OceanofPDF - Com Puddings N Desserts - Jayne Cross

Would you like to learn to be a better baker?
We know that so many people watch The Great British Bake Off for the
tips and techniques you pick up – not only from the judges, but from
watching the bakers too. We wanted to distil that knowledge into a library
of cookbooks that are specifically designed to take you from novice to
expert baker. Individually, each book covers the skills you will want to
perfect so that you can master a particular area of baking – everything from
cakes to bread, sweet pastries to pies.
We have chosen recipes that are classics of each type, and grouped them
together so that they take you on a progression from ‘Easy does it’ through
‘Needs a little skill’ to ‘Up for a challenge’. Put together, the full series of
books will give you a comprehensive collection of the best recipes, along
with all the advice you need to become a better baker.
The triumphs and lessons of the bakers in the tent show us that not
everything works every time. But I hope that with these books as your
guide, we have given you a head start towards baking it better every time!
Linda Collister
Series Editor
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www.hodder.co.uk
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First published in Great Britain in 2016
by Hodder & Stoughton
An Hachette UK company
1
Copyright © Love Productions Limited 2016
Photography & Design Copyright © Hodder & Stoughton 2016
The right of Jayne Cross to be identified as the Author of the Work has been
asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
1988.
BBC and the BBC logo are trademarks of the British Broadcasting
Corporation and are used under licence.
BBC logo © BBC 1996.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the
prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any
form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without
a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
ISBN 978 1 473 61551 9
Editorial Director: Nicky Ross

Editor: Sarah Hammond
Project Editor: Laura Herring
Series Editor: Linda Collister
Art Director: Alice Moore
Layouts: Nicky Barneby
Photographer: David Munns
Food Stylist: Jayne Cross
Props Stylist: Victoria Allen
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
www.hodder.co.uk
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Contents
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT
WELCOME
BAKE IT BETTER
Baker’s Guide
Ingredients
Equipment
Skills
Help!
BAKE IT BETTER
Recipes
Easy does it
Apple Strudel
Coconut and Lime Rice Pudding
Orange and Cranberry Bread and Butter Pudding
Spiced Plum Crumble
Cherry Clafoutis
Lemon and Blueberry Tart
Rhubarb Cobbler
Lemon and Aniseed Surprise Pudding
Individual Treacle Tarts
Key Lime Cheesecake
Pear and Chocolate Upside-down Cake
Steamed Maple Syrup and Pecan Pudding
Orange Polenta Cake with Cranberry Sauce
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Peach Melba
Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Fig and Frangipane Tart
Queen of Puddings
Almond Tuile Biscuits and Blackberry Sorbet
Apple and Stem Ginger Lattice Tart
Tropical Pavlova
Steamed Stem Ginger Puddings with Custard
Needs a little skill

Cherry and Chocolate Knickerbocker Glory
Chocolate and Orange Tarts with Cointreau Cream
Baked Vanilla Cheesecake with Blueberry Jelly
Pineapple Tarte Tatin
Raspberry Trifle
Coffee Panna Cotta with Walnut Biscuits
Tiramisu Gateau
Crème Caramel and Orange and Pistachio Biscotti
Profiteroles with Salted Caramel and Chocolate Sauce
Hazelnut Meringue Gateau
Brandy Snaps with Oranges in Caramel
Hot White Chocolate Soufflés with Cardamom Shortcake
Up for a challenge
Triple Chocolate Gateau
Baked Alaska
Millefeuilles
Trio of Tropical Desserts
Iles Flottantes Tart
WHAT PUDDING OR DESSERT SHALL I BAKE TODAY?

CONVERSION TABLE
INDEX
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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Welcome bakers!
What better way to end a meal than with a home-made pudding or dessert?
Well, here are 40 delicious recipes to get you baking.
As well as being great bakes, the recipes have been carefully chosen to
teach you all the key techniques, such as rubbing in, creaming, whisking
and folding that will not only help you to make better puddings and desserts
but will improve all of your baking.
Start with the ‘Easy does it’ section to master the basics with recipes like
Spiced Plum Crumble and Pear and Chocolate Upside-down Cake. As your
confidence grows, move on to those recipes that ‘Need a little skill’ –
Pineapple Tarte Tatin, Profiteroles with Salted Caramel and Chocolate
Sauce or Brandy Snaps with Oranges in Caramel. The more you bake the
sooner you’ll be ‘Up for a challenge’, whisking both sponge and meringue
for a Baked Alaska and testing your puff pastry skills with Millefeuilles.
The colour strip on the right-hand side of the page tells you at a glance
the level of difficulty of the recipe (from one spoon for easy to three spoons
for a challenge), and gives you a helpful checklist of the skills and special
equipment you will use.
Before you begin, take a look at the Baker’s Guide at the beginning of
the book. This will introduce you to the most important ingredients, tell you
what equipment you need to get started (just a bowl, a spoon and a baking
dish will do in some cases) and explain some of the terms and techniques in
more detail.
Puddings can be a simple affair to round off a midweek family meal, or a
stunning dinner-party dessert to impress your friends. It’s amazing what you
can bake when you set your mind, bowl and spoon to it – so let’s get
baking.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

SECTION 1: BAKER’S GUIDE
Read this section before you start baking.
The Baker’s Guide contains key information on ingredients (here),
equipment (here) and skills (here) relevant to the recipes in the book.
Refer to the Baker’s Guide when you’re baking if you want a refresher
on a particular skill. In the recipes, the first mention of each skill is
highlighted in bold.
SECTION 2: RECIPES
Colour strips on the right-hand side and 1, 2 or 3 spoons show the level of
difficulty of the recipe. Within the colour strips you’ll find helpful
information to help you decide what to bake: Hands-on time; Baking time;
Makes/serves; Special equipment and the key skill used.
Refer back to the Baker’s Guide when a skill is highlighted in bold in the
recipe if you need a reminder.
Try Something Different options are given where the recipe lends itself to
experimenting with other ingredients or decorations.
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Easy does it

Up for a challenge
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BAKE IT BETTER
Baker’s Guide
Ingredients
Equipment
Skills
Help!
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Ingredients
There is a huge variety of puddings and desserts that you can make,
whether cake-based puddings, filled pastry tarts, or fruit or chocolate
desserts. However, there are some key ingredients that you will use again
and again. Knowing a bit about these ingredients before you start will help
you to understand how they work and so avoid problems and become a
better baker. This list will help you through the process of buying, storing
and using the main ingredients that feature in the recipes in this book.
BUTTER
All the recipes in this book use unsalted butter. It is the butter of choice for
most bakers as it has a mild and delicate flavour and gives you the option to
add salt or not to suit your tastes. Unsalted butter usually contains less whey
than salted butter and so gives a more even colour to your bake. You can
substitute salted butter for unsalted if that is all you have to hand, just
remember not to add any additional salt if the recipe calls for it.
Each recipe specifies the temperature that the butter needs to be at. For
example, for a creamed sponge or pâte sucrée the butter needs to be soft and
so should be at room temperature so that it can be smoothly incorporated
into the sugar. If you need to rub in the butter, for example when you are
making a crumble topping or shortcrust pastry, the butter needs to be chilled
and diced to rub in effectively.
Butter should be kept well wrapped in the fridge and away from foods
with strong flavours as it can absorb those flavours, which will affect the
taste of your bakes. It can also be frozen for up to a month; defrost it in the
fridge before using.
CHOCOLATE
Where possible, use the best chocolate that you can find as it will have a big
impact on the flavour and finish of your puddings. One of the most
important things to look for in the ingredients list on a bar of chocolate is
the percentage. This refers to cocoa solids and can be anything up to 100
per cent. The rest should be made up from only sugar, milk powder (for
milk chocolate) and sometimes a binding agent. Good-quality chocolate is
widely available in supermarkets and you can also buy ready-chipped
chocolate from specialist online suppliers. Chocolate should be stored well
wrapped in a cool, dark cupboard and away from any strong-flavoured
foods. Keep an eye on the best-before date. You should always chop
chocolate into pieces before melting to help it to melt evenly and prevent it
from scorching.
Dark chocolate is the most widely used chocolate in baking, and those that
contain around 70 per cent of cocoa solids give the best flavour. Those with
a lower cocoa content can be too sweet, and those that are higher than 75
per cent are generally too bitter for most recipes.
Milk chocolate has a milder and sweeter taste than dark, but again you
should use one that has as high a cocoa content as possible (30 per cent and
above is good). This not only has a better flavour but will also set slightly
firmer.
White chocolate doesn’t contain any cocoa solids, just cocoa butter, and so
it is that content that you need to look out for. Again, buy the best quality
that you can as a lot of the cheaper ones contain no cocoa butter at all and
are far too sweet. Ideally, something with 30 per cent or higher cocoa butter
is best, but bear in mind that as white chocolate has a higher fat content
than both dark and milk chocolate, it will set slightly less firmly.
COCOA POWDER
A dark, unsweetened powder made from pure cocoa that has had nearly all
of the cocoa butter removed. It has a bitter and strong flavour that adds a
great chocolate taste to your baking and is particularly useful where you
want the flavour of chocolate without the added moisture of melted
chocolate, for example when making chocolate pastry. Don’t ever use
drinking chocolate in place of cocoa as that has had dried milk and sugar
added to it and so will greatly affect the taste and performance of your bake.
CREAM
Always use the type of cream specified in the recipe as each one has a
different fat content and so this can affect the end result.
Single cream has at least 18 per cent butterfat and is good for pouring, but it
is not suitable for whipping.
Double cream has at least 48 per cent butterfat content and whips well when
chilled, making it ideal for recipes such as the Cherry and Chocolate
Knickerbocker Glory and Raspberry Trifle (see here and here). In its
unwhipped state it is also used to make ice cream, cheesecakes and panna
cotta. Don’t use the extra-thick double cream as a substitute as this has been
heat-treated and so won’t whip; nor is it suitable for making ganache. It’s
only really to be used for spooning from the pot rather than in baking.
Whipping cream has at least 35 per cent butterfat and is ideal for, yes you
guessed it, whipping. As with double cream this whips best when chilled.
Buttermilk is traditionally the by-product of butter-making, but it is now

made by adding a bacterial culture to skimmed milk and so is sold as
‘cultured buttermilk’. It has a slightly sour and acidic taste and is used to
make scones (see Rhubarb Cobbler, here), as well as to add lightness and
flavour to cakes.
Soured cream is made by adding a culture to single cream and so has the
same 18 per cent fat content, but with a distinct sour tang. It is widely used
in both chilled and baked cheesecakes (see Key Lime Cheesecake and
Baked Vanilla Cheesecake, here and here).
Crème fraîche is the French version of soured cream but is a lot thicker, and
has a milder and richer flavour. It makes a great accompaniment to
puddings in place of regular cream.
EGGS
All the recipes in this book use medium-sized eggs (about 62–65g each).
The size of egg you use in baking is important as it works in ratio with all
of your other ingredients, meaning that if you use a larger or smaller egg it
could well affect the end result. You may find you need more or less liquid
to bind your ingredients, your bake may need a shorter or longer time in the
oven, or it may not rise properly.
Store eggs in the fridge, pointed-side down as this helps the white cover
the yolk and so stops it from drying out. Keep them in the box you bought
them in as this helps keep out flavours from other foods in the fridge and
store them in the cooler main body of the fridge, not the door. Spare egg
whites will keep for 3–4 days in the fridge, in a sealed container, or for up
to a month in the freezer. Label them with the date and quantity, and always
defrost thoroughly before using. Don’t freeze egg yolks.
Eggs should be at room temperature when used in baking as they give a
greater volume when beaten and so you should take them out of the fridge
for 30–60 minutes before using. If you forget, you can warm them in a bowl
of lukewarm water for about 10 minutes.
EXTRACTS AND FLAVOURINGS

Try to avoid the synthetic flavourings that are usually cheaper as they can
add a ‘fake’ taste to your bake.
Vanilla extract is widely available and as its name implies is extracted from
vanilla pods, whereas vanilla flavouring or essence is chemically produced.
The flavour of extract is much stronger than essence and so although more
expensive you only need a small amount. Whole vanilla pods are used to
infuse cream, custard and ice cream, and if split and the seeds removed, add
a lovely fleck of vanilla as well as flavour. Vanilla bean paste is made from
the seeds of vanilla pods and gives a more concentrated flavour than vanilla
extract.
Ground spices should be stored in a cool, dark place in screw-top jars to

ensure they keep their colour and flavour. Try to use them within a few
months of opening while they are still fresh.
Stem ginger in syrup is a great addition to your store cupboard. It keeps

well and you can use both the balls of ginger diced into small pieces or the
syrup from the jar to add a ginger kick (see Apple and Stem Ginger Lattice
Tart and Steamed Stem Ginger Puddings with Custard, here and here).
FLOUR
Only use fresh flour as old flour can really affect the flavour and
performance of your bake. Store opened bags in storage jars, plastic food
boxes or bags to stop the flour from getting damp, and don’t add new flour
to old in your jars. Aim to use it within a month of opening or by its best-
before date.
Wheat flours are the most frequently used in baking. Plain flour is the one
most commonly used in pastries and biscuits. Self-raising flour is made by
adding baking powder to plain flour and is usually used in the creamed
method of cake-making to give the rise to the cakes. You can make your
own self-raising flour by adding 4 teaspoons baking powder to 225g plain
flour. Strong white bread flour is used in puff pastry as it contains more
gluten and so the dough has more elasticity, which gives a better flakiness
to the pastry. Cornflour is an ideal flour to use as a thickening agent as it
blends to a smooth cream with liquid and so is used when making sauces
such as custard and crème pâtissière.
Gluten-free flours are now much more readily available and are usually
made from a combination of rice, potato, tapioca, maize, chickpea, broad
bean, white sorghum or buckwheat flours. Their taste, texture and
performance can vary from brand to brand so it’s worth trying a few out to
see which works best for you. Some include xantham gum (which comes in
powdered form) and this improves the texture of both cakes and pastry. So
check that the flour you are using has it; if not, add 1 teaspoon xantham
gum to 150g flour. Also check that your baking powder is gluten free.
GELATINE
Gelatine is made from animal collagen and is available in leaf and
powdered form. The recipes in this book use leaves, as they tend to result in
a clearer, firmer-set jelly. Both the powder and leaves are dissolved in water
before combining with the rest of your mixture. The leaves are soaked first
to soften them, then the water squeezed out. Vegetarian alternatives are now
readily available, such as agar-agar, which is a seaweed extract. Most
alternatives can be used interchangeably with gelatine, but check the
instructions on the packet for specific advice. For example, agar-agar needs
to be boiled until it fully dissolves.
GROUND ALMONDS
Ground blanched almonds are great for adding flavour and texture to pie
fillings or pastry. They can go off quite quickly as they are very oily and so
they should be stored in a cool, dark place in an airtight container; label the
container so that you use them before the best-before date.
ICING SUGAR is a fine, white powdered sugar that dissolves readily and
so is ideal for whisking into cream for cake fillings and for making
buttercream. It’s also used in sweet pastries such as rich shortcrust pastry
and pâte sucrée to keep the texture of the dough nice and smooth. Sift it
well to remove any lumps before using.
MARGARINES AND SPREADS

These are made from vegetable oils, with added salt and flavourings. Some
are made specifically for baking but are not used for the recipes in this
book. Where butter is specified it is best not to substitute with margarine or
a spread as the flavour will differ, as will the water content, so they are
unlikely to result in a successful bake.
POLENTA
Polenta is a golden yellow Italian cornmeal made from ground dried maize
and is therefore gluten free. It can be finely or coarsely ground but the most
widely available polenta is quick-cook polenta, which is used in the Orange
and Polenta Cake with Cranberry Sauce (see here). Its slightly grainy
texture enhances the texture of the cake as well as adding a lovely colour.
RAISING AGENTS
Some bakes need the addition of a chemical raising agent to help them to
rise: the two most common are bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar.
Baking powder is a mixture of both, and if you want you can make your
own by mixing 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with 2 teaspoons of cream
of tartar.
Raising agents work by reacting with the moisture in the cake. When
heated, they release small bubbles of carbon dioxide and so lighten the
texture of the cake. They can be used in flourless cakes to help them rise.
Gluten-free baking powder is widely available and so is ideal for such
recipes.
SUGAR
There are many types of sugar available and it is important to always use
the sugar specified in the recipe as they all behave differently. All sugars
should be stored in airtight bags or jars to stop them drying out.
Caster sugar has a fine texture and is the one best used for most cakes and
pastries as the grains break down well when beaten with butter or eggs and
will also provide a nice smooth pastry. It is also essential for making
meringues; its fine texture dissolves easily into the egg whites as you whisk
and so produces a smooth and glossy meringue. Golden caster sugar is
unrefined and so is not as fine but has a richer flavour and slightly deeper
colour. Granulated sugar has bigger grains and so is best used for dissolving
in jams or liquids rather than creaming into mixtures; it can leave a
speckled finish on top of your bake.
Brown and muscovado sugars are available in both light and dark and they
add a warm colour and toffee or butterscotch flavour when added to bakes
or sauces (see Sticky Toffee Pudding, here). They can form lumps in storage
so sift or press them out before use.
SYRUPS
As with sugar and flour, it’s important to use the correct syrup as they can
have very different flavours. Golden syrup is a pale golden syrup made
from sugar cane; it is sweeter than sugar and adds a moist, dense texture to
cakes and tarts when used (see Individual Treacle Tarts, here). It is sticky
and therefore quite tricky to measure out, so use a metal spoon and warm it
up first in a mug of hot water so the syrup will slide from the spoon, or sit
the whole tin in some just-boiled water. Maple syrup is made by boiling
down the sap of maple trees to produce a concentrated syrup that is runnier
than golden syrup, darker in colour and has a deep, rich flavour.
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Equipment
The great thing about baking is that you don’t need a whole heap of
expensive equipment to get started; most things you will probably already
have in your kitchen. Many of the recipes can be made with just a bowl, a
wooden spoon and a whisk, but as you progress through the book you will
find that there are certain pieces you will need to make your baking more
enjoyable and successful. Do check each recipe before you start, so that you
know what you need to complete it.
BAKING BEANS
Ceramic baking beans are used for making tarts such as the Fig and
Frangipane Tart on here, where you blind bake the pastry case before filling
to keep the pastry base flat and the sides in place (and to avoid the dreaded
soggy bottom). You can always use dried rice or beans instead, but ceramic
beans are heavier, hold their heat better and so are a worthwhile investment.
BAKING DISHES
Ovenproof baking dishes, used for many hot puddings and desserts such as
crumbles, cobblers and rice pudding, can be made of ceramic or glass and
they are generally measured in centimetres or a liquid capacity. If you are
unsure of the size of your dish, fill the dish with water and then pour that
water into a measuring jug to see how much it holds. As with cake and flan
tins it is important to use the correct size of baking dish as the recipe and
baking times are based on that size.
BAKING PAPER AND LINERS

Non-stick liners are essential to stop cakes, biscuits and meringues from
sticking to tins and trays. A roll of non-stick baking paper is the most useful
as it can be cut to fit tins and trays of all shapes and sizes. Silicone baking
mats can be expensive and are not as readily available, but can be re-used,
so if looked after properly will last a long time. Ready-made cake tin liners
and discs for lining the bases of tins will save you a lot of time and effort if
you do a lot of baking, and are available from most supermarkets.
Greaseproof paper is best kept for wrapping cooked bakes as it is water
resistant, but its waxy coating doesn’t stand up well to heating.
BAKING SHEETS AND TRAYS

A baking sheet is flat with just one raised edge, whereas a baking tray has
raised edges on all sides. Choose sturdy ones that won’t buckle when in the
oven, as that will ensure your tarts and bakes stay flat and so cook evenly.
Baking sheets are great for cooking tarts on as it is easier to slide them
off a flat edge than a raised one. The same goes for thin biscuits such as
tuiles and brandy snaps where you need to be able to slide a palette knife
under them easily. It is good to have two or three baking sheets so that you
can cook whole batches at once.
BAKING TINS
It is important to use the size of tin that is specified in the recipe as the
quantities and baking times have been based on that tin size. Ideally, you
want to buy solid, heavy-duty tins as they will last longer and give a better,
more consistent bake to your cakes. Heavy-duty metal cake tins are the
most reliable and durable, but you can also get non-stick metal, heavy
aluminium, ceramic and silicone cake tins.
Sandwich tins are the ones most used in cake-making and a pair of round,
straight-sided tins, 20cm across and sides 4–5cm high, are the most useful.
Deep round/square cake tins are good for larger, deeper cakes, such as the
Orange Polenta Cake (here) and are available with either fixed or loose
bases. Loose-bottomed tins are the best to get as it is easier to turn the cake
out if you can push the base up first.
Springclip tins have a spring release on the side so they are really useful
when making cheesecakes or cakes that are more fragile as the sides can be
removed easily without fear of damaging the cake. They come in many
sizes, but 20cm and 22–23cm are the most frequently used.
Swiss roll tins these are shallow rectangular tins about 2cm high and are
usually 20 x 30cm. They are most often used for whisked sponges that are
then rolled, such as for the Raspberry Trifle (here).
Flan/tart tins are ideal for cooking tarts. A sturdy metal one with a loose
bottom is ideal, as it will cook the pastry evenly and will be easier to take
your tart out once it’s cooked. They come in all shapes and sizes with the
most commonly used being 20cm and 23cm diameter. Tartlet tins are
smaller versions of tart tins and again should be loose-bottomed.
Tarte Tatin tins are specially designed for the job, with a thick base that can
withstand cooking on the hob, and sloping sides and a non-stick surface that
make it easier for turning the tarte out when it is cooked.
BOWLS
A nest of small, medium and large bowls is useful and easy to store.
Heatproof glass bowls are the most versatile when it comes to melting
chocolate or making custards, as they can be put over pans of simmering
water to heat the contents gently – they can also go in the microwave.
Ceramic bowls are good but can break quite easily and are usually heavier.
Stainless steel bowls are unbreakable but no good for the microwave.
Plastic bowls are generally cheaper and some come with rubber bases
which means they won’t slip as you mix or whisk. They can go in the
microwave but some of the thinner cheaper ones might get scratched and
damaged by the blades on a hand-held mixer. Anodised aluminium bowls
are very durable and will last a lifetime but are no good in the microwave.
COOLING RACKS
Wire cooling racks allow the air to circulate around your bakes as they cool,
preventing them from going soggy or soft. Large rectangular cooling racks
are best as they allow you to cool a batch of biscuits or two cakes at one
time. You can use the wire grill pan rack as a stand-in, but the finer wires on
a cooling rack work better and are less likely to make indents on your cakes
or biscuits.
FOOD-PROCESSOR
A food-processor is not an essential piece of equipment but can prove to be
a very useful one. It makes light work of chopping and blending,
particularly when blitzing something like hardened caramel. It can also give
better results when using the rubbing in method to make pastry, as warm
hands are not involved.
KNIVES
A medium-sized sharp knife, around 20cm long, will cover you for most
purposes, and if you choose a heavy, good-quality blade it should last
longer. Hold a knife in your hand before you buy it to check that you like
the feel of the handle and that it balances well. A knife sharpener is vital to
keep your knife sharp and at its best. A small serrated knife is useful for
peeling and cutting fruit and trimming pastry from the edges of pie dishes.
Palette knives are good for spreading icings as well as sliding biscuits from
baking sheets and removing cakes and tarts from cake tin bases.
Knives are made from different materials. The main ones to consider are
stainless steel, which is cheaper but needs to be sharpened regularly; carbon
steel, which is more expensive, harder and easier to keep sharp; and
ceramic, which is the hardest of all, much lighter and doesn’t need
sharpening but can chip easily.
LARGE METAL SPOON

A large metal spoon with a long handle is very useful for folding in (here)
and also for transferring cake mixtures into tins, and cream and meringue
into piping bags.
MEASURING JUG
Choose a jug that is heat resistant and microwave safe with clear metric and
imperial measures, starting from 50ml if you can find one, otherwise 100ml
and going up to 1 or 2 litres. A small jug that has measures from 5ml (1
teaspoon) up to 60ml (4 tablespoons) is also very useful.
MEASURING SPOONS
Everyday teaspoons and tablespoons vary in size enormously and so should
not be used for baking. A set of measuring spoons, ideally ranging from ⅛
teaspoon to 1½ tablespoons, is essential to ensure you add the exact
amount, especially with raising agents, spices and liquids. Try to find a set
with narrow ends that will fit into small spice jars and bottles. All spoon
measures in these recipes are level, so skim off the excess with your finger
or the blunt edge of a knife.
OVEN THERMOMETER
Baking requires accuracy, and as the internal thermostats of ovens vary, you
may want to invest in an oven thermometer to make sure it is the correct
temperature – and to identify any hotter or cooler spots.
PASTRY BRUSH
Available in a variety of widths and bristles. A medium-sized one with fine
hair bristles is an ideal all-round one and is perfect for brushing on beaten
egg, sugar syrup or melted butter. Choose one that is heat resistant and that
can go in the dishwasher.
PIPING BAGS
Disposable plastic piping bags are widely available in various sizes and you
can either snip off just the tip for piping icing and more delicate work, or
cut a larger hole and use a piping nozzle. Large, seamless nylon piping bags
are usually a little stronger and so are more useful for piping biscuits and
choux pastry. They can be washed in hot soapy water and re-used but make
sure they are completely dry inside and out before putting them away.
PIPING NOZZLES
These conical tubes fit in the end of piping bags and come in many shapes
and sizes, from fine writing tips for icing lines to large star nozzles for
piping biscuit dough. The best value sets are those that include a re-usable
bag and a set of both large and small nozzles.
PUDDING BASINS AND MOULDS

Pudding basins come in a wide range of sizes and can be ceramic, glass or
plastic. The best ones to use for steamed puddings are ceramic ones with a
ridge around the top, which is essential for holding the string that seals the
baking paper and foil in place, and for supporting the string handle that is
used to lift the pudding out of the water or steamer, in recipes such as
Christmas Pudding and Steamed Maple Syrup and Pecan Pudding (here and
here). For individual puddings, small pudding moulds are widely available;
these are usually made from metal and are shaped like mini pudding basins.
Dariole moulds are shaped like small flowerpots with straight sides, and are
used in much the same way as the small pudding moulds. Either can be
used in recipes as long as the volume of mixture that they hold is the same.
ROLLING PIN
A long wooden rolling pin is the best to get, as it allows you to roll out a
large quantity of dough in a smooth, even layer. Don’t leave it to soak in
washing-up water, wipe it clean with a damp cloth after using and dry it
well before putting it away, and never put it in the dishwasher or the wood
will dry out and start to crack.
SCALES
Baking is a science and as accurate measurements are essential, a set of
kitchen scales is a must. Digital scales are the most precise, especially when
it comes to weighing out small quantities and so are preferable to spring or
balance scales. They can measure weights as small as 1g and on some you
can convert from grams to millilitres at the push of a button so you can add
both solids and liquids to your mixing bowl. A helpful tip: always keep a
spare battery in your kitchen drawer.
SIEVE
A fine-mesh sieve is essential for removing lumps from cocoa powder and
icing sugar, and also helps to evenly combine flour with raising agents and
spices when adding to a mix, as well as bringing air into the mixture. A
large metal one is the most useful for dry ingredients as well as for pushing
fruit through to remove pips. A small one is also handy for dusting finished
bakes with icing sugar or cocoa powder.
SPATULA
A good-quality flexible rubber spatula is great for mixing ingredients
together, scraping out bowls and spreading out mixtures. It can also be used
to fold in instead of a large metal spoon.
STEAMER
A steamer is a two-tiered pan, where the top pan fits snugly inside the
bottom one and the base is perforated with lots of holes to allow the steam
to pass through. The lid should be a tight-fitting one to prevent too much
steam escaping as your pudding cooks. Steamers can also be used for
general cooking and so, although not an essential piece of kit, it is a
versatile one. If you don’t have a steamer you can improvise by putting a
trivet or upturned saucer in the bottom of a deep pan and adding enough
water to come half-way up the side of your pudding basin. Take care not to
overfill the pan as you don’t want the water bubbling into the pudding as it
simmers.
THERMOMETER
This is an essential piece of kit to test the temperature of sugar syrups and
jams, as the temperature reached greatly affects how they will perform. You
can buy a sugar thermometer, which as well as the temperature gauge
usually features a chart telling you which setting points are at which
temperatures. A slightly more expensive but more versatile option is a
digital thermometer, which has a metal probe and an LED display.
TIMER
It’s very easy to get distracted once your bake has gone in the oven, so get
in the habit of always setting a timer. Ideally, get one with seconds as well
as minutes, and a long, loud ring. Set the timer for a bit less than the stated
cooking time, as you can always cook it for longer if need be.
WHISKS AND MIXERS

These range from the most basic hand-held whisk, where you do all the
work, through to free-standing mixers that do all the work for you.
Wire whisks can be balloon shaped or flat, and can be used for whisking
mixtures and sauces both on and off the heat. Choose a sturdy one that fits
your hand comfortably.
Rotary whisks have two beaters within a metal frame that are turned by
hand. They are slightly more efficient than a wire whisk and so are good for
whisking cream and egg whites and also for whisking mixtures on the hob
as you don’t have any trailing wires to contend with.
Hand-held electric mixers are much more powerful, but also more
expensive. They are great though for creamed cake mixtures and meringues
where a lot of whisking is involved, and they are more versatile and less
expensive than a free-standing mixer as they can whisk over heat. Look for
models with a set of attachments and a retractable cord for easy storage.
Free-standing electric mixers, although expensive, can save you a lot of

time and energy if you are going to do a lot of baking. Most free-standing
mixers come with three attachments: a paddle for creaming butter and
sugar; a whisk for whisked sponges and meringues; and a dough hook for
kneading dough, so they really are very versatile.
WOODEN SPOONS
Wooden spoons are heat resistant, won’t scratch non-stick pans and are
ideal for beating mixtures and stirring sauces. They come in all shapes and
sizes and you can never have enough. The handles are also used for shaping
biscuits such as the Brandy Snaps (here). Try to keep those used for baking
separate from those used for frying or stirring savoury foods as they can
absorb strong flavours.
ZESTER
The zest from oranges, lemons and limes is used a great deal in puddings
and desserts. A long zester with a sturdy handle is better than a standard
grater as it will grate just the zest without taking any of the bitter white pith
with it.
OceanofPDF.com
Skills
Now that you have all your equipment and ingredients ready you can get
baking. The recipes that follow are designed to take you step by step
through all the skills you need to make delicious puddings and desserts,
from an easy fruit crumble through to a showstopping millefeuilles. All the
recipes tell you exactly what you need to do but you’ll notice that some of
the terms are highlighted in bold, which means you can refer back to this
skills section if you want a bit more detail or you need a gentle reminder of
any technique.
The following pages contain invaluable hints and tips from the experts to
ensure you get great results every time you bake.
THE KEY TECHNIQUES FOR SPONGE CAKE, PASTRY AND

MERINGUE
Because puddings and desserts can be so varied, you will find that you
cover a wide range of baking skills as you work through the recipes in this
book, but there are a few key techniques that will crop up time and again.
Those key techniques are sponge cake, pastry and meringue. The two most
common methods of making sponge are creamed sponge and whisked
sponge, and both are explained below. This section will also explain
everything you need to know to achieve the best results from the main types
of pastries that are used in this book: shortcrust, pâte sucrée and puff. There
are two types of meringue used in the recipes, French and Italian, both of
which are made from egg whites and sugar.
CREAMED SPONGE
Butter, sugar, eggs and flour are combined to make a light sponge cake.
Once you’ve mastered the basic sponge you can play around with flavours,
but the technique is always the same. Make sure that all your ingredients
are at room temperature as this ensures that they take in as much as air as
possible, which is the key to achieving the right light texture.
1. Put the softened butter into a large bowl (or the bowl of a free-standing
mixer) and beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until the butter is
very creamy.
2. Gradually beat in the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a
rubber spatula every now and then to ensure that all of the butter and sugar
are combined. Keep beating and scraping until the mixture is pale in colour
and has a light and fluffy texture (see photo on here).
3.Beat the eggs with a fork and then beat them into the mixture with a
wooden spoon, a tablespoon at a time. Beat well between each addition to
ensure that the egg is completely incorporated before you add the next bit.
This thorough beating also adds air to the mixture, which will ensure that
the baked sponge has a light texture. Add 1 tablespoon of the weighed flour
from your recipe with each of the last two amounts of egg to prevent the
mixture from curdling.
4. Sift the remaining flour into the bowl (plus any spices) and gently fold in
with a large metal spoon, until the flour is mixed in fully and there are no
clumps or streaks visible. You should have a nice soft mixture that just
drops off your spoon.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake immediately as the
raising agents in the cake start to work straight away.
Learn with: Steamed Maple Syrup and Pecan Pudding (here), Orange
Polenta Cake with Cranberry Sauce (here) and Sticky Toffee Pudding (here)
WHISKED SPONGE
The whisked method relies on the whisking of the eggs to make them light
and fluffy rather than adding any raising agents. A genoise sponge, such as
the Triple Chocolate Gateau (here) is a whisked sponge with the addition of
a little melted butter added to the mix at the end (around 15g of butter per
egg). This gives a richer and slightly softer sponge. ‘Biscuit’ sponges, like
the sponge fingers in the Tiramisu Gateau (here) also use the whisked
method, but the whites and yolks are whisked separately and then folded
together. This creates a drier, more biscuit-like texture. The key to success
with a whisked sponge is to to have a good technique (see below) and to
have the eggs at room temperature, as cold eggs don’t expand as much on
whisking. Ideally, you should use a hand-held electric whisk or a free-
standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment as a lot of whisking is
required. If you don’t have either you can still whisk by hand using a
balloon whisk or rotary whisk but you’ll need a lot of elbow grease,
although the job can be made easier by placing the bowl over a pan of
gently simmering water as the heat helps the eggs to expand. Don’t let the
bowl touch the water or the eggs may curdle.
How to make a simple whisked sponge

1. Whisk the eggs and sugar at high speed for about 5 minutes until they
greatly increase in volume and are pale and creamy. The mixture should
have a very thick mousse-like consistency and should pass the ‘ribbon test’.
To check this, lift the whisk out of the mixture and pass it across the bowl;
it should leave a thick ribbon-like trail across the surface (see photo, here).
2.Sift the flour into the bowl and then very gently fold into the mixture.
Make sure that you work quickly but gently as the light texture of the
sponge relies on the air that you have whisked into the eggs.
Learn with: Peach Melba (here), Raspberry Trifle (here) and Baked Alaska
(here)
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
Short pastries have a light and crumbly texture and need gentle handling.
Kneading and handling develops and lengthens the gluten in the flour,
which is an essential part of bread making but will give your pastry a tough
consistency. You want the gluten to stay short so remember to handle it
lightly. Shortcrust pastry is quick and easy to make and so is ideal to start
with. The traditional recipe uses half fat to flour and is a good rule to
remember when you start to experiment with this pastry. It uses the
rubbing-in method and can be made by hand or in a food-processor (see
here).
1. The butter must be well chilled for this pastry so use it straight from the
fridge and cut it into cubes. Some recipes use other fats, but the recipes in
this book use butter.
2. Rub the butter into the flour until you get a breadcrumb-like mix (see
photo, here).
3. Add just enough cold water to form a dough; too much can result in tough
pastry.
4. Shape the dough into a thick disc, wrap it in clingfilm and chill in the
fridge for around 20 minutes until firm but not hard. Chilling will stop the
pastry shrinking as it bakes.
5. Roll out the pastry and use it to line your tin or pie dish.
Learn with: Apple and Stem Ginger Lattice Tart (here)
RICH SHORTCRUST PASTRY
This is richer than regular shortcrust but it is made in much the same way,
with the addition of egg yolks in place of some of the water and sometimes
added butter. This gives the pastry a richer flavour and a slightly flakier
texture. The protein in the egg yolk also makes the pastry more flexible so it
is great for making tarts.
1. Follow the instructions for making shortcrust pastry but replace some of
the water with egg yolk and add sugar to the flour if you are making a sweet
dough.
2. Shape into a thick disc as before, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge
for around 20 minutes, then roll out and line your tin.
Learn with: Fig and Frangipane Tart (here)
PÂTE SUCRÉE
A rich buttery, sweet pastry that is made using softened butter and has more
egg yolks and sugar than a rich shortcrust. It can also be made into a
chocolate pastry with the addition of cocoa powder in place of some of the
flour. It can crack easily as you roll it and can also become quite sticky so
you might find it easier to roll it out between two sheets of baking paper as
this will stop it from sticking to your work surface and enable you to turn
the pastry easily.
1. Cream the softened butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until pale and
soft in texture (see photo, here).
2. Mix in the egg yolks and flour with a little water until the mixture starts
to come together.
3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead it a
few times until smooth. Shape into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for
30–45 minutes until firm.
4. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin and use to line your flan
tin.
Learn with: Chocolate and Orange Tarts with Cointreau Cream (here)
PUFF PASTRY
Puff pastry has a rich buttery taste and is crisp and light. The way it is made
results in layers of fat and air being trapped between fine layers of dough
which produces the rich and flaky layers. You can use plain or strong bread
flour but the extra gluten in bread flour makes the dough stronger and more
elastic and so gives the pastry extra lift in the layers. The pastry is also
handled a lot and so the extra gluten helps it withstand that process. The
addition of a little lemon juice helps it to keep its rich yellow colour.
1. Rub a small amount of butter into the flour and salt.
2. Form a fairly soft dough with cold water and a little lemon juice.
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes to start to
develop the gluten, then put it in a bowl, cover it with clingfilm and chill for
30 minutes.
4. Put the butter between two sheets of baking paper and using a rolling pin
shape it into a square about 10cm across and 1cm thick, then chill with the
dough.
5. On a lightly floured surface roll out the chilled dough into a square of
about 20cm.
6. Peel the top layer of baking paper off the butter and upturn it into the
centre of the dough so that the corners of the butter point at the middle of
the sides of the dough. Fold each of the corners of the dough over the butter
so that they meet in the middle and encase the butter (see photo, here).
7. Give the dough a quarter turn so that a straight edge of the square is
facing you. Make three indents in the dough with your rolling pin across the
top, middle and bottom – this will squash the butter a bit and make sure that
it forms an even layer as you roll out the dough. Roll the dough into a
rectangle about 45 x 15cm.
8. Fold the bottom third up over the dough and the top third down to create a
rectangle made up of three layers, brushing off any excess flour from the
pastry as you fold (see photo, here). Give the dough another quarter turn
and repeat the rolling and folding process. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and
chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
9.Repeat the above rolling, folding and chilling process twice more, so that
in all you have rolled and folded the dough six times. Chill for 30 minutes
before using.
Learn with: Pineapple Tarte Tatin (here) and Millefeuilles (here)
FRENCH MERINGUE
This is the most frequently used method of making meringue. It can be
made in a bowl with a hand-held electric mixer or in a free-standing mixer
using the whisk attachment. Make sure that your bowl and whisk are
completely clean and dry, as any grease or water will stop your egg whites
from stiffening. To ensure your bowl is as grease-free as possible rub the
cut edge of a lemon around the inside before you add the egg whites. The
trick is to add the sugar at the right stage. The eggs should be at soft peak
stage; if you add the sugar too early it will dissolve and make the mixture
soft and damp, but if the egg whites are too stiff the structure won’t be
elastic enough and will result in a lumpy meringue. Make sure the eggs are
at room temperature before you start so they can achieve maximum volume.
1. Put the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk until they form soft peaks,
do not over whisk at this stage or the egg whites will turn to liquid again.
2. Add the sugar gradually, a spoonful at a time and whisk well between
each addition to ensure the sugar is fully whisked in before adding more,
otherwise the meringue will have a grainy texture.
3. Continue whisking until all the sugar is added and the meringue is firm,
glossy and has reached the stiff peak stage (see photo, here). The meringue
is now ready to be piped or shaped and baked.
Learn with: Queen of Puddings (here), Tropical Pavlova (here) and
Hazelnut Meringue Gateau (here)
ITALIAN MERINGUE
This meringue is made with boiling sugar syrup instead of caster sugar,
which creates a much more stable meringue than French meringue. The hot
syrup ‘cooks’ the egg whites so it is safe to use with either no further or
very short baking. It creates a thick glossy meringue that holds it shape well
as it cooks. As with French meringue, make sure that your bowl and whisk
are completely clean and dry, as any grease or water will stop your egg
whites from stiffening.
1. Put the sugar and a little water into a pan and heat over a gentle heat until
the sugar has dissolved, swirl the pan gently to help the sugar dissolve
rather than stir as this will stop sugar going up the sides of the pan which
could develop into sugar crystals as the syrup boils.
2.Once you have a clear liquid increase the heat and bring the syrup to a
boil (see photo, here). Put a kitchen thermometer into the liquid and simmer
until the temperature reaches 120°C (250°F).
3. While the syrup cooks put the egg whites in a large heatproof bowl or the
bowl of a free-standing mixer and whisk until they form soft peaks.
4. As soon as the syrup has reached the correct temperature remove it from
the heat and pour in a thin, steady stream onto the whisked egg whites.
Continue to whisk the whole time as you pour, taking care not to pour the
syrup onto the whisk as it could splash and burn you.
5. Once all the syrup has been added carry on whisking until the meringue is
smooth and glossy, has formed stiff peaks and is cool to the touch. Scrape
the sides of the bowl with a spatula occasionally to ensure all of the egg
white is fully whisked.
6. Pipe or shape the meringue and bake.
Learn with: Baked Alaska (here)
EXPERT ADVICE FROM START TO FINISH
This section will take you through everything you need to know to bake the
recipes in this book, explaining the how, what and why behind the
techniques to give you a full understanding.
HOW TO LINE CAKE TINS AND BAKING SHEETS

Most recipes ask you to line your cake tin or baking sheet. This will involve
greasing it (usually with butter) and then lining either all or part of it with
non-stick baking paper. This will stop your bake from sticking.
How to base line a cake tin

This is where just the base of the tin is lined with non-stick baking paper
and the sides are greased. Put the tin on a sheet of non-stick baking paper
and draw around the outside edge. Cut out the shape, then lightly brush
melted butter inside the whole of the tin. Place the cut-out baking paper in
the base of the tin and smooth down so that there are no creases.
How to line the sides of a cake tin

Cut out a piece of non-stick baking paper for the base as above, and also cut
a strip that is long enough to cover the inside of the tin, and about 5cm taller
than the tin. Make a fold along one long edge of the strip about 3cm deep,
and snip all along the folded edge to the crease at about 1cm intervals.
Brush the inside of the tin with melted butter, as above, then press the strip
of baking paper inside the tin with the crease against the bottom edge so
that the snipped edge sits on the bottom of the tin (see photo, here). Lightly
butter the cut-out disc for the base, press on top and smooth down.
How to line a baking sheet
Tear off a sheet of non-stick baking paper the same size as your baking
sheet. For mixtures that need spreading or piping it is good to hold the
baking paper in place. You can do this by putting a small blob of the
mixture on the baking sheet at each corner to stick the paper down.
HOW TO WHISK
Many of the recipes included in this book have a whisked element, be it egg
whites for meringues or whole eggs and sugar for whisked sponges.
Whisking incorporates air into a mixture and creates a light batter, which
holds its structure when cooked.
How to whisk egg whites

You will need a large, spotlessly clean and grease-free mixing bowl; any
trace of fat on the bowl or whisk will stop the egg whites from whisking
properly, so to ensure your bowl is as grease-free as possible rub the cut
edge of a lemon around the inside before you add the egg whites. Make sure
the eggs are at room temperature before you start.
Put the egg whites in the bowl and whisk slowly until they turn frothy. A
pinch of cream of tartar or lemon juice added now will help the structure to
stiffen. Increase the speed and continue to whisk until the mixture has a
fine, smooth texture. To test if the egg whites have reached soft peak stage,
lift the whisk out: there should be a peak on the end that droops down
slightly (see photo, here). To get to stiff peak stage continue whisking.
When you take the whisk out the peak should stand up in a stiff peak (see
photo, here) and you should also be able to turn the bowl upside down
without the whites falling out.
HOW TO FOLD IN
Folding in lets you gently combine two or more ingredients without
knocking any air out, such as adding flour to a creamed cake mix or egg
whites to a cake batter, although it is a technique that is used in many other
puddings and desserts, such as incorporating dates into Sticky Toffee
Pudding (see here) and folding the crème pâtissière into the whipped cream
for the Profiteroles with Salted Caramel and Chocolate Sauce (see here).
Use the edge of a large metal spoon or plastic spatula and make a clean cut
down the centre of the mix, making sure you touch the bottom of the bowl.
Turn the spoon the right way up, scooping that half of the mixture up with
you and gently pile it on top of the rest of the contents of the bowl (see
photo, here). Turn the bowl slightly so that you start in a different place and
repeat the cutting, lifting and folding until all the ingredients are fully
incorporated, using as few movements as possible.
HOW TO RUB IN
This is one of the most basic methods used in baking, especially in pastry-
making but also for things like crumbles and cobblers. It refers to the way
that the fat is rubbed into the flour using your fingertips, or a food-
processor. It also adds air to the mixture, which gives a lighter finish to your
bake. The key thing to remember is to keep everything, including your
hands, as cold as possible, so use butter straight from the fridge.
How to rub in by hand

1. Put the flour and any other dry ingredients, such as salt, sugar or cocoa
powder, into a large mixing bowl. There’s no need to sift. Add the chilled
diced butter.
2. Coat the cubes of butter in the flour mixture, using either your fingertips
or a round-bladed knife. This will stop the cubes from sticking together as
you start to work.
3. Lift some of the butter and flour in your fingertips out of the bowl,
allowing it to fall back into the bowl while gently rubbing your thumbs
against the tips of your fingers to break the butter down into smaller pieces.
4. Repeat this process, lifting your fingers well above the bowl each time to
help to aerate the mixture, until it looks like fine breadcrumbs (see photo on
here). If you shake the bowl any larger pieces will come to the surface.
How to rub in using a food-processor

1. Put your flour and any other dry ingredients into the bowl of the food-
processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the chilled diced butter and pulse
in short, sharp bursts until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Be careful not to
overwork the mixture or it could start to stick together before you add any
liquid.
ROLLING OUT PASTRY
There are two key things to be aware of when rolling out pastry. The first is
that your pastry is the correct consistency: it should be firm but not hard. If
it’s been in the fridge for a while, then leave it at room temperature for
about 15 minutes to soften slightly so that it is easier to roll. If you try to
roll it out when it is too firm you will have to press down harder with the
rolling pin, which could result in a tough pastry. The second is to use the
right amount of flour on your work surface: too much and it will add flour
to the pastry, causing it to dry out; too little and the pastry may stick.
How to roll out pastry

1. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, smoothing it lightly with the
palm of your hand so that you get an even layer. Put your dough onto the
flour and move it around a little to coat the bottom in the flour.
2. Flatten the dough with your rolling pin and then start to roll from the edge
nearest to you, pushing the rolling pin away from you in short, sharp
movements. By rolling gently and in one direction the pastry is less likely
to shrink as it bakes.
3. Give the pastry a quarter turn and roll again, keeping it in the shape of the
tin you are going to line, so a circle for a round tin, etc. Keep the rolling pin
lightly floured too so that the pastry doesn’t stick to it. Wipe off any bits
straight away, or they will make little dents in your pastry.
4. Don’t turn your dough over, but roll it out on one side only (if it’s turned
over it will pick up more flour, and start drying and cracking). Turning the
pastry regularly ensures it doesn’t stick but if it does start to stick, drape it
over your rolling pin to lift it off the work surface and sprinkle a little more
flour underneath.
5. Check that the pastry is large enough to fit your tin or dish and that it is
the correct thickness. A £1 coin is a good guide.
HOW TO LINE A TIN

Whether you’re lining a large flan tin or dish, or smaller individual tins,
your pastry needs to fit snugly, with no air pockets for it to shrink back into
when it bakes.
1. Roll out your pastry to the correct size and thickness (see above) and
drape it over your rolling pin. Try to have the rolling pin in the centre of the
pastry so that the weight is evenly balanced as this will help prevent it from
tearing.
2. Lift it up and gently lay it over the tin or dish, making sure that it is
central and covers all sides (see photo, here).
3. Remove the rolling pin and, working around the tin or dish, lift up a little
of the pastry at a time and lower it down again, easing it into the inside
edge. Make sure there are no air pockets in the side or on the bottom, and
that the pastry sits right against the base and edges.
4. Gently press the pastry against the inside edge all the way round, either
using your fingertips or a small ball of pastry. Some recipes will now ask
you to trim off the excess pastry either using a small sharp knife, pressing
the side of the knife against the tin to make sure you get a neat edge, or by
rolling the rolling pin over the top of the tin – the sharp edges of the tin will
cut through the overhanging pastry.
5.If you are lining a fluted flan tin, use the edge of your finger to press the
pastry into the flutes to make sure it is lining the tin snugly (see photo,
here).
HOW TO BLIND BAKE

This is where the pastry case is first baked before you add the filling to
prevent the pastry becoming soggy on the bottom, particularly with tarts
with a runny filling.
1. Once you’ve lined your tin with pastry, lightly prick the base with a fork.
Don’t push the prongs of the fork right through the pastry or your filling
might leak through the holes. Chill the pastry in its tin in the fridge.
2. Take a piece of baking paper larger than your flan tin and crumple it
slightly in your hands. Lay it on top of the pastry and gently push it into the
edges.
3. Tip in some baking beans (or uncooked rice) and spread out to form a
layer that covers the whole of the base, ensuring they go right to the edges
as this will help the pastry keep its shape (see photo, here).
4. Bake the pastry for the time specified in the recipe, which will cause it to
firm up and hold its shape. Carefully remove the baking paper and beans –
they will be hot so hold the paper on both sides so the beans don’t tip out as
you lift.
5. Put the pastry case back in the oven and bake again to finish cooking. The
base and sides should be cooked through and pale and golden. If your tart is
going to have a cold filling (i.e. it won’t be going back in the oven), you can
make extra sure it’s fully cooked by baking it to a slightly deeper colour.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool before adding any filling.
HOW TO MELT CHOCOLATE

Low and slow are the key points to remember. If you overheat or scorch it,
it will ‘seize’, which means it becomes greasy and grainy and can’t be used.
White chocolate and dark chocolate with a high cocoa solid content (over
70 per cent) are most prone to seizing. Although you can melt chocolate in a
microwave it is easier to control the temperature if you melt it in a bowl
over a pan of simmering water.
1. Finely chop your chocolate as this will help it to melt evenly, then put it
into a heatproof bowl that fits snugly over a pan of gently simmering water.
Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water below or the
chocolate could overheat.
2. Leave the chocolate to melt from the heat of the water for a couple of
minutes before giving it a gentle stir with a spoon until it’s completely
glossy and smooth (see photo, here). As soon as it’s all melted remove from
the pan so that it doesn’t continue heating.
HOW TO WHIP CREAM

Whipped cream appears in several of the recipes in this book, whether
folded into a cream cheese mixture for the Key Lime Cheesecake (see here)
or sweetened with icing sugar to create the filling for the Tropical Pavlova
(see here). Double cream and whipping cream are both suitable for
whipping; whichever you use make sure it is thoroughly chilled before you
start to prevent it from curdling. Use a hand-held wire whisk (a large
balloon one is best), hand-held rotary whisk, electric whisk or free-standing
mixer. If the cream is going to be folded into another mixture or used to top
pudding such as the Raspberry Trifle (see here), then whisk it on a medium
speed to a soft peak stage. Reduce the speed as it starts to thicken as it can
be easily over-whipped. If the cream is going to be piped or folded into a
crème pâtissière, then whisk it for a few more seconds until it forms stiff
peaks (see photo, here).
HOW TO USE A PIPING BAG

Many of the recipes in this book include piping, whether it is a biscuit mix
for the fingers in Tiramisu, a filling for the Triple Chocolate Gateau or
putting the finishing touches to a dessert such as the Hazelnut Meringue
Gateau (see here, here or here). Whichever recipe it is for the general piping
techniques apply.
How to fill a piping bag

1. Drop the nozzle into the piping bag and pull it down so that it fits the hole
tightly and there are no gaps, otherwise the filling will ooze out as you pipe.
If you are using a disposable bag you will need to snip off the end to create
the hole.
2. Put the bag into a tall jug or container and fold the top edge of the bag
over the rim to support the bag.
3. Spoon the filling into the bag until it is about two-thirds full; if you
overfill it it makes the bag difficult to handle and so to pipe. (see photo,
here)
4.Take the bag out of the jug and twist the top to push out any air bubbles
and then twist again to push the filling down into the nozzle.
How to pipe
A firm and steady hand is essential to ensure smooth and even piping, so
hold the piping bag in both hands with your stronger hand at the top of the
bag and your other hand at the bottom near the nozzle to help guide the bag.
Squeeze the bag gently using even pressure so that the mix or icing comes
out in a smooth flow.
If you are piping biscuits onto baking paper, ensure all the biscuits are
even in length by drawing two parallel lines onto the paper first and then
pipe between those lines. When piping rounds such as the macarons for the
Trio of Tropical Desserts (see here), you can draw the circles first on the
paper, again to ensure that you achieve consistent sizes.
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Help!
No matter how experienced a baker you are, things can still go wrong. Here
are some of the most common problems that you might come up against
and some tips on how to put them right.
MY CREAMED CAKE MIXTURE HAS CURDLED!

There are several reasons why this might have happened, but it can be
fixed. The most common reason is that either your butter or eggs were too
cold. If the butter is too cold it won’t be soft enough to cream properly
when beaten with the sugar. If your eggs are too cold they again will be
hard to beat into the butter and sugar and so the mixture may curdle.
Ideally, all ingredients should be at room temperature before you begin;
if your butter is still too hard, then soften it slightly in the microwave, but
go carefully you don’t want to melt it. If you add the eggs too quickly to the
creamed butter and sugar your mixture may curdle, so make sure you add
them a little at a time and beat well between each addition. If the mix does
start to curdle then add a tablespoon of flour and beat that in; this should
help bring the mixture together again.
MY CREAM IS TOO STIFF!

This is an easy mistake to make when whipping cream: one minute it’s soft
and fluffy, the next it’s standing in stiff peaks. The way to avoid this is to
watch it very carefully and at the point when it starts to thicken start to
whisk more slowly in short sharp bursts and keep regularly checking the
consistency. If it does become too thick pour in a little un-whipped cream
and lightly fold through to loosen the over-whipped cream.
MY PASTRY CASE HAS SHRUNK!

This can happen if the pastry has been over-handled and stretched when
rolled; it then shrinks back during baking. To avoid this, roll out your pastry
gently and in one direction at a time, then ease it into the tin, pushing the
pastry down from the top edge to fit into the sides of the tin rather than
stretching it over. Chilling the pastry case before baking allows the pastry to
relax again after handling and so should stop it from shrinking.
If your pastry case does still shrink it’s not the end of the world; you just
might not be able to use all of the filling. If the filling spills over the top
edge it might cause the pastry case to stick to the tin and you’ll have trouble
getting it out to serve.
MY BISCUITS AREN’T BAKING EVENLY!

Most ovens don’t bake entirely evenly throughout and have hot spots, so to
ensure your biscuits bake evenly turn the baking sheets round halfway
through baking. If you are baking a large batch of biscuits on more than one
sheet, then you can also swap shelves at the same time. Using the fan
setting on your oven helps to circulate the heat and so should give a more
even bake. It is also a good idea to invest in an oven thermometer so you
can make sure your oven is reaching the correct temperature and to identify
the hotter and cooler spots.
MY CUSTARD HAS CURDLED!

If you cook your custard for too long or over too high a heat there is a
chance that the eggs will overcook and curdle – almost like scrambled eggs
in hot cream. To avoid this, don’t let the mixture get too hot and keep
stirring it. If it does split, plunge the pan into a bowl or sink of cold water so
that the water comes up the side of the pan to cool it. Then whisk
vigorously, preferably using a balloon whisk; this should break up the
curdled eggs and bring the custard back together again.
MY CHOCOLATE IS GRAINY!
If your chocolate is overheated or comes into contact with any water while
it melts it might well turn thick and grainy (this is known as ‘seizing’)
rather than melting to a smooth and glossy consistency. So when melting
chocolate over a pan of water ensure that the water is simmering gently and
not boiling and that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water as that is
when it is most likely to overheat. You should also make sure that the bowl
fits snugly over the pan as if there is a large gap steam could get through the
gap and might well get into the chocolate. When melting chocolate in a
microwave, set the heat to the lowest setting possible and melt the chocolate
in short sharp bursts, stirring well in between to ensure that no hot spots
form, which could then seize.
Before you throw away any seized chocolate it is worth trying to rescue
it; this can be done in one of two ways. Remove the bowl of chocolate from
the heat and beat in either a little vegetable oil or – strange as it might seem
– a little boiling water. Add just a teaspoonful at a time and beat well
between each addition. With a little bit of luck it will come back to a
smooth, glossy consistency.
MY PUFF PASTRY DIDN’T PUFF UP!

It is the butter trapped between the layers of puff pastry that makes it puff
up, so to ensure the butter stays in the layers it must be chilled at all times.
If the butter is allowed to soften too much as you roll out the pastry it will
slide out from between the layers. It is important to chill the pastry
thoroughly between each of the folding and rolling stages. If at any point
you think it has become too warm, simply pop it in the freezer for 10–15
minutes.
When baking puff pastry make sure the oven is hot enough when the
pastry first goes in to ensure the layers puff up. As soon as the pastry goes
into a hot oven, the butter produces steam, which is what causes the layers
to rise.
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BAKE IT BETTER
Recipes
Easy does it
Apple Strudel
Orange and Cranberry Bread and Butter Pudding
Spiced Plum Crumble
Cherry Clafoutis
Rhubarb Cobbler
Key Lime Cheesecake
Pear and Chocolate Upside-down Cake
Steamed Maple Syrup and Pecan Pudding
Orange Polenta Cake with Cranberry Sauce
Peach Melba
Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce
Queen of Puddings
Almond Tuile Biscuits and Blackberry Sorbet
Tropical Pavlova
Steamed Stem Ginger Puddings with Custard
Cherry and Chocolate Knickerbocker Glory

Chocolate and Orange Tarts with Cointreau Cream
Baked Vanilla Cheesecake with Blueberry Jelly
Raspberry Trifle
Coffee Panna Cotta with Walnut Biscuits
Tiramisu Gateau
Crème Caramel and Orange and Pistachio Biscotti
Profiteroles with Salted Caramel and Chocolate Sauce
Brandy Snaps with Oranges in Caramel
Hot White Chocolate Soufflés with Cardamom Shortcake
Up for a challenge

Baked Alaska
Millefeuilles
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Apple Strudel
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
30–35 minutes
SERVES:
8
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
large baking sheet
Layers of crisp filo pastry encase apple, sultanas and cinnamon to create
this great teatime classic, lightly dusted with icing sugar.
1 cooking apple
75g soft light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
50g unsalted butter
4 sheets of bought filo pastry
50g sultanas
icing sugar, for dusting
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4 and line the baking
sheet with a piece of baking paper.
2.Peel, core and thinly slice the apple and place the slices in a bowl.
Sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon, and stir to coat the slices.
3.Melt the butter in a small pan. Take a sheet of filo pastry and lay it on
your work surface with the short edge towards you. Use a pastry brush to
brush all over the pastry with butter and lay another sheet on top. Brush this
with butter and repeat the brushing and layering with the last two sheets of
pastry.
4.Place the apple slices in an even layer on the front half of the pastry
sheets, then sprinkle over the sultanas. Starting at the front edge, roll up the
pastry to fully encase the filling. Using two metal spatulas, carefully
transfer the strudel to the lined baking sheet and brush all over with the
remaining melted butter. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes until crisp and
golden.
5.Leave to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before carefully

transferring to a wire rack and leaving to cool completely. Dust with icing
sugar and serve cut into thick slices.
Try Something Different

Replace the cinnamon with 1 teaspoon of grated orange zest, and the
sultanas with cranberries.
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
10 minutes
BAKING TIME:
1½–1¾ hours
SERVES:
4–6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
heavy-based flameproof casserole dish, about 1.5–2 litre capacity
A great pudding to get you started, rich and creamy oven-baked rice
pudding with the addition of lime zest to add extra flavour and served with
a pretty raspberry sauce.
For the rice pudding

25g unsalted butter
100g pudding rice
60g caster sugar
400ml full-fat milk
1 × 400ml tin coconut milk
finely grated zest of 2 limes
For the raspberry sauce

150g fresh or frozen raspberries (you can use frozen raspberries straight from the freezer)
50g caster sugar
juice of 1 lime
1. Preheat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan), 275°F, Gas 1.
2.To make the rice pudding, put the butter in the casserole dish and place it
over a medium heat to melt. Tip in the rice and stir to coat the grains in the
butter, then add the sugar and stir again for about 5 minutes, until the sugar
melts and the rice becomes sticky.
3.Pour in both the full-fat and coconut milk, stirring as you add them to
stop any lumps forming. Bring the rice mixture to a simmer, then remove
from the heat and stir in the lime zest.
4.Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 1½ hours, giving it a stir
every half an hour. Covering it will prevent it from browning.
5.When the pudding is done it will be thick and creamy and the grains will
be soft and tender. If you want to be sure that the rice is cooked through,
carefully scoop out a few grains from the edge to check. If the rice still has
some bite and all the milk hasn’t been absorbed, give it a stir and return it to
the oven for a further 10–15 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to
rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
6.While the pudding rests, make the raspberry sauce. Put the raspberries,
caster sugar and lime juice in a small pan and heat for 4–5 minutes over a
low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the raspberries just start to soften.
Serve the rice pudding topped with the raspberry sauce.

Replace the coconut milk with double cream and the lime zest with lemon
zest for a more traditionally flavoured pudding.
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Orange and Cranberry Bread and
Butter Pudding
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
1 hour
BAKING TIME:
45 minutes
SERVES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20 × 25cm shallow baking dish
Layers of fruit bread, orange zest and cranberries baked in a rich creamy
custard make this a zesty update of an all-time favourite pudding. Take time
to overlap the bread slices in neat rows to show the pudding at its best.
10 slices fruit bread
50g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
100g dried cranberries
finely grated zest of 1 orange
4 medium eggs
300ml full-fat milk
300ml double cream
100g golden caster sugar
1. Butter each slice of fruit bread and cut each slice in half to create two
triangles, so that you have 20 triangles in total. Butter the baking dish.
2.In a small bowl mix the cranberries with the orange zest so that the
cranberries are coated; this will help to make sure that the zest is spread
throughout the pudding. Crack the eggs into a large jug and beat lightly
with a fork. Add the milk, double cream and sugar and beat again to
combine.
3. Put half the bread triangles in the base of the baking dish, overlapping
each piece slightly. Scatter half the cranberry and orange mix over the
slices, then top with the rest of the bread, overlapping the slices as before.
Scatter over the remaining cranberries. Give the egg and milk mixture a
final whisk with the fork to stop the sugar from sinking to the bottom. Pour
over the bread and fruit, making sure that you coat all the bread slices with
the liquid to prevent any dry patches of pudding. Put to one side for 1 hour
to let the bread soak up the custard, and gently push down any corners of
bread on the top layer that are poking out as it rests.
4.Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Bake the pudding
for 45 minutes until the top is crisp and golden. Leave to rest for 15 minutes
before serving either on its own or with a drizzle of extra cream.

Replace the cranberries with sultanas and use lemon zest instead of orange.
You could also use slices of brioche in place of the fruit bread.
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Spiced Plum Crumble
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
BAKING TIME:
40–45 minutes
SERVES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
shallow baking dish, about 1.5 litre capacity
A crumble topping is a great way to learn the rubbing-in technique used in

pastry-making. Cinnamon and mixed spice are a perfect combination with
plums in this crumble filling.
For the fruity filling

800g plums
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
For the crumble topping

200g plain flour
100g chilled unsalted butter, diced
75g porridge oats
2.For the filling, cut the plums in half around the stone and twist the two
halves apart. Remove the stones and cut each piece in half again so you end
up with quarters. Put all the plum pieces into a bowl, then sprinkle over the
sugar and spices, stir to coat the plums, then tip them into the base of the
baking dish.
To make the crumble topping, put the flour in a bowl and add the butter.
3.
Rub in the butter to make coarse crumbs, then stir in the oats and sugar.
4.Scatter the crumble topping over the plums, covering them in an even
layer. Don’t pat the topping down; just let it sit on top of the fruit as this
will give a crisper topping.
5.Bake in the oven for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is golden and
you can see the plum juices bubbling up the sides. Serve warm with custard
or ice cream.

Replace some of the plums with 100g blackberries when in season for a
juicy alternative, and swap porridge oats for chopped toasted hazelnuts to
add crunch to the topping.
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Cherry Clafoutis
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
30 minutes
BAKING TIME:
30–35 minutes
SERVES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
25cm round, shallow baking dish, about 4cm deep
Fresh cherries are marinated in sugar and kirsch then covered in a light
batter and baked in the oven to make this classic French dessert.
For the cherries

450g cherries
3 tablespoons caster sugar
3 tablespoons kirsch
For the batter

butter, for greasing
60g plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
60g caster sugar
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
300ml full-fat milk
1 tablespoon icing sugar, for dusting
1.Butter a shallow baking dish that is wide enough to take the cherries in a
single layer. You can check this by putting the cherries in the dish before
you soak them.
2.Wash the cherries and remove any stalks, then remove the stones. A
cherry pitter is best used for this as it takes out the stones but leaves the
cherry whole. If you don’t have one you can cut the cherries in half and take
the stones out that way. Put the cherries in a bowl, add the sugar and kirsch,
then stir gently to coat. Put to one side for 30 minutes to allow the cherries
to absorb the flavour of the kirsch.
4.To make the batter, sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl
and stir in the caster sugar. Pour the beaten eggs into the bowl and whisk
into the flour until you have a smooth batter. Add the vanilla extract to the
milk, then pour into the batter, whisking as you pour to make sure the batter
stays smooth and you don’t get any lumps.
5.Tip the cherries and any juices in the bowl into the baking dish and shake
the dish to make sure the cherries are in a single layer. Pour the batter over
the cherries. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes until golden on top and the
clafoutis is just set but still a bit wobbly in the centre. Serve warm, dusted
with icing sugar, and some cream.
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
BAKING TIME:
15 minutes
SERVES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
large baking sheet
A quick and easy dessert made using bought ready-rolled puff pastry. The
pastry is baked first and then topped with creamy lemon and mascarpone
cheese, and glossy fresh blueberries.
For the pastry base

1 × 375g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
For the topping

50g caster sugar
finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
250g fresh blueberries
250g mascarpone cheese
40g icing sugar
100ml double cream
1.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Take the pastry out
of the fridge 10–15 minutes before you use it – this will stop it from
cracking when you unroll it.
2.Line the baking sheet with baking paper. Unroll the pastry onto the
baking sheet and, using a small sharp knife, score a line around the sides of
the pastry 1.5cm in from the edges, to create a border. Use a fork to prick all
over the centre of the pastry rectangle to stop it rising too much during
cooking. Brush the border with the beaten egg.
3. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until risen and golden. Remove and
leave to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then gently push the centre
of the pastry down with your fingertips to flatten it and make room for the
filling. Carefully lift the pastry off the baking paper and transfer to a wire
rack to cool completely.
4.For the topping, put the caster sugar and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice
in a small pan and heat gently over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the blueberries to the pan, turn up the heat slightly and cook the
blueberries in the sugar syrup for 2 minutes until they are glossy. Put to one
side to cool.
5.Put the mascarpone cheese into a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden
spoon until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar, add the remainder of the lemon
juice and the lemon zest and beat again. Finally, add the double cream and
beat until thick and creamy.
6.Spread the mascarpone mixture on top of the pastry case right up to the
raised edges or the border, smoothing the surface as you go. Scatter over the
cooled blueberries and any juices left in the bowl. Serve immediately.

Swap the blueberries for the same amount of strawberries (halved if large)
but don’t cook them in the sugar syrup as they will go mushy; just stir them
into the warm syrup and allow to cool.
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Rhubarb Cobbler
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
BAKING TIME:
35–40 minutes
SERVES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
22 × 30cm shallow baking dish, 1.5 litre capacity
The rubbing-in technique is used here to make this cobbler. The topping is
made with buttermilk to create a scone-like texture, which makes a tasty
change from a rhubarb crumble.
For the filling

1kg rhubarb
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
150g caster sugar
For the cobbler topping

250g self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
150ml buttermilk
2.For the filling, trim the ends from the rhubarb and then cut each stick into
4–5cm long pieces. Put these into a large bowl, add the vanilla bean paste
and caster sugar and gently stir to coat the rhubarb in both. Tip into the
baking dish and gently shake so that the rhubarb settles into an even layer.
3.For the cobbler topping, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the
butter. Rub in the butter with your fingertips to make coarse crumbs, then
stir in the caster sugar. Add the buttermilk and stir in with a wooden spoon
until just mixed and you have a soft, wet dough.
4.Use a dessertspoon to drop dollops of the dough on top of the rhubarb,

leaving small gaps in between each one to allow for them to spread as they
cook. Bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is crisp and
golden. Serve warm from the oven with a scoop of ice cream or a spoonful
of cream.

To add an extra flavour and crunch to the dish, scatter 30g flaked almonds
over the cobbler topping before baking.
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
30–35 minutes
SERVES:
4
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
baking dish, 1.5 litre capacity
METHOD USED:
Creamed sponge, here
This zesty pudding gives you a chance to try out both creaming and
whisking skills in one easy bake that separates on cooking to leave a fluffy
sponge on top of a lemony ‘surprise’ sauce.
175g caster sugar
1 teaspoon aniseeds
3 medium eggs, at room temperature, separated
finely grated zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons
400ml full-fat milk
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4 and lightly butter
the baking dish.
2.Put 75g of the caster sugar and the aniseeds into the bowl of a mini food-
processor and blitz to create a fine powder. (You could also do this by hand
with a pestle and mortar; it will just take you a little longer.)
3.Cream the softened butter, aniseed sugar and the remaining caster sugar
together in a bowl using a wooden spoon (or a hand-held electric mixer)
until thoroughly combined and paler in colour; it won’t cream to a light and
fluffy texture as there is more sugar than butter in the mixture. Add the egg
yolks, beating well between each one, then add the lemon zest and beat
again.
4. Add half the lemon juice to the creamed mix and fold in, then add half the
flour and fold that in too. Repeat with the remaining lemon juice and flour.
Add the milk to the cake mixture 100ml at a time, folding in each measure
as you go. Adding it slowly like this ensures you get a smooth batter.
5.In a separate bowl and using clean beaters for your hand-held electric
mixer, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks (they should just hold their shape
when you remove the whisk from the bowl). Fold these into the lemony
batter until you have no big lumps of egg white remaining. It may curdle a
bit at this stage, but that’s perfectly normal and won’t affect the texture of
the sponge.
6.Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes
until well risen and golden on top. Leave for 10 minutes to allow the sauce
to separate out from the pudding before serving warm.

Leave out the aniseeds, omitting step 2 and adding all the caster sugar in
step 3. Or replace the aniseeds with 1 teaspoon of dried lavender.
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
20 minutes chilling
BAKING TIME:
35 minutes
MAKES:
6 tartlets
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
6 × 10cm loose-bottomed tart tins, baking sheet
Try out your blind-baking skills with these easy-to-make tarts. Using
bought shortcrust pastry and a very simple but classic filling means they
can be baked in no time.
500g bought shortcrust pastry
250g golden syrup
100g fresh breadcrumbs
finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
1. Divide the pastry into six equal portions, then roll out each piece on a
lightly floured surface into a circle about the thickness of a £1 coin. Line
the tart tins, pressing the pastry into the edges with a small ball of the
dough. Roll your rolling pin over the top of the tart tins to cut off any
excess pastry and prick the bases with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and
chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
2.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Line each pastry
case with a small circle of baking paper and fill with a handful of baking
beans or uncooked rice. Blind bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove
the paper and beans, and bake for a further 5 minutes until the bases look
cooked and are pale golden. Remove from the oven and lower the
temperature to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4.
3.Gently heat the golden syrup in a medium pan to melt it slightly. Remove
from the heat and add the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and juice and stir to
evenly coat the crumbs.
4.Divide the mixture between the six tart cases, flattening the top lightly
with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden on
top.
5. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tart tins, before removing from the
tins. Serve warm with custard or a dollop of lightly whipped cream.

Add extra crunch by replacing 25g of the breadcrumbs with 25g finely
chopped pecans or walnuts.
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Key Lime Cheesecake
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
BAKING TIME:
10 minutes
SERVES:
12
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20cm springclip cake tin
A chilled cheesecake that is easy to assemble, with the minimum of baking.

A chocolate crust is covered with a rich, creamy lime and cream cheese
topping.
For the chocolate base

150g digestive biscuits
50g unsalted butter
40g dark chocolate, preferably 60–70 per cent cocoa solids, chopped
For the topping

3 sheets of leaf gelatine (see here)
100ml soured cream
300g cream cheese
finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes, plus zest of 1 lime for decorating
300ml double cream, well chilled
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Butter the tin and
line the base and sides with baking paper.
2.To make the chocolate base, put the digestive biscuits in a plastic food
bag, seal the top, then bash with a rolling pin to create fine biscuit crumbs
(you can whizz them in a food-processor, but bashing them is quick and
easy and creates a lot less washing up). Gently melt the butter and chocolate
in a heatproof bowl in the microwave, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan
of gently simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t
touch the water. Add the biscuit crumbs to the bowl and stir to coat.
3.Tip the biscuit mix into the tin and smooth down to cover the base; if you
press it down using a potato masher it will help you get a nice even layer.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then put to one side to cool while you
make the topping.
4.Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, heat the soured cream in a small pan until bubbling and remove
from the heat. Lift the softened gelatine leaves from the cold water and
squeeze gently to remove the excess water, then add to the warm soured
cream and stir until they have all melted.
5.Put the cream cheese and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat
together with a wooden spoon until creamy and thoroughly combined. Add
the lime zest and juice along with the cooled soured cream and gelatine
mixture and beat again until smooth.
6.In a separate bowl, whip the double cream with a hand-held electric mixer
to soft peaks, then fold into the cream cheese mix until fully combined.
Pour over the cooled biscuit base and smooth the top with the back of a
spoon. Put in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours.
7.Remove from the tin and peel off the baking paper from the sides. You
can either serve this on the base or use a palette knife to slide the
cheesecake onto a serving plate. Sprinkle the extra grated lime zest on the
top.
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Pear and Chocolate Upside-down
Cake
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
30 minutes
SERVES:
10–12
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20cm round cake tin, about 6cm deep
METHOD USED:
Here, a light chocolatey sponge sits on top of gently caramelised pear

slices. This is a good recipe to perfect the creamed method of cake making.
150g soft light brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
3 medium eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
50g cocoa powder
4 tablespoons full-fat milk
1 just-ripe pear
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Butter and line the
base of the tin with baking paper. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar in the
base of the tin on top of the baking paper.
2.Cream together the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl with a
wooden spoon until pale and fluffy (or use a hand-held electric mixer).
Gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each
addition so that the mixture doesn’t curdle. If it does curdle at any point,
add a spoonful of the flour with the egg.
3.Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl and fold in gently; when it’s
nearly all folded in add the milk and carry on folding until you have a cake
mixture with a soft dropping consistency. This means that the mixture will
drop from a spoon back into the bowl if you hold a full spoon of batter
above the bowl. If the batter is still too stiff, then add a little extra milk.
4.Peel the pear and remove the stalk. Cut the pear into quarters and remove
the cores, then cut each quarter into 3 slices to give you 12 slices in total.
Lay the pear slices on top of the sugar in the cake tin in a circle with the
thin tips of the pear in the middle to create a flower.
5.Carefully spoon the chocolate cake mixture on top of the pear slices,
taking care not to move the slices, then smooth the top of the batter with the
back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the cake starts
to come away from the sides of the tin and a skewer inserted into the centre
comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a serving
plate. Carefully peel off the baking paper to reveal the pear slices. Cut into
slices and serve warm with softly whipped double cream or a scoop of
vanilla ice cream.
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Steamed Maple Syrup and Pecan
Pudding
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
STEAMING TIME:
1½ hours
SERVES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
1 litre pudding basin
METHOD USED:
There is nothing more comforting than a classic sponge pudding, and this
combination of maple syrup and pecan hits the spot. Here, the cake batter is
steamed instead of baked.
125g soft dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
75g pecans
1.Liberally butter the pudding basin and line the base with a circle of
baking paper. Draw around the top of the basin and cut out a baking paper
circle for the top. Place a trivet or upturned saucer in the bottom of a large
pan so that the basin isn’t over the direct heat and add enough water to
come halfway up the sides of the pudding basin.
2.Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl with a wooden spoon (or
use a free-standing mixer) until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour and half the maple
syrup.
3. Arrange 9 pecans in the base of the pudding basin, their tops facing down.
Pour over the remaining maple syrup. Roughly chop the rest of the pecans
and fold them into the sponge mixture.
4.Carefully spoon the mixture into the pudding basin on top of the pecans.
Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface and place the circle of baking
paper on top. Take a large square of foil and fold a pleat down the centre to
allow room for the pudding to rise. Place this on top of the basin and press
down around the edge. Tie a piece of string around the basin, under the rim.
Take another piece of string and create a handle by passing it under the tied
string on both sides of the basin (see step photos on here). Bring the pan of
water to the boil.
5. Place the basin in the pan on top of the trivet or saucer and cover with a
tight-fitting lid. Steam for 1½ hours, topping up the pan with boiled water
when needed to prevent it boiling dry.
6.To serve, run a knife around the inside of the basin to loosen the pudding.
Put a plate on top of the basin and, using a tea towel wrapped around the
basin, turn the pudding out onto the plate. Remove the circle of baking
paper and serve with custard or cream.

To make a chocolate pudding, mix 4 tablespoons cocoa powder with 1
tablespoon hot water. Fold in with the flour instead of the syrup and nuts.
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Orange Polenta Cake with Cranberry
Sauce
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
BAKING TIME:
1 hour
SERVES:
12
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
METHOD USED:
The polenta adds a great crunch to this moist gluten-free sponge, flavoured
with orange, topped with a sugar syrup and served with a tangy cranberry
sauce.
For the cake

225g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
finely grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
150g ground almonds
150g quick-cook polenta
1 teaspoon baking powder
For the orange sugar syrup

juice of 2 oranges
3 tablespoons golden caster sugar
For the cranberry sauce

150g frozen cranberries, defrosted
juice of ½ orange
base of the tin with baking paper.
2.To make the cake, put the butter and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl
or the bowl of a free-standing mixer and beat well until pale and creamy.
Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition to make
sure that the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next bit.
3.Stir the vanilla extract and orange zest into the mixture, then fold in half
the orange juice followed by half the ground almonds and half the polenta.
Repeat this folding process with the remaining orange juice and ground
almonds. Finally add the baking powder and remaining polenta, and fold
again.
4.Spoon the cake mixture into your prepared tin and smooth the top with
the back of a spoon. Bake for 1 hour, or until the top of the cake is golden
brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out almost
clean, with just a few crumbs attached.
5.While the cake is baking make the orange sugar syrup. Put the orange
juice and sugar in a small pan and heat over a low heat until the sugar
dissolves, stirring occasionally.
6.Remove the cake from the oven and prick holes all over the sponge with a
skewer. Spoon over the orange sugar syrup and leave to cool completely.
7.For the cranberry sauce, put the cranberries, sugar and orange juice in a
small pan over a low heat. Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer
for 5 minutes until the cranberries soften and the sauce turns syrupy.
8. Unclip the tin and serve the cake still on its base (or use a palette knife to
slide it off the base onto a plate). Serve sliced, with the cranberry sauce.
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
35–40 minutes
SERVES:
9
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20cm deep square cake tin
METHOD USED:
The addition of dates soaked in tea creates a moist pudding, which, when
served with the rich toffee sauce, provides the best combination for a winter
pudding.
200g dates
150ml hot tea, made with 1 tea bag
150g unsalted butter, softened
200g light muscovado sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
For the toffee sauce

100g unsalted butter
200g light muscovado sugar
150ml double cream
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Butter and line the
tin with baking paper.
2.Chop the dates into small pieces then add to the hot tea. Put to one side to
soak for 15 minutes while you make the sponge.
3.Cream together the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl with a
wooden spoon (or use a hand-held electric mixer) until pale and light.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to ensure all of the mix is
beaten. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
4.Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda onto the creamed mix and then fold
in with a rubber spatula until all of the flour is mixed in. Fold in the dates,
along with any tea that hasn’t soaked in, until you have a creamy cake
batter. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until
the pudding is a deep golden brown. To check if it is cooked insert a skewer
into the sponge; if it comes out with just a few moist crumbs the pudding is
ready.
5.While the pudding is in the oven make the toffee sauce. Melt the butter in
a small pan, then add the sugar and cream and cook over a low heat, stirring
every now and then, until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sauce is smooth
increase the heat and let it bubble for a couple of minutes.
6.Leave the pudding to cool for 5 minutes in the tin before turning out and
cutting into squares. Serve warm with the hot toffee sauce.

Replace the dates with the same amount of sultanas and add 100g roughly
chopped walnuts.
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Peach Melba
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
BAKING TIME:
8–9 minutes
SERVES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20 × 30cm Swiss roll tin, 8cm plain round pastry cutter (optional)
METHOD USED:
Whisked sponge, here
This traditional French dessert consists of peach halves poached in sugar

syrup sitting on top of rounds of light whisked sponge with vanilla ice
cream and a fresh raspberry coulis – summer on a plate.
For the whisked sponge

butter, for greasing
3 medium eggs, at room temperature
100g caster sugar
100g plain flour
For the peaches

100g caster sugar
½ vanilla pod
3 peaches, halved and stoned
For the coulis

200g fresh raspberries
100g caster sugar
juice of ½ lemon
To serve
6 scoops of vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Butter and line the
1.
Swiss roll tin with baking paper.
2.To make the whisked sponge, put the eggs and sugar in a large mixing
bowl and whisk with a hand-held electric mixer (or use a free-standing
mixer) for at least 5 minutes until the mixture becomes very pale and thick
and leaves a ribbon-like trail when the whisk is lifted from the bowl.
3.Sift half the flour onto the mix and gently fold in, taking great care not to
knock too much air out of the mix. Sift over the remaining flour and gently
fold again, making sure you scrape right to the bottom of the bowl as the
flour has a tendency to sink to the bottom when it’s added.
4.Spoon the mix into the tin and spread it out right to the corners,
smoothing the surface as you go. Bake for 8–9 minutes until golden and
starting to shrink away from the edges of the tin.
5.While your sponge is in the oven, lay a piece of fresh baking paper on the
work surface. Once the sponge is cooked turn it out of the tin onto the
baking paper, then carefully peel off the lining paper.
6.Place a wire rack on top of the underside of the sponge, then flip the
whole thing over so that the sponge is sitting right-side up on the rack. By
cooling the sponge this way up you don’t get the indents of the rack on the
top of the cake.
7.For the peaches, put the 100g caster sugar in a pan large enough to hold
the peach halves in a single layer. Split the ½ vanilla pod down its length
with a small sharp knife then add to the pan with 300ml water. Heat over a
low heat until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally, then bring to a
simmer. Add the 6 peach halves, skin side down. Simmer for 5 minutes then
take off the heat, turn the peaches over so the skin is facing up and leave to
cool in the poaching liquid for 5 minutes.
8.Take the peach halves out of the pan with a slotted spoon and remove the
skins – they should peel away easily after cooking. Keep the poaching
liquid for the finished pudding
9.For the coulis, put the 200g raspberries, 100g caster sugar and juice of ½
lemon in a small pan over a low heat. Heat through gently, until the sugar
has dissolved, giving everything a stir once or twice. Bring to the boil and
simmer for 1–2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool
for 5 minutes, then blitz with a hand-held blender. Pass the mixture through
a sieve to remove the seeds and create a thick, smooth coulis.
10.To assemble, cut out six 8cm circles using a plain round pastry cutter, or
by cutting round an upturned glass or bowl with a small sharp knife.
11.Put each circle of sponge onto a small plate, spoon over a little of the
peachy sugar syrup, then top each one with a scoop of ice cream, a peach
half and a finally a generous spoonful of raspberry coulis.
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Christmas Pudding with Brandy
Sauce
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
STEAMING TIME:
3 hours, plus 2 hours
SERVES:
8–10
SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT:
1 litre pudding basin
STORAGE:
Keep the pudding after the first steaming in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months
Christmas pudding tastes better if left to mature for a few months, so start
your preparations early and make this rich, fruit-packed pudding in August
or September.
For the Christmas pudding

100g sultanas
100g raisins
100g currants
100g stoned prunes, roughly chopped
175g soft dark brown sugar
finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
50g plain flour
125g vegetable suet
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
75ml ginger wine
50ml brandy
For the brandy sauce

500ml full-fat milk
3 tablespoons cornflour
50g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
3 tablespoons brandy
1.To make the pudding, lightly butter the pudding basin and line the base
with a circle of baking paper. Place a trivet or upturned saucer in the bottom
of a large pan (so that the basin isn’t over the direct heat) and add enough
water to come halfway up the sides of the pudding basin.
2.Put all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir with a
wooden spoon to combine, making sure that there are no clumps of zest,
flour or sugar in the mixture.
3. Add the eggs, ginger wine and brandy, and stir again until you have a
sticky mixture. Spoon the mixture into the pudding basin, pressing the mix
down well as you go to make sure that there are no gaps, then smooth the
top with the back of a spoon.
4.Take a double layer of baking paper that is about 10cm wider than the
diameter of the pudding basin (you need a double layer to protect the
pudding as it is steamed for so long). Fold a pleat in the centre of the paper
(to allow room for the pudding to rise) and then place this on top of the
basin.
5.Take a piece of foil the same size and again fold a pleat down the centre
and place on top of the baking paper. Push the foil down around the top
edge of the basin, then take a piece of string and tie around the foil and
baking paper under the rim of the basin; tie it securely as it will need to take
the weight of the pudding when you are lifting the basin in and out of the
pan. Trim the foil and baking paper so that it doesn’t dip in the water as the
pudding cooks.
6. Take another piece of string and use it to create a handle across the top of
the basin, by passing it under the tied string on each side and then securing
it in the middle with a knot, leaving enough give for you to get your hand
under. Bring the pan of water to the boil.
7. Place the pudding in the pan on top of the trivet or saucer, making sure
that the water comes halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pan with a
tight-fitting lid and simmer gently for 3 hours. Check the level of water
every now and then and top up when needed with boiling water from a
kettle.
8. At the end of the cooking time take the pudding out of the water and leave
it in the basin to cool completely. Remove the baking paper and foil and put
on a fresh piece of each, as explained in step 4 but without the pleats. Store
in a cool, dark place until Christmas day.
9.On Christmas day, steam the pudding as above for 2 hours. Remove from
the pan and set to one side for 10 minutes while you make the brandy sauce.
10. Put the 500ml milk in a small pan over a low heat, mix the 3 tablespoons
cornflour with a little of the milk to form a smooth paste and add this to the
pan. Add the 50g butter and 50g sugar to the pan and bring to a simmer,
stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Simmer gently for 5 minutes,
stirring occasionally, then add the brandy, stir again and pour into a warmed
jug to serve.
11.When you’re ready to serve, heat the 50ml brandy in a small pan until
steaming. Turn the pudding out onto a serving plate and remove the circle
of baking paper. Take the pudding to the table, pour the warmed brandy
over the top of the pudding and set light to it with a long match at the base
of the pudding so that the blue flames flicker up the sides. Serve once the
flames have gone out.

Christmas puddings are traditionally made on Stir-up Sunday, which is the
Sunday before the start of Advent. Everyone in the family gives the pudding
a stir and a sixpence or two are added to the mixture – whoever gets a
sixpence in their pudding on Christmas Day will have good luck! If you
want to do something similar, sterilise a few coins and add them to the
mixture in step 3. Take care when eating the pudding as you don’t want a
trip to the dentist at Christmas and do not be tempted to reheat the pudding
in a microwave!
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
25 minutes
BAKING TIME:
45 minutes
SERVES:
8–10
22cm springclip tin
A just-baked chocolate cake with a mousse-like middle that will allow you
to perfect your folding-in skills. It is very rich so serve in small slices – a
little goes a long way.
300g dark chocolate, preferably 70 per cent cocoa solids
150g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon icing sugar, for dusting
150g redcurrants, to serve
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Butter the cake tin
and line the base and sides with baking paper.
2.Break the chocolate into small pieces and place with the butter in a
heatproof bowl to melt it. Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering
water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, or
melt in the microwave in short bursts, stirring occasionally until the
chocolate is completely smooth. Put to one side to cool.
3.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar
until thick and pale and doubled in size.
4.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, using either a free-
standing mixer or clean whisks on your hand-held electric mixer. You can
check if they are stiff enough by turning the bowl upside down – the egg
whites shouldn’t fall out.
5.Fold the cooled chocolate and butter into the egg yolks, then add a
spoonful of egg whites and fold that in to loosen the mixture slightly before
folding in the rest of the egg whites. Fold as gently as possible so that you
don’t knock too much air out, as you want the mixture to be as light as
possible.
6. Pour the mix into your prepared tin. Bake for about 45 minutes until the
cake has just set but is still gooey in the middle (use a cocktail stick inserted
in the centre to check). Leave to cool completely in the tin, then unclip the
tin and carefully peel off the baking paper. Place on a serving plate, still on
its base, and dust with icing sugar before serving. Serve cut into slices
topped with the redcurrants.
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes, plus chilling
BAKING TIME:
55 minutes–1 hour
SERVES:
10
23cm round loose-bottomed fluted flan tin, 3cm deep
METHODS USED:
Rich shortcrust pastry, here; Creamed sponge, here
A sweet pastry case makes a lovely base for this almond and fig-topped tart
and is a great introduction to blind baking.
For the rich shortcrust pastry

250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
50g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
2 medium egg yolks
1 tablespoon of ice-cold water
For the filling

150g caster sugar
150g ground almonds
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 fresh figs, quartered
1.First, make the rich shortcrust pastry. Sift the flour and icing sugar into a
large bowl, add the butter and mix gently to coat the butter pieces in flour.
Rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and
water and stir in using a round-bladed knife, adding a little more water if
needed to create a soft dough. Gently bring the dough together with your
hands and shape into a ball. (Or make the pastry in a food-processor.)
2.Flatten the ball of dough into a thick disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill in
the fridge for 20 minutes.
3.Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle large enough
to line the flan tin and about the thickness of a £1 coin. Give the pastry a
quarter turn every now and then to stop it sticking to the surface.
4.Line the tin with the pastry, easing the pastry into the edges. Run the
rolling pin over the top of the flan tin to cut off the excess pastry, then press
the pastry into the flutes of the tin using the side of your finger. Prick the
base with a fork and chill again in the fridge for 20 minutes. This second
chilling will stop the pastry from shrinking back as it bakes.
5.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Line the pastry case
with baking paper, then fill with baking beans or uncooked rice and blind
bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5
minutes to allow the base of the case to cook (it should feel dry and sandy
to touch). Remove from the oven and put to one side to cool while you
make the filling. Lower the oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F,
Gas 4.
6.For the filling, cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a
wooden spoon (or use a hand-held electric mixer) until pale and fluffy, then
add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in
the ground almonds and almond extract, then spoon this mixture into the
pastry case. Scatter the fig quarters over the top, then bake for 40–45
minutes, or until the top is golden brown and firm to the touch. Serve warm
or cold, dusted with icing sugar.
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Queen of Puddings
OceanofPDF.com
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
BAKING TIME:
45–50 minutes
SERVES:
8
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
15 × 25cm shallow baking dish, roasting tin, piping bag, 2cm plain round nozzle
METHOD USED:
French meringue, here
This traditional English pudding is a great combination of a creamy base

topped with jam and meringue and is a chance to try out your piping skills.
For the base

75g slightly stale brioche
600ml full-fat milk
50g caster sugar
4 medium egg yolks
For the jam

300g fresh blackberries
300g caster sugar
juice of ½ lemon
For the meringue

4 medium egg whites, at room temperature
240g caster sugar
1.To make the base, break the brioche into chunks and whizz in a food-
processor to fine crumbs. Butter the baking dish and tip the crumbs into it.
2.In a small pan warm the milk and sugar and stir until the sugar has
dissolved. Put the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and whisk lightly, then add
the milk to the yolks, whisking all the time. Pour this custard over the
brioche crumbs and leave them to soak for 30 minutes.
3.While the crumbs are soaking, make the jam. Put the blackberries, caster
sugar and lemon juice in a large pan and heat gently until the sugar has
dissolved. Then bring the jam to the boil and let it bubble rapidly for about
10 minutes until it reaches 105°C (220°F) on a kitchen thermometer. Leave
in the pan to cool. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan), 325°F, Gas 3 and
boil the kettle.
4.Put the baking dish in a roasting tin and fill with boiling water to come
halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and the
custard looks set, but with a slight wobble in the centre. Remove from the
roasting tin and leave to cool.
5. To make the meringue, put the egg whites into a large bowl or the bowl of
a free-standing mixer and whisk until you have stiff peaks. Add the caster
sugar a spoonful at time, whisking well between each addition. Once you
have added all the sugar and you have a thick and glossy meringue, use it to
fill a large piping bag fitted with a 2cm plain round nozzle.
6.Spread the jam over the custard and brioche base, then pipe the meringue
on top in neat rows. Return the pudding to the oven and bake for 15–20
minutes, or until the meringue is golden and crisp. Serve warm or cold.

For a more traditional Queen of Puddings, use white bread for the
breadcrumbs and replace the blackberries with the same amount of
raspberries.
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Almond Tuile Biscuits and
Blackberry Sorbet
OceanofPDF.com
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
4 hours, plus overnight freezing
BAKING TIME:
10 minutes
SERVES:
4
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 large baking sheets
These delicate, shaped almond biscuits are a great way to turn a simple
sorbet into an impressive dessert and this deep purple blackberry sorbet is a
great way of using up a glut of fruit in the autumn.
For the blackberry sorbet

150g granulated sugar
½ vanilla pod
500g fresh blackberries, plus extra for serving
juice of 1 lemon
fresh mint leaves, to garnish
For the almond tuile biscuits

1 medium egg white
60g icing sugar
30g plain flour
30g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
50g flaked almonds
1.For the sorbet, put the sugar in a medium pan with 150ml water over a
low heat, stirring every now and then until the sugar has dissolved. Slit the
vanilla pod lengthways, add it to the pan with the blackberries and lemon
juice and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the fruit has
softened.
2.Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the
vanilla pod and purée the blackberry mix with a hand-held blender. Pass
through a sieve to remove the pips and leave to cool completely.
3.Pour into a shallow freezer container, cover with a lid and freeze for 2
hours until it starts to go slushy around the edges. Beat the mix with a fork
to break up the ice crystals, making sure you scrape right round the edges of
the container – this will ensure you get a nice smooth sorbet. Return to the
freezer for another hour, beat again then repeat once more before leaving to
freeze completely, ideally overnight.
4.For the tuile biscuits, put the egg white in a mixing bowl and lightly
whisk until frothy. Sift in the icing sugar and whisk again, then sift in the
flour, whisk again and finally whisk in the cooled butter until you have a
smooth mix.
5.Put in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C
fan), 325°F, Gas 3 and line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
6.Fold the almonds into the biscuit mix then spoon a dessertspoon of the
mixture onto a baking sheet and spread into a thin disc. Repeat to make four
discs, leaving plenty of space between each one. Bake one tray at a time for
about 10 minutes until they start to turn golden brown at the edges. Slide a
palette knife under each tuile and drape over a lightly oiled rolling pin.
Press the edges down to create the curl. Work quickly as the tuiles harden as
they cool. Repeat this baking and shaping with the rest of the mixture.
To serve, take the sorbet out of the freezer and leave in the fridge for 15
7.
minutes to soften slightly, scoop and serve alongside the tuiles. Decorate
with fresh blackberries and mint sprigs.
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
35 minutes
BAKING TIME:
40–45 minutes
SERVES:
6–8
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20cm shallow pie dish
METHOD USED:
Shortcrust pastry, here
This fruit-packed tart spiced with stem ginger lets you practise your lattice
skills and hone your shortcrust pastry all in one.
For the pastry

½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk, for brushing
For the filling

1kg cooking apples
2 balls stem ginger, finely diced
1.First make the pastry. Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and
rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour in
about 4 tablespoons of cold water and stir in with a round-bladed knife to
form a soft dough. (Or make the pastry in a food-processor.) Shape into a
flat disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2.For the filling, peel and core 750g of the apples then cut into thick slices
and place in a large pan with the sugar. Cook over a medium heat for about
10 minutes until soft and fluffy, stirring occasionally to stop the apples
catching on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Roll out two-thirds of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle
the thickness of a £1 coin and large enough to line the pie dish with a slight
overhang. Line the dish with the pastry, gently easing it into the edges and
press the top edge down around the rim. Trim the excess pastry using a
small, sharp knife. Gather up the pastry trimmings, add to the remaining
pastry and re-wrap in clingfilm. Chill both the lined dish and the pastry
trimmings for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F,
Gas 6.
4.Peel and core the remaining 250g apples and cut into chunks. Stir into the
cold cooked apple along with the diced stem ginger. Spoon into the pastry
case.
5.Roll out the remaining pastry into a rectangle, then using a pizza cutter or
pastry wheel, cut into ten long strips about 1cm wide. Brush the edge of the
pastry case with a little milk. Lay five of the strips evenly spaced over the
top of the apple filling, then lay the other five strips going across the first in
a lattice pattern, taking each strip over and under the strips to interlock them
as you go. Press the ends down and trim them. Re-roll the scraps of pastry,
then cut out an apple shape and a couple of leaves and place in the centre of
the lattice work, brush all the pastry with milk. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or
until the top is golden. Serve warm with custard.

To make a pie with a plain pastry lid, make the pastry as above but using
300g flour and 150g butter. Roll the remaining pastry into a circle big
enough to cover the dish. Lay the pastry circle over the apples, press the
edges to seal, trim away the excess and cut a hole for the steam to escape.
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Tropical Pavlova
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
1 hour
BAKING TIME:
1 hour
SERVES:
8
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
large baking sheet
METHOD USED:
Crisp baked meringue with a gooey centre topped with Chantilly cream,
fresh mango and passion fruit – an ideal way to perfect your meringue-
making skills.
For the meringue

250g caster sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
For the filling

2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 mango
2 passion fruit
1.Preheat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan), 250°F, Gas ½. Line the baking
sheet with baking paper.
2.For the meringue, put the egg whites into a large, spotlessly clean mixing
bowl or the bowl of a free-standing mixer and whisk until they form stiff
peaks. Add the caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking well between
each addition to make sure that each batch of sugar has dissolved before
adding the next. Once you’ve added about half the sugar, whisk in the
cornflour and vinegar, then whisk in the rest of the sugar, a tablespoon at a
time, as before.
3. Draw a 22cm circle onto the piece of baking paper, turn it over and stick
it down to the baking sheet using a dab of meringue at each corner. Tip the
meringue onto the baking sheet and spread out to roughly fill the circle,
creating sides and a dip in the middle to allow space to fill with cream and
fruit. Swirl the top of the sides with a skewer a little to create a pattern.
4.Bake in the oven for 1 hour until crisp and firm but not coloured. Turn off
the oven and wedge open the door with a tea towel, then leave the pavlova
to cool in the oven for another hour. This will stop it cracking too much as it
cools.
5.Remove the meringue from the oven, peel off the baking paper and place
carefully on a serving plate.
6.For the filling, put the cream into a large mixing bowl, sift over the icing
sugar and whip until soft peaks have formed. Spoon into the centre of the
meringue case.
7.Peel the mango, cut the flesh away from the stone, then cut into 2cm
cubes. Scatter these over the cream, then top with the flesh and juice from
the passion fruit. Serve immediately.

You can make this pavlova with any soft fresh fruit – try 100g each of
raspberries, blueberries and strawberries.
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Steamed Stem Ginger Puddings with
Custard
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Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
40 minutes
STEAMING TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
6 × 150ml capacity pudding basins, 2 steamers (optional)
METHOD USED:
Steaming these individual puddings flavoured with stem ginger gives a light
and fluffy texture that is great served with the ginger wine-laced custard.
For the steamed stem ginger puddings

4 balls stem ginger in syrup, finely diced
4 tablespoons ginger syrup from the jar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
For the custard

4 medium egg yolks
2 tablespoons soft light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
400ml full-fat milk
100ml ginger wine
1.Lightly butter the pudding basins and line the base of each with a small
circle of baking paper. Fill the bottom of a steamer with water, or fill a large
shallow pan so that the water comes halfway up the sides of the basins.
2.Divide half the diced stem ginger between the six pudding basins and
pour 1 teaspoon of the syrup on top.
3.Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with a
wooden spoon until pale and fluffy (or use a free-standing mixer). Add the
eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Sift the flour and
ground ginger into the bowl with the remaining stem ginger and syrup and
fold in.
4.Spoon the mixture into the pudding basins and smooth with the back of a
spoon. Cut six squares of baking paper and foil large enough to cover the
tops of the basins with about 2cm extra around each side. Put a square of
baking paper followed by a square of foil on top of a basin and push the foil
down around the edge to seal. Repeat with the other puddings. Bring the
water in the steamer or pan to the boil.
5. Put the basins in the steamer or pan of water in a single layer (you may
need two). Steam for 30 minutes, by which time the puddings should have
risen. To test if they are cooked, peel back the foil and paper and insert a
skewer into the centre; it should come out clean. If they are not quite done,
fold back the paper and foil, and steam for 5 minutes.
6.While the puddings are steaming make the custard. Lightly whisk the egg
yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl to a smooth paste. Heat the milk and
ginger wine in a pan over a low heat until just steaming, then pour over the
egg mixture, whisking all the time. Return the custard to the pan over a low
heat for about 10 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a
spoon;.
7.Run a small palette knife around the edge of each basin to loosen the
puddings, then turn out onto a plate. Remove the baking paper and serve
with the hot custard.
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Cherry and Chocolate Knickerbocker
Glory
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HANDS-ON TIME:
50 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
BAKING TIME:
25–30 minutes
MAKES:
4
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
ice-cream machine (optional), 20 × 30cm baking tin, about 3–4cm deep
This pudding introduces you to the skill of making ice cream, layered with
a rich chocolate brownie and poached cherries, topped with a dollop of
whipped cream.
For the vanilla ice cream

600ml full-fat milk
1 vanilla pod, slit lengthways
6 medium egg yolks
175g caster sugar
600ml double cream
For the brownie

300g dark chocolate, chopped
200g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g plain flour
150g dried cherries
For the cherries

300g frozen cherries, defrosted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
To serve
1.For the ice cream, heat the milk and vanilla pod in a pan over a low heat
until it starts to simmer. In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks and
sugar together until pale and slowly add the warmed milk to the bowl,
whisking all the time.
2.Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat gently for about 10 minutes
until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from
the heat and leave to cool. Once completely cold remove and discard the
vanilla pod.
Freeze the ice cream. To freeze ice cream without a machine, transfer the
3.
mixture to a wide plastic container with an airtight lid. You need the
mixture to be no deeper than about 5cm, so you can beat it easily. Place in
the freezer for 2 hours. Take the ice cream out of the freezer and scrape it
into a bowl. Beat for a few minutes with a hand-held blender to break up
the ice crystals. Whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold this into the
frozen custard, then return the mixture to the container. Freeze for another
hour, then mix well with a fork and leave to freeze completely.
4.If you have an ice-cream machine, it will churn the mixture as it freezes.
Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold this into the chilled custard before
transferring to the ice-cream machine – follow the manufacturer’s
instructions and then transfer to a plastic container with an airtight lid and
store in the freezer until needed.
For the brownie, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4.
5.
Butter the tin and line with baking paper.
6.Place the 300g dark chocolate and 200g butter in a heatproof bowl to
melt, either set over a pan of gently simmering water (making sure the
bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water) or in the microwave. Stir gently
until smooth, then put to one side to cool.
7. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 4 eggs and 300g sugar until
pale and thick. Whisk the cooled chocolate and butter into the eggs, then
gently fold in the 150g flour and 150g dried cherries. Pour into the prepared
tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
8.Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until the brownie is firm to the touch
and comes away slightly from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool in the tin
for 10 minutes, then lift out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
9.For the cherries, put the 300g cherries, 50g golden caster sugar and 1
tablespoon of lemon juice in a small pan. Heat gently until the sugar has
dissolved, then bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the
heat and leave to cool.
10.Put the 200ml double cream into a large bowl and whip until soft peaks
form; chill until needed.
11. You’re now ready to assemble the puddings. Put the ice cream in the
fridge for 20 minutes before serving to make the ice cream easier to scoop.
Cut the brownies into small squares that will fit in your serving glasses –
some might be bigger than others if the glasses get wider at the top. Put a
spoonful of cherries in the bottom of each glass, top with a square of
brownie and a scoop of ice cream. Repeat the layers once more, saving four
of the cherries. Finish off with a dollop of whipped cream, a cherry and a
last drizzle of cherry syrup. Serve immediately.
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Chocolate and Orange Tarts with
Cointreau Cream
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HANDS-ON TIME:
BAKING TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
6 round 10cm individual loose-bottomed tart tins, 2cm deep, baking sheet
METHOD USED:
Pâte sucrée, here
Move your pastry skills on to lining individual tart tins with a chocolate
pastry, filled with orange custard and topped with candied peel.
For the pastry

70g icing sugar
1 medium egg
200g plain flour
40g cocoa powder
For the custard

4 medium egg yolks
50g caster sugar
150ml full-fat milk
150ml double cream
For the candied peel

1 orange (peel only)
100g caster sugar
For the Cointreau cream
1 tablespoon Cointreau
1.First make the pastry. Put the butter and icing sugar in a mixing bowl and
beat with a wooden spoon until soft and creamy. Beat in the egg, then sift in
the flour and cocoa powder and mix until you have a soft dough. Shape into
a flat disc, then wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. Divide the pastry into six equal portions, then roll out each piece, on a
lightly floured surface into a 13cm circle about the thickness of a £1 coin.
Line the flan tins, pressing the pastry into the edges with a small ball of the
dough.
3. Roll your rolling pin over the top of the tart tins to cut off any excess
pastry and prick the bases with a fork. Put on a baking sheet and chill in the
fridge for 15 minutes.
4.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Line each pastry
case with baking paper and fill with a handful of baking beans or uncooked
rice. Blind bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake
for a further 5 minutes, until the pastry feels dry and sandy to touch.
Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C (160°C fan),
350°F, Gas 4.
5.While the pastry cases are baking, make your custard. Whisk the 4 egg
yolks and 50g caster sugar together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gently
heat the 150ml milk and 150ml cream in a pan over a low heat until it just
starts to steam. Remove from the heat and whisk into the egg yolks until
fully blended and you have a smooth custard. Pour through a sieve into a
jug and stir in the finely grated zest of 1 orange.
6. Put the baking sheet of pastry cases on the middle shelf of the oven and
fill each one to just below the top with custard. Bake in the oven for 15
minutes until the custard is just set with a slight wobble in the middle.
Leave to cool in their tins.
7.For the candied peel, peel the skin off the orange with a potato peeler so
you just get the peel and none of the bitter white pith; slice into thin strips.
Bring a small amount of water to the boil in a pan, then blanch the strips of
orange peel for a couple of minutes and drain. Put the 100g caster sugar and
100ml water in the pan, and heat gently over a low heat to dissolve the
sugar, then add the orange strips and simmer for 10 minutes until they are
translucent. Remove the strips from the sugar syrup using a slotted spoon
and lay out on a piece of baking paper to dry.
8.For the Cointreau cream, put the 200ml double cream, 2 tablespoons of
icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of Cointreau in a large mixing bowl and whip
until you have soft peaks.
9.To serve, remove the tarts from their tins and place each one on a small
plate. Top with a few pieces of candied orange peel and a large dollop of
Cointreau cream.
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Baked Vanilla Cheesecake with
Blueberry Jelly
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HANDS-ON TIME:
BAKING TIME:
45 minutes
SERVES:
12
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
This New York-style cheesecake is gently baked to create a dense, creamy

filling that is then topped with a thin layer of blueberry jelly to provide the
perfect contrast of flavours and textures.
For the vanilla cheesecake

150g digestive biscuits
75g unsalted butter
900g cream cheese, at room temperature
200g caster sugar
200ml soured cream
3 tablespoons plain flour
3 medium eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the blueberry jelly

200g fresh blueberries
100g caster sugar
base of the tin with baking paper.
2.Put the digestive biscuits in a plastic food bag, seal the top and crush with
a rolling pin to create fine crumbs (you can whizz them in a food-processor,
but bashing them is quick and easy and creates a lot less washing up). Melt
the butter in a pan over a low heat, add the biscuit crumbs and stir to coat.
Tip the biscuits into the prepared tin and smooth down to cover the base; if
you press them down using a potato masher you’ll get a nice even layer.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then put to one side to cool while you
make the topping. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (140°C fan),
320°F, Gas 2.
3.Put the cream cheese (taking it out of the fridge a couple of hours
beforehand will make it easier to mix) and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the soured cream and
flour, and beat again.
4. Add the 3 eggs to the cream cheese mixture one at time, beating gently
after each addition – you don’t want to add too much air into the mixture as
this will create bubbles that will affect the texture of the cheesecake.
Finally, add the egg yolk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and beat until you
have a smooth, creamy mixture. Pour onto the cooled biscuit base, then tap
the tin on your work surface a couple of times to smooth the top and pop
any air bubbles.
5.Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until just set, with a slight wobble in the
centre. The top should still be pale and only slightly golden around the
edge. Leave to cool in the oven, propping the door open with a tea towel;
this will stop the cheesecake from cracking as it cools.
6.For the blueberry jelly, put the 200g blueberries and 100g caster sugar in
a pan over a low heat and heat gently until the sugar has melted, stirring
occasionally. Increase the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the
blueberries are nice and soft.
7.Remove from the heat and use a hand-held blender to blitz the berries,
then pass this purée through a sieve. Soak the 2 sheets of gelatine in a bowl
of cold water for 10 minutes to soften.
8.Rinse out the pan and return the sieved blueberry purée to the pan and
heat through gently, then remove from the heat. Lift the softened gelatine
leaves from the cold water and squeeze gently to remove the excess water,
then add to the pan and stir until the gelatine has melted. Pour the jelly into
a jug and put to one side to cool completely.
9.Carefully pour the jelly on top of the cooled cheesecake to cover the
surface in a nice even layer. Chill in the fridge for 2–3 hours until the jelly
has set.
10.To serve, unclip the tin and carefully slide a spatula under the cheesecake
to remove it from the base and peel off the baking paper.
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HANDS-ON TIME:
BAKING TIME:
30–35 minutes
SERVES:
4–6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20cm round tarte Tatin tin
METHOD USED:
Puff pastry, here
This tropical twist on a French classic has golden pastry baked on top of
caramelised pineapple and is a great way for you to try out your puff pastry-
making skills.
For the puff pastry

250g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
225g chilled unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the pineapple topping

1 small pineapple
100g caster sugar
25g unsalted butter
1.For the pastry, put the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Dice 25g of the
butter and use your fingertips to rub in to the flour. Add the lemon juice and
150ml cold water and stir together with a round-bladed knife to form a soft
dough. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2–3 minutes until
smooth. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill in
the fridge for 30 minutes.
2.Place the remaining butter between two sheets of baking paper and use a
rolling pin to shape the butter into a square about 10cm across. Tip the
dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a square about 20cm
across. Place the square of butter onto the centre of the dough, positioned so
that the corners of the butter are pointing at the middle of the sides of the
dough. Take care not to handle the butter too much as this will soften it.
Fold each of the corners of the dough over the butter so that they meet in
the middle and encase the butter.
3.Give the dough a quarter turn so that a straight edge of the square is
facing you. Make three indents in the dough with your rolling pin across the
top, middle and bottom of the square, and roll into a rectangle about 45 ×
15cm. Then fold the bottom third up and the top third down, brushing off
any excess flour from the pastry as you fold.
4.Give the dough another quarter turn and repeat the rolling and folding
process. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
in all you have rolled and folded the dough six times. Chill for a final 30
minutes before using.
6.For the topping, peel the pineapple and remove any eyes with the tip of a
potato peeler. Cut into six slices and remove the centre of each circle using
an apple corer. Pat dry on kitchen paper.
7.Put the 100g sugar in a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of water.
Place over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Swirl the pan gently
every now and then to help the sugar to dissolve evenly. Once you have a
clear liquid in the pan increase the heat and boil until the sugar syrup turns a
deep caramel colour; again, swirl the pan once or twice once the caramel
starts to form to stop it from burning round the edges (don’t be tempted to
stir the contents of the pan as you won’t get a clear caramel). Add the 25g
butter to the caramel.
8. Add the pineapple slices to the pan, stir to coat in the caramel and cook
for 5 minutes to soften slightly. Remove the slices from the pan and arrange
them in the base of the tin in a circle, with the slices overlapping slightly.
Pour the caramel over the slices. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan),
400°F, Gas 6.
9. Cut the pastry in half, and wrap the other half in clingfilm and chill or
freeze to use another time. (It is difficult to make puff pastry in smaller
quantities.) On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to a circle that is
slightly larger than the diameter of the tin – about 22cm – and about the
thickness of a £1 coin. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and then lay
over the pineapple chunks.
10.Tuck the edges of the pastry into the dish so that the fruit is completely
encased.
11.Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is well risen, crisp and golden.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5–10 minutes so that the
caramel can settle and stop bubbling.
12.Loosen the edges of the pastry away from the tin with a small round-
bladed knife, then place an inverted plate on top of the tart tin and quickly
turn the tin over onto the plate (wear oven gloves for this as the tin will still
be very hot). Let the tart fall out onto the plate and leave it for a minute so
that all the caramel comes out of the tin. Serve warm with whipped cream
or ice cream.

For a more traditional tarte Tatin, replace the pineapple with six eating
apples such as Braeburn. Peel, core and quarter them and cook as above.
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Raspberry Trifle
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HANDS-ON TIME:
50–60 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
1–2 hours chilling
BAKING TIME:
8–9 minutes
SERVES:
8
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20 × 30cm Swiss roll tin, 20cm trifle bowl
METHOD USED:
The base of this oh-so-English dessert is a Swiss roll filled with raspberry
jam, allowing you to perfect your whisked sponge, as well as practise
rolling. It is topped with a rich vanilla custard and a generous pile of softly
whipped cream.
For the Swiss roll

100g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
100g plain flour
For the raspberry jam

200g raspberries
juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon pectin
For the custard

6 medium egg yolks
1 tablespoon cornflour
50g caster sugar
300ml full-fat milk
300ml double cream
To finish
60ml sherry
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Butter and line the
tin with baking paper.
2.For the Swiss roll, put the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl or the
bowl of a free-standing mixer and whisk for at least 5 minutes until the
mixture becomes very pale and thick and leaves a ribbon-like trail when the
whisk is lifted.
3.Sift 50g of the flour onto the mixture and gently fold in, taking great care
not to knock too much air out of the mix. Sift over the remaining 50g flour
and gently fold again, making sure you scrape right to the bottom of the
bowl as the flour has a tendency to sink to the bottom when it’s added.
4.Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out right to the
corners, smoothing the surface as you go. Bake in the oven for 8–9 minutes
until golden and starting to shrink away from the edges of the tin.
5. While the Swiss roll is cooking, place a piece of baking paper on a wire
rack and sprinkle with a little caster sugar. When the sponge is cooked turn
it out of the tin onto the baking paper on the rack with a short edge facing
you. Peel off the lining paper, then with a small knife make a shallow cut
parallel with the short edge nearest you, all the way across the width of the
sponge and about 2cm up from the edge. This will ensure you get a neat
roll. Start to roll up the sponge with the paper. Leave on the wire rack to
cool.
6.For the jam, put the 200g raspberries, 200g sugar, juice of ½ lemon and 1
tablespoon of pectin in a pan. Heat gently over a low heat until the sugar
has dissolved, then increase the heat, bring to the boil and boil for about 10
minutes, or until it reaches 105°C (220°F) on a kitchen thermometer. Put to
one side to cool.
7.For the custard, in a large bowl whisk together the 6 egg yolks, 1
tablespoon of cornflour and 50g sugar. Put the 300ml full-fat milk, 300ml
double cream and slit vanilla pod in a pan, and heat over a low heat until it
begins to simmer. Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking as you
pour, then return the custard to the pan. Heat over a low heat, stirring
continuously until the custard thickens; this could take about 10 minutes,
but don’t rush it or the eggs could curdle. Pour into a bowl, cover the
surface with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool.
8.Carefully unroll the Swiss roll and remove the baking paper. Spread the
cooled jam over the sponge in an even layer. Re-roll and cut into slices
about 1.5cm thick. Arrange the slices in the base of the trifle dish and spoon
over the 60ml sherry. Pour the cooled custard over the base and chill for 1–
2 hours.
9.Put the 600ml double cream and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar in a large
bowl and with a hand-held electric mixer, whip to soft peaks. Gently spoon
the cream on top of the custard, top with the 50g raspberries and serve.
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Coffee Panna Cotta with Walnut
Biscuits
OceanofPDF.com
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
4 hours or overnight chilling
BAKING TIME:
12–15 minutes
MAKES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
6 × 150ml capacity small pudding moulds or ramekins, 2 large baking sheets
Smooth and creamy coffee panna cotta is the ideal dessert for preparing
ahead, served with the soft walnut biscuits and topped with chocolate-
coated coffee beans.
For the panna cotta

200ml cold espresso coffee
100g caster sugar
600ml double cream
For the walnut biscuits

120g caster sugar
60g walnuts, finely chopped
For the chocolate-coated coffee beans

25g dark chocolate
18 coffee beans
1.For the panna cotta, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for
10 minutes to soften. Put the coffee and sugar in a small pan, and heat over
a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stir the cream into the pan and heat
again until the mixture is just beginning to simmer around the edges.
Remove the pan from the heat.
2.Lift the softened gelatine leaves from the cold water and squeeze gently
to remove the excess water, then add them to the pan and stir until
completely melted. Put the pudding moulds or ramekins on a baking sheet
and divide the coffee mixture between them – the level should come to just
below the rim. Carefully put the baking sheet in the fridge to chill and set
for at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight.
For the walnut biscuits, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F,
3.
Gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
4.Put the 120g butter and 120g sugar in a mixing bowl, and cream together
using a hand-held electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and beat
again.
5.Sift the 250g flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder into the bowl and fold
in gently, add the 60g walnuts and fold again until the nuts are fully
incorporated in the mix.
6.Take a teaspoonful of the mix, roll into a small ball and place on the
baking sheet, pressing down the top lightly to flatten a little. Repeat with
the rest of the mixture, leaving a 2cm gap between each biscuit as they will
spread out as they cook.
7.Bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes until firm and golden. Leave to cool
on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then with a palette knife transfer the
biscuits to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
8.For the chocolate-coated coffee beans, place the 25g dark chocolate in a
heatproof bowl to melt it, either in the microwave on a low heat, or set over
a pan of gently simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl
doesn’t touch the water (as it is such a small quantity of chocolate it is best
melted in a microwave if you have one). Lay a piece of baking paper on
your work surface or a flat board. Dip each of the 18 coffee beans into the
chocolate and remove with a fork, letting any excess chocolate drip back
into the bowl. Lay the beans on the paper and leave to set at room
temperature (if you put them in the fridge to set the chocolate will develop a
white bloom).
9.To serve, have a bowl of warm water to hand. Take the panna cottas out
of the fridge and briefly dip each one in the bowl of water to help to release
them from the moulds or ramekins. Dry the outside of the moulds and then
turn out onto individual plates. Top each one with three of the chocolate
coffee beans and serve with the walnut biscuits on the side. Store any
leftover biscuits in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Make an orange panna cotta by replacing the coffee with 200ml freshly
squeezed orange juice. Top with fresh orange segments instead of the coffee
beans. You could also make the biscuits with the same amount of finely
chopped hazelnuts in place of the walnuts.
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Tiramisu Gateau
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HANDS-ON TIME:
50–60 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
12 hours chilling
BAKING TIME:
10–12 minutes
SERVES:
8
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 large baking sheets, 20cm springclip cake tin, piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain round piping
nozzle
METHOD USED:
Light sponge fingers, made by piping a whisked sponge mixture, are soaked
in coffee and Marsala, then layered with a mascarpone mousse and topped
with chocolate curls to create this impressive after-dinner dessert.
For the sponge fingers

200g caster sugar
180g plain flour
For the filling

3 medium eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
250g mascarpone cheese
150ml cold espresso coffee
75ml Marsala wine
For the topping

50g dark chocolate, ideally 60–70 per cent cocoa solids
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Line two baking
sheets with baking paper.
2.For the sponge fingers, put the egg whites in a mixing bowl or the bowl of
a free-standing mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form. Add 130g of the
caster sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition.
3.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until
pale and doubled in size. Gently fold the yolks into the whisked egg whites,
sift over the flour and fold again.
4.Use the mixture to fill a large piping bag fitted with a 1cm round piping
nozzle and pipe fingers about 8cm long onto the lined baking sheets. You’ll
need about 40 in total. Space them well apart as they will spread as they
bake. Dust the piped fingers with the icing sugar.
5.Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden. Leave to cool on the baking sheets
for 10 minutes then use a palette knife to transfer to a rack to cool
completely.
6.For the filling, put the 3 egg yolks and 100g caster sugar in a bowl and
whisk until pale and creamy. Beat the 250g mascarpone cheese a little in the
tub to soften it, then add to the egg yolks and mix together until blended
and smooth. In a separate clean bowl whisk the 3 egg whites with a hand-
held electric mixer until stiff peaks form, then gently fold into the
mascarpone mixture.
7. Remove the base from the tin (you won’t be needing it) and butter and
line the sides with baking paper. Set the ring on a serving plate. Mix
together the 150ml coffee and 75ml Marsala wine in a shallow bowl.
8. Line the inside of the cake tin with a single layer of sponge fingers so that
they stand upright around the edge. Trim the bottom of these fingers with a
small, sharp knife so that the tops of the fingers just peep over the side of
the tin. Place them back in the tin, right-side out and with the cut edge
sitting on the plate. If you have trouble getting them to stay upright place a
few pieces of scrunched up foil against them.
9.Dip the remaining sponge fingers one at a time in the coffee briefly on
both sides, then cover the base of the serving plate inside the tin with a
single layer of fingers, cutting some of them if needed to fill in any gaps.
You want the whole of the plate inside the cake ring to be covered. Spoon
one-third of the mascarpone mixture on top of the sponge fingers, then dip
another batch of sponge fingers in the coffee mixture to create a layer on
top of the mascarpone. Repeat with another layer of mascarpone and dipped
sponge fingers and finish with the last of the mascarpone.
Cover the tin with clingfilm and put in the fridge to chill for 12 hours or
10.
overnight.
When you’re ready to serve, carefully unclip the cake tin and lift off and
11.
peel away the baking paper. Use a potato peeler to shave the 50g dark
chocolate into curls and sprinkle a thick layer on top of the gateau. Serve
immediately.
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Crème Caramel and Orange and
Pistachio Biscotti
OceanofPDF.com
HANDS-ON TIME:
40 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
Overnight chilling
BAKING TIME:
25–30 minutes for the crème caramel, 45–50 minutes for the biscotti
MAKES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
6 × 150ml capacity ramekins, roasting tin, 2 large baking sheets
Dark, rich caramel on top of creamy baked custard served alongside crisp,
twice-baked orange and pistachio biscotti.
For the crème caramel

225g caster sugar
500ml full-fat milk
2 medium eggs, plus 4 medium egg yolks
For the orange and pistachio biscotti

200g plain flour
175g caster sugar
100g shelled and unsalted pistachios
1.Make the crème caramel first to allow for overnight chilling. Preheat the
oven to 150°C (130°C fan), 300°F, Gas 2.
2.Put 125g of the caster sugar in a pan and add 50ml water. Place over a
low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Swirl the pan gently every now and
then to help the sugar to dissolve evenly. Once you have a clear liquid in the
pan increase the heat and boil until the sugar syrup turns to a deep caramel
colour; again, swirl the pan once or twice once the caramel starts to form to
stop it from burning round the edges (don’t be tempted to stir the contents
of the pan as you won’t get a clear caramel). Pour the hot caramel into the
ramekins and put to one side while you make the custard.
3.Heat the 500ml milk in a pan until it is just steaming, then take it off the
heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining 100g of sugar, the 2
eggs and the 4 egg yolks until combined. Gradually whisk in the hot milk,
then pour the custard through a sieve into a jug.
4.Boil the kettle and put the ramekins into a roasting tin. Pour the custard
over the caramel, dividing the mixture evenly between the ramekins. Pour
water from the just-boiled kettle into the roasting tin so that it comes
halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
5. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until the custard is just set with a
slight wobble in the centre. Remove the roasting tin from the oven and put
the ramekins on a wire rack. Allow the crème caramels to cool completely
before putting in the fridge and leaving overnight. This will allow the
caramel to soak into the custard a little.
6.For the biscotti, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4.
Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
7.Sift the 200g flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder into a bowl and stir
in the 175g caster sugar and 100g pistachios. Make a well in the centre,
then add the 2 eggs and finely grated zest of 1 orange. Use a wooden spoon
to mix the eggs into the flour until it starts to come together to form a
dough.
8.Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently just to
bring together into a soft dough. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and
roll each piece into a long sausage shape about 25cm long. Place both
pieces on the baking sheet.
9.Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and the base sounds hollow when
tapped. Remove from the oven and put on a wire rack to cool for 15–20
minutes. Line another baking sheet with baking paper.
10. When the pieces are just warm, use a serrated knife to cut them into
slices about 1.5cm thick. (If the biscuits are still too hot when you cut them
they will crumble.) Lay the slices on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for another 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through the
11.
baking time so that they turn golden brown on both sides. Remove from the
oven and put on a wire rack to cool completely.
12.To serve the crème caramels, take them out of the fridge and run a small
knife around the edge of each one to loosen the custard. Put a plate on top
of the ramekin, then turn it upside down, give it a quick shake and lift off
the ramekin, letting all the caramel drip onto the plate around the crème
caramel. Serve with the biscotti. Store any leftover biscotti in an airtight
container for up to 1 week.
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Profiteroles with Salted Caramel and
Chocolate Sauce
OceanofPDF.com
HANDS-ON TIME:
45 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20–25 minutes
MAKES:
18
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 large baking sheets, 2 piping bags, plain round 1cm piping nozzle
A chance to master choux pastry, these profiteroles are filled with a salted
caramel crème pâtissière and topped with a rich, glossy chocolate sauce.
For the profiteroles

75g unsalted butter
1 teaspoon caster sugar
100g plain flour
3 medium eggs
For the salted caramel crème pâtissière

150g caster sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
2 medium egg yolks
300ml full-fat milk
For the chocolate sauce

150ml double cream
100g dark chocolate, preferably a minimum of 70 per cent cocoa solids, chopped
3 tablespoons golden syrup
1.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Line two baking
sheets with baking paper and prepare a piping bag with a 1cm plain round
piping nozzle.
2.For the profiteroles, put the butter and sugar in a pan with 200ml water
and heat gently over a low heat until the butter has melted. Bring the
mixture to a vigorous boil, then remove from the heat and quickly tip in the
flour and beat until smooth. Then put the pan back over a medium heat and
cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring until the paste starts to come away from the
sides of the pan. Spoon into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool slightly.
3.Lightly beat the eggs together in a jug and add to the dough a little at a
time, beating well between each addition. The dough should be glossy and
smooth with a soft dropping consistency. This means that if you hold a full
spoon of batter above the bowl, the mixture will drop from the spoon. You
might not need to add all of the egg, so check the consistency before adding
the final bit.
4.Sprinkle the baking sheets with a little water. This will create steam in the
oven, which will help the choux buns to rise. Spoon the dough into the
prepared piping bag to fill it and pipe into walnut-sized rounds, leaving a
2cm gap between them.
5.Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly on the baking sheets. Then
cut a small slit in the side of each one and put on a wire rack to cool
completely. This allows the steam to escape as they cool and stops them
from going soggy.
6.While the profiteroles are cooling make the crème pâtissière. Line a
baking sheet with baking paper. Put 100g of the caster sugar in a pan with 2
tablespoons of water and heat over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Swirl the pan gently every now and then to help the sugar to dissolve
evenly. Once you have a clear liquid in the pan increase the heat and boil
until the sugar syrup turns to a deep caramel colour, again swirl the pan
once or twice once the caramel starts to form to stop it from burning round
the edges (don’t be tempted to stir the contents of the pan as you won’t get a
clear caramel). Pour the caramel onto the baking paper, sprinkle over the ½
teaspoon of sea salt flakes and leave to harden and cool.
7.Whisk the 2 egg yolks and remaining 50g caster sugar together in a bowl
until pale and thick, add the 3 tablespoons of cornflour and whisk again.
Heat the 300ml milk over a low heat until just beginning to boil, then pour
over the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Return the custard to the pan
and slowly bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Simmer for a couple of
minutes to cook the flour, then remove from the heat.
8.Blitz the hardened caramel in a food-processor to fine crumbs, then add it
to the warm crème pâtissière and stir until all the caramel has melted.
Spoon into a bowl, cover the surface with clingfilm to prevent a skin
forming and leave to cool.
9.For the chocolate sauce, put the 150ml cream, 100g chocolate and 3
tablespoons of golden syrup into a small pan over a low heat. As the
chocolate and syrup melt stir occasionally until you have a smooth thick
sauce. Make sure that the sauce doesn’t get too hot or the chocolate could
become grainy. Pour into a jug.
10.Fit a clean piping bag with a 1cm plain round piping nozzle. In a large
mixing bowl, whip the 200ml double cream for the crème pâtissière until it
forms soft peaks. Fold the cooled crème pâtissière gently into the cream and
spoon into the prepared piping bag.
11.To assemble the profiteroles, put the nozzle of the piping bag into the slit
of the choux buns and fill each one with a generous portion of crème
pâtissière. Pile them onto a serving plate, pour over the chocolate sauce and
serve immediately.

For a classic crème pâtissière simply leave out the blitzed caramel, or
simply fill the profiteroles with 300ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks.
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HANDS-ON TIME:
45 minutes
BAKING TIME:
1 hour
SERVES:
8
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 baking sheets, small disposable piping bag, large piping bag, plain round 1cm piping nozzle, small
palette knife
METHOD USED:
Layers of crisp hazelnut meringue sandwiched together with fresh

strawberries and softly whipped cream. A chance to try out your piping
skills making the chocolate decorations.
For the meringue

225g caster sugar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cornflour
75g toasted hazelnuts, ground
For the filling and decoration

50g dark chocolate
300g strawberries
1.Preheat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan), 250°F, Gas ½. Line two baking
sheets with baking paper.
Put the egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a free-standing
2.
mixer and whisk until they form stiff peaks.
3. Add the caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking well between each
addition to make sure that each batch of sugar has dissolved before adding
the next. Once you’ve added about half the sugar whisk in the vinegar,
vanilla extract and cornflour, then whisk in the rest of the sugar as before.
Fold in the hazelnuts.
4. Draw a 20cm circle on each piece of baking paper, turn them over and
stick down to the baking sheets using a dab of meringue on each corner.
Divide the meringue between the two baking sheets and spread each pile
into a circle, keeping the tops as smooth as possible.
5.Bake in the oven or 1 hour until crisp and firm but not coloured. Turn off
the oven, wedge open the door with a tea towel and leave the meringues to
cool in the oven for another hour, this will stop them from cracking too
much as they cool.
6.While the meringues are cooling make the chocolate decorations. Place
the 50g dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl to melt it, either in the
microwave on a low heat or set over a pan of gently simmering water,
making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water (as it is
such a small quantity of chocolate it is best melted in a microwave if you
have one). Pour the chocolate into a small disposable piping bag, snip off
the very end to create a small hole and pipe shapes onto a piece of baking
paper. You can either pipe the shapes freehand, or if you want something
more even, draw your design onto the parchment first and follow the lines.
Put to one side to set.
7.Prepare a large piping bag with a 1cm plain round piping nozzle. Put the
300ml cream and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar in a large bowl and whip the
cream until stiff peaks form. Spoon about one-third of the cream into the
prepared piping bag.
8.Slice 10 of the 300g strawberries in half, leaving the green tops on as they
look more attractive that way. Leave three or four more strawberries whole,
hull the rest and cut into thick slices.
9.Put one of the meringue discs onto a serving plate, spread the cream left
in the bowl over the disc and top with the slices of strawberry in an even
layer. Put the other meringue disc on top, pipe blobs of cream around the
edge and a few in the middle.
10.Carefully lift your chocolate shapes off the baking paper using a small
palette knife and place gently on the cream around the edge. Arrange the
strawberry halves on top of the ring of cream and pile the whole
strawberries in the middle. Serve immediately.
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Brandy Snaps with Oranges in
Caramel
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HANDS-ON TIME:
50 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
Overnight chilling
BAKING TIME:
7–8 minutes
SERVES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 large baking sheets, 4 wooden spoons, palette knife
The key to perfectly crisp brandy snap biscuits is to work quickly once they
are out of the oven. They go beautifully with chilled orange slices in
caramel to make a refreshing dessert.
For the oranges

250g caster sugar
6 large oranges
For the brandy snaps

60g unsalted butter
60g caster sugar
4 tablespoons golden syrup
60g plain flour
vegetable oil, for greasing
1.First make the caramel for the oranges. Put the caster sugar in a pan with
50ml water and place over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Swirl
the pan gently every now and then to help the sugar to dissolve evenly,
resisting the temptation to stir the contents of the pan. Once you have a
clear liquid increase the heat and boil until the sugar syrup turns to a deep
caramel colour, again swirl the pan once or twice once the caramel starts to
form to stop it from burning round the edges.
2.Remove the caramel from the heat and very carefully add 250ml water
from a just-boiled kettle; the caramel may spit, so add the water slowly.
Return the pan to the hob and heat gently until the caramel dissolves in the
water. Pour into a heatproof jug and leave to cool while you prepare the
oranges.
3.Holding an orange over a bowl to catch the juices, remove the peel with a
small sharp knife (a serrated fruit knife works best here). Make sure you
take off all the white pith with the peel. Cut the orange into thick slices and
add to the juices in the bowl. Repeat with the other five oranges.
4.Pour the cooled caramel over the oranges, cover the bowl and chill for 12
hours or overnight for the oranges to absorb the flavour of the caramel.
5.For the brandy snaps preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan), 375°F, Gas
5. Line three baking sheets with baking paper.
6.Put the 60g butter, 60g caster sugar and 4 tablespoons of golden syrup
into a small pan (warm a metal spoon in a mug of hot water first so that the
syrup slides from the spoon). Heat gently over a low heat until the butter
and sugar have melted and you have a smooth sauce. Remove from the
heat, sift in the 60g flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
7.Put 4 teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto one baking sheet, spacing them
well apart as they will spread as they cook (you’ll need to cook these in
batches as it will be hard to shape more than four brandy snaps at a time).
Bake for 7–8 minutes until they are golden brown and have a lacy
appearance. While they bake lightly oil the handles of four wooden spoons.
8.Remove the baking sheet from the oven and leave to cool for 2 minutes,
then lift off the baking sheet using a palette knife and drape over an oiled
spoon handle, with the top of the biscuit uppermost. Wrap the brandy snap
around the wooden spoon, neatly but not too tightly or you might not be
able to get it off when it has set. Repeat with the other three biscuits and
leave to cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then gently pull off the
spoon and leave to cool completely.
9.Repeat with the remaining mixture, using a cold and clean baking sheet
for each batch, to make 12 biscuits in total.
10. Serve the oranges chilled with the brandy snaps alongside.
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Hot White Chocolate Souffles with
Cardamom Shortcake
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HANDS-ON TIME:
50 minutes
BAKING TIME:
10–12 minutes for the shortcake, 10–12 minutes for the soufflés
MAKES:
6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 baking sheets, piping bag, 1cm star piping nozzle, 6 × 150ml capacity ramekins
METHOD USED:
Test your whisking and folding skills with these light and fluffy hot soufflés
served alongside crisp, delicately flavoured piped shortcake biscuits. If
you’d prefer perfectly flat tops to your souffles, use straight-edged
ramekins.
For the cardamom shortcake

12 green cardamom pods
100g caster sugar
200g plain flour
100g white chocolate
For the white chocolate soufflés

100g white chocolate
1 tablespoon plain flour
150ml full-fat milk
50g caster sugar, plus extra for coating
3 medium eggs, separated, plus 1 medium egg white, at room temperature
1.First make the cardamom shortcake. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C
fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Fit a piping bag with a 1cm star piping nozzle.
2.Lightly bash the cardamom pods with a rolling pin to remove the seeds
(discard the husks). Put the cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar and
grind to a fine powder. Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream
until light and fluffy. Sift in half the flour and the ground cardamom, and
beat again. Sift the remaining flour into the bowl and gently fold in until
you have a fairly stiff dough. Use the dough to fill the piping bag.
3.Pipe fingers about 6cm long onto the baking sheets, leaving a small gap
between each finger. You don’t need to line the baking sheets as the biscuits
have such a high butter content they won’t stick. Bake in the oven for 10–
12 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the
baking sheets for 5 minutes before using a palette knife to lift them onto
wire racks to cool completely.
4.Melt the 100g white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of
gently simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t
touch the water. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate as it will turn
lumpy or grainy if it gets too hot. Put a sheet of baking paper on a wire
rack. Dip one end of each biscuit in the chocolate, then put on the baking
paper and leave to set.
5.To make the soufflés, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas
6. Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
6.Melt the 100g white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of
gently simmering water, then put to one side to cool.
7.Butter the ramekins well, then put a spoonful of sugar into each one and
roll the ramekin around in your hand to make sure the whole of the inside is
coated with sugar. Tip out any excess sugar.
8.In a small pan, melt the 25g butter and add the 1 tablespoon of flour.
Cook over a gentle heat for 2 minutes, gradually whisk in the 150ml milk.
Bring to the boil, still whisking, and cook for 2 minutes until the sauce is
thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the 50g sugar and
then the 3 egg yolks, one at a time. Fold in the cooled melted chocolate.
9.In a separate bowl whisk the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add a
spoonful of the whisked egg white to the chocolate mixture in the pan and
mix in to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the rest, just until no visible
patches of egg white remain.
10.Fill a ramekin so that the level of soufflé mixture comes above the top of
the dish, then take a palette knife and run an edge over the ramekin to
scrape off any excess and leave a smooth, flat top. Run the tip of your
thumb around the inside of the ramekin to create a small gap between the
mix and the very top of the dish – this will stop the soufflé sticking to the
ramekin and so help it to rise evenly. Repeat with the other five ramekins.
11.Place the ramekins on the preheated baking sheet and bake in the oven
for 10–12 minutes until well risen and just golden on top; do not be tempted
to open the oven door to check on them as they cook or the soufflés will
collapse. Serve immediately with the shortcake biscuits on the side. Any
remaining biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
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Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
HANDS-OFF TIME:
2 hours setting
BAKING TIME:
10 minutes
SERVES:
8–10
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 × 20cm sandwich cake tins, 2 large piping bags, 2 plain round 1cm piping nozzles, baking sheet
METHOD USED:
A chance to master several skills, this impressive dessert layers chocolate

genoise sponge with white chocolate and milk chocolate ganache, topped
with a glossy layer of chocolate mirror glaze and caramelised hazelnuts.
For the chocolate genoise

160g caster sugar
120g plain flour
45g cocoa powder
For the milk chocolate ganache

250g milk chocolate, chopped
200ml double cream
25g liquid glucose
For the white chocolate ganache

250g white chocolate, chopped
200ml double cream
25g liquid glucose
For the mirror glaze

80ml double cream
100g caster sugar
40g cocoa powder
For the caramelised hazelnuts

100g caster sugar
40g blanched hazelnuts
To make the chocolate genoise

bases of three sandwich cake tins with baking paper.
2.Melt the butter and put to one side to cool. Put the eggs and sugar in a
large mixing bowl or the bowl of a free-standing mixer and whisk for at
least 5 minutes until the mixture becomes very pale and thick and leaves a
ribbon-like trail when the whisk is lifted.
3.Sift 60g of the flour and 20g of the cocoa powder onto the mix and gently
fold in, taking great care not to knock too much air out. Sift over the
remaining 60g of the flour and 25g of the cocoa and gently fold again,
making sure you scrape right to the bottom of the bowl as the flour has a
tendency to sink to the bottom when it’s added. Pour the melted butter in
around the edge of the bowl and fold in, again scraping to the bottom of the
bowl.
4.Divide the mixture between the three tins – you want even layers, so
weigh the filled tins to make sure you have put equal amounts in each one.
Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until firm to the touch and the cakes
are starting to shrink away from the edges of the tin. Leave to cool for 5
minutes in the tins, then remove from the tins, peel off the baking paper and
leave to cool completely on wire racks.
To make the milk chocolate and white chocolate

ganache
5.Put the 250g milk chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Heat the 200ml
cream and 25g liquid glucose in a pan until just starting to simmer, remove
from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Leave to melt for a couple of
minutes, then stir until smooth. Using a hand-held electric mixer, whisk for
about 5 minutes until the ganache is pale, smooth and glossy, and thick
enough to pipe.
6. Repeat step 5 to make the white chocolate ganache. Prepare two piping
bags with plain round 1cm piping nozzles and fill one with milk chocolate
ganache and one with white chocolate ganache. Put both piping bags in the
fridge for 30 minutes to firm up slightly while you make the mirror glaze.
To make the mirror glaze

7.Put the 80ml cream, 100g sugar and 40g cocoa powder in a pan and heat
over a low heat until you have a smooth sauce and the sugar has dissolved.
Increase the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the
glaze thickens. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
8.Put the 3 sheets of gelatine in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for
10 minutes. Lift the softened gelatine leaves from the cold water and
squeeze gently to remove the excess water, then add to the chocolate and
cream mixture in the pan and stir until the gelatine melts. Pour into a jug
and leave to cool and set slightly for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9.Line one of the cake tins with clingfilm and put one of the genoise
sponges (the one with the smoothest top) into the tin. Spread the mirror
glaze on top and put in the fridge and leave to set for a couple of hours.
To pipe the ganache

10. Take another of the genoise sponges (this will be the bottom layer), hold
the piping bag of white chocolate ganache vertically upright and start piping
neat round circles of ganache over the surface of the cake. Repeat with the
third genoise sponge and the milk chocolate ganache and then return both
piped sponges to the fridge to set a little (the ganache will have softened a
little and it needs to be firm enough to support the weight of the cake
layers).
To make the caramelised hazelnuts
11.Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Put the 100g caster sugar in a pan
with 2 tablespoons of water and heat over a low heat until the sugar has
dissolved. Swirl the pan gently every now and then to help the sugar to
dissolve evenly (don’t be tempted to stir the contents of the pan or you
won’t get a clear caramel). Once you have a clear liquid in the pan increase
the heat and boil until the sugar syrup turns to a golden caramel colour,
again swirl the pan once or twice once the caramel starts to form so stop it
from burning round the edges.
12.Remove from the heat and, working one at a time, put the hazelnuts into
the caramel, remove with a fork and put onto the baking paper. If the
caramel hardens as you work with the rest of the hazelnuts, put it back over
a gentle heat to melt it again. Leave to set completely.
To assemble the gateau

13.Once all the layers are set put the white chocolate mousse-topped layer
of sponge on a serving plate, carefully top with the milk chocolate layer and
finally remove the mirror glazed layer from the tin and place on top.
Decorate with the caramelised hazelnuts.
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Baked Alaska
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Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
45 minutes
HANDS-OFF TIME:
BAKING TIME:
17–20 minutes
SERVES:
8–10
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Kitchen thermometer, 1 litre capacity pudding basin, 20cm sandwich tin
METHODS USED:
Whisked sponge, here; Italian meringue, here
A strawberry ripple ice cream bombe creates the centre of this impressive
classic dinner-party dessert, sitting on top of a light whisked sponge
encased in meringue. The key to a successful baked Alaska is timing – it
needs to be served straightaway.
For the strawberry ripple ice cream

600ml full-fat milk
6 medium egg yolks
225g caster sugar
300g strawberries
For the whisked sponge

60g caster sugar
60g plain flour
For the meringue
240g caster sugar
To make the ice cream

1.Heat the milk and vanilla pod in a pan over a low heat until it starts to
simmer. In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks and 175g of the sugar
together until you have a smooth paste. Slowly add the warmed milk to the
bowl, whisking all the time.
2.Pour the egg mixture back into the pan and heat gently until the custard
thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and
leave to cool. Once completely cold remove the vanilla pod.
3. Freeze the ice cream. To freeze ice cream without a machine, transfer the
mixture to a wide plastic container with an airtight lid. You need the
mixture to be no deeper than about 5cm, so you can beat it easily. Place in
the freezer for 2 hours. Take the ice cream out of the freezer and scrape it
into a bowl. Beat for a few minutes with a hand-held blender to break up
the ice crystals. Whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold this into the
frozen custard, then return the mixture to the freezer container. Freeze for
another hour, then mix well with a fork. If you have an ice-cream machine,
it will churn the mixture as it freezes. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold
this into the chilled custard before transferring to the ice-cream machine –
follow the manufacturer’s instructions – then transfer to a plastic container
with an airtight lid and store in the freezer for 1 hour.
4.Meanwhile, make the strawberry ripple. Put the strawberries and

remaining 50g caster sugar in a pan and cook over a low heat until the sugar
dissolves. Increase the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture
thickens slightly. Push through a sieve to remove the seeds, put to one side
to cool and then chill in the fridge until needed. Lightly butter the pudding
basin and line it with clingfilm.
5.Remove the ice cream from the freezer, add the strawberry sauce and
gently swirl it into the ice cream using a spoon to create a ripple. Spoon into
the pudding basin and return to the freezer to freeze completely; this will
take at least 4 hours but ideally leave it overnight.
To make the whisked sponge

sandwich tin with baking paper.
7.Put the 2 eggs and 60g sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a free-
standing mixer and whisk for at least 5 minutes until the mixture becomes
very pale and thick and leaves a ribbon-like trail when the whisk is lifted
from the bowl.
8.Sift the 60g flour into the bowl and gently fold in, taking great care not to
knock too much air out. Make sure you scrape right to the bottom of the
bowl as the flour has a tendency to sink to the bottom when it’s added.
9. Spoon the mixture into the tin, smoothing the surface as you go. Bake for
9–10 minutes until golden and starting to shrink away from the edges of the
tin. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then put
on a rack to cool completely.
To make the meringue

10.Put the 240g sugar in a pan with 60ml water. Heat over a low heat until
the sugar has dissolved, swirling the pan gently to help the sugar dissolve.
Once you have a clear liquid, increase the heat and bring to the boil until
the syrup reaches 120°C (250°F) on a kitchen thermometer. While the syrup
cooks, whisk the 4 egg whites in a large, heatproof bowl with an electric
mixer, or use a free-standing mixer with the whisk attachment, until stiff
peaks form.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Put the ice cream
11.
bombe in the fridge for 15 minutes to soften slightly while you make the
meringue.
12.Pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin steady stream onto the whisked egg
whites, whisking all the time. Take care not to hit the beaters or whisk with
the syrup as it will be hot and could burn if it splashes you. Once all the
syrup has been added, carry on whisking the meringue until it is smooth and
glossy and cold. Scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice with a spatula to
make sure you incorporate all the egg white.
To assemble the dessert
13.Put the sponge onto an ovenproof, flat serving plate, and turn the ice
cream out of the bowl onto the sponge.
14.Spoon the meringue over the ice cream, making sure to completely cover
both the ice cream and the sponge.
15.Once you have a thick, even layer, swirl the meringue lightly into a
decorative pattern using a spoon or the tip of a skewer.
16. Bake for 8–10 minutes until golden all over. Serve immediately.
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Millefeuilles
OceanofPDF.com
Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
1½ hours
HANDS-OFF TIME:
2 hours 25 minutes chilling
BAKING TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES:
4
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
large piping bag, plain round 1cm piping nozzle, 2 large baking sheets, small disposable piping bag
METHOD USED:
Puff pastry, here
These delicate pastries require a little precision and care, and allow you to
showcase several skills: layers of crisp puff pastry, smooth crème pâtissière
and raspberry jam are all topped with feathered icing.
For the puff pastry

250g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
225g chilled unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the raspberry jam

juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon pectin
For the crème pâtissière

2 medium egg yolks
50g caster sugar
300ml full-fat milk
150ml double cream
For the icing

150g icing sugar
pink food colouring
To make the pastry

1.Put the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Dice 25g of the butter and rub
into the flour using your fingertips. Add the lemon juice and 150ml cold
water and mix together with a round-bladed knife to form a soft dough. Tip
onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2–3 minutes until smooth. Put
the dough in a clean bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30
minutes.
2.Place the remaining butter between two sheets of baking paper and use a
rolling pin to press the butter into a square about 10cm across. Tip the
dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a square about 20cm
across. Place the square of butter onto the centre of the dough, positioned so
that the corners of the butter are pointing at the middle of the sides of the
dough. Take care not to handle the butter too much as this will soften it.
Fold each of the corners of the dough over the butter so that they meet in
the middle and encase the butter completely.
3.Give the dough a quarter turn so that a straight edge of the square is
facing you. Make three indents in the dough with your rolling pin, across
the top, middle and bottom of the square, and roll into a rectangle about 45
× 15cm. Then fold the bottom third up and the top third down, brushing off
any excess flour from the pastry.
4.Give the dough another quarter turn and repeat the rolling and folding
process. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
in all you have rolled and folded the dough six times. Chill for a final 30
minutes before using.
To make the jam

6.While the pastry is chilling make the jam and crème pâtissière. Put the
100g raspberries, 100g sugar, juice of ½ lemon and 1 tablespoon of pectin
in a pan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and then increase the
heat, bring to the boil and boil for about 10 minutes until it reaches 105°C
(220°F) on a kitchen thermometer. Put to one side to cool slightly, pass
through a sieve to remove the pips and leave to cool completely.
To make the crème pâtissière

7.Whisk the 2 egg yolks and 50g caster sugar together in a bowl until pale
and thick. Add the 3 tablespoons of cornflour and whisk again. Heat the
300ml milk over a low heat until just beginning to boil, then pour over the
egg mixture, whisking all the time. Return the custard to the pan and slowly
bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Simmer for a couple of minutes to
cook the flour, then remove from the heat, spoon into a bowl and cover the
surface with clingfilm to prevent a skin form forming. Leave to cool.
8.Prepare a piping bag with a plain round 1cm piping nozzle. In a mixing
bowl whip the 150ml double cream with a balloon whisk or hand-held
electric mixer until it forms soft peaks. Fold the cooled crème pâtissière
gently into the cream and use it to fill the piping bag.
To bake the pastry

9.Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Cut the block of puff pastry
in half and on a lightly floured surface roll each half into a rectangle 36 ×
15cm. Put both rectangles on the baking sheet and lay another piece of
baking paper on top. Cover with the other large baking sheet on top of that,
then chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F,
Gas 6.
10.Bake the puff pastry rectangles for 25 minutes until golden brown, take
off the top baking sheet and baking paper and bake for another 5 minutes
until crisp. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully put on a
wire rack to cool completely.
11.Using a serrated knife trim the edges of each piece of pastry so that they
are nice and straight and then cut each piece into six even rectangles. Take
the four best rectangles and set to one side to use for the tops.
To make the icing
12.For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add enough cold water
to make a stiff but spreadable icing. Take 1 tablespoon out and add a drop
or two of pink food colouring, just enough to turn it pale pink. Spoon the
pink icing into a small disposable piping bag and snip the end to create a
small hole.
To ice the tops

13.Spread the white icing over the four top pieces of pastry, then pipe pink
lines across the width of the pastry, about 1.5cm apart. Draw a cocktail stick
lightly down the length of the pastry through the pink lines about 1cm in
from an edge, draw another line going the other way down the middle, then
a third line the same way as the first to create a feathered pattern. Repeat
with the other three tops.
To assemble the millefeuilles
Spread a spoonful of jam onto each of the remaining pastry rectangles
14.
and then pipe lines of crème pâtissière onto each one, covering the jam.
Layer up two jam and cream slices and top with an iced slice so that you
have three layers in total. Serve immediately.
OceanofPDF.com
OceanofPDF.com
Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
1½ hours
HANDS-OFF TIME:
BAKING TIME:
55 minutes
SERVES:
12
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
22cm round loose-bottomed fluted flan tin, 3 large baking sheets, piping bag, plain round 1cm piping
nozzle
METHOD USED:
Rich shortcrust pastry, here
STORAGE:
Any extra tuiles and macarons can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days
Chocolate and passion fruit tart, lemon sorbet and a macarons filled with
passion fruit cream make up this impressive trio, allowing you to master a
number of different skills.
For the lemon sorbet

finely grated zest and juice of 4 unwaxed lemons
1 medium egg white
For the chocolate and passion fruit tart

For the pastry
30g cocoa powder
50g caster sugar
For the passion fruit custard

200ml double cream
75g caster sugar
60ml passion fruit juice (from 6 passion fruit)
3 medium egg yolks
For the chocolate ganache

125g dark chocolate
225g milk chocolate
300ml double cream
For the tuile biscuits

2 medium egg whites
120g icing sugar
60g plain flour
60g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the macarons

80g icing sugar
80g ground almonds
2 egg whites, separated and ideally left in the fridge for at least 24 hours
80g caster sugar
orange food colouring
For the buttercream

100g icing sugar
1 tablespoon passion fruit juice
Note: This recipe uses uncooked eggs in the sorbet
To make the sorbet

1.Put the sugar in a pan with 600ml water. Place over a low heat until the
sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat, bring to the boil and simmer for 2
minutes. Remove from the heat add the lemon zest to the pan and leave to
infuse for 30 minutes. Pour the sugar syrup through a sieve into a shallow
freezer container, add the juice, cover and freeze for 2 hours until it starts to
go slushy.
2.Mix the sorbet with a fork to break up the ice crystals (this helps to ensure
a smooth sorbet) and freeze again for another hour.
3.Whisk the egg white to soft peaks, mix the sorbet again to break up the
ice and then fold in the egg white and freeze overnight.
To make the chocolate and passion fruit tart

4.First make the pastry. Sift the 220g flour and 30g cocoa powder into a
bowl, stir in the 50g caster sugar, then rub in the 125g butter until the
mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and stir with a round-
bladed knife until a dough starts to form. Bring the dough together with
your hands, shape into a flat disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge
for 20 minutes. (Or make the pastry in a food-processor.)
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle large enough
quarter turn every now and then to stop it sticking to the surface. Line the
tin with the pastry, easing it into the corners, and run the rolling pin over the
top of the flan tin to cut off the excess pastry. Press the pastry into the flutes
of the tin with the side of your finger. Prick the base with a fork and chill
again in the fridge for 20 minutes. This second chilling will stop the pastry
from shrinking back as it bakes.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Line the pastry case
with baking paper, then fill with baking beans or uncooked rice and blind
bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and bake again for
another 5 minutes, or until the base feels dry and sandy to touch. Remove
from the oven and lower the temperature to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas
4.
7.While the pastry case cooks, make the passion fruit custard. Put the
200ml cream, 75g sugar, 60ml passion fruit juice and 3 egg yolks in a pan.
Whisk together over a low heat until the custard thickens slightly. Pour into
the cooked pastry case and bake for 10 minutes until just set with a slight
wobble in the centre. Put on a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the chocolate ganache, break the 125g dark chocolate and 225g milk
chocolate into small pieces to allow it to melt evenly and place in a
heatproof bowl. Heat the 300ml cream in a small pan until just starting to
simmer, then pour over the chocolate. Leave for a couple of minutes, then
stir gently until smooth. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, stir again and then
pour over the passion fruit filling. Put in the fridge for 2–3 hours until set.
To make the tuile biscuits

9.Put the 2 egg whites in a mixing bowl and lightly whisk until frothy. Sift
in the 120g icing sugar and whisk again, then sift in the 60g flour, whisk,
and finally the 60g cooled melted butter until you have a smooth mixture.
10.Put in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170°C
(150°C fan), 325°F, Gas 3. Line three baking sheets with baking paper.
11.Spoon a dessertspoon of the tuile mixture onto a baking sheet and spread
into a thin disc. Repeat to make four discs on each sheet, leaving plenty of
space between each one. Bake one tray at a time for about 10 minutes until
they start to turn golden brown at the edges.
12.Have four small jars ready – spice jars are the ideal size – then slide a
palette knife under each tuile and drape over the jars. Press the edges down
to create a basket. You need to work quickly as the tuiles harden as they
cool. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, using a cold baking sheet each
time.
To make the macarons

13. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Put the 80g icing sugar
and 80g ground almonds in a food-processor and pulse a few times to create
a fine powder. Sift into a bowl to remove any large bits of almond, add one
of the egg whites and mix to form a paste.
Put the 80g caster sugar and the remaining egg white in a heatproof bowl
14.
and set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the
bowl doesn’t touch the water. Using a hand-held mixer, whisk for 3–4
minutes until you have soft, glossy peaks.
15.Take the bowl off the pan and whisk for 2–3 minutes until stiff glossy
peaks are formed. Add the orange food colouring and whisk again until you
have an even colour.
16.Fold the egg white into the almond paste – don’t over fold, you want to
just mix the two together until the mixture falls from the spatula in a thick
ribbon. Fit the piping bag with a plain round 1cm piping nozzle and fill with
the macaron mixture. Pipe onto the lined baking sheet into rounds about
2.5cm in diameter, leaving a 2cm gap between each one. Leave to rest for
30 minutes so that the macarons develop a skin – they should be dry to the
touch before you put them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C
fan), 325°F, Gas 3.
17. Bake the macarons for 14 minutes until firm on the top and bottom, but
still slightly gooey in the centre. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes on
the baking sheet, then use a palette knife to transfer them to a wire rack to
cool while you make the buttercream.
18.Put the 50g butter in a bowl and beat until soft and creamy. Add the 100g
icing sugar a spoonful at a time, beating between each addition (small
amounts will dissolve into the butter easily; if you add a lot of sugar at once
the mixture can be dry and hard to work with). Add the tablespoon of
passion fruit juice with the last spoonful of sugar and beat until smooth and
creamy.
19.Spread a little of the buttercream onto the base of half the macaron shells
and top each one with the other half; twist the two to spread the buttercream
evenly and sandwich the shells together.
To serve
20.Take the sorbet out of the freezer about 10 minutes before you want to
serve it. Cut the chocolate and passion fruit tart into slices and put on a
plate with a macaron and a tuile basket. Just before serving, fill each tuile
basket with a scoop of lemon sorbet.
OceanofPDF.com
OceanofPDF.com
Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
1 hour
BAKING TIME:
45 minutes
SERVES:
10
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
23cm round loose-bottomed fluted flan tin, 3cm deep baking sheet
METHOD USED:
Pâte sucrée, here
A sweet shortcrust pastry case, filled with salted caramel and almonds, a
creamy vanilla custard and clouds of marshmallow meringue, finished with
a drizzle of caramel and flaked almonds.
For the pâte sucrée

90g caster sugar
1 medium egg
For the salted caramel

150g caster sugar
150ml double cream
15g unsalted butter
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
100g toasted almonds, roughly chopped
For the vanilla custard

6 medium egg yolks
100g caster sugar
500ml double cream
For the marshmallow meringue

200g white marshmallows
For the caramel and almond topping

50g caster sugar
15g toasted flaked almonds
To make the pâte sucrée

1.Put the butter and caster sugar into a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden
spoon until soft and creamy. Beat in the egg and then sift in the flour and
mix until you have a soft dough. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured
surface and gently knead it a few times until smooth. Shape into a flat disc,
then wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
To make the salted caramel

2.While the pastry is chilling, make the salted caramel. Put the sugar in a
pan with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat over a low heat until the sugar has
dissolved. Swirl the pan gently every now and then to help the sugar to
dissolve evenly, resisting the temptation to stir it. Once you have a clear
liquid in the pan increase the heat and boil until the sugar syrup turns to a
deep caramel colour, again swirl the pan once or twice once the caramel
starts to form to stop it from burning round the edges.
3.In a separate pan heat the 150ml cream and 15g butter until it just starts to
simmer. Once the caramel is golden brown turn the heat back to low and
slowly add the hot cream. Pour it carefully as it will bubble and may spit.
Once the sauce has stopped bubbling stir until smooth, then remove from
the heat, add the ½ teaspoon salt, pour into a heatproof jug and leave to
cool.
To prepare the pastry case
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle large enough
quarter turn every now and then to stop it sticking to the surface. Use it to
line the tin, easing the pastry into the corners. Run the rolling pin over the
top of the flan tin to cut off the excess pastry and press the pastry into the
flutes of the tin with the side of your finger. Prick the base with a fork and
chill again in the fridge for 20 minutes. This second chilling will stop the
pastry from shrinking back as it bakes.
5.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Put the flan tin on a
baking sheet, then line the pastry case with baking paper, fill with baking
beans or uncooked rice and blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans
and paper, and bake again for another 5 minutes to allow the base of the
case to cook. Remove from the oven and put to one side to cool. Lower the
oven temperature to 170°C (150°C fan), 325°F, Gas 3
6.Stir the 100g almonds into the salted caramel and pour onto the cooled
pastry case. Leave to set while you make the custard.
To make the vanilla custard
7.Whisk the 6 egg yolks and 100g caster sugar together in a mixing bowl
until you have a smooth paste. Put the 500ml cream into a pan with the
vanilla pod and heat gently until it just starts to steam. Remove from the
heat put to one side for 15 minutes to allow the vanilla flavour to infuse the
cream, then whisk into the egg yolks and sugar mixture until you have a
smooth custard. Pour through a sieve into a jug.
8.Put the pastry case on its baking sheet on the middle shelf of the oven and
carefully pour the custard over the base; pour it gently so as not to disturb
the caramel layer. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until the custard is
just set with a slight wobble in the centre. Leave to cool on a wire rack
completely.
To make the meringue

9.Put the 200g marshmallows in a heatproof bowl and melt on a low heat in
the microwave. This should only take 30–40 seconds so watch them
carefully as they hold their shape even when they have melted – check after
20 seconds and give them a stir. If you don’t have a microwave you can set
the bowl over a pan of very gently simmering water, making sure the
bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
10.Put the 4 egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a free-
standing mixer and add the melted marshmallows. Whisk on a high speed
until thick and glossy and and have reached the soft peak stage.
11.Use a dessert spoon to scoop piles of meringue onto the cooled custard
base, leaving a little gap between the piles.
To make the caramel topping

12.Put the 50g caster sugar in a pan with 1 tablespoon of water and place
over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Swirl the pan gently every
now and then to help the sugar to dissolve evenly (do not be tempted to stir
the contents of the pan otherwise you won’t get a clear caramel). Once you
have a clear liquid in the pan increase the heat and boil until the sugar syrup
turns to a golden caramel colour, again swirl the pan once or twice once the
caramel starts to form to stop it from burning round the edges.
13.Remove the pan from the heat and use a teaspoon to drizzle lines of
caramel over the meringue. Finish by sprinkling with the 15g flaked
almonds and serve immediately.
OceanofPDF.com
What pudding or dessert shall I bake
today?
QUICK AND EASY
Lemon and Aniseed Surprise Pudding (here)
Lemon and Blueberry Tart (here)
Orange and Cranberry Bread and Butter Pudding (here)
Rhubarb Cobbler (here)
Coconut and Lime Rice Pudding (here)
Spiced Plum Crumble (here)
Individual Treacle Tarts (here)
DINNER PARTY
Baked Alaska (here)
Baked Vanilla Cheesecake with Blueberry Jelly (here)
Chocolate and Orange Tarts with Cointreau Cream (here)
Coffee Panna Cotta with Walnut Biscuits (here)
Crème Caramel and Orange and Pistachio Biscotti (here)
Hazelnut Meringue Gateau (here)
Iles Flottantes Tart (here)
Key Lime Cheesecake (here)
Millefeuilles (here)
Brandy Snaps with Oranges in Caramel (here)
Tiramisu Gateau (here)
Trio of Tropical Desserts (here)
Triple Chocolate Gateau (here)
Tropical Pavlova (here)
CHILDHOOD COMFORTS
Cherry and Chocolate Knickerbocker Glory (here)
Steamed Maple Syrup and Pecan Pudding (here)
Sticky Toffee Pudding (here)
Individual Treacle Tarts (here)
FEELING FRUITY
Almond Tuile Biscuits and Blackberry Sorbet (here)
Apple Strudel (here)
Cherry Clafoutis (here)
Fig and Frangipane Tart (here)
Lemon and Blueberry Tart (here)
Orange Polenta Cake with Cranberry Sauce (here)
Brandy Snaps with Oranges in Caramel (here)
Peach Melba (here)
Pineapple Tarte Tatin (here)
Rhubarb Cobbler (here)
Spiced Plum Crumble (here)
Tropical Pavlova (here)
FOR CHOCOLATE-LOVERS
Cherry and Chocolate Knickerbocker Glory (here)
Chocolate Mousse Cake (here)
Pear and Chocolate Upside-down Cake (here)
Profiteroles with Salted Caramel and Chocolate Sauce (here)
Triple Chocolate Gateau (here)
BRITISH CLASSICS
Apple and Stem Ginger Lattice Tart (here)
Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce (here)
Queen of Puddings (here)
Raspberry Trifle (here)
Steamed Stem Ginger Puddings with Custard (here)
Sticky Toffee Pudding (here)
OceanofPDF.com
Conversion table
WEIGHT
Metric Imperial
25g 1oz
50g 2oz
75g 2½oz
85g 3oz
100g 4oz
125g 4½oz
140g 5oz
175g 6oz
200g 7oz
225g 8oz
250g 9oz
280g 10oz
300g 11oz
350g 12oz
375g 13oz
400g 14oz
425g 15oz
450g 1lb
500g 1lb 2oz
550g 1lb 4oz
600g 1lb 5oz
650g 1lb 7oz
700g 1lb 9oz
750g 1lb 10oz
800g 1lb 12oz
850g 1lb 14oz
900g 2lb
950g 2lb 2oz
1kg 2lb 4oz
VOLUME
Metric Imperial
30ml 1fl oz
50ml 2fl oz
75ml 3fl oz
125ml 4fl oz
150ml ¼ pint
175ml 6fl oz
200ml 7fl oz
225ml 8fl oz
300ml ½ pint
350ml 12fl oz
400ml 14fl oz
450ml ¾ pint
500ml 18fl oz
600ml 1 pint
725ml 1¼ pints
1 litre 1¾ pints
SPOON MEASURES
Metric Imperial
5ml 1 teaspoon
10ml 2 teaspoons
15ml 1 tablespoon
30ml 2 tablespoons
45ml 3 tablespoons
60ml 4 tablespoons
75ml 5 tablespoons
LINEAR
Metric Imperial
2.5cm 1in
3cm 1¼in
4cm 1½in
5cm 2in
5.5cm 2¼in
6cm 2½in
7cm 2¾in
7.5cm 3in
8cm 3¼in
9cm 3½in
9.5cm 3¾in
10cm 4in
11cm 4¼in
12cm 4½in
13cm 5in
14cm 5½in
15cm 6in
16cm 6½in
17cm 6½in
18cm 7in
19cm 7½in
20cm 8in
22cm 8½in
23cm 9in
24cm 9½in
25cm 10in
OceanofPDF.com
Index
A
almonds
almond tuile biscuits and blackberry sorbet
îles flottantes tart
almonds, ground
fig and frangipane tart
macarons
aniseed: lemon and aniseed surprise pudding
apples
apple and stem ginger lattice tart
apple strudel
B
baked Alaska
baking sheets and trays
baking tins
lining
lining with pastry
batter: cherry clafoutis
biscotti, orange and pistachio
biscuits
brandy snaps with oranges in caramel
coffee panna cotta with walnut biscuits
crème caramel and orange and pistachio biscotti
hot white chocolate souffles with cardamom shortcake
macarons
tuile biscuits
blackberries
blackberry jam
blind baking
blueberries
baked vanilla cheesecake with blueberry jelly
lemon and blueberry tart
brandy sauce
bread and butter pudding: orange and cranberry bread and butter pudding
brioche: queen of puddings
brownies: cherry and chocolate knickerbocker glory
butter
buttercream icing
buttermilk
C
cakes
brownies
chocolate mousse cake
creamed sponge cakes
orange polenta cake with cranberry sauce
peach melba
pear and chocolate upside-down cake
sponge fingers
Swiss roll
whisked sponge cakes
caramel
profiteroles with salted caramel and chocolate sauce
cheesecakes
key lime cheesecake
cherries
cherry and chocolate knickerbocker glory
cherry clafoutis
chocolate see also dark, milk and white chocolate
choux pastry: profiteroles with salted caramel and chocolate sauce
Christmas pudding with brandy sauce
clafoutis, cherry
cobbler, rhubarb
cocoa powder
chocolate and passion fruit tart
coconut and lime rice pudding
coffee
tiramisu gateau
coulis, raspberry
cranberries
orange and cranberry bread and butter pudding
cream
cointreau cream
hazelnut meringue gateau
millefeuilles
raspberry trifle
whipping
cream cheese
key lime cheesecake
crème fraîche
crème pâtissière: millefeuilles
crumble, spiced plum
custard
chocolate and orange tarts with cointreau cream
iles flottantes tart
raspberry trifle
steamed stem ginger puddings with custard
D
dark chocolate
key lime cheesecake
tiramisu gateau
dates: sticky toffee pudding
E
eggs see also custard; meringues; soufflés:
cherry clafoutis
lemon and aniseed surprise pudding
macarons
whisking egg whites
equipment
extracts and flavourings
F
flour
folding in
fruit, dried: Christmas pudding with brandy sauce
G
ganache
triple chocolate gateau
gateaux
tiramisu gateau
gelatine
genoise sponge: triple chocolate gateau
ginger
gluten free flour
golden syrup: individual treacle tarts
H
hazelnuts
I
ice cream
baked Alaska
icing, buttercream
icing sugar
ingredients
J
jam
blackberry
raspberry
jelly, blueberry
K
key lime cheesecake
L
lemons
individual treacle tarts
lemon sorbet
limes
key lime cheesecake
M
macarons
mangos: tropical pavlova
maple syrup: steamed maple syrup and pecan pudding
margarines and spreads
marshmallow meringue: îles flottantes tart
mascarpone cheese
tiramisu gateau
meringues
baked Alaska
French meringue
Italian meringue
queen of puddings
tropical pavlova
milk chocolate
millefeuilles
O
oranges
candied peel
P
panna cotta: coffee panna cotta with walnut biscuits
passion fruit
tropical pavlova
pastries see also tarts
apple strudel
millefeuilles
pastry
blind baking
lining tins
rolling out
rubbing in
types
pâté sucrée
pavlova, tropical
peach melba
pecans: steamed maple syrup and pecan pudding
pineapple tarte tatin
piping
pistachios: crème caramel and orange and pistachio biscotti
plum crumble, spiced
polenta
problem solving
puddings
Christmas pudding with brandy sauce
queen of puddings
steamed maple syrup and pecan pudding
sticky toffee pudding
puff pastry
Q
queen of puddings
R
raising agents
raspberries
peach melba
raspberry jam
raspberry trifle
rhubarb cobbler
rice: coconut and lime rice pudding
rich shortcrust pastry
rubbing in
S
salted caramel see caramel
sauces
brandy
chocolate
cranberry
raspberry
toffee
shortcake: hot white chocolate souffles with cardamom shortcake
shortcrust pastry
sorbets
lemon sorbet
soufflés: hot white chocolate souffles with cardamom shortcake
spices
strawberries
baked Alaska
strudel, apple
sugar
syrups
orange sugar syrup
T
tarts
individual treacle tarts
pineapple tarte tatin
tea: sticky toffee pudding
tins see baking tins
tiramisu gateau
toffee sauce
treacle tarts, individual
trifle, raspberry
tuile biscuits
W
walnuts: coffee panna cotta with walnut biscuits
whisking
white chocolate
hot white chocolate souffles with cardamom shortcake
OceanofPDF.com
Acknowledgements
Hodder & Stoughton and Love Productions would like to thank the
following people for their contribution to this book:
Jayne Cross, Linda Collister, Laura Herring, Alasdair Oliver, Kate Brunt,
Laura Oliver, Joanna Seaton, Sarah Christie, Alice Moore, Nicky Barneby,
Anna Heath, Damian Horner, Auriol Bishop, Anna Beattie, Rupert Frisby,
Jane Treasure, Claire Emerson.
The author would also like to thank Laura Urschel and Katy Gilhooly for all
of their help and support in the baking for the photographs, thank you. Huge
thanks go to family, friends and neighbours and especially to Graham, Ben
and Megan for eating all of my puddings and desserts.
OceanofPDF.com
OceanofPDF.com

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Would you like to learn to be a better baker?

Photography & Design Copyright © Hodder & Stoughton 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

ISBN 978 1 473 61551 9

Editorial Director: Nicky Ross

Needs a little skill

WHAT PUDDING OR DESSERT SHALL I BAKE TODAY?

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Needs a little skill

Buttermilk is traditionally the by-product of butter-making, but it is now

EXTRACTS AND FLAVOURINGS

Ground spices should be stored in a cool, dark place in screw-top jars to

Stem ginger in syrup is a great addition to your store cupboard. It keeps

MARGARINES AND SPREADS

BAKING PAPER AND LINERS

BAKING SHEETS AND TRAYS

LARGE METAL SPOON

PUDDING BASINS AND MOULDS

WHISKS AND MIXERS

Free-standing electric mixers, although expensive, can save you a lot of

THE KEY TECHNIQUES FOR SPONGE CAKE, PASTRY AND

How to make a simple whisked sponge

HOW TO LINE CAKE TINS AND BAKING SHEETS

How to base line a cake tin

How to line the sides of a cake tin

How to whisk egg whites

How to rub in by hand

How to rub in using a food-processor

How to roll out pastry

HOW TO LINE A TIN

HOW TO BLIND BAKE

HOW TO MELT CHOCOLATE

HOW TO WHIP CREAM

HOW TO USE A PIPING BAG

How to fill a piping bag

MY CREAMED CAKE MIXTURE HAS CURDLED!

MY CREAM IS TOO STIFF!

MY PASTRY CASE HAS SHRUNK!

MY BISCUITS AREN’T BAKING EVENLY!

MY CUSTARD HAS CURDLED!

MY PUFF PASTRY DIDN’T PUFF UP!

Needs a little skill

Cherry and Chocolate Knickerbocker Glory

Triple Chocolate Gateau

5.Leave to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before carefully

Try Something Different

For the rice pudding

For the raspberry sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan), 275°F, Gas 1.

Try Something Different

Try Something Different

A crumble topping is a great way to learn the rubbing-in technique used in

For the fruity filling

For the crumble topping

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan), 375°F, Gas 5.

Try Something Different

For the cherries

For the batter

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4.