Join me as I bake through the Great British Bake Off.
The classic Bakewell tart, with its layers of short crust pastry, jam, frangipane and icing, hails from the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire, England. While its origins may be the source of some contention, most such arguments fade over a cup of tea and a warm slice.
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.
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!
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.
Dampfnudel, literally translated "steam noodle," is more like a dumpling than a noodle. They can be sweet or savory, but these are made with an enriched dough scented with lemon zest and served with two sauces, créme anglaise and a sweetened plum sauce.
After a 1994 Seinfeld episode catapulted babka to stardom, modern bakers began to put their own twist on this traditional twisted loaf. Here's my take — a decadent chocolate, orange and cardamom braid that will satisfy your biggest chocolate craving.
Viennese whirls, though not Viennese, were probably inspired by Spritzgebäck, a German butter cookie that's extruded through a cookie press. But Viennese whirls take butter cookies to the next level, with a swirl of buttercream and a spoonful of jam sandwiched between two melt-in-your-mouth cookies!
What could be better than homemade, Biscoff-style cookies? The same cookies decorated for Valentine's Day! The warm spices of these speculoos cookies are enhanced with a light coating of tangy, lemon-flavored icing and decorated with tiny red hearts. What better way to say I love you?
Is the Jaffa cake a biscuit (i.e. cookie) or a cake? That was the subject of a 1991 court case, but you can decide for yourself if you make your own! These chocolate-covered mini-cakes with an orange center are made from Mary Berry's recipe, which was the technical challenge during Biscuit Week in GBBO 2016.
This drizzle cake combines tart grapefruit, roasted to bring out its sweetness, and earthy thyme in an olive oil and buttermilk sponge. Perfect with a cup of Earl Grey tea on a drizzly winter’s day, this moist yet delicate sponge is definitely moreish and one you'll want to add to your baking repertoire!
Here's the Dish 