0:00:02 > 0:00:06I'm Mary Berry and in this series,
0:00:06 > 0:00:10I'll be sharing some of my best foolproof secrets with you.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14I think it's really important to have a selection of trusted
0:00:14 > 0:00:18recipes, that you know will never let you down.
0:00:18 > 0:00:23No matter what the occasion, I will show you how to make it simple.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27From quick and easy dishes perfect for when time is scarce.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30It really is absolutely delicious.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34To scrumptious fuss-free goodies, for days with the family.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40And truly special dishes that will thrill your guests.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42That looks amazing.
0:00:42 > 0:00:48Tonight, it's the best of my delicious, comforting home cooking.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Life doesn't get better than that.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Whether it's in my family or my working life,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07I've never been one to put my feet up.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13But, there are times when I just love food that picks you up
0:01:13 > 0:01:14and puts a smile on your face.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20And there's nothing wrong with indulging every once in a while.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25In this programme, I'm going to show you some of my foolproof
0:01:25 > 0:01:27comforting recipes that I love most.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33A rich smoked fish pate, to enjoy on hot, crunchy toast.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40My version of the most comforting of dishes,
0:01:40 > 0:01:45a hearty chicken casserole to lift the spirits
0:01:45 > 0:01:49and a scrumptious dessert guaranteed to soothe the soul.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56But, first, a warming soup to brighten the greyest of days
0:01:56 > 0:01:58with my cheesy Parma ham twists.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04One of my favourite soups is butternut squash.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08It makes you feel beautifully cosy and warm.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11But preparing butternut squash can be tricky,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13so I've got a couple of tips.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18If it's a young one, you can take an ordinary potato peeler
0:02:18 > 0:02:21and you can just take the peel off like that.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24But if it's late in the season,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28you just can't get that potato peeler into it.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33What I do, is I use a big knife, something about the size of that and
0:02:33 > 0:02:38I cut rings from it and then take out the seeds and take off the peel.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40It's a safer way to do it.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Cut into cubes, then along with a chopped red pepper,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51a large chopped onion and a couple of carrots,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54pop it into a polythene bag with some olive oil.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02So, take that and just shake it all about.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08So, tip it all into the tin.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16Season with pepper and salt and cook at 180 fan for 45 minutes.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Roasting the vegetables first intensifies the flavour
0:03:22 > 0:03:24and, I think, gives it a bit of a kick.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32What makes this soup really special,
0:03:32 > 0:03:37is topping the veg with some chopped ginger and runny honey.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43This just adds sweetness to it and it gives a bit of a glaze, too.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Roast for a further five minutes
0:03:46 > 0:03:50until all your veg are nice and soft.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Then, add it all to a casserole pot.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Aren't they lovely and colourful? The smell is wonderful. That ginger.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Add around 1.5 litres of vegetable or chicken stock.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07And let it bubble away for about ten minutes.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Oh, that's just beautifully tender and the smell.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20I can get that hint of ginger coming out and it smells beautiful.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Turn that off and I'm just going to blend that
0:04:24 > 0:04:27until it's beautifully smooth.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28And, here we go.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38If it feels too thick, the trick is just to add a little more stock.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42That looks fine to me now.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46And I've got something rather special that I'm going to
0:04:46 > 0:04:48serve with this soup.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Some mega cheese straws.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Don't worry about making the pastry,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57just buy some good-quality puff pastry.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Wants to be fairly thin. That's about it.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09What makes these truly flavoursome is a layer of Dijon mustard.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12I bet you're amused looking at this brush.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15It is a paintbrush, but I find paintbrushes are more
0:05:15 > 0:05:17reasonable and you get a nice wide brush.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19I can do the job quicker.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23And some delicious Gruyere cheese.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29I've chosen Gruyere cheese because I like the way it melts down
0:05:29 > 0:05:32and the whole thing is very comforting.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37To make these melt in the mouth, press the cheese onto
0:05:37 > 0:05:43the pastry, then fold in half and start the process all over again.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49And to make these twists even more appetising,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51add some wonderful salty Parma ham.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58The dry cured ham gives it a great piquancy. That's it.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Fold, roll and sprinkle one last time.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09All these light layers will create a mouthwatering crunch.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15And then I'm going to cut this into six.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Do you know, this is a winning combination of flavours.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23I am immensely fond of Parma ham.
0:06:23 > 0:06:29I love cheese and crispy pastry, the three go really well together.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33Right, all I've got to do, is give those a twist. Three twists.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38One here in the middle and one at the end.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42Pop them on the tray like this, that way.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46The secret to a perfect bake, is to chill for ten minutes
0:06:46 > 0:06:51and then pop in the oven at 200 fan, for 20 minutes.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Keep an eye on them.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01They should be a good colour, a lovely pale golden brown,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05then lower the temperature to about 140, just to get them cooked
0:07:05 > 0:07:08right through, so that when you eat them,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10they're crispy all the way through.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17I think those look really tempting.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19I remember in the '80s when cheese straws,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23every time you went out for drinks, you would see cheese straws
0:07:23 > 0:07:26and they were delicious, but these, well, I think
0:07:26 > 0:07:29they certainly are a bit one up with this.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33Very, very special and, of course, I've made huge ones of these
0:07:33 > 0:07:35but you could make little ones to have with drinks.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41I can't think of a more cosy lunch, than a steaming hot
0:07:41 > 0:07:45bowl of soup with an indulgent cheese and ham twist.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Oh, so good.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Next, a comforting dish that is so delicious,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00you won't believe how easy it is to make.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Mackerel pate is really, really simple
0:08:08 > 0:08:10and it goes very well with hot toast.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13First of all, you need smoked mackerel fillets and,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16of course, you recognise it instantly.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19It has that wonderful shine and pattern, so you just take
0:08:19 > 0:08:25each one and peel the skin off, so there's very, very little waste.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27It comes off like a dream.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30One of the things I really enjoy when we're on holiday, is to
0:08:30 > 0:08:34go mackerel fishing, because you're almost guaranteed to catch the fish.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36It's a great family outing.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40The one good thing about mackerel, is it's not too expensive
0:08:40 > 0:08:44and I think the flavour is beautiful.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Simply pop the fish into a processor with some creamy mascarpone cheese.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57Mascarpone is very, very versatile and I use it more
0:08:57 > 0:09:00and more for cheesecakes and all sorts of things.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07What makes this pate surprisingly delicious is adding the zest
0:09:07 > 0:09:08and juice of a lime.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13You automatically think of lemons and fish,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16but lime goes very, very well.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Lovely bright green. In that goes.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22And I've got a great juicing trick.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27If you warm the limes, the same with lemons,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29you'll get much more juice out.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32I think I've got every scrap out.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Finally, add some pepper and blitz.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48It really couldn't be more simple.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53I use whatever I have to hand, to serve it in.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00It will keep for a week in the fridge and you can also freeze it.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01It freezes well.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05And, for me, the essential part is having a really good bread
0:10:05 > 0:10:08toasted and then lashings of butter.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16This really is foolproof.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20You can make that pate in five minutes, so that, surely, must be
0:10:20 > 0:10:23worthwhile when it tastes as good as this.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Life doesn't get better than that.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41My husband, Paul, and I, have been married for nearly 50 years
0:10:41 > 0:10:43and we both love nothing more than a cosy
0:10:43 > 0:10:45evening at home in front of the fire.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Oh, that looks warm and welcoming, Paul.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Oh, lovely, thanks very much. Is that all right?
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- Oh, another one, definitely. - Another one?
0:11:01 > 0:11:05I always try my recipes on Paul, first.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09And this next dish is a new idea and it's gone down a treat.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Comfort food, for me, is all about warming food.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Recipes that you can do all in one pot.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Very little to wash up and so easy to serve.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Right, let's get going, then.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Start with the spicy filling.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Over a high heat, fry 500g of lean minced beef
0:11:35 > 0:11:39along with two large chopped onions.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41I want it to brown fairly quickly.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Nice, hot pan. Choose a nice roomy one,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47as you've got to be able to put it into the oven to bake.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52So, you might as well think you're making Bolognese at this stage,
0:11:52 > 0:11:56but we're not, we're making something a little more spicy.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Once nicely browned, stir in a couple of cloves of
0:12:01 > 0:12:04crushed garlic and a finely chopped red chilli.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Then we've got one red pepper, which I've just cut into cubes.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16And add a couple of cans of chopped tomatoes.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17So, just mix that in.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22It's a lovely, colourful mixture, that.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Now, for the fragrant ground spices.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32A tablespoon each of coriander and cumin, two of my favourites.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Followed by some tomato puree.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39So, a little pepper and salt.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46And I'm going to put that in the oven at 140 fan for about an hour.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57When it's all cooked through, my tip is to add a dollop of mango chutney.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01It just sweetens it up, particularly with tomato,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I often feel that something a little bit sweet helps,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08so, a couple of tablespoons full of mango chutney.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10And some coriander.
0:13:12 > 0:13:18It's very popular in Mexican food and I think it's a lovely herb.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23And now it's time to assemble.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27All you need are three large shop-bought tortillas,
0:13:27 > 0:13:32150g of grated Cheddar and 250g of mascarpone.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38I'm going to put a third of the mince at the base.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Do you know, the smell of the spices and coriander, is lovely.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49It's not a hot, spicy dish, it's aromatic
0:13:49 > 0:13:52and I've found that even the young loved it.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Mind you, the young, nowadays, do like things hotter than I ever did.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Place the tortilla on top.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05And spread over a third of that creamy mascarpone.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09It softens the tortilla, too.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Followed by a third of the Cheddar...
0:14:16 > 0:14:18..and then simply repeat twice.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28So, that's ready for the oven.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31It'll go in at 180 and it'll take 30 minutes to really
0:14:31 > 0:14:35heat through, until it's bubbling and a lovely golden brown on top.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42That really does look tempting.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Do you know, I think a little coriander over the top,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47just to finish it off.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51I think that would be really perfect for a lovely,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54cosy evening in with the family at home.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58I guarantee, they're going to really love it.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07For me, there's one ingredient I use more than anything else
0:15:07 > 0:15:10when I'm cooking up something comforting and that's garlic.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Today, we're a nation of garlic lovers,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18but it wasn't always so popular.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23When I started writing recipes, I had to list it as optional.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31Isle of Wight farmer, Colin Boswell, is a garlic obsessive
0:15:31 > 0:15:35who has been growing this pungent bulb for nearly 40 years.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40What did your pals think of you growing garlic in the '70s?
0:15:40 > 0:15:42A complete joke.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47It was only as people like M&S started to do a lot of garlic bread
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and chicken kiev and people started to say,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52"Maybe he's got something right."
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Colin is so passionate about garlic.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01He's travelled the world on a quest to find its source.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08I've been on a search for the mother of all garlic.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12The original garlic, which I think we found in Kazakhstan
0:16:12 > 0:16:15and also on the Turkish Iran/Iraq border.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20To me, garlic represents one of the most powerful things in nature.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25It has a power and intensity in it, which ancient man understood
0:16:25 > 0:16:27much better than we do.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35The farm produces a staggering 100 tonnes of garlic every year.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39And they grow over 40 different varieties.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48The elephant garlic is big, sweet, people like it
0:16:48 > 0:16:52because of the size and if you just take a clove and go like that,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54you could have a little bite of that.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00That tastes more like a strong leek than a garlic flavour.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Who are you kidding?
0:17:02 > 0:17:04It tastes exactly like very strong garlic.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08This is black garlic.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12It's been cooked for about 40 or 50 days
0:17:12 > 0:17:16and what you end up with is this black unctuous garlic.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21- It looks like tapenade from here. - It does. There we go.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24It's sweet. It's incredibly sweet.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30I wouldn't know that was garlic.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33If you've got sourdough bread that you'd cooked on a griddle
0:17:33 > 0:17:37and you spread that across, it would be divine.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Yeah.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Colin's whole family work on the farm.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Not only do they grow garlic, they also smoke it
0:17:49 > 0:17:53and love cooking with it in a huge variety of ways.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02The garlic bread made with elephant garlic
0:18:02 > 0:18:06and herbs in there, too, is absolutely delicious.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08And the garlic is baked in the bread.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10It's not garlic butter on the bread.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15Over here, we've got a caramelised garlic and tomato tarte tatin.
0:18:15 > 0:18:20The garlic cloves have been caramelised, by boiling them
0:18:20 > 0:18:23in water and then adding some balsamic.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26It creates very sweet garlic cloves.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Do you know, I wouldn't think of putting garlic in sweet things
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- but you do it in your chocolate brownies.- That's right.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34With the black garlic, it works really well.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36It makes it sweet and caramelised
0:18:36 > 0:18:39and it just brings an extra depth to baked dishes.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- It's much more mellow and soft. - That's right, yeah.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Would you like to try some garlic beer?
0:18:45 > 0:18:47I'll certainly have a try.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- Gosh, that's very warming, isn't it?- Do you like it?
0:18:54 > 0:18:58I think I could get to like it. Yes, it's lovely.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02What a wonderful selection of warm comfort food.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04GUITAR PLAYS
0:19:13 > 0:19:18I'm very proud of this. And, yes, I did grow it myself.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21I didn't get it from the garlic farm.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25It's an elephant garlic and it's fresh out of the ground.
0:19:25 > 0:19:31It needs drying out, but garlic is an essential of many of my recipes,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34especially the one I'm going to make right now.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40This is my version of the French classic, coq au vin.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43And this really is comfort food at its best.
0:19:46 > 0:19:52Take a big bowl and put two thirds of a bottle of wine.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56It doesn't have to be special but it does give good flavour.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04Add some crushed garlic, peeled shallots...
0:20:06 > 0:20:10..a bunch of fresh thyme and a few bay leaves.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12And then we put the chicken in.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14I'm using chicken breast today.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17You could use chicken thighs, if you prefer.
0:20:19 > 0:20:25My tip for this dish, is to cover, then chill the chicken overnight.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27And it will soak up all those lovely flavours.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Use the marinade to make the rich casserole sauce.
0:20:36 > 0:20:37And you can't go wrong.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43You get a much more intense flavour if you reduce the wine
0:20:43 > 0:20:46and I think it's much better to reduce it, before it's
0:20:46 > 0:20:50added to the chicken, otherwise you'll overcook the chicken breast.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Season and seal the chicken...
0:20:57 > 0:21:00And then I'll turn those over as soon as they've got a light,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02brown colour.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Once the chicken is done, time for some delicious smoky bacon.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Possibly the king of all comfort food.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21This just needs to be turned in the pan
0:21:21 > 0:21:23and all the gubbins from frying the chicken,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25it'll all add to the flavour.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30The smell, it really smells like breakfast time
0:21:30 > 0:21:33when you're frying bacon, doesn't it?
0:21:33 > 0:21:37When the bacon is nice and crispy, add all those marinated shallots.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42I'm going to tip all that into the pan.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44That's it.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47And the herbs are going in there. I saved it from the marinade.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Now, I'm going to thicken the mixture.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54I've got an old trick that works every time.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00Whisk 150mls of cold water into three tablespoonfuls of flour.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05This really is a foolproof thickening method.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Then, gradually stir in the marinade.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Do this and there'll be no lumps.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Finish with some tomato puree and brown sugar.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27And I'm going to show you how it coats the back of the spoon.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32Can you see that? I think that is just the right consistency.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39Now, simply cook at 140 fan for around 20 minutes.
0:22:42 > 0:22:47To make this casserole sing, we need some mushrooms.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50I want them to have a really, sort of... A bit of a bite to them.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Cook them off separately in hot butter,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56so they don't become too soggy.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05I think that looks really great.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11To really cheer yourself up, enjoy this casserole with some steaming
0:23:11 > 0:23:16hot crushed new potatoes, roasted with garlic butter and Parmesan.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Delicious!
0:23:21 > 0:23:24So, there you have it, my garlic and herb chicken casserole.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26It really does raise the spirit.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37After a good long walk with our dog, Millie,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40there's nothing better than coming home to something sweet.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47And there's one particular treat that Paul and I love.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Both our mothers used to make it
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and it never fails to bring back happy memories.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56First of all, the caramel.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Now, some people find it difficult and usually it's
0:23:58 > 0:24:02because they've used a non-stick pan and it crystallises.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07The trick is to add some water to a stainless steel or
0:24:07 > 0:24:12aluminium-based pan and dissolve the sugar slowly, stirring.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18And then I've got 175g of caster sugar.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19In that goes.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26And keep the heat fairly low until it's totally clear.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32As soon as it's nearly caramel,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35it'll become totally silent, but now, listen...
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Very noisy.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48Don't make the caramel too dark, because it'll be bitter.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50It wants to be a deep straw colour.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54That's it.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Let it set on a cold surface while you make the custard.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Simply heat 600ml of full fat milk.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14My tip for an extra special rich custard,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17is to add two egg yolks to four whole eggs.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24Then 50g of caster sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Just as if you were making scrambled egg.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34That's fine. It's running through beautifully.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Now it's time to add the hot milk.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Just a little to start with.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43If you pour that on and it's absolutely boiling,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46you will separate the eggs and you'll get curdling.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Then you can add the rest.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55So, that's our custard. Couldn't be easier.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00I always strain the mixture, just in case there are any
0:26:00 > 0:26:01bits of shell in there.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07Take the set caramel and grease around the inside of the tin.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Isn't that lovely? You could almost see your face in it, couldn't you?
0:26:13 > 0:26:17Now, the secret for a beautifully smooth creme caramel, is
0:26:17 > 0:26:20to cook it in a water bath.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24I'm going to pour the custard in there.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Surround it with boiling water just up to halfway.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37And then that slows down the cooking and gets a very even cook.
0:26:38 > 0:26:44I'm going to cook that at 120 fan, for about 50 minutes to an hour.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49PIANO PLAYS
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Once cooked, leave it to sit in the water for about half an hour,
0:26:55 > 0:27:00then take it out to cool even further and chill overnight.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12Now, that is really cold and the caramel will have become liquid.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16I look at this plate with real affection.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18This was given to me by my auntie Molly
0:27:18 > 0:27:22when I first began to be at college and interested in cooking
0:27:22 > 0:27:26and it's just perfect for turning out something like caramel custard,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28because it's got a bit of depth just there.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32To help centre the caramel custard,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35add a few drops of water to the plate first.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42So, put that on top like that. A wing and a prayer, one, two, three.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51And now's the time to reveal it.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53Doesn't that look good?
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Is it as good as your mother's?
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I would say it's almost as good as my mother's, yes.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Everything that your mother made was even better, but, there we are,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13that's the way of the world.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20So, there you go, comforting recipes to lift the mood
0:28:20 > 0:28:23and enjoy time and time again.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30Next time, it's my foolproof recipes for lazy summer days.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35I don't believe it! I do not... You're amazed.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38I am absolutely flabbergasted.