Episode 5, GBBO 2016, signature bake

Breakfast Pastries

These sweet and savory Danish pastries — an apple and almond braid and a spinach-artichoke egg "soufflé" — can both be made with a single batch of pastry dough. They would complement each other at the brunch table or make great grab-and-go breakfast options.

Episode 5, GBBO 2015, Showstopper

Dairy-Free Ice Cream Roll

You'd never know this rich and creamy frozen dessert is dairy free! The pistachio ice cream is made with coconut milk and coconut cream. The hurricane roll is flavored with purple ube. And sandwiched between the two is a thin layer of blackberry jam, all topped off with luscious, marshmallowy Swiss meringue!

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Episode 5, GBBO 2015, technical challenge

Gluten-Free Pitta (or Pita) Bread

No matter how you spell it ("pita" or "pitta"), these ancient flatbreads are pretty versatile: fill them, wrap them, or dip them. Of the two varieties--Greek pitas or pocket pitas--mine turned out more like the pocketless kind, but they're still delicious!

Episode 5, GBBO 2015, Signature Bake

Sugar-Free Cake

This delicious chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting contains no refined sugars, eggs or butter. Adapted from a Depression-era recipe, the cake is sweetened with honey and the frosting is made with maple syrup. It's the perfect combo for anyone who loves peanut butter cups (or anything combining chocolate and peanut butter, for that matter)!

Episode 5, GBBO 2014, Showstopper

Three-Tiered Pie Tower

The inspiration for my three-tiered pie tower comes from the turducken, which is a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey. Rather than debone and stuff three kinds of poultry, I made a separate pie for each bird, dubbing my creation “a poultry excuse for a pie tower,” otherwise known as a Fowlty Tower. While the turkey pie is the epitome of comfort-food-in-a-crust, the duck pie is a gourmet feast of flavors. The chicken curry pie offers a nice contrast to the other two — the warmth of the curry offset by the slightly sweet mango chutney.

Episode 5, GBBO 2014, technical challenge

Mini Pear Pies

These mini pear pies remind me of apple dumplings, but with a twist! Instead of being wrapped in a sheet of pastry, poached pears are surrounded by a long thin spiral of rough puff, which makes the texture light and delicate. Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and your guests will sing your praises!

Episode 5, GBBO 2014, Signature Bake

A Custard Tart

Blood oranges have a short growing season, so I wanted to take advantage of this purple-fleshed fruit while I could. Although the color of the custard doesn't reflect the deep jewel-tones of these citrus gems, if you close your eyes and take a bite, the sweet tangy flavor of oranges excites your tastebuds and fills all your senses with happy thoughts!

Episode 5, GBBO 2013, showstopper

A Biscuit Tower

I really wanted to capture the essence of a treasure box with this biscuit (i.e., cookie) tower, or the delight a young child gets upon opening her mother’s jewelry box — all those glittering beads and sparkly jewels! And now that it’s done, I just can’t get enough of it!

Episode 5, GBBO 2013, technical challenge

Tuiles

Tuile is the French word for tile, and these thin, delicate cookies are often curved in the shape of a French roof tile. They can be either sweet or savory and are usually served as a garnish, or tuiles can be molded into serving dishes for ice cream or other desserts.

Episode 5, GBBO 2013, Signature Bake

A Traybake

The challenge for this episode was to produce a traybake with layers of complementary flavors and good textures, each element made from scratch, and cut into identically sized squares or rectangles. I chose a pastry-based recipe, a rhubarb frangipane tart.