0:00:03 > 0:00:07We believe that Britain has the best food in the world.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11Not only can we boast fantastic ingredients...
0:00:11 > 0:00:13There we go! Look at them!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15..outstanding food producers...
0:00:15 > 0:00:16Look at that!
0:00:16 > 0:00:19..and innovative chefs...
0:00:19 > 0:00:22..but we also have an amazing food history.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- Brilliant!- Ah, wow!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Don't eat them like that. You'll break your teeth.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Now, during this series,
0:00:31 > 0:00:35we're going to be taking you on a journey into our culinary past.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Let's get cracking.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41- We'll explore its revealing stories...- BOTH: Wow!
0:00:41 > 0:00:46And meet the heroes that keep our food heritage alive.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48It's a miracle what comes out of the oven!
0:00:48 > 0:00:51..and, of course, be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:51 > 0:00:54that reveal our foodie evolution.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Look at that. That's a proper British treat.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03We have a taste of history.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08- Quite simply... - BOTH: The Best Of British!
0:01:24 > 0:01:27# Lollipop, lollipop Oh, lolli, lolli, lolli, lollipop #
0:01:27 > 0:01:33Today's show is a tribute to our nation's wonderfully indulgent sweet tooth.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36We've got a little treat in store.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39A bit of a sweet treat, haven't we?!
0:01:39 > 0:01:42As a nation, we've got quite a sweet history.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46After all, we've been eating honey since Prehistoric Times.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49And we Brits have got a lot to celebrate.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53We've got the beloved British boiled sweet, in all its many gorgeous forms.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56We've got fantastic sweet recipes
0:01:56 > 0:01:59that are as much savoury as they are sweet.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04Over the years, we Brits have earned a bit of a reputation for our sweet creations.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09We're off on a trip down Memory Lane to try some right now.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12We're heading to Somerset and...
0:02:12 > 0:02:16One of the most dramatic places in Britain, Cheddar Gorge.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19But we're not here for the cheese, are we, Kingy?
0:02:19 > 0:02:23No, we're not! We're here for something slightly sweeter than that, mate, aren't we?
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Yes, a celebration of the nation's sweet tooth.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29And I must confess, you know me,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32I like a bit of sweetness every now and then!
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Over the centuries, regional sweetie makers have sprung up across the UK
0:02:40 > 0:02:42to satisfy people like us,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45each producing their own unique recipe,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48as well as some good old national favourites.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53We're about to meet two such people, our Best of British food heroes Mark and Martin
0:02:53 > 0:02:56from the Cheddar Sweet Kitchen.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01# Sweets for my sweet Sugar for my honey...
0:03:01 > 0:03:03# I'll never, ever let you go... #
0:03:03 > 0:03:06- BOTH: Hello.- Good afternoon. Welcome to the Cheddar Sweet Kitchen.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Hello, Martin and Dave. Pleased to meet you.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12'Some of the sweet-making methods Martin and Mark use
0:03:12 > 0:03:15'date back from as far as the 19th century.'
0:03:15 > 0:03:19We've been going for 100 years now, through five generations of the family.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24We've got lots of recipes that have been handed down through the generations.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27'They're helping to preserve some truly British traditions
0:03:27 > 0:03:30'and we salute them for that.'
0:03:30 > 0:03:34We still believe that the old-fashioned way is the best way.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37The nostalgia, it's overwhelming. The flavours...
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Maybe when you're a child, your taste buds are intense. It takes you back!
0:03:41 > 0:03:47'And Mark and Martin are about to take us back even further.'
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Today, we're making some brown-striped mint humbugs, the original ones.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54When I was kid, I always wondered, "How do you get a stripe in your humbug?"
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I think that's about to be revealed.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59We're going to cook up, then.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04'Mark's humbug mix contains water, brown and white sugar and glucose syrup
0:04:04 > 0:04:06'at a whopping 155 degrees centigrade.'
0:04:06 > 0:04:12If you just stand back slightly... That is your boiling-hot molten sugar.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16'He's adding caramel, dextrose and peppermint oil to his hot mixture
0:04:16 > 0:04:18'and then he gets to work - fast.'
0:04:18 > 0:04:23- I can smell the mint.- You can smell it now.- Yes, it's beautiful.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29Aw, that's incredible. What a lovely thing to do!
0:04:29 > 0:04:31- It's like a sheet. - It doesn't look real, does it?
0:04:31 > 0:04:34No! It's like molten madness!
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Within a couple of minutes now, we'll be able to start handling it.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41I love things like this. The humbug is a great British classic.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44We've had them since we were children.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46This is how you make humbugs!
0:04:46 > 0:04:48It's a mystery until you see it done.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52- You don't know how the stripes are going to end up yet. - No!- I have no idea!
0:04:52 > 0:04:56- Neither do we, so don't worry! - Oh, really?
0:04:56 > 0:05:00We cut it in half and that will then form the centre of the sweet
0:05:00 > 0:05:04- and this piece will form a casing, the outside layer.- Right!
0:05:04 > 0:05:07That, believe it or not, is going to be your stripe.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09- It's surreal, isn't it? - It is. It's unbelievable.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12It's a process we actually call sugar pulling
0:05:12 > 0:05:15because we're going to pull the sugar on the hook.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20- You can see the colour changing. - Yes!- That's amazing! - Fantastic, isn't it?
0:05:20 > 0:05:24It is only air bubbles getting in the sugar now which change the colour.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28'Look at that! I think I've died and gone to sweetie heaven.'
0:05:31 > 0:05:34And there, we've got the changed colour of the sugar.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38That's the first secret out of the way.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41We need a base on which to lay the stripe.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44We're going to stretch the sugar out into a long rope,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47just zigzag the sugar backwards and forwards.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- That's fantastic. - There's your stripes.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- SIMON LAUGHS - And then that goes on the top?- No.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56We need to make sure these stripes end up on the outside,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59so we turn the whole thing upside down.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01We'll drop that into the middle
0:06:01 > 0:06:06and then we can just wrap the whole thing up.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- There's your humbug. - The world's biggest humbug!
0:06:09 > 0:06:11THEY LAUGH
0:06:11 > 0:06:13This is what we call a bat roller.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15- You can see how it thins as it comes out.- Yes.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19- This is how we size the sweets. - Yes.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22We'll still finish off the sizing by hand.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27- I had no idea.- I had no idea either. It's brilliant.- Absolutely amazing.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31'Time to suck it and see, as they say.'
0:06:31 > 0:06:33- You cannat get a fresher sweet than that.- No.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39- Oh, they're mega!- That is the taste of nostalgia, isn't it?- Mm!
0:06:39 > 0:06:42While the humbugs wait to be bagged up,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46we're off to see where Martin and Mark sell the sweets that they make.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Come in this way, lads. I'll show you what many believe to be
0:06:50 > 0:06:55the largest selection of old-fashioned boiled sweets in the country, all made on the premises.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Ahh! I'm in heaven!
0:06:57 > 0:06:59All those names that you know and love -
0:06:59 > 0:07:04- mint bull's-eyes, chocolate limes... - Black and rasps!
0:07:04 > 0:07:08Mint shrimps. That's something I've read about and never had!
0:07:08 > 0:07:12There were originally made for the miners in the Somerset Coalfields.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16- In the North East, it was always the black bullets.- Black bullets, yes.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20South Wales were the Welsh mints. Here, it's always been the mint shrimp.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24- Freshened your mouth up, didn't it? - It kills off the dust and the dirt in the atmosphere.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- Super-sour blueberries. - Cola cubes. Sherbet lemons!
0:07:27 > 0:07:30# The candy man can... #
0:07:30 > 0:07:33'Ah, man, we're like two kids in a sweet shop!
0:07:33 > 0:07:35'Hang on. We are.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37'Well, two very big kids, anyway.'
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Sherbet pips, man! You cannat whack them!
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Live the dream. I'm full of mint shrimps!
0:07:46 > 0:07:51- Are you there? In your head... Close your eyes.- I'm there. - You are four years old.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53You have shorts on.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58You still have an attitude, but you are full of sherbet pips.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00He's there. He's living the dream.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06When people come here, especially elderly people, what is it that takes them back?
0:08:06 > 0:08:10- Things like the humbugs, er... - 'Sssssh! You didn't see that.'
0:08:10 > 0:08:13..lots and lots of sherbet lemons, which people love.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17The other thing is the fizzy fish sweets...
0:08:17 > 0:08:19'Come on, don't tell me you wouldn't be tempted.'
0:08:19 > 0:08:22..which is like a sherbet pip, but it's got the fish shape.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25That in itself is tremendously popular.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28# Well, now, sugar in the morning
0:08:28 > 0:08:32# Sugar in the evening Sugar at suppertime
0:08:32 > 0:08:37# Be my little sugar And love me all the time #
0:08:37 > 0:08:38Ah, man!
0:08:38 > 0:08:43Our Si's going for a world record. Thankfully, it's time to go back next door.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47We're about to make one of our personal favourites - peanut brittle.'
0:08:47 > 0:08:53For us, this sweet is a wonderful old-fashioned treat that dates back to the 19th century,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56and this time, we're allowed to make it ourselves.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58- Do you want a go at adding the peanuts?- Yes.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02- There is a little technique.- Right. - You can take it in turns.- Yes.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04That's all the peanuts weighed out.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08- There's about five kilos of peanuts there.- Brilliant.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10Mm-mm!
0:09:10 > 0:09:13'The peanuts are being added to a mix of water,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17'sugar, glucose, vegetable oil and a tiny bit of emulsifier.'
0:09:17 > 0:09:22- When it starts to get thick, you'll need to lift the end of the paddle and turn it.- It's thick.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26'It's nice to see Dave doing the hard work for a change, isn't it?'
0:09:27 > 0:09:32And don't flick the hot toffee on your thighs.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I'm liking the look of this.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Look at that. Nut brittle.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44'It's over to Mark to do the professional bit.'
0:09:44 > 0:09:49- You can always tell a craftsman by how easy he makes a difficult job look.- Yes.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- I'm not a craftsman, though, am I? - You are.- Thank you.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56Wow!
0:09:56 > 0:09:59I might break it into smaller pieces for you.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01'Hey, we get a go again!'
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Pop it onto this table and you'll need to start thinning.
0:10:05 > 0:10:11'By thinning, Mark means flattening the peanut brittle out as quickly as we possibly can,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14'as this hot mixture will cool and harden within minutes.'
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Everyone has different techniques.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20'Do you know, it's not as easy as it looks!'
0:10:27 > 0:10:30- Psst! Dave!- What?
0:10:32 > 0:10:34This is chewy.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40It's now starting to cool down quite rapidly.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43And it will become brittle.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45BOTH: Oh!
0:10:45 > 0:10:48There. THEY LAUGH
0:10:50 > 0:10:54You'd die if you worked in a place like this, Mr King.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57I couldn't... I couldn't...
0:10:57 > 0:10:58I couldn't even speak!
0:10:58 > 0:11:03- It's not a good thing to put me in somewhere like this!- No, no.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05I've been to some of the finest restaurants in the world,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08but peanut brittle, you cannat whack it, man!
0:11:09 > 0:11:14'I've got to get Kingy off this stuff before he keels over in a sugary stupor.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17'I think it's time to spread the nutty love!'
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Ladies and gentlemen, flavours don't get better than this.
0:11:20 > 0:11:25- Fresh-made nut brittle. It's beautiful.- Thank you.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Thank you!
0:11:27 > 0:11:32- What's your favourite sweetie from when you were little? - Peanut brittle.- Is it really?
0:11:32 > 0:11:35- What about you? - I like sherbet fountains.- Yes.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37That liquorice stick!
0:11:37 > 0:11:42- Strawberry bonbons.- Dolly mixtures. - Flying saucers.- Coconut squares.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47I think the whole celebration about our British sweet tooth
0:11:47 > 0:11:48is very important
0:11:48 > 0:11:51because it's about raising the profile
0:11:51 > 0:11:53of the great British boiled sweet.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55And we're so proud of it.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57And I hope you lot are, too,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00because you've clearly got fond memories.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02We've still got great artisan sweet-makers
0:12:02 > 0:12:05like Martin and Mark.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09- We can still have a taste of the past.- Yes.- And it's a taste we love.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12And it's really, really, really good.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17Ah, yes... A delicious taste of sweet memories.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22Us Brits have been driven by this flavour sensation for centuries,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25ever since sugar was invented, in fact.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28# Sweet dreams are made of these
0:12:28 > 0:12:33# Who am I to disagree? #
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Did you know that "sweet"
0:12:35 > 0:12:39is the only taste we humans are born desiring?
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Perhaps that's why we love it so much.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45We love the taste and the instant energy hit that you get from sugar.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50As a nation, we in Britain consume more than two million tonnes of sugar a year.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54That's almost 400 for every man, woman, child.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57- # Sugar... # - That was in the '70s,
0:12:57 > 0:13:04but back then we consumed over 200 bags of sugar each every year, more than we eat today.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08- Sugar!- Why did you say sugar, instead of what you really meant?
0:13:08 > 0:13:11- Well, it's more refined! - # Sugar...- #
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Sugar cane was first thought to be formed in Papua New Guinea
0:13:17 > 0:13:19more than 8,000 years ago.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24It sprinkled west across the world, sweetening India and the Middle East.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Finally, it reached the Med,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29where it was grown and refined for Europe.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33And when we got a taste for it, we were hooked
0:13:33 > 0:13:36and would pay any price.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40In Medieval England, sugar was so expensive
0:13:40 > 0:13:42it was called white gold.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47In today's money, it cost nearly £50 for a teaspoon's worth!
0:13:48 > 0:13:51But for sugar to become an everyday household ingredient,
0:13:51 > 0:13:55it was going to have to become a lot cheaper.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58It crossed the Atlantic to British colonies in the Caribbean,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02which turned out to be the perfect place for it to grow.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08Now comes the sour bit of our sweet story.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13The plantations needed labour, and thousands of slaves were forced to work
0:14:13 > 0:14:15to feed our appetite for sugar.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Merchants flooded the market.
0:14:24 > 0:14:29With cheap sugar pouring in, we were all getting hooked on everything sweet.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32But the slavery it relied on left a bitter taste in the mouth.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Mercifully, it was abolished in British colonies
0:14:38 > 0:14:40in the early 19th century.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44We had to find other ways to feed our sugar habit,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48so the price was kept down by improved mass production
0:14:48 > 0:14:49and a new source -
0:14:49 > 0:14:51sugar beet.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55We slice the sugar beet. The next stage is called diffusion.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59- It's a bit like making tea. - Ooh, put the kettle on!
0:14:59 > 0:15:04The sugar is then dissolved in water for purification, evaporation
0:15:04 > 0:15:06and finally concentration!
0:15:08 > 0:15:10# I want candy #
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Now we are ready to make tons of sweets!
0:15:19 > 0:15:21We were now tempted by a mind-boggling variety of sweets
0:15:21 > 0:15:24in allsorts of shapes, sizes and flavours.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28But for a while, we had nothing to suck on!
0:15:30 > 0:15:34MAN: This is the week when ration books come into use.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37In the '40s, sweets got rationed.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42War restrictions meant children were deprived of their humbugs and pear drops.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46It was more than ten years before the restrictions were fully lifted.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Talk about a sugar rush! Crumbs.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50# I predict a riot
0:15:50 > 0:15:53# I predict a riot #
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Since then, we've gone on to become the biggest sweet-eaters in Europe,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59and it's been a riot!
0:16:05 > 0:16:08And you know, indulging our nation's sweet tooth
0:16:08 > 0:16:11doesn't mean our treats can't be savoury,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14as we're about to prove on our next stop,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17our Best of British kitchen.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Just because you've got a sweet tooth
0:16:21 > 0:16:24it doesn't mean your life's confined to biscuits, puddings and cakes.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27No, it doesn't. You can have sweet, savoury and sour.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Wonderful, wonderful combinations, you see.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35- It's like yin and yang.- Throughout life, there's been double acts, hasn't there?
0:16:35 > 0:16:40Bill and Ben, Burke and Hare, Bonnie and Clyde, Si and Dave, sweet and sour!
0:16:40 > 0:16:44But this sweet and sour is sweet-and-sour chicken.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46'A dish which may have originated from China,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50'but as us Brits are very good at assimilating recipes and making them our own,
0:16:50 > 0:16:55'this sweet-and-sour chicken has been transformed into a British belter.'
0:16:55 > 0:17:01We start with some cornflour. We put one...tablespoon of cornflour
0:17:01 > 0:17:06and two tablespoons of pineapple juice.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10And you mix it together and that acts as a bit of a thickener
0:17:10 > 0:17:12for our sweet and sour.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16What I'm doing here is, I'm making the sweet-and-sour sauce.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21That's going to be to thicken the sweet and sour, but this is the sauce itself.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25'Put 300 mil of pineapple juice into a bowl
0:17:25 > 0:17:28'along with two cloves of crushed garlic
0:17:28 > 0:17:32'and 25 grams of finely grated ginger.'
0:17:32 > 0:17:36It's about mise en place, getting everything prepped,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38because by the very nature of what it is,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42cookery from that part of the world is pretty quick.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45So take the stress out of it
0:17:45 > 0:17:48and get...prepared.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53- I'm going to put plenty of ginger in, Kingy.- Lush, aye.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55- It's about balancing when you do sweet and sour.- It is.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59It's got to be that... I always liken it to sherbet.
0:17:59 > 0:18:05The flavour of sherbet, to me, it's zingy, but it's still sweet at the same time.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07And that's the effect you're looking for.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10We want it quite chunky,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14so one, two, three.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Again... Straight down the breast.
0:18:17 > 0:18:23One, two, three, four. Lush.
0:18:23 > 0:18:28Right. I've got my pineapple juice with the garlic and the ginger in that.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Now we start to build up the big-hitting flavours.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37I've got soy sauce, white wine vinegar and ketchup.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44'To the sauce mix, add two tablespoons of white wine vinegar to give it a sour kick.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48'Then add one tablespoon of dark soy sauce for saltiness
0:18:48 > 0:18:51'and three tablespoons of ketchup for sweetness.'
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Nice.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57'And we're not going to stop there. This sweet-tooth sauce
0:18:57 > 0:19:00'has two tablespoons of soft brown sugar in it, as well.'
0:19:00 > 0:19:05And a big chug of black pepper.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10And just to zip it up, some chilli flakes.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15- I like mine quite perky. Are you in a perky mood?- I'm perky! - All right, two pinches, then.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19- That's another great double act... - BOTH: Pinky and Perky!
0:19:19 > 0:19:22- They were!- Brilliant.- I used to have that record. What was it?
0:19:22 > 0:19:24They were chart toppers.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28- HE SQUEAKS - They were really quick.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34'For our sweet-and-sour chicken, we need half a small pineapple cut into chunks,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37'one medium onion in rough wedges,
0:19:37 > 0:19:38'one red pepper,
0:19:38 > 0:19:45'one green pepper, both deseeded and cut into chopstick-friendly pieces.'
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Now, sweet and sour's nothing new.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51There's was a medieval recipe.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Now, the sweet part of it, it's either sugar or honey
0:19:55 > 0:20:01and that's mixed with red wine vinegar and dried fruit.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06This medieval sweet-and-sour recipe was made with rabbit or chicken
0:20:06 > 0:20:11and was not that dissimilar to the popular sweet-and-sour chicken dish we're cooking today.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16It goes back 500 years, this sweet-and-sour flavouring.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18And very often we do that,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22when you use tomatoes, you'll put a pinch of sugar in and it's balancing it off.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24- Thai food's the same, isn't it?- Yes.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29Thai food, you'll balance with heat and cool and textures, as well,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32smooth and crunchy, sweet, sour, it all builds up.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36- I think we're about ready to build up proper, aren't we? - I think we are.- Right.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Heat some oil...in a pan.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Right, we want this nice and hot,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45so let's put the banging gas ring on.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50All I'm doing is putting some more cornflour...
0:20:50 > 0:20:53..in me bowl.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56'And then I'm tossing me chicken chunks in the flour.'
0:20:57 > 0:21:01- It feels funny!- Doesn't it send you funny, cornflour?!
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Doesn't it drive you mad?
0:21:03 > 0:21:06- It's like when you rub polystyrene on your shoes.- Ah, God!
0:21:06 > 0:21:08- Have you ever done that?- Yes!
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Imagine chewing cotton wool.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16- Now, look at that wok. - That's what we want.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- Oh, aye.- That's a hot wok. - That's wok around the clock!
0:21:19 > 0:21:22We put the veg in. Watch them bounce.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26There's quite a lot of oil there, but it'll all work out in the end.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28We've got quite a lot to fry, actually.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40I'll be careful because I want another day out of this shirt.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Hi-ya!
0:21:45 > 0:21:49What's your favourite sweet-and-sour combination, Kingy?
0:21:49 > 0:21:53D'you know what? Lemon juice and honey.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56- All right. - They're two really natural flavours
0:21:56 > 0:21:59that complement each other fabulously well.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04Then when you put garlic into that and a little bit of olive oil,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08you've got the most fantastic, simple, sweet-sour, savoury...
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Lovely! Love it!
0:22:10 > 0:22:14- Over salads, really good dressing. What's yours?- I love pad Thai.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18You know when you've got the lime juice and the palm sugar and the peanuts
0:22:18 > 0:22:22and it's done as a dressing on top of the noodles
0:22:22 > 0:22:25which, by nature, are sweet and sour anyway.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- Palm sugar's such a lovely flavour. It's caramel-y, isn't it?- Yes.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32These need about two or three minutes because they're quite big.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35They still have plenty of crunch in them.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38But I want a bit of brown on the onions.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41'Our nation's love of combining these two flavours
0:22:41 > 0:22:44'really came to a head in the 17th and 18th centuries,
0:22:44 > 0:22:49'with our love of sweet-and-sour preserves and chutneys.'
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- They've just caught now, Kingy. - Lush.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55- Time for Mr Chicken.- That's us.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Just fry this till the chicken's coloured.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03We're going to put the sauce in next
0:23:03 > 0:23:06and poach the chicken in the sweet-and-sour sauce,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09so don't worry about it cooking through.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Even with sweet things, though, with sweet sweets,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- you have bittersweet, don't you? - Yes.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17Lime goes great with chocolate, chocolate limes.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20- That's sweet and sour.- I love that!
0:23:20 > 0:23:25- And it's funny, because you forget about certain combos.- Mm.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27And you just think, "Ahh!"
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Dark chocolate... Dark chocolate's bitter, bittersweet.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34And also, orange and chocolate.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38You've got citrus, which is quite sharp, then you've got the chocolate.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42- Lemon drizzle cake.- Yes. - A sweet cake, sharp as you like.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47You soak the sugar in lemon juice on the top. Again, it's that sherbety thing.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- How are we getting on? - It's browning up nicely.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52- Lovely.- Right!
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Time for the pineapple to match with the chicken,
0:23:56 > 0:24:00in that marriage, that perfect duet of sweet and sour.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04HE HUMS "KUNG FU FIGHTING"
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Oh, lovely.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10And the pineapple, because of the sugar content,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14it's going to take on a little bit of colour, and caramelise and I love that!
0:24:14 > 0:24:18- Yes.- That's such a nice thing.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22- That's nice.- Time for the sauce!
0:24:22 > 0:24:25It'll fire off.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27All right.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32We'll just cook that now for about four minutes.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34When that's up to temperature,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38we add the thickening agent, the cornflour and pineapple juice.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43And there we have it, all bar a bit of seasonal adjustment, sweet-and-sour chicken.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47The sweet-sour combination has affinities with certain foods,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49especially rich meats.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53You find it in lamb with mint sauce, duck with orange sauce
0:24:53 > 0:24:56and chicken with pineapple sweet-and-sour sauce.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00The thickening agent.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04We'll just let that bubble away till it's thick.
0:25:04 > 0:25:10We're going to garnish this with jauntily-sliced spring onions.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21There we go, it's ready.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27This would be great served with jasmine rice, wouldn't it?
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Nice big chunks of chicken.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34- Look at that! That's a beautiful thing.- It's all right, isn't it?
0:25:34 > 0:25:37- Chopsticks? Traditional?- Oh, yes.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43BOTH: Mm.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45It's sweet and it's sour.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49It's juicy. It's crunchy, it's soft.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52- The ginger comes through lovely. - Oh, aye.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54What I love about it, when you do something like this,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58be it a sweet and sour or Chinese lemon chicken at home,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02when you use real ingredients, not sauces out of a bottle,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05it's really easy to make your own sweet-and-sour sauces.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10If you do lemon chicken, it's really easy to make your own lemon sauce with real lemons.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12And it just tastes like really, really good food.
0:26:12 > 0:26:18And look how long it took us to make it. Not that long.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Because you've cooked it quickly, that chicken's really juicy.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26- And I think the balance of the sweet and sour is perfect.- Mm-hm.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29And I love this sort of food because...
0:26:29 > 0:26:31..all the veggies...
0:26:31 > 0:26:36..still maintain a little crunch to them. Fantastic.
0:26:36 > 0:26:37Long live sweet and sour.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41It's the sweet dish that knows it's a savoury!
0:26:41 > 0:26:47'And you know, pork or shrimp would also work very well with this sweet and sour sauce.'
0:26:47 > 0:26:51'If you fancy it, you can replace the white wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar
0:26:51 > 0:26:54'and make it that bit sweeter.'
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Next on our sugar-coated trip down Memory Lane,
0:27:00 > 0:27:04we're heading off to the British home of a traditional favourite.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09We're off to Pontefract in West Yorkshire.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14Every year, they have a street festival to celebrate a world-famous English sweet
0:27:14 > 0:27:16that has been the lifeblood of the town.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Liquorice... I love it!
0:27:21 > 0:27:24They do allsorts here, you know, not just sweets.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27There's liquorice ice cream, liquorice cheese, liquorice pork pies,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30and to wash them all down,
0:27:30 > 0:27:34how about a brew of liquorice beer?
0:27:35 > 0:27:37I don't fancy that, thank you!
0:27:37 > 0:27:41I'm not a big fan of the black stuff but I know a man who is.
0:27:41 > 0:27:47Liquorice has been part of my life, like a stick of Blackpool rock.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51But it doesn't say "Blackpool rock", it says "Pontefract liquorice" right through me
0:27:51 > 0:27:55and it's been my life and I've loved every minute of it.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Well, Tom Dixon, at 92,
0:28:00 > 0:28:05is still dedicated to keeping Pontefract's liquorice heritage alive.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09He's the last surviving member of a family that's grown it here for generations.
0:28:09 > 0:28:15My great-grandfather built the house, where I live to this day, in 1810
0:28:15 > 0:28:20and he bought the land round here just to grow liquorice in.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25When I was a young chap, all these fields were covered in liquorice.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27On a night, my friends used to come down
0:28:27 > 0:28:31and we used to play Indians and Cowboys
0:28:31 > 0:28:33and we were always chewing liquorice.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36As you know, liquorice is a laxative,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39so we never needed syrup of figs on a Friday night.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Too much information, Tom!
0:28:42 > 0:28:44But liquorice wouldn't just grow anywhere.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49You need a good couple of metres of rich topsoil for the roots to grow down,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52and Pontefract is perfect.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57A fact first discovered 500 years ago
0:28:57 > 0:29:01when monks grew liquorice here for medicinal purposes.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04But unlike most medicines, people love the flavour
0:29:04 > 0:29:07and it became popular just for its acquired taste.
0:29:07 > 0:29:12This is a stick of liquorice root. It's the sweetest thing on God's earth.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16It is 50 times sweeter than sugar.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19Chew it and it tastes absolutely beautiful.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23Queen Victoria loved it. She was addicted to it.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28My great-great grandfather used to send her a bunch of liquorice
0:29:28 > 0:29:32to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight every month.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36The only problem with it is, if you eat so much,
0:29:36 > 0:29:40it causes very, very high blood pressure and it rots all your teeth.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44They tell me that the Queen had very high blood pressure
0:29:44 > 0:29:47and she lost all her teeth!
0:29:49 > 0:29:53The liquorice fields not only supplied Queen Victoria with her favourite treat,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56they also inspired a poet laureate.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59John Betjeman came down here in the '50s,
0:29:59 > 0:30:05and he came into this field here and he wrote the poem The Liquorice Fields At Pontefract.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08'In the liquorice fields at Pontefract
0:30:08 > 0:30:10'My love and I did meet
0:30:10 > 0:30:15'And many a burdened liquorice bush Was blooming round our feet
0:30:15 > 0:30:18'Red hair she had and golden skin...'
0:30:18 > 0:30:20Love in the liquorice fields, eh?
0:30:20 > 0:30:25If John Betjeman could come here today, he'd not see a stick of the stuff.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29The last commercial crop was grown down here in 1970,
0:30:29 > 0:30:32because it became un-commercial.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37From setting the plant, to being able to harvest the liquorice
0:30:37 > 0:30:39take seven years.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50We were surprised to learn, however, that they still make liquorice sweets in the old factory
0:30:50 > 0:30:53where Tom used to be a liquorice boilerman.
0:30:53 > 0:30:58But today, they use imported liquorice and modern machinery.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03They still produce the world-famous Pontefract cake,
0:31:03 > 0:31:07a round sweet, proudly displaying the town's name.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11Nice to see that you're still making Pontefract cakes after all these years.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14We're still making them, Tom.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17People from all over the world ask for Pontefract cakes.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- These are how you do them today, is it?- That's right.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23- In my day, they were all handmade. - Really?
0:31:23 > 0:31:26There were hundreds of girls all stamping them.
0:31:30 > 0:31:35Each girl could turn out an amazing 3,500 cakes an hour.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39Look at the speed of that!
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Nearly as fast as today's machines.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48It's been a privilege to see it, David.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52- I'm chuffed to death!- OK.- Thank you.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56Thankfully, there are people like Tom,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00with a passion to keep their local food traditions alive.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02I am asked to go round all the local schools
0:32:02 > 0:32:07and talk to the children about their heritage, liquorice of Pontefract,
0:32:07 > 0:32:11and I always tell them, wherever you go in the world,
0:32:11 > 0:32:15once you say that you come from Pontefract,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19people will say, "That's the town where they grow liquorice and make the cakes."
0:32:19 > 0:32:22So it is very important that it is passed on
0:32:22 > 0:32:25to the children to the next generation.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Keeping our nation's traditions alive
0:32:28 > 0:32:30is one way to keep us Brits sweet.
0:32:30 > 0:32:35Now for our final stop on our candy voyage of discovery.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38We want to bring you a taste of excitement and flavour.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41Oh, and a little sugar rush!
0:32:41 > 0:32:45- People have varying degrees of sweet toothness, don't they?- They do.
0:32:45 > 0:32:50- If you had a sweet-tooth-ometer... - Where would you be? - Where would this one be?
0:32:50 > 0:32:54- 12.- And a half, I think! - It's outrageous! It's brilliant!
0:32:54 > 0:32:57As well as sweet treats, it's the comfort factor, isn't it?
0:32:57 > 0:33:02You've got to accept that sometimes sweet treats may be a little fattening,
0:33:02 > 0:33:03a little bit unhealthy.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07Standing on the diving board of self indulgence, this one's for you!
0:33:07 > 0:33:12It's a big jump! It's fat, it's friendly, it's sweet, tasty.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16It is our pecan and caramel cheesecake.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19People may think the cheesecake is an American creation,
0:33:19 > 0:33:23but historical references would appear to prove otherwise.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26After all, the earliest actual recipe for a cheesecake
0:33:26 > 0:33:29is found in The Forme of Cury,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33one of the oldest known instructive cookery books in the English language,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35dating back to the 14th century
0:33:35 > 0:33:40and believed to have been written by the master cooks of King Richard II.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44So it would seem cheesecake was discovered before America itself.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48- Shall I do base and you do caramel? - Yes!
0:33:48 > 0:33:50- Let battle commence!- OK!
0:33:50 > 0:33:54Gird your loins, undo your corsets,
0:33:54 > 0:33:56here we go.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59'To make the caramel for our cheesecake,
0:33:59 > 0:34:04'put 200 grams of caster sugar in a pan, together with six tablespoons of cold water,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07'and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.'
0:34:09 > 0:34:13'To kick off the base mix, take 100 grams of pecan nuts
0:34:13 > 0:34:15'and blitz!'
0:34:18 > 0:34:20I need to melt a block of butter.
0:34:20 > 0:34:27This is for mixing in to the pecan nuts and my biscuits to make the base.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30The pecan nuts go into a bowl.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32If this wasn't luxury enough,
0:34:32 > 0:34:37the biscuit of choice is the beloved chocolate digestive biscuit.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40I love 'em! I love 'em!
0:34:40 > 0:34:43- Are they milk or plain? - These are milk.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46But this recipe would work equally well with plain.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49'Stick 150 grams of biscuits in a blender.'
0:34:49 > 0:34:51Right, pulse.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57I do want some texture in this. That's why I'm being quite careful.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Lovely! Put that in a bowl with your nuts
0:35:02 > 0:35:07and cover with just-so melted butter.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10- Ahh!- And give that a stir.
0:35:10 > 0:35:16So that's the pecan nuts whizzed up, the digestives and a slab of butter.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20Put this into the tin and press.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26Now, you don't need to bother buttering the bottom of the tin.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30- There's quite enough there already! - Yes!
0:35:30 > 0:35:34'Meanwhile, take 150 grams of white chocolate, break into squares,
0:35:34 > 0:35:38'and place in a bowl over a pan of boiling water to melt.'
0:35:38 > 0:35:41- You've got some chocolate left over. - I have.- Cook's perks.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45Press this down into the bottom with your hands.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49This is a great, great cheesecake base.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53And really press it quite well in.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57Don't let it creep too much up the sides.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02'Back with your sugar syrup, try not to be impatient, either.'
0:36:02 > 0:36:06You do want it to go a deep colour, but don't do it quickly.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Look, you can see how the heat's just going through it
0:36:09 > 0:36:12and it's starting to colour up that lovely golden.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14- It takes eight to ten minutes. - It does.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18And, depending, actually, as well, depending on the temperature of the sugar,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22if it's a freezing cold day, it could take a little bit longer.
0:36:22 > 0:36:27That's the base. We pop that in the fridge for about an hour until it's set solid.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32See how it's going that lovely deep, golden colour.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35# Golden brown, texture like sun #
0:36:35 > 0:36:38'As soon as the caramel is rich in colour like this,
0:36:38 > 0:36:41'it's ready to remove from the heat.'
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Whatever you do, don't touch this! This is hotter than a hot thing.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48It will make your skin flake off.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51Don't worry about dribbles. Dribble is a good thing.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54- It is.- We want a random drizzle,
0:36:54 > 0:36:58a bit like a Jackson Pollock painting.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01It's where Blue Peter meets Fanny Cradock
0:37:01 > 0:37:05in a blaze of sticky-back plastic and sugar.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08- I think we're there, mate. - I think we are, mate.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12we're going to use a bit more than half of this to make some caramel crumbs.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14That gives us the caramel.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17The rest of it, the nice lattice bits,
0:37:17 > 0:37:22we're going to break off and they'll be like sails that sit as decoration on top.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26The chocolate's beginning to melt. Don't stir chocolate when it's melting.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Wait till it's just about there.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34Look at this. I love this. Is that not magic?
0:37:34 > 0:37:38- Isn't it brilliant? - Is that not fabulous? Look at that.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42'Break off 125 grams of the gorgeous hardened caramel
0:37:42 > 0:37:44'and blitz into crumbs in a blender.'
0:37:46 > 0:37:49Quite beautiful, aren't they?
0:37:50 > 0:37:54- It's the inside of Crunchie bars. - Yes.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57- Don't you want to...? - Not really, no, thanks.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01- Let's build a cheesecake! - BOTH: Whoo-hoo!
0:38:01 > 0:38:07Just in case there wasn't enough sweetness there, just add a bit more sugar!
0:38:07 > 0:38:10'75 grams, to be exact.'
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Hey, Kingy, now's the time to pump up the fat.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17Here we go! It has a platter of its own!
0:38:17 > 0:38:20There it is. Full-fat soft cheese. Stand by, arteries.
0:38:20 > 0:38:25You could use that low-fat stuff, but you've gone this far down the line!
0:38:25 > 0:38:28- Fat goes in. - HE WHISTLES
0:38:28 > 0:38:31- And some cream. - THEY GIGGLE
0:38:33 > 0:38:38Honest, this is epic. This cheesecake will serve 12 to 15 slices,
0:38:38 > 0:38:42so if you look at it like that, it's not as bad as it looks.
0:38:42 > 0:38:43Now, the chocolat!
0:38:43 > 0:38:45I will empty it out of the bowl!
0:38:45 > 0:38:50But it's that caramel crumb that gives it the flavour and the character
0:38:50 > 0:38:53that is the pecan-caramel cheesecake.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Don't worry if there are bits of chocolate on the surface.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00It's best to have bits than burn the chocolate.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Those bits will melt when you cook the cheesecake.
0:39:03 > 0:39:08As it's a baked cheesecake, it contains eggs.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10It has to contain eggs
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- or it would be cheese soup. - It would.
0:39:14 > 0:39:20'For this cake, use four whole eggs and two additional egg yolks and add to your blender.'
0:39:20 > 0:39:23Now, put that onto your processor.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25Blitz.
0:39:25 > 0:39:30- Look at the colours.- Aww, wicked!
0:39:31 > 0:39:37Te caramel gives this cheesecake the most wonderful caramel hue.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41IN POSH VOICE: Oh, it's a hue of caramel! Ohh!
0:39:42 > 0:39:46- Look at that.- Ah, man! Ohh!
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Let's make the cheesecake!
0:39:51 > 0:39:56'Get your chilled base and place the tin in the middle of a large piece of foil.'
0:39:56 > 0:40:00'Bring the foil up to size to create a foil ball around the cheesecake
0:40:00 > 0:40:03'and place on a medium-sized roasting tin.'
0:40:03 > 0:40:06- Look at that.- Ahh, man! - Golden brown.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09'Now pour your cheesecake filling on top of your base
0:40:09 > 0:40:11'and surround the cake tin with boiling water,
0:40:11 > 0:40:15'roughly two centimetres up the sides of the tin.'
0:40:16 > 0:40:21Right, put this into a preheated oven, 160 degrees Celsius,
0:40:21 > 0:40:23for about 45 minutes.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26'After three-quarters of an hour, turn off the oven
0:40:26 > 0:40:30'and leave the cheesecake inside for it to cool for a further hour.'
0:40:31 > 0:40:35'Then grab the mighty cheesecake and stick it in a fridge
0:40:35 > 0:40:39'for a minimum of three hours and a maximum of 24.'
0:40:41 > 0:40:46'Whether your cheesecake is one of the baked or unbaked varieties, it doesn't matter,
0:40:46 > 0:40:51'they all need to chill in the fridge in order for them to set.'
0:40:51 > 0:40:53- How is the mighty beast? - Look at this!
0:40:53 > 0:40:56- And how's the cheesecake? - Absolutely beautiful.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Absolutely beautiful!
0:40:58 > 0:41:01Ooh, that's set, hasn't it? Look, no cracks.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04'Gently release the cheesecake.'
0:41:04 > 0:41:07We don't want to crack this little fellow.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09'Tighten the edges with a palette knife
0:41:09 > 0:41:13'and place your cake on a serving platter.'
0:41:13 > 0:41:17Ohh! It's gorgeous in its magnificent.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19And now it's ready for decorating.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23I'm going to whip 300 mils of double cream.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26'Whip the cream into soft peaks.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31'Meanwhile, break the reserved caramel into shards, ready to scatter on the top.'
0:41:36 > 0:41:38'Then, using a dessert spoon,
0:41:38 > 0:41:43'shape the cream into big fluffy clouds over the cheesecake.'
0:41:43 > 0:41:47White, billowing folds of cloud.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Time for bling.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57'Just place the caramel shards across the top at jaunty angles.'
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- Oh, wow.- It's special, isn't it?- Mm.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02This is proper.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08The caramel flavour in a cheesecake is absolutely gorgeous.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10- There's no two ways about it. - Ah, yes.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13You bring that to the table after dinner
0:42:13 > 0:42:18and everybody around the table is going to get that view.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21It is absolutely beautiful.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25There's more than enough in that to satisfy
0:42:25 > 0:42:29the most critical, greediest sweet tooth on the planet.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31- And come back for more.- Aye.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33DREAMY MUSIC
0:42:35 > 0:42:41You can see why people have been tempted by a cheesecake for centuries!
0:42:41 > 0:42:44This cake would befit a royal table as much as ours.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48It truly is the best of British.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51From home-grown liquorice to mint humbugs,
0:42:51 > 0:42:55from peanut brittle to sugary hugs...
0:42:55 > 0:42:59Over the years, us Brits have been driven by our sweet tooth
0:42:59 > 0:43:02to come up with some truly classic national treats.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05If you want sweet dreams, you've got to live a sweet life
0:43:05 > 0:43:08and we Brits certainly know how to do that.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Visit...
0:43:13 > 0:43:17..to discover some amazing facts about the history of food.
0:43:17 > 0:43:22And to find out how to cook up the recipes in today's show.
0:43:22 > 0:43:26Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:26 > 0:43:30E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk