is home to so many celebrities, who comes in?
David Beckham, Abbey Clancy, Ewan McGregor and others...

What do they tend to order - are they as health-conscious as they appear in the media or do they indulge as much like the rest of us?
Celebrities treat themselves like the rest of us! We all forget they are human beings at the end of the day. Red velvet is a favourite for sure.

What made you apply to go on MasterChef?
I have been a passionate foodie for years and I thought I would really enjoy the experience, but didn't expect to do so well!

Which of the judges was the most fearsome?
None of them, the most daunting thing is being surrounded by a TV crew with cameras everywhere!

What tips can you give a novice to bake a decent cake?
Check your oven first, I never believe people who say they can't bake. It is important to be precise, yet it is possible the fault lies with the oven. Place an oven thermometer in there to check the digital temperature is correct. Keep all ingredients at room temperature - cold eggs and hard butter will never create a fluffy, moist sponge!

Where do you like to eat out (apart from Sweet Things of course!)?
I adore Asian cuisine - Yauatcha, Hakassan and Oka are three of my favourites.

Great to speak to you Natalie, and good luck with the new shop :-)

Published Mar 15, 2016