recipes

Prepare the Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
• Grease a 23cm round springform cake tin, dust it with cocoa powder, and tap out any excess.
• Sift the plain flour, caster sugar, salt, and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with boiling water until smooth.
• Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the unsalted butter and dark soft brown sugar together for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add the lightly beaten eggs, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Reduce the mixer speed and blend in half of the dry ingredients.
• Add the cocoa and buttermilk mixture, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin, level the top with a spatula, and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the tin for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Chocolate Glaze:

• In a pan, combine the double cream, caster sugar, water, and warmed apricot jam.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Place the finely chopped dark chocolate in a bowl.
• Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, ensuring it is fully covered.
• Let it stand for 1 minute, then gently whisk to form a smooth, shiny glaze.
• Cover the surface with cling film and let it cool to blood heat.

Glaze the Cake:

• Place the cooled cake on a 23cm cake card and rest it on a wire rack over a clean tray to catch excess glaze.
• Pour the glaze onto the center of the cake and use a palette knife to spread it over the sides, ensuring the entire cake is covered.
• Let the cake sit for 10–15 minutes to allow the glaze to set slightly, then transfer the cake from the wire rack.

Make the Chocolate Panels:

• Prepare a palette knife, a small sharp knife, and a ruler.
• Place the acetate transfer sheet on a piece of baking parchment that is slightly larger than the transfer.
• Pour the tempered dark chocolate or melted Candy Melts onto the transfer sheet and quickly spread it evenly with a palette knife.
• Once set, use the knife and ruler to cut the chocolate into equal squares of about 5cm.
• Do not wait too long to cut, as the chocolate will become too firm.

Make the Chocolate Shavings:

• Spread the tempered or melted milk chocolate thinly on a marble slab using a palette knife.
• Once set, use a large chopping knife at a flat angle to shave the chocolate into pieces about 5cm long.
• If the chocolate breaks, re-melt it and try again.

Assemble the Cake:

• Arrange the chocolate panels around the sides of the cake, allowing them to stick to the glaze.
• Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings, starting about 1cm in from the edge and working towards the center in overlapping circles.

Serving Suggestion:

• Serve this cake at room temperature with a cup of coffee or a glass of rich red wine.

Prepare the Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
• Grease and flour the cake tin.
• Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or over a pan of lightly simmering water, ensuring the water does not touch the bowl.
• Keep the chocolate warm.
• Blend the cooked beetroot in a food processor until smooth.
• With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the sunflower oil.
• Continue blending for about 1 minute until the mixture is smooth.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, plain flour, baking powder, and caster sugar.
• Stir the beetroot mixture into the dry ingredients until fully combined, then mix in the melted dark chocolate.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Vodka Syrup:

• In a small pan, bring the caster sugar and water to a boil.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vodka.
• If using a tin with a solid base, return the cooled cake to the cleaned tin, pour the syrup over, and let it soak for 5 minutes before turning out again.
• If not, use a pastry brush to soak the cake with the syrup.

Decorate the Cake:

• Melt the white chocolate over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring continuously.
• Stir in the freeze-dried beetroot powder or food coloring to achieve a vibrant pink hue.
• If the chocolate is too thick, add a little vegetable oil to thin it out.
• Place the cake on a wire rack set over a tray, then spoon the melted white chocolate over the top to cover it completely.
• Allow the chocolate to set slightly before transferring the cake to a sheet of baking parchment using a palette knife.
• Melt the dark chocolate and transfer it to a piping bag.
• Snip a small hole in the end and drizzle the dark chocolate over the cake in a zigzag pattern.
• Sprinkle with candied violets to finish.

Serving Suggestion:

• Serve the cake at room temperature, either on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream.

Soak the Fruit:

• Place the raisins, sultanas, currants, glacé cherries, and chopped dried apricots in a large mixing bowl.
• Pour the hot strong black tea over the fruit, cover the bowl, and leave to soak for 24 hours.

Prepare the Loaf:

• Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2.
• Grease a 900g loaf tin and line the base and long sides with a sheet of baking parchment.
• Sift the self-raising flour, light soft brown sugar, ground mixed spice, and ground ginger into a large mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the center and add the soaked fruit along with the tea, marmalade, and egg.
• Mix well to combine.
• The mixture will be quite firm and dry.

Bake the Loaf:

• Press the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, leveling the top with a spatula.
• Bake for 1½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• After the first hour, check the loaf.
• If it’s browning too much, cover the top loosely with foil to prevent burning.
• Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.

Finish the Loaf:

• Warm the honey in a small pan until it becomes runny.
• Brush the honey all over the warm loaf, allowing it to soak in.

Serving Suggestion:

• Enjoy the Bara Brith warm with lashings of salted butter or drizzled with extra honey.
• It’s even better after a few days, making it a perfect make-ahead treat.

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
• Grease an 18cm topsy-turvy cake tin or a 20cm round deep cake tin.
• Line the base with baking parchment and flour the sides.
• Melt the chopped chocolate in a microwave or over a pan of simmering water.
• Ensure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla extract and gradually add them to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in the melted chocolate, followed by the mashed potato.
• Sift together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
• Fold these dry ingredients into the batter alternately with the buttermilk using a large metal spoon.
• Fold in the dark chocolate chips, then transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, leveling the top with a spatula.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
• Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Chocolate Ganache:

• Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl.
• Bring the cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate.
• Let it stand for 1 minute, then whisk gently until smooth and shiny.
• Mix in the Baileys Irish Cream.
• Set aside at room temperature to cool and thicken.

Prepare the Chocolate Glaze:

• Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for about 5 minutes until soft.
• Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl and whisk in the water to form a smooth paste.
• In a pan, bring the double cream and caster sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa paste.
• Gently squeeze the excess water from the gelatine leaves and add them to the pan.
• Whisk until fully dissolved.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film.
• Allow to cool.

Prepare the Baileys Cream:

• Whisk the double cream, Baileys Irish Cream, and vanilla extract together until medium peaks form.

Assemble the Cake:

• Once the cake has cooled, cut it horizontally in half.
• Spread the Baileys cream evenly over the bottom layer, then place the top layer back on.
• The ganache should now be thick enough to coat the cake.
• If not, refrigerate until it thickens but remains spreadable.
• Using a palette knife, coat the outside of the cake with the ganache, smoothing the surface.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up.

Apply the Chocolate Glaze:

• Ensure the glaze is cool but still liquid.
• If it has solidified, gently warm it over a pan of simmering water.
• Place the cake on a wire rack over a clean tray.
• Pour the glaze over the center of the cake, allowing it to flow evenly over the sides.
• Let the cake sit on the wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate.

Decorate and Serve:

• Decorate the cake with mixed fresh berries.
• Serve and enjoy!

Make the Salted Caramel Sauce:

• Heat a deep, heavy-based pan over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar.
• Stir continuously until the sugar begins to dissolve.
• Reduce the heat to medium and gradually add the remaining sugar, allowing it to melt and turn golden caramel.
• Turn off the heat and carefully add the room-temperature double cream.
• Stir as the mixture will bubble and spit.
• Return the pan to the heat, bringing the mixture to a boil until smooth.
• Add the sea salt, pour the sauce into a heatproof dish, and allow it to cool and thicken slightly.

Prepare the Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
• Beat the room-temperature butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add the lightly beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition.
• Sift together the plain flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
• Fold half into the batter using a large metal spoon.
• Mix in the mashed bananas, then fold in the remaining flour mixture.
• Fold in half of the roughly chopped salted peanuts.

Bake the Cake:

• Line a 17.5cm x 11cm loaf tin with baking parchment and lightly brush with vegetable oil.
• Transfer the cake batter into the prepared tin and level the top with a spatula.
• Sprinkle the remaining chopped peanuts over the top.
• Place the cooled salted caramel sauce in a disposable piping bag.
• Snip off the tip and insert the bag into the cake batter, piping caramel into the cake at four points across the top.
• Bake the cake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Finish and Serve:

• Allow the cake to cool in the tin before turning it out onto a serving plate.
• If any caramel sauce remains, pipe it over the top of the cake.
• Decorate with dried banana slices and serve with whipped vanilla-flavored cream.

• Place the yeast in a small bowl.
• Warm the milk to 37°C (blood heat) and pour it over the yeast, stirring until dissolved.
• Mix in the eggs.
• Sift the flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• Gradually add the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed.
• Increase the speed slightly until the ingredients bind together.
• Mix on medium speed for 3–4 minutes until a soft dough forms.
• Gradually add the softened butter, mixing on low speed.
• Ensure each addition is fully incorporated before adding more.
• This process should take 15–20 minutes, resulting in a soft, silky, and shiny dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover tightly with cling film, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
• The next day, roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1.
• 2cm thick.
• Use a 5cm cutter to cut out rounds, then use a 1cm cutter to remove the centers, forming rings.
• Place the rings and centers on a baking tray lined with parchment, cover loosely with lightly oiled cling film, and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
• To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and, using an electric mixer, slowly beat in the maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
• Keep covered.
• Grill the bacon until very crisp, then set aside.
• Heat the oil to 180°C in a deep-fat fryer or deep saucepan.
• Fry the doughnuts in batches, 2-3 at a time, for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden.
• Drain on kitchen paper.
• Fry the doughnut centers in two batches.
• Dip the warm doughnuts in the glaze, lift them out with a slotted spoon, and place on a cooling rack.
• Repeat until all doughnuts and centers are glazed.
• Top each doughnut with half a rasher of bacon and place the doughnut center on top.

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
• Grease a 25cm bundt tin and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.
• Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly.
• Sift all the dry ingredients (plain flour, cornflour, milk powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt) into a large mixing bowl.
• Sift again to ensure thorough mixing.
• Add the vegetable oil, whole milk, and melted butter to the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the Kahlúa and vodka.
• Whisk this mixture into the batter until fully combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared bundt tin and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 25 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and let it cool completely for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wash and dry the bundt tin, as it will be used again for soaking the cake.

For the Syrup:

• In a pan, combine the butter, water, and caster sugar.
• Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture reduces by a third.
• Remove from heat and stir in the Kahlúa and vodka.
• Pour half of the syrup into the bundt tin, then carefully return the cooled cake to the tin.
• Let it soak for 5 minutes.
• Invert the cake onto a serving plate and brush the remaining syrup over the cake.

For the Cream Filling:

• Whisk the double cream, icing sugar, and chocolate hazelnut spread (or praline paste) together until medium peaks form.
• Spoon or pipe the cream into the center of the cake, or serve it separately.

• Mix the coconut milk and caster sugar in a bowl, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg yolks until thick and pale.
• Gradually mix in the coconut milk, then slowly add the plain flour, ensuring there are no lumps.
• Preheat your grill.
• Grease the 18cm round baking tin with a tablespoon of ghee and place it under the grill until the ghee melts.
• Remove the tin from the grill and pour in enough batter to form a 5mm thick layer.
• Place the tin back under the grill and cook until the top is golden, checking frequently.
• Remove the tin from the grill, add another tablespoon of ghee, and pour in another 5mm thick layer of batter.
• Repeat the process, cooking each layer under the grill until all the batter is used.
• Finish the last layer with ghee.
• Once all layers are cooked, turn the bebinca out onto a chopping board.
• Decorate with toasted flaked almonds.

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
• Grease a 23cm bundt tin with butter or oil and dust lightly with flour, removing excess.
• Melt the butter and chocolate in a large bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.
• Ensure the water doesn’t touch the bowl’s base.
• Remove from heat once melted.
• In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale and fluffy.
• In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Combine the ground almonds and hazelnuts, breaking up any lumps.
• Gently fold the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
• Using a large metal spoon, fold in the whisked egg whites alternately with the ground nuts until fully combined.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Caramel Hazelnuts:

• Lightly oil a baking tray.
• Heat a deep, heavy-based pan over high heat and add a tablespoon of sugar.
• Stir continuously until the sugar begins to dissolve.
• Gradually add more sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar has melted and turned golden caramel.
• Immediately stir in the chopped hazelnuts and pour the mixture onto the oiled tray to cool.
• Once cooled, chop the caramelized hazelnuts into pieces.

For the Ganache:

• Bring the cream to a boil and pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl.
• Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth and shiny.
• Drizzle the ganache over the cooled cake, allowing it to set for 10 minutes.

For the Whipped Cream:

• Whisk the double cream with the vanilla extract and icing sugar until firm peaks form.
• Spoon or pipe the whipped cream into the center of the cake.
• Sprinkle the caramelized hazelnuts on top of the whipped cream.

To Decorate:

• If using, apply fragments of gold leaf to the cake using the tip of a small knife.

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
• Grease an 18cm square deep cake tin and line the base with parchment paper.
• Sift the dry ingredients (caster sugar, plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda) into a large mixing bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk together crème fraîche, eggs, milk, and cold coffee until well combined.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture.
• Whisk until a smooth batter forms.
• Add vegetable oil and whisk again until fully incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Cherry Filling:

• Peel the orange zest with a vegetable peeler.
• Drain the juice from the cherries into a pan and add caster sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and the cinnamon stick.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat, let stand for 5 minutes, then remove the cinnamon stick and orange zest.
• Bring the mixture back to a boil.
• Mix cornflour with a little cold water and whisk it into the boiled juice.
• Return the mixture to the pan, boil, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, whisking continuously.
• Add the drained cherries, transfer to a clean bowl, and allow to cool completely.

For the Syrup:

• In a pan, combine caster sugar and water, bringing it to a boil.
• Remove from heat and stir in the kirsch.
• Let cool.
• For the Whipped Cream:
• Whisk the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and icing sugar to firm peaks.

To Assemble:

• Cut the cooled cake horizontally into three layers.
• Place the base layer on a cake card and brush with kirsch syrup using a pastry brush.
• Spread a 0.5cm layer of whipped cream over the base.
• Pipe a border of whipped cream around the edge of the cake using a piping bag fitted with a 2.5cm plain nozzle.
• Fill the center with half of the thickened cherries.
• Place the second layer of sponge on top and repeat the process.
• Top with the final layer of sponge and gently press to level the cake.
• Mask the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream and refrigerate to firm.

To Decorate:

• Pour tempered or melted chocolate onto a marble slab and spread it thinly with a palette knife.
• Once set, use a large chopping knife to create chocolate curls by pushing the knife at a 45-degree angle across the chocolate.
• Decorate the sides of the cake with smaller chocolate flakes.
• Pile the chocolate curls in the center of the cake.
• Dust with icing sugar and finish with griottine cherries.