0:00:02 > 0:00:03The royal family are steeped in tradition,
0:00:03 > 0:00:07and throughout history, the royal tables have showcased culinary excellence.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09'In celebration of royal food...
0:00:09 > 0:00:11We know it's the Queen's recipe
0:00:11 > 0:00:13because we've got it in her own hand.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15'..from the present and the past...'
0:00:15 > 0:00:17That is proper regal.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20'..we recreate old family favourites...'
0:00:20 > 0:00:24The Queen Mother had this really wicked trick with these.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26What a mess.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28'..we sample royal eating alfresco...'
0:00:28 > 0:00:31- Oh, wow!- That is what you want.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34'..and revisit the most extravagant times.'
0:00:34 > 0:00:37"Pheasant, stag, turkey, salmon, oysters
0:00:37 > 0:00:39"and turbot dressed in a lobster champagne sauce."
0:00:39 > 0:00:40Unbelievable.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43This is Royal Recipes.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Hello. I'm Michael Buerk and welcome to Royal Recipes.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54This is Audley End, one of Britain's finest stately homes,
0:00:54 > 0:00:59built in the style of a royal palace and once owned by a king.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01In the splendour of the gardens,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04halls and kitchen of this grandest of country houses,
0:01:04 > 0:01:10we'll be recreating the food served at the highest royal tables,
0:01:10 > 0:01:15and it all starts here with this gem, a royal kitchen maid's cookbook,
0:01:15 > 0:01:20the only surviving recipe book of its kind in the royal archive.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22This is an exact copy of the original,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24which is kept at Windsor Castle.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Inside, the recipes of Mildred Nicholls,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31who worked at Buckingham Palace in the early 1900s.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34For the first time in over 100 years,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37we'll be bringing these recipes back to life.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47This time, we are cooking food fit for only the very best of parties -
0:01:47 > 0:01:50royal birthdays.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53For generations, they've celebrated in style.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Today on Royal Recipes,
0:01:56 > 0:02:01former royal chef Carolyn Robb on cooking for Prince Charles's 50th.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03That was a party arranged for him by William and Harry.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06They took charge of everything, including the menu.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Historian Dr Annie Gray reveals how the Edwardian elite
0:02:10 > 0:02:12celebrated a king's birthday.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15You hold it at the most fashionable hotel in town,
0:02:15 > 0:02:20and you serve the birthday cake on the back of a small elephant.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25Chef Anna Haugh makes a birthday pudding fit for Queen Victoria's grandson.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29- Candles?- No! No, candles would ruin it.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Anyway, there's a lot of rum in there, it might flambe up.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Here in the grand stately home,
0:02:38 > 0:02:42we begin with a dish fit for royal dining -
0:02:42 > 0:02:45one to impress the finest of royal palates.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50We're here in the grand kitchen with top London chef Anna Haugh.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Today we are going to talk about birthdays, royal birthday food.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56The dish you are doing is from
0:02:56 > 0:02:59the present Queen's 80th birthday lunch party,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02which was held at Kew Palace. What are you cooking?
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Today I'm going to do a venison haunch with a juniper sauce.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The first thing I'm going to do is prepare the venison,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10to get it into the pan.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Make sure that the plan is lovely and hot
0:03:12 > 0:03:14because it is the caramelisation of your meat
0:03:14 > 0:03:17that's going to give you lovely flavour.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19- What oil are you using? - This is just a pomace oil,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23so it's a very light olive oil, so it's got a good smoking point,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26which means it's not going to burn as quickly as butter.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27Later on, I will add some butter,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31so it will be nice, foaming caramelisation going on.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- And you season it? - Yeah, salt and pepper.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Once my pan is lovely and hot,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39you can see there's a good bit of smoke coming off that,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42add a little bit more oil
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and then in goes my steak.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Oh, sizzles as soon as it hits it!
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Followed by the thyme.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52A bit of crushed garlic.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58That was an explosion of wonderful garlic smell.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02The trick here is to, what, seal it, to sear it on both sides?
0:04:02 > 0:04:04You're trying to caramelise the meat,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08so if you have poached venison, which is actually delicious,
0:04:08 > 0:04:09but if you've got poached venison
0:04:09 > 0:04:12and caramelised venison right beside each other,
0:04:12 > 0:04:13this should taste completely different
0:04:13 > 0:04:16because it is two different methods of cooking,
0:04:16 > 0:04:21and what we are trying to do is just bring out that gorgeous caramelised meat flavour.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25So it needs to be on a nice high heat, especially in the beginning,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27to get that good colour,
0:04:27 > 0:04:29needs to be a nice golden brown on each side,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32and once that happens, I will add my butter in
0:04:32 > 0:04:34and we can get going on our sauce.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39The venison at this luncheon party was actually from the royal estate at Sandringham.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Do you think that would be farmed or wild
0:04:41 > 0:04:43and is there any difference at all?
0:04:43 > 0:04:44I'd like to think it was wild,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and there is a huge difference between farmed and wild.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52- Really?- Absolutely. They've had a much more relaxed life,
0:04:52 > 0:04:57a happier environment where they get to feed off the natural vegetation
0:04:57 > 0:05:00that's growing around - the herbs and things like that -
0:05:00 > 0:05:02where an animal that grows in a farmed environment
0:05:02 > 0:05:04is never going to have that type of life.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09Does that affect the texture of the meat or the taste?
0:05:09 > 0:05:11I know it affects the marbling of the meat,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13it affects the flavour of the meat,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16if affects the hormones that are in the meat.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Essentially you are going to end up with more tender, more flavoursome,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22more delicious meat.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25In your restaurant, you'd only cook wild venison?
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Only wild, and only when it is in season.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- You've seared both sides? - I've seared both sides.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Once I've got a bit of colour on the other side,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36- I'm going to add some butter. - Now, why?
0:05:36 > 0:05:40The butter is going to allow me to have more substance to nappe,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44and nappe means I'm going to spoon it on top of the steak.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49And this is a more delicious way of caramelising a steak
0:05:49 > 0:05:51instead of popping it in the oven.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55You could pop it in the oven for probably about maybe 5-8 minutes,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59and it would cook it medium rare, but I'm going to finish it off.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02So nappe is a poncey chef's word for baste, is it?
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Nappe is a very useful word that communicates very well to my team
0:06:06 > 0:06:08- how I want something cooked. - All right.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13- But it is the same as basting, isn't it?- Exactly, yes.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15So while that's kind of cooking away,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17I'm going to get going on the juniper sauce.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Juniper, which goes so well with venison.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21- Nice and sharp, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Here I've already sweated down some shallots,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27bit of garlic, some thyme and juniper berries.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31And what I'm going to add to this now is some Madeira.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33So I'm just going to add a little splash of that.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Don't hold back.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- Save some for later.- OK.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41It's interesting, isn't it, how things have changed?
0:06:41 > 0:06:44I've got the menu here from the Queen's 80th birthday lunch.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49I think Prince Charles organised it for her. But just three courses.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51And three relatively simple courses.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Whereas her great-grandfather, Edward VII,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56would have had 14 courses for lunch!
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Perhaps that's why the Queen's lived as long as she has...
0:06:59 > 0:07:00Well, I think you're right.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03..and Edward VII didn't live to a ripe old age, did he?
0:07:03 > 0:07:06- Ripe, but not old.- I also think it's a sign of the times.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Years ago, it was important for the royal family to show off.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Their opulence and the wealth, power, all that.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Yes, and almost be wasteful because they could, where I think nowadays,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19the royal family doesn't want to be necessarily associated with so much waste.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22So I'm just going to add the stock now to our sauce.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- What stock is that? - Chicken and beef.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Giving it just a bit more meaty flavour.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30So I'm going to actually take our venison off now.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32How can you tell it's properly cooked?
0:07:32 > 0:07:34This is one of the most difficult questions to answer,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37and chefs get asked it all the time,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40because when you're cooking a piece of meat from the same animal
0:07:40 > 0:07:43over and over again, of course you know.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46You know by touch, you know by look and that's how you know.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49But really, animals are just all different, so really it's a gamble.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52I'm just hoping that this is ready.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54You're winging it, are you?
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Now resting it is the key thing, isn't it?
0:07:58 > 0:08:02Absolutely. Resting is so, so important,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04because what you want to do is let it relax,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and what happens is that all the juice
0:08:06 > 0:08:09and all the deliciousness just mellows out in there
0:08:09 > 0:08:11and you can just really feel it when you eat it.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13And if you ate that now, it would be tough.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- It would be tough. - But leave it a bit?
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Yeah, leave it a bit. It's about maybe half the cooking time,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21approximately, if you've got the patience.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25But I grew up in a tradition where you... Cold house, of course.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28You'd be at it straightaway because you didn't want it to go cold.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31This is so true, it's unbelievable.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34When I cook for my family, and this is my whole family,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36if they're not burning their mouth,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40if their mouth doesn't get some sort of severe burns or blister...
0:08:40 > 0:08:41Or even caramelised, as you would put it.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Yeah, exactly.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45OK, I'm going to pass my sauce...
0:08:45 > 0:08:49- You're just straining it off? - Yes, I'm straining it off,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52because I want to remove most of the juniper berries,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54the garlic and the thyme.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56So I'm just going to take some of the juniper berries...
0:08:56 > 0:08:58I was going to say, you're not going to lose them all?
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Not going to lose them all. I'm going to give it a little chop.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05You get a lovely juniper flavour, and that's what we want,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07that's what you associate so much with venison.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09- What are you doing now? - So I'm just going to add
0:09:09 > 0:09:12just a little drop of cream, not too much.
0:09:12 > 0:09:13It's a kind of a simple dish,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15but you can't do without the cream, can you?
0:09:15 > 0:09:18No, you need a little bit of the richness I think to make it special.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Also, venison haunch is quite lean, so a little bit of a creamy sauce...
0:09:22 > 0:09:25- There's not much fat around, is there?- Exactly.
0:09:25 > 0:09:26It's looking really good.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29So I think we're ready to plate our venison haunch.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33- It's looking really good, isn't it?- Yup.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36So that resting time is just so important.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39It looks really good. Nice and pink in the centre.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Which is really what you want, isn't it, with any red meat?
0:09:42 > 0:09:45That's what I want. It looks tender,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48but that could just be because you've got a fantastically
0:09:48 > 0:09:49sharp knife.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Yes, but for venison haunch, that is lovely and tender.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54I can feel it as I'm carving. OK.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58- So this is going to be quite an experience?- Yup.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Lovely greens. And they are green. What's the secret?
0:10:01 > 0:10:04You just want to cook them very quickly at a high heat, that's it.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Don't spend a long time on it.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Now our venison and our sauce, our juniper sauce.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17I'm reaching for the knife and fork at this stage.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19And, like a true gentleman, I'm reaching for yours, too.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23- Oh, you're so good, thank you. - Go on, you first, you cooked it.- OK.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Oh, yes.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29That does look good.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31I'm going to have some of the green stuff with it, too.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Being very healthy. OK?
0:10:34 > 0:10:40The juniper and the Madeira just go so well with the venison.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Mm. Mm!
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Absolutely terrific.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47I've never really thought too much of venison,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50but I think you've changed my mind.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Well, that makes my day, Michael.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57I think the Queen had fireworks in Kew Gardens after this birthday lunch.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01There are fireworks in my mouth, it's absolutely lovely!
0:11:01 > 0:11:04A mouthwatering and warming dish,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07perfect for any royal birthday celebration.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14No royal birthday is complete without chocolate.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18One of the first monarchs to enjoy hot chocolate was King Charles II,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21who once owned this great house.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28Charles was on the throne when cocoa beans were first brought to Britain
0:11:28 > 0:11:30from South America in the 17th century.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Chocolate was originally only prepared as a drink,
0:11:34 > 0:11:36and as Dr Matt Green explains,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39this rich liquid drink didn't immediately take off.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42When chocolate arrived in the 1650s,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44people were naturally suspicious of it
0:11:44 > 0:11:47because there was very little tradition of hot drinks in the country.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49So a market had to be generated, and the way this happened was that
0:11:49 > 0:11:51the people who were selling chocolate,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53they claimed that it had these miracle properties.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57It would cure you of indigestion, it would relieve you of consumption.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00But perhaps the most powerful way they marketed it was to say that
0:12:00 > 0:12:03it was an infallible aphrodisiac.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06As you can imagine, sales of it skyrocketed.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09So what did this stuff actually taste like?
0:12:09 > 0:12:13One man who knows is award-winning chocolatier Paul Young.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17He uses artisan methods to make his treats,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19but today's chocolate is far more refined than
0:12:19 > 0:12:21the 17th-century variety.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26The elite would drink a very rich, thick and intense hot chocolate,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29probably slightly gritty, because we didn't have steel rollers
0:12:29 > 0:12:30to refine the chocolate right down.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Sugar was expensive back then as well, it was for the elite too,
0:12:34 > 0:12:36so there won't have been as much sugar in there too.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41So that was really like the espresso of the hot chocolate world.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Chocolate popularity boomed.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47By the early 18th century,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51a cluster of chocolate houses flourished around St James's Square,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54near the court of Charles II.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Drinking chocolate was the only real option in the mid-17th century,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00and the British monarchy loved the stuff.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Ingredients were expensive and it was reported that Charles II
0:13:04 > 0:13:07paid an annual salary of £200 to his own personal chocolate maker,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10who would import the finest ingredients from all over the world
0:13:10 > 0:13:13to concoct a killer cup of chocolate.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16And successive monarchs after him, they all loved it as well,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19and they all employed their own personal chocolate maker.
0:13:20 > 0:13:26Until Victorian times, chocolate was still only available as a drink.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Then, in 1847, one Bristol-based company hit upon a clever idea.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34It was Fry's who literally took it and went,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37"How can we carry it somewhere without it being in a cup?"
0:13:37 > 0:13:40And the science behind that is taking the bean,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43grinding it so that the natural fat in the bean melts,
0:13:43 > 0:13:47grind in some sugar, then allow it to set.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Bingo. We have a chocolate bar that has revolutionised
0:13:51 > 0:13:55the way we eat, buy and enjoy chocolate.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58The bars were a huge hit, and thanks to other manufacturers,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02including Cadbury, chocolate was brought to the masses.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Queen Victoria was also a fan, so much so she commissioned
0:14:06 > 0:14:11over 100,000 tins to be sent to her troops in South Africa in 1900.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Every single officer and soldier was meant to receive one of these,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19that was stuffed full of exquisite chocolates.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21All the principal chocolate companies were involved,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23but what was interesting about it is that
0:14:23 > 0:14:25the Cadbury brothers, as Quakers,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27refused to profit in any way from the war
0:14:27 > 0:14:29because they were pacifists,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32so they didn't charge the Queen a single penny.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38The modern royals may no longer employ a chocolatier,
0:14:38 > 0:14:42but the sweet treat is still very much a part of royal life.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45The royal family do still love chocolate.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Look at the amount of brands that have the royal warrant.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51The young royals are liking more contemporary flavours.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54They enjoy little drinks, so there's a lot more booze in their chocolate.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57I made a gin and tonic chocolate for the Queen's birthday.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01When it comes to a chocolate birthday cake,
0:15:01 > 0:15:05it's said the royals always use the same recipe.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08It's been a hit since chef Gabriel Tschumi first made it for
0:15:08 > 0:15:11the present Queen's grandmother, Queen Mary.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13It's Tschumi's chocolate cake.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Chocolate has always represented the ultimate in royal indulgence,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and, Anna, I think there's one very special chocolate cake
0:15:21 > 0:15:24that is wheeled out for every royal birthday, isn't there?
0:15:24 > 0:15:27That's right, Queen Mary's birthday cake.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29- That's the wife of George V? - That's right. Yes.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32So for 100 years, this chocolate cake has been brought out
0:15:32 > 0:15:35- at royal birthdays.- Yeah, and today you're going to see why.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Better than that, I'm going to eat it.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39- So I'm going to start off with a sabayon.- What's a sabayon?
0:15:39 > 0:15:43A sabayon is where you get a kind of simmering pan of water
0:15:43 > 0:15:46and in a heatproof bowl, you're going to put your eggs and sugar in.
0:15:46 > 0:15:47So it cooks very gently.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Cooks very gently, but as you can see, this is full of air,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53and that's exactly what you want with a lovely sponge cake.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56So once you can kind of write the figure eight,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58or if you want to write Anna, you can,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- you know that it's ready. - That's what makes a signature dish!
0:16:02 > 0:16:07Exactly. So now we're going to sieve in our flour
0:16:07 > 0:16:09and you sieve your flour so that it incorporates
0:16:09 > 0:16:13as much air as you possibly can as well.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Only the very finest bits go down there, or just goes in slowly?
0:16:16 > 0:16:20We're going to fold it in, so that we are protecting the air like that.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23And we're going to do that with...
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Look at the way it's... It's like a tsunami in there.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Yeah. Then our melted butter.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32- Mm-hm.- Then we're almost there.
0:16:32 > 0:16:33Just fold it through.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36What sort of consistency are you looking for with this?
0:16:36 > 0:16:39So you're making a kind of light batter consistency
0:16:39 > 0:16:43and you just need to make sure that you are absolutely folding from
0:16:43 > 0:16:44the bottom and lifting it up to the top.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46It's a definite technique, isn't it?
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- Yeah.- You're not kind of beating it up in any kind of way,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51- you're kind of lifting it up.- Yeah.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55And then that way you are just making sure you can't see any more
0:16:55 > 0:16:57of the butter and the flour.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59And we're almost done,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02and now I'm going to divide it between the two moulds there.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Apparently the royal cakes only ever have, "Happy Birthday," though,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07it doesn't say, "Happy Birthday, William,"
0:17:07 > 0:17:10or, "Happy Birthday, Harry," or something, just, "Happy Birthday,"
0:17:10 > 0:17:13and also never the number on either.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16That's very naff, apparently. This is news you can use.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19I know, I love it, I could listen to you all day.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21I'm going to pour these into the two moulds now.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23You want to try to make them as even as possible
0:17:23 > 0:17:25because it just makes the actual cake then,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28when you go to build it in layers, nice and even.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32- It makes it look better.- Yeah. - It's really glutinous, isn't it?
0:17:32 > 0:17:34- Yeah, it's lovely.- Look at the way it's glooping in there.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37It's lovely and warm now and that's why you can cook it at 160
0:17:37 > 0:17:40because usually you would cook cakes like this at 180 degrees.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44So you pop that into the oven, 160 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47It was Queen Mary's own royal chef at the time,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50it must have been in the early 1900s, who came up...
0:17:50 > 0:17:52His name was Gabriel Tschumi.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- He was Swiss, apparently. - Is there anything you don't know?
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Very little.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59I don't know how to cook. So what do you do next?
0:17:59 > 0:18:02OK, so once your batter's in the tin,
0:18:02 > 0:18:07you pop it in the oven for about 20-25 minutes at about 160 degrees.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09And this is what you get at the end of that?
0:18:09 > 0:18:11That's exactly what you get.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13The key to this cake is lots of layers of sponge
0:18:13 > 0:18:15and lots of layers of chocolate.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- Because you split them all in half? - That's right, yeah,
0:18:18 > 0:18:19they are all cut perfectly in half.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21And then on the outside,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23we're going to finish it again with more chocolate ganache,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25so it's chocolate on chocolate.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Ganache? What is a ganache?
0:18:27 > 0:18:32A ganache is this delightful, luxurious, silky chocolate filling.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36It's a real treat. So we melt cream and some sugar together in a pot
0:18:36 > 0:18:39and then just when it comes up to the boil,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41you pour it over your chocolate.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45- Ooh!- You let it rest for a minute or so.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47- Yes.- And then you just whisk it.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Why do you let it rest for a minute or so?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Why aren't you stirring away to get the chocolate melting?
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Well, you'd be removing some of the heat,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and this is the only heat that you need to make your ganache.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00You want it to be more like room temperature to build a cake because
0:19:00 > 0:19:02if it's too hot, it will just soak into the sponge.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Ah, right. So you can take your time over that?
0:19:05 > 0:19:09- Yeah, it's lovely, though.- I mean, there's no great rush here. - You wouldn't think it though,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11but by using a whisk, you stop incorporating air,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15because normally with a whisk it adds air, but with this, it doesn't.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17If you used a Maryse, it would actually add more air.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20- And you don't want air at this stage?- Not at this stage, no.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Look at this! Look at this!
0:19:23 > 0:19:27- Oh, wow!- Silky, shiny, gorgeous, perfect.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29- Oh, lovely!- Yes.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Now, this is a little bit hot for me to use,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- so I've got one that I made earlier on...- OK, in the tradition.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36..that I'm going to use.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39And if you swap places with me, I'll start to build this.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41- Only for a moment, though.- OK, so...
0:19:41 > 0:19:43I don't want to be too far away from this.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46I absolutely love building cakes. Right, so,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49in the centre of each kind of sponge,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52you're going to put some of the chocolate ganache.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56So the trick with this dish is not to hold on the chocolate, eh?
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Yeah. Chocolate, just more chocolate, more chocolate.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01- And then a bit more after that? - Yeah, that's it.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03It's certainly, on the outside,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06you're going to completely cover it in chocolate.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10So it feels like a special, celebratory kind of cake.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14And what is it about building cakes that appeals to you particularly?
0:20:14 > 0:20:16It's fun! You get to eat it.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Oh, yeah, yeah, but it's the building of it you like, isn't it?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I do, actually, I really like the building of it.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22It's therapeutic, I think.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25So we're almost done, three layers in.
0:20:25 > 0:20:26They're quite thin layers, though.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29I think the ratio of chocolate and sponge is just right, you know?
0:20:29 > 0:20:32If it was too big, you wouldn't really get your chocolate kick.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34- Really spoiling yourself. - Oh, yeah.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37The smell is absolutely fantastic, isn't it?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- Is that the last bit? - This is the last bit.
0:20:40 > 0:20:41This is when the real fun happens.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44OK, so we really need to get this on top.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Oh, now you're putting a lot more chocolate on the top
0:20:47 > 0:20:48than you did in the layers.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Yeah, so, then, because I need to get it all around the sides.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54So I'm going to gently nudge this over.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Oh, like, isn't this just so lovely? This is very therapeutic.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- I could do this all day. - They have it at all their birthdays,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04but the Queen had this especially, I think, on her 80th birthday,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07but with a special Highgrove twist to it.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11She had fruit from Highgrove actually in the cake.
0:21:11 > 0:21:12Oh, I think that would have been delicious.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16- Chocolate and fruit is classic. - Yet another layer inside.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18- Yeah.- You mustn't let any of the sponge come through, must you?
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Oh, I see, yes, sorry.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Now come on. You've got to fill it all in.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26You've got plenty of chocolate left.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30You spend a bit of time just making sure it's right.
0:21:30 > 0:21:31- Finito?- Finito.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Can I move the plate over?
0:21:33 > 0:21:36You're like the best helper ever.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Oh, wow, look at that!
0:21:38 > 0:21:42No, no, no. Come on, let's have a bit.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44Don't you start nibbling.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46I'm quite happy with that.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49That looks quite delicious. Let's get it cut.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Oh, I love, I love a sponge cake.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- Yeah!- It's so satisfying to cut.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Just think, the Queen has had 90 birthdays.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- Oh, actually, she has two birthdays a year, you know.- Oh, right.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04And she has the cake on each of the birthdays,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07so well over 100 of these cakes, she must have tried.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Oh, I'm so excited to try this.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Why are you putting it away from me?
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Because normally, I don't get a look-in when we go
0:22:15 > 0:22:17to eat a bit of chocolate. Look at that!
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Multistorey.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23- That's beautiful. - Terrific, isn't it? Just...- Yeah.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26- Oh, look at that! - After you, then, Anna.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Yes, it's all about me.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Anybody would have thought you'd have cooked it.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- Oh, I'm going to get the whole lot. - Mm.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- What a great recipe.- It is.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Lovely, the way you've got the layers.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43And it's really soft and light and you've got this rich chocolate.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- The chocolate is a delight.- Oh!
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Well, many happy returns!
0:22:51 > 0:22:53When it comes to birthdays,
0:22:53 > 0:22:57cake is a must-have and it usually follows a tasty, celebratory meal.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Royal chef Carolyn Robb produced many delicious birthday meals
0:23:05 > 0:23:07while working at the royal household.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09And today, she's going to make two courses
0:23:09 > 0:23:12from one of her favourite celebrations.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15I think the one I remember the most fondly was
0:23:15 > 0:23:17Prince Charles's 50th birthday
0:23:17 > 0:23:20because that was a party arranged for him by William and Harry.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22They took charge of everything, including the menu.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24It was a chicken dish, which was one of their favourites,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26it was always a family favourite,
0:23:26 > 0:23:31followed by ice cream, home-made ice cream and fruit from the garden.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34What we're going to do first is make some chicken mousse.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36So I've got 150g of chicken breast
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and just blend it a little bit.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45So that's broken down quite a bit. Now I'm going to add some basil.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47I always like to add lots and lots,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50just because it makes it such a gorgeous, pale green colour.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52And one of the reasons for doing this dish
0:23:52 > 0:23:55for Prince Charles's birthday was because he so loved herbs,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58and you are able to use them in abundance in this dish.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02I'm going to put a twist of pepper, add in some cream.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Right, one more stem and then I think that'll be enough.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18OK. It's a really lovely, fresh, vibrant green colour.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24The next stage is to make an incision into the chicken breast,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26all the way from the front to the back.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28This doesn't have to be perfectly neat.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32If a little bit comes out while it's cooking, it really doesn't matter.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35It's supposed to be a rustic dish.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Once Carolyn has stuffed the chicken,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40she adds a little butter and wraps in clingfilm.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42After poaching for 12 minutes,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45they are then pan-fried for a further four.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47So all we need to do now is plate it up.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Slice the chicken, just do it in four or five slices
0:24:51 > 0:24:53so you can see the nice mousse through the middle.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Carolyn served the chicken
0:24:55 > 0:24:57with some of Prince Charles's favourite vegetables -
0:24:57 > 0:24:59sauteed spinach and mushrooms
0:24:59 > 0:25:02accompanied by Boulangere potatoes
0:25:02 > 0:25:04and finished with a cream sauce.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Although it was a private party for personal friends,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10it was a really big event in many ways,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14because all of Prince Charles's 17 godchildren were invited.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17And together with Prince William and Prince Harry,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20they put on the most incredible production,
0:25:20 > 0:25:24a series of little skits and musical numbers, and it was amazing.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26This is one of my favourite dishes
0:25:26 > 0:25:30and I think it makes such a great birthday or celebration meal.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32It all goes together really well,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34and it was certainly a great favourite
0:25:34 > 0:25:36over many years of cooking in the royal household.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40But no birthday celebration would be complete without a sweet treat,
0:25:40 > 0:25:45and for Prince Charles's 50th, Carolyn made poached pears.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Today, I've chosen some Williams pears.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50They're quite firm still,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53which means they'll be absolutely perfect for poaching.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58There used to be wonderful pear trees in the gardens at Highgrove,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02so this was something that we did all the time, poached pears.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Prince Charles was always very keen to know where all his ingredients had come from.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09The fruit and vegetables largely came from the gardens.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11I'm now using a melon baller.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Just going to go in and scoop out.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15And that's really nice, when it's being eaten,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18you don't have to worry about any pips.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22And I'm just going to trim the bottom, so that when it's cooked,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25it stands up perfectly.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Carolyn poaches the pears in a vanilla, ginger
0:26:27 > 0:26:29and orange zest syrup.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32They take ten minutes to cook, before chilling in the fridge.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36They are then ready to serve along with vanilla ice cream.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38I've got everything ready for the dessert now.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41I have the ice cream, which has been setting overnight,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44and I have some pears that have been in the fridge overnight,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47so they've been soaking in this delicious orange and vanilla syrup.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49They will be really flavourful by now.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Now I'm going to plate it up.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53And I've got a little trick
0:26:53 > 0:26:56that I use to stop the ice cream from skating all over the plate.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Either put a little biscuit or a tiny little meringue
0:27:00 > 0:27:02or a macaroon, or today,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04I've got a few crumbs of honeycomb,
0:27:04 > 0:27:09and that just stops the ice cream from skating all over the plate.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12The ice cream sits on the top of that.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Ice cream was always a great favourite, particularly for birthdays.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18The favourite was vanilla ice cream, just a very simple,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21home-made vanilla with wonderful cream from the dairy at Windsor,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25and that was always served with fruit from the garden.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28While I was at the palace, obviously there were lots of birthdays.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Prince William and Prince Harry were quite small,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34so it was always fun doing birthday suppers for them
0:27:34 > 0:27:35and ice cream for pudding.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37And birthday cakes were great fun
0:27:37 > 0:27:41because they wanted all sorts of things like helicopters and motorbikes.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44We had great fun doing those...
0:27:44 > 0:27:46under their direction!
0:27:46 > 0:27:52And, of course, you always need a sprig of fresh mint - my favourite.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54So it is a very simple dessert,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57but it was always a great favourite.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01With Prince Charles's favourite poached pears and chicken supreme,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04it was certainly a birthday meal to remember.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Along with family and special guests,
0:28:08 > 0:28:12one person always present at royal birthdays is the household butler.
0:28:15 > 0:28:20Grant Harold here has been butler to Prince Charles and to Prince William
0:28:20 > 0:28:22and Prince Harry.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Royal birthdays have always, historically speaking, anyway,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26been pretty lavish affairs, haven't they?
0:28:26 > 0:28:29They have been in the past, especially in the Victorian times,
0:28:29 > 0:28:31when Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert,
0:28:31 > 0:28:35quite famously had a birthday at Sandringham in 1885.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39And they had things on the menu like turtle soup and game dishes and stag
0:28:39 > 0:28:42and oysters, so that was quite a very kind of formal event,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45which is obviously still remembered to this day.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49What about now? How big a contrast is a birthday party for one of the
0:28:49 > 0:28:52- younger royals now?- It's changed a lot, because that was quite formal,
0:28:52 > 0:28:54where today, it's not as formal.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57There is still protocol and ways to behave around them.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02But for example, Prince William's 21st was a safari-themed birthday party at Windsor Castle,
0:29:02 > 0:29:04so the guests, instead of being in the black tie,
0:29:04 > 0:29:06they turned up, I think,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09in lion suits and loincloths and that kind of thing.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12So it's very different to how it was say over 100 years ago.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Didn't he worry about how the older royals were going to...?
0:29:15 > 0:29:18I think he famously, I think Prince William actually said that, you know,
0:29:18 > 0:29:20his grandmother, the Queen, did actually comment about
0:29:20 > 0:29:23not being too sure about what she would wear
0:29:23 > 0:29:25and how it would all work, but she looked forward to it, apparently.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27And I think obviously, they all enjoyed it.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29The royals get some strange gifts, don't they?
0:29:29 > 0:29:30They do get some very strange gifts.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32It does make me laugh because
0:29:32 > 0:29:34when you hear they've been given a crocodile
0:29:34 > 0:29:36or an elephant or a beaver, where do you put it?
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Do you put the crocodile in the drawing room or something?
0:29:39 > 0:29:42I'm glad to say that they obviously go to London Zoo,
0:29:42 > 0:29:43who then look after them.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46There are some unusual gifts they've been given over the years.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48- Have you worked at any of these birthday parties?- I have.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50They are very private, as you can imagine.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53But the role of a butler is the same as what we would do during any kind
0:29:53 > 0:29:56of dinner or event. We'll line the table up, serving the table,
0:29:56 > 0:29:57looking after the guests,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59making sure the food goes out when it's hot.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02It's kind of running everything behind the scenes
0:30:02 > 0:30:06- so that out front it all runs beautifully.- The Queen, famously, has two birthdays, doesn't she?
0:30:06 > 0:30:07- How did that come about?- She does.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10I believe it was back in the time of George II.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13His birthday fell in November, which was obviously quite cold,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15and he wanted it to be in spring.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18So he had the idea that he would have his official birthday in November,
0:30:18 > 0:30:23and have his spring birthday in late spring, early summer.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25You say there are protocols and traditions surrounding
0:30:25 > 0:30:30the celebration of a royal birthday, what kind of things?
0:30:30 > 0:30:32I mean, for instance, are the staff expected to say,
0:30:32 > 0:30:34"Happy birthday, ma'am"?
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Yes. I mean, the wonderful thing is, when you work closely with them,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39you are expected to say happy birthday to them
0:30:39 > 0:30:41and acknowledge it's their birthday.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44And as you say, with protocol,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48it's quite normal if people want to give presents. Say for example,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51what's a really nice touch is to actually send it ahead of a party or after a party.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54What you don't want is people turning up on the day
0:30:54 > 0:30:56and suddenly giving the Queen all these gifts,
0:30:56 > 0:30:57which as lovely as it is,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00it can be a bit too much when you've got a couple of hundred turning up
0:31:00 > 0:31:03for a big event or something.
0:31:03 > 0:31:04My advice that I give to people
0:31:04 > 0:31:07is always send presents in advance, or after.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10I'll bear that in mind, thank you.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15From the safari-themed parties of the present
0:31:15 > 0:31:19to the decadent celebrations of the last century,
0:31:19 > 0:31:23some royal parties make more of a lasting impression than others.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33Historian Dr Annie Gray is en route to a venue which hosted one of
0:31:33 > 0:31:36the most lavish royal parties in Edwardian Britain.
0:31:36 > 0:31:42Birthday cake, balloons, party poppers.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46All of these things are part and parcel of a good birthday bash.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52But they don't quite cut it when you're holding a party for a king.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56The party was in honour of King Edward VII -
0:31:56 > 0:31:59well-known foodie and party animal.
0:32:01 > 0:32:06So what do you do when you hold a birthday bash for a king?
0:32:06 > 0:32:10Well, you hold it at the most fashionable hotel in town,
0:32:10 > 0:32:15and you serve it to your guests seated in a gondola,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19AND you serve the birthday cake on the back of a small elephant.
0:32:19 > 0:32:24That's exactly what happened here in June 1905.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31London's Savoy Hotel was the setting for this extravagant event.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33The King himself didn't attend,
0:32:33 > 0:32:37but that didn't stop any expense being spared.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41Footing the bill was American champagne millionaire George Kessler.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46The hotel archivist is Susan Scott.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48This is just absolutely incredible.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53So in 1905, this was an open courtyard,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55there was a gondola in the middle of the courtyard,
0:32:55 > 0:32:59- which was full of water? - Two gondolas.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00They had one big gondola,
0:33:00 > 0:33:03which was the one that had the dining table in it,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05and then there was a smaller one
0:33:05 > 0:33:08in which they put the band who played for the evening.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10The whole space was flooded.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13They used putty to seal every single doorway,
0:33:13 > 0:33:16anything that looked like it might leak.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18The piece de resistance, as if that were not enough,
0:33:18 > 0:33:22is they brought in a baby elephant, with an enormous...
0:33:22 > 0:33:24I think it had something like five tiers,
0:33:24 > 0:33:28this huge birthday cake on its back.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Essentially, money was no object.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36The historic Savoy has a treasure trove of an archive,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39which details this extraordinary party.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45This is the line-up of all the actual guests at the party.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48The headlines are incredible, aren't they?
0:33:48 > 0:33:50"Money-mad rich."
0:33:50 > 0:33:54£125 a head is an enormous amount.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58I mean, it's the salary of a really top notch cook in a private household.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00This was something quite spectacular,
0:34:00 > 0:34:04it really was above and beyond the usual standard of extravagance.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08Although Edward didn't attend the party,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10he'd been a regular visitor as Prince of Wales.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12In fact, his aristocratic set
0:34:12 > 0:34:15helped make supper at the Savoy an institution
0:34:15 > 0:34:17amongst smart society.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21When people saw that they would come and have a lunch in a hotel,
0:34:21 > 0:34:23which essentially was the same as dining in public,
0:34:23 > 0:34:26instead of in their own private homes, it changed everything.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Suddenly, everybody started coming.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31One of the Prince's draws to the hotel
0:34:31 > 0:34:34was its famous chef, Auguste Escoffier,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37the father of modern French cuisine.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41Savoy patissier Luc Bigeard still uses his recipes.
0:34:43 > 0:34:44The name Escoffier,
0:34:44 > 0:34:46for anybody who cooks,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49is up there with a sort of halo around it.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52He is the base of, I would say, almost everything.
0:34:52 > 0:34:57Escoffier often named dishes after famous customers,
0:34:57 > 0:34:58including the classic Peach Melba,
0:34:58 > 0:35:03a tribute to the Australian opera singer, Nellie Melba.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06We'll start with the yellow poached peach.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09And they've just been poached in sugar syrup or wine?
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Vanilla and sugar syrup, really important.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Vanilla is the secret.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17We're going to add one fresh raspberry.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21A bit of raspberry coulis.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25And we put one scoop of vanilla ice cream.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Make a nice rosette of Chantilly.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Raspberry coulis on top.
0:35:31 > 0:35:37And then some caramelised almonds.
0:35:37 > 0:35:38Oh, my goodness!
0:35:38 > 0:35:43- So, the iced swan...- An iced swan!
0:35:43 > 0:35:45When Edward VII came to the throne,
0:35:45 > 0:35:48he threw out what he saw as Victorian excess,
0:35:48 > 0:35:51and did bring in this kind of much more simplified idea
0:35:51 > 0:35:54of very pure French style food.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56And, actually, when I look at this,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59there is a sort of joy in its simplicity.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02- Yes.- Even though it's not actually very simple at all.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05It's simplicity, but it's magical.
0:36:05 > 0:36:10The combination of everything, the taste, the presentation.
0:36:10 > 0:36:11It's really nice.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19Pastry maid Mildred Nicholls was in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace
0:36:19 > 0:36:21at the end of King Edward's reign
0:36:21 > 0:36:23and her notebook is full of French classics,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25including a baba,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28which inspired another pudding called a savarin.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35There were lots of other favourite dishes for the royals' birthday parties,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38they were such extraordinarily lavish affairs.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40You've got one, I think.
0:36:40 > 0:36:46A pudding from the 21st birthday party of King Edward VII's eldest son.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48Today I'm going to make savarin a l'orange.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52It's the type of pudding you want to have at a big festival
0:36:52 > 0:36:55or a big party. So I think I should get started.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58I've already got a basic kind of dough in here,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01just with the addition of eggs and orange zest.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04Now I'm going to add the butter in, bit by bit.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06This is exactly how you would make a brioche dough.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09You want to add your butter bit by bit
0:37:09 > 0:37:13so that it incorporates really well in with the mix.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17And it's going to end up as a kind of rum baba.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21I love rum baba. It's absolutely one of my favourite desserts, so, yeah,
0:37:21 > 0:37:23it's kind of like a rum baba
0:37:23 > 0:37:25in a way that it has the rum and the syrup
0:37:25 > 0:37:27and you soak the bread in it,
0:37:27 > 0:37:31but because a savarin is more to do with the shape of the moulds,
0:37:31 > 0:37:35we're calling it a savarin, but it's a very similar idea to a rum baba.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39I wonder where it comes from, baba, it doesn't sound French, does it?
0:37:39 > 0:37:42Michael, I expected you to be teaching me this!
0:37:42 > 0:37:43I'll show you how to make it,
0:37:43 > 0:37:45but you're supposed to tell me where it comes from.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48I could pretend. But actually, interestingly,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51the kitchen maid from Buckingham Palace,
0:37:51 > 0:37:53her recipe book in the early 1900s,
0:37:53 > 0:37:56it's got a recipe for babas.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59I think more of an everyday royal baba.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01- This is a birthday party rum baba. - I love it - everyday royal baba!
0:38:01 > 0:38:04Yes, an everyday royal baba.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06"Mix well," it says.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08But she didn't have one of these mixers?
0:38:08 > 0:38:10No, and I can't imagine what that was like.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Trying to make a baba, a brioche,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16or a savarin dough without a machine would be a nightmare.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Exactly. Mildred must have had strong forearms, I think.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Yes, like Popeye!
0:38:22 > 0:38:24So we are almost there.
0:38:24 > 0:38:25You've got to have a bit of patience.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28I'm trying to throw the butter in there because I just want to do it,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31but really it's about adding it at the right pace.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33But... Oops!
0:38:33 > 0:38:35Then you're going to let it double in size,
0:38:35 > 0:38:37then you're going to knock it back.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40That means you're going to take all your anger out on the dough
0:38:40 > 0:38:42and punch all the air out of it.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45- Why are you pushing all the air out? - Because we are exercising the dough.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47You want to let it stretch.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50That's proving it. Then you've got to knock it back,
0:38:50 > 0:38:52so it can reprove again inside your mould,
0:38:52 > 0:38:54so it can be perfect and light.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56- Giving it a work-out.- Yes, exactly.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Cover that with clingfilm, let it double in size.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Pop it in the oven, and then it comes out like this.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03- It does look good. - Doesn't it look good?
0:39:03 > 0:39:05And this is when the fun really starts
0:39:05 > 0:39:07because this is when we are going to soak it.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11We are going to warm up your sugar, your rum and your orange juice,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14and add your orange zest in there as well.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17You want to just spike the savarin dough quite a bit
0:39:17 > 0:39:21so that when you pour your syrup on, it soaks through.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24You want to be able to soak it as quickly as possible.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27You want the stuff to go down those drain holes.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30- Exactly.- That's a top tip.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Otherwise it would just slope off the side, wouldn't it?
0:39:33 > 0:39:36That's it, or it tends to just soak really slowly.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39This is about soaking it as quickly as possible
0:39:39 > 0:39:44because you do want your savarin to soak while it's warm, ideally.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49It's amazing when you think of what these people ate.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52- I know.- This is at the end of a meal.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55A 21st birthday party for Prince Albert Victor, at Sandringham.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Do you know what else they had before they even got round to this?
0:39:58 > 0:40:00- No, but I know you're going to tell me.- I've got it written down here.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04They had, "Partridge, wild duck, pheasant, stag, turkey, salmon,
0:40:04 > 0:40:07"oysters and turbot dressed in a lobster champagne sauce."
0:40:07 > 0:40:11- Oh, my God!- How much room would you have for your savarin after that, do you think?
0:40:11 > 0:40:13They must have been dancing and having fun,
0:40:13 > 0:40:15and it must be over a whole day, you know.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18They had nothing else to do but party. They were very lucky.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Probably about the fourth meal of the day.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23OK, look, it's soaking in, isn't it?
0:40:23 > 0:40:26You want to continue adding all your syrup in gradually
0:40:26 > 0:40:28every kind of five minutes or so,
0:40:28 > 0:40:30until it's completely soaked through.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Which I have already done for you, Michael.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37So here we have, this is the same, just turned the other way around.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39It looks really soaked in the stuff.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41But it's not finished. We have to finish it.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45We need some cream and then we're going to, just at the end,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48grate a little bit of the orange zest on top.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50It just gives it that lovely, fresh,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52kind of perfumey flavour from the orange.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56So, I know you don't like cream, or sweets...
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- Can't stand the stuff.- No!
0:40:58 > 0:40:59So, a nice, generous...
0:40:59 > 0:41:01You've put some candied orange around the bottom.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Yes. So that means with each slice,
0:41:04 > 0:41:07you've got a bit of bite of the candied zest.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Different texture, sharper taste, in fact.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- That looks good, doesn't it? - It does look good.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17And then we're going to finish it with a bit of zest.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21I love, I mean, my God, the smell that you get of the zest of...
0:41:21 > 0:41:24- It's fabulous. - Oh, it's lovely, isn't it?
0:41:24 > 0:41:27- And you don't have to get that white bit of the pith.- Exactly.
0:41:27 > 0:41:32You just want to be careful you're just taking little shavings of it off.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34You know, it was a birthday party.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36It is a birthday cake, do you think candles?
0:41:36 > 0:41:39No! No, candles would ruin it.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Anyway, there's a lot of rum in there, it might flambe up!
0:41:42 > 0:41:45They are naff anyway, aren't they, candles on birthday cakes?
0:41:45 > 0:41:47Unless you're five years old.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51It seems a shame to cut it.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53- But we will.- Oh, we will.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55There we go. I've got a plate.
0:41:55 > 0:41:56Can you hear that?
0:41:56 > 0:41:59That sounds delicious.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03It's kind of sucking, almost, isn't it? There's a bit of a glug.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05This sounds good.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Excellent.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Oh, look how the booze has soaked through.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15I'll give you a little bit of extra cream, that's the best...
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Don't stint on the cream, no.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19That's not the best bit, the rum's the best bit.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Here we go.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24- You go first.- No, after you, you're the cook.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26- OK, OK.- I wouldn't normally be like this.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29- I'd be in it before you. - Look at that.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34- I think you got...- The best bit. - ..the best bit.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Here we go.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Is it soggy or is it soggy?
0:42:41 > 0:42:43That is so good.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49You can really get the orange in it.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51The squeeze of booze and the orange.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55Actually, that's really nice. I should think Prince Albert Victor,
0:42:55 > 0:42:58if he were still conscious by this time,
0:42:58 > 0:43:02hadn't eaten himself under the table, had a great birthday party.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04That's brilliant, well done, Anna.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07That's it from our celebration of royal birthdays.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09See you next time.