0:00:02 > 0:00:04'I'm Mary Berry, and, in this series, and sharing with you
0:00:04 > 0:00:06'my very favourite recipes.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10'The sort of food I cook at home, for my family and friends.'
0:00:10 > 0:00:14I passionately believe in recipes that are easy to follow
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and use simple ingredients.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19Food you can rely on.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22'I'll be giving you ideas for posh dinners and Sunday lunches,
0:00:22 > 0:00:25'weekday suppers, afternoon tea,
0:00:25 > 0:00:27'and even a summer party.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'But now I'm cooking for a crowd.'
0:00:35 > 0:00:39'In my house, cooking for a crowd means it's a celebration.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41'Whether it's a birthday or an anniversary,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44'I like to serve a variety of dishes laid out on the table
0:00:44 > 0:00:47'so guests can help themselves.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52'Today, I'm making a hearty beef and mushroom stew with mustard mash.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56'For pudding, individual chocolate and orange panna cotta
0:00:56 > 0:00:59'and my favourite party pud, meringue tranche
0:00:59 > 0:01:02'with berries and yoghurt cream.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05'But, to start, it's my Mediterranean twist
0:01:05 > 0:01:07'on the classic salmon en croute.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11'It's a great centrepiece and a real crowd-pleaser.'
0:01:14 > 0:01:17I just love roasted vegetables. I love all the colours,
0:01:17 > 0:01:22all the flavours, and that's what I'm going to put with my salmon.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24'Start by slicing three courgettes.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27'Then place them in a poly bag,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30'along with two red onions, cut into wedges
0:01:30 > 0:01:34'and pour in three tablespoons of olive oil.'
0:01:34 > 0:01:39Now, you needn't have expensive olive oil, virgin olive oil.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41It loses its flavour with heat.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44So fold the bag up and just toss them around
0:01:44 > 0:01:48and that will get a nice even coating of olive oil,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50and I haven't got my hands all dirty!
0:01:50 > 0:01:55Tip that in the roasting tin ready, like that.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00Next, I'm going to do three beautiful, ripe red peppers.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03First of all, take out the stalk.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06And, to do that, you just take the knife all the way round...
0:02:08 > 0:02:11..and then just give that a pull.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Do you know, it's only in the last 15 years that roasted vegetables
0:02:14 > 0:02:16have become so popular?
0:02:16 > 0:02:17And don't we love them?
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Peppers were quite difficult to come by.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23To start off with, all you could buy were green peppers.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27I remember in about 1966, when I was first married,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30the greengrocers were full of green peppers,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33and now I think most people like the red ones
0:02:33 > 0:02:36because they're the sweeter variety,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and I think you can get black ones now.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Who would want a black pepper?
0:02:40 > 0:02:45'Lay the half peppers cut side down on the other vegetables,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48'then place in the oven at 200 degrees fan.'
0:02:51 > 0:02:55'After about 30 minutes, remove and leave to cool,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57'covered with clingfilm.'
0:02:59 > 0:03:04That clingfilm created steam so that the skin of the peppers lifted.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Now they're cold, the skin will come off.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10It's so thin, but it's not very nice to eat.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13So you see how that comes off quite easily.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18'Once the peppers are chopped, set to one side.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23'For the next stage, you will need 640g of puff pastry,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27'enough to make two sheets to cover a 1kg side of salmon
0:03:27 > 0:03:30'that's been skinned and boned.'
0:03:30 > 0:03:33So, glancing over there at my fish,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35I need to get it a little bit bigger,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39and I will have a little spare pastry on the bottom piece,
0:03:39 > 0:03:44which I shall be able to roll out to make some decoration.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46'Once the bottom sheet has been rolled out
0:03:46 > 0:03:48'until it's larger than the fish,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51'place it on a sheet of parchment paper and season well.'
0:03:51 > 0:03:56Then I'm going to carefully lift the salmon into the centre of this.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03And now, to give it a Mediterranean twist, some red pesto.
0:04:03 > 0:04:08Keep it within the fish, don't let it drip down the side.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11And a tip that I've only just been given is,
0:04:11 > 0:04:16once you've opened the jar, float some olive oil on top of it,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and that stops any mould coming.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22So that's fairly even all the way down.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25And then come the roasted vegetables.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28And it wants to be stacked high.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31It's essential to have those stone-cold.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34If you put the hot vegetables on there,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36the next load of pastry would all melt.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38'Now brush with some beaten egg,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41'all the way round the outside of the fish,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45'to help glue the two pastry layers together.'
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Now, here's the pastry.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Normally, if it wasn't so warm in here, I'd be just lifting it,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52but I'm going to roll it round the rolling pin.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55That's going to help a lot.
0:04:55 > 0:04:56That's it.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00And I'm going to let that touch down there,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02and pull it over the top.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10'Next, seal the parcel by pushing the two layers of pastry together
0:05:10 > 0:05:15'around the edges. Then trim off any excess to use for decoration.'
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Now, I'm going to put fish on the top,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20because I think it's nice to see the fish,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and it reminds you that it's fish inside.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26So, just cut those out.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30I'll just get three on the top there.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34'To avoid a soggy bottom, preheat a baking tray in a hot oven.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38'Meanwhile, flute the outside of the pastry.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44'Next, using the beaten egg, stick the pastry fish on top,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47'and finish off by glazing the whole thing.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49'And then it's onto the hot baking tray,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53'and into the oven at 200 degrees fan.'
0:05:55 > 0:05:59'After about 35 minutes, it's ready.'
0:06:02 > 0:06:05There we are. How about that?
0:06:05 > 0:06:08It's important to leave that to rest now,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11and it will go on cooking right through to the middle of the salmon.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14While that's happening, I'm going on to make the sauce.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18'Start by adding four tablespoons of red pesto
0:06:18 > 0:06:21'to 600ml of pouring double cream,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25'along with the juice of one lemon and a handful of chopped basil.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29'And then heat gently.'
0:06:29 > 0:06:31So, stir all that basil in.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36In the chef's terms, it will wilt down.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41There it is, that's all ready to go with the salmon en croute.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'Once the fish has rested for ten minutes,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48'transfer to a serving plate, and it's ready to go.'
0:06:50 > 0:06:52There we have salmon en croute,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55roasted vegetables, and a wonderful pesto sauce.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58A great centrepiece for the table.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07'When I'm catering for a crowd, I often like to serve a stew.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10'My beef and mushroom stew is perfect.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14'Everyone can help themselves, you can make it ahead,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17'and when you heat it up again it's even tastier.'
0:07:19 > 0:07:21I've chosen to get shin of beef.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24It's not very often you see it in the piece,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26but it's a wonderful cut of meat.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29It's the hind leg of the beast,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31and it can be very tough,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35but, if it's cooked gently and slowly for a long time,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37it's absolutely wonderful.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40'Remove any sinew and surplus fat,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43'then cut it into bite-size pieces.'
0:07:46 > 0:07:51'Place around 50g of plain flour into a plastic bag,
0:07:51 > 0:07:56'then add the meat and shake well to ensure an even coating.'
0:07:58 > 0:08:01'Next, fry it up in some very hot oil.'
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Do it in batches. If I put the whole lot of this meat in a pan,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10unless you've got an enormous pan, which I haven't,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12you couldn't brown it, it would just sort of stew
0:08:12 > 0:08:14and wouldn't take a nice colour.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21It's essential to get it a lovely golden brown,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25so it should be this colour on both sides,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27and that makes a lovely colour in the gravy,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30seals the meat, and adds flavour.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35'When all the meat's done, remove from the pan and set to one side.'
0:08:36 > 0:08:40'Next, place eight roughly-chopped carrots into the pan,
0:08:40 > 0:08:45'with six celery sticks and ten peeled shallots.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49'Stir for a few minutes, and then return the meat.'
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Now, in goes the wine.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56We're always told to add the leftover wine
0:08:56 > 0:08:58to stews and casseroles.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00In our house, there never is any.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04'Add 600ml of the red wine, allowing it to boil
0:09:04 > 0:09:09'to drive off the alcohol and intensify the flavour.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14'Having soaked 25g of dried porcini in 300ml of boiling water,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18'drain the mushrooms, making sure you reserve the liquid.'
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Look at that wonderful colour. It's dark, it's rich...
0:09:22 > 0:09:23SHE SNIFFS
0:09:23 > 0:09:26..and it smells of mushrooms, very strong.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29These are rather big pieces of mushroom,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32and even though they look tiny before you soak them,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35they swell up, and, if you chop them up,
0:09:35 > 0:09:39you're just making the flavour go throughout the whole of the stew.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43'Next, add the chopped porcini, along with the reserve liquid,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45'and 300ml of beef stock.'
0:09:45 > 0:09:48All that I need to add now is some fresh thyme.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52'Add three sprigs of thyme, bring to the boil,
0:09:52 > 0:09:57'then pop it in the oven at 130 degrees fan for about 2½ hours.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00'If you like your meat in larger chunks,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'you'll need to increase the cooking time.'
0:10:06 > 0:10:08There we are.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10The smell is just wonderful.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15'Finally, add 500g of button mushrooms -
0:10:15 > 0:10:17'no need to chop these -
0:10:17 > 0:10:20'and a generous helping of redcurrant jelly.'
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Because I'm cooking for ten, I'm going to add two tablespoonfuls,
0:10:24 > 0:10:30give it a good stir, and it really will enrich this dish.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35'Now, place the stew back in the oven for a further 30 minutes.'
0:10:36 > 0:10:40'While that's cooking, boil up 1½kg of floury potatoes
0:10:40 > 0:10:42'for the mustard mash.'
0:10:42 > 0:10:45So, I've drained the potatoes, they're nice and steamy.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49You want to make sure that they are really well cooked.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53'Next, heat 100ml of milk with 50g of butter
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'before adding the potatoes.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59'Then, it's ready to mash.'
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It's quite a heavy job, especially when you're cooking,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04as I am today, for a crowd.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Thomas, my son, is very strong.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Well, he's a tree surgeon, he should be.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10And he's very good at mashing,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13and more is tasted than goes in the final dish.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15"Needs a bit more butter, Mum."
0:11:15 > 0:11:18"Oh, I think we could add a bit more pepper."
0:11:18 > 0:11:21So I'm not too willing to have him help, because he'll eat too much.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25'Once it reaches a fluffy consistency,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28'add two tablespoons of wholegrain mustard,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30'whisk it all together,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34'then transfer it to a serving bowl.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39'And, with the 30 minutes up, remove the stew from the oven.'
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Gosh, it weighs a tonne, as well.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Well, all the things I like. It looks warm and comforting,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51but I need to taste it.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53I want the meat to be lovely and tender.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Just trying to get a little bit of everything.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06The meat absolutely melts in the mouth.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10All that wonderful sauce, and its natural browning
0:12:10 > 0:12:14because we've troubled to brown that meat really well.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17And the porcini mushrooms have given it real strength and flavour.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20The whole combination is absolutely delicious.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24And, mustard mash? Well, that's the bonus.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27'There are so many ingredients on offer these days,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31'but I firmly believe you don't need hundreds of jars and tins
0:12:31 > 0:12:32'cluttering your cupboard.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36'There are some ingredients I use time and time again,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39'my store cupboard essentials.'
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Every day, I use sunflower oil.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45It's a flavourless oil, and it'll take a good heat.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Also, I use olive oil, but when it comes to those fancy oils,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53like nut oils, walnut oil, almond oil,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56I don't keep those, because they go off so quickly.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58In a couple of months, you unscrew the lid, sniff,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00and you have those off flavours.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07And gravy browning. That might surprise you. I've always used it.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10You know when you make gravy and it's a little bit light in colour,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12because you haven't browned the onions enough
0:13:12 > 0:13:13or the stock wasn't good enough?
0:13:13 > 0:13:18A little bit of gravy browning makes it that gorgeous dark brown colour.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20And then redcurrant jelly.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I really couldn't be without redcurrant jelly, often home-made.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27I have it in the cupboard to add to things like spaghetti Bolognese,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30believe it or not, or anything that's got tomato in
0:13:30 > 0:13:32or tomato puree, that's a little bit sharp.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Add a little redcurrant jelly, and it'll bring it back
0:13:35 > 0:13:38to give a gorgeous flavour, and it's simple,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40it's always there on your shelf.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46'When you're serving large numbers,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50'a big bowl of fresh salad makes a perfect accompaniment
0:13:50 > 0:13:53'for almost any main course.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56'My foolproof green salad is simple to make
0:13:56 > 0:14:00'and, even better, it can be made hours ahead.'
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Nobody ever believes me, but you can make your salad dressing
0:14:04 > 0:14:08and then put your salad on top, assemble the whole thing,
0:14:08 > 0:14:13pop it in the fridge, and it'll still be fresh eight hours later.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Let me just show you how to do it.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18First of all, I'm going to make the dressing.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22'To serve ten, mix three tablespoons of white wine vinegar
0:14:22 > 0:14:25'with one tablespoon of balsamic.'
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Balsamic vinegar is, I think, great.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34I'd pop it in gravy or sauces, dark sauces.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38But remember it's very strong. It's aged vinegar.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39Then, mustard.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43I find English mustard just a bit too strong,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46and I think Dijon mustard is lovely and mellow.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49So, a tablespoonful of mustard.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Now, the French very rarely add sugar to their dressings, but I do,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56and I like a touch of sweetness.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00Add one tablespoon of caster sugar, then whisk it all together
0:15:00 > 0:15:03before adding eight tablespoons of olive oil.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07My rule of thumb is twice as much oil as vinegar.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10As you whisk it, because of the mustard and the sugar,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13it emulsifies a bit and becomes slightly thick.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19So that can go into the dish there.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24And I'm going to marinate some of my salad vegetables in it.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29Then finely chop eight sticks of celery, eight spring onions
0:15:29 > 0:15:32and one small bulb of fennel.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36So we've got a nice mixture of flavouring vegetables there.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41The idea is to put in the dressing the things that give it flavour.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46If I put all the lettuce in there, it would just wilt and be sad
0:15:46 > 0:15:48and it wouldn't be able to be done ahead.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Next, add some chopped dill,
0:15:51 > 0:15:55stir well to ensure that all the vegetables get a good
0:15:55 > 0:15:57coating of the dressing.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Then add sliced romaine lettuce
0:15:59 > 0:16:01followed by half a slice of cucumber.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07The key, really, to layering up the salad is to
0:16:07 > 0:16:10choose your toughest leaves and put it next to the dressing.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Then the lighter leaves, then I've got the cucumber,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17then I've got a couple of bunches of rocket here.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26And I saved a bit of dill to go over the top.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30And I'm going to put, just at the very, very top,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33a bought packet of mixed salad leaves.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35And these are the most delicate,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38which would go limp if they were sitting in the dressing.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Now I need to cover that with clingfilm.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46You can put that in the fridge for up to 12 hours,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49so when the time comes to serve it, all I've got to do is
0:16:49 > 0:16:52whip off the clingfilm and toss the whole thing together.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54So, pop that in the fridge
0:16:54 > 0:16:58and it just shows you that you can do the dressing and the salad ahead.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05When we've got a big crowd of people coming, I often make two puds.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09I believe a special occasion deserves two very different-looking
0:17:09 > 0:17:11and tasting puddings.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14My first is the luxurious chocolate and orange panna cotta.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Panna cotta is set cream with gelatine and, in this case,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25I'm flavouring it with chocolate and orange. It is very special.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29First, take nine sheets of quick-dissolving gelatine
0:17:29 > 0:17:31and soak them in cold water.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34This is crisped now, and as soon as you put it into the water,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36it begins to soften.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39And then I will be able to add them to the recipe.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45Break up 200g of plain chocolate and add to a litre of double pouring
0:17:45 > 0:17:50cream that has been brought to a simmer, then taken off the heat.
0:17:50 > 0:17:51That's it.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53And that will melt on its own.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Zest four oranges with a fine grater.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01It takes time to do this, but it's well worth it.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05And it gives such a lovely, fresh flavour.
0:18:05 > 0:18:11Now add the orange zest and 100g of sugar to the cream.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Give that a good stir.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19All that needs to be added now are eight tablespoonfuls
0:18:19 > 0:18:21of fresh orange juice.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24It's worth measuring the orange juice,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27because if you put too much in, it won't set.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29After six minutes soaking,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32the gelatine is ready to be added to the mixture.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35It feels a bit like frogspawn.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39In that goes, and it'll dissolve with the heat of the pan.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43This should be a velvety, smooth pud, so it's important to
0:18:43 > 0:18:47strain the liquid to remove all the bits of orange zest.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Then pour the creamy chocolate mixture
0:18:51 > 0:18:55into ten lightly oiled pudding basins,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58being careful to fill them equally.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Once they're all done, transfer them to the fridge to set.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12And leave them at least six hours before timing out.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16I've got here some very, very hot water, straight from the tap,
0:19:16 > 0:19:22and just take the bowl and drop it into the level of the panna cotta.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Hold it for a few moments, and it'll start to melt on the outside.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Then let's see how it's doing.
0:19:29 > 0:19:35It helps to put in wet fingers until you can just start to see it out.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Let's see if it'll plop on the plate.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39I'm talking to it very nicely.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42There it is.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46Once released, centre the panna cotta on the plate and serve
0:19:46 > 0:19:50with some orange segments and a brandy snap to add a little crunch.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54So, there it is, orange panna cotta.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I think it's a dream.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02I love using chocolate in my recipes, but I'm a home cook,
0:20:02 > 0:20:06no chocolatier, and so I always try and keep things simple.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13Today, I'm meeting Flo Broughton, an artisan chocolate maker
0:20:13 > 0:20:16who is going to teach me how to use moulds to create something
0:20:16 > 0:20:19rather special - chocolate cupcakes.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24So, what you need to do is dip your brush into here.
0:20:24 > 0:20:25We call this a pokey stick.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28And we poke it into the little hole where the cherry is.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30And this is just white chocolate that we are using now,
0:20:30 > 0:20:33but we just put a little bit of red colouring in it, just gives us
0:20:33 > 0:20:35a nice red cherry on the top.
0:20:35 > 0:20:36They look quite professional.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Oh, I can do this!
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Once the red chocolate cherries have dried,
0:20:43 > 0:20:48it's on to the next stage, filling the moulds with the white chocolate.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50What we're going to do now is we're going to use some of the white
0:20:50 > 0:20:52chocolate that we've got here.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55So we're going to catch the chocolate coming out of the spout there,
0:20:55 > 0:21:01and we're going to run it just nice and slowly across our moulds.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Just so that all the squares are nicely filled.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07I'm quite good at putting batter into Yorkshire pudding tins.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Do you think it will be the same? Let's try.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13OK. And you started here...
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Doesn't matter that you go over the edge?
0:21:21 > 0:21:24- No, not at all, because we are going to scrape it.- Is that all right?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- That's perfect.- I think you've done it a few more times than me!
0:21:27 > 0:21:31- Right.- Scrape very slowly across the board and the mould.
0:21:31 > 0:21:32Just clean down the sides.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35- That's very good, because you don't get any waste.- Absolutely.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37We'll take them over to the table, and we'll need to give them
0:21:37 > 0:21:40a little bit of a vibrate or a bang on the table, and that will help
0:21:40 > 0:21:44reduce any air bubbles in there so that we have nice, perfect cakes.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49Flo's father, Kerr, designs all of the chocolate moulds in the factory,
0:21:49 > 0:21:54including our little cupcakes, which are now ready to turn out.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57The impression is very, very clear.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01The paper case lookalike, it is absolutely perfect.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05When Dad is making the moulds, he really carves into them quite deeply
0:22:05 > 0:22:07to try and make sure that we can really get all of this detail.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12So those look absolutely perfect. I'm really proud of those.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Key to making good quality chocolate is a process called tempering.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22Whether in a factory or at home, the process is essentially the same.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Now, I've got some chocolate here that I previously heated on the hob.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28So, once you've got it to 45 degrees,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31- you've got this lovely liquid chocolate here.- Just a minute -
0:22:31 > 0:22:35- are you doing that over warm water, or how are you doing that?- Yes.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38So, I did it over a pan with boiling water underneath it.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42So, in order to temper it, we need to reduce that down to 31 degrees.
0:22:42 > 0:22:47So, what we're going to do is just ladle some of this on to the slab.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49- That is cooling it down, right?- Yes.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52We're going to add this back to that chocolate,
0:22:52 > 0:22:53which will help cool it down.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57'Tempering reduces the size of the crystals in the cocoa butter,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01'ensuring the chocolate has a nice shine and a crisp bite.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06'There seems no limit to the clever designs that can be made with
0:23:06 > 0:23:08'silicon moulds.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12'But Flo has an ingenious idea for making chocolates at home
0:23:12 > 0:23:15'using brown sugar and some fridge magnets.'
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Because we're going to put the chocolate into sugar, what
0:23:18 > 0:23:21we don't want is the chocolate and sugar all to mix and stick together.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24So what I've decided to do is put hundreds and thousands in first.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27And don't they love those hundreds and thousands?
0:23:27 > 0:23:30And they just make everything look so pretty.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32And then we're going to get our piping bag.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34The smaller the hole, the better.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37And then we're just going to go over each letter and fill it up.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42- And children can do this themselves. - Yes.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44And it's not too messy, because it is in a bag.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46- Can I do a bit?- Absolutely.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50And the good thing is, those hundreds and thousands
0:23:50 > 0:23:54don't sort of come up and mix in with the chocolate.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00That's it. That's the "R". Now we go to the "Y".
0:24:00 > 0:24:03'Once all the letters have been filled with chocolate,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06'it takes just 15 minutes to set.'
0:24:06 > 0:24:10So, we're just going to dig out our letters.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Obviously, where it had enough hundreds and thousands,
0:24:13 > 0:24:14it just leaves those behind.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19And we can dust off any excess sugar once we've got them all out.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23You can just imagine how much children would enjoy doing this.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26You could have "Happy Birthday" and the children could make it
0:24:26 > 0:24:29themselves and put it across the top of their birthday cake.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31That's such a good idea.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34BIRDSONG
0:24:36 > 0:24:37When I'm cooking for a crowd,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41I always like to serve a centrepiece pud.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45And my meringue tranche with berries and cream really hits the spot.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Some people have a real difficulty with meringue,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54but I've got a foolproof way, so let me show you.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Start with four eggs.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01So, separate the eggs carefully into a very clean bowl.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04So, there's the first egg.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Separate the eggs one at a time, so if you break a yolk,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10you won't ruin all the whites.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14Then whisk the egg whites until they look like puffy clouds.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23Now add 225g of caster sugar a little at a time.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28The mixture will become thick and shiny.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35That's it.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40I need to just give it a little beat round.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46I'm just going to show you that that has got the most wonderful
0:25:46 > 0:25:48gloss to it.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Next, transfer the mixture to a piping bag
0:25:52 > 0:25:54with a 1cm hole cut off the end.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Then pipe onto baking parchment laid out on an oven tray.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02Do you know, I have been making meringue for years
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and enjoying every minute of it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08And if you stop in the middle, it gives you a breather
0:26:08 > 0:26:11and you can give it a twist before you get going.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14And off we go again.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17You will need two of these meringues for a party.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22I have marked out two rectangles, 12x40cm long,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25to ensure they are both the same size.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I have made this many times.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30I can't really claim that this is my recipe.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35Lucy, who has helped me with all my books and all sorts of things,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39it was her idea, and I think she made it for her 30th birthday.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Once you have lined each edge with a row of lovely little
0:26:42 > 0:26:47peaks of meringue, it's into the oven at 100 degrees.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53And after about two hours, it is ready for the finishing touches.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59This piece of wood, just covered in foil, makes a wonderful silver tray.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05So I'm going to take the meringue and lift it onto there and join it.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Bit of a shake there. That's it.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16So the next move is to put the lovely, rich,
0:27:16 > 0:27:18decadent cream in the middle.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22So, I'm going to put a few blobs along and then spread them.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24So, some there.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29You can make this meringue a fortnight ahead,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31if you wrap it carefully.
0:27:31 > 0:27:37But you only want to fill it a few hours before actually serving it.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43The creamy layer, made up of 300ml of whipped double cream,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46mixed with 200g of full-fat Greek yoghurt,
0:27:46 > 0:27:51is spread evenly over the meringue to form a base for the next layer -
0:27:51 > 0:27:54wonderful rows of fresh blueberries and raspberries.
0:27:56 > 0:28:01It's quicker as I go along to just take a handful of blueberries
0:28:01 > 0:28:03and drop them in that hole.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05They go in a bit more neatly.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10I think that looks pretty marvellous.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15And I can't wait to carry it in and everybody to think,
0:28:15 > 0:28:17"How did she get that in the oven?"
0:28:17 > 0:28:19'So, there you have it,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23'my collection of dishes to serve large numbers at a celebration.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27'I hope that you will try these recipes when your friends
0:28:27 > 0:28:29'and family come round.'
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Next time, it's weekday supper -
0:28:32 > 0:28:37pasta with Parma ham that takes just 15 minutes, a sharing platter you
0:28:37 > 0:28:42can make in advance, an elderflower posset with just two ingredients.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Simple food that's made to share.