LIME MACARONS
Lime is one of my favourite flavours and I think it works really well with the almond in these macarons.
Makes 30
For the Macaron paste
- 3 large egg whites
- 275g ground almonds
- 275g icing sugar
For the Swiss meringue
- 3 large egg whites
- 240g caster sugar
- A few drops of green food colouring
For the Lime filling
- 175g unsalted butter
- Softened 475g icing sugar
- Sifted finely grated zest of 1 lime
- 2tbsp juice
Line three (or four) baking trays with baking paper.
Using a pastry cutter as a guide, draw circles (around 15-20 on each tray), about 4.5cm in diameter, on the paper, leaving a 2cm gap between them.
Turn the paper over and place on the baking tray. For the macaron paste, put the egg whites into a bowl, add the ground almonds and sift in the icing sugar. Mix to form a thick paste.
For the Swiss meringue, place the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl is not in direct contact with the water.
Using a balloon whisk, whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 65°C (use a cook’s thermometer).
Now either transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use an electric hand whisk to whisk the mixture until it has cooled and you have a stiff, glossy meringue – this will take at least 5 minutes.
Gradually fold the meringue into the macaron paste, a spoonful at a time, until incorporated.
Add the colouring and mix until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into a paper piping bag and snip off the end to create a 1cm opening. Pipe the mixture evenly over the marked circles on the paper.
Leave to stand, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until a skin forms. This helps prevent the surface from cracking.
Heat your oven to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2. Bake the macarons for 15 minutes, until risen and set.
Leave on the trays to cool completely.
To make the filling, using an electric hand whisk, beat the butter until soft, then beat in the icing sugar, a few spoonfuls at a time.
Aldi Specially Selected Sauternes (37.5cl, 14%) £9.49
Add the lime zest and juice and whisk again.
Place in a paper piping bag and snip off the end.
Pipe a little lime filling onto the centre of half the macaron discs, leaving a narrow margin around the edge.
Sandwich these together with the remaining macaron discs
WINE PAIRING: ZEST FRIEND
Aldi Specially Selected Sauternes (37.5cl, 14%) £9.49
Sauternes is famous for its zingy sweetness and balance.
Its prices can be sky high so to find a good bottle for under a tenner is a rare treat.
Serve fridge-cold in white wine glasses and take your time with it.
Like the lime macarons, sweetness gives way to zestiness and it’s a pleasurable twist to really savour.
STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING
You can serve this Sticky Toffee Pudding with pouring cream or ice cream for that irresistible hot-cold contras.
A real crowd-pleaser of a dessert, sticky toffee pudding is surprisingly easy to make.
It’s essentially a date sponge covered in a rich toffee sauce and then warmed under the grill.
Serves 9
- 175g pitted dates
- Chopped 200ml
- Boiling water
- 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 75g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease the tin
- 150g soft dark brown sugar 2 medium eggs, beaten
- 175g self-raising flour
- ½tsp baking powder for the sticky toffee sauce
- 100g unsalted butter, diced
- 150g soft dark brown sugar
- 150ml double cream
Heat your oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/ gas 4 and butter a 24 x 26cm, 4cm deep baking tin. Put the chopped dates into a bowl, pour on the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture and fold in.
De Bortoli Show Liqueur Muscat (50cl, 18%) £14.99, sandhamswine.co.uk
Stir in the dates, with their soaking water. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly, right into the corners. Bake for 25- 30 minutes, until firm and risen.
Meanwhile, to make the sticky toffee sauce, heat the butter, sugar and cream together in a pan over a low heat until melted and smooth.
Let it bubble for a few minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Heat your grill to high.
With a skewer, make holes all over the surface of the cooked pudding.
Pour half of the toffee sauce over the pudding and place under the hot grill for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
Cut the pudding into portions and serve with the remaining warm toffee sauce.
WINE PAIRING: TERRIFIC WITH TOFFEE
De Bortoli Show Liqueur Muscat (50cl, 18%) £14.99, sandhamswine.co.uk
Possibly the richest and most indulgent sweet wine of them all.
Glossy, unctuous and dark, it’s like a galaxy of sweet sticky dates blitzed into a single sip.
Serve this modern Australian icon of a wine chilled in small glasses for a pairing that succinctly echoes the flavours and textures in this sumptuous recipe.
FRUITS OF THE FOREST CHEESECAKE
Although this isn’t a baked cheesecake, it’s such a classic for me that I had to include it.
My mum used to make it when I was a kid and it was a massive favourite of mine.
Serves 10
For the base
- 200g digestive biscuits
- 150g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the tin
For the Berry filling
- 6.5g leaf gelatine (I use Costa brand, which is 4 sheets)
- 100g frozen forest fruits, defrosted
- 300g full-fat cream cheese
- 2tbsp caster sugar
- 175ml double cream
- 60ml just-boiled water
For the Vanilla filling
- 6.5g leaf gelatine (4 sheets of Costa brand)
- 300g full-fat cream cheese
- 2tbsp caster sugar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 175ml double cream
- 60ml just-boiled water
For the Topping
- 4g leaf gelatine (2½ sheets of Costa brand)
- 150ml red berry juice
- 150g mixed soft fruit (cherries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
Lightly grease a 23cm diameter springform cake tin with butter and line the base and sides with baking paper. For the base, put the biscuits into a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin to a crumb-like texture.
Transfer to a bowl, pour on the melted butter and stir until fully coated. Tip into the cake tin, spread evenly and press down firmly onto the base, using the back of a spoon. Chill until set firm.
To make the berry filling, put the gelatine into a heatproof bowl, cover with cold water and set aside to soften.
Meanwhile, using a blender or food processor, blitz the defrosted berries to a purée. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth. Add the puréed fruit and stir to combine. In another bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks and then fold into the fruit and cream cheese mix. Lift the gelatine from the bowl and squeeze out any excess water.
Pour off the water from the bowl then return the drained gelatine to it. Pour on the 60ml just-boiled water and stir until dissolved, then fold into the berry filling until well combined. Pour onto the biscuit base, smooth the surface to level and place in the fridge to set for an hour.
To make the vanilla filling, put the gelatine leaves into a heatproof bowl, cover with cold water and set aside to soften. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the cream cheese mix.
Lift the gelatine from the bowl and squeeze out any excess water. Pour off the water from the bowl and return the drained gelatine to it. Pour on the 60ml just-boiled water and stir until dissolved, then fold into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.
Pour the mixture onto the set berry filling and smooth the surface to level. Return to the fridge for another hour to set the vanilla layer. For the topping, put the gelatine into a heatproof bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soften. Heat the berry juice in a pan; do not let it boil.
Lift the gelatine from the bowl and squeeze out any excess water. Pour off the water from the bowl and return the gelatine to it.
Pour the hot berry juice over the gelatine and stir until it is fully dissolved.
Lindemans Kriek (25cl, 3.5%) £2.05, beermerchants.com
Leave to cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.
Arrange the berries on top of the set cheesecake, then pour the berry juice over.
Place in the fridge to set.
To serve, release the cheesecake from the tin and transfer to a serving plate.
ALCOHOL PAIRING: FRUITY BEAUTY
Lindemans Kriek (25cl, 3.5%) £2.05, beermerchants.com
Cherry beer may not be a familiar dessert pairing, but with this fruits of the forest cheesecake, it should be top of your list.
Refreshingly sweet with a tart twist, this Belgian Lambic beer is easy-drinking with intriguing complexity – just think of it like liquid cherry sherbet for grown-ups.
INDIVIDUAL LEMON SPONGES
We have used steaming as one of the challenges on Bake Off, as this age-old method really tests people’s ability to know when something is cooked.
It’s a gentle technique, resulting in a very light and delicate dessert with an intense lemony flavour.
Makes 6
- 6tbsp lemon curd (homemade or goodquality shop-bought)
- 150g butter, softened, plus extra to grease the moulds
- 150g golden caster sugar 3 medium eggs, beaten
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 150g self-raising flour Custard
To serve lightly grease six 150ml individual pudding moulds and line the bases with a disc of baking paper.
Put 1tbsp lemon curd into the base of each mould. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, using a hand-held electric whisk, until pale and creamy.
Gradually incorporate the beaten eggs, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and sift the flour over the mixture.
Using a spatula, fold to combine. Stir the lemon juice through. Divide the mixture evenly between the pudding moulds. Cover each mould with a layer of baking paper, then a layer of foil. Secure with string.
Stand on a rack in a steamer or place them in a large saucepan and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up their sides.
Taylor’s Chip Dry White Port and Tonic (25cl, 5.5%) £2.50, Ocado
Put the lid on and simmer gently for 40-50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean, topping up the water in the pan as necessary.
Carefully lift the pudding moulds from the pan and remove the covers. Run a knife around the edge of each one to release the pudding and turn out onto warmed plates. Serve with custard.
ALCOHOL PAIRING: LOVELY WITH LEMON
Taylor’s Chip Dry White Port and Tonic (25cl, 5.5%) £2.50, Ocado
White port and tonic is one of my favourite drinks from late summer into autumn. It works beautifully with lemon sponge thanks to the white port’s natural sweetness and the zingy tonic. Serve with lots of ice and a citrus slice.
PECAN PIE
Crossing America on a motorbike from New York to L A, I stopped in Georgia and had an amazing pecan pie. It’s such an American classic. Laden with brown sugar, golden syrup and treacle, it has a sweet, buttery richness and lots of texture from the pecans.
You only need to add enough water to bring the pastry together; add a little at a time as you may not need all of it.
Serves 12
For the Pastry
- 200g plain flour, plus extra to dust
- A pinch of fine salt 75g cold butter, diced
- 1 large egg yolk
- 50g full-fat cream cheese
- 2-3tbsp cold water
For the filling
- 150g pecan nuts
- 80g butter
- 120g soft dark brown sugar
- 150g golden syrup
- 60g black treacle
- 1½tbsp cornflour
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 1 extra egg yolk
- 175ml double cream to serve
- Cream or ice cream
To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add the butter and rub in lightly with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and cream cheese.
Stir into the mixture with a round-bladed knife, then add the water, 1tbsp at a time (see tip, right) until the dough begins to hold together. Gently knead into a smooth ball. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Heat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to 3mm thick and use to line a 23cm diameter loose-bottomed tart tin, leaving a little excess hanging over the edge of the tin.
Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with a layer of baking beans. Bake ‘blind’ for 12-15 minutes, until the pastry is dry to the touch. Remove the paper and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for 5 minutes, or until it is very lightly coloured.
Use a small, sharp knife to trim away the excess pastry from the edge. Lower the oven temperature to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. To make the filling, scatter the pecan nuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, keeping a close eye to make sure they don’t burn.
Tip onto a plate and leave to cool, then finely chop half the pecans. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Melt the butter, sugar, syrup and treacle together in a pan over a medium-low heat.
Tesco Finest 10 Year Old Tawny Port (20%) £12.50
Whisk in the cornflour and stir over the heat until smooth and thickened. Take off the heat and add the beaten egg, extra egg yolk and cream. Mix well, then stir in the chopped pecans.
Pour the filling into the cooked pastry case and arrange the whole pecans on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the filling is risen and just set. Leave in the tin to cool completely, then remove and serve with ice cream or cream.
ALCOHOL PAIRING: PECAN PERFECTION
Tesco Finest 10 Year Old Tawny Port (20%) £12.50
A cool glass of tawny port is one of life’s delights. The cooler temperature calms the booze and enhances the sultana sweetness of this award-winning Portuguese wine.
It has a similar level of sweetness to pecan pie and a distinctive dried fruit and nutty allure. If you’re having blue cheese after dinner, it’s another pairing to amaze your guests with
CARROT CAKE
My gently spiced carrot cake uses a mixture of wholemeal and plain flour for extra depth.
I’ve piped the cream cheese frosting, but you can simply spread it on if you prefer.
Grated carrots and oil keep this cake deliciously moist, and chopped walnuts add crunch and flavour.
Serves 8
- 150g plain flour
- 100g wholemeal plain flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- ½tsp fine salt
- 1½tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of ground cloves
- ½tsp ground nutmeg
- 200ml vegetable oil, plus extra to oil the tins
- 100g caster sugar
- 100g soft light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- 200g peeled carrots, coarsely grated
- 100g walnuts, chopped
- 25g coconut flakes
For the cream cheese frosting
- 75g butter, at room temperature
- 50g icing sugar
- 300g cream cheese, at room temperature
To finish
- Walnut halves
- Toasted coconut flakes
Heat your oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease two 20cm diameter sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.
In a bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, salt and ground spices together and make a well in the middle. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest and juice together until well combined.
Pour the whisked mixture into the flour mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the grated carrots, chopped walnuts and coconut flakes.
Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and smooth the surface to level. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cake is risen and springy to the touch. Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting.
In a bowl, using a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter until soft, then add the icing sugar and beat until creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat until just combined.
Cover and chill until ready to use.
When the cakes are cooked, leave them to cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Luscombe Hot Ginger Beer (270ml x 12) £21.30, luscombe.co.uk
To assemble, put the cream cheese frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle.
Pipe half the frosting over one of the cooled cakes and sandwich together with the other cake.
Pipe the remaining frosting decoratively over the top of the cake and finish with walnut halves and toasted coconut flakes.
ALCOHOL PAIRING: CRACKING WITH CARROT CAKE
Luscombe Hot Ginger Beer (270ml x 12) £21.30, luscombe.co.uk
This is real-deal ginger beer, with a perfectly judged kick.
Made with fresh Peruvian ginger, the quality is plain to taste with its jumping freshness and invigorating twist.
With carrot cake, it’s a booze-free delight, but if you wanted to pep it up with a discreet shot of rum, I promise I won’t tell a soul.
BAKED ALASKA
There’s no denying that baking something with ice cream in the middle is a test of your nerves.
But this luscious strawberry and vanilla version is a total showstopper and well worth the effort.
Serves 8
- For the Sponge base
- 125g butter, softened, plus extra to grease the tin
- 125g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 125g self-raising flour
For the ice cream filling
- 500g strawberry ice cream
- 300g vanilla ice cream
For the Meringue
- 3 medium egg whites
- ¼tsp cream of tartar
- 175g caster sugar
Heat your oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease the base of a 20cm diameter loose-bottomed cake tin and line with baking paper.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a hand-held electric whisk until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Using a spatula, carefully fold in the flour until evenly combined.
Transfer to the tin and gently smooth the surface.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sponge is risen and springs back when lightly pressed in the centre.
Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To make the filling, line a 1.2-litre bowl with clingfilm.
Beat the strawberry ice cream until soft, then spread evenly over the base and side of the bowl to line it.
Cover the ice cream with clingfilm and sit a smaller bowl in the centre to create a hollow. Freeze just long enough for the ice cream to set.
Take out the smaller bowl and clingfilm, fill the space with the vanilla ice cream, then return to the freezer. Heat your oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/ gas 7.
Moscato d’Asti Bersano DOCG (5.5%) £8.99, reduced to £7.49 until 27 September, waitrosecellar.com
To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks with a handheld electric mixer. Add the cream of tartar and a spoonful of the sugar and whisk again. Continue to whisk in the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until you have a thick, glossy meringue.
Place the sponge in the middle of a baking sheet. Remove the ice cream bombe from the bowl, pulling on the clingfilm to help release it. Turn the ice cream upside down and position on the sponge.
Remove the clingfilm. Spread the meringue all over the bombe so it completely covers the ice cream and the sponge base. Bake for 3-4 minutes, until the meringue is just beginning to brown. Slide onto a serving plate and serve immediately.
WINE PAIRING: FIZZ SET FOR ICE CREAM
Moscato d’Asti Bersano DOCG (5.5%) £8.99, reduced to £7.49 until 27 September, waitrosecellar.com
Baked Alaska is a joyful dessert that calls for a playful pairing, and sparkling, sweet Asti is as exuberant as it gets.
This Italian wine has been overlooked as a bit of a novelty for too long as it has a serious provenance. Serve cold in flutes to unleash the full sense of occasion!
Extracted from Bake: My Best Ever Recipes For The Classics by Paul Hollywood (Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, £26). To order a copy for £18.20, go to mailshop.co.uk/bake or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £20. Promotional price valid until 25 September 2022. Photography: Haarala Hamilton.
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