Turns out the lockdown has unearthed a whole lot of home cooks looking to expand their recipe repertoire. However, some ingredients are getting more love than others. We've uncovered the most searched for recipes during April (with thanks to Google Trends) to find out all the big hits, so you can summon your inner cook and choose a recipe (or two or three) to help sharpen your kitchen skills. Which will you try first?

Mince might just be one of the most versatile forms of beef out there. You're probably already comfortable using it in more traditional dishes like burgers, lasagna or meatloaf, but why not up your game with these slightly more unique recipes? Turn beef mince into tasty olive-stuffed meatballs or use it in this tasty minced beef and dumpling dish. 

Bananas are a great lockdown fruit since they can be eaten at different levels of ripeness and have a protective layer of thick skin. You may choose to just eat your bananas straight or slice them into cereal, but they're also tasty in these delicious banana pancakes and in these recipes for banana maple upside-down cake and peanut honeycomb banana cake. Need more decadent banana desserts? Whip up this vegan banana and chocolate mousse, some hot bananas or a swanky bananas foster. 

Ahh, banana bread. It's the quintessential baked good for when you've let your bunch of bananas sit too long on the counter. Turns out there are a lot of kitchens out there with black bananas just waiting to meet their destiny in inventive banana-bread recipes from chocolate banana bread to this espresso and cocoa nib banana bread treat. But, if you really want something unique, opt for this barbecued banana bread. Yes, barbecued. 

Tart and fruity, rhubarb is a staple for jazzy baked goods. While it makes most appearances alongside its sweet strawberry sidekick, there is much more you can do with this colorful vegetable than just strawberry rhubarb pie. Try it in a tart or in a crumble traybake cake, too. If you're craving something savory, this lamb chops with rhubarb and ginger jam recipe or strawberry and roasted rhubarb rosewater labneh should do the trick.

Locked-down bakers unite! Searches for mug-cake recipes are on the rise and we couldn't be happier. Mug cakes are easy-to-make, single-serving cakes that hit the spot when you're craving a little something sweet without a big commitment. Try this chocolate coffee mug cake for an extra kick and then sharpen your microwaving skills with these 25 recipes that you can make in your microwave in mere minutes.

Lockdown is showing a lot of love for pork and people are particularly interested in home cooking with ham. Baked ham may be a beloved main dish, but you can also incorporate ham into other recipes. Got cheese and eggs? Twist-up a fork full of ham and egg linguine, make a savory ham and cheese pie or add some turkey for this turkey and ham casserole. Need something lighter? There's always this ham and fig crêpe recipe and this healthy strawberry and spinach salad with ham.

Have no fear if your favorite pizza joint is closed right now — you can make delicious pizza at home. All you need is some toppings and a great pizza dough recipe. Before you get started, check out this guide that has everything you need to know to make the perfect at-home pizza. 

Lockdown has finally given sourdough starters the love and attention they deserve. People around the world are experimenting with their own personal loaves, though you can start off simple with this easy white sourdough loaf recipe and you'll be a bonafide boulangerie in no time. Test out these home-baked bread tips to really get to the top of your game. 

Cornish hens are delicious and a great way to feel fancy during the lockdown. They're also the perfect size for one and sold in pairs, so you can recipe test to your heart's content without worrying about loads of leftovers. Apply some of Julia Child's roast chicken tips — like using butter to get the crispiest skin, roasting over vegetables and adding lemon — to really perfect these tiny birds. While you're at it, steal the honey glaze from this Gordon Ramsay recipe, pinch the gravy from this Sunday roast chicken dish, or pop some bubbles and adjust this prosecco chicken recipe. 

Working with filo pastry takes patience and time. The thin layers of dough can be temperamental and getting them a perfect golden-brown takes practice — but the payoff is huge. Unlike regular pastry dough, filo isn't inherently sweet, making it a stellar choice for savory recipes like Greek spanakopita or even duck spring rolls. However, all it takes is a dash of sugar or a drizzle of honey to turn it into a sweet treat like this plum and ricotta filo pie, or this apricot, honey and pistachio tart. If you really want to impress, give this sticky authentic baklava recipe a go.

In uncertain times it's no wonder that recipe searches for hearty comfort foods are taking the lead. The French are excellent at making something feel both comforting and classy and this recipe for beef bourguignon is no exception. If this whets your appetite for more French delights, work your way through these 21 French recipes that everyone needs to try. We love this French onion bread recipe too. 

We may not be able to visit the magical world of Disney, but that doesn't mean we have to go without our favorite theme-park snacks. Believe it or not, you can make several of your favorite Disney treats right at home, including Disney's Churro Bites and the adorable Mickey Mouse Beignets. 

Scalloped potatoes may have made their mark as one of the most popular plates of the 1920s, but it seems history is repeating itself. The popular lockdown dish is basically a hearty casserole comprised of thinly sliced potatoes and cheese — it's inexpensive to make and satisfying too. This recipe for shepherd's pie dauphinois uses scalloped potatoes instead of mashed potatoes, while more adventurous eaters can take a stab at making Jansson's temptation, a Swedish dish with scalloped potatoes and anchovies.

One of the byproducts of baking your own sourdough bread is that you'll end up with a bit of leftover sourdough starter. Consider using your sourdough starter discard to make cracker thins, pancakes, thin crust pizza bases, pretzels, bite-sized bits of bread or even croutons. If you opt for the latter, you can make this halloumi crouton salad recipe or add a bit of crunch to a bowl of homemade Tuscan tomato soup. You can find more ideas for sourdough discard here.

Make this classic deviled eggs recipe and think of each little egg half as a blank canvas. Sprinkle on tiny toppings from herbs to bacon bits to caviar to truffle oil. Don't worry about making too many because you can easily turn leftover deviled eggs into a simple egg salad for sandwiches or drop them directly into a stunning Caesar salad. This chicken and avocado Caesar salad recipe is one of our favorites — with or without deviled eggs.

So simple, yet so delicious, Rice Krispie treats are ooey-gooey squares of heaven. All you need is Rice Krispies cereal, marshmallows and butter or margarine. However, we love taking them up a notch and dipping them in chocolate. If you don't use the whole box of cereal, don't worry: you can use what's left to make these crunchy chicken tenders.

There's no better time than a lockdown to perfect your baked ham. Start practising now with recipes like this blueberry and cardomom glazed ham and this spiced glazed ham, so you can impress your guests come the festive period. In fact, you may want to get ahead on this recipe for Christmas ham with a sugar and mustard crust. Besides, you can always throw your leftovers into a good old pea and ham soup. 

With so many people looking to cook ham in their kitchens, you're bound to have a handful of leftovers. Whip them up with eggs and peppers in this smoked ham tortilla or borrow a couple of slices for breakfast in this eggs Benedict recipe. We love this ham, potato and Bramley apple rosti recipe too.

Got leftover lamb and don't know how to use it? No problem: we've got plenty of options. Who doesn't love a good lamb curry or a spicy lamb vindaloo? Leftover lamb is also superb in dishes like Marco Pierre White's quick lamb stew and this Persian saffron and honey lamb stew. For something truly packed with flavor, try this Lucknowi lamb recipe.

Looking for something easy with tons of variations? Welcome to the wonderful world of scones. We'll always have a special place in our hearts for traditional scones, but we also love to bake our way through all the different possibilities. Want to satisfy your sweet tooth? These ginger yoghurt scones with black cherry filling or simple raspberry scones are sure to hit the spot. Leaning more towards savory? Check out this sprout scones recipe or these delicious cheddar potato scones.