This walnut spice cake with coffee crème au beurre filling complements the cream cheese buttercream frosting and walnut praline topping. It also sports a unique caramel collar, a creative touch that offers an artistic flair!
Category: Episode 4
Millionaire’s Shortbread
This indulgent treat comprises three layers — buttery shortbread, chewy caramel and a thin topping of crisp chocolate. My version features a simple, two-step, pistachio-orange shortbread and an easy caramel method that doesn't require watching sugar melt, and possibly crystalizing. These decadent bars live up to their name — they taste like a million bucks!
Churros
These churros are flavored with a blend of chai spices and scented with orange zest, accompanied by a blood orange caramel dipping sauce. Churros make a great snack any time of day, or eat them for breakfast with a mug of thick, hot chocolate, like the Spanish do!
Filled Yorkshire Puddings
These Yorkshire puddings are filled with a traditional shepherd's pie filling made with a mixture of lamb and beef and a good dose of Guinness stout, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and a sprinkling of cheese.
Three-Tiered Cheesecake
For my three-tiered cheesecake, I chose: pumpkin spice with a gingersnap crust, rhubarb ripple with a Biscoff cookie crust, and lemon poppyseed with a shortbread cookie crust. Obviously, it’s not necessary to stack your cheesecakes; that was only a requirement for the Great British Bake Off.
Spanische Windtorte
Spanische Windtorte, the precursor to Pavlova, Schaum Torte and Eton mess, consists of an intricately decorated meringue shell filled with whipped cream and berries. Even Sigmund Freud's fiancée called it "the fanciest cake ever created in Vienna."
Crème Brûlée
In my quest to make a perfect crème brûlée, I tried different ratios of cream to milk and egg yolks to liquid until I came up with the ideal combination. I wanted to find out why my first batch failed, and, if possible, come up with a foolproof method, so I could share it with you.
Baked Alaska
Originally called Omelette Norwegge by the French, Baked Alaska was renamed this side of the Atlantic to mark the purchase of the Alaskan territory by William Seward. My Baked Alaska was inspired by the frozen Italian treat spumoni and features a pistachio joconde sponge, chocolate ganache and cherry almond ice cream. It takes cake and ice cream to a whole new level!
Tiramisu Cake
Although it may not qualify as an authentic tiramisu, Mary Berry's version of this iconic Italian dessert still features sumptuous layers of creamy mascarpone, a tender sponge soaked in coffee and brandy, and a generous sprinkling of grated dark chocolate. Now that's amore!
Self-Saucing Puddings
My Raspberry-Lemonade Saucy Pudding forms a custard-like layer underneath a citrusy, light sponge — almost like a soufflé — while it bakes. I used Meyer lemons, which are sweeter and less acidic than regular lemons, and raspberry coulis for extra flavor and a colorful flair. For just a little effort, these puddings look impressive and pack a flavorful punch!
