0:00:02 > 0:00:05'If there's one thing I look forward to at the end of a busy day,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09'it's the thought of getting back to my kitchen at home.
0:00:09 > 0:00:14'For me, nothing beats cooking some simple, heart-warming, food.'
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Oh-oh-oh, it is so good.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22'The kind of no-nonsense grub that brings people together.'
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Cheers, everyone.
0:00:26 > 0:00:32'The dishes I turn to when I want to put a big smile on everyone's face.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35'These are my home comforts.'
0:00:44 > 0:00:46For me, there's nothing more rewarding
0:00:46 > 0:00:50than creating mouth-watering party food for friends.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54I love entertaining at home, and I certainly don't want to spend
0:00:54 > 0:00:57hours in kitchen when the party is in full swing, so I've got a few
0:00:57 > 0:01:01simple show-stopping recipes up my sleeve so I can join in the party.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06There's nothing better than seeing the smiles on people's faces
0:01:06 > 0:01:10as they tuck in to my tasty, home comfort treats.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13I'm going to cook up some of my favourite party dishes,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16and there are no half measures in my house.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20And I don't mean smoking little bits of meat, I mean smoking half a cow.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Food historian Ivan Day creates a Georgian party cake
0:01:23 > 0:01:25to beat all party cakes.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28And it turns out that wild boar are very polite party guests.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Although I might put two buckets of food down,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33if they only want one, they'll only eat one.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35'Unlike my friends.'
0:01:35 > 0:01:36Check that out, look at that.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38He stripped that like some vulture, look.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40THEY LAUGH
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Some of the best party food is bite-sized,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52and my first recipe is no exception.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Now, one of my favourite meals at home has to be fish and chips,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and it's quite difficult to do that for a dinner party
0:02:05 > 0:02:07because we've always got sort of smallish deep-fat fryers.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11But you can do amazing dishes like goujons and scampi.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Now, scampi are one of those things I was kind of brought up with
0:02:16 > 0:02:17as a kid.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20But rather than strips of fish or prawns or lovely langoustines,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23what I'm going to use are these. Now, these are cod cheeks.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27These are amazing nuggets of gold, which sit right here.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Fantastic pieces of meat.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Now, the French prize these and they're really sought after.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34They're about a tenth of the price of cod loin,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36but they're just delicious.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39If you can't get hold of them, try fish fillet chunks instead.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Now, I'm going to deep-fry these. And for this, I'm going
0:02:42 > 0:02:45to create a lovely little coating with it.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Now, normally scampi's just done with breadcrumbs, but this is
0:02:48 > 0:02:51the best bread in the world, in my opinion, this is sourdough.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55'You'll need to slice the bread and then blitz it into crumbs.'
0:02:59 > 0:03:02You get this amazing, almost like treacle sort of taste to the bread.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05It really is a unique flavour, really,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08one that lends itself so well to make crumbs out of.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Now, just to complement the flavour nicely, you can
0:03:13 > 0:03:14put a touch of lemon zest in.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17This is kind of very different to the scampi and chips
0:03:17 > 0:03:20I used to have as a kid in a basket, together with chicken in a basket.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Do you remember that? How cool was that?
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Blitz the mix a little longer, to spread that zesty
0:03:28 > 0:03:32flavour into the crumbs, and get prepped to bread your cod.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37You'll need a bowl of plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40and a bowl of three beaten eggs.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44The French call this to 'paner'.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47It's just a basic coating, really, to coat these little nuggets.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54And what you end up with is this fantastic crumb.
0:03:54 > 0:04:00This makes an amazing stuffing as well. So into flour first.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Dust off any excess. And then into the egg.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Now, the great thing about doing this for a party is that you can
0:04:07 > 0:04:10prepare these in advance cos one of the things you don't want to
0:04:10 > 0:04:12be doing is rushing around at the last minute.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Everything really with this is prepared and in the fridge
0:04:15 > 0:04:16and then at the last minute,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18all you've got to do is drop them in the fryer.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20You can serve them with whatever you want.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23I'm going to create a lovely little pea salsa with this.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27'For the salsa, first chuck some defrosted frozen peas into the
0:04:27 > 0:04:30'blender, along with some roughly chopped mint
0:04:30 > 0:04:32'and two green chillies.'
0:04:33 > 0:04:36As much or as little as you dare, really, with the chilli.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Chop this up quite fine first of all because I'm not going to
0:04:39 > 0:04:42puree this too much, I'm just going to pulse it, so if the chilli's
0:04:42 > 0:04:46too chunky, you won't get that through the whole mix.
0:04:47 > 0:04:48So a good pinch of salt.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52A bit of black pepper.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Always with salsa, you need some form of acid - vinegar,
0:04:55 > 0:04:56that kind of stuff.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59I'm going to use some lime and then all that I'm going to do is
0:04:59 > 0:05:01just blend this with some thick creme fraiche.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03You need the thick creme fraiche.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06None of that low fat stuff cos the minute you put it in here and blitz
0:05:06 > 0:05:09it, it'll split, so put the lid on and just pulse it,
0:05:09 > 0:05:10just a little bit.
0:05:18 > 0:05:19Pretty good to me.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22And what you end up with is this delicious salsa.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Whenever my mum comes down, she says,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26"Are you doing that cold, mushy peas again?"
0:05:26 > 0:05:31It is kind of like that really, I suppose,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33but it does taste pretty good.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39Now, just before your party guests arrive, get the deep fryer on
0:05:39 > 0:05:42and fill 90% of it with vegetable oil,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45then top it up with the secret ingredient - beef dripping.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Now, it sounds really unusual, deep frying in beef dripping, but the
0:05:50 > 0:05:54reason being that if you deep-fry fish in fresh oil, you don't
0:05:54 > 0:05:57get the colour and you certainly don't get the flavour with it.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Now, the oil is set quite high,
0:05:59 > 0:06:04so you just want to pop these straight into hot oil.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07They'll only take about sort of one, maybe two minutes to cook.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10And cook them in batches as well, cos otherwise they'll all
0:06:10 > 0:06:13stick together and you won't get them lovely and crisp.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Almost the waiting's the hardest bit, really,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21cos you know that these are going to taste fabulous.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25When they're golden, shake off the excess oil,
0:06:25 > 0:06:29tip out onto some kitchen paper and do your next batch.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32And then, just as they come out of the fryer,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34good pinch of salt over the top.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38And then to serve them, we can just chuck them on a plate.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Little bit of lemon and then of course,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43you've got some pea salsa with this.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Particularly in hotels,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50you have these canape parties where you've got...
0:06:50 > 0:06:53This poor girl has got a tray about three-foot long, carrying these
0:06:53 > 0:06:59sort of random bits of dried up bits of salmon and bits of dried bread.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05I just wish they'd serve stuff like this.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06In a basket.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12The simple succulent taste alone will impress.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14There's no need for fussy presentation.
0:07:17 > 0:07:18I grew up on a pig farm in Yorkshire,
0:07:18 > 0:07:23so naturally, I look to pork for party food inspiration.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26But when I want something for a really special occasion,
0:07:26 > 0:07:27I look a bit further afield.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32All pigs are descended from wild boar,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and there are some people in the UK who still breed them,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38like award-winning Lake District farmer, Peter Gott.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43About 25 years ago, my brother gave me
0:07:43 > 0:07:48four wild boar females as a daft birthday present.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Now I've got over 150, which just shows you what can happen
0:07:52 > 0:07:54when you put a male and a female together.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58I think the fascination is that, once we started to keep them,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00we enjoyed them.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03We saw their characters, we saw how much brains they have,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06how intelligent they were, and it just led to continuing
0:08:06 > 0:08:11the cycle. And it is a niche market, but is also something that is
0:08:11 > 0:08:15truly rewarding when you're out here on a day like today.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Come on. Come on.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Peter is dedicated to producing full flavoured, quality meat,
0:08:22 > 0:08:27as well as preserving the genetic diversity of pigs.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Good girl, come on, come on.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Commercial farming has to feed the world, but now
0:08:33 > 0:08:36and again, something a little bit old-fashioned,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40something that's very traditional, I believe, tastes a lot better.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45And I think harking back to some of the old, traditional breeds,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48and to wild boar especially, you really do get a taste.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50You don't need as much on your plate.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Wild boar differ to domestic pigs not only in taste,
0:08:56 > 0:08:57but also in temperament.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Come on, what you doing in there? Come on.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06Peter must hold a dangerous wild animal licence to breed them.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10They've got used to me as the farmer because I'm actually feeding them.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14They do respond, like any animal, to food. And the old saying,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16"empty bellies tame lions
0:09:16 > 0:09:19"and empty pockets tame men," is very true.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22So they've come to me this morning because they know I'm bringing them
0:09:22 > 0:09:27food and they aren't as dangerous as they would be in the wild.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28Good girl.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Eh. And we thought you were vicious.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34HE WHISTLES
0:09:34 > 0:09:38They might be the wild cousins, but their table manners are far
0:09:38 > 0:09:41more refined than their domestic relatives.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Although I might put two buckets of food down,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46if they only want one, they'll only eat one, whereas generally,
0:09:46 > 0:09:51a pig will eat until it's completely stuffed and get fatter quicker.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55But wild boar, lean and mean, will just take enough
0:09:55 > 0:09:57and then they'll trot off into the environment
0:09:57 > 0:10:01and have a bit of a wallow and a very good time.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Intensively farmed pigs are slaughtered at 16 weeks, while
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Peter's boar mature slowly and are ready for the table at one year old.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14The taste and flavours are there because the animal is older.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19Slow-grown, naturally-reared, the relaxed environment gives you
0:10:19 > 0:10:24better quality meat, and a happy pig is a tasty pig.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28The wild boar meat is prepared at the butchers' market hall,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30down the road, in Barrow-in-Furness.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36The good thing about wild boar is it's actually two meats - so as
0:10:36 > 0:10:40one, it's a fresh meat as steaks and roasts, and in another, it's actually
0:10:40 > 0:10:43cured like pancetta and back bacon.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45And this is all hand cured.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49This is like it would have been done a hundred years ago.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51And what we want to end up with - the finished product -
0:10:51 > 0:10:53is the wild boar pancetta.
0:10:53 > 0:10:59After curing with salt for approximately a week, the product
0:10:59 > 0:11:03is then air-dried and home-matured for up to three weeks and then
0:11:03 > 0:11:08it's smoked, and then it's sliced or diced, ready for the customer.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Peter's produce goes from farm to fork.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15He supplies London restaurants, farmers' markets and festivals.
0:11:17 > 0:11:23I believe in looking after animals in the best possible condition,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27giving them the freedom to roam and, at least on this earth,
0:11:27 > 0:11:31before they depart for the pie in the sky, they've had a good life.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Peter's wild boar are perfect for my next recipe,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44so I've invited him down to my kitchen.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Up in your neck of the woods, that has to be the perfect
0:11:47 > 0:11:49environment, doesn't it, for the wild boar?
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Yeah, they enjoy our 16 acres of woodland.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53It's cool in summer and it's warm in winter,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55so, you know, it's a natural environment.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58I thought I'd do something really simple but really tasty.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00'I'm going to use Peter's boar meat
0:12:00 > 0:12:03'to put my spin on an old school party dish.'
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Now, for too long they've been sort of ruined, I think,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12by stuff that you get in sort of
0:12:12 > 0:12:16high streets and stuff like that and particularly sort of service
0:12:16 > 0:12:19stations, but made with wild boar, it can taste fantastic.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Starting off, we're just going to use some onion with
0:12:22 > 0:12:23a bit of garlic and some brandy.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26That's really it and it's just really the quality of the meat.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29It's a lot leaner than pork of today, and that's
0:12:29 > 0:12:31because it's been running round.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33A bit like venison, you know, it's actually a very active animal.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37I always say, it's a bit like keeping sort of Labradors
0:12:37 > 0:12:38and whippets.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40The whippet is the wild boar and the Labrador is the big, fat,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42- intensive pig.- A whippet?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44You're saying a whippet and you live in that neck of the woods.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- Well...- Opposite God's Own Country and all that sort of stuff.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51We don't just have ferrets, flat caps and whippets, by the way.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52But what I'm going to do now
0:12:52 > 0:12:55is just sweat off the onions and the garlic.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58We don't want any colour for this, this is just to soften them up.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03'For the filling, sweat them in the pan for five minutes,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06'pour in a glug of brandy and stand well back.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11'Then pop to one side for later.'
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Now, we're going to make my puff pastry here.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15This is really simple, to make your own puff pastry.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17A lot of people think it's complicated.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19But this is a proper puff pastry recipe.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Every time I've seen it done with puff pastry, somebody's bought it.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- This is the first time I've ever seen it made.- Ever seen it made?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Absolutely, because everybody cuts the corner, buys it,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30- unrolls if from the freezer. - Precisely. But this great.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33You make a big batch of it and then freeze it.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37'Simply add a pinch of salt to 250 grams of plain flour, then
0:13:37 > 0:13:42'using your fingertips, rub together with 50 grams of chilled butter.'
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Now, you don't need to be too thorough
0:13:44 > 0:13:47cos this is only a small amount of the butter that I'm going to put in.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51And then we want 150 ml of cold water.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Now make a well, stick this in,
0:13:53 > 0:13:58and you're bringing this together to form a nice pastry.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01'Once your pastry has come together, pop onto a lightly floured
0:14:01 > 0:14:06'surface, then roll out a 20 by 30 centimetre rectangle.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09'Then get a 250 gram block of chilled butter,
0:14:09 > 0:14:14'and then sandwich it between two sheets of grease-proof paper.'
0:14:14 > 0:14:18Right, now you're just going to take the butter and you whack it down.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22But the idea behind this is you've got to think of a book.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24- Bear with me on this one. - OK, well I'm worried.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Bear with me on this one, all right.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30You place, in the centre of the book, the butter. Right?
0:14:31 > 0:14:37Then you fold this over and fold that over.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40You fold that over, like that.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43That's one book turn.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Now, you can imagine what's happening,
0:14:46 > 0:14:47every time you do that, with the layers.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52You need to flatten this out and repeat the process again.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Every time you're doing this, the layers are building up
0:14:56 > 0:15:00and the idea of puff pastry is the butter melts,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03it creates steam, it's trapped in between the layers of puff pastry,
0:15:03 > 0:15:04causes it to rise, it's done.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06I always understood that it was layers and layers.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09I didn't realise how you got it to that stage.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11No, you don't realise why you put weight on
0:15:11 > 0:15:14if you on all day and eat about 24 croissants for breakfast, either.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Cos this is made exactly the same sort of way.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19'I like to brush off the excess flour.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24'Then book-turn the pastry, as before, and then roll it out again.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26'One more book-turn, and one more roll,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29'and that's your puff pastry done.'
0:15:29 > 0:15:31There's a lot of work doing the pastry properly.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33There's a lot of work, yeah, exactly. That's why pastry chefs
0:15:33 > 0:15:36are always strong in the arm, you see, you know.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38- And weak in the head. - Yeah, it's a bit like that.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Puff pastry's done. And what you do need to do now
0:15:40 > 0:15:43is just leave it to rest.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Now, at this point, you can pop it in the freezer.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50I'm going to put mine in the fridge. And I've got one that's been done.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Right, and then we've got this wild boar.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- Is this from the shoulder, then? - Shoulder and a little bit of leg.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00'Mix your wild boar mince with your cooled onions and garlic,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03'six sprigs of roughly chopped tarragon leaves
0:16:03 > 0:16:08'and a generous seasoning of freshly milled black pepper and sea salt.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12'Then, lay out your pastry and assemble the rolls.'
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Just cut this into oblongs. Ideally, you want them kind of like
0:16:15 > 0:16:18the length of the tray that you're going to put them with.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20I'm going to make these whole, not little, poncey little,
0:16:20 > 0:16:22fiddly little things.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Cos parties at my house, I don't do canapes.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28I do chunks of food, that's the best thing for it.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Grabbing some of your lovely wild boar meat,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34the idea is you just basically lay this in the centre.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36You can, of course, get one of your sausages
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and put it in there as well, but that would save a lot of time,
0:16:39 > 0:16:40to be honest, it's already done.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43So what else do you farm, as well as the wild boar?
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Well, we've got the indigenous Herdwick sheep.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48We've got a few of the old-fashioned pigs.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51We're actually, currently, rearing British Lonks.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54There's less pure breeding stock of British Lonks than
0:16:54 > 0:16:57there are breeding stock of giant pandas, so they are a rare breed.
0:16:57 > 0:16:58- LAUGHING:- Right.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01And I do believe in trying to keep some of these old-fashioned
0:17:01 > 0:17:05breeds alive, because once they've gone, they've gone and, you know,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08in something like the last 50 years, we've lost about 30 species of
0:17:08 > 0:17:12domestic farm animal that basically wasn't commercially viable, so...
0:17:12 > 0:17:14- It's such a shame though, isn't it? - It is.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21Once your sausage meat is laid out, brush one edge with egg mix,
0:17:21 > 0:17:26join the two sides together and press down to make a seam.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Trim off the excess with a knife.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30And then we lift it and fold it over like that
0:17:30 > 0:17:32and then fold it back over on itself.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- So it sits on that. - It sits on the seal.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38'Finally, I like to brush the rolls with egg wash
0:17:38 > 0:17:39'and then pop it in the oven,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43'at 230 degrees centigrade for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.'
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Now, these are great, hot out of the oven, but better
0:17:49 > 0:17:52if you just let them cool, ever so slightly, before you serve them.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54But I don't think you and me can wait, can we?
0:17:54 > 0:17:56These are fantastic. I can't believe it.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Anyway, tell me what you think. Dive into that.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02It'll be hot. But anyway, I'll chop this up for you, too.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04Straight out of the oven.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Mm, that's really meaty.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10- It's hot, but it's damn good, isn't it?- Gorgeous.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Really, this is great party food.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Finger food, but proper finger food, not little...piddly, little bits.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Sausage rolls will never be the same again, trust me.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24So, from a bite-size British party dish
0:18:24 > 0:18:28to an exciting French one that's taking Edinburgh by storm.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32When you're looking for cutting-edge food trends,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35party food often leads the way.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39And no party is complete without a sweet treat.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42The cupcake might have hogged the limelight for years,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45but Edinburgh-based artisan producer Rachel Hanretty is
0:18:45 > 0:18:50determined to replace it with a little piece of Parisian perfection.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Macarons are a delicate French patisserie,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55made up of a creamy rich flavoured filling,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59sandwiched between crisp and colourful almond meringues.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Very chic and perfect for parties.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Mademoiselle Macaron started when I was living in Paris,
0:19:06 > 0:19:10and I saw people come out of these wonderful little shops
0:19:10 > 0:19:14with their fancy, fancy bags that contained little bites of heaven.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Women may be skinny in Paris, but because the macaron is small,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21they still get their little sweet treat.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27And when I got back to Scotland, I was very sad that these
0:19:27 > 0:19:30little bites of heaven weren't widely available,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32so it was my duty to bring them here.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37I started out very, very small.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40It was really just an idea. And I'd started making
0:19:40 > 0:19:45macarons in my own kitchen, in my flat, which is not massive at all.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Every surface in my flat, practically, would be
0:19:48 > 0:19:49covered in trays of macarons.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55And as food fashions go, macarons are now very much in vogue.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59From starting her macaron revolution in market stalls around
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Edinburgh, Rachel's just managed to secure the lease on a cafe.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Macarons are hitting the high street.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10You know, they replace that fad for cupcakes that happened
0:20:10 > 0:20:16a couple of years ago, so it's just that next thing that excites
0:20:16 > 0:20:18and interests people in the food land.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22Macarons are guaranteed to make a statement at any party.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25They give a little bit of a wow factor. They aren't available
0:20:25 > 0:20:29everywhere, so when you invite your guests in and they see that
0:20:29 > 0:20:32they're lying there in a massive tower on a buffet table, their
0:20:32 > 0:20:37immediate reaction is, something different, not seen them everywhere.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41With lots of enticing flavours to choose from,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45available in pretty much any colour, it's no surprise that they
0:20:45 > 0:20:48go down really well at big events like weddings.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53But the sheer number of macarons needed
0:20:53 > 0:20:57to form a Technicolor display keeps Rachel more than busy.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01I've got one entire tower of macarons for a wedding,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03but I'm missing one flavour.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07So I'm going to start making shells for a gin-flavoured macaron.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09So let's get whisking.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Whisking up egg whites and sugar into a thick meringue
0:21:14 > 0:21:17is the starting point for all macarons.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20I'd say that's almost ready,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23and I'm just going to put the spatula in it and if the spatula can
0:21:23 > 0:21:28stand up on its own, it means that the egg whites are stiff enough.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Having a range of macarons in different colours is
0:21:33 > 0:21:35extremely important.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39I mean, macarons are almost like jewellery to some people,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42only they're not quite as expensive as a Tiffany's box.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Because I'm making a gin-flavoured macaron, I thought
0:21:47 > 0:21:50I'd go for a nice cucumber green.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Once your macaron is coloured, adding some finely sieved
0:21:53 > 0:21:56almond flour completes the basis for the shell.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00I couldn't possibly tell you how many batches of macarons
0:22:00 > 0:22:03I had to make until I got it bang on.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05This can then be piped onto a tray,
0:22:05 > 0:22:09where it's left to form a crispy skin, before being baked.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15And so these ones look ready to go in the oven.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19So I'm just going to put them in for six minutes.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23With her colourful macarons baking,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26it's on with the gin-flavoured filling.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31I heat some cream, add some cornflour and milk.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37And that'll thicken really, really quickly.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Take it off the heat and pour it over some white chocolate.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46This is the exciting part. Add your gin.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Most importantly for us at the moment,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51we're getting a lot of private orders for weddings,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54birthdays, anniversaries, school leaver parties.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58Everything at the moment seems to be celebrated with macarons.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02The answer to most of life's problems,
0:23:02 > 0:23:06and to this flavour at the moment, is more gin.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17It's these intriguing fillings and colours that Rachel hopes
0:23:17 > 0:23:22will not just impress the wedding party she's catering for today,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26but maybe start a macaron revolution across Scotland and beyond.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Everyone can get one.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35They don't have that usual thing about not wanting to be
0:23:35 > 0:23:37the first to take a slice of the cake.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Although, I think if you disturb the rainbow, you might be noticed.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46I've got a couple left over, so I'm going to go and let some of the
0:23:46 > 0:23:50visitors and guests have a sample before everyone else gets one.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56When people try the macarons,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59the reaction is not so much words but noises.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05Mm, ridiculously good. Mmm.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Just a really nice soft filling, just kind of melt in your mouth.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Really, really nice.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13I quite like gin and tonic, so...
0:24:14 > 0:24:17I just love the texture, they just sort of melt in your mouth, but
0:24:17 > 0:24:22they're sort of slightly crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Great party food.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Really on trend at the moment and I just think it's something
0:24:27 > 0:24:29a little bit quirky, a little bit different.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31So really nice, yeah.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Always exciting to bring the macarons out of the kitchen
0:24:35 > 0:24:38and into a party, because I think I get really used to just
0:24:38 > 0:24:42seeing them. But when you hear people's reactions and they say
0:24:42 > 0:24:45all the right things, it makes it all really worthwhile for me.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Nothing beats the satisfaction of rustling up a treat for other
0:24:52 > 0:24:58people, and this next dish will do wonders for anybody's cooking cred.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01It's guaranteed to be a real hit at parties.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Now, in my mind, party food is sharing food, and one dish that
0:25:10 > 0:25:14really epitomises that, particularly in my parties, are barbecued ribs.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Now, you wouldn't normally do these at home, but once you realise
0:25:18 > 0:25:22how easy it is, you'll all have a go because it's really straightforward.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Now, I learned this while over in Texas,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28the home of the barbecue, and particularly one guy called Jack,
0:25:28 > 0:25:33who had this amazing smokehouse and because in Texas barbecues is
0:25:33 > 0:25:36the big thing. But smoking meat... And I don't mean smoking little bits
0:25:36 > 0:25:40of meat, I mean smoking half a cow. Mainly, what they do is just take
0:25:40 > 0:25:42the hooves off and whack it into a smoker.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46But this massive oven that they had was hot smoking these ribs of beef.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48It was fantastic to watch.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52But he taught me, the best way to cook this would be to poach them
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and they have the most amazing flavour and particularly
0:25:55 > 0:25:58the texture is really important because you want the meat to
0:25:58 > 0:26:00almost sort of fall off the bone.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03And you get that by poaching the ribs.
0:26:05 > 0:26:06Add to the pan...
0:26:06 > 0:26:09one onion, a whole bulb of garlic,
0:26:09 > 0:26:14two red chillies, a couple of celery sticks and 250 ml of apple juice.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Next, top up the pan with cold water, pop on the lid,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19bring to the boil.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21I like to gently simmer this for about an hour,
0:26:21 > 0:26:22an hour and a quarter.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25And now when these ribs are ready,
0:26:25 > 0:26:29you've almost got to treat these with kid gloves
0:26:29 > 0:26:33cos they should just be nice and tender, almost falling off the bone.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Using two pairs of tongs,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39lift them very gently onto a roasting tin, and then
0:26:39 > 0:26:45leave them to cool while you get on and make your killer barbecue sauce.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47The way to make barbecue sauce is quite simple, really.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50It uses a ketchup base with addition of sugar... I'm going
0:26:50 > 0:26:54to use a little bit of Worcester sauce. But in my mind, the key
0:26:54 > 0:26:59to this is bourbon or single malt, but particularly American bourbon.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00It's got a unique flavour
0:27:00 > 0:27:03and one that lends itself really well with this.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08In a hot pan, add 150 grams of dark muscovado sugar
0:27:08 > 0:27:14to 125ml of ketchup, and cook it for two to three minutes,
0:27:14 > 0:27:15until the sugar has melted.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Then add two tablespoons of Worcester sauce.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23And then the heat comes in the form of two different
0:27:23 > 0:27:27types of paprika. I've got the hot one, they both look identical,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29so you've got to really read the label.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33But the hot paprika and the sweet one.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36It's just got a much milder flavour than the hot.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40A little bit of white wine vinegar. This is where you get that piquant,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43that sort of sharp taste with barbecue sauce.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48A bit of black pepper, some salt. But really what it does need
0:27:48 > 0:27:51is the magic ingredient - bourbon - and this is where you get this
0:27:51 > 0:27:55wonderful sort of flavour. You can be quite heavy-handed with it
0:27:55 > 0:27:58cos the alcohol's going to burn off, and the taste is great.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Mix well, and brush the sauce onto both sides of your ribs.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08Then chuck them in the oven
0:28:08 > 0:28:13set really high, at 250 degrees centigrade, for ten to 15 minutes,
0:28:13 > 0:28:15until they're charred and lovely and sticky.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21And while those are cooking, I'm going to do a lovely little slaw.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Now, this is kind of like a French style slaw, really, I suppose,
0:28:24 > 0:28:25called celeriac remoulade,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29which is a mixture of mustard, sliced celeriac and mayonnaise.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32It's a classic sort of accompaniment that they normally do with
0:28:32 > 0:28:36terrines, pates and bits and pieces, but it's one that I always do
0:28:36 > 0:28:39here in my kitchen, because I just love the flavour of it.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44You could use shop-bought mayo, but it's easy to make your own.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48In a blender, simply whizz up three egg yolks,
0:28:48 > 0:28:53one tablespoon of Dijon mustard and two tablespoons of vinegar.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55I like to use a bit of cider vinegar.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Traditionally it would be white wine vinegar,
0:28:57 > 0:29:00but I think the cider works really well with the pork ribs.
0:29:00 > 0:29:05Next, slowly drizzle 300 ml of rapeseed oil into your mixer,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07keeping a steady stream going throughout.
0:29:09 > 0:29:10And voila, mayonnaise.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14Now for the celeriac.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18This is one of the most underrated veg, in my opinion.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22You can use it for soups, sauces, raw, it's just a fantastic veg.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25And you can turn this into all manner of different things.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28I'm going to turn this into what the French call julienne,
0:29:28 > 0:29:29which is thin strips.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33But there's things like macedoine, brunoise, which are small dice.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35So this would be little julienne.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Nice, thin strips.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41Not that, that's a baton.
0:29:41 > 0:29:42Thin strips.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45And this is kind of one of the first things you learn
0:29:45 > 0:29:48when you're training to be a chef at college, with your new, starched
0:29:48 > 0:29:53jacket on and your tall chef's hat, with your brand-new knives,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57which six weeks later, the kind students in your class nick 'em all.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03Once your celeriac is all chopped, mix it in with your mayonnaise,
0:30:03 > 0:30:08add a handful of chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Finally, add a good squeeze of lemon juice,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15then get your ribs out of the oven.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21Mm-mm-mm!
0:30:21 > 0:30:25Barbecued ribs. You can't beat them for a dinner party.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Just chuck 'em in the middle of the table and almost stand back
0:30:28 > 0:30:31and watch everybody fight, because it is a bit of a fight.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33You see, what could be better than that.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36They just sort of fall apart, which is what you want from ribs,
0:30:36 > 0:30:38and you get that by poaching them first.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40Now, I know with cookery programmes,
0:30:40 > 0:30:42and I've been doing them a long time - nearly...
0:30:42 > 0:30:47nearly 20 years - and people say, "How do you get excited about food?"
0:30:47 > 0:30:52Well, just look at this. I mean, who wouldn't want that?
0:30:52 > 0:30:55But the flavour you get from this sauce
0:30:55 > 0:30:57and particularly from the bourbon...
0:30:57 > 0:30:59It's the best barbecue sauce I know.
0:31:00 > 0:31:06You can't get a more hearty party dish than barbecued spare ribs.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09And you can't have a party without a cake.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11It's actually the law in my house.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17But when did cake become such an important part of our celebrations?
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Food historian Ivan Day shares the story of a cake that
0:31:20 > 0:31:23brightened up parties for centuries.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27One of the earliest celebratory cakes in this country was
0:31:27 > 0:31:33the wassail cake, which was eaten on Twelfth Night, the 6th of January.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37It developed into something really quite complicated
0:31:37 > 0:31:41by the 18th century, when people were making what were called
0:31:41 > 0:31:45great cakes and decorating them with a profusion of ornaments,
0:31:45 > 0:31:49little figures and amazing swags and drops around them,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53so they looked like Georgian ceilings, and believe you me,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55these cakes were really great.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05The recipe I'm using comes from a book that was
0:32:05 > 0:32:07published in the 1820s.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10It was written by a food writer,
0:32:10 > 0:32:13a very eccentric man called Dr William Kitchener,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17and his recipe for a Twelfth Cake demands precision.
0:32:17 > 0:32:22It's a big, big cake, with a lot of ingredients. And it needed to
0:32:22 > 0:32:25be big because there were many guests at Twelfth Day parties.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31This monster cake needed two pounds of my favourite ingredient -
0:32:31 > 0:32:36butter - but I'm not so keen on the idea of whisking it by hand.
0:32:36 > 0:32:41Every man, his own electric mixer, before electricity gets invented.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44No-one was going to forget this cake in a hurry.
0:32:44 > 0:32:49The next ingredients were two pounds of sugar and 18 eggs.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Each one of those had to be mixed in one by one.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56There's a wonderful idea which is from the Regency period.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00One of the confectioners from that time tells you,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02when you have a lot of eggs and butter to mix up,
0:33:02 > 0:33:06is to make a whisk out of bamboo cane, which is incredibly strong.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14Some of the recipes actually tell you to whip this for about an hour.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16You'd end up getting Twelfth Cake elbow, I think,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18as a repetitive strain injury.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26Adding a good glug of brandy and spices like ginger,
0:33:26 > 0:33:28cinnamon, allspice and coriander
0:33:28 > 0:33:31meant that the cake was sure to have a kick.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40There's another spice which I've got to put in,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43which will be familiar to everyone, and that's nutmeg,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46which was really the favourite spice of all.
0:33:46 > 0:33:51Nutmeg was a very popular spice for one particular reason -
0:33:51 > 0:33:55you could carry it and the nutmeg grater in your pocket.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58A lot of gentlemen carried one around cos
0:33:58 > 0:34:00they could actually grate it into their punch.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06Four pounds of currents, along with a generous quantity of candied
0:34:06 > 0:34:08peel and chopped almonds were then mixed in.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Most of the ingredients in these cakes are things
0:34:12 > 0:34:14we can't grow in England.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17They're all exotics that we have to import.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20So they're expensive. And it was a time, actually,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23when the wealthy often used to share with the poor. And the poor
0:34:23 > 0:34:27often would experience a taste of spices and currants and raisins.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30The rest of the year, they were just living off turnips
0:34:30 > 0:34:34and porridge and stale bread. So it was a big treat for them.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Twelfth Day was a day of celebration,
0:34:43 > 0:34:45when people used to dress up,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49rather like playing charades in costumes and, in order to tell
0:34:49 > 0:34:53you who you were going to be, they would put an object in the cake.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57So, for instance, if you were going to be the king for the day,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00you would find a bean.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03And if you were lucky enough to find a pea in the cake,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06you would be the king's queen for the evening.
0:35:06 > 0:35:07By the end of the 17th century,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10we learn that there are other things they put in the cake.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13So what happens to the bean and the pea?
0:35:13 > 0:35:17Well, they get transformed into the silver threepenny bit that
0:35:17 > 0:35:19was put into the Christmas pudding.
0:35:19 > 0:35:24All that was left was to pour the cake mixture into a lined mould
0:35:24 > 0:35:28and pop it in the oven for three hours, which left more than
0:35:28 > 0:35:31enough time to get cracking on the incredible decoration.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45In front of me, I've got about a dozen moulds,
0:35:45 > 0:35:47all of which I'm using to decorate one cake.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52They were often carved by the confectioners themselves,
0:35:52 > 0:35:54so they were brilliant woodcarvers.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01I've pressed some paste into it, which is
0:36:01 > 0:36:04the magical material that was used.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08The confectioners then called it gum paste and it was made with
0:36:08 > 0:36:13a mixture of powdered sugar and a gum called gum tragacanth, which
0:36:13 > 0:36:16literally turned it into something that resembled chewing gum.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20You try and tease them out
0:36:20 > 0:36:26and then gradually you can pull it all out of the mould.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31If I'm quite clever with this, I can just turn it out onto the board.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36And, hey presto, I've got beautiful Prince of Wales' feathers.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Sometimes...
0:36:39 > 0:36:44days, not hours, of work went into making them.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48It's not surprising that these cakes were so expensive.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51I've already iced it and I've started to decorate it,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54and I'm now in the finishing stages.
0:36:59 > 0:37:05By about 1860, the Twelfth Cake no longer features on English tables.
0:37:07 > 0:37:12The theory is that Queen Victoria didn't approve of Twelfth Day
0:37:12 > 0:37:15because it was a day of misrule, gambling and excess,
0:37:15 > 0:37:19and the cake shifts 12 days earlier to Christmas,
0:37:19 > 0:37:23where you still get the figures but they are really a folk memory
0:37:23 > 0:37:27of the much grander figures that the Twelfth Cake was decorated with.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30It's a bit sad, really, when you consider what a beautiful
0:37:30 > 0:37:33architectural feature these Twelfth Cakes used to
0:37:33 > 0:37:37be in our Christmas holiday. But perhaps we can revive them.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42Well, I'm not sure I can match Ivan's amazing Twelfth Cake.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46But I'm going to make a party cake later with its own wow factor,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49and I'm going to serve it up to an expectant crowd.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Ralph's getting into the party spirit too -
0:37:54 > 0:37:56he's getting all spruced up for the event.
0:38:04 > 0:38:05But first...
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Now, this dessert is guaranteed to make any party go with a bang
0:38:14 > 0:38:17because the secret of it, I think, is the meringue.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Start by separating six egg whites into a bowl,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24then melt 300 grams of sugar.
0:38:24 > 0:38:29Add this sugar into the pan and then just add enough water to
0:38:29 > 0:38:32dissolve the sugar mainly. Roll this around.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36You've got to take this to the exact temperature, which is
0:38:36 > 0:38:40121 degrees centigrade.
0:38:40 > 0:38:41So you need a sugar thermometer.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44As the water evaporates off, the sugar changes its structure.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48If I took it on further, you'd end up with caramel in the end.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51But ideally for this, we want 121 degrees.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55As soon as the sugar starts to boil, you can start mixing the meringue.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Now, the idea behind this meringue is you're actually cooking
0:39:04 > 0:39:05the egg whites.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07But once the egg whites are nicely whipped -
0:39:07 > 0:39:10you've got to be careful but quick with this -
0:39:10 > 0:39:13you pour it directly onto the egg whites
0:39:13 > 0:39:16just in a nice, thin, steady stream.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20Now you'll almost hear the machine kick down a gear as the sugar
0:39:20 > 0:39:22starts to cook the egg whites.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25If you add all the sugar all at once
0:39:25 > 0:39:28you'll end up with what looks like a boiled egg.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32Keep the machine on all the time now, as high as possible,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35and I can feel this bowl is quite hot.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38So just mix it for a good five minutes until it's cool.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44Once you've finished whipping, leave the mixture in the bowl to cool.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47It's important later, so it doesn't melt your ice cream centre.
0:39:49 > 0:39:54The texture's very thick and it's ideally what we want.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57And also really smooth.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59Now I love chocolate sauce with ice cream,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02so for that, I'm just going to use some dark chocolate.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Break 200 grams of it into the pan, add a splash of water
0:40:08 > 0:40:10and 100ml of double cream.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13And just whisk this together. Keep it on the heat.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Now, chocolate sauce at first will appear as
0:40:16 > 0:40:19if it's split or separated. And really, the temptation is to think
0:40:19 > 0:40:23there's something gone wrong, cos your cream starts to separate, but
0:40:23 > 0:40:25keep whisking it and it'll actually start to come back together.
0:40:25 > 0:40:30As soon as it comes to a gentle sort of simmer, lift it off.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33You can't beat chocolate sauce, can you, with ice cream.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37'Once it all goes nice and smooth, pour in the rest of the cream
0:40:37 > 0:40:39'and whisk until it's combined.
0:40:39 > 0:40:44'Next, I need to prepare the sponge base for the ice cream centre.'
0:40:44 > 0:40:47You can just use any bits of left-over sponge if you want,
0:40:47 > 0:40:50and then you can coat the sponge with whatever you want really.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53I like to use a nice bit of Armagnac.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56It's that hidden little secret, underneath everything else,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59cos now you've almost got everything ready.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03For the ice cream, I think it's better off to use a pot, really.
0:41:03 > 0:41:08You just take the ice cream with a knife, cut through,
0:41:08 > 0:41:09and open this up.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13Now you can scoop this out if you want, to do smaller ones,
0:41:13 > 0:41:14but with a pot like this,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17it's kind of like the perfect sort of size.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19And then you need a piping bag.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24'Fill your bag with half of the meringue to use as decoration.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28'I've got a star-shaped nozzle but it's your party,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30'the shape is up to you.
0:41:30 > 0:41:31'Before you can decorate,
0:41:31 > 0:41:35'you need to cover the ice cream in a layer of meringue.'
0:41:35 > 0:41:38The texture is very different to a standard meringue.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40It's much more solid. Take the meringue.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Now really with this, you want, like, a thin coating over the top.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45About a centimetre thick,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48and this is where your icing skills come into play.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50Start at the top, it all falls round the edge,
0:41:50 > 0:41:51and then work your way around.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Now because you've got the ice cream in here,
0:41:54 > 0:41:56you need to be a little bit quick.
0:41:56 > 0:42:02Really, the clock is ticking as soon as the meringue hits the top.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06And then you can really glam this up as much as you want.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Now, traditionally, this would be baked in the oven and that's
0:42:16 > 0:42:20why the meringue is really important because it insulates that ice cream,
0:42:20 > 0:42:22but you can get away with using a blowtorch.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25If you are going to do this in the oven, make sure the oven's
0:42:25 > 0:42:26really, really hot.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28It wants to go in there for about 30 seconds to a minute.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31It'll happen really straightaway. But with this, it's much easier.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Now, once you've finished decorating it and before you cook it,
0:42:37 > 0:42:41you can actually freeze this, so pop the whole thing in the freezer
0:42:41 > 0:42:44and cook it from frozen, so it's the perfect sort of party dish.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47You can prepare it way in advance, so you spend less
0:42:47 > 0:42:49time in the kitchen and more time with these guys.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00There you go, baked Alaska to finish.
0:43:00 > 0:43:01That's if you've got any room left.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04So I'm just going to pour this over the top.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05OOHING AND AHHING
0:43:05 > 0:43:08Death by chocolate. And ice cream.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12Unbelievable.
0:43:12 > 0:43:13How's the ribs?
0:43:13 > 0:43:15Check that out, look at that.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18He stripped that like some vulture, look.
0:43:18 > 0:43:19THEY LAUGH
0:43:19 > 0:43:22You see, this is what parties are all about -
0:43:22 > 0:43:25great company and fabulous food. That's if there's any left.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34You can find all the recipes from the series on...