WHEN I think of stew, I think of a winter comfort food, a roaring fire and a blanket to snuggle up to!

I also have fond memories of coming home from school to a massive pot of mum’s stew on the hob.

I could smell it outside the front door and it made my mouth water until it was time to eat. I always had two bowls full, sometimes more, because it really was that good.

Stew is easier than pie to make, and complemented with a good old-fashioned cobbler will be appreciated by any hunger pain.

The cobbler is healthier than dumplings and crumble. Seeing them all set, cobbled together in a big pan always reminds me of my home village of Haworth where I grew up, being just perfect for those cold, withering winter nights!

Being a bready man, my preferences are cobblers over dumplings in my household.

Wintertime is traditionally the time minds turn to expanding waistlines with post-Christmas baking treats off the cards. However if you love baking like me it's a tough one, so why not incorporate baking into mealtimes?

My good old winter-warmer beef cobbler recipe is just perfect for using with a basic beef stew, or one of your own treasured family recipes will work perfectly well.

The varieties of cobblers are endless, from savoury to herby, so be adventurous and enjoy being creative in your baking and cooking.

My preference is simply a plain cheese cobbler flavoured with a little mustard powder and a few mixed herbs, finished off with a little sprinkled grated cheese on top. Yummy!

This warming combination works very well and complements the stew, leaving you happy, content and wanting more.

Jamie Oliver gave me a great tip: if you do decide to use dried herbs in any of your cooking or baking, then simply roll them between your palms to release the full flavours which are more potent than fresh herbs.

The cobbler can go with a variety of dishes, consisting of fruit or a savoury filling poured into a large baking dish or pan and covered with a scone-like crust before being baked.

The word cobbler, meaning ''wooden bowl'', was typically used in the early days.

The origins of the cobbler goes back to the early British American colonies where the English settlers were unable to make traditional suet puddings due to the lack of suitable ingredients and cooking equipment – instead they covered a stewed filling with a layer of uncooked plain scone.

After the war this typical type of dish was encouraged for the housewives to make, being a hearty meal for the whole family, with butter being a substitute for margarine.

Margarine can still be used today, being a healthier option.

Baker Mike's top tips

* The least tender cuts of meats will become tender and juicier with slow cooking

* Ensure you use solid root vegetables in your chosen stew recipe

* Substitute 250ml of water for ale or Guinness

* Try adding horseradish sauce to flavour the cobblers instead of mustard powder

* Once your stew is cooked, transfer to a large shallow dish if you are using a slow cooker to bake the cobblers

* Double the recipe up for larger families or freeze half if you are using up ingredients