Berry Charlotte Cake
TIER 2
Berry Charlotte Cake
In Tier 2 we take the precision of the ladyfingers to another level, using them to decorate the outside of this berry charlotte cake. When piping them, we want to get them as neat and as even as possible so making the Tier 1 tiramisu is a great place to build your confidence. The charlotte cake has a light berry mousse, with two layers of the lady fingers covered in raspberry jam, and it’s finished with a smooth mascarpone cream. This is frozen overnight and takes a little while to defrost, so keep those timings in mind!

8-10
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Savoiardi Biscuits
115g Egg Yolks
25g Whole Eggs
40g Caster/White Sugar (A)
100g Plain/All-Purpose Flour (A)
260g Egg Whites
100g Caster/White Sugar (B)
1.5g Fine Salt
35g Plain/All-Purpose Flour (B)
Caster/White Sugar To Coat
Berry Bavarois Mousse
6g Gelatin Powder (220-250 Bloom) + 36g Cold Water (or 2 Sheets of Gelatin, soaked)
75g Egg Yolks
30g Caster/White Sugar
50g Whole Milk
300g Double/Heavy Cream (A)
250g Fruit Puree (Raspberry or Strawberry)
400g Double/Heavy Cream (B)
Mascarpone Cream
3g Powdered Gelatin + 18g Cold Water (or 1 Gelatin Sheet, Soaked)
250g Double/Heavy Cream (A)
100g Mascarpone
15g Icing/Powdered Sugar
50g Double/Heavy Cream (B), Cold
To Assemble
Crushed Pistachios
Raspberry/Strawberry Jam
Fresh Strawberries/Raspberries, Sliced
Special equipment
10mm round tip nozzle
Piping bag
Stand mixer
Digital thermometer
Hand blender
7β ring mold
1M star tip nozzle
Savoiardi Biscuits
1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C/320F non-fan assisted.
2. Take 2 large sheets of baking paper and draw two sets of train track lines on the baking paper, each 90mm/3.5β tall. Flip these upside down (so the ink doesnβt touch the pastry) and place them on a baking sheet.
3. Take another baking sheet and draw two 7β circles on baking paper. Flip this upside down.
4. Take a small round tip nozzle (10mm) and put it into a piping bag. The piping nozzle needs to be smaller than you think, as the batter will spread slightly as it is piped.
5. Into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar (A). Whisk this to combine, then add the flour (B) and whisk to form a thick paste. Set this to one side.
6. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites (room temperature) along with the salt.
7. With the whisk attachment, whisk on a medium-low speed until it becomes frothy, with small bubbles on top (this will take a few minutes).
8. Slowly add in the sugar (B), about a tablespoon at a time. Once you have added all the sugar, whisk until you have a stiff peak.
9. Take about β of the meringue mixture and whisk it through the egg yolk mixture. This will be quite stiff, so it needs to be whisked firmly to smooth it out.
10. Add the remaining meringue in 2-3 parts, gently folding it through to ensure you donβt beat out too much air.
11. Once smooth, sift over the remaining flour (B) and fold through until there are no more lumps.
12. Add the mixture into your piping bag and let it rest for a few minutes; this will just make it slightly easier to pipe.
13. Using the guides on your baking tray, pipe two large 7β circles and then individual lines for the lady fingers. You will need 25-30 lady fingers, depending on the size of the ring mold you are using for the mousse. The more you can make, the better! But remember, they need to be baked immediately or the meringue will begin to collapse.
14. Once piped, sprinkle a thin coating of caster/white sugar over the top.
15. Place them directly into the oven and bake until a deep golden brown colour.
Note – as we are baking multiple trays of ladyfingers and sponge discs for the charlotte cake, the placement in the oven affects browning. The top tray will turn golden first because itβs directly exposed to the heat from the top of the oven, while the lower trays are shielded, preventing them from browning properly. We don’t care about the 7β disc brownings, but we need both sets of lady fingers to be golden, so rotate the trays halfway through baking, bringing the lower trays to the top and vice versa. Just do it very very quickly, so we donβt deflate the lady fingers.
16. Bake everything for around 30 minutes, being sure not to underbake the lady fingers especially. They need to be firm to the touch. What I like to do is pop the 7β circles back in the oven just to get them slightly more golden.
17. Remove them from the oven and then allow them to cool at room temperature. Leave the 7β discs out at room temperature but freeze the remaining lady fingers in a sealed tupperware as we wonβt need these until the next day.
18. If you want to make these ahead of time, you can place them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 months.
Berry Bavarois Mousse
1. Add the powdered gelatin into a small bowl and pour the cold water over the top. Let it bloom for 5-10 minutes. If using a gelatin sheet, soak this in ice-cold water.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks and sugar and whisk briefly to combine.
3. Meanwhile, add the cream and milk to a medium saucepan and heat just until it is steaming.
4. Slowly pour the hot cream over the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine.
5. Pour it back into the pan and whisk constantly, cooking until it reaches 82C/180F on a digital thermometer, then immediately remove it from the heat. You need to do this quickly or it will begin to scramble.
6. Pour it straight through a sieve into a tall measuring jug.
7. Scoop in the bloomed gelatin powder (or squeeze the water out of the gelatin sheet), and then use a hand blender to blend until smooth.
8. Pour in the fruit puree and blend to combine.
9. Pour this mixture into a tray and cover the surface with cling film. We need this to cool to around 30C/86F on a digital thermometer, so refrigerating it can be the quickest way to chill it.
10. Once at temperature, add the remaining cream to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on a medium speed until you have a medium stiff peak.
11. Pour the chilled fruit mixture into a bowl, and then whisk in the whipped cream in 3 parts until you have a smooth mousse.
Assembly Part 1
1. Take the cooled 7β savaordi biscuit discs and, using your 7β ring mold, trim them down to size.
2. Line the inside of the 7β cake ring mold with acetate and place this onto a tray lined with a baking mat.
3. Take a few tablespoons of jam and spread this evenly across each disc, then place one into the base of the ring mold.
4. Take the berry bavarois mousse and fill the ring mold up halfway.
5. Add the second savoiardi disc.
6. Pour the remaining mousse in, filling it to the top of the rind mold. It should settle evenly, but if it needs it, flatten it with a palette knife.
7. Place this into the freezer, ideally overnight, but a minimum of 6 hours.
Mascarpone Cream
1. Add the powdered gelatin into a small bowl and pour the cold water over the top. Let it bloom for 5-10 minutes. If using a gelatin sheet, soak this in ice cold water.
2. Into a medium saucepan, add the cream and heat until it is steaming.
3. Remove it from the heat, and add the bloomed gelatin into a tall measuring jug and pour over the hot cream.
4. Blend to combine, then add the sugar and mascarpone and blend again.
5. Finally, add the remaining cold cream and blend one more time.
6. Cover the surface with clingfilm and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
Note – there is no vanilla in this, but you can absolutely add it, if you want that flavour! Add it to the cream when you are heating it.
Assembly Part 2
1. Remove the frozen berry bavarois from the freezer, and lift it onto your serving dish. Peel off the acetate.
2. Leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes – 1 hour to soften, this will make it easier to stick the lady fingers on. Alternatively, you can use a heat gun/blow torch to warm the sides and press the lady fingers on.
3. Once the edges have softened slightly, remove the lady fingers from the freezer, and then trim them down slightly so they are all of identical height. You can also use a microplane to lightly shave the edges to get them nice and straight.
4. Press them into the side of the cake – just note that the longer you leave them on the cake, the softer they will become. So if you want them to be a bit more crunchy, then it is best to place them on the cake just as you are serving. But note the cake needs quite some time to defrost!
5. Remove the mascarpone cream from the fridge and add it to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
6. Whisk on a medium speed until it holds a medium peak, being careful not to over whip it.
7. Add the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1M star tip nozzle.
8. Pipe a spiral border around the edge of the cake.
9. Finish the cake by decorating it with some crushed pistachios and freshly sliced fruit.
10. The cake needs around 3-4 hours in total once removed from the freezer to defrost so just take those timings into consideration before serving.
Chocolate Orange Tiramisu
TIER 1
Chocolate Orange Tiramisu
I couldn’t make ladyfingers and not use them in a tiramisu! In Tier 1 we keep the technique of a tiramisu very classic – no cream! But I’ve mixed things up with a chocolate orange flavour. You soak your homemade ladyfingers biscuits in espresso, and layer them between orange mascarpone cream and chocolate shavings. This is a great dessert you can make ahead of time.

8-10
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Savoiardi Biscuits
115g Egg Yolks
25g Whole Eggs
40g Caster/White Sugar (A)
100g Plain/All-Purpose Flour (A)
260g Egg Whites
100g Caster/White Sugar (B)
1.5g Fine Salt
35g Plain/All-Purpose Flour (B)
Icing Sugar To Finish
Orange Mascarpone Cream
600g Mascarpone
65g Egg Yolks
50g Caster/White Sugar (A)
Zest 2 Oranges
145g Egg Whites
50g Caster/White Sugar (B)
Coffee Soaking Syrup
150g Freshly Brewed Coffee
15g Kahlua
Dark Chocolate, Grated
Special equipment
10mm round tip nozzle
Piping bag
Stand mixer
Savoiardi Biscuits
1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C/320F non-fan assisted.
2. Take 2 large sheets of baking paper and draw two sets of train track lines on the baking sheets, 90mm/3.5β tall. Flip these upside down (so the ink doesnβt touch the pastry) and place them on a baking sheet.
3. Take a small round tip nozzle (10mm) and add it into a piping bag. The piping nozzle needs to be smaller than you think, as the batter will spread slightly as it is piped.
4. Into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar (A). Whisk this to combine, then add the flour (B) and whisk to form a thick paste. Set this to one side.
5. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites (room temperature) along with the salt.
6. With the whisk attachment, whisk on a medium-low speed until it becomes frothy, with small bubbles on top (this will take a few minutes).
7. Slowly add in the sugar (B), about a tablespoon at a time. Once you have added all the sugar, whisk until you have a stiff peak.
8. Take about β of the meringue mixture and whisk it through the egg yolk mixture. This will be quite stiff, so it needs to be whisked firmly to smooth it out.
9. Add the remaining meringue in 2-3 parts, gently folding it through to ensure you donβt beat out too much air.
10. Once smooth, sift over the remaining flour (B) and fold through until there are no more lumps.
11. Add the mixture into your piping bag and let it rest for a few minutes; this will just make it slightly easier to pipe.
12. Using the guides on your baking tray, pipe individual lines, ensuring theyβre not too close together, as they will spread slightly.
13. Once piped, add a good dusting of icing sugar over the top, wait 1-2 minutes, and then repeat.
14. Place them directly into the oven and bake until a deep golden brown colour – be sure not to underbake them. It should take around 30 minutes, but it can depend on how big youβve piped them and your oven.
15. Remove them from the oven and then allow them to cool at room temperature. If you want to make these ahead of time, you can place them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 months.
Orange Mascarpone Cream
1. Into a medium bowl, add the sugar (A) and zest of 1 orange, then massage this zest into the sugar.
2. Add the egg yolks and whisk by hand for a minute until thickened slightly.
3. Add the mascarpone and remaining orange zest, and whisk again until completely smooth. Set this to one side.
4. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and whisk on a medium-low speed until frothy.
5. Slowly add the sugar about a tablespoon at a time. Once youβve added all the sugar keep whisking until it reaches a stiff peak.
6. Take the meringue, and fold it through the egg yolk mixture in three parts until smooth and evenly combined.
Coffee Soaking Syrup
1. Combine the two ingredients in a shallow dish.
Assembly
1. Take the cooled lady fingers and check to see how they fit into your chosen dish. If you need to cut them down to size, use a knife or a microplane to shave them down so that they fit snugly in the dish.
2. Take the lady fingers and soak them one by one, then, lay them into the base of your tiramisu dish.
3. Once the bottom of the dish is covered, take a few large spoonfuls of the mascarpone cream mixture and spread this evenly across the lady fingers with an offset spatula.
4. Using a microplane, grate a fine layer of dark chocolate over the cream (or cocoa powder)
5. Repeat this two more times, finishing with a layer of the mascarpone cream. Use an offset spatula to completely smooth the top so that it is flush with the rim of the dish.
6. Place the tiramisu into the fridge to chill – ideally 4-6 hours, but overnight is absolutely fine too.
7. When ready to serve, remove it from the fridge and grate over one final layer of dark chocolate (or cocoa powder) and serve.
Raspberry Sachertorte
TIER 2
Raspberry Sacher Torte
This is a new and improved version of my original Sachertorte. It has 2 layers of chocolate financier (which is delicious baked on its own too!), with a layer of raspberry compote in the centre. We then sandwich that in a chocolate mousse which uses a pΓ’te Γ bombe base. The whole thing is frozen and finished with a shiny chocolate ganache glaze. I’d recommend a good quality hand blender for this glaze, to avoid adding too many air bubbles.

7"
CAKE
Ingredients
Chocolate Financier
210g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids)
75g Unsalted Butter
75g Icing Sugar
60g Ground Almonds
60g Plain Flour
6g Baking Powder
1g Fine Sea Salt
150g Egg Whites (Room Temperature)
195g Double/Heavy Cream
Raspberry Compote
180g Raspberry Puree
40g Caster/White Sugar
3g Pectin Nh
15g Lemon Juice
Chocolate Mousse
90g Egg Yolks
45g Whole Eggs
70g Caster/White Sugar
200g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids)
(a) 150g Cream (35-48% Fat)
(b) 275g Cream (35-48% Fat)
Chocolate Glaze
200g Dark Chocolate (55% Cocoa Solids), Chopped
240g Cream (35-40% Fat) – Ideally we want a cream that is lower in fat here as it will make the glaze more fluid. I used 39% fat.
40g Soft, Unsalted Butter
20g Raspberry Liqueur (Optional)
Special equipment
9×13β baking tray
6.3βx1.7β (16×4.5cm) ring mold
Stand mixer
Digital thermometer
Hand blender
7″ ring mold
Chocolate Financier
1. Take a 9×13β baking tray, and lightly grease the bottom, lining it with a sheet of parchment paper. Pre-heat the oven to 175C/345F Non-fan assisted.
2. Into a small bowl, add the chocolate and butter and place this over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until it has completely melted and then set it to one side to cool slightly.
3. Into a medium bowl, add the icing sugar, ground almonds, salt, flour, and baking powder. Whisk these together until they are combined.
4. Pour in the egg whites and whisk again until smooth.
5. Pour in the cream and whisk until smooth.
6. Finally, slowly pour in the chocolate mixture while whisking, until you have a thick chocolate batter.
7. Pour the batter into the lined tray and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
8. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven and then remove and allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, before refrigerating for 2-3 hours – chilling it will make it easier to cut without falling apart!
Raspberry Compote
1. If you donβt have raspberry puree, you can simply blend 180g of fresh raspberries and use that.
2. Pour the raspberry puree into a medium saucepan and place it on a medium low heat.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the sugar and pectin.
4. Once the puree is steaming, whisk in the pectin sugar mixture and keep cooking until it reaches a boil.
5. Remove it from the heat, and whisk in the lemon juice.
6. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cover the surface directly with clingfilm. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Assembly Part 1
1. Once the financier has chilled, use a 6.3βx1.7β (16×4.5cm) ring mold to cut two discs. If you donβt have enough space to cut two full discs, you can cut a second disc, and then cut some scraps and press the cake together slightly. Donβt worry too much if you donβt have a ring mold this exact size, you just want something smaller than the βmainβ 7β ring mold that we are using later. This is the insert layer that gets sandwiched in between the chocolate mousse.
Note – we will need the spare financier scraps later to decorate the cake so set them to one side. When you have a moment, very briefly blend them to a crumb, then get them onto a tray and into the freezer to use later.
2. Lift one of the discs into the bottom of the 6.3β ring mold, which is on a tray lined with a silicon baking mat.
3, Remove the raspberry puree from the fridge and stir it to loosen it.
4. Pour this into the ring mold and spread it to the edges so that you have an even layer.
5. Place the second chocolate sponge on top and gently sandwich it together.
6. Place the ring into the freezer for 2-3 hours or until frozen.
Chocolate Mousse
1. The key to this mousse is ensuring that the temperatures are correct otherwise, it could split or go grainy.
2. Into a medium bowl, add the chocolate and place this over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir this until melted, then turn off the heat, but keep it on the water so it stays warm & fluid.
3. Then, add the whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.
4. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and whisk by hand until it reaches around 60C/140F on a digital thermometer.
5. Immediately remove the bowl from the heat, place it onto a stand mixer and whisk on a medium speed.
6. Meanwhile, add the cream (a) into a small saucepan and place it over a medium heat, stirring until it is steaming.
7. Remove the cream from the heat and pour it over your melted chocolate, then use a hand blender to emulsify them together.
8. At this point we need to check the temperatures of both ingredients. The chocolate/cream needs to be between 40-50C (104-122F) and the egg yolk mixture needs to be between 20-25C (68-77F) when we combine them. This will ensure they combine properly.
9. If you find one is colder than the other, just gently stir it over a pan of very gently simmering water.
10. Once both components are at temperature, gently fold the egg yolk mixture (which will have thickened) into the chocolate in three parts until smooth. Set this bowl to one side.
11. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the remaining cream (b). Whisk this until it forms medium soft peaks, do not overwhip it.
12. Take the soft cream and fold it into the chocolate base in three parts until you have a smooth mousse.
13. Take a 7β ring mold and tightly wrap the bottom with clingfilm (you can line it with acetate if you want – this will just make it slightly easier to demold). Place it onto a tray lined with a baking mat.
14. Scoop a small portion of the chocolate mousse into the ring mold, then remove the raspberry/chocolate insert from the freezer. Pop it out of the ring mold and press it into the chocolate mousse.
15. Top up the rest of the ring mold with the chocolate mousse, using a palette knife to completely smooth the top. You may have a little extra chocolate mousse – get this into some ramekins and chill it to have a nice dessert later!
16. Place the entire dessert into the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours, until frozen solid.
Chocolate Glaze
1. Once the glaze is ready we are going to pour it immediately over the cake so be prepared with the frozen cake nearby and a rack ready to pour it on. It can help to demold the mousse from the ring mold, then place it back in the freezer so when you are ready to glaze you don’t need to faff around getting it out of the mold.
2. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate.
3. Add the cream into a small saucepan, and gently stir it until it is steaming.
4. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the chopped chocolate.
5. Let it sit for a minute, then use a hand blender to blend it until smooth. Really try to avoid adding any air bubbles here.
6. Add in the soft butter and raspberry liqueur (optional) and blend again until smooth.
7. Remove the frozen mousse from the freezer and place it onto a glass, with a tray and wire rack underneath.
8. Pour the glaze evenly over the entire cake.
9. The glaze will set quickly, so once it has stopped dripping, use a knife to just trim away the drips.
10. Remove the blended-up crumbs from the freezer and press these into the bottom of the cake.
11. Then carefully lift it onto your serving plate. You might damage it slightly lifting it up/moving it, so just patch up any bits with more blended crumb!
12. Let it defrost for 2 hours at room temperature, then serve,
Boston Cream Pie
TIER 1
Boston Cream Pie
A childhood favourite of mine, a Boston cream pie often comes as a donut, but it’s also fantastic in cake form. It starts with two layers of vanilla sponge, which are filled with a thick layer of smooth vanilla crΓ¨me pΓ’tissiΓ¨re. The cake is then finished with a thin chocolate glaze.The beauty in the cake lies in how it is layered in the tin, and using acetate really helps to get a smooth, clean finish.

7"
CAKE
Ingredients
Vanilla Sponge
245g Caster Sugar
245g All Purpose/Plain or Cake Flour
15g Baking Powder
2g Fine Sea Salt
245g Whole Eggs
100g Vegetable Oil
85g Whole Milk
145g Unsalted Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Crème PÒtissiére
500g Whole Milk
1 Fresh Vanilla Pod
75g Caster/White Sugar
120g Egg Yolks
40g Cornstarch
1g Fine Sea Salt
45g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
Chocolate Glaze
100g Chocolate (55% Cocoa Solids)
50g Unsalted Butter
80g Double/Heavy Cream, Slightly Warm
Special equipment
2 x 7″ springform/removable base cake tins
Acetate
Hand blender (optional)
Stand mixer (optional)
Vanilla Sponge
1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C/355F non-fan assisted.
2. Lightly grease the bottom of two 7β cake tins, and place a circle of parchment on the base. Lightly grease the sides and coat them with flour, tipping out any excess.
3. Place the butter & vanilla into a saucepan and melt it over a low heat. Once it has just melted, set it to one side to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, sieve together the dry ingredients – sugar, flour, salt & baking powder. Whisk until they are evenly combined.
5. In a separate jug, whisk together the eggs, oil & milk.
6. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl, whisking to combine until you have a smooth batter with no more streaks of flour.
7. Finally, pour in the melted butter and mix the batter slowly until everything is evenly combined and you have a smooth batter.
8. Pour 500g of batter into each cake tin.
9. Place the cakes in the oven and bake for around 30-35 minutes, at which time the cake should be golden and a skewer should come out clean.
10. Once baked, remove them from the oven and run a knife around the outer edge of the cake tin to ensure it releases. Then carefully flip it onto a wire rack.
11. Let the sponges cool for a few minutes, then flip them onto a sheet of cling film and wrap them, before refrigerating. 3-4 hours will be enough but overnight works great too!
Crème PÒtissiére
1. In a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, add the milk and the scraped vanilla pod just until it is steaming.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and thickened.
3. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture over the sugar and eggs mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until it begins to bubble, then cook for 1 minute.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve placed over a large bowl.
6. Blend (or whisk) in the butter until the mixture is smooth. Cover the surface with cling film and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Assembly
1. Once the cakes have chilled, use a serrated knife (or cake leveller) just to trim the top of the cakes off – donβt cut off too much!
2. Take a 7β cake tin with a removable bottom/springform tin/cake ring and line the inside with acetate. Place this onto a tray.
3. Take one of the sponges, and lift it into the tin/ring mold. Ensure the acetate is tight around the cake – if you need to, adjust the acetate and re-tape it so that there are no gaps between the acetate and the cake.
4. Remove the crΓ©me pΓ’tissiΓ©re from the fridge and add it into a stand mixer (or whisk by hand) and whisk for around 2 minutes until the mixture becomes much smoother in texture. It might initially look slightly lumpy/gelatinous but as you whisk it will smooth itself out.
5. Scoop the crΓ©me pΓ’tissiΓ©re on top of the sponge and use a spoon to spread it to the edges, creating an even layer.
6. Next, take the second layer of cake and flip it upside down so that the side you cut is now facing down. Lift this on top of the crΓ©me pΓ’tissiΓ©re and carefully press it in with your hands.
7. To make the chocolate ganache, add the chocolate and butter to a bowl and place this over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir it until it has completely melted.
8. Take some slightly warm cream and pour this in, and then stir with a spatula until smooth.
9. Working quickly, immediately pour the ganache on top of the sponge, and then tilt the tin/ring mold so that it spreads evenly to the edges.
10. Place the entire cake in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set (or overnight) then remove it from the fridge.
11. Lift it out of the tin/ring mold and peel off the acetate. If any of the crΓ©me pΓ’tissiΓ©re has stuck, simply smooth the edge of the cake with an offset spatula so that it is neat.
12. It is best served, left at room temperature for 30m-1 hours so that the chocolate can soften slightly.
13. To give it a nice finish as you serve it, gently blow torch the chocolate to give it a quick shine!
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
TIER 1
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Unlike a traditional dense cheesecake, this one has a light, mousse-like texture (Triple Chocolateβ¦ Choussecake?!). The process is simple as we start by making a ganache with cream cheese, then fold in whipped cream to create that incredible texture. Each layer is easy to replicate since the measurements are nearly identical, with just a few small tweaks. The only tricky part is waiting for each layer to set! But once itβs ready to serve, youβre left with a beautiful ombrΓ© effect.

1
8" CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Base
120g Oreos
20g-40g Unsalted Butter
Milk Mixture
275g Whole Milk
30g Honey
White Chocolate Layer
75g Milk Mixture (Above)
60g White Chocolate, Chopped
75g Double/Heavy cream
90g Cream Cheese, Full Fat
60g Double/Heavy cream
Milk Chocolate Layer
75g Milk Mixture (Above)
60g Milk Chocolate, Chopped
6g Cocoa Powder
75g Double/Heavy cream
90g Cream Cheese, Full Fat
60g Double/Heavy cream
Dark Chocolate Layer
75g Milk Mixture (Above)
65g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Chopped
75g Double/Heavy cream
90g Cream Cheese, Full Fat
60g Double/Heavy cream
Special equipment
Food processor
8×2.75β ring mold
Acetate (optional)
Hand blender
Stand mixer
Chocolate Cookie Base
1. Add the Oreos into a food processor and blend to a fine crumb. If you want, you can remove the white filling and just use 120g of Oreo biscuits.
2. Pour these into a medium bowl and set it to one side.
3. Add the butter into a small saucepan and place it on a low heat until melted.
4. Slowly pour about half of the butter mixture into the Oreos and stir to combine. Keep adding butter until the mixture resembles slightly wet sand. Oreos donβt require as much butter to pull together unlike a traditional biscuit base so add it slowly to avoid a very wet biscuit mixture.
5. Take an 8×2.75β ring mold and place a piece of acetate along the inside. Acetate isnβt completely necessary as we are freezing the mousse. If you donβt have acetate you can simply heat the outside of the ring mold with a hair dryer/heat gun when you need to demold it. Acetate just makes this process much easier and you end up with a slightly cleaner finish. Place the ring onto a baking tray.
6. Pour the Oreo mixture into the base of the ring and use the back of a measuring cup or something flat, to smooth the base out so that it is even. Place the tray into the freezer.
Milk Mixture
1. Add the milk and honey into a small saucepan, and place it over a medium-low heat until it is steaming – stirring occasionally. We are going to split this mixture between all three cheesecake bases.
The process for making the layers is identical, so it is easiest to set up three measuring jugs at once, each with the chopped chocolate in, then pour in the weighed milk mixture.
White Chocolate Layer
1. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate, and pour over 75g of the hot milk mixture. The mixture needs to be hot so that the chocolate melts. Let it sit for 2 minutes before blending until smooth.
2. Add in the cream cheese, and the 75g of double/heavy cream. Blend again until smooth and there are no lumps of cream cheese. Cover the surface with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 hours (or longer if needed).
Milk Chocolate Layer
1. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate, and cocoa powder, and pour over 75g of the hot milk mixture. The mixture needs to be hot so that the chocolate melts. Let it sit for 2 minutes before blending until smooth.
2. Add in the cream cheese, and the 75g of double/heavy cream. Blend again until smooth and there are no lumps of cream cheese. Cover the surface with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 hours (or longer if needed).
Dark Chocolate Layer
1. Into a tall jug, add the chopped chocolate, and pour over 75g of the hot milk mixture. The mixture needs to be hot so that the chocolate melts. Let it sit for 2 minutes before blending until smooth.
2. Add in the cream cheese, and the 75g of double/heavy cream. Blend again until smooth and there are no lumps of cream cheese. Cover the surface with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 hours (or longer if needed).
Assembly
The assembly process is slightly tedious, as you have to wait for each layer to set before you can add the next one!
1. Remove the white chocolate layer from the fridge and place it into a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium speed, until the mixture thickens and holds a medium peak. Set this to one side.
2. Into a bowl, add the remaining 60g of double/heavy cream and whisk until it holds a medium peak. Note – 60g can actually be quite tough to whisk if you are using an electric stand mixer so it is worth mixing 100g so that the whisk attachment can actually catch it, then just weigh the required 60g of cream.
3. Take the 60g of whipped cream, and fold this through the white chocolate layer, until smooth and combined. The final texture of the mixture should be thick, but still soft and slightly runny. We want a texture where we can pour the mousse into the tin and it will almost settle itself without too much assistance!
4. Remove the chilled chocolate base from the freezer and pour the white chocolate layer in. It should spread to the edges and settle, but if not just use a palette knife or a spoon to gently spread it, so that it is even. You can even give the tray a bit of a tap on the work surface to help it settle. Place the tray into the freezer for 30-60 minutes, or until the white chocolate layer feels firm enough to the touch to support another layer of mousse.
5. Repeat this exact same process with the milk chocolate and dark chocolate layers, freezing the mousse in between the milk and dark chocolate each layer. Note that because these layers have more cocoa solids, they will become thicker more quickly as you whisk them, so be careful not to over-whisk them and let them become too thick.
6. Once you have added the dark chocolate layer, place the entire cheesecake into the freezer. If you need to serve this quickly, 2-3 hours in the freezer will be absolutely fine, but you can also freeze it overnight too.
7. When you are ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the freezer, and lift it onto your serving dish. Carefully pull off the ring mold and then peel away the acetate, to reveal a smooth cheesecake. The cheesecake now needs 2 hours to defrost before you can eat it (maybe slightly less if you only freeze it for 2-3 hours). Or, you can defrost it for 2 hours then get it straight into the fridge.
8. Just a note that the longer you leave it at room temperature, you will begin to see the base βweepβ. This is just because the sugar draws moisture from the cheesecake mixture. Nothing has gone wrong, itβs just a natural scientific occurrence of the ingredients of the hygroscopic properties of sugar!
Espresso Burnt Basque Cheesecake
TIER 2
Espresso Burnt Basque Cheesecake
We donβt use coffee often in Bake It Better, but itβs a flavour I absolutely love! A classic burnt Basque cheesecake is usually made without a biscuit base, but here, weβre taking it up a notch with our own homemade chocolate biscuit base. Iβve also included some great techniques to give the cheesecake a more refined finishβless rustic than most recipes! If coffee isnβt your thing, feel free to skip the espresso and coffee beans and swap in fresh vanilla instead!

1
9" CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Base
70g Unsalted Butter, Cubed & Cold
55g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
12g Cocoa Powder
45g Ground Almonds
35g Caster/White Sugar
1g Baking Powder
Pinch of Sea Salt Flakes
Coffee Cheesecake
450g Double/Heavy Cream + extra
45g Coffee Beans, Whole
880g Cream Cheese
265g Caster Sugar
38g Plain Flour
290g Whole Eggs, Whisked Together
25g Freshly Brewed Espresso
Special equipment
9β springform/loose bottom cake tin
Stand mixer
Hand blender
Food processor
Chocolate Cookie Base
1. Take a 9β springform/loose bottom cake tin, and lightly grease the base and sides. Place a circle of parchment along the bottom and a strip around the side.
2. Into the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can do this with your hands), add all of the ingredients.
3. With the paddle attachment, mix on a low speed until it resembles a crumble-like texture and the butter has broken down. If doing this by hand, just rub the mixture between your fingers.
4. Remove the mixture from the bowl and tip it into the base of the cake tin. Use your hands to press it flat into the tin – it will be quite dry/dusty initially, but pressing it down will help form it into a dough. Then use the back of a flat glass to press it firmly down.
5. Place the tin into the freezer, while you pre-heat the oven to 175C/345F Non-fan assisted.
6. Put the tin into the oven and bake the base for 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
7. Once it has cooled, lay a few large sheets of foil underneath the pan – we will need these later!
Coffee Cheesecake
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the cream and whole coffee beans. Place the lid on the pan and place it on a medium heat. Once it comes to a simmer, turn the heat off and allow it to steep for 30 minutes.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 210C/410F fan-assisted.
3. Remove the lid and pour the mixture into a tall jug, then use a hand blender to blend for about 30 seconds.
4. Pour the mixture through a sieve and into a bowl on a scale. You will have lost some weight due to evaporation, so you need to top up the mixture with more fresh double/heavy cream, until it weighs 365g.
5. Into a food processor or blender, add the cream cheese, flour, and sugar. Blend on a low speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Weβre trying to avoid adding in too much air so it is important to do this on a low speed. Scrape down the mixture a few times to ensure it incorporates properly.
6. Pour in the eggs and blend until combined on a low speed. Scrape down the food processor when/if needed.
7. Finally, pour in the coffee cream and freshly brewed coffee and blend on low until combined. Scrape down the food processor and blend again.
8. Give the bowl a very firm tap on the work surface to get rid of any excess bubbles, then pour the mixture, through a sieve, straight over the biscuit base.
9. Take two tea towels, and soak them in water. Fold them into a neat rectangle shape and then wrap them around the outside of the tin. Then, take the foil that you laid down, and wrap this up and around the tea towels (to stop them from burning!)
10. Place the tray into the centre of the oven and bake for around 35-40 minutes. The cheesecake should be dark on top, with a very significant wobble when you gently shake the tray. About ΒΎ of the cheesecake should wobble. If you think the cheesecake is done, but maybe you want it a little darker on top, you can put it under a hot grill just for a minute or two to add some colour. For me, I found 36 minutes was perfect.
11. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, before refrigerating overnight. Itβs important to let it chill overnight to really set the cheesecake.
12. The next day, remove it from the tin, and then use a hot knife to cut slices.
GΓ’teaux Basque
TIER 2
GΓ’teaux Basque
Using the same idea of working with a high fat, high butter dough, in Tier 2 we work with a pastry that is very similar to a SablΓ© Breton. The dough is rolled, almost like a deep dish cookie pie, and filled with cherry jam and pastry cream. Itβs traditionally finished by decorating it with the stripes of a fork and baked until golden. Most recipes say to cool it completely, but I really prefer it slightly warm as I think it has a much better texture!

1TART (SERVES 8-10)
Ingredients
For the Pastry
125g Egg Yolks
250g Caster/White Sugar
1g Salt
375g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
2.5g Baking Powder
20g Ground Almonds/Almond Flour
2g Lemon Zest
250g Unsalted Butter, Very Soft & Cubed
Egg Wash
1 Egg Yolk
For the Pastry Cream
500g Whole Milk
1 Fresh Vanilla Pod
70g Caster/White Sugar
120g Egg Yolks
40g Cornstarch/Cornflour
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
45g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
Black Cherry Jam To Fill (or your favourite jam)
Special equipment
20 x 3.2 cm Tart Ring
Stand Mixer
Silicon Baking Mat
Rolling Pin
Pastry
1. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set this to one side.
2. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Whisk on a medium speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is thick and light in colour.
3. Add in the sifted dry ingredients, along with the soft butter (in small cubes). Mix with a paddle attachment just until it pulls together into a smooth dough. This wonβt take long.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it briefly until smooth, then shape it into 2 equal discs and wrap it in clingfilm. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Vanilla Pastry Cream
1. In a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, add the milk and the scraped vanilla pod just until it is steaming.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and thickened.
3. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture over the sugar and eggs mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until it begins to bubble, then cook for 1 minute.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve placed over a large bowl.
6. Whisk in the butter until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture onto a baking tray, spread it out and cover the surface directly with clingfilm. Spreading it thin will help it to chill faster.
Assembly
1. Line a baking tray with a silicon mat, and lightly butter the inside of your tart ring. Place this into the centre.
2. Once the pastry discs have chilled, remove one from the fridge. Briefly massage the dough in your hand to soften it slightly. Place it onto a lightly floured work surface.
3. Roll the dough out into a rough circle, until it is around 5mm/0.19β thick. Cut a disc around 23cm/9β and quickly but carefully lift the disc into your tart ring.
4. Lightly flour your fingers and gently press the dough into all edges of the tart ring. There should be a slight overhang of dough over the edge of the tart ring. Use a sharp knife to trim off the excess so that the dough is now flush with the edge of the ring. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
5. Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the fridge and spread 3-4 tbsp of your desired jam over the bottom of the pastry so that you have a thin, even layer.
6. Remove the pastry cream from the fridge and add it into a bowl. Whisk it by hand until it is smooth and homogenous
7. Pour the pastry cream directly into the tart shell and use the back of a spoon to spread this out evenly across the tart. Place this back in the fridge briefly.
8. Remove the second disc of pastry from the fridge and again use your hands to lightly massage it so that it softens slightly.
9. Place this onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a rough disc, until it is around 5mm/0.19β thick.
10. Remove the tart ring from the fridge and lift the circle of dough directly on top. Then use a rolling pin to roll over the top of the pastry, pressing it against the edges of the tin, to very neatly trim off the excess pastry. Refrigerate it for 1-2 hours.
11. Just before it is chilled. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F fan assisted, or 175C/345F non-fan assisted.
12. Whisk an egg yolk, then brush this evenly over the top of the pastry using a pastry brush.
13. Using a fork, trace 4 sets of parallel lines with a fork, then turn the mould 1/4 turn and trace 4 more sets of parallel lines perpendicular to the first sets of lines. This will result in a diamond-shaped crosshatch pattern. Prick a few small holes in the pastry too, to help any steam escape as it bakes.
14. Place the tart directly into the oven, and bake for 40 minutes, then lower the heat to 150C/300F Fan assisted (165/330F Non-fan assisted) and bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until a deep golden colour.
15. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. I prefer to eat it slightly warm, so I allow it to cool for around 75-90 minutes but it can also be eaten once it has completely cooled to room temperature too.
SablΓ© Viennois
TIER 1
SablΓ© Viennois
In Tier 1 we tackle a simple SablΓ© biscuit, and learn the foundations of a SablΓ© dough. A spin on the recipe I share in my book, the biscuits are elevated by piping the dough into a zigzag pattern! Although the piping can be a little bit tricky, itβs worth the effort as it holds its shape really well, resulting in a stunning biscuit. To finish, I’ve dipped mine in a little dark chocolate, but you can get creative here with the toppings.

12-14COOKIES
Ingredients
140g Unsalted Butter, Soft
80g Icing/Powdered Sugar
2g Fine Sea Salt
20g Egg White
120g Plain Flour
40g White Bread Flour
20g Cornflour (Cornstarch)
Chocolate Variation:
140g Unsalted Butter, Soft
80g Icing/Powdered Sugar
2g Fine Sea Salt
20g Egg White
115g Plain Flour
30g Bread Flour
20g Cornflour (Cornstarch)
15g Cocoa Powder
To decorate:
200g Dark Chocolate (50-60% Cocoa Solids), Melted
Special equipment
Basket Weave Piping Nozzle
Stand Mixer
Piping Bags
Silicon Baking Mat
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl), add the soft butter, sugar and salt.
2. Beat this on a medium-low speed for 2 minutes until lighter and fluffier in consistency. If doing this by hand, simply use a rubber spatula to beat the ingredients together.
3. Add in the egg white and beat again to combine. The egg white, wonβt fully incorporate so don’t worry if the butter is slightly lumpy/separated.
4. Finally, sift in the flours & cornflour. Mix this until the dough is soft and slightly sticky. We need the dough to be quite soft otherwise it will be very difficult to pipe. Add this mixture into a piping bag fitted with a basket weave piping nozzle (or any other nozzle you prefer!). Massage the dough in the bag to soften it further.
Note: If you want to make chocolate cookies, simply follow the same steps, but add the cocoa powder in with the flours.
5. If you want to be accurate, draw a stencil on some parchment paper, with pairs of lines, about an inch apart, and place this under your silicone mat.
6. With firm pressure, pipe tight zig zags, roughly 3-4β long. Then, use a bench scraper or sharp knife, neaten the top and bottoms of the biscuits by trimming off the shaggy ends.
7. Place the tray of cookies into the freezer, while you preheat your oven to 175C/350F Non-Fan Assisted.
8. After the cookies have chilled for 20 minutes, place the tray into the middle shelf of the oven and bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.
9. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the tray for 5 minutes.
10. To decorate, melt some dark chocolate, and dip the edges of the biscuits before placing them carefully on a silicon mat. Let the chocolate set before serving.
Raspberry Jam Frangipane Tart
TIER 2
Raspberry Jam Frangipane Tart
In this recipe we take our homemade raspberry jam from tier 1 and spread it on a PΓ‘te BrisΓ©e pastry case. Then we fill it with an almond frangipane and delicately decorate it with a pattern of flaked almonds. I usually fill my desserts with almond cream instead of frangipane, but the addition of pastry cream really improves the texture and adds even more flavour to the dessert.

1
9-INCH TART
Ingredients
PΓ’te BrisΓ©e
200g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
100g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed
50g Cold Water
3g Sea Salt
Pastry Cream
250g Whole Milk
Β½ Fresh Vanilla Bean Pod
35g Caster/White sugar
60g Egg Yolks
20g Cornstarch/Cornflour
2g Fine Sea Salt
20g Cold Unsalted Butter
Frangipane
165g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
165g Caster/White Sugar
Zest Β½ Lemon
130g Whole Egg, Lightly Whisked Together
165g Ground Almonds/Almond Flour
2g Sea Salt
85g Pastry Cream, Cooled
To Fill & Finish
Raspberry Jam (Tier 1)
Flaked Almonds
Fresh Raspberries
Icing/Powdered Sugar
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Silicon mats
9-inch fluted tart ring
Baking beans
Piping bag
PΓ’te BrisΓ©e
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, flour and salt. Mix on a low speed until the butter has completely broken down into fine crumbs and there are no large chunks of butter.
2. Slowly drizzle in the cold water and mix for a few seconds until it pulls together into a dough.
3. Gently knead the dough into a disc on your work surface and wrap it in clingfilm, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, place it in between two silicon mats (or two sheets of parchment paper), and roll the dough into a rough disc that is around 3-5mm thick.
5. Refrigerate the pastry again for 1 hour and preheat the oven to 180C/355F Non-fan Assisted. This is a good point to prepare your pastry cream.
6. Peel the silicon mats/parchment paper off the pastry and ensure the dough is cold but flexible. If it is too cold it will break so just leave it for a few minutes to soften slightly if needed.
7. Lift the pastry into a 22.5cm fluted tart ring and use your hands to gently press it into the edges. Work quickly, being careful not to tear the pastry.
8. Use a knife to trim the excess pastry off and place the tart shell back into the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
9. Scrunch up a piece of baking paper and press this into the chilled tart shell. Fill the tart shell with baking beans or rice and then place it on a tray and straight into the oven to bake.
10. Bake the tart for 30 minutes, then remove the baking beans, and continue to bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the pastry is an even golden brown colour.
11. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
Pastry Cream
1. In a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, add the milk and the scraped vanilla pod just until it is steaming.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and thickened.
3. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture over the sugar and eggs mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until it begins to bubble, then cook for 1 minute.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve placed over a large bowl.
6. Whisk in the butter until the mixture is smooth. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate it for an hour.
Frangipane
1. Into a stand mixer, add the soft butter, salt, lemon zest and sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes on a medium-low speed until slightly thicker and paler in texture.
2. Slowly drizzle in the eggs and beat for a further minute.
3. Finally, add in the ground almonds/almond flour and scoop in the required amount of cooled pastry cream. Beat until smooth.
4. Add the mixture into a piping bag.
Assembly & Baking
1. Lower the oven temperature to 175C/345F Non-Fan Assisted.
2. Take the raspberry jam and spread a few tablespoons across the bottom of the cooled pastry. Make sure it is nice and even.
3. Next, pipe the frangipane evenly into the tart shell. Use a palette knife if needed to smooth it out.
4. Slice your fresh raspberries in half and press them gently into the frangipane.
5. Next, take your time, and evenly place the flaked almonds around the entire tart in a nice circular pattern. This is optional, you can simply sprinkle them on!
6. Place it into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until it is an even golden colour all over.
7. Remove it from the oven, and at this point this filling will still be slightly soft, so let it cool for an hour at room temperature before serving.
Raspberry SoufflΓ© Tartlets
TIER 2
Raspberry SoufflΓ© Tartlets
In Tier 2 we make a Bake It Better first – raspberry pastry! I tested this a few times and am really happy with the result. We fill this with a raspberryΒ soufflΓ© and garnish with fresh raspberries. It’s actually the pastry element of this recipe that makes this the Tier 2 recipe – the beauty of addingΒ soufflΓ© to a tart is there’s no pressure on the rise! So once you’ve mastered the pastry, it’s plain sailing!

4
INDIVIDUAL TARTS
Ingredients
Raspberry Pastry
75g Unsalted Butter, Cold & Cubed (small cubes)
50g Icing Sugar
4g Powdered Raspberry Powder
38g Egg Yolks
150g Plain/AP Flour
Red Food Colouring Powder/Gel
Egg Wash
20g Egg Yolk
5g Double/Heavy Cream
Red Food Colouring Powder/Gel
Raspberry SoufflΓ©
Β – Raspberry Base
120g Raspberry Puree
10g Cornstarch
Pinch of Sugar
Β – Meringue Base
75g Raspberry Base
80g Egg Whites
50g Caster Sugar
Fresh Raspberries To Fill + Garnish
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Silicone mats
4x 7.5cm x 2cm perforated tart rings
Multi-wheel pastry cutter OR a ruler
Digital thermometer
Piping bags
Raspberry Pastry
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cold cubed butter and then sift over the raspberry powder, icing sugar and red food powder. With the paddle attachment, beat on a medium low speed for 2 minutes or until the butter is smooth. As the butter is cold you will need to scrape down the bowl a few times to ensure it is completely incorporated.Β
2. Add in the egg yolks and beat again for around 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl again to ensure itβs all incorporated.
3. Finally, sift in the flour, scrape the bottom of the bowl just to loosen the butter stuck on the bottom, and then mix again on a low speed until it pulls together to form a dough, about 20-30 seconds.
4. Scoop the dough out and place it onto a large silicone mat and place a second silicone mat on top. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is around 3-5mm thick, donβt worry too much about the shape.
5. Place the entire sheet of pastry into the freezer for 30 minutes.
6. While the dough is chilling, take the perforated tart ring and very lightly grease the inside with soft butter. This helps to prevent the dough from sticking to the ring.
7. Remove the chilled dough from the freezer and, working quickly, peel the top silicone mat off of the dough. Press the 4 tart rings firmly into the dough, lift them up, and transfer them to a perforated tray lined with a perforated baking mat. The dough should be cold enough that it attaches to the ring as you lift it up. Place the tray in the fridge while you cut the walls.
8. With the remaining dough, use a ruler and a sharp knife to cut 4 strips of dough each measuring 9.6 x 0.9 inches (24.4 x 2.3cm). These measurements seem quite precise, but this will ensure the dough fits perfectly into the tart rings with no excess overlapping. If they feel too warm to lift up, place them back in the freezer for 5 minutes just so they can cool back down slightly.Β
9. Remove the baking tray with the tart bases from the fridge and remove one strip of dough for the walls.
10. Working quickly, take the strip of dough and place it inside the tart ring. Use your fingers to gently press together this strip of dough, against the base of the tart. The idea is to slightly push down the wall of dough so that it meets the dough on the base of the tart shell and there are no gaps. If at any point you feel the dough is too warm or is tearing, place everything back in the freezer for 10 minutes then carry on.
11. Repeat this with the remaining tarts, again, chilling the dough if needed. At this point, squeeze together the remaining scraps of dough, and repeat the process, rolling the dough and chilling it, so that you can create the final 2 tart shells.Β
12. Once you have lined all the tart shells, avoid trying to move them in case the dough tears. Chill the entire tray in the freezer for 15 minutes and pre-heat your oven to 175C/350F.
13. Remove the shells from the freezer and holding a knife perpendicular to the tart shell, trim off the excess pastry hanging over the tart ring so that the pastry is flush.Β
14. Place the tart shells in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes. While they bake, add the egg wash ingredients to a small ramekin and blend it to combine – I prefer to use a hand blender as it fully emulsifies the colouring into the egg mixture.Β
15. Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. At this point, the pastry should have retracted slightly from the ring mould, and you should be able to lift it off easily.Β
16. Lift the shells up and using a pastry brush, apply an even egg wash all over the tart. Lower the oven temperature to 140C/285F and place them back on the tray and into the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool.Β
Raspberry SoufflΓ©
Β – Raspberry Base
1. Into a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch.
2. Add the puree into a medium saucepan and heat it until it reaches around 40C. Once hot, sift in the cornstarch mixture and whisk together. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. Once bubbling, cook for a further minute.
3. Immediately pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Β – Meringue Base
1. Fill a pan with a shallow amount of water and place it over a medium heat. Meanwhile, add the egg whites and sugar into a medium bowl and place this over the water once it is simmering.
2. Whisk constantly until it reaches 60-65C (140-150F) on a digital thermometer.
3. Immediately remove it from the heat and place it on a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
4. Whisk on a medium speedΒ for 6-7 minutes until you have a stiff meringue.
5. While it is whisking, remove the raspberry base from the fridge, whisk it, then weigh 75g and add this into a medium bowl.
6. When the meringue is done, fold it in thirds into the raspberry base until you have a homogenous mixture.Β
Assembly
1. Add the raspberry soufflΓ© mixture into a piping bag and snip the end off.
2. Take the cooled tart shells, and place a few torn up raspberries into the base.
3. Pipe the soufflΓ© mixture into the tart shells, filling them right to the top, and then use a palette knife to level them so they are completely flush with the top of the tart.
4. Place the tarts back onto your baking tray, and place the perforated tart rings around the pastry again. This will just help to provide a little structure and prevent the pastry from cracking as the soufflΓ© expands.
5. Place the tarts into the oven and bake them for 7 minutes. They should rise just slightly.
6. Once they are baked, these can be served warm or alternatively served chilled (place the tarts into the fridge for 1 hour)
7. To garnish, add some freshly sliced raspberries.
Chocolate and Raspberry SoufflΓ©
TIER 1
Chocolate and Raspberry SoufflΓ©
I’ve cheated a bit in Tier 1 and used the chocolate soufflΓ© recipe from my book, because you honestly can’t beat it! But I tried adding a frozen raspberry insert in the middle, which oozes out once baked, and it really takes the dessert to the next level from both a flavour and a wow factor perspective. Make sure you use good quality chocolate with 50-60% cocoa solids to ensure the right consistency.

4-5
SOUFFLΓS
Ingredients
Raspberry Insert
50g Raspberry Jam
50g Fresh Raspberries
Splash of Water
Chocolate SoufflΓ©
Β – Beurre Manie
50g Unsalted Butter, Softened
50g Plain Flour
Pinch of sea salt
Β – Chocolate Base
270g Whole Milk
50g Granulated/Caster Sugar
200g Chopped Dark Chocolate, 50-60% Cocoa Solids
110g Egg Yolks
French Meringue
180g Egg Whites
70g Granulated/Caster Sugar
Special equipment
3.8cm x 1.9cm silicone half-sphere mould (15 hole) OR a small silicone ice cube tray
Stand mixer
Piping bags
Ramekins
Raspberry Insert
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the fresh raspberries, raspberry jam and just a little splash of water (3 tsp roughly).
2. Place it over a medium low heat, and stir it together until the raspberries have broken down, and it is bubbling and has thickened just slightly.Β
3. Into a silicone half sphere mould, or a silicone ice cube tray, pour the raspberry mixture in, spread it out so it is even, and then freeze for 3 hours or until it is solid.
Chocolate SoufflΓ©
Β – Beurre Manie
1. Into a small bowl, add the butter, flour and salt and use a spatula to form it into a paste. Sometimes it is actually easier just to use your hands and mix it together as the quantities are so small.Β
2. Set this bowl to one side.
Β – Chocolate Base
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the milk and sugar. Place it over a medium heat and stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is steaming.
2. Remove it from the heat and add in the beurre manie from above. Whisk this through until it has dissolved, then place the pan back on the heat and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened and holds a slightly more elastic consistency.
3. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until the chocolate has completely dissolved. Donβt worry if it looks slightly greasy or split here. Scoop this mixture into a medium bowl.
4. Add the egg yolks on top and immediately whisk this (to make sure the eggs donβt cook from the heat), until you have a smooth, glossy mixture.
5. Cover the surface with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.Β
French Meringue & Assembly
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F Fan Assisted.Β
2. Lightly grease the ramekins with soft butter, using an upwards stroking motion.
3. Tip in a few tablespoons of sugar and swirl this around, tipping out the excess. Place these on a tray and set to one side.
4. Meanwhile, add the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on a medium low speed until the mixture is frothy and thick bubbles have formed.
5. With the speed on medium, slowly add in the sugar a tablespoon at a time, waiting about 15 seconds in between each addition.
6. Once youβve added all the sugar, keep whisking until you have a stiff meringue.
7. Fold the meringue in thirds, into the chocolate base, until you have a homogenous mixture with no streaks of meringue.Β
8. Remove your frozen raspberry inserts from the freezer.
9. Add the soufflΓ© mixture into a piping bag, and pipe the mixture into the ramekins, filling them about 3β4 of the way. Then press your raspberry into the middle and cover it up, filling the ramekin to the top with the remaining soufflΓ© mixture.
10. Use a palette knife to smooth the top and create a flush edge, then quickly run your thumb around the outside of the soufflΓ© to create a rim.
11. Place them into the oven immediately and bake for 18 minutes.
12. Remove them from the oven and serve immediately. They should be well risen!
Lemon Meringue 'Longboys'
TIER 2
Lemon Meringue ‘Longboys’
In TIer 2 we make the same dough as Tier 1, we just add a touch of lemon zest to give them a bit of extra flavour. Then, inspired by Longboys Doughnuts in the UK, we use an oblong mould to create a different shape, coat them in lemon sugar, then top them with a lemon crΓ¨me pΓ’tissiΓ¨re, Italian meringue and candied lemon peel. Don’t fancy lemon? Try the chocolate crΓ¨me pΓ’tissiΓ¨re and crumble from my eclair recipe!

8
'LONGBOYS'
Ingredients
Donut Dough
550g Strong White Bread Flour
125g Whole Milk
7g Instant Yeast
200g Whole Eggs
12g Fine Sea Salt
125g Unsalted Butter, Cold + Small Cubes
75g Caster/Granulated Sugar
20g Powdered Milk (Full Fat)
10g Vanilla Extract
Zest 1 Lemon
Lemon Crème PÒtissière
300g Double/Heavy Cream
200g Whole Milk
1 Fresh Vanilla Pod
85g Caster sugar
100g Egg Yolks
40g Cornstarch/Cornflour
Zest of 2 Lemons
Candied Lemon Peel
Zest of 1 Unwaxed Lemon
50g Caster Sugar
50g Water
Lemon Sugar
150g Caster/Granulated Sugar
Zest 1 Lemon
Italian Meringue
110g Egg Whites
70g Water
300g Caster Sugar
3 Litres of Vegetable Oil For Frying
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Oil spray (optional)
Oblong cookie cutter (I used a 14.5cm x 3.5cm cutter)
Deep fat fryer
Digital thermometer
Piping bags
St Honore nozzle
Donut Dough
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the wet ingredients, followed by the dry. Attach the dough hook and mix it on a medium speed for 10 minutes, scraping down the bowl every 3-4 minutes.
2. After 10 minutes, turn the mixer off and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. This will relax the gluten and make the next part of the mixing easier!
3. Turn the mixer back on, and knead for a further 10-12 minutes. The dough should start to come away from the sides of the bowl but there will still be a few bits stuck to the side.Β
4. Remove it from the mixer and lift the dough onto your work surface. Give it a quick knead and shape it into a nice tight ball. The dough should feel smooth and pass the windowpane test when you stretch a small piece of the dough.
5. Lift it into a lightly oiled bowl, then lightly spray the top of the dough with an oil spray and cover the surface directly with cling film. Cover the bowl with a sheet of cling film too and refrigerate the dough overnight (12-18 hours). This will make it much easier to work with.
6. Before you are ready to work with the dough, prep a baking tray by cutting 8 rectangles of parchment paper and lightly oiling them before placing them on the tray. This will make it easier to transfer the donuts to the fryer.Β
7. The next day remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Very lightly flour your work surface and lift the dough on. Lightly flour the top of the dough and a rolling pin, and roll the dough out, the shape doesnβt matter, but you want it to be around 12-15mm thick (0.5β). Ensure there is a little flour underneath the dough once youβve finished rolling otherwise when you go to remove the cut donuts they will stick to the table.Β
8. Take the oblong cookie cutter and dip it in a bowl of flour to make sure it doesnβt stick to the dough. Press the cookie cutter into the dough to cut the shapes, and lift them onto the sheets of parchment you cut earlier.
9. Very lightly oil the top of the donuts with an oil spray, and then cover the entire tray with a sheet of cling film and allow the donuts to rise for 2-3 hours at room temperature. In warmer weather, 2 hours should be fine, but when it is colder it will be closer to 3 hours. The donuts should look puffier and will have increased in volume when they are done.Β
Lemon Crème PÒtissière
1. It is best to make this ahead of rolling out your donuts so that it has enough time to chill.Β
2. Add the sugar into a bowl along with the lemon zest and briefly rub them together to release some of those citrus oils.
3. Add the egg yolks and cornflour and whisk the mixture together until it is thick, then set it to one side.
4. In the meantime, scrape the beans from the fresh vanilla pod and add these into a medium saucepan along with the milk & cream.
5. Place the pan over a medium heat and stir occasionally until the mixture is steaming.
6. Once hot, slowly pour the mixture over the egg yolks, and whisk until they are combined. It is important to do this slowly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
7. Add the entire mixture back into the pan and place it on a medium heat.Β
8. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Once it bubbles, cook for a further minute, then remove it from the heat and pass it through a sieve into another bowl. At this point itβs likely your mixture will have split a little, so just add a splash of water (2 tsp) and blend with a hand blender and it will pull it back together.
9. Place a sheet of cling film directly on the surface and refrigerate until ready to use (3-4 hours).
Candied Lemon Peel
1. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the lemon into strips.
2. With a sharp knife, cut the peel lengthways to create thin strips.Β
3. Into a small saucepan, add the lemon strips, sugar and water. Place it over a medium low heat and gently simmer for around 10 minutes. The strips of lemon should appear slightly translucent and the liquid should thicken.Β
4. Use some tongs to remove them from the pan and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and allow to dry completely. About half an hour.
Lemon Sugar
1. Add the sugar into a bowl along with the lemon zest and briefly rub them together to release some of those citrus oils.
2. Set the bowl to one side.
Frying
1. When the donuts are close to being proofed, add the oil to your deep fat fryer (or a large pan) and heat it to 170C/340F. A deep-fat fryer is ideal here as it is able to regulate the temperature at a much more consistent level vs frying in a pan.
2. When the donuts are ready, drop 1 into the oil, and slowly peel off the sheet of parchment paper.
3. Fry for 90 seconds, flip, fry for 60 seconds, flip, fry for 15 seconds, flip, fry for 15 seconds. Nb. Due to the shape of these donuts theyβre likely to flip over by themselves in the oil, so Iβd recommend holding them in place lightly with some tongs so you can ensure an even bake on each side. Iβve also increased the fry time just slightly from the video as I found slightly longer was better!Β
4. Remove your donut and place it on a wire rack, allowing any excess oil to drip off. After a minute, and while the donuts are still warm, toss the donut in the bowl of lemon sugar then place back on your wire rack.
5. Repeat with the remaining donuts.Β
Italian Meringue
1. Into a small saucepan, add the water, then pour the sugar on top. Place it over a medium heat
2. Meanwhile, add the egg whites into a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk it on a medium low speed.
3. Once the water and sugar mixture has started to boil, cook it until it reaches a temperature of 118C/244F on a digital thermometer. By this point, the egg whites should be bubbly and frothy.
4. Immediately remove the sugar syrup from the heat, increase the stand mixer speed to medium high, and slowly drizzle the sugar syrup in, aiming to pour it in between the whisk and the bowl. Just make sure not to pour it on the whisk or it will splatter everywhere.
5. Continue to whisk for 6-7 minutes, or until the bowl is cool to the touch and stiff peaks form on the meringue.
6. Add the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a St. Honore nozzle.
Assembly
1. Remove your lemon crème pÒtissière from the fridge and whisk it for 15-20 seconds to loosen it a little. Add it to a piping bag.
2. Take a donut and cut it lengthways down the middle. Pipe in some lemon creme patissiere until it reaches the top of the donut, then smooth it with a palette knife. Repeat with the rest of the donuts.
3. Next, take your meringue and in a zig zag motion, pipe it down the middle of your donut. Then, using a blow torch, lightly torch the top of your meringue until itβs slightly brown. Repeat with the rest of the donuts.Β
4. Garnish with your candied lemon peel.
Vanilla Glazed Donuts
TIER 1
Vanilla Glazed Donuts
In Tier 1 we start with a classic glazed donut. I walk you through my (new) favouriteΒ donut dough, how to create the iconicΒ donut shape, and how to fry your donuts to perfection. Then we smother them in an insane vanilla glaze for that classic Krispy Kreme finish. The end result is the lightest, fluffiest donuts – it’s a struggle just to eat one!

6-7
DONUTS
Ingredients
Donut Dough
550g Strong White Bread Flour
125g Whole Milk
7g Instant Dry Yeast
200g Whole Eggs
12g Fine Sea Salt
125g Unsalted Butter, Cold + Small Cubes
75g Caster/Granulated Sugar
20g Powdered Milk (Full Fat)
10g Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Glaze
500g Icing/Powdered Sugar
20g Glucose (or Golden Syrup)
80g Whole Milk
25g Water
15g Double/Heavy Cream
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or 1 Fresh Vanilla Pods
Zest ΒΌ Lemon
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
3 Litres of Vegetable Oil For Frying
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Oil spray (optional)
80mm cookie cutter
30mm cookie cutter
Piping bag
Deep fat fryer (optional but recommended)
Donut Dough
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the wet ingredients, followed by the dry. Attach the dough hook and mix it on a medium speed for 10 minutes, scraping down the bowl every 3-4 minutes.
2. After 10 minutes, turn the mixer off and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. This will relax the gluten and make the next part of the mixing easier!
3. Turn the mixer back on, and knead for a further 10-12 minutes. The dough should start to come away from the sides of the bowl, but there will still be a little bit stuck to the edges.Β
4. Remove it from the mixer and lift the dough onto your work surface. Give it a quick knead and shape it into a nice tight ball. The dough should feel smooth and pass the windowpane test when you stretch a small piece of the dough.
5. Lift it into a lightly oiled bowl, then lightly spray the top of the dough with an oil spray and cover the surface directly with cling film. Cover the bowl with a sheet of cling film too and refrigerate the dough overnight (12-18 hours). This will make it much easier to work with.
6. Before you are ready to work with the dough, prep a baking tray by cutting 6-7 squares of parchment paper and lightly oiling them before placing them on the tray. This will make it easier to transfer the donuts to the fryer.Β
7. The next day remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Very lightly flour your work surface and lift the dough on. Lightly flour the top of the dough and a rolling pin, and roll the dough out, the shape doesnβt matter, but you want it to be around 12-15mm thick (0.5β).
8. Take an 80mm cookie cutter and dip it in a bowl of flour to make sure it doesnβt stick to the dough. Press the cookie cutter into the dough. Then take your 30mm cookie cutter, dip it into the bowl of flour and press this into the centre of your donut to create a hole. Lift your donut onto a sheet of parchment paper, then repeat with the remaining dough.
9. Very lightly oil the top of the donuts with an oil spray, and then cover the entire tray with a sheet of cling film and allow the donuts to rise for 2-3 hours at room temperature. In warmer weather, 2 hours should be fine, but when it is colder it will be closer to 3 hours. The donuts should look puffier and will have increased in volume when they are done.Β
Vanilla Glaze
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, sift in the icing sugar then add the remaining ingredients, starting with 80g of milk.
2. Beat the ingredients together with the paddle attachment. You want the consistency to resemble a runny glue, so add more milk if needed. Once you have the desired consistency, beat for a further 30 seconds on a medium-low speed, ensuring all the ingredients are combined.Β
3. Pour this into a piping bag, tie the end (so that the glaze doesnβt dry out) and set this to one side while you fry the donuts.Β
Frying
1. When the donuts are close to being proofed, add the oil to your deep fat fryer (or a large pan) and heat it to 170C/340F. A deep-fat fryer is ideal here as it is able to regulate the temperature at a much more consistent level vs frying in a pan.
2. When the donuts are ready, drop 1 at a time into the oil, and slowly peel off the sheet of parchment paper.
3. Fry for 90 seconds, flip, fry for 60 seconds, flip, fry for 15 seconds, flip, fry for 15 seconds.
4. Remove your donut and place it on a wire rack, allowing any excess oil to drip off. After a minute, coat the donut in your vanilla glaze. Repeat with the remaining donuts.Β
5. Best served the same day (I canβt not eat mine immediately!)Β
Advanced Raspberry Sorbet
TIER 2
Advanced Raspberry Sorbet
In Tier 2 we get our maths head on! WeΒ walkΒ through the formula I learnt to make anyΒ fruitΒ sorbet, and we put it into practice in this stunning raspberry sorbet. It’s the perfect balance of flavours (thanks to the formula!), and the addition of the stabiliser makes it super smooth.Β I’ve includedΒ a detailed Google Sheets document for youΒ to use to create any fruit sorbet in future, so be sure to check itΒ out.

1
TUB (APPROX. 300G)
Ingredients
202g Caster Sugar
36g Dextrose
3g Stabiliser
299g Water
10g Fresh Lemon Juice
450g Fresh Raspberries
Special equipment
Digital thermometer
Hand blender
Ice-cream machine
For the βscienceβ behind this recipe and the option to create your own flavoured sorbet, follow the guidelines in this document.
1. Pour the cold water into a saucepan and heat over a medium heat to 40C. In a bowl, stir together the sugar, dextrose and stabiliser and then pour into the water once itβs reached temperature. Whisk together until the mixture reaches 85C, then take off the heat and leave to cool to approximately 40C.
2. Once cooled, add the mixture to a bowl and pour in the lemon juice and raspberries. Blend briefly with a hand blender to combine (donβt blend for too long as you will start to blend the raspberry seeds, which will dull the colour of your sorbet). Pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, then cover the surface with cling film and put it in the fridge for 12 hours/overnight.
3. The next day, pour the mixture into your ice cream machine and churn for 20-30 minutes until itβs a thick, sorbet-like consistency.Β
4. Transfer the sorbet into a container and freeze for 1-2 hours before serving.
Basic Lemon Sorbet
TIER 1
Basic Lemon Sorbet
In Tier 1 we walkΒ through the fundamentals of a sorbet, andΒ make a basic sorbet without getting too technical! This is the perfect palate cleanser – quite a tart lemon flavour that’s so refreshing. As we don’t add any stabiliser in this recipe, this sorbet isΒ best servedΒ within 24 hours to prevent the sugar from recrystallising. It’s a simple and delicious recipeΒ to get you warmed up for Tier 2!

1
TUB (APPROX. 300G)
Ingredients
145g Caster Sugar
55g Dextrose
435g Water
345g Fresh Lemon Juice
Special equipment
Hand blender
Ice-cream machine
1. Pour the cold water into a saucepan and add the sugar and dextrose. Place over a medium heat and bring it to the boil whilst whisking. Boil for a minute then take the sugar syrup off the heat and leave to cool for approximately 15 minutes (until cool to the touch).
2. Add the mixture to a bowl and pour in the lemon juice (itβs a good idea to sieve this to avoid adding any pips/pulp). Blend with a hand blender to combine. Cover the surface with cling film then put the mixture in the fridge for 4 hours. You can leave this in the fridge for longer, but 4 hours is the ideal maturation time.
3. After 4 hours, pour the mixture into your ice cream machine and churn for 20-30 minutes until itβs a thick, sorbet-like consistency (yours may take longer depending on your machine).
4. Transfer the sorbet into a container and freeze for 1-2 hours before serving.
Chocolate Praline Mousse Cakes
TIER 2
Chocolate Praline Mousse Cakes
In Tier 2 we add two extra elements to really level up the cake – a hazelnut praline filling and a cocoa gavotte decoration. I’ve turned these into individual plated desserts by using smaller ring moulds, but you can make one large mousse cake if you’d prefer. I’ve adjusted the mousse recipe slightly here and only used 70% cocoa solids, but if you prefer a sweeter flavour then follow the same 50/50 split as Tier 1.

5
7CM MOUSSE CAKES
Ingredients
Hazelnut Praline
165g Caster Sugar
50g Water
250g Whole Roasted Hazelnuts, Without Skins
Pinch of Flaked Sea Salt
Chocolate Sponge
40g Egg Yolks
10g Caster Sugar (A)
30g Caster Sugar (B)
75g Egg Whites
20g Plain Flour
12g Cocoa Powder
25g Vegetable Oil
15g Whole Milk
Chocolate Mousse
130g Whole Milk
10g Honey
175g Chocolate (70% Cocoa Solids), Finely Chopped
220g Double/Heavy Cream
Pinch Sea Salt Flakes
Cocoa Gavotte
150g Water
15g Unsalted Butter
1g Salt
11g Plain Flour
30g Icing/Powdered Sugar
3g Cornstarch/Cornflour
35g Egg Whites
4g Cocoa Powder
Special equipment
Digital thermometer
Hand blender
Silicon mat
Food processor
Electric whisk
Small baking tray (16cm x 26cm)
5 7cm mousse rings (3.5cm high)
Heat gun/Blow torch
Hazelnut Praline
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the sugar & water. Place it on a medium heat, and cook the mixture until it reaches 110C/230F on a digital thermometer.Β
2. Once at 110C/230F, pour in the hazelnuts. Stir constantly with a spatula. The mixture will initially look quite clumpy, then the sugar will crystallise, but eventually, as you keep stirring, the sugars will caramelise and you should have a deep golden caramel surrounding the nuts. It will take 3-5 minutes.Β
3. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and tip the caramelised nuts onto a baking tray lined with a silicon mat. Sprinkle some sea salt flakes on top and let it set completely at room temperature for 30 minutes.Β
4. The praline should then be completely cool and solid to the touch. Break it into pieces and add it into a high-powered food processor. Blend for 3-4 minutes, scraping it down every so often, until you have a smooth, nutty paste. Store in an airtight container.Β
Chocolate Sponge
1. Preheat the oven to 180C Non-Fan Assisted (160C Fan Assisted) and then lightly grease a small baking tray (this recipe uses a cm x cm baking tray). Cut a rectangle of parchment paper so that it fits neatly inside the tray, and press it in firmly with your hands.Β
2. Into a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, and sugar (A). Whisk the mixture with an electric hand mixer until it is thicker in volume and pale in colour. About 1-2 minutes. Set this to one side.Β
3. Into a medium bowl, add the egg whites and using an electric hand whisk, whisk on a medium-low speed. Once the mixture is frothy, increase the speed to medium and slowly add the sugar (B), about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until you have a medium-stiff peak to the meringue.
4. Pour the egg yolk mixture on top of the meringue and gently fold it through using a spatula until well combined.
5. Next, sift in the plain flour & cocoa powder, and fold it in carefully until it is fully incorporated.Β
6. Finally, pour in the vegetable oil and whole milk. Use a spatula to fold this in, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
7. Pour the batter onto the lined tray, and then using a spatula, spread the batter out evenly. Try to ensure the batter is relatively even.
8. Bake the sponge for 10-12 minutes, until dry to the touch, then allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Chocolate Mousse
1. Into a small saucepan, add the milk and honey and place it onto a medium low heat, stirring occasionally.Β
2. Meanwhile, add the chopped chocolate into a medium bowl.Β
3. Once the milk is simmering and the honey has dissolved, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes.
4. Then, use a hand blender to blend until smooth and set it to one side.
5. Into a medium bowl, add the cream and use an electric hand whisk to whisk it to a medium-soft peak.
6. Then, whisk the cream through the chocolate mixture in three parts until smooth. Itβs important to whisk it through, as if you try to fold it, the cream will not incorporate properly and remain lumpy.
7. Lastly, fold in the salt.
Assembly
1. Take your cooled sponge and tip it out onto a silicon mat/piece of parchment paper.
2. Use one of your mousse rings to cut 5 circles out of the chocolate sponge and place them inside of your mousse rings. Gently push the sponge to the sides of the mousse rings to make sure there are no gaps.
3. Next, add a dollop of hazelnut praline to the centre of each sponge (I like to use a piping bag). You want it to cover about β of the sponge, not go all the way to the sides.Β
4. Then, add the chocolate mousse until it reaches the top of the mousse ring (again, I like to use a piping bag).
5. If your mousse is slightly thicker then use a palette knife to press the mousse to the edges and ensure there are no gaps. Then, heat your palette knife in some hot water, dry it with a tea towel and smooth the top of your mousse rings to ensure a nice even finish.
6. Place the cakes in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours until set and ready to serve.Β
Cocoa Gavotte
1. Into a medium saucepan, add the water, salt & butter. Place it over a medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, into a medium bowl, add all of the remaining ingredients and whisk them together till smooth.
3. Once the water is boiling, slowly pour it over the bowl of ingredients, whisking constantly to ensure that the mixture is tempered.
4. Once youβve added all the water, pour the mixture back into the pan, and whisk constantly over a medium heat until it thickens to a custard-like consistency.
5. Place a sheet of cling film over a small baking tray and pour your gavotte mixture on top. Place another sheet of cling film over the top and refrigerate it for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 175C/345F.
7. Onto a tray lined with a silicon mat, take a dollop of the gavotte mixture and create a line of it at the top of your tray. Do the same about half way down your tray. Then, using a palette knife, spread it nice and thin. It needs to be thin (almost opaque) otherwise the texture wonβt be correct.
8. Place it into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until crispy (the top might be slightly cracked).
9. Repeat this with a second tray of mixture.Β
10. Once baked, allow them to cool for 5 minutes, then snap them into shards ready to decorate. It is best to make these fresh as they will soften the longer they are left. If you make them ahead of time, you can place them back into the oven for 2-3 minutes, to crisp up again.Β
11. When ready to serve, remove your mousse cakes from the fridge and use a heat gun/blow torch to gently warm the sides of your mousses and lift off the cake rings.
12. Place your chocolate gavotte shards on top/around the sides of your mousses in whatever design you would like!
Tropical Pavlova
TIER 2
Tropical Pavlova
In Tier 2 we really elevate the design of the pavlova and use a funky mold to create this more professional looking plated dessert. We use the same meringue recipe and chantilly cream as Tier 1, and pair it with a frozen passion fruit cremeux, a mango and passion fruit salsa. If you don’t fancy giving the design a go, it would taste equally as good all mashed together as an Eton Mess!

8
INDIVIDUAL PAVLOVAS
Ingredients
French-Swiss Meringue
100g Egg Whites
100g Caster Sugar
75g Icing Sugar
Desiccated coconut for decoration (optional)
Passionfruit Cremeux
50g Egg Yolks
35g Whole Eggs
25g Sugar
75g Passion Fruit PurΓ©e
60g Unsalted Butter, Soft
1g Powdered Gelatin (200 Bloom) + 6g Water
Whipped Vanilla Chantilly Cream
600g Double/Heavy Cream
125g White Chocolate
5.5g Powdered Gelatin (200 Bloom) + 33g Water
1.5 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste / 1 Vanilla Pod
Tropical Fruit Salad
Whole Mango, chopped into small cubes
Seeds of 4 Passion Fruits
ΒΌ Lime, Zested
3 Tsp Passion Fruit PurΓ©e
Assembly
100g White Chocolate, Melted
Lime, Zested
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Hand blender
Digital thermometer
3.8cm x 1.9cm half-sphere mould (15 hole)
Piping bags
Large round tip nozzle OR small cookie cutter
Passion fruit CrΓ©meux
1. In a small bowl, add the water to the powdered gelatin and let it sit for 5 minutes
2. In a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks and passion fruit purΓ©e. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches 83C.
3. Once the mixture reaches temperature, pass it through a sieve into a bowl. Then, add the bloomed gelatin and butter on top and blend with a hand blender until smooth.
4. Add the passion fruit crΓ©meux to your half sphere mould and use a palette knife to smooth the top of the mould to make sure theyβre even. Freeze overnight/6 hours.
Whipped Vanilla Chantilly Cream
1. In a small bowl, add the water to the powdered gelatin and let it sit for 5 minutes
2. Add the white chocolate to a tall jug and add the bloomed gelatin on top
3. To a saucepan over a medium heat add 185g of the cream and the vanilla bean paste/vanilla beans and heat until itβs steaming.Β
4. Once steaming, pour it over your chocolate and gelatin mixture and leave for 2 minutes. You want to make sure the cream covers the top of the chocolate. After two minutes, blend the mixture together with a hand blender.Β
5. Once blended, add the remaining cream (415g) and blend again.
6. Pour the cream mixture into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film. Leave to chill in the fridge overnight/12 hours.
French-Swiss Meringue
1. Preheat the oven to 80C/175F Non-Fan Assisted
2. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and sugar.
3. Place this over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk constantly until it reaches a temperature of 55C/130F on a digital thermometer.
4. Once at temperature, remove it from the heat and place it onto a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk for 6-7 minutes on a medium speed, until the bowl feels cool to the touch and the meringue is thick.Β
5. Remove it from the stand mixer and place a sieve over the top. Sieve in the icing/powdered sugar, and use a whisk to gently fold this in. We use a whisk because we want the icing sugar to incorporate easily, but we also want to knock some of the stiffness out of the meringue, just slightly, so that we get a softer texture for the design of the pavlova.
6. Add your meringue mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle. Flatten the mixture gently to remove any air bubbles.
7. Lightly grease the back of a half sphere mould (the same one you used for the passion fruit cremeux). I like to use an oil spray, but you can lightly brush a neutral oil over the mould.
8. Holding the piping bag vertically over one of the moulds, push down until the meringue covers the half sphere, then quickly do a βwhipβ motion at the top to release the piping bag. Repeat with the other half spheres, spacing them out so the meringues donβt touch (they will expand slightly as they bake).
9. Lastly, sprinkly desiccated coconut over the meringue, making sure to hit the sides of the meringue. Then put the meringue in the oven for 3 hours.Β
Tropical Fruit Salad
1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir together
Assembly
1. Once the meringues are baked, leave them to cool for an hour then gently release them from the mould.Β
2. Once cooled, gently grate the bottom of the meringues to create a flat surface for them to sit.
3. Melt the white chocolate over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, add a spoonful of white chocolate into a meringue cup. Tip the meringue to the sides to coat the inside of the cup, then tip out the excess chocolate. Put them in the fridge for 5 minutes until the chocolate has set.
4. Fill the meringue cups with tropical fruit salad so that itβs flush with the top of the cup. Then remove the frozen passion fruit cremeux half spheres from the freezer and add them on top.
5. Add the chilled whipped vanilla chantilly to a stand mixer and whisk until it forms a medium peak – about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to over whisk it. Add it to a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle. Then, holding it vertically over the top one of your meringues, push down so the cream covers all of the sphere.
6. Zest a light dusting of lime over the top of the meringues. Serve roughly 30 minutes after removing the passion fruit cremeux from the freezer (to allow it time to defrost, but not to melt).
Rhubarb Pavlova
TIER 1
Rhubarb Pavlova
We start by mastering the meringue. This is a French-Swiss meringue, which involves whisking egg whites and sugar over a bain-marie (the Swiss element), then folding through icing sugar once cooled (the French element). This makes a gorgeous soft meringue that doesn’t start to weep. We fill it with tart poached rhubarb and a sweet vanilla chantilly cream – I love this flavour combination!

4
INDIVIDUAL PAVLOVAS
Ingredients
French-Swiss Meringue
200g Egg Whites
200g Caster Sugar
150g Icing Sugar / Powdered Sugar
Poached Rhubarb
2 Rhubarb Stalks, Washed + Woody Stalks Removed
Peel & Juice of Β½ Orange
Β½ Vanilla Bean, Cut in half and scraped
135g Water
15g Grenadine
135g Sugar
Vanilla Chantilly Cream
300g Double/Heavy Cream
5g Icing/Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
To Decorate
Icing Sugar/Powdered Sugar
Raspberry Powder (optional)
Special equipment
Stand mixer
Digital thermometer
Flexible dough scraper/large metal serving spoon
Silicon mat
French-Swiss Meringue
1. Preheat the oven to 80C/175F Non-Fan Assisted
2. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and sugar. Place this over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk constantly until it reaches a temperature of 55C/130F on a digital thermometer.
3. Once at temperature, remove it from the heat and place it onto a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk for 6-7 minutes on a medium speed, until the bowl feels cool to the touch and the meringue is thick.Β
4. Remove it from the stand mixer and place a sieve over the top. Sieve in the icing/powdered sugar, and use a whisk to gently fold this in. We use a whisk because we want the icing sugar to incorporate easily, but we also want to knock some of the stiffness out of the meringue, just slightly, so that we get a softer texture for the design of the pavlova.
5. Using a flexible dough scraper or a large metal serving spoon, scoop up the meringue, then wipe it on the edge of the bowl. Scoop that bit of meringue up again, and wipe it on the edge of the bowl one more time, before scooping it up for a final time. This scooping/scraping action will help to smooth the meringue.
6. Wipe off any excess meringue on the dough scraper/spoon with your finger and then swiftly but gently, dollop the meringue onto a baking tray lined with a silicon mat/parchment paper. As you are pulling up, and dolloping the final bit of meringue, do it slowly to create a slight βflickβ to the pavlova. This is all best seen in the video!Β
7. Repeat this to create 4 pavlovas in total.
8. Place these in the centre of the oven and bake them for 3 hours without opening the door. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. These can then be used straight away, or stored in an airtight container to use the next day.Β
Poached Rhubarb
1. Remove the woody ends from the rhubarb, then chop it into small pieces, really whatever size you prefer. Place these into a shallow dish.
2. Into a saucepan, add all the remaining ingredients. Bring it to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Remove it from the heat to let it sit for a minute before pouring it over the rhubarb.
3. Place a lid on top of the dish or a large tray and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender but still has a slight bite. Drain the rhubarb from the liquid and set it to one side.
4. You can keep the sugar syrup to drizzle over the top of your finished pavlovas. If you want a slightly thicker syrup, place it back on the heat and boil until it has reduced and thickened. Then leave to one side.
Vanilla Chantilly Cream
1. Place the ingredients into a medium bowl and using a hand whisk/electric whisk/stand mixer, whisk it to a medium peak.
Assembly
1. Take a meringue and tip it upside down in your hands so the bottom is facing upwards. Holding it very gently to prevent it cracking, use a knife to carefully score a hole in the bottom of the meringue. You want quite a large hole, the same shape as the meringue, but donβt go too close to the edges. Keep going over the score lines until the meringue breaks free, then carve out the centre of the meringue with a spoon. If you want, you can keep the bottom of the meringue to add back once you have filled the meringue.
2. Scoop a little bit of chantilly cream into the shell, then add a few pieces of the poached rhubarb then top it up with more cream so that it is filled just to the top of the hole you created.Β
3. Lift it up, place a plate on the meringue, and quickly and carefully flip it over so the meringue is now on the plate. Repeat with all four meringues.
4. Dust the meringues with icing sugar & raspberry powder (and add some of the rhubarb liquid drizzled over the top if desired).
5. This needs to be served immediately once filled.
Tarte TropΓ©zienne
TIER 2
Tarte TropΓ©zienne
This recipe uses the same style of enriched dough as Tier 1, but we add a few more elements to level it up. We make a crème diplomate for the centre of the cake, and top it with a streusel. Traditional Tarte Tropézienne also has pearl sugar on top which gives it a lovely crunch! If you want to level this up even more, try adding some of the raspberry gel from the Maritozzi Marchigiani!

2
TARTE TROPΓZIENNE
Ingredients
For the dough
150g Whole Milk
90g Double/Heavy Cream
180g Whole Eggs
120g Caster Sugar
12g Salt
120g Plain Flour
495g French Strong Patisserie Flour (you are looking for white patisserie flour with a protein content of around 11-12%. Alternatively you could use white bread flour)
12g Instant Dry Yeast
Zest 1 Medium Orange
120g Unsalted Butter, Cold + Cubed
For the crème pÒtissière
500g Whole Milk
1 fresh vanilla bean pod/1.5 tsp vanilla bean paste
75g Caster Sugar
120g Egg Yolks
40g Cornstarch
Pinch of Sea Salt Flakes
For the crème diplomat
Crème pÒtissière (Above)
Weight of crème pÒtissière in Double/Heavy Cream
For the egg wash
60g Whole Egg
5g Double/Heavy Cream
For the streusel
25g Demerara Sugar (or light brown sugar)
25g Unsalted Butter, Cold
25g Plain/All Purpose Flour
25g Ground Almonds
For the sugar syrup
50g Water
50g Sugar
To bake
Pearl sugar
Special equipment
Stand mixer
7″ cake tin/7″ ring mould
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the orange zest followed by the milk, eggs and cream. On top of this, add the sugar, salt, flours and yeast. Knead the dough on a medium speed for around 15 minutes, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl throughout to ensure all the mixture is combined.
2. Next, slowly add the cubed butter a few pieces at a time, leaving about 20-30 seconds between each addition. Continue kneading for 12-15 minutes, until the dough comes away cleanly from the side of the bowl.
3. Once kneaded, take your dough out of the bowl and shape into a ball. Put it in a lightly greased bowl and lightly grease the top of the dough. Cover the top of the dough directly with cling film, and then cover the bowl with cling film. Proof in the fridge overnight (minimum 12 hours)
4. The next day, once your dough has proofed, take it out of the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and your rolling pin, and roll it out into an oval shape to approximately half an inch thick.
5. Cut two circles out of your dough, the same circumference as the bottom of your cake tin or ring mould. (If youβre using a ring mould, you can use the ring mould to cut the dough. If youβre using a cake tin, you can use a pizza wheel to cut around the bottom of the tin.)
6. Place the dough into your greased and lined cake tins/ring moulds. Cover with a tea towel and leave to proof for 2-2.5 hours. Whilst proofing, make your crème pÒtissière.
7. Start the crΓ¨me pΓ’tissiΓ¨re by heating milk and vanilla in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whilst this is heating up, in a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolk, sugar, cornstarch and salt.Β
8. Once the milk has come to a gentle simmer, slowly pour it over the top of the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
9. Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan and continue whisking until the mixture starts to thicken. It will take about two minutes to come to a boil. Once it reaches this point, heat and whisk for a further minute to cook out all the cornstarch. You should be left with a thick, pudding-like consistency.
10. Pass the mixture through a sieve onto a baking tray lined with cling film. Cover the surface of the mixture directly with cling film and chill in the fridge for 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the streusel.
11. In a bowl, add all your ingredients and combine them together with your hands until the butter has broken down and itβs a sand-like consistency. Then squeeze the streusel into a ball, cover it in cling film and chill it in the fridge for at least an hour.
12. Just before the dough has finished proofing, preheat your oven to 160C/320F Non- Fan Assisted.Β
13. Make the egg wash by whisking together the eggs and cream in a bowl. Lightly brush the top of your cakes with the egg wash, then grate the streusel over the top (youβll have some leftover). Lastly, add a good amount of pearl sugar. Bake the cakes for 35 minutes, until the inside of the cakes are above 90C. Whilst your cakes are baking, make the sugar syrup.
14. In a saucepan, add the sugar and water and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved, then leave to one side to cool.
15. Once baked, take your cakes out of their tins and leave to cool on a wire rack (approximately 45 minutes)
16. Once cooled, cut the cakes in half and brush your sugar syrup over the bottom half of the cakes. Next, make your crème diplomate.
17. Take your crΓ¨me pΓ’tissiΓ¨re out of the fridge and weigh it in a bowl (you should have approximately 525g). Weigh the same weight in double cream and whisk in a bowl until you have a medium stiff peak. Itβs important that the cream is not under whipped as if it is too soft, it will result in a soft crΓ¨me diplomate that won’t be able to support the weight of the brioche and it will βsmooshβ out when you place the lid on top.Β
18. Going back to your crΓ¨me pΓ’tissiΓ¨re, whisk it lightly until smooth, then fold in your whipped cream a third at a time, until itβs just combined. This is your crΓ¨me diplomate. Add the mixture to a piping bag with a 15mm round tip nozzle.
19. Pipe the cream in large droplets all over the base of the cakes, then gently put the tops of the cakes back on top. Dust with icing sugar, then your cakes are ready to serve!
Tier 2
Lemon Meringue Pavlova
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Tier 1
Baileys Yule Log
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Tier 3
Lemon Sheet Cake
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Tier 2
Chocolate Sheet Cake
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Tier 1
Berries & Cream Cake
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Tier 3 Lemon Meringue Pie
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Tier 2 Apple Crumble
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Tier 1 Tiramisu
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Tier 3 Strawberry Shortcake
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Tier 2 Gourmet Brownie
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