Join me as I bake through the Great British Bake Off.
Featuring the "tricolore" of Italy's flag — red, white and green — pizza Margherita is synonymous with the city of Naples. From its thin, crisp crust to fresh toppings of mozzarella, basil, and San Marzano tomatoes, this recipe evokes Old World charm and authentic flavors.
Pastéis de nata, or Portuguese egg tarts, are a national treasure and a symbol of Portugal's culinary heritage. These tasty little morsels are distinguished by their flaky puff pastry crust and soft, smooth custard filling. Paul Hollywood's recipe offers a shortcut by using rough puff pastry.
Paul Hollywood's molten puddings (a.k.a. molten lava cakes) harbor a secret surprise — a melty peanut butter center! These fun-size cakes are sure to impress, yet they're surprisingly easy — you can even make them a day or two in advance and heat them up right before serving.
Closely associated with English country life, the cottage loaf was among the most popular types of bread before World War II. Its distinguishing feature is its shape — a small round loaf on top of a larger loaf. With only 5 ingredients, it's not a difficult bread to bake.
What can be found in Chinese restaurants all over the world but didn't originate in China? Fortune cookies! Impress your friends and tantalize your tastebuds by making your own. With hand-written fortunes customized for any occasion, they make great gifts or party favors. Or make them to celebrate Chinese New Year — just be sure to give a nod to their Japanese roots!
These mini Swiss rolls are reminiscent of Hostess Ho Hos, Little Debbie Swiss Rolls or, in the UK, Cadbury's Mini Rolls — but with the added kick of peppermint! A thin, chocolatey, light sponge is spread with mint buttercream and rolled up like a tiny Swiss roll, then enrobed in melted chocolate.
A precursor of today's sugar cookies, jumbles first appeared in a cookbook in 1585. These are flavored with caraway, aniseed, mace, and lemon zest and make a fortifying snack or breakfast cookie.
Mary Berry's marjolaine is a 7-layered delight featuring four layers of almond-hazelnut dacquoise sandwiched with praline buttercream and chocolate ganache. Overall, a delightfully nutty, crunchy, creamy concoction that presents itself with elegance and panache!
The French cousin of focaccia, fougasse is mostly associated with Provence in the southeast of France. This fougasse is scented with olive oil and studded with fresh herbs. It pairs well with pasta, a green salad, or a charcuterie board and a nice glass of wine.
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.
