Baking Mad
Love baking. It’s a creative outlet that also gives you something to eat. I think it’s true that you really do eat with your eyes first. When you are in a bakery, cake shop, supermarket, or just flicking through a recipe book, your eyes make the first decision, closely followed by taste preferences. Secondly, bakers enjoy giving. My baking obsession allows me to do just that.
The feeling when I reveal a bake to my family and friends simply can’t be beaten. I want it to look great and create a wow factor. Equally it must taste good, and provide a memory that lasts. In my book I want to show you how easy it is to bake – each recipe has been chosen to show there’s no need for a vast amount of equipment. I’ll show you techniques that can take a bake from everyday to show-stopping. Whether it’s a simple loaf or a complex layered cake, let’s make it look fabulous.
Bake It Great, by Luis Troyano; photography by Clare Winfield (Pavilion Books, £20).
1 quantity of sweet shortcrust pastry (see recipe below), blind baked in a 26cm tart tin
100g good-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
200ml double cream
300g mascarpone cheese
1½ tsp vanilla paste, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium eggs
250g fresh raspberries
½ fresh pomegranate
100g pistachios, coarsely chopped – or use slivered pistachios, which look amazing
You will need
A 26cm tart tin with a loose bottom, 30mm deep
A 38cm x 32cm baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/ 180C/320F/gas mark 4.
Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl with the double cream and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir until chocolate has melted.
Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then add the mascarpone, vanilla and eggs. Whisk lightly until combined. Try not to get air into the mixture.
Pour two-thirds of the mixture into the pastry case, then add the raspberries, distributing them evenly. Add the rest of the mixture until you get to within 3mm of the top. Make sure the raspberries are submerged.
Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins until the filling feels firm in the centre and you start to see a little cracking around the edges.
Place on a wire rack and leave to cool completely before removing the tart from the tin.
Using a wooden spoon, hit the back of the halved pomegranate over a bowl to knock the seeds out. Sprinkle the pistachios and pomegranate seeds over the tart.
Sweet shortcrust pastry
Makes enough to line a 28cm tart tin
215g plain flour
30g icing sugar
120g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
2 medium egg yolks
2 tbsp fridge-cold water
Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and give them a quick pulse.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Tip the mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the egg and water.
Bring together with your hands and then gently knead the mixture a couple of times to make a smooth pastry. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge until required.
225g soft unsalted butter
185g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
225g self-raising flour
finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons and juice of 1
40g runny honey, plus 1 tbsp for icing
150g blackberries
150g raspberries
100g icing sugar
few sprigs of fresh mint
You will need
A 900g 95mm x 195mm loaf tin, 70mm high, greased and lined with non-stick baking parchment
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/ 180C/320F/gas mark 4.
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy; this takes about 5 mins in a kitchen mixer fitted with a paddle, or a little longer with a hand mixer.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and give them a quick mix. Slowly add them to the butter and sugar mixture, with 1 tbsp of the flour, beating all the time.
Add the lemon zest, the honey and the remaining flour. Give it a really good mix until well incorporated. Put about half of the mixture into the prepared tin and level it out with a spatula.
Place 2 rows of blackberries (about 10 berries) and 1 row of raspberries (about 4 berries) on the mixture. Gently put the rest of the mixture into the tin and place another row of berries on top; gently push them down so they are just visible.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-50 mins, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. The cake should feel firm to the touch and not wobbling. I place a piece of foil loosely over the cake for the last 10 mins or so to stop it getting too dark. Don’t worry, this cake is meant to have a dark, caramelised crust.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 mins, then tip it out upside down onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, juice one of the zested lemons and strain the juice. Place the icing sugar and 1 tbsp of honey into a bowl. Add the lemon juice a little at a time until you have a thick, glossy icing. If you add too much liquid and it goes too runny, just add a little more icing sugar.
Place the cake on your presentation plate and drizzle over the icing. I use a disposable piping bag, but you could use a spoon. Take your time and decorate the top with the rest of the berries and a few mint leaves. Now dip a teaspoon into the jar of honey and lightly drizzle over the fruit for an amazing finish.
1 x 300g pack of shortcrust pastry, blind baked in the tart tin
40 asparagus tips
250g smoked pancetta, cut into 1cm cubes
2 medium eggs
225ml double cream
freshly ground black pepper
25g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
You will need
A 35cm x 11cm rectangular tart tin with a loose bottom, 2.5cm deep
A 38cm x 32cm baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/ 180C/320F/gas mark 4.
Cook the asparagus in a large pan of boiling water over a medium heat for 3-4 mins until just tender. Drain and place in a bowl of ice-cold water for 5 mins to stop them cooking.
Dry fry the pancetta over a medium heat until just crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
Dry the asparagus and trim them to the width of the tin. Cut the trimmings into 1cm pieces. Mix the asparagus trimmings and pancetta together and spread them over the pastry case. Place the tart tin on a baking sheet.
Crack the eggs into a jug and gently whisk in the cream and a few twists of black pepper. Add the Parmesan and whisk again. Pour about two-thirds of the egg mixture over the pancetta in the tart case.
Lay the asparagus tips along the length of the tart. Gently spoon remaining egg mixture over the asparagus. Take care not to overfill the pastry case.
Carefully place the tart in the oven and bake for 30 mins. You can test if the tart is baked to perfection by using a temperature probe: the centre should be just over 75C/165F.
Place on a wire rack and leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins before placing on your serving plate. Eat warm or cold.
The feeling when I reveal a bake to my family and friends simply can’t be beaten. I want it to look great and create a wow factor. Equally it must taste good, and provide a memory that lasts. In my book I want to show you how easy it is to bake – each recipe has been chosen to show there’s no need for a vast amount of equipment. I’ll show you techniques that can take a bake from everyday to show-stopping. Whether it’s a simple loaf or a complex layered cake, let’s make it look fabulous.
Bake It Great, by Luis Troyano; photography by Clare Winfield (Pavilion Books, £20).
Raspberry, pistachio and white chocolate tart (pictured above)
Serves 121 quantity of sweet shortcrust pastry (see recipe below), blind baked in a 26cm tart tin
100g good-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
200ml double cream
300g mascarpone cheese
1½ tsp vanilla paste, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium eggs
250g fresh raspberries
½ fresh pomegranate
100g pistachios, coarsely chopped – or use slivered pistachios, which look amazing
You will need
A 26cm tart tin with a loose bottom, 30mm deep
A 38cm x 32cm baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/ 180C/320F/gas mark 4.
Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl with the double cream and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir until chocolate has melted.
Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then add the mascarpone, vanilla and eggs. Whisk lightly until combined. Try not to get air into the mixture.
Pour two-thirds of the mixture into the pastry case, then add the raspberries, distributing them evenly. Add the rest of the mixture until you get to within 3mm of the top. Make sure the raspberries are submerged.
Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins until the filling feels firm in the centre and you start to see a little cracking around the edges.
Place on a wire rack and leave to cool completely before removing the tart from the tin.
Using a wooden spoon, hit the back of the halved pomegranate over a bowl to knock the seeds out. Sprinkle the pistachios and pomegranate seeds over the tart.
Sweet shortcrust pastry
Makes enough to line a 28cm tart tin
215g plain flour
30g icing sugar
120g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
2 medium egg yolks
2 tbsp fridge-cold water
Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and give them a quick pulse.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Tip the mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the egg and water.
Bring together with your hands and then gently knead the mixture a couple of times to make a smooth pastry. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge until required.
Very berry loaf cake
Serves 6-8225g soft unsalted butter
185g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
225g self-raising flour
finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons and juice of 1
40g runny honey, plus 1 tbsp for icing
150g blackberries
150g raspberries
100g icing sugar
few sprigs of fresh mint
You will need
A 900g 95mm x 195mm loaf tin, 70mm high, greased and lined with non-stick baking parchment
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/ 180C/320F/gas mark 4.
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy; this takes about 5 mins in a kitchen mixer fitted with a paddle, or a little longer with a hand mixer.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and give them a quick mix. Slowly add them to the butter and sugar mixture, with 1 tbsp of the flour, beating all the time.
Add the lemon zest, the honey and the remaining flour. Give it a really good mix until well incorporated. Put about half of the mixture into the prepared tin and level it out with a spatula.
Place 2 rows of blackberries (about 10 berries) and 1 row of raspberries (about 4 berries) on the mixture. Gently put the rest of the mixture into the tin and place another row of berries on top; gently push them down so they are just visible.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-50 mins, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. The cake should feel firm to the touch and not wobbling. I place a piece of foil loosely over the cake for the last 10 mins or so to stop it getting too dark. Don’t worry, this cake is meant to have a dark, caramelised crust.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 mins, then tip it out upside down onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, juice one of the zested lemons and strain the juice. Place the icing sugar and 1 tbsp of honey into a bowl. Add the lemon juice a little at a time until you have a thick, glossy icing. If you add too much liquid and it goes too runny, just add a little more icing sugar.
Place the cake on your presentation plate and drizzle over the icing. I use a disposable piping bag, but you could use a spoon. Take your time and decorate the top with the rest of the berries and a few mint leaves. Now dip a teaspoon into the jar of honey and lightly drizzle over the fruit for an amazing finish.
Asparagus and pancetta tart
Serves 81 x 300g pack of shortcrust pastry, blind baked in the tart tin
40 asparagus tips
250g smoked pancetta, cut into 1cm cubes
2 medium eggs
225ml double cream
freshly ground black pepper
25g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
You will need
A 35cm x 11cm rectangular tart tin with a loose bottom, 2.5cm deep
A 38cm x 32cm baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/ 180C/320F/gas mark 4.
Cook the asparagus in a large pan of boiling water over a medium heat for 3-4 mins until just tender. Drain and place in a bowl of ice-cold water for 5 mins to stop them cooking.
Dry fry the pancetta over a medium heat until just crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
Dry the asparagus and trim them to the width of the tin. Cut the trimmings into 1cm pieces. Mix the asparagus trimmings and pancetta together and spread them over the pastry case. Place the tart tin on a baking sheet.
Crack the eggs into a jug and gently whisk in the cream and a few twists of black pepper. Add the Parmesan and whisk again. Pour about two-thirds of the egg mixture over the pancetta in the tart case.
Lay the asparagus tips along the length of the tart. Gently spoon remaining egg mixture over the asparagus. Take care not to overfill the pastry case.
Carefully place the tart in the oven and bake for 30 mins. You can test if the tart is baked to perfection by using a temperature probe: the centre should be just over 75C/165F.
Place on a wire rack and leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins before placing on your serving plate. Eat warm or cold.