A Baker's Life

AS A TEENAGER, I WAS LUCKY enough to go with my dad to some good restaurants. It was at the Chester Grosvenor that I first saw a bread trolley in a Michelin-starred restaurant. I thought: this is interesting. And I also thought: the bread’s okay, but it could be better.

At the age of twenty-one, I finished working for my dad and applied for a job at the Chester Grosvenor. It’s a city centre hotel in a Grade ll listed, black-and-white timbered building. Beautifully decorated inside, you always feel you are somewhere really special there.

As a hotel baker, I learnt a whole new range of skills and recipes. My ingredients were more expensive, I had more time and I could experiment. There were all these dainty little things that you might find in a Paris pâtisserie – so easy to eat and gorgeous. Before working there, I’d never made Danish pastries or croissants – there was little call for croissants in a high-street bakery in the early eighties; if you wanted to eat croissants, you went to France.

The head baker taught me his recipes before he left and I’ve refined them over the years, partly by working with other French pastry chefs, and partly in order to make them more accessible for the home baker.

The main lesson I learnt is that a little effort can make a great difference, whether it’s a plate of scones or a refined French tart. Working in high-street bakeries, you’d say, ‘That’ll do’ and get away with it. But in hotels, everything has to be consistent and everything has to look perfect. In a normal bakery, when you make scones, say, they are probably 2–3 inches high – quite lumpy scones – because people want to get value for their money. But in a hotel, that’s not the case; they want finesse.

One of the keys to a smart afternoon tea is keeping everything the same size. That was always critical – from the sandwiches to the scone to the petits fours, barquettes and meringues. Quality and presentation matter. Scones are easy to make so it’s what you serve them with – good jam, butter, cream and tea – that sets a scone apart.

The standards in a hotel kitchen are rigorous. Each day, the executive chef would get the least successful breakfast dishes put onto a plate and brought into his office. If anything wasn’t good enough, he’d call me in, as head baker. I’d be criticised if a roll was a touch more tanned or if a Danish pastry was slightly raw. It tended to happen because some of the ovens weren’t the best, but everything had to be perfect and you couldn’t just blame your tools.

At the Grosvenor, I nearly gave up my baking career. I said to the chef, ‘I’m alright at baking but I’ve been doing it for years and I want to be a chef.’ So he moved me into hors d’oeuvres, then veg, then sauces, and finally mise en place, where you plate up the food. I did that for many months, moving around the kitchen and learning from the chefs and sous-chefs. I learnt to butcher the meat, to gut and prepare a fish.

The chef wanted to make the most of my baking skills, so I ended up doing two jobs for a while and working a twelve-hour day. Finally, I said, ‘I want to give up the baking and become a full-time chef.’ Then he told me the salary. No chance. I went back to full-time baking.

However, the experience of working as a chef for a while gave my baking another dimension. I learnt knife skills that helped me to prepare ingredients for breads and pastries, and it really opened up the world of food, introducing me to flavours and textures I had never encountered before. I would find myself thinking that I could use this or that ingredient in a loaf or on top of a cake, and that became part of my craft. Cooking and baking are different skills but there’s a crossover between them that helps a baker to be more creative.

Next came London. At the age of twenty-four, I became the youngest head baker the Dorchester Hotel had ever had. It’s one of the most prestigious five-star hotels in the world, in the centre of London by Hyde Park, and guests come from all over the world to enjoy its thirties’ glamour. The staff had a separate entrance down Deanery Street. You’d scan your card and go down to a beautiful kitchen the size of five tennis courts, with the latest equipment, and all of us in brand new uniforms.

I’d work ten days and have only two or three days off. I couldn’t go back home all that much and I missed my friends and family. In the end I thought: ‘London’s not for me.’ I went up North again, to work at the Chester Grosvenor for another two years.

The final chapter in my hotel years came when I worked at Cliveden. This was after I’d been working abroad in Cyprus for six years and it was a return that took me to the heart of the English countryside. You’d swear you were in the middle of nowhere but in fact you are only half an hour’s drive from London. As you turn into this gravel drive you see one of the most beautiful stately homes in the country; it’s been in many, many films. It takes a good five minutes to get to the top of the drive, and when you step into the hotel’s grand hallway you’ll be greeted by a suit of armour, tapestries on the walls and a huge formal staircase. But the thing I love about Cliveden is that it’s still like being in someone’s home, and you feel as though you should be there.

There was a big snooker room down in the cellar, next to the bakery. I’d go in there when I was in between bakes, or when things were proving, and my snooker improved vastly. The place was beautiful but I have to say that it was also quite creepy at night when I was up baking and everyone else was asleep – I probably looked like a ghost, covered in white flour.

Looking back, why did I make the move from the high street to hotel baking? Why did I go for the job of head baker at the Dorchester when I reached the age of twenty-four? It’s always the challenge. I knew that if I didn’t go for a job, I’d kick myself later.

Stretch yourself, and you become a better baker. Some of the recipes in this chapter are straightforward but have small touches that make them ‘five star’. Others are more complex, such as the seasonal Danish pastries and the ham and cheese croissants. These require time and attention but I’d encourage any baker to give them a go.

If you can make a bread, you can make a croissant dough. On paper, the recipe seems to go on for ever and ever. But when you break it down, it’s not hard. It’s really just dough, with layers of butter in between – that’s it. Use a good French butter and that will make all the difference. If you choose a high-quality butter and take your time with the folding, you’ll end up with something that’s up to professional standards. If you push yourself, you’ll always find that actually it’s not that difficult.

Shortcrust pastry is also a matter of practice. It’s key to get the fat and sugar to a fine crumb, before adding your egg yolk or water. Once the liquid goes in, mix it together with your hands, pushing and binding it together gently. Don’t be tempted to add more liquid, as you’ll knead the mixture too much and make it rubbery. Bring the dough together, wrap it in cling film and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or so. If you make the pastry well ahead, you’ll need to let it soften a little at room temperature before using it, or you’ll struggle to roll it out without cracking. You can also roll your pastry out between a couple of sheets of baking parchment or cling film to stop it sticking to the work surface.

If you stretch yourself then you’ll always enjoy the rewards. As well as the satisfaction of making something well, you have much more control over what you’re eating. Many commercial croissants and pastries use margarine rather than butter as the fat, for example. Bake them yourself and you know what goes into them. That way you’ll be eating the best.

SEASONAL DANISH PASTRIES

MAKES 15

Danish pastry dough is versatile and can be used to make all kinds of breakfast pastries. To achieve the layering of the dough and butter takes time – around 12 hours of chilling between folding and rolling – but the hands-on work isn’t laborious. These luxurious pastries are filled with raspberries but you can use other fruits that suit the season – blackberries or apple for autumn, apricots in the summer, or even bananas all year round.

For the dough

450g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

7g instant dried yeast

7g fine salt

75g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

75ml cold water

100ml whole milk

225g unsalted butter (ideally a good-quality Normandy butter), softened

For the crème pâtissière

250ml whole milk

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways

2 medium egg yolks

50g caster sugar

1½ tbsp cornflour

20g unsalted butter, cut into small dice

To assemble

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

150g raspberries

75g apricot jam, to finish

Put the flour into a food mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast to one side and the salt and sugar to the other and begin mixing on a slow speed. Add the eggs, water and milk and mix for a couple of minutes to bring the dough together. Increase the speed and mix for a further 5 minutes. (You can make this dough by hand but I would recommend using a mixer if possible.)

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface with your knuckles, then stretch to a rough rectangle. Now roll out to a smooth rectangle, 45 x 20cm, to end up with a short side facing you. The dough can be quite hard to stretch because it wants to pull back into shape; one tip is to press the sides down onto the work surface to help hold the dough as you roll. Spread the butter out to cover the bottom two-thirds of the dough; make sure it is in an even layer and comes almost to the edges.

Fold the exposed dough down to cover half of the butter. Fold the bottom half of the buttered dough up and over, then seal the dough by gently squeezing the edges together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour, until the butter has hardened.

Unwrap the chilled dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll again into a rectangle, 45 x 20cm, with a short side facing you. Fold the bottom third of the dough up and the top third down on top. This is called ‘a single turn’. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for an hour. Repeat this stage twice more, chilling the dough between turns. Write the number of turns on the cling film with a marker pen, as a reminder.

Your dough now needs to be wrapped in cling film and chilled for at least 8 hours, or overnight, to rest and rise slightly.

To make the crème pâtissière, pour the milk into a saucepan. Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla pod and add them to the milk with the empty pod. Slowly bring to the boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour. As soon as the milk comes to the boil, remove the vanilla pod and pour the milk onto the egg mix, whisking as you do so. Pour back into the pan and heat gently, stirring all the time, until the custard thickens.

Pour the crème pâtissière into a clean bowl and stir in the butter. Cover the surface closely with cling film to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool, then place in the fridge.

Line three baking trays with baking parchment. Unwrap the chilled dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 35cm square. Trim the edges to straighten.

Cut the dough into 15 strips, flouring the knife from time to time to stop it sticking. Twist each strip in opposite directions from both ends and tie in a knot then tuck the ends under to form a circle.

Place the pastries on the prepared baking trays, leaving enough space in between for them to expand. Put each tray inside a large, clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Heat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Take the trays out of the bags. Gently ease open the centre of each knot to make more space and put a spoonful of crème pâtissière in the middle. Brush the pastries with beaten egg to glaze and bake for 15–20 minutes, until risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Before serving, place the fruit on top of the crème pâtissière. Warm the apricot jam and brush on the pastries to give them a final glaze.

Seasonal Danish pastries

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DANISH TWISTS

MAKES 6

I like to play around with different types of chocolate for Danish pastries, even putting cut-up Mars Bars and Snickers inside. Hazelnut chocolate spread, such as Nutella, is twisted inside these pastries and they are topped with white chocolate. It’s breaking the rules, but it works. The technique for rolling and folding the Danish pastry dough is illustrated; remember that you’ll need to allow plenty of time for chilling the dough – around 12 hours in total.

450g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

7g instant dried yeast

7g fine salt

75g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

75ml cold water

100ml whole milk

225g unsalted butter (ideally a good-quality Normandy butter), softened

For the filling and topping

150g chocolate spread

100g good-quality white chocolate, cut into small pieces

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface with your knuckles, then stretch it to a rough rectangle. Now roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, 45 x 20cm, to end up with a short side facing you. The dough can be quite hard to stretch because it wants to pull back into shape; one tip is to press the sides down onto the work surface to help hold the dough as you roll. Spread the butter out to cover the bottom two-thirds of the dough; make sure it is in an even layer and comes almost to the edges.

Your dough now needs to be wrapped in cling film and chilled for at least 8 hours, or overnight, to rest and rise slightly.

Line two baking trays with baking parchment. Unwrap the chilled dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, 60 x 30cm. Trim the edges to straighten.

Cover the surface of the dough with chocolate spread, leaving about a 1cm clear margin along the edges. Fold the dough in half lengthways, to make a rectangle 60 x 15cm.

Cut the dough into 6 long strips, each 2.5cm wide, flouring the knife from time to time to stop it sticking. Twist each strip in opposite directions from both ends and tie in a knot then tuck the ends under to form a circle.

Place the pastries on the prepared baking trays and put each tray inside a large, clean plastic bag. Leave to prove for 2 hours, or until the pastries have doubled in size.

Heat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Take the baking trays out of the bags. Bake the pastries for 15–20 minutes, until risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (the bottom of the bowl must not touch the water). Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cooled pastries and leave to set before serving.

Double chocolate Danish twists

SULTANA & PECAN SCONE RING

MAKES 8

Scones are a hotel afternoon tea staple. Mine once got the approval of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who used to come to Cliveden quite often and take tea in Madame de Pompadour’s French dining room. I like to use strong bread flour in my scones and in this recipe I’ve slipped in some lard as well as butter, for a better texture and flavour – a tip I got from my nan.

225g strong white bread flour, plus an extra 25g for dusting

¼ tsp fine salt

2 tsp baking powder

20g cold unsalted butter, cut into small dice

20g cold lard, cut into small dice

40g caster sugar

60g golden sultanas

20g pecan nuts, roughly chopped

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

1 medium egg

125ml whole milk

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Heat your oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Put the 225g flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder. Add the butter and lard and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, sultanas, chopped pecans and orange zest and stir to combine.

Make a well in the centre and break in the egg. Pour in half of the milk then mix with a wooden spoon until smoothly combined. Mix in the remaining milk, a little at a time, until you have a soft dough – you may not need all of it.

Dust your work surface with the 25g flour. Tip the dough onto it and gently fold it repeatedly until the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth. If the dough is sticky, dust your hands with more flour to make it easier to handle.

Shape the dough into a round, 2.5cm thick, and place on the prepared tray. Score the scone round into 8 triangles by cutting deeply into the dough until your knife touches the baking tray. Brush the top with beaten egg.

Bake the scone round for 20 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Eat warm or cold, cut into 8 wedges, on the same day to enjoy at its best.

Sultana & pecan scone ring

NICE BISCUITS

MAKES 12–15

I do like the classic biscuits and this is my version of one of the best. Thin, crisp and flavoured with coconut, these delicate biscuits are perfect with a cuppa.

125g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

10g cold unsalted butter, cut into small dice

50g caster sugar

20g desiccated coconut

¼ tsp baking powder

40–50ml milk

¼ tsp vanilla extract

1–2 tsp granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Put the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and rub in using your fingertips. Add the caster sugar, coconut and baking powder and mix to combine.

Add 25ml of the milk with the vanilla extract and use one hand to bring the mixture together. Add the remaining milk, 1 tsp at a time, until you have a stiff dough that forms a ball; you may not need all the milk or you may need a little more. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough on it to a 3mm thickness.

Using a 5cm fluted square cutter, stamp out squares. (Alternatively, you could cut straight-sided biscuits using a sharp knife.) Place on the prepared tray, leaving a small space between each one. Re-roll any trimmings and stamp out more squares.

Prick the surface of each square with a fork (this stops them rising too much). Place the tray in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5.

Just before baking, sprinkle 1 tsp granulated sugar over the surface of the dough squares. Bake for 15 minutes, until the biscuits are pale golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave on the tray to firm up for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with a little more sugar before serving, if you wish.

Nice biscuits

JAFFA CAKES

MAKES 12

Children – and adults – love these Jaffa Cakes, which are made using a shallow bun tray as a mould. The orange is just that little bit more intense and you can use your choice of chocolate. It’s a poshed up version of an all-time favourite, fit for a five-star hotel tea.

For the sponge base

Unsalted butter, for greasing

25g self-raising flour

A pinch of fine salt

⅛ tsp baking powder

1 large egg, separated

25g caster sugar

⅛ tsp cream of tartar

For the orange jelly

½ x 135g packet orange jelly

2 tsp orange marmalade

60ml boiling water

For the chocolate topping

100g dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids)

40ml double cream

1 tbsp caster sugar

Heat your oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and grease a shallow 12-hole bun tray with butter.

For the sponge, sift the flour, salt and baking powder together; set aside. In a medium bowl, using a hand-held electric whisk, beat the egg yolk with half of the sugar until the mixture thickens and turns pale in colour – this will take about 5 minutes. Carefully fold in the flour mixture, using a large metal spoon or spatula.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg white with the cream of tartar until stiff. Gradually add the remaining sugar, whisking well after each addition, then gently fold into the whisked egg and sugar mixture.

Divide the mixture evenly between the bun tray moulds and gently smooth the surface to level. Bake for 8–10 minutes until the sponges are risen and spring back when lightly touched. Leave in the tray for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Wash and dry the bun tray then line the moulds with cling film.

Break the jelly into cubes and cut into small pieces. Place in a jug with the marmalade, pour on the boiling water and stir until the jelly has dissolved. Divide between the lined moulds then refrigerate to set.

For the topping, break the chocolate into pieces and put into a small pan with the cream and sugar. Warm gently over a low heat until melted. Stir to combine and form a thick silky sauce. Let cool slightly.

To assemble, take the jellies from the moulds. For a neat finish, cut each jelly with a small round cutter. Sit each one, rounded side up, on a sponge base and spoon on the chocolate topping to coat. (This must not be too warm or it will melt the jelly layer and slide off. If necessary, let cool for a little longer.) Mark a decorative pattern in the chocolate using a cocktail stick or skewer. Leave to set on a wire rack.

Jaffa cakes

FIG ROLLS

MAKES 14

An afternoon tea is a great pick-me-up and can be made into a special treat just with a welcome pot of tea and a little plate of home-made biscuits like these. You can vary the spices and citrus zest to your taste, and the grated apple adds a little freshness to the dried fruits.

For the pastry

200g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

120g cold unsalted butter, diced

A pinch of fine salt

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 medium egg, lightly beaten

For the filling

175g dried figs, roughly chopped

50g dates, roughly chopped

75ml water

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

25g dark muscovado sugar

1 small apple, peeled and coarsely grated

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

To make the pastry, mix the flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resemble fine breadcrumbs. Add the salt and sugar and mix well. Add the egg and bring the mixture together to form a soft dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth ball. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to rest.

For the filling, put the figs and dates into a small pan with the water, bicarbonate of soda, orange zest and juice, lemon zest and sugar. Heat gently until bubbling and simmer until thick, sticky and jam-like. Set aside to cool, then add the grated apple and spices and mix well.

Heat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Roll out the rested pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, 32 x 25cm and 5mm thick. Trim the edges to straighten. Cut the pastry in half so you have two 30cm long strips.

Turn one piece of pastry so the long side is facing you. Spoon half of the sticky fruit filling in a line along this pastry strip, towards the edge closest to you but leaving a 1cm clear margin. Brush this pastry edge with water, then bring the other side of the pastry up over the filling and press the edges together to seal. Trim the ends to neaten. Repeat with the remaining strip of pastry, using the rest of the filling.

Carefully lift the filled rolls onto the prepared baking tray and score at 4cm intervals, taking care not to cut right through the pastry. Press a fork down onto the top of each roll to mark it and slightly flatten to the classic fig roll shape. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden.

Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then cut along the scored marks and transfer the fig rolls to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fig rolls

CHOCOLATE & ORANGE MINI TARTS

MAKES 8

The flavour of the orange really comes through in these special little tarts. Because the chocolate is so rich, you don’t want too much so I’ve made them small enough to eat in a couple of bites. The gold leaf decoration is a five-star hotel touch but I’d be equally happy with just the chocolate curls, or even a halved fresh orange segment brushed with a bit of apricot jam!

For the pastry

100g unsalted butter, softened

50g icing sugar

1 medium egg, beaten

125g plain flour

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

For the filling

110g dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids)

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

1 tsp orange blossom water

100ml double cream

20g unsalted butter

To decorate

75g dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids)

1 small sheet edible gold leaf (optional)

To make the pastry, beat the butter and icing sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually incorporate the beaten egg, then add the flour and orange zest and stir until just combined; try not to over-mix. The dough will be very soft at this stage. Form it into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Heat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Have ready 8 fluted mini tarts tins, 6.5cm in diameter and 2cm deep. (Alternatively, you could use a shallow 12-hole bun tray and make 12 slightly smaller tarts.)

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness and cut out 8 rounds, using a 10.5cm plain round cutter (or an 8cm cutter if using a bun tray). Use to line the mini tart tins, making sure you push the pastry into the fluted edges; leave the excess overhanging the edges of the tins.

Line each pastry case with a small square of baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake ‘blind’ for 8 minutes, until the pastry is dry to the touch, then remove the parchment and beans and return the pastry cases to the oven for about 4 minutes until the base is dry and the pastry is very lightly coloured. Let cool, then use a small, sharp knife to trim away the excess pastry from the edge of the tins.

Melt 20g of the chocolate (for the filling) in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Brush the base of the tarts with the melted chocolate. Leave to set.

For the filling, chop the remaining 90g dark chocolate into small pieces with a large knife, or in a food processor, and place in a bowl with the orange zest. Put the orange blossom water, cream and butter into a pan and heat slowly until the mixture just comes to the boil. Pour onto the chocolate and stir until it melts to form a smooth, shiny paste. Spoon the filling into the mini tart cases and leave to set (at room temperature).

To make the chocolate curls, break the 75g dark chocolate into small pieces and melt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (as before), stirring occasionally until smooth. Pour the chocolate onto the centre of a clean baking sheet and use a palette knife to spread it out into a smooth, thin layer. Place in the fridge for about 5–10 minutes, until set but not brittle. Press gently with your fingertip – it should leave a mark but not an indentation.

Use the edge of a large, sharp knife to scrape the chocolate away from you: it should curl. If it breaks, the chocolate is too cold so leave it to soften on the work surface for a few minutes then try again. Store the chocolate curls in an airtight box between layers of baking parchment until required. (You will have more than you need, but the excess can be frozen.)

Before serving, decorate each mini chocolate and orange tart with a few chocolate curls and a little crumpled gold leaf, if you like.

Chocolate & orange mini tarts

JAPONAISE MERINGUES

MAKES 12

If you’ve never come across a Japonaise meringue before, it’s a meringue mix that includes nuts, usually ground almonds or hazelnuts. The trick is to whip the meringue properly, so it can hold the nuts well even when they release some of their oils. These meringue fingers are piped, baked, then sandwiched with cream and decorated with chocolate and toasted almonds. In a luxury hotel such as the Grosvenor, they would have been piped perfectly, of course.

4 medium egg whites

¼ tsp cream of tartar

170g caster sugar

75g ground almonds

1 tbsp cornflour

For the filling and decoration

75g dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids), cut into small pieces

400ml double cream

50g chopped toasted almonds

Heat your oven to 140°C/Gas 1 and line two baking trays with baking parchment.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff. Gradually add 120g of the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition until you have a thick, glossy meringue.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 50g caster sugar, ground almonds and cornflour. Gradually and carefully fold this into the meringue, until evenly combined.

Put the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle and pipe 24 fingers, about 9cm long and 3cm wide, onto the prepared baking trays.

Bake for 20 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside for a couple of hours until they are set and cooled.

For the decoration, put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and leave until melted and smooth.

For the filling, whip the cream until it is fairly stiff but still easy to pipe, and place in a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle. Place pairs of meringues side-by-side, flat-side up, to form a V-shape. Pipe cream between the meringues to sandwich them together.

Scatter chopped nuts over the cream filling and drizzle the melted chocolate decoratively over the meringues to finish.

Japonaise meringues

INDIVIDUAL LEMON MERINGUE PIES

MAKES 4

The French have dominated high-end baking because of the finesse of their pâtisserie. But I think that’s wrong! Here’s a recipe for a British classic, made on a smaller scale so you can eat it for tea or as a dessert. Take a little bit of care and it will look and taste great. You will have more lemon curd than you need – keep the rest in the fridge in a sealed jar to use as you like – to fill tartlet cases, top pancakes, spread on wholemeal bread etc.

For the base

150g gingernut biscuits

75g unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

Finely grated zest of 3 lemons

Juice of 6 large lemons

50ml water

2 tbsp cornflour

175g caster sugar

3 large egg yolks

25g unsalted butter

For the meringue

3 large egg whites

175g caster sugar

1 tsp cornflour

Crush the ginger biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor (or use a rolling pin to smash them in a plastic bag) and mix with the melted butter. Divide between four individual 10cm loose-based tart tins, 3cm deep, and press the mixture onto the base and sides to line them. Place in the fridge to set.

For the filling, put the lemon zest and juice, water, cornflour, sugar and egg yolks in a small heavy-based saucepan. Heat gently, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens. Be patient, as this will take 10–15 minutes. Stir in the butter to make a thick, glossy lemon curd. Spoon a layer over the biscuit bases and leave to cool. (Keep the rest of the lemon curd in a sealed jar in the fridge to use as required.)

Heat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5.

Whisk the egg whites in a large, clean bowl until stiff, then add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition, until you have a thick, glossy meringue. Fold in the cornflour, using a large metal spoon or spatula.

Spoon or pipe the meringue generously over the lemon layer and bake for 15 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned on top. Serve hot, warm or cold, with pouring cream.

Individual lemon meringue pies

PRUNE & ARMAGNAC TART

SERVES 8

This is a great tart and the Armagnac’s the killer ingredient – it brings a special quality to the flavour. Here I’ve made a large tart to cut up and share out for afternoon tea or dessert but you can make individual tarts, or bake it in a long tranche tin to slice into fingers if you prefer.

For the pastry

200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tbsp icing sugar

100g cold unsalted butter, cut into small dice

1 medium egg

1 tsp lemon juice

2–3 tsp cold water

For the prunes

175g dried prunes (ideally Agen)

3 tbsp Armagnac (or other brandy)

For the filling

100g unsalted butter, softened

100g caster sugar

2 large eggs

50g plain flour

75g ground almonds

100g plum jam

20g flaked almonds

For the glaze

50g caster sugar

For the pastry, mix the flour and icing sugar together in a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the egg with the lemon juice and 2 tsp water, then stir into the rubbed-in mixture, using a table knife. Add the extra 1 tsp water to bring the dough together if necessary. Gently knead the dough into a smooth ball, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak the prunes in the Armagnac.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 30cm circle and use to line a 23cm loose-based tart tin, 3.5cm deep, leaving a little excess overhanging the edge. Prick the base with a fork, then chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake ‘blind’ for 12–15 minutes, until the pastry is dry to the touch, then remove the paper and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for 5 minutes, until the base is dry and the pastry is lightly coloured. Use a small knife to trim away the excess from the edge.

To make the almond filling, beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour and ground almonds.

Spread the jam over the base of the pastry case. Spoon the almond filling on top and spread to level. Drain the prunes, reserving the juice. Carefully press the prunes into the almond mixture and scatter the flaked almonds on top. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the filling is risen and golden.

For the glaze, in a small pan, heat the reserved prune soaking liquor with the 50g caster sugar. Bring to the boil and let bubble to reduce until it thickens. Brush the surface of the tart with the syrup. Serve warm or at room temperature, with crème fraîche or cream.

Prune & Armagnac tart

APRICOT & ALMOND CLAFOUTIS

SERVES 4

If it is made well, a clafoutis is gorgeous. I’d have it with a cup of tea but it’s also good with a glass of Cognac or port. It has to be moist and you need to use flavourful fruit, whether it’s blackberries, strawberries, raspberries or, as here, apricots.

For the apricots

100g caster sugar

100ml amaretto liqueur

4 apricots, stoned and each cut into 6 wedges

For the batter

2 large eggs, plus an extra 2 yolks

3 tbsp caster sugar

A pinch of fine salt

2 tbsp plain flour

125ml double cream

75ml milk

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

To finish

15g flaked almonds, lightly toasted

Icing sugar, for dusting

For the apricots, put the sugar and liqueur into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Place the apricot wedges in the syrup and remove from the heat. Leave to cool.

To make the batter, in a bowl or large jug, whisk together the whole eggs, extra yolks, sugar, salt and flour. Add the cream, milk and lemon zest and whisk again until evenly combined. Leave to stand for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 160°C/Gas 3.

Drain the apricots and place them in a shallow ovenproof dish, about 25 x 17cm (saving the syrup for poaching or eating with other fruit).

Pour the batter over the apricots and bake for 20–25 minutes, until risen, golden and just set. Scatter over the flaked almonds, dust with icing sugar and serve straight away.

Apricot & almond clafoutis

LEMON BRIOCHE À TÊTE

MAKES 1 LARGE BRIOCHE

A brioche is one of those classic French bakes you have to learn when you’re working in a smart hotel. This brioche is shaped so it has a tête, or head. One of the difficulties is to keep this bobble balanced. The trick is not to make the top part too heavy or it will crush the lower one. There’s also a special technique in this recipe for joining the two balls together in a way that keeps the tête right on top. You will need to allow plenty of time for the long, slow rise.

350g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

7g instant dried yeast

5g fine salt

35g caster sugar

About 100ml warm whole milk

3 medium eggs

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

170g unsalted butter (ideally a good-quality Normandy butter), cut into small pieces, softened, plus extra for greasing

Egg wash (1 egg, lightly beaten with a little milk), to glaze

For the filling and glaze

2 tbsp apricot jam

2 tbsp pearl sugar

200g lemon curd

As this is a wet dough with lots of butter, I’d highly recommend using a food mixer if possible.

Put the flour into a food mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt and sugar to the other. Now add the milk, eggs and lemon zest and mix on a slow speed for 2 minutes, then on a medium speed for a further 6–8 minutes until you have a soft, glossy, elastic dough.

Add the butter pieces and continue to mix for a further 4–5 minutes, scraping down the bowl periodically to ensure that the butter is fully incorporated. The dough will be very soft.

Tip the dough into a plastic bowl, cover with cling film and chill for at least 7 hours, or overnight, until it has firmed up and you are able to shape it.

Grease a 22cm brioche tin with butter.

Take the brioche dough from the fridge. Tip it onto a lightly floured surface and fold it in on itself a few times to knock out the air.

Tear off a piece of the dough (about 125g in weight) and shape it into a smooth ball by placing it in a cage formed by your cupped hand on the work surface and moving your hand around in a circular motion, rotating the ball rapidly.

Take the larger piece of dough and form it into a smooth, tight ball by cupping it with the sides of your hands and turning it around to create a smooth ball. Press gently to flatten slightly.

Dust your middle finger and forefinger with flour and push them through the centre of the larger ball of dough to make a hole (or use the end of a wooden spoon). Now stretch the hole so the ball looks like a tall ring doughnut.

Shape the smaller ball into a cylinder and taper one end. Using a knife, slice the bottom half of the tapered end vertically in two, keeping the top half intact. Pull the two ends apart then insert these tapered ends through the hole in the large ball and tuck them outwards underneath the large ball. Form the top of the cylinder into a ball. (This technique keeps the small ball of dough in place when it’s baked, otherwise it can tip to the side and won’t stay in the middle.)

Push the handle of a wooden spoon down through both balls right to the base. This will help the brioche to cook all the way through.

Place the brioche in the prepared tin and stand it on a baking tray. Place inside a large, clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 2–3 hours, or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5.

Remove the tray from the plastic bag. Brush the brioche with egg wash and bake for 25–30 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Note that the sugar and butter will make the brioche colour before it is fully baked. To check it is cooked, carefully tip the brioche out of its tin and tap the bottom: it should sound hollow. If not, return it to the tin and bake for a further 5 minutes. But keep a close eye – if you overcook the brioche, it will become dry.

Leave the brioche in its tin for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, gently heat the apricot jam with a little water, then press through a sieve. Brush the top of the brioche with the apricot glaze and sprinkle with the pearl sugar. Remove the brioche from the tin and place on a wire rack. Leave to cool.

Spoon the lemon curd into a piping bag fitted with a bismarck nozzle (for filling doughnuts) and inject the brioche from the top with the lemon curd to fill the centre with it. Cut into wedges to serve.

Lemon brioche à tête

SALMON IN BRIOCHE

SERVES 4

This is one of the dishes I created at the Dorchester for our special guests. The combination of tastes and textures is amazing: the crispness of the crust on the outside, the softness of the brioche beneath and the gorgeous salmon with a hint of dill in the middle. Allow plenty of time for the lengthy, slow rise.

For the dough

375g strong white bread flour

7g instant dried yeast

7g fine salt

3 tbsp caster sugar

5 tbsp milk

3 medium eggs

185g unsalted butter (ideally a good-quality Normandy butter), cut into small pieces, softened

1 medium egg, beaten, to glaze

For the filling

4 sprigs of dill

4 salmon fillets (about 175g each), skinned and pin-boned

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Salt

Put the flour into a food mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and add the yeast to one side and the salt and sugar to the other. Now add the milk and eggs and mix on a medium speed for about 8 minutes until smooth. (If you don’t have a freestanding mixer, use a hand-held mixer fitted with dough hooks – the dough is too loose to knead easily by hand.)

With the motor running, gradually add the butter pieces, scraping down the bowl periodically. Once all the butter is incorporated and the dough is smooth and sticky, increase the speed and knead for a further 6 minutes.

Tip the dough into a large bowl (it will almost double in size), cover with cling film and place in the fridge overnight, or for at least 7 hours.

Heat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Tip the brioche dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 36cm square, about 5mm thick. Cut into 4 even squares. Place a sprig of dill in the centre of each square and sit a portion of salmon on top. Season the salmon lightly with salt and sprinkle with a little lemon zest.

Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg. Enclose the salmon in the pastry by bringing the two sides along the length of each fillet together and sealing, then folding the two ends up and over. Trim away any excess pastry so it isn’t thick where the seams join. (If the pastry is too thick, the fish won’t cook properly.)

Carefully turn the parcels over and very lightly score the pastry to mark a criss-cross pattern. Brush the surface with more beaten egg and bake the parcels in the oven for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot or warm.

Salmon in brioche

PEA, PANCETTA & PARMESAN TART

SERVES 6

This is a lovely, light, refreshing summer tart that is perfect for a more substantial but refined savoury tea. Little chunks of salty pancetta sit alongside sweet peas within a Parmesan and lemon flavoured custard.

For the pastry

225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

A pinch of fine salt

60g cold unsalted butter, cut into small dice

60g cold lard, cut into small dice

3–5 tbsp ice-cold water

For the filling

195g pancetta, cut into 5–6mm dice

½ red onion, finely diced

5 medium eggs, plus an extra 3 egg yolks

200ml double cream

75g Parmesan, finely grated

A pinch of white pepper

A pinch of fine salt

100g ricotta

100g frozen peas

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt together in a bowl, add the butter and lard and rub in lightly with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add the water and mix until the dough begins to come together. Gently knead into a smooth ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness and use to line a 25cm loose-based round tart tin, 3.5cm deep, leaving a little excess overhanging the edge. Prick the base all over with a fork, then chill for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake ‘blind’ for 12–15 minutes, until the pastry is dry to the touch, then remove the paper and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the base is dry and the pastry is lightly coloured. Use a small, sharp knife to trim away the excess pastry from the edge. Lower the oven setting to 180°C/Gas 4.

To make the filling, cook the pancetta in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until golden and the edges begin to crisp, then remove. Lower the heat under the pan slightly, add the red onion and cook gently in the pancetta fat until softened.

In a bowl, beat the eggs, extra yolks and cream together until evenly combined. Add the grated Parmesan, pepper and a small pinch of salt (the pancetta and Parmesan are salty).

Scatter the diced pancetta and onion in the pastry case. Dollop the ricotta in heaped teaspoonfuls over the top and scatter over the peas and lemon zest. Carefully pour in the creamy egg mixture. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the filling is just set and golden. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully unmould the tart. Serve warm or cold.

Pea, pancetta & Parmesan tart

HAM & CHEESE CROISSANTS

MAKES 12

For a sensational brunch dish that everyone will remember, it really is worth making your own croissants. The recipe looks long but once you understand the process, it’s just a matter of repeating stages that don’t take much time. A croissant is all about the layers. Make sure you chill the dough well and roll it out to exactly the same level each time so you don’t get more butter in some parts and end up with bread rather than a properly flaky croissant. You’ll need to allow around 20 hours in total for chilling the dough.

350g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

150g plain flour

10g instant dried yeast

10g fine salt

80g caster sugar

280ml water

300g unsalted butter (ideally a good-quality Normandy butter), softened

120g ham, thinly sliced

200g mature Cheddar, grated

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Put both flours into a food mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast to one side and the salt and sugar to the other and begin mixing on a slow speed. Add the water and mix for a couple of minutes to bring the dough together. Increase the speed and mix for a further 6 minutes. The dough should be fairly stiff. (You can make this dough by hand but I’d recommend using a mixer if possible.)

Lift the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Put into a greased bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, 60 x 20cm, to end up with a short side facing you. The dough can be quite hard to stretch because it wants to pull back into shape; one tip is to press the sides down onto the work surface to help hold the dough as you roll. Spread the butter out to cover the bottom two-thirds of the dough; make sure it is in an even layer and comes almost to the edges.

Unwrap the chilled dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll again into a rectangle, 45 x 20cm, with a short side facing you. Fold the bottom third of the dough up and the top third down on top. This is called ‘a single turn’. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for an hour. Repeat this stage three more times, chilling the dough in between turns. Write the number of turns on the cling film with a marker pen, as a reminder.

After the final turn, wrap the dough in cling film and chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight, to rest and rise slightly.

When you are ready to shape the croissants, line two or three baking trays with baking parchment.

Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle, 42 x 30cm, with a short side facing you. Trim the edges to neaten. Cut the rectangle in two lengthways, then cut triangles along the length of each strip (a pizza wheel is a good tool for this job). The base of each triangle should be about 12cm wide and it should be about 15cm high. You will get 6 triangles from each strip (you’ll need to trim off a small triangular piece from each end).

Cut the ham into pieces that are roughly the same size as the dough triangles. Place a piece of ham on each triangle and sprinkle over some grated cheese. Hold the wide base of the triangle and gently tug the pointed opposite end to cause slight tension in the dough. Starting at the thick end, roll up into a croissant shape.

Place the croissants on the prepared trays, leaving space in between for them to expand. Place each tray in a large, clean plastic bag and leave to prove at room temperature for 2 hours, or until the croissants have doubled in size. (If you want to make these in advance, wrap each croissant in cling film before it proves, and freeze. Thaw and prove in the morning for a mid-morning brunch.)

Heat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Take the trays of croissants out of the bags. Just before baking, brush the croissants with egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 180°C/Gas 4 and bake for a further 5 minutes, until risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. The croissants are best eaten warm.

Ham & cheese croissants