Great British Bake Off stars share their Easter recipes

 

THE judges for Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off have shared two recipes that keen home bakers can try just in time for Easter.

Paul Hollywood, who has appeared on the show since it began in 2010, and new judge Prue Leith reveal their foolproof ways to make seasonal favourites Easter simnel cake and hot cross buns.

Prue’s Easter Simnel Cake

Leith says: “Simnel Cake is the traditional Easter cake and it is supposed to be decorated with 11 apostles (in the form of marzipan balls). The 12th, Judas, is excluded for his sins. If you don’t like marzipan, you could cover the cake with any icing and then use mini foil-covered Easter eggs for the apostles.”

Ingredients for the cake:

50g soft dried apricots

50g dried or glace cherries

75g flaked almonds, toasted

50g candied orange peel

50g sultanas

3 tbsp brandy

200g butter

200g caster sugar

75g ground almonds

90g self-raising flour

4 large eggs, beaten

The finely grated zest and the juice of an orange

Ingredients for the marzipan:

250 caster sugar

250 icing sugar

500 ground almonds

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons lemon juice

l teaspoon vanilla essence

Extra beaten egg for glazing

Extra icing sugar for rolling

 

Method:

1. First make the marzipan by whizzing all the ingredients together in a food processor. Gather the mixture into a ball and keep covered until using it.

2. For the cake, line the base and sides of a 23cm cake tin with baking parchment. Set the oven at 180C.

3. Whizz the dried fruit in a food processor briefly, so that it’s all roughly the size of the candied peel. Tip into a bowl, then pour over the brandy, orange juice and zest.

4. Mix the almonds and flour together.

5. Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy and white, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.

6. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time adding a tablespoon of the flour mix between each egg. Then add the rest of the flour mix with the machine on pulse. Don’t over mix or the cake will be heavy.

7. Mix in the dried fruit and chopped almonds, taking great care not to over-mix. Transfer half the mixture to the lined cake tin, gently smoothing the top and spreading a little up the sides.

8. Roll out one third of the marzipan to a round a little smaller than the cake tin, using extra icing sugar (as you would flour when rolling out pastry) to stop it sticking.

9. Lay the round of marzipan on top of the cake mix in the tin.

10. Add the rest of the cake mix and smooth the top flat.

11. Bake for 45 minutes (check after 30 mins and put some foil on top if it is already dark enough) Check it is cooked by piercing with a skewer, which should come out clean.

12. Leave the cake to cool in the tin, running a palate knife around the edge to loosen it as it cools.

13. Roll the remaining marzipan into a round the same size as the top of the cake. Cut a hole in the centre about 12cm across and use this piece to make 11 small balls.

14. Lay the ring of marzipan on top of the cake and brush with beaten egg then arrange the balls on top of the ring. Lightly brush the balls with egg.

15. Heat the grill to maximum and grill the top until golden. When cool, store in a cake tin.

 

Paul’s Hot Cross Buns

Hollywood says: “Packed with flavour, these are real hot cross buns. I started making them with my dad, also a baker, when I was just nine years old. The addition of apples to the dough enhances the taste and lends a lovely, moist texture.”

Makes 12

Prep 4 hours

Bake 20 minutes

Ingredients for the buns:

500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

10g salt

75g caster sugar

10g instant yeast

40g unsalted butter, softened

2 medium eggs, beaten

120ml warm full-fat milk

120ml cool water

150g sultanas

80g chopped mixed peel

Finely grated zest of two oranges

1 dessert apple, cored and diced

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the crosses:

75g plain flour

75ml water

Ingredients for the glaze:

75g apricot jam

 

Method

1. Put the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter, eggs, milk and half the water and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to add the water, a little at a time, until you’ve picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all the water, or you may need to add a little more – you want dough that is soft, but not soggy. Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.

2. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead. Keep kneading for five to 10 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin.

3. When your dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until at least doubled in size – at least one hour, but it’s fine to leave it for two or even three hours.

4. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and scatter the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple and cinnamon on top. Knead in until evenly incorporated. Cover and leave to rise for a further hour.

5. Fold the dough inwards repeatedly until all the air is knocked out. Divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place, fairly close together, on one or two baking trays lined with baking parchment or silicone paper.

6. Put each tray inside a clean plastic bag and leave to rest for one hour, or until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 220C.

7. For the crosses, mix the flour and water to a paste. Using a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle, pipe crosses on the buns. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Warm the apricot jam with a splash of water, sieve and brush over the tops of the warm buns to glaze. Cool on a wire rack.