No pork, no lard, no alcohol, no gelatin: what that means

We put four words on almost every page of this site: no pork, no lard, no alcohol, no gelatin. This page explains what it means in practice.

Why these four, specifically

These four ingredients are the ones most likely to keep someone away from a shared dessert table, for religious reasons, personal choice, or because gelatin-set desserts are not vegetarian. Instead of a separate menu for special diets, we leave all four out of everything we bake. Our bakes still contain allergens and do not suit every diet. Our shared kitchen handles wheat, dairy, eggs and nuts, so cross-contact is possible.

What replaces them

Gelatin is the ingredient people ask about most, since it shows up in mousses, cheesecake stabilisers and some glazes. We set our cheesecakes by baking technique instead (our Basque Burnt Cheesecake gets its soft middle from oven temperature and timing), and our tiramisu uses a coffee soak with no marsala or rum.

Is it halal-certified?

Avoiding pork, lard, alcohol and gelatin makes our bakes suitable for many halal-conscious guests, but we are not a halal-certified kitchen. If your event needs certification, get in touch before you order and we’ll tell you whether we’re a fit.

What this means for your dessert table

No pork, lard, alcohol or gelatin. Not MUIS halal certified. Our shared kitchen handles wheat, dairy, eggs and nuts, so cross-contact is possible. Ask for ingredient details before ordering. Check each guest’s requirements, including whether halal certification is required.