I Tried Mary Berry’s 15-Minute Lemon Curd Recipe, And I’ve Made 6 Jars Since

Posted on 10/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Ex-Great British Bake-Off host Mary Berry doesn’t just do sweet treats ― we love her sausage casserole and “Mexican lasagne” recipes for our midweek meals.

With that said, there’s a reason one of her (many) cookbooks is called The Baking Bible. When I want to make dessert, I turn to the Cordon Bleu-trained chef first.

This weekend, I craved a lemon meringue pie. So, I thought I’d give her pared-down recipe a go (I’d tried more complex recipes recently, like a pomegranate curd, and had been left with a runny disaster).

People, the pie never got made. The curd was so good, I simply slathered it on slices of bread and ate spoonfuls from the jar ― I re-made double the recipe again to stay in stock for the rest of the month.

How does Mary Berry make her lemon curd?

Her instructions are simple: whisk one egg per whole lemon zest and juice to 75g caster sugar and 56g butter together. Twice this calculation makes roughly a jar.

Then, keep whisking the lot over a gentle heat for seven to 10 minutes. Mary warns: “Do not allow the mixture to boil or it may split.”

For that reason, I made my first batch in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of boiling water (like the one you’d use for melting chocolate).

I recommend this if, like me, you’re using thin, cheap saucepans; if you have a heavy-bottomed saucepan and really good temperature control on your hob, though, a saucepan should be fine.

Once the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, you’re ready to spoon the curd into a sterilised jar ― it should thicken in a couple of hours, and the curd will last for a month or so in the fridge.

I loved that Mary uses the full zest and curd of all lemons. It makes a brilliantly tangy curd, and also means your kitchen smells amazing for hours.

I also think it made the curd less creamy, which I personally prefer.

Lemon curd cooking on left: jarred on the right

Any other tips?

Yes! Mary’s advice for sterilising the jars accidentally ensures they’re capable of taking in the hot curd without breaking or cracking, too.

“To sterilise jars, wash the jars in very hot, soapy water or put through the hot cycle of a dishwasher,” she writes.

Then, “place the jars onto a baking tray and slide into an oven preheated to 160C/325F/Gas 3 for 10–15 minutes”.

I spooned my curd into the jars while they were still warm(ish) from the oven. That way, you run far less risk of a shattering disaster.

I’m A Flight Attendant – This Is The Safest Place To Park Your Car In The Airport

Posted on 08/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Airport parking demand shifts hugely across the UK, Transport Network reports.

Fewer than 1% of travellers through Heathrow look for a parking spot, but 10% of those passing through Bristol Airport look out for one.

That’s partly because of local transport links, they explain. But no matter where you’ve parked your car while on holiday, you’ll want to know it’s safe.

In a YouTube Short, flight attendant Cierra Mistt shared that the most secure place to park your car may be in the spot you like least.

Where’s safest to park in an airport car park?

“If you want to make sure your vehicle is safe at the airport ― especially on those long trips ― park in either the top floor of the [multi-storey car park], or the very back of economy parking,” Mistt said.

Though those areas are far away from the airport and can seem “unguarded”, Cierra said she recommends them for good reason.

“This is actually the parking where all the employees of the airport, along with crew members that are going to be on trips, park,” she explained.

“Security is constantly monitoring that area to make sure that no one breaks into those cars, and the shuttles are over there more than any other place because they need to make sure that their employees get to work on time.”

Some airports have separate parking arrangements for their staff ― but you can usually look this up ahead of time.

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What if I don’t want to go that far?

Airports claim your car will still have lots of protection, like CCTV, number plate recognition, and patrols.

Otherwise, the Met Police suggest following some basic steps will prevent break-ins, at the airport and elsewhere.

These include locking your car, shutting your windows and sunroof, securing your number plates with tamper-resistant screws, and taking out or hiding valuable items inside the vehicle.

And don’t even leave hints of pricey electronic goods, like sat nav mounts, on show, they add.

The New Gender Divide? Reading, Apparently

Posted on 07/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Did you know only 40% of Britons have read a book or listened to an audiobook in the past year?

Yup ― according to a recent YouGov poll, two-fifths of us didn’t engage with the hobby at all in the past 12 months, despite half of us buying a new book in that time.

The average Brit read or listened to three books last year, they add. A further 10% read between six and 10 books; 10% read between 10-20; and a tiny 4% tore through more than 50 titles.

Those numbers changed according to gender, age, and class.

Women are more likely to read than men

The research found that 66% of women have read or listened to a book in the last year, compared to just over half (53%) of men who said the same.

Of people who read in that period, women were more likely to read fiction for some or all of their titles (63%) than men (46%).

Though most people who read do so once a week, women were twice as likely as men (27% vs 13%) to read every day, too.

Additionally, women seem to get their books from a broader variety of sources: they’re almost twice as likely to have borrowed books from their family or friends than men (37% vs 19%) or from a library (24% vs 13%).

And women were likelier to buy second-hand books (46% vs 32%).

Of course, those weren’t the only differences in reading habits. 65% of people over 65 read or listened to a book in the last year compared to 53% of 18-24-year-olds.

Class seemed to have informed how much people read too; 66% of those in middle-class households had finished a title in the last year, compared to 52% of people in working-class households.

Why might men read less often than women?

Vox pointed out that an oft-repeated stat ― that “80% of women” buy all fiction units ― doesn’t seem to have a reliable, current source.

But lots of data suggest that men do read at least a little less often than women, and also read less fiction.

Writing for The Guardian, author of The Authority Gap, MA Sieghart, says her research found that men are far less likely to read a book they know is by a woman than women are to read a book they know is by a man OR a woman.

NPR found that by 2020, the majority of all newly published books ― both fiction and non-fiction ― began to be written by women, which might play a small role in the disparity.

With that said, contemporary hits are far from the only option for men (men had the biggest slice of the publishing pie for most of history), and even new titles are not monopolised by women.

Perhaps, as a GQ writer speculated, reading is seen as anti-“hustle culture” and against some ideas of masculinity; though as they added, “there’s no concrete answer.”

The Psychology Behind Why You Forget Things After Walking Through A Door

Posted on 06/03/2025 by Boris Clair

We watched our parents, grandparents and even teachers do it – and now it’s our turn… Walking with purpose through a door, so sure about what we’re heading into another room to do and then, out of nowhere, we’ve forgotten.

It’s so annoying. “It can’t have been that important,” a loved one reassures you.

You know deep down though, it was important. It wasn’t forgettable but you’ve somehow managed to forget in the split second it took for you to walk into the next room. It’s gone. It’s done. You’ll have to remember again later.

Now, repeat for the rest of your life.

Why do we forget what we’re doing when we walk through a door?

You will be relieved to hear that this is a real thing and it is actually very aptly named ‘The Doorway Effect’. The phenomenon comes down to how our minds are organised, not how forgetful we are.

For almost 20 years, psychologists at the University of Notre Dame Indiana have been investigating this issue. In one study, the team used a virtual reality setup to show that their volunteers’ memory of items in a room was diminished once they walked through a doorway into another room.

Their explanation for this is that our memories are divided into episodes.

This means that we find it trickier to recall information from earlier episodes and, critically, when we walk through a doorway, it creates a new episode or ‘event boundary’.

This new event boundary makes it more difficult to recall our purpose, which was stored in the previous memory episode.

Basically, our brain does a little refresh as we walk through a door.

Or, as Psychology professor Gabriel Radvansky said: “Entering or exiting through a doorway serves as an ‘event boundary’ in the mind, which separates episodes of activity and files them away.

“Recalling the decision or activity that was made in a different room is difficult because it has been compartmentalised.”

How to remember what you were going to do

Health experts at Brainline recommend the following steps:

Avoid trying to do too many things at once.
Repeat the name of the object of your search over and over until you find it
Write down what you’re looking for. Even just one word may be enough to trigger your recall.
Take something with you to remind you what you’re looking for. For example, if you’re looking for your purse, take the bill you intend to pay.
Retrace your steps. For some, going back to the “scene of the crime” helps them recall what they’re looking for.

Maura Higgins And Danny Jones’ Alleged Kiss Has Split Fans. But What Officially Counts As Cheating?

Posted on 05/03/2025 by Boris Clair

The Sun recently shared footage of former Love Islander Maura Higgins and ex-McFly member Danny Jones, which they claimed showed a “drunken kiss” between the pair at this year’s Brit Awards.

The clip outraged some fans, with one asking “How could he do this?”.

But some people don’t think the very blurry, pixelated clip gives a solid enough base for allegations of cheating.

Others think the fact that Maura, Danny, and Danny’s wife Georgia Horsely still follow one another on Instagram is proof the “peck” was “innocent”.

We might never know what actually went on (none of the three have spoken about the alleged incident since).

But it does raise a question we thought we’d bring to relationship expert and sexologist Sofie Roos and matchmaker Susan Trombetti ― what actually counts as cheating?

There’s more than one type of cheating

Trombetti told HuffPost UK: “There’s emotional cheating, physical cheating, and micro cheating.”

These are set by the boundaries that exist between the couple, which change from relationship to relationship.

“Micro-cheating” can involve something as small as liking a model’s Instagram pictures, Roos says.

These “grey areas” are the ones you should be more vocal about ― “while most people agree that sleeping with someone else is considered cheating, it’s often the small things you think differently about, so those are most important to talk through.”

If you’re not sure whether something like a peck crosses an unspoken line, Trombetti says: “Anytime lying and secrets are involved, that’s a good indicator there is cheating.”

“The act of intimacy counts as cheating whether it’s physical or emotional with the exception of open relationships,” she adds.

“Intimacy can be emotional or physical and that’s why emotional affairs can be devastating. It doesn’t matter if you are physical or not.”

So… was the ‘kiss’ cheating?

The intent behind the action is what matters most, both experts agree.

“Cheating is cheating as established by the boundaries you both have stated… It’s called trust,” Trombetti told us.

If your partner knows they wouldn’t like you to do what they’re doing, that’s a sign their intent isn’t to benefit the relationship.

As the matchmaker said, though, we don’t know what the rules or intent between Danny Jones and wife Georgia were, or even what really happened between the I’m A Celeb contestants.

So unless we hear otherwise from the people involved, we can’t call it cheating, even if it’s something we wouldn’t be happy with.

This Is Officially The Worst Position To Sleep In, Expert Says

Posted on 05/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Side sleepers, take note: GI surgeon Dr Karan Rajan says that kipping on your left-hand side is way better for battling indigestion than your right.

The position “makes it harder for the contents [of your stomach] to leak into your oesophagus, meaning you’ll have a lower chance of acid reflux,” he explained.

If I was capable of actually falling asleep on my side, I’d consider taking that advice.

But I’m doomed to lie face-down, like a sloth ineffectively clinging to a too-big mattress trunk, if I plan on dozing at all.

The bad news continues: sleep coach James Wilson, also known as The Sleep Geek, says that’s the worst possible position to fall asleep in.

What’s wrong with sleeping on your front?

In an Instagram Reel, James said: “It is bad for your spine, your neck, your hips your knees, your whole body really.

Sleep on your side, preferably, or your back, (not great for snoring) to wake up less, and to spend less at the physio.”

He also recently told The Telegraph that the position is most likely to cause injury and added in his Instagram Reel that it will disrupt “both the quality and the quantity” of your sleep.

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust agrees, writing that the posse generally isn’t advised because “you are more likely to move out of the midline position and strain your neck.”

If it’s truly the only way you can settle down, they advise putting a pillow under your stomach to prevent back pain.

So… how should I sleep?

If you can at all, “Start sleeping on your side, put a pillow between your legs, and give the pillow a hug,” James advised.

Cardiologist and director of Mayo Clinic’s sleep facility Dr Virend Somers agrees that sleeping on your side is probably best, saying you should elevate your head a little if you can too.

Sigh… I suppose I need to make some life changes.

You Ask, Experts Answer: ‘My Husband Lent £7,500 To His Mother Without Telling Me’

Posted on 04/03/2025 by Boris Clair

In a recent Reddit post shared by Twigs-Rain, the Redditor explained that their “husband lent all of our money to his mother” without telling them recently.

They explained that they’d recently totalled their main car, and while their family had a backup vehicle, it wasn’t big enough for their kids and was often used by their husband for work.

So, they saved up enough for a new vehicle, but their bank didn’t let them withdraw as much as they needed in one day.

To solve the problem, the poster’s husband “transferred the money to his mother’s bank so she could get the money or a cashier’s check out for us.”

Unbeknownst to the poster, though, their mother-in-law needed that £7,500-odd to pay her employees (she’s a business owner).

Without the poster’s knowledge, their husband turned what was meant to be a transfer into a loan ― and started turning down every car the poster showed her, leaving her confused and without transport.

“The fact that they made the plan together, didn’t consult me, and then hid it from me for a week really pisses me off,” the author wrote.

“It’s now been 15 days, and she still hasn’t paid us back. He says she’s waiting for a bank loan to come through. I feel like at this point she’s more of his wife than I am.”

We spoke to relationship expert Sofie Roos and Leah Levi, a psychologist and relationships expert at the safety-first dating app Flure, about what to do if your spouse lends money without your permission or even knowledge.

This is called “financial infidelity”

Just as affairs can be emotional as well as physical, Levi told HuffPost UK that your partner can “betray” you with money too.

“This kind of secrecy about money is called financial infidelity,” she explained.

“Like emotional or sexual infidelity, financial infidelity can create distance between partners and weaken their connection. It can also cause one partner to feel left out and lead to doubts about honesty in other areas of the relationship.”

Roos says that “money is one of the most sensitive topics in a relationship”, adding that a financial misalignment “can really cause relationship problems.”

Money can be tied with respect, loyalty, priority, safety, and equity in your relationship.

So, Levi says, “If your partner is lending money to friends or family without telling you, it can feel like a betrayal and damage trust in your relationship.”

What can I do if the betrayal has already happened?

Both experts agree with Levi’s advice, to “talk about your financial expectations as a couple and set clear boundaries.”

This is a clear case of the husband overstepping what should have been an obvious “boundary”, however.

If this is the case, you need to let your partner know that what they did hurt you, Roos said.

“Then ask them what their thoughts are about this, let them explain why they did what they did and how they view it now when they know how it made you feel.”

“From there, you can come up with a plan for how to deal with money overall, but also on how to deal with situations like the one you just were in, something that can re-build your thrust and minimise the risk of something like this happening again.”

As with any other boundary, if your clearly-stated financial needs are being ignored over and over again, it might be time to reconsider the relationship.

I’m A Travel Expert – Hearing This Code On A Plane Can Mean A Tragedy Has Occurred

Posted on 03/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Did you know that airline staff aren’t just being friendly when they greet you onto the plane?

Yup ― according to flight attendant Kat Kamalani, “when you’re walking on the aeroplane and you see our happy smiley face[s], we’re actually looking you up and down, and we are trying to find our ABPs”.

ABPs stands for “able-bodied passengers” – or people who can help in an emergency.

And now, travel experts from Wander have told us: “While most flights go smoothly, flight crews use a secret language to discreetly communicate situations ranging from lighthearted quirks to serious, even life-or-death emergencies – often without passengers ever noticing.”

Code 300 or ‘Angel’ spells tragedy, according to experts

“If you hear ‘Code 300’ or ‘Angel’ on a flight, it could mean someone has died onboard,” the experts at Wander said.

“These discreet codes allow the crew to handle the situation without alarming other passengers or drawing attention to the tragic event,” they claimed.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has a set of rules airlines are encouraged to follow when a passenger dies.

Staff are advised to move the deceased to a seat, ideally one with few passengers near it. Some companies place them in a zipped body bag.

They have to notify the destination airport ASAP so the appropriate services are present when they land.

“Take extra care when moving the person and be aware of the difficulty of the situation for companions and onlookers,” the IATA continues.

Other passengers are let off the plane first, while the dead passenger and any family accompanying them stay on board “until the proper local authority has arrived to take care of the body”.

Are there any other codes?

According to Wander, yes.

They say that a “code yellow” refers to “a minor medical situation” such as a passenger feeling lightheaded or nauseous.

“While not an emergency, this term lets crew members discreetly monitor the situation and prepare any necessary assistance,” they explained.

And airline staff referring to a person as a “mermaid” is a
“playful yet passive-aggressive nickname for a passenger who deliberately sprawls out across empty seats to deter others from sitting in their row,” they added.

The more you know…

I’m A GP ― Never Ignore These 3 ‘Normal’ Seeming Symptoms

Posted on 03/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Tiredness is common complaint in the UK, which can make it hard to work out when to actually see a GP about your sleep issues.

Other potential symptoms ― severe period pain, bruises, and even fingernail changes ― can seem like “normal” signs, but are sometimes worth a trip to the doctor too.

In a helpful TikTok, Dr Ahmed, a GP, shared some information which might make the “normal or not?” call easier to make.

He said: “Here are three symptoms you may think are normal, but they are not, and you need to see a doctor if you have them.”

1) Back pain that lasts longer than six weeks

Though the issue is “very, very common” and “can have many causes, and most of them are completely benign,“Dr Ahmed says you really ought to see your GP if it lasts longer than six weeks.

It doesn’t matter how harmless you think the issue is ― “go to your doctor to make sure there’s no serious underlying cause” after the time ends, Dr Ahmed advised.

2) A sudden increase in eye floaters

Of course, eye floaters are common and usually aren’t cause for alarm. They “look a bit like squiggly worms ― some may be see-through” while others might be opaque, Dr Ahmed shared.

“It’s generally much worse when you look at bright light.”

While they’re usually completely harmless, Dr Ahmed says that if you experience a “sudden increase in the number of floaters” or lots of dark spots in your vision, you should get it checked out.

This “could be signs of a serious problem with the back of your eye, which could permanently affect your vision if it’s not treated quickly,” the NHS warns.

3) Chronic fatigue

“A lot of people may have” this but “ignore” it, Dr Ahmed says.

“Now I don’t just mean feeling a little bit tired all the time or if you’ve got a very good reason for feeling tired,” he explained.

He’s talking instead about “extreme fatigue, where you can’t function when there’s no obvious reason or cause, especially when this has started relatively recently.”

Though there could be “hundreds” of reasons for the change, a lot of them are worth speaking to your doctor about, he continued.

You Ask, Experts Answer: ‘How Do I Turn Down A Promotion?’

Posted on 02/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Gen Z isn’t keen on middle management gigs, Forbes says – a phenomenon it calls “conscious unbossing”.

For more and more young people, the publication explains, the added stress, hours, and responsibility aren’t worth what is all too often a meagre pay rise.

A Reddit post shared to r/work suggests the (quite sound) logic isn’t just a generational thing, either.

Poster u/city-lights77 wanted to know how they should politely say they are not interested in a promotion they’ve been told they need to “fight for”.

They explained that their manager is looking to fill a departing colleague’s role and had offered the job to them (even though they had not applied for it) but only on the grounds that they “proved” themselves.

“Frankly, I’m not interested in the slightest. I don’t want the job, and the menial pay raise (less than £3k a year) wouldn’t be nearly worth the added stress that I know accompanies the job,” the site user said.

Well, u/city-lights77, we’ve got your back ― we spoke to Dr Heather Lamb, a workplace wellbeing expert, about how to handle the situation.

How can I tell when to turn a promotion down?

If you’re worried that turning down a promotion might make you seem unambitious in the eyes of your boss, Dr Lamb says you shouldn’t be.

“Saying no to a promotion that doesn’t align with your values, your wallet, or your life? That’s not a lack of ambition. That’s wisdom,” she said.

And if you’re not sure whether the career boost will actually lead you in the right direction, she said there’s a simple measure.

“A promotion should be a win, not just more work with a fancy title,” the expert told HuffPost UK.

“If saying ‘yes’ means more stress, longer hours, and little to no financial gain, then it’s okay to take a step back and ask, ‘Is this worth it?’.”

How do I reject a promotion without burning professional bridges at my workplace?

The other worry is that you might come across as uninterested in your job, or disrespectful of your boss’ offer.

To “clearly and graciously” share your feelings without shutting any doors, Dr Lamb has offered a helpful script: “I’m so appreciative of this opportunity, and I appreciate the confidence you have in me. Right now, I’m trying to make sure my next career step is the right one – professionally and financially. I’d like to keep the door open for the perfect opportunity in the future.’”

She said: “That way, you’re not shutting anything down — you’re just setting your own terms. And that, my friend, is power.”

By thanking your boss and reaffirming your commitment to your career, the pro said you can keep the possibility of future advancement “on your terms”.

“The right opportunity will arise, and when it does, you will know that it is truly a step ahead,” she added.

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