0:00:03 > 0:00:06Welcome to The Great British Bake Off Masterclass.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Judges Mary Berry and I will be doing the baking.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14We'll guide you through challenges faced by the bakers in this year's Bake Off.
0:00:14 > 0:00:20We will show you some little tips and tricks that will help you at home to create something magical.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23From the mixing, to the baking, to the finishing,
0:00:23 > 0:00:28to the presentation, at home you will get the same results.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Coming up, my luxury pork pies
0:00:32 > 0:00:37encased in notoriously-difficult-to-handle hot water crust pastry,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40filled with the perfect combination of pork loin and a quail's egg.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Mary Berry's chocolate roulade recipe.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Mary will show you how to get the perfect roll every time.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55My traditional iced fingers - a complex combination
0:00:55 > 0:01:01of sweet yet buttery dough, precisely piped with whipped cream and strawberry jam.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06And Mary's Sachertorte - a technically tricky, dense chocolate cake
0:01:06 > 0:01:10with its signature glossy ganache icing.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34'Over the course of eight weeks
0:01:34 > 0:01:37'earlier this year, Mary and I saw twelve of the country's
0:01:37 > 0:01:42'very best home bakers go head-to-head as they fought it out to be crowned
0:01:42 > 0:01:44'Britain's best amateur baker.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49'Together, Mary and I devised the three challenges in each round...'
0:01:49 > 0:01:51- That's very, very good. - Absolutely delicious.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54'..and the technical challenge was the trickiest of all.'
0:01:54 > 0:01:57They come in all shapes and sizes, don't they?
0:01:57 > 0:02:00- Some of them are a bit irregular. - Good gracious!
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Eleven really lovely tarte au citron.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Because the recipe was always a surprise on the day,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11the bakers had no chance to practise and had to rely completely
0:02:11 > 0:02:14on their own knowledge and skill to get a good result.
0:02:18 > 0:02:24'Week five of the competition was all about pies, showcasing the bakers' pastry skills,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28'but also showing us their understanding of the balance of flavours.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32'For the technical challenge, I chose a first for The Great British Bake Off.'
0:02:32 > 0:02:38We're going to ask you to make a batch of six miniature pork pies.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42And in each pie we'd like there to be one quail's egg
0:02:42 > 0:02:48and, for the first time in this competition, we're going to ask you to work with hot water crust pastry.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00Pork pies with quails' eggs in the middle and hot water crust pastry.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Yes. I chose this as a technical challenge because it's quite tricky.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Once you've got the hot water crust pastry made,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08then it's all about rolling it out.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Then you've got to do the filling for it, put the quail's egg
0:03:11 > 0:03:13right in the middle, put the lid on,
0:03:13 > 0:03:17crimp it, egg wash it and then, finally, you've got to get that bake bang on.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20So, we're going to start with the hot water crust pastry.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23We need to weigh up the flours.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24So, I'm using two types of flour -
0:03:24 > 0:03:28plain flour and strong flour. Overwhelmingly plain flour.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31In fact, 200 grams to 40 grams of strong.
0:03:31 > 0:03:36Gluten is the wheat protein in flour that gives the dough its elasticity.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Plain flour contains less gluten than strong flour
0:03:39 > 0:03:44and is used when a crisper texture is needed in the finished bake.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48That little bit of strong will give it a bit of extra gluten to bind it together,
0:03:48 > 0:03:53to give it that quality, so when we're rolling it out, it stays quite rubbery, which is what you need.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57The next thing I've got is 50 grams of butter and 60 grams of lard,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- all right? A little job for you in a minute, Mary.- Is it?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- It's melting the lard in boiling water.- Oh, I can just manage that.
0:04:03 > 0:04:0860 grams. You need to melt that in 100ml of boiling water.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10One teaspoon of salt in that water, please.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15In here, I've got butter and flour.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17I'm just going to rub this flour.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20I'm interested that you're using butter WITH lard.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24When I've ever made hot water crust pastry, I've used ALL lard.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28- Are you adding the butter for flavour?- Unique flavour. It's better.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31The butter adds that quality of a little bit of dairy in there,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33that flavour of butter, which is good.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38- That's melted for you. - Thank you very much indeed.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Now, this needs to go in here.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Obviously, at this stage, it is going to be rather hot.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Well, the last thing you want is boiling hot fat in your hands.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53So, again, stir it round first, incorporating all the flour.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57And you can see, it's starting to turn into a proper paste now.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02I can touch that now. It cooled off as soon as it impacted on the flour.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Make sure you rub round to get everything out of that bowl.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07Beautifully clean bowl.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09All on that lump.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14I'm just going to put a little bit of flour there, cos it's going to take a bit of working,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16just into a ball, so it's more of a smooth paste.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20- Just gently work it. - So, that's to work in the fat evenly? - That's right, yeah.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Hot water crust pastry requires the mixture to be hot rather than cold,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30so as to make the dough easier to roll out.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35The large quantity of liquid used produces a hard, strong finish,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38making it suitable for holding heavy mixtures.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40I'm just going to begin to start flattening.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43And now it's essentially been worked into a ball.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46- That's very good.- Now, this one needs to be rolled out with a rolling pin.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50It's in there. Flatten it down with your fingers first as much as you can.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54Flatten the dough lightly with your fingers and then roll out evenly
0:05:54 > 0:05:57with a rolling pin until three to five millimetres thick.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01All I'm doing, occasionally, is just putting a little bit of flour on.
0:06:01 > 0:06:02I'll tell you why -
0:06:02 > 0:06:05it relaxes the dough, so it can skid back to where it should be.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I could roll this the size of this tray with no flour underneath
0:06:08 > 0:06:12and what'll happen is, when you put the lids in, it'll shrink back
0:06:12 > 0:06:13while it's trying to rest.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15And you're going to make it nice and thin,
0:06:15 > 0:06:20- that's where the bakers went wrong, some of them. They had it too chunky. - They had it too thick.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27'The bakers seemed a little thrown by my choice of recipe.'
0:06:28 > 0:06:32What's it say? Stirring till it comes together.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34Work into a ball.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Looks like a ball already.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41I'm not going to risk using it all.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43That could be my downfall.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48'The trickiest stage was the all-important pastry.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51'Mary-Anne had never worked with hot water crust dough before.'
0:06:51 > 0:06:55It's quite odd working with something that's quite so warm.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Normally, with pastry, it's supposed to be cold, cold, cold.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02'Jo made an early error with her pastry.'
0:07:02 > 0:07:03I got the flour wrong.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05But, hopefully, it's right now.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09'Holly was also unfamiliar with this type of pastry.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I don't get how this pastry works at all. It's rock hard.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14It's quite odd stuff.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21These are the trays that we're going to use. These are the trays that the bakers had.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26The main thing is they've got to have almost straight sides and not buntings that are sort of round.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29You don't want the shallow ones, you want straight sides. That's key.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Six of these.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Now, what I'm going to do, I need to make the cut for the base,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38obviously to line the base, to line the side,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and then to line about 5ml to 10ml away from the edge of that.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Find something around the kitchen that will fit that size.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51- A small saucer you could run round. Something like that. - Yeah, that would be fine.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52Make sure it's relaxed.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Get a little knife. Just cut gently round.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00You want to get it as smooth as you can.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Press up against the side and get right down to the bottom.
0:08:04 > 0:08:05Get it down as much as you can.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08There's your overlap. There's plenty extra if you need it.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12You're pressing down and getting rid of all those folds,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14- but keeping the pastry very thin... - Yeah.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18- ..all the way round and the base. - Exactly. Exactly.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- There is no need to grease the tins when you're making these pies? - Not these ones, no.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25This has got so much fat in this mix,
0:08:25 > 0:08:26it should just slide out anyway.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29The chances of this thing sticking are very rare.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33'Form the excess pastry back into a small ball.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36'Roll out again to the same thickness as before
0:08:36 > 0:08:38'and using a small cutter
0:08:38 > 0:08:43'cut out six lids large enough to just cover the top of your pie cases.'
0:08:43 > 0:08:47On the top of every lid, we need to have a hole, and that's to get the gelatine in later.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51If you get a little piping-bag nozzle, put it into the middle,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53make your hole, and then just gently open it up.
0:08:53 > 0:08:54It has to be quite a big hole
0:08:54 > 0:08:57in order to be able to pour the gelatine in?
0:08:57 > 0:08:58Yes. Yes, it does.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02'Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and lay the lids on.'
0:09:06 > 0:09:10These are going to go in the fridge now, just for about half an hour,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13just to chill down slightly, again harden the lard and the butter.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17'Placing the baking tray in the fridge helps firm up the pastry.'
0:09:17 > 0:09:20While they're chilling down, we're going to make the filling.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25This is some streaky, unsmoked bacon - 100 grams,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28and 300 grams of pork loin.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Now, pork loin's got, obviously, very little fat in there,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33and that's the reason we add the streaky bacon -
0:09:33 > 0:09:36to add a bit of fat to it, a little bit of flavour to it, as well.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39It does make a difference in the pork pie.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43So, would you mind chopping up that as finely as you could, please?
0:09:43 > 0:09:47- I will. Nice and fine and I'll remove this bit of sinew here.- Yes, lovely.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Sinew pieces will never go tender...
0:09:49 > 0:09:51- Yeah.- ..and I will just trim it off.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56Also, what's going in there, is an onion and a small bunch of parsley.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00I'd much rather cut this by hand. You get a better texture.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04If you did it in a processor, it could easily get like sausage meat.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07And every little piece is going to be tender,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10- because the loin is the most tender part of pork.- Exactly, yes.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14The binding agent will be the pork. It'll bind everything together.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17You're looking for a dispersion of onion blended with pork
0:10:17 > 0:10:20and again, a good blend of the bacon in there
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and, finally, a little bit of zing coming from the parsley.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Was there a reason why you used unsmoked bacon?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- Smoked bacon will just overwhelm everything.- Oh, right.
0:10:29 > 0:10:34Essentially, the bacon's been added more as a fat, but again, it gives you a bit of flavour as well.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38- So, you don't want it to overwhelm the pork, but just balance with it. - And the seasoning?
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Once I've blended it all, then I'll season it, yes.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42I use quite a bit of salt.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46The only seasoning, really, is actually going to come from the bacon.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Do you know, at home, if I'm doing this,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52I am not too good at seasoning, because you can't taste it.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55So, what I do, is I take a little bit of that out
0:10:55 > 0:10:57and sort of squeeze it together
0:10:57 > 0:11:02and fry it in a little flavourless oil, and then taste it, and then you know
0:11:02 > 0:11:05- whether you've got the seasoning quite right.- That's a nice tip.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10Give that a good mix, cos what you don't want is all that salt to stay in one place.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Then, the next job is quails' eggs.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- Right. - I need to boil these quails' eggs.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Some of them had difficulty about boiling quails' eggs.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- Apparently, yeah.- They weren't quite sure how long to do them.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25I do mine, for hard boiled, two and a half minutes.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31How long do you boil a quail's egg for? Do you know?
0:11:31 > 0:11:36- No-one seems to know.- Well... - How long do you boil a quail egg? Does anyone know?- All I know...
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- is under two and a half minutes, cos this is overdone!- Is it?- Yeah.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43I don't know! Something so small, timing it right.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48And it must soft-boiled not hard-boiled cos they're going to cook again inside the pie.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51So, I think that's going to be very tricky.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Are you ready? Jump up if you are.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59I've never boiled an egg before.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- What, just a normal egg or just a quail's egg?- A normal egg.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- You've never boiled a normal egg before?!- No.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08You can make a macaroon but you can't boil an egg?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10No.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17It's important, as soon as they're cool, to peel them.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20If you leave them for half an hour, it's difficult to get the shell off.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22So, that's the last one peeled.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26- There you are.- Beautifully done. Thank you very much, Mary.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30OK, they're the shells and they're the lids.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Now it's a case of putting it all together.
0:12:32 > 0:12:38Put your fingers into the side, encourage them to have a flat side where hits the base.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42While it's cold, it's the best time to do it. It'll give you a little bit more leeway, you know?
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- And, of course, it gives more room for the meat.- Exactly, yeah.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Take a spoonful of the mixture, drop it into the bottom.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54When that's in, you need to push that down to the bottom with your fingers.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Push down the bottom, build up the mixture round the side.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59That is where the quail's egg will sit.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Paul, you've chosen to do six individual ones.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Could you do these in a loaf tin?
0:13:03 > 0:13:05- Yes, you could. - Same amount of mixture?
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Yeah, same amount and again, you just build it up, put one on each,
0:13:08 > 0:13:12or use a proper egg, a full-size chicken egg and just put them all the way along.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16'Once all six quails' eggs have been placed,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19'fill the remainder of the cavity with the rest of the pork meat,
0:13:19 > 0:13:24'ensuring it's packed tightly around the sides and on top of the eggs.'
0:13:24 > 0:13:26It's really essential to press it down.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30I think some of them had some gaps through not pressing it down.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Yeah. When we cut the pie open, you saw the egg floating round
0:13:34 > 0:13:38with a little bit of pork, because they never compressed all the pork down.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Now, the next stage is to egg-wash it and then pop the lid on.
0:13:41 > 0:13:47Now, if we start here, all I'm going to do is just delicately brush a little bit of egg round here.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49And this is just so the lid can adhere to the base.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52So, now we're ready to put the lids on this.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54'Once the pies have been topped,
0:13:54 > 0:13:57'trim the edges with a knife to neaten and seal
0:13:57 > 0:13:59'with some decorative crimping.'
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Fingers in, lift up the side.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05- You could do it with a fork if you're no good at crimping, couldn't you? - Yeah, course you could.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09'Top each pie with egg-wash and they're ready for the oven.'
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Going to go into a fan oven at 190 for 40 minutes.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16They look amazing.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18A lovely golden brown colour on top.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21What I want to do is pop a knife in there
0:14:21 > 0:14:23and just open that hole up a bit.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25Over in this pan,
0:14:25 > 0:14:29we've got 100ml of water, which is bringing up to the boil.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32In there, we've dropped one chicken stock cube.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36What I've got here is leaf gelatine. You can use the powdered gelatine,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38although this tends to be a bit easier
0:14:38 > 0:14:39cos it just softens in the water.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Powdered gelatine you have to bring back with boiling water and dissolve it.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45I'll just squeeze the water out of there.
0:14:45 > 0:14:51And this will then go inside the stock and dissolve.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53It's pretty much instant with this stuff.
0:14:53 > 0:14:54'Once dissolved,
0:14:54 > 0:14:59'transfer to a jug and gradually fill the pork pie cavities.'
0:14:59 > 0:15:02You've got to be really careful, haven't you?
0:15:02 > 0:15:06And pour very, very gently and watch when it comes...
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- Yes.- ..anywhere near the top. - Exactly.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11And then you need to chill them, preferably overnight,
0:15:11 > 0:15:15and the pure reason being is that you want to solidify that gelatine.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18But don't put these into the fridge until they're cold.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20You can't put warm pork into a fridge.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Leave them out till they're cool,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24then pop them in the fridge overnight.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27In the morning, you'll end up with some beautiful pork pies.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Like a battalion of little soldiers!
0:15:33 > 0:15:37'When it came to the judging, however, to be honest,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40'I was highly impressed.'
0:15:40 > 0:15:42I like the look of this.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46There's been some form of display. There's a pattern round the outside which looks nice.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50And it's got a good colour on it, as well. It's a good bake.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53I must say, I like that, the appearance.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57It looks homemade and inviting and it's lovely thin pastry.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- Good flavour. I like that.- So do I.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03It's a lovely thin crust.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06That's one of the things that's difficult to get right,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10I'm sure you found. You're not too sure whether you've put your fingers
0:16:10 > 0:16:13into the very corner at the bottom to make it thin, as well.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21They look so tempting.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I am dying to taste one.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30- There you go. - That does look very, very good.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37- You like?- I am savouring every bit.
0:16:37 > 0:16:38It's nice, isn't it?
0:16:38 > 0:16:44Well, what I like is the pastry is really, really crisp. Mmm.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49In the sixth week of the Bake Off,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52we decided to test the bakers on their dessert-making skills.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Our challenges included a baked cheesecake,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58the French classic croque-en-bouche
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and, for the technical challenge,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Mary chose a classic recipe that really stretched our bakers.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Today's technical challenge is...
0:17:07 > 0:17:09a chocolate roulade,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12A nice, thin sponge, neatly filled and neatly rolled.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15This is a difficult challenge, this one.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24So, Mary, why did you pick
0:17:24 > 0:17:27the chocolate roulade as a technical challenge?
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Because I simply love it.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35It's good as a dessert and it's good as a special cake too.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39And this recipe is extremely light... it has no flour in.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42But it's quite tricky, so it's good to show everybody how to do it.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44The trickiness comes down to the actual folding
0:17:44 > 0:17:47and that's what makes it a special technical challenge.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Exactly. It's difficult to roll,
0:17:50 > 0:17:55because you can end up by not getting a Catherine wheel effect.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- Where do you want to start? - I want to start with the tin.
0:17:58 > 0:18:04Now, the tin is 23 by 33 centimetres and it wants to be straight-sided.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06And if you haven't got a tin like this,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10if your roasting tin is similar
0:18:10 > 0:18:12it'll work, you just need to line up the sides.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15I'm using non-stick parchment.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18And you just fold it to, sort of, the size of the tin.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Now, the tin needs to be buttered,
0:18:21 > 0:18:25- because you want the paper to stick to it, otherwise it'll slip.- Yes.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Then we come to the ingredients.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29First of all the chocolate.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33And we need 175 grams of that. That's six ounces.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37And I don't use one of the high cocoa content chocolate.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42If you use high cocoa content 70%, it really is too bitter.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45I agree. I think a lot of chocolate nowadays is very bitter.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48This is just the bar that you'll buy in the sweet shop.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50- Yeah.- But it must be pure chocolate.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54And the way to melt that is not to be rushed.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57If you are in a hurry, you need to chop that up finely.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59If this pan is boiling,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03it will melt too quickly and you'll get a hard crust on it.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07So, gently, gently. Remember that chocolate melts in a child's pocket,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10so it doesn't need intense heat.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- OK.- Then we come to the eggs. I've got six eggs here.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17And I'm going to put the whites in here and the yolks in there.
0:19:17 > 0:19:23And you want to make quite sure that you get no egg yolk in with the egg white,
0:19:23 > 0:19:29because if you do, the egg whites won't whisk up to a full volume.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31The raising agent in this is the egg white.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34People that do have a problem with flour actually in recipes,
0:19:34 > 0:19:35this is an ideal one.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40Yes. And this is something that coeliacs can eat.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Do you utilise these egg yolks at all?
0:19:43 > 0:19:45These egg yolks are going into the roulade.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49We're going to mix them with the sugar.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51But I start off by doing the egg whites,
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- then I don't have to wash the whisk in-between.- Yeah.
0:19:55 > 0:20:01And then whisk on full volume until it'll look a bit like cloud.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04The egg whites need to be stiff, but not dry.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07This will take one to two minutes.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11That's just about right.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14It looks like cloud.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18I'm going to tip the egg yolks into a bowl here.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20I need to whisk those with sugar.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23175 grams of caster sugar.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26In it goes.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28And I'm going to whisk those together.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31There's egg white on there. That doesn't matter.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Put that in. Again, full speed ahead!
0:20:37 > 0:20:39As that is whisking,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42if there's a bit of egg yolk and sugar at the top,
0:20:42 > 0:20:43as there is on the top of that bowl,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46just scrape it down all the way round,
0:20:46 > 0:20:47or you'll get streaks in it.
0:20:47 > 0:20:53- That's it. And then not quite ready, so on full speed ahead again.- Yeah.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57The mixture is ready after two or three minutes
0:20:57 > 0:20:59when thick and creamy in consistency.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05- Right, now you can see that it holds its shape.- Yeah.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10It's called the ribbon stage.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14Next, add the melted and cooled chocolate
0:21:14 > 0:21:15and stir until combined.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Now, I'm going to take some of the egg white.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21I'm not going to fold the whole lot in at once,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23cos if you do that, it'll be streaky.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26- Yeah.- I'm going to beat in a bit of the egg white.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30So, a couple of really good spoons going in there like that.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32So, this will slacken it down.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36And I'm beating that in and it'll make it a bit more runny.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Now, that looks well included,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43those first two tablespoons in with the chocolate.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45It's quite smooth.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50And I'm going to add the rest all at once of the egg whites.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I'm going to tip that up and then put this in.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57So, this is the crucial bit really, isn't it, the roulade?
0:21:57 > 0:21:59- It is.- You slacken it off first
0:21:59 > 0:22:02before adding the majority of the egg whites.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05And I'm going to fold that in, and folding is going round
0:22:05 > 0:22:09the edge of the bowl and then cutting through the middle.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12And that wants to be a very gentle movement.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14So, because the egg white is the rising agent,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- you're trying to keep as much air in that as possible at this stage?- Exactly.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Exactly. There is no flour in here.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25If they don't incorporate all the egg whites into this mix,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29- you'll get this mottled effect within the sponge, of white?- That's right.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32I know the consistency looks like it's split.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35It has those little sort of dots of...
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- Of moisture and then dry and moist and dry.- Exactly.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41I've got the cocoa. I'm going to put two tablespoons in.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Must sieve it, because we don't want it in lumpy.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47And don't mistakenly put drinking chocolate in,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50because that would be a very weak flavour.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54But it is the cocoa that stabilises the mixture.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57You'll get a good rise and it'll be a little bit firmer.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59As well as adding richness to the flavour,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03cocoa powder has a binding quality that helps
0:23:03 > 0:23:08the ingredients to combine and create a firmer, more stable sponge.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11I know some recipes don't put any cocoa in.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14But I've tried all sorts to get the ultimate one
0:23:14 > 0:23:17and I think this one is the best.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20And then I'm going to fold that in just as I did before,
0:23:20 > 0:23:25round the outside of the bowl and cut through the middle.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29And only mix until it is...
0:23:29 > 0:23:31everything has just included.
0:23:31 > 0:23:32- Don't over-mix it.- Yeah.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Once you've mixed this, you've got to put it in the tin
0:23:36 > 0:23:37and bake it straightaway.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Once the mixture is in the tin,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44it needs to be baked straightaway so no air is lost.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48And then push the mixture into the sides.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51If you don't push it into the sides, it won't rise evenly.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54You're looking for a nice,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58- even layer so the roulade is nice and flat and square.- That's right.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01So, that wants to go in the oven at 160 fan
0:24:01 > 0:24:05and that will take about 20 or 25 minutes.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Bake the roulade until it's risen and starting to come away
0:24:09 > 0:24:12from the sides with a firm and crisp top.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17That looks just right.
0:24:17 > 0:24:18It's got a crust on top.
0:24:18 > 0:24:25It does slightly sink and expect it to. And it is well risen.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- And all we've got to do now is let it get cool.- OK.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31It must be cold before you put the cream in,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35otherwise the cream seeps into the mixture and also it melts.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- Yeah.- So, we'll let that get cold.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Mary's roulade recipe was a great choice
0:24:40 > 0:24:46and allowed our bakers to showcase their knowledge.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49So, listen, have you made a roulade before?
0:24:49 > 0:24:52I have, back in the day at school. It was my nemesis!
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Jo clearly knew the secret of how to mix a roulade.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00You can knock the air out of them.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02They need to be really light and airy.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Janet had her own technique,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06which proved she knew her stuff.
0:25:06 > 0:25:12I don't want to take any of the air away by patting it too much.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Oh, go on, get in the corner.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21And Holly demonstrated her understanding of the science of the sponge.
0:25:21 > 0:25:27It's a little bit uneven, but that's the problem with fatless sponges.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30I think they're quite hard to smooth over
0:25:30 > 0:25:33cos they don't have that fat to kind of even out as it, as it melts.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40Once cooled, it's ready for the filling.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45Take 300ml of double cream and whisk until thick.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Important to have a double cream that pours.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51- Mm-hm.- Look out for the word 'pouring' on the side of the pack.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53What it is to have such force.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55I think I'll stand to one side while you're doing that.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59It's unlikely that you'll over-whip when you do it by hand.
0:25:59 > 0:26:00If you do it with a machine,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04the machine easily over-whips and then it would separate.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06That looks the perfect consistency.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Really firm.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14I thought that might be coming over my head, yes.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Right, so, we're going to turn this out.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Take another piece of paper, and this is non-stick,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24put it on the worktop,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27and then a little icing sugar over the top.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31You can do this with a sieve or you can do it with a shaker.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34And there'll be a cloud of icing sugar
0:26:34 > 0:26:36which will come all over us, so watch out.
0:26:36 > 0:26:42So, just take hold of that and give it one bold tip.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44- Yeah.- One, two, three, over.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Remove the tin and carefully peel away the baking paper,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52before topping with the cream.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Now, I've chosen to put whipped cream in here.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59You could also put some chopped strawberries, raspberries.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03- Cherries.- Cherries. Stoned cherries.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05- Yeah.- But, of course, if you're going to freeze it,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08you would freeze it just with cream in.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- And, believe it or not, it freezes beautifully.- Really?
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Just spread that over,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16right to the edges.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Now, the rolling up is the part I enjoy.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- It's the part that a lot of people are terrified of.- Mm-hm.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24I'll give you a foolproof way of doing it.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27To get a tight roll, you take a knife
0:27:27 > 0:27:31and you almost cut through about half an inch from the end.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35And then you break that, absolutely break it,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39because I'm expecting loads of cracks. It's part of its charm.
0:27:39 > 0:27:45So, get hold of that and physically break it all the way along there.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49- And that is the middle of the sort of Catherine wheel...- Yeah.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51..and it's what you do for the best result.
0:27:51 > 0:27:57Pick up the paper, hold it and then just gently make that go round.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Now, this is cracking all the time that I do it,
0:28:00 > 0:28:05and as I'm turning it, I'm pressing the cracked bits back in.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07And quite firmly.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10- Can you see I'm doing that quite firmly as you go.- Yeah.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Our bakers had a real problem with this
0:28:12 > 0:28:16because they were nervous about, quite rightly, rolling it up.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23Janet forgot the crucial element, icing sugar on the baking parchment.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28It's the only way of preventing the sponge from sticking.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33Ahh! I should have put icing sugar or caster sugar on the bottom,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35cos of the fudginess of it.
0:28:35 > 0:28:41How absolutely ridiculous to make a stupid error like that.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46This doesn't even count as a roulade. It looks like a disaster area.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51This is the scary bit.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Ooh, and it's cracking!
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Needs a corset!
0:28:58 > 0:28:59That's what it needs.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04Doesn't look like it's done yet.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Holly wasn't too pleased with the finished result.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14Oh, dear. Doesn't look great, does it?
0:29:14 > 0:29:18I need some Mary Berry advice, that's what I need!
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Push that again and more cracks.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26To ensure perfect presentation,
0:29:26 > 0:29:30finish the last roll of the roulade on your serving plate.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Top with a final dusting of icing sugar
0:29:35 > 0:29:39and neaten by trimming both ends.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41- Aha.- And there it is.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43And you should have a nice, tight spiral
0:29:43 > 0:29:46like a Swiss roll, like Catherine wheel.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48What you've showed us today is certainly...
0:29:48 > 0:29:50you can see where they've slipped up.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52And if they'd followed some basic rules,
0:29:52 > 0:29:57they would have ended up with something as perfect as that.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59In the blind tasting,
0:29:59 > 0:30:04we were looking at the execution of the roll as well as the taste.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11I quite like the look of this one!
0:30:11 > 0:30:13- It's quite tasty. - Mmm, it's very good.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17- It has broken up a lot.- It's not bad.- But they've tried to do a swirl.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20The overall appearance of it looks quite nice, though.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22- The flavour's good.- Flavour's good.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Now, this one looks nice. Slightly cracked.
0:30:26 > 0:30:27- It's got a nice taste.- Mm.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30There's a little bit of a bend there. A little bit of a curl.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34- Yeah. This one's made quite a bit of effort to get a good roll.- Yeah.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36I enjoy chocolate roulade.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44I think it's just a fantastic and beautiful-looking thing.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47It just looks gorgeously filled with all that cream
0:30:47 > 0:30:51and I think the informality of the cracking just is tempting.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59It's quite a dense sponge, but the flavour's in there,
0:30:59 > 0:31:02that lightness which the meringue adds to it.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07- Then you have that beautiful cream that lifts it to another level. - I think it's a winner.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16In week seven, the bakers reached the semi-final.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Precision and finesse would be the key.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24It was my turn to set the technical bake and, even if I say it myself,
0:31:24 > 0:31:29what a brilliant choice my favourite childhood sweet treat proved to be.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32Today's Technical Challenge is one of my all-time favourites -
0:31:32 > 0:31:33iced fingers.
0:31:33 > 0:31:3812 identical fingers, filled with cream and jam.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47So, Paul, why have you chosen these iced buns
0:31:47 > 0:31:50- for your Technical Challenge? - I grew up with them
0:31:50 > 0:31:52and they're one of my favourite things I've had in a bakery.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55My dad used to be pretty good at them.
0:31:55 > 0:31:56I bet you've chosen it
0:31:56 > 0:31:58cos there's plenty of time for people to go wrong.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01There are a few stages that you can go wrong,
0:32:01 > 0:32:03but it's down to the rolling stage and dough stage.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Right, to start with, I need 500 grams of strong white flour.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Can't use plain flour, you have to use strong.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Plain flour's for biscuits and crackers.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15- BOTH:- And cakes.- You almost forgot that.- Ha-ha, you see!
0:32:15 > 0:32:17And strong flour is for bread.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Strong flour is best for baking breads and recipes
0:32:22 > 0:32:28where yeast is used, as it ensures a good, even rise and crumb structure.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30500 grams of flour straight in the bowl.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32Mm-hmm.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35The next thing I'm going to add is my yeast, and I'm using...
0:32:35 > 0:32:40instant or fast-action yeast, and here, I've got 14 grams.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43Straight in to the side.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46The next thing I'm going to add in is 40 grams of butter.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48Is that salted butter or unsalted butter?
0:32:48 > 0:32:51- For this you can use either and I'm using unsalted.- Mmm.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54And then I'm going to put in ten grams of salt,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56just normal cooking salt.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58Salt goes in opposite to the yeast.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00It's a nice little tip this.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03Salt on yeast will certainly retard it if not kill it.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06So, you blend the yeast in first, then blend the salt in.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10OK. The next thing to go in is caster sugar.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13And you want 50 grams of caster sugar in there.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17The reason why I'm using caster sugar is actually because...
0:33:17 > 0:33:22you don't want to feel the grains inside the dough. That's the only reason.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25And then I've got two eggs to go in there as well.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29- Whole eggs?- Yes, whole eggs. - You don't have to beat them? - No, you're fine.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33Two eggs straight in. Next thing to add is your milk and your water.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Now, over there, I've got 150 mil of warm milk.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38Milk tends to slow yeast down.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40So, if you warm the milk up a little bit,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43it'll act as a starter for the yeast, so it'll get growing.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46The next thing I'm going to is add the water.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48I've got 140 mil of water.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Hold some back, and I'll show you why.
0:33:53 > 0:33:54To start with,
0:33:54 > 0:33:57- here we go, I'll move this out of the way.- Action.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59I'm going to get really messy, you know?
0:33:59 > 0:34:03Get your hands in and just stir with your fingers to start it off.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05Could you do this in a mixer if you wanted to?
0:34:05 > 0:34:07You could. I prefer to use my hands.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Now, this is really a conventional dough, so it's not too wet.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15You can see there you've still got some residue flour that needs picking up.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19That's when you put the rest of the water in. Put a little bit in there.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26And at this stage, it's coming together. See? It's become one ball.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29- Yeah.- It's ready to tip out onto a lightly floured surface.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32A dusting of flour on it.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Get your dough. Pop it in there.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37I've compensated to the fact that people will add flour into that.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40That's why you start with a wetter dough, OK?
0:34:40 > 0:34:44Now, begin just by turning it, rolling it over like this.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46Flip it over, roll, roll, roll.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Look at the muscles going!
0:34:49 > 0:34:52What I'm trying to do is incorporate the eggs, the butter
0:34:52 > 0:34:55and everything into that dough to get it smoother.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58- Those people who've got bread making machines...- Yeah.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00- could they do this in there?- Yeah.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02What I'm doing is just building up the gluten.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05The gluten is now releasing from the flour particles,
0:35:05 > 0:35:09going into the dough, and forming, you can see there,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12the stretches that you see, where the dough's beginning to split?
0:35:12 > 0:35:16- Mmm. Yeah.- That is the beginning... - Let me feel it.- ..of the gluten.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18- Yeah. It's still quite a wet dough, isn't it?- It is.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20Yeah, well it's a soft dough.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23It's a soft dough rather than a wet dough. And then begin to stretch.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25See, I'm just holding the back.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27You pummel at that for at least five to ten minutes.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32And this dough will begin to get smoother and smoother.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34All the sugar will begin to dissolve.
0:35:34 > 0:35:35It will become more glutinous.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41You've got a nice, soft dough there that's well incorporated.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45- That goes back into your bowl. - Right.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49- Would you Clingfilm that for me, please?- I will. I've got cleaner hands.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51Yes, it just prevents the dough from skinning.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55So, what is happening at the moment, the yeast is beginning to eat,
0:35:55 > 0:35:57feed itself on the flour.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01And then it'll exhaust itself, so it'll grow, grow, multiply, get bigger.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05You need to leave it for about an hour and a quarter. It'll then at least double in size.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- And you just put the Clingfilm over the top?- Yeah.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Leave it in an ambient temperature. Normal household conditions.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Room temperature's around 20 Celsius. That's perfect.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Proving is the pre-baked period,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21where yeast reacts with the liquid and flour to produce carbon dioxide,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23causing the dough to rise without heat.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26So, Paul, this has risen like Vesuvius.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29It's huge cos of the heat in here.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31You've got to be careful when you peel this off.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35That's the structure of the gluten we built up when we kneaded it.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38- Right.- And this has proved up. Proving, rising, it's the same.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42Now, I heed to tip this out onto a floured surface.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Run your finger round it
0:36:44 > 0:36:50and dig all of this lovely, soft dough out.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Now, I need to coat this.
0:36:52 > 0:36:53A bit of flour.
0:36:53 > 0:36:59Cos as it rests, or proves, it actually gets softer.
0:36:59 > 0:37:00Even softer.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Now, I need to divide this...
0:37:03 > 0:37:08into 12. So, just divide in half.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10And again.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15- And again.- And each in three. - Yeah, each one into three.
0:37:15 > 0:37:21To ensure perfectly even-size fingers, you can weigh the dough.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Each piece needs to be 70 grams.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26Get each one and you just ball it up.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Turn it on the table...and a ball.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Shape all 12 pieces into balls,
0:37:32 > 0:37:38then hand-roll into fingers, approximately five inches in length.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42Place in two rows of six on a non-stick baking tray.
0:37:42 > 0:37:48Again, gently roll them out first, and they're nice and equal.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50That goes on the tray.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53- They look beautifully even. - They're perfect.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Right, I'm going to put those to prove,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57but in our house, I'd have to put them away from the dog.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03The fingers need to prove for about 40 minutes until doubled in size.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07OK, Mary, here they are, fully risen.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10And you can see, if you touch it, they spring back.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14- They've risen, so they all touch each and will have soft sides.- Exactly.
0:38:14 > 0:38:19OK, Mary. These are going to go in the oven now for 10 minutes. 190 fan or 210 non-fan, all right?
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- Very hot, then? - Very hot oven and very quickly.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26Cos of the sugar and eggs in there, it will actually bake very quickly.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29But I want them to remain soft, which is why they're only getting 10 minutes.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34Here we are, Mary, cooled buns.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36They look a beautiful regiment.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38Got to then split these off.
0:38:38 > 0:38:43And, of course, there's the structure you're looking for. Nice...
0:38:43 > 0:38:44and soft. Smell that.
0:38:46 > 0:38:47It smells divine.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53It was a complex recipe with many stages.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59These fingers required meticulous and strict attention to detail.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Mary-Anne took a very professional approach.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Consistency is what they look for, especially in batches, and they want 12.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13And when the judges ask for a batch, they want consistency across the batch,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16which is why I'm taking the time to
0:39:16 > 0:39:18make sure that the dough is
0:39:18 > 0:39:22approximately the same weight - about 85 grams in each one.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25What's in a few grams? But they will make a difference.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27I just know he's going to have his eagle eye
0:39:27 > 0:39:33looking for unequal-looking buns.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40Here we are, Mary. Cooled buns.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42They look a beautiful regiment.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Separate the fingers and leave them to cool whilst you make the icing.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Icing sugar goes in, 200 grams.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55OK, I'm also going to add water. Do we get a spoon?
0:39:55 > 0:39:57'Course not. Use your fingers.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00Cos you get to feel the icing as well.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03I'd put a little bit more water in that - not a lot.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06The secret is not to get too much runny icing
0:40:06 > 0:40:08because it runs down the side.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12You'll need to use approximately 32 millilitres of water,
0:40:12 > 0:40:16or enough to achieve a loose but not runny consistency.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20So, what you're looking for is that.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23- See the way it holds its shape... - It's got a lovely shine, too.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26Exactly. And that holds. Once it's dripped once, it stops.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29And that's the texture you're looking for in the icing sugar.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33OK, get your bun, drop it in,
0:40:33 > 0:40:36wriggle it around a bit,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39lift it out, run your finger down it...
0:40:40 > 0:40:42There you go.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44'Once all the fingers are iced,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47'leave aside for a few minutes until set.'
0:40:50 > 0:40:53'When it came to the all-important finishing,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56'Jo really struggled cos her icing was far too runny.'
0:40:57 > 0:41:02- So, this was Paul's way? This is Paul's dipping? - Yes, this is dipping.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06I don't like the dipped look. I lost half of it on the table.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11It all dripped down. Try and tidy this up a little.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15Holly was well aware that consistency was key.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18It says in the recipe to dip them in the icing.
0:41:18 > 0:41:19And I don't think I can do that,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21so this is what I'm going to do instead.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25I'm quite good at making things look the same. So, even if they don't taste that good
0:41:25 > 0:41:29I hope I'll get a couple of points for the fact that they look quite similar.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Oh, it's blooming hard work!
0:41:31 > 0:41:34I didn't know how you could dip in to a thick paste,
0:41:34 > 0:41:40so I thought I would do what I hoped would be better...
0:41:40 > 0:41:41or as good.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47- OK, Mary, if I give you these four here...- Right.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50..what I'd like you to do -
0:41:50 > 0:41:53a diagonal line about three-quarters of the way through.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55- A diagonal line.- A diagonal line.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57- Just slice it down. - Below the icing?- Yes.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01'Open up the fingers and pipe in a generous amount of cream.'
0:42:01 > 0:42:04You've made a few of these in your time?
0:42:04 > 0:42:07I've done a few of these in my time!
0:42:07 > 0:42:10'Finish by piping a line of jam across the cream
0:42:10 > 0:42:12'and top with a dusting of icing sugar.'
0:42:12 > 0:42:17There you go - some classic iced buns filled with cream
0:42:17 > 0:42:18and a line of jam.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23They just look absolutely mouth-watering.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28- We had very varied results, didn't we, in the icing?- We did.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Gosh, this is...
0:42:33 > 0:42:36- Don't they look good? - I'm pleasantly surprised.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40'Our judging all rested on presentation and the perfect bake.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43'This was, after all, the semi-final.'
0:42:43 > 0:42:46- Mmm.- These are nice. Good, even bake. Icing's not bad.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49- Quite nice this zigzag finish here, isn't it?- Mmm.
0:42:51 > 0:42:56Just done. Another minute or two less they wouldn't have been baked.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58That's a nice iced bun. The texture's good.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00It's soft.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02It's got an equal colour.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03It's beautiful.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07The icing hasn't covered the whole top,
0:43:07 > 0:43:12- but it's got a nice taste, hasn't it?- Mmm!- It's very, very good. - Absolutely delicious!
0:43:12 > 0:43:15Now, this one, it's got more of uniform icing on it,
0:43:15 > 0:43:18although the icing was a little bit too wet -
0:43:18 > 0:43:21that's why it's run down the side.
0:43:28 > 0:43:33I think you've done us proud. Those look absolutely wonderful.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36To be nice and coated all over, and then lots and lots of cream inside,
0:43:36 > 0:43:40and again a nice piping of jam. You don't need a lot of jam.
0:43:40 > 0:43:44Just one line just to balance up. They are beautiful things made properly.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47The texture of them is so soft.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50Using that enriched dough makes them beautiful.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53- Mmm.- Do you like them? - They're nectar.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57- They're lovely, aren't they? - Mmm!- Delicious.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02'By the final, I think the bakers knew the score.
0:44:02 > 0:44:07'That nothing but perfect baking and presentation would do in order for Mary and I to choose
0:44:07 > 0:44:09'who would crowned Britain's best amateur baker.
0:44:09 > 0:44:14'The final technical bake had to be the most demanding of the series,
0:44:14 > 0:44:19'so Mary selected a recipe that would give the bakers no margin for error.'
0:44:19 > 0:44:22Our technical challenge today is our hardest yet.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25It is the Sachertorte.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28You've got a really dense torte and on top we need to get a nice,
0:44:28 > 0:44:31shiny slick of chocolate ganache.
0:44:38 > 0:44:42Sachertorte, Mary. This was the technical challenge at the final.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44Why did you choose that one?
0:44:44 > 0:44:48I chose it because I don't think any of them had ever made it before.
0:44:48 > 0:44:54It's the ultimate cake that you would find in a very posh hotel
0:44:54 > 0:44:56and it is difficult to make.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59It's a one-tier cake with a very dense cake mixture,
0:44:59 > 0:45:03and the icing has to be really shiny.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06And also, it tested their piping skills
0:45:06 > 0:45:09because they had to write "Sacher" across the top
0:45:09 > 0:45:10and get the spelling right.
0:45:10 > 0:45:13So, Mary, how do we start to make this cake?
0:45:13 > 0:45:14First of all, the cake tin.
0:45:14 > 0:45:18This is a nine inch, 23 centimetre cake tin.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21It's got a loose base. And I've really well greased that.
0:45:21 > 0:45:25And then if you put a piece of non-stick paper in the bottom -
0:45:25 > 0:45:28that will make sure that we get it out. First of all,
0:45:28 > 0:45:30I start with the creaming mixture
0:45:30 > 0:45:34and I'd like 150 grams of unsalted butter.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37So, that goes into the mixing machine.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42And then 100 grams of caster sugar.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45And, of course, you use caster sugar rather than granulated
0:45:45 > 0:45:48cos you don't want any granules in the cake.
0:45:50 > 0:45:55- Turn that on just to mix it for a moment, then add the caster sugar.- Yeah.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59'The mixture will be ready after two or three minutes,
0:45:59 > 0:46:02'once the sugar is combined and the texture is light and thick.'
0:46:06 > 0:46:08That looks absolutely fine now.
0:46:08 > 0:46:13It's a lot whiter, it's beautifully creamy and it'll be less granular from the sugar.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16The next thing to go in is melted chocolate,
0:46:16 > 0:46:18and I've got 150 grams.
0:46:18 > 0:46:22It's plan chocolate. It's not the posh 70%,
0:46:22 > 0:46:25- it's 39% cocoa solids.- OK.
0:46:25 > 0:46:29And I melted it over the top of a pan of hot water.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33- Slowly I've taken it off and it's just got to the pouring stage.- OK.
0:46:33 > 0:46:39If you put it in hot, of course it would melt the butter and the sugar.
0:46:39 > 0:46:44At the same time, I'm going to put vanilla extract in
0:46:44 > 0:46:46and I'm going to use half a teaspoon.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48- It smells lovely, doesn't it? - It does.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51'Whisk until the chocolate
0:46:51 > 0:46:54'is fully incorporated and the colour is even.'
0:46:56 > 0:46:58That, to me, looks well whisked.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00Now we add the eggs.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02Five large eggs, please.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06First of all, I'm going to separate the eggs.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09Do it very carefully cos you don't want to get
0:47:09 > 0:47:12the yolks and the whites mixed.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16Put the yolks in there, the whites in here.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20Obviously, five eggs in this relatively small mix
0:47:20 > 0:47:23is quite a lot of eggs. It's going to be very, very rich.
0:47:23 > 0:47:27It's very rich, it's very dense, but that's all part of its charm.
0:47:27 > 0:47:31I'm going to add the egg yolk and I shall turn this on full speed.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34'Add the egg yolks one at a time.
0:47:34 > 0:47:40'Once all are combined, sieve in 55 grams of plain flour.'
0:47:40 > 0:47:44The reason I'm sieving the flour, Paul, is it's an expensive cake
0:47:44 > 0:47:47and I'm just taking every precaution that it's perfect.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50And also, we're going to add some ground almonds.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53It almost acts like a binding agent just to pull the mix together?
0:47:53 > 0:47:57It stabilises the mixture and will help it to keep.
0:47:57 > 0:48:01This cake is much better eaten the day after.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04And the ground almonds also add to the denseness.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07So, in that goes, 75 grams.
0:48:07 > 0:48:11And, at this stage, it's folding it in.
0:48:11 > 0:48:13So, round the outside of the bowl
0:48:13 > 0:48:18and fold it in, and it will be very stiff at this stage.
0:48:19 > 0:48:23- What liquid is left to go in this, then? Egg white? - Just egg whites, that's all.
0:48:23 > 0:48:27And fresh egg whites give much more volume.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30An older egg white is runny when you crack it
0:48:30 > 0:48:32and you can't get such a volume.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36Whisk it up until it looks like cloud.
0:48:36 > 0:48:37So, again on full speed.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45Now, this is not ready, but I just want to show it to you.
0:48:46 > 0:48:51This really hasn't got full volume yet. It's still rather yellow.
0:48:51 > 0:48:55It will get a bit whiter than that and it'll be sort of soft peaks.
0:48:55 > 0:48:59But it just needs a bit more. You can over-whip it at this stage. And, if so,
0:48:59 > 0:49:04it breaks into pieces in the top of the bowl.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07'Whisk the egg whites for a couple of minutes
0:49:07 > 0:49:09'until they're stiff but not dry.'
0:49:10 > 0:49:13That looks just what I'm wanting.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17So, we've got plenty of volume there
0:49:17 > 0:49:20and I'm going to take about a third of that into here.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22I think that's just about a third.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27So, I'm beating that in.
0:49:28 > 0:49:32- This just slackens down the mix to allow you to put the rest in. - Exactly.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35So, I'm going to take the rest of the egg white
0:49:35 > 0:49:38and put that in in one go.
0:49:40 > 0:49:42This is the key stage, I think,
0:49:42 > 0:49:46when you're starting to fold in lightly the last bit of meringue.
0:49:46 > 0:49:47Once you've slackened off the mix,
0:49:47 > 0:49:50the addition of the extra essentially air
0:49:50 > 0:49:53being added to a slacker mix would then retain the air.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57Adding it to a thicker mix in one bulk would just decimate the air bubbles
0:49:57 > 0:50:02- and therefore give you a flatter Sachertorte as well. - Exactly. It's coming through.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04I'm doing it carefully and slowly.
0:50:04 > 0:50:08And, if you want to, you can make the actual base of the Sachertorte
0:50:08 > 0:50:12a day before or two days before and then ice it when you want it.
0:50:12 > 0:50:18So, all that mixture out in more or less one blob,
0:50:18 > 0:50:21and then you're not taking the air out of it. So, in it goes.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24And it's a perfect mixture, absolutely smooth.
0:50:24 > 0:50:28If you haven't mixed the egg white in properly,
0:50:28 > 0:50:30- what happens, it looks curdled.- Yeah.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Then, important to level this.
0:50:32 > 0:50:37It will not take its own level because it's a fairly stiff mixture.
0:50:37 > 0:50:41And try not to get it up the sides of the tin,
0:50:41 > 0:50:45because that'll just burn on the tin and also be difficult to get out.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48- It's not going to grow massively up the side of that, is it?- No.
0:50:48 > 0:50:53It'll just be a little bit deeper. So, that's ready to go into the oven.
0:50:53 > 0:50:58- You should have your oven set, and it should be 160 fan.- Yeah.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01That's 180 in a conventional oven.
0:51:01 > 0:51:04It'll take between 45 minutes and 50 minutes.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07It's got to be shrinking away from the sides of the tin.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10It has a slight crust on the top.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15If it does sink, it usually means that you've slightly undercooked it.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20'At this stage in the competition,
0:51:20 > 0:51:25'all the bakers were aware of exactly what they needed to do to impress us.'
0:51:25 > 0:51:29It's going to be quite a hard challenge and I haven't actually made one of these before.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32But I've made ganache and I have made a torte before, so, yeah,
0:51:32 > 0:51:34we'll see how it goes.
0:51:34 > 0:51:38'Mary-Anne had her own way of melting, or burning, chocolate.'
0:51:38 > 0:51:41I'm melting some more chocolate because the first lot burnt.
0:51:41 > 0:51:45'Mixing in the egg whites was no problem for Holly.'
0:51:45 > 0:51:49This first couple of spoons full are just to loosen,
0:51:49 > 0:51:52cos otherwise it's very, very hard to fold egg whites
0:51:52 > 0:51:54into a stiff cake mixture.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58'Jo was also confident she knew the tricks when it came to mixing.'
0:51:58 > 0:52:02Well, you just have to do these cutting motions rather than...
0:52:02 > 0:52:04You don't want to lose the air.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07It's...
0:52:09 > 0:52:13..OK. It's not completely level.
0:52:16 > 0:52:22- So, the cake is baked and it is level across the top.- Yeah.
0:52:22 > 0:52:26I've freed it from the tin, still have the paper underneath,
0:52:26 > 0:52:30and this is absolutely cooled, and you just peel that off the base.
0:52:30 > 0:52:34With it being quite a robust cake, you can actually treat it
0:52:34 > 0:52:35a little bit harder.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38'Place on a serving plate and spread the cake
0:52:38 > 0:52:41'with gently warmed apricot jam.'
0:52:41 > 0:52:45Sieved apricot jam. Of course, you don't want to get that too hot,
0:52:45 > 0:52:48just enough to melt it.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50If it's really thick, you can add a little water to it.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54It just helps to seal in the moisture of the cake, doesn't it, with the apricot jam?
0:52:54 > 0:52:57Not only does it seal in the moisture, it means that
0:52:57 > 0:53:02any loose crumb is attached to the cake and doesn't get in and spoil the icing.
0:53:02 > 0:53:06- These little air bubbles in the top, can you just push them down slightly?- Just press them down.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09And if you press it down and fill it with apricot jam,
0:53:09 > 0:53:12- that'll make it quite level.- Yeah.
0:53:12 > 0:53:16'Allow the jam to set whilst making the icing.'
0:53:16 > 0:53:19- The icing is a, a chocolate ganache. - Yeah.
0:53:19 > 0:53:24And I'm going to put double cream - and it must double pouring cream.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26And that's 200 millilitres.
0:53:26 > 0:53:32'Ganache is a rich chocolate mixture commonly used as an icing or filling
0:53:32 > 0:53:35'and forms the base for chocolate truffles.'
0:53:35 > 0:53:38Then a plain chocolate, 150 grams.
0:53:38 > 0:53:39That's five ounces.
0:53:39 > 0:53:43- And we're using the same chocolate that went into the cake as well? - Exactly.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47There's steam coming up from the cream. Take it off the heat
0:53:47 > 0:53:49and tip the chocolate into that.
0:53:49 > 0:53:54That will just start to melt, and on no account put it back on the heat.
0:53:54 > 0:53:59It will naturally melt. It won't curdle, it won't separate.
0:53:59 > 0:54:03It's quite easy to do, but you must do it off the heat.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07'Once the cream and chocolate are well combined,
0:54:07 > 0:54:10'leave to cool for a few minutes until thickened slightly.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13'Then pour the ganache over the top of the torte.'
0:54:15 > 0:54:19- I'm just letting it take its own form.- Mmm.
0:54:19 > 0:54:24Then I'm going to encourage it to slip down the front...
0:54:25 > 0:54:28..and all around, tilting it.
0:54:29 > 0:54:33I can just run along here, like that, and it will run down.
0:54:33 > 0:54:38If you haven't got it quite right, you're going to have to use a palette knife dipped in water.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40But I've been able to avoid that,
0:54:40 > 0:54:42because you do begin to lose the shine.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46'Finish by scraping the excess chocolate
0:54:46 > 0:54:48'from the edge of the plate with a palette knife
0:54:48 > 0:54:52'and wipe clean with damp kitchen paper.
0:54:52 > 0:54:56'Leave the torte for a couple of hours for the icing to set,
0:54:56 > 0:54:59'then pipe the word "Sacher" across the top
0:54:59 > 0:55:02'in melted milk chocolate for a classic finish.'
0:55:14 > 0:55:20Just going to ruin my cake, that's what's going to happen. Right.
0:55:24 > 0:55:28'The icing of the torte was critical and the pressure showed.'
0:55:38 > 0:55:40That's it.
0:55:41 > 0:55:45'Holly proved she knew the secret when piping a Sachertorte.
0:55:45 > 0:55:49'Don't stop halfway, and do it all in one go as if handwriting.'
0:55:58 > 0:56:00'Mary-Anne's daughter, Sacha,
0:56:00 > 0:56:04'was the cause of her simple spelling mistake.'
0:56:05 > 0:56:06SHE GASPS
0:56:09 > 0:56:10You wrote Sacha!
0:56:11 > 0:56:13'In judging, we were meticulous.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16'We wanted an event cake with a mirrored finish.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18'They did well!'
0:56:18 > 0:56:22- Well, we've got some shiny tops, haven't we?- Shall we start from this side?- Yeah.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26The ganache could have been a little bit thick, but it has got the right consistency.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29- That cake looks pretty well done as well.- The cake looks very good.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36Getting the apricot through, which is good.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38I think it's a nice cake, that one.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40It's a nice cake - a little over decorated.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42Yeah.
0:56:42 > 0:56:46Now, this one, it's got the nice ganache on, this one.
0:56:51 > 0:56:54I think that could have done with a little bit longer bake.
0:56:54 > 0:56:58It's got more of a high mirror finish, which is what you're looking for for a Sacher.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04- These two could both have done with just a little more, five more minutes.- Mmm.
0:57:13 > 0:57:15Made beautifully, Mary, may I say?
0:57:15 > 0:57:19I think the glaze that you've got on the top is stunning. I think the ganache was superb.
0:57:19 > 0:57:20- Proof of the pudding.- Right.
0:57:23 > 0:57:28- Hmm!- Mmm, that's a bit of all right, isn't it? Mmm, very good.
0:57:28 > 0:57:31Moist. Chocolaty.
0:57:32 > 0:57:37There is a definite zing of that apricot that's left on there as well, that sweetness sitting there.
0:57:37 > 0:57:41And again that almost fudge quality to that chocolate on the top.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46Mary, fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.
0:57:46 > 0:57:49This was the last of the technical challenges. A bit sad, really.
0:57:49 > 0:57:54It is sad, but I've really enjoyed these masterclasses.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57We've had plenty of time to go through every detail
0:57:57 > 0:58:02of the technical challenges, so everybody at home can make them.
0:58:02 > 0:58:07And all you need is a good pair of scales, good ingredients,
0:58:07 > 0:58:11and follow every single step, and success should be the result.
0:58:11 > 0:58:15I hope we've inspired everybody to get going.
0:58:15 > 0:58:17Get into the kitchen and start baking.
0:58:34 > 0:58:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:36 > 0:58:38E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk