Prep 1hr (+20min resting, 2hr chilling and 30min cooling time)Bake 12-15min (per batch)Makes 24

Made by Make Me a Baker student Theresa Ling these Portuguese Custard Tarts will be some of the best you will try. The main trick with these tarts is to bake them at a very high heat (often as hot as your oven will go) for a short period of time to make sure the pastry is lovely and crisp while not over cooking the luscious creamy custard filling, creating a wonderful contrast between the two. 

If you've never made portuguese custard tarts before or haven't got the results you wanted from a previous attempt CLICK HERE for my top tips when making them
at home before you start.

Ingredients

Icing sugar and ground cinnamon (optional), to sprinkle

Rough Puff Pastry

225g (1½ cups) plain flour  
½ teaspoon salt
140g water
225g unsalted butter, softened

Custard

Method

1. To make the Rough Puff Pastry, place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water and mix with a paddle beater on low speed until well combined and a dough forms. Transfer the dough to a clean bench top and knead until smooth. Shape into a square about 1cm thick, wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
   
2. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the pastry out on a well floured surface to a 35cm square, keeping the edges as neat as possible. Use your fingers to dot small pieces of 75g of the softened butter over the left two-thirds of the pastry, leaving about a 1cm border, and then spread it with your fingers so it covers the pastry roughly. Fold over the unbuttered right hand third of pastry, brush away any excess flour, then fold over the left hand third to cover. Starting from the top, use the rolling pin to tap the pastry widthways to release any air pockets and then press the open edges with your fingertips to seal and enclose the butter. Turn the pastry a quarter turn anticlockwise and then fold in the right hand third of pastry then fold over the left hand third to cover. Again, tap it gently widthways with the rolling pin.
3. Reroll the pastry to a 35cm square and, with the folded edge closest to you repeat step 2 one more time, dotting and spreading the left hand two thirds with 75g of the remaining softened butter, folding, turning anti-clockwise and folding again.
4. Reroll the pastry to a 35cm x 40cm rectangle. With a short edge closest to you, dot and spread the 75g of remaining softened butter over the whole surface, leaving a 1cm border. Starting from the short edge, roll into a tight log. Use a sharp knife to trim the ends and then cut the log in half. Wrap the logs separately in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours before using (see Baker’s Tips).
5. Place two pizza stones in the oven, one in the top third and one in the bottom third. Place an oven rack in between them. Preheat oven to 300°C (280°C fan-forced) for at least 1 hour.
6. To make the Custard, place the flour in a medium bowl and use a balloon whisk to gradually stir in 60ml (¼ cup) of the milk until smooth and well combined. Place the remaining milk in a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer over a medium heat. Use the balloon whisk to gradually stir the hot milk into the flour mixture and stir until smooth and well combined. Combine the sugar, water and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and simmer until it reaches 100°C on a thermometer. Remove the cinnamon sticks from the sugar syrup and gradually stir into the milk mixture. Add the vanilla and stir until cooled slightly. Stir in the egg yolks until evenly combined. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool, stirring occasionally, this will take about 30 minutes (see Baker’s Tips).
7. Cut one of the pastry logs into twelve 1.5cm lengths (each portion will be about 25g) and place each portion, with a cut side facing up, into an ungreased 50ml capacity (3cm base measurement and 6.5cm top measurement) round-based tartlet tin (see Baker’s Tips). Using your thumb, gently press into the centre of a pastry portion towards the base until about 5mm thick, and then, using your thumbs and working around the tart case, gently ease the pastry up the sides thinning it to about 5mm thick and so it extends about 2mm above the tart tin and forms a thicker lip at the top. Repeat with the remaining pastry portions.
8. Place the tart tins on a heavy oven tray. Divide half the cooled custard among the pastry cases, filling each to no more than 5mm from the top edge of the pastry. Bake the tarts between the pizza stones in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and baked through, and the custard is just set and partially charred on the top.
9. Remove the tarts from the oven and set aside to cool slightly for 2-3 minutes before removing from the tins. Repeat with the remaining pastry log and custard mixture to make 12 more tarts.
10. Sprinkle the tarts with icing sugar and/or cinnamon if desired and serve warm or at room temperature (see Baker’s Tips).

Prep 30min (+2hr cooling and overnight chilling time)Bake 45-50minMakes 8-10 serves

Created by Make Me a Baker student Jenny Wong for her graduation, this gorgeous cake is 'tea time' in a cake bringing together orange-scented chiffon cake and the subtle floral notes of French Earl Grey tea. And to make it complete, it's served with an Earl Grey tea-infused whipped cream and, of course a cup of freshly brewed French Earl Grey tea.

You will need a 21cm (base measurement) specialty angel food cake tin (basically a deep ring tin with a removable base and small 'feet' around the top rim) to make this recipe and they are available from specialty kitchenware stores. The key to achieving the classic feather-like texture of a chiffon cake is to make sure you leave it suspended in the inverted tin until cooled completely so that it doesn’t compress as it cools.

Ingredients

• 6 x T2 French Earl Grey tea bags
• 160ml ( ⅔ cup) boiling water
• 185g (1¼ cups) self-raising flour
• 30g (¼ cup) cornflour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 x 59g eggs, at room temperature, separated
  
• 200g caster sugar, plus 110g (½ cup) extra
  
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
  
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
  
• 100ml vegetable oil
  
• Icing sugar, to dust
  
• Dried edible flowers, to decorate (optional) (see Baker's Tips)

Earl Grey Whipped Cream

• 125ml (½ cup) full-cream milk
• 4 x T2 French Earl Grey tea bags
• 300ml thickened cream
• 1 ½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest
• 1 ½ teaspoons natural vanilla essence or extract

Method

1. To make the Earl Grey Whipped Cream, place the milk and tea bags in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Remove form the heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a container or bowl, cover and place in the fridge to chill (preferably overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Place an ungreased 21cm (base measurement) angel food cake tin on an oven tray.
3. Place the tea bags in a jug, pour the boiling water over and set aside to infuse until the water is warm.
4. Sift the flour, cornflour, cream of tartar and salt onto a piece of baking paper twice.
5. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk the egg yolks and 200g caster sugar on high speed until thick and pale. Whisk in the orange zest and vanilla.
6. Squeeze the tea bags to extract as much flavour as possible into the warm tea-infused water and measure 125ml ( ½ cup) - it should be dark in colour and very fragrant.
7. Combine the warm tea and oil. Add the oil mixture to the egg mixture and whisk on low speed until well combined, scraping the side and the base of the bowl if necessary. With the motor running on low speed, add the flour mixture all at once and whisk gently until just combined. Transfer the mixture to a separate large bowl and set aside. Clean and dry the whisk and mixing bowl.
8. Use the electric mixer with the whisk attachment to whisk the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 110g caster sugar and whisk until thick and glossy and the sugar has dissolved. Add about a third of the egg whites to the yolk mixture and use a large metal spoon or spatula to fold through until well combined. Add the remaining egg white mixture and fold until just combined.
9. Spoon the mixture into the ungreased tin and gently smooth the surface with the back of a metal spoon. Bake in the lower third of the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until well risen, golden, and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
10. Immediately turn the cake upside down on a wire rack and set aside, still in the tin so it is suspended, for 2 hours or until it is completely cool – don’t be tempted to remove it while still warm (see Baker's Tips).
11. To finish the Earl Grey Whipped Cream, squeeze the tea bags to extract as much flavour as possible and then measure 60ml (1/4 cup) of the milk – it should be a pale Masala Chai colour and very fragrant. Use a balloon whisk the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Add the orange zest and vanilla and then whisk in the chilled Earl Grey-infused milk until soft peaks form again. Cover and chill until serving.
    
12. Carefully run a small palette knife around the side of the tin to release the cake. Invert the cake onto a serving plate or cake stand, and gently shake the tin to release the cake. Then use the palette knife to release the cake from the base of the tin and remove (see Baker's Tips). Serve dusted liberally with icing sugar and edible flowers (if using), and accompanied by the Earl Grey Whipped Cream.

Prep 30min (+2hr chilling and decorating time)Bake 20-25minMakes about 25 cookies

Use this recipe as the base for cookies decorated with either royal icing (like these gorgeous Iced Heart Cookies) or fondant. The sweetness of the icing complements the spicy gingerbread base perfectly and lays down a canvas for you to create something extra special for customers, friends and family.

Ingredients

125g salted butter, softened
90g (½ cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
235g (160ml/⅔ cup) golden syrup
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract or essence
375g (2½ cups) plain flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Use an electric mixer with a paddle beater attachment to beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and vanilla and beat to combine evenly. Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda. Add to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until just combined evenly and a soft dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into a disc about 2cm thick, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2 hours or until firm enough to roll easily.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Line two large oven trays with baking paper.
   
3. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out one portion of the dough (leave the remaining portion in the fridge) on a lightly floured benchtop to 6mm thick. Use cutter/s of your choice, approximately 7.5cm across at the widest part, to cut out shapes and then use a palette knife to carefully transfer the shapes to the prepared oven trays, leaving a little room between each for
   spreading. Reroll any dough scraps to make more shapes. Discard any offcuts from the second rolling. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread dough portion.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through baking, or until the cookies are just starting to colour and are cooked through. Stand the cookies on the trays for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Prep 1-2hr (+drying time)Makes about 25 biscuits

If you're keen to show your loved one/s just how much they mean to you by baking them something irresistibly sweet, then you really can't go past a batch of these gorgeous cookies! The style of decorating used to create them is called 'flood on flood' icing and is a really effective way to decorate gingerbread or sugar biscuits. The key is to be patient, try not to rush and remember your designs will improve with practice. You will need at least three small piping bags and three Wilton or Loyal #4 round piping nozzles for this style. This Royal Icing recipe makes about 3 cups of icing and is enough to decorate about 25 average-sized cookies.

Ingredients

Gel food colours of your choice (we have used shades of 'rose pink' and 'raspberry'), to tint
About 25 gingerbread cookies
Edible sprinkles, to decorate

Royal Icing

3 egg whites (from 59g eggs) or 90g pasteurized egg whites (see Baker’s Tips)
675g (1½ cups) pure icing sugar, sifted through a fine sifter
½-3 teaspoons strained fresh lemon juice
Room temperature water, to thin icing

Method

1. To make the Royal Icing, place the egg whites then the icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the paddle beater to beat on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. The icing will be smooth and thick at this stage. Add the lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon at a time, beating well between each addition, until the icing reaches a good piping consistency. The icing should be the consistency of toothpaste - soft but will hold its shape and form a soft peak when the beater is lifted.
   
2. Immediately cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a damp  tea towel or cloth to prevent it from drying out (see Baker’s Tips).
   
3. Divide the icing evenly between 3-5 small bowls (depending on how many different coloured icings you would like to use - we used 4 for these cookies including the white) and cover each bowl well. Transfer one white icing portion to a small piping bag fitted with a Wilton or Loyal #4 round piping tip (this will be used to pipe the outlines). Working with one portion of the remaining icing at a time, tint to desired colours, then add a little water, a drop at a time, and use a small palette knife or metal spoon to stir until it reaches the right consistency for ‘flooding’ (see Baker’s Tips). As soon as each portion reaches the right consistency, spoon into a small piping bag fitted with a Wilton or Loyal #4 round piping tip. Twist the end of the piping bag and seal with a clip or elastic band (this will help prevent it from drying out). Cover the tip with plastic wrap and then a damp cloth or tea towel and set aside while tinting and thinning the remaining icing portions.
4. Use the white icing to pipe an outline around the inside edge of a cookie to create a border so that the icing in the centre won’t flow over the edge. Set aside for 3-5 minutes or until firm but not set.
5. Pipe a tinted icing into the centre of a cookie to 'flood' it (making sure there will be enough to cover it comfortably but not too much so that the icing flows over the piped border). Use a toothpick to carefully spread the icing to cover fully, if needed, and then let the icing settle and become smooth. To achieve a ‘flood on flood’ effect (so that the pattern sinks into the base icing), while the icing is still wet, use contrasting tinted icing/s to pipe the stripes, dots or patterns onto the flooded icing (see Baker’s Tips). We created the heart pattern by piping dots and then dragging a toothpick through the dot from top to bottom and a little beyond. Sprinkle with edible sprinkles to decorate, if desired.
6. Set iced cookies aside to dry completely overnight before storing (see Baker’s Tips).
   

Prep 25minBake 40minMakes 6 serves

Ingredients

750g white or yellow nectarines
300g fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries
55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
3 teaspoons rosewater, or to taste
1½ tablespoons plain flour

Pistachio topping
75g (½ cup) plain flour
55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
80g chilled butter, diced
50g pistachio kernels, chopped, toasted

Honey yoghurt
200g tub Greek-style yoghurt
1 tablespoon pure honey, or to taste

Method

This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Stone Fruit.

CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.

Photography by Alan Benson.

Prep 1hr (+ 2hr cooling and pastry making time)Bake 45-50minMakes 12 small pies

Meat pies are the quintessential Aussie bakery favourite... But they are even better when homemade!

Ingredients

3 quantities Basic Shortcrust Pastry, each quantity shaped into a disc before wrapping and chilling as directed
1 egg, lightly whisked
Sesame seeds, to sprinkle (optional)

Filling

35g (1¼ oz/¼ cup) plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1kg (2lb 3oz) trimmed chuck steak, cut into 2cm (¾in) pieces (see Baker's Tips)
60ml (2fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil
1 large brown onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, trimmed and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
250ml (9fl oz/1 cup) good-quality beef stock
500ml (17fl oz/2 cups) water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Method

1. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Place in a large bowl with the diced steak and toss to coat.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a high heat and cook half the diced steak, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until sealed. Remove from the pan, scraping any cooked-on bits from the base, and set aside. Repeat with another tablespoon oil and the remaining steak.
3. Clean the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, celery and carrot and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute, stirring occasionally, or until aromatic. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Return the steak to the pan with the stock, water and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover with a piece of baking paper and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and then simmer for a further 1 hour, stirring frequently or until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce consistency. Transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl, cover loosely and place in the fridge, stirring occasionally, until cooled to room temperature (this will take about 2 hours).
5. When ready to assemble the pies, preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C/350°C fan-forced). Unwrap one of the pastry discs and place on a lightly floured, cool bench top. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the pastry disc until about 3mm (1⁄8 in) thick. Use a 14cm (5½in) pastry cutter, saucer or upturned bowl as a guide to cut out 6 rounds, re-rolling any leftover pastry if necessary. Gently ease the pastry discs into the holes of an ungreased 12-hole 80ml (2¾fl oz/1⁄3 cup) muffin tray to line six holes. Use your fingertips to press it gently into the corners without stretching it – the pastry will reach above the top of the muffin pans and buckle slighlty. Repeat with another pastry disc to make 12 pastry cases in total. Divide the steak mixture between the pastry cases to fill (you may have a little mixture left over).
6. Roll out the remaining pastry to about 3mm (1⁄8in) thick and use a 7cm (2¾in) round pastry cutter to cut out 12 lids. Use a small sharp knife to cut a small steam hole in the centre of each round (see Baker’s Tips). Place a lid over the mixture to cover each pie, brush each lid with the whisked egg and then fold the excess pastry from the bases over the top of the lids, crimping and pressing together to seal. Brush the top of each pie with some more of the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
7. Bake the pies in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through and golden. Stand the pies in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out and serving.

Prep 1hr45min (+ preparation time for Lemon Drizzle Pound Cakes, Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Striped Meringue Kisses)Bake 20minMakes about 20 serves

Created by Make Me a Baker student Janet Jackson for her graduation, this gorgeous cake brings together a selection of the techniques that she learnt during the 6-month program.

Janet said, "I love to bake cakes and have always admired decorated cakes but have never had the confidence to try one for myself.  For my graduation bake, I wanted to bake and decorate a cake using produce from my garden at home and techniques I had learnt through the MMAB program.  I trialled many different versions of lemon cake, some with poppy seeds and others with sour cream and Greek yoghurt, before settling on this delicious lemon drizzle cake which is lusciously moist and filled with the zing of freshly picked lemons."  

Ingredients

Edible flowers, to decorate (optional)
3 Lemon Drizzle Pound Cakes
2 quantities Swiss Meringue Buttercream
5-15 yellow Striped Meringue Kisses

Lemon Curd
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
165g (¾ cup) caster sugar
80g unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

Lemon Crumb
60g unsalted butter, chilled, diced
80g plain flour
50g caster sugar
1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Candied Lemon Curls
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
250ml (1 cup) water
½ lemon

Method

1. To make the Lemon Curd, use a balloon whisk to whisk the whole egg, egg yolk and sugar in a medium saucepan until smooth. Add the butter, juice and zest and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (if you run your finger across the back of the spoon through the curd a line should remain when ready and the mixture should be 70°C on a sugar thermometer). Do not boil. Stain through a sieve into a bowl (see Baker’s Tips). Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using.
2. To make the Lemon Crumb, preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper. Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture just comes together in a dough. Use your fingers to press the dough onto the lined baking tray until about 3mm thick and bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until pale golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely on the tray. Once cooled, break up the biscuit and process in the food processor again using the pulse button until a coarse crumb forms. Transfer the crumbs back to the lined tray and bake for a further 8 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool on the tray (see Baker’s Tips).
3. To make the Candied Lemon Curls, line a baking tray with baking paper. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind from the lemon in long strips. Use a small sharp knife to remove any white pitch from the rind and then cut the rind into long, thin strips. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the lemon rind, bring to a simmer and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the rind is translucent. Remove the saucepan from the heat and use a skewer to remove the lemon strips, one at a time, from the syrup and twist around the round handle of a wooden spoon to make the curls. Allow to stand for about 5 seconds and then remove carefully from the wooden spoon by sliding off the end of the handle, using the skewer to help carefully release them if necessary. Set aside on the lined tray. Repeat with the remaining lemon rind strips.
4. To assemble the cake, use a large sharp serrated knife to level the tops of the Lemon Drizzle Pound Cakes if necessary. Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or cake stand. Spoon about a quarter of the Swiss Meringue Buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a #11 (1.1cm) round piping nozzle and pipe a border of buttercream around the top outside edge of the cake. Spoon about ⅓ cup of the chilled lemon curd into the centre of the cake and spread evenly to the buttercream. Spoon about ⅓ cup of the remaining buttercream in small dollops over the lemon curd and use a small palette knife or the back of a metal spoon to spread gently to cover the curd. Continue to layer the cake, curd and buttercream finishing with a cake layer.
5. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream creating a semi-naked look. Decorate with the Striped Meringue Kisses, Lemon Crumb and Candied Lemon Curls and embellish with fresh flowers if desired.

Prep 20min (+ cooling time)Bake 50-55minMakes 10 serves

Simple yet sublime. This pound cake is infused with a tangy lemon syrup and is perfect to serve on its own with a cuppa or used as a base for a more elaborate celebration cake. This recipe was originally published in BakeClass.

Ingredients

• Melted butter, to grease
  250g unsalted butter at room temperature, cubed
  220g (1 cup) caster sugar
  Finely grated lemon zest of 1 lemon
  4 eggs, at room temperature
  250g (1⅔ cups) plain flour
  2½ teaspoons baking powder
  2 tablespoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
  

Lemon Syrup

55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
2 tablespoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 20cm (base measurement) round cake tin or springform pan with melted butter and line the base with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl until pale and creamy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Use a spatula to fold half of the flour mixture through the batter mixture. Fold in the lemon juice and then the remaining flour mixture until just combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile, to make the Lemon Syrup, combine the caster sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and set aside until the cake is cooked.
7. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, brush the top with a little of the syrup. Leave the cake to stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Brush the top of the cake with the remaining syrup and set aside to cool.

Prep 35-40minMakes about 3 cups

Ingredients

4 egg whites (from 59g/2oz eggs), at room temperature
220g (1 cup/7¾oz) caster sugar
250g (9oz) unsalted butter, cut into 8 equal portions, at room temperature
Good pinch of salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract, or to taste
Food colouring gel of your choice (optional)

Method

1. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a large heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water). Stir with a whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 65°C/150°F on a sugar thermometer.
2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium-high speed with the whisk attachment for 10-15 minutes or until very thick and glossy and the mixture has cooled completely to room temperature.
3. Replace the whisk attachment with the paddle beater. Beat on medium-high speed using the paddle beater for about 10 minutes adding a portion of butter one at a time and beating well after each addition until completely incorporated and smooth before adding the next portion of butter. If the mixture becomes lumpy or looks slightly curdled at any stage increase the speed to high and beat until smooth before adding the next portion of butter.
4. Reduce speed to medium-low and beat for 3-4 minutes and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the salt and vanilla. Tint with gel colour to desired colour if using. Use imediately.

Prep 25minBake 18-20minMakes 8 serves

There are two main tricks when making a sponge: don’t over whisk the mixture once you have added the flour, and keep a close eye on your sponge in the oven – it will be dry if over baked.

Ingredients

15g butter, melted and combined with 1½ teaspoons plain flour
4 x 59g eggs, at room temperature
165g (¾ cup) caster sugar
60ml (¼ cup) milk
30g butter, room temperature, diced
110g (¾ cup) self-raising flour, plus extra to dust
30g (¼ cup) cornflour
125ml (½ cup) pure cream, chilled
225g (⅔ cup) strawberry or raspberry jam
Icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. To make the Sponge Layers, place the oven rack in the oven so that the cake tins will sit in the middle of the oven and then preheat it to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush two shallow 20cm/8in round cake tins with the melted butter mixture to grease and line the base of each with a round of non-stick baking paper. Brush the bases again with the melted butter mixture.
2. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed to whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well after each addition, until the mixture is very thick and pale (this will take about 8 minutes). Lift the whisk out of the mixture and draw a figure eight, if the trail stays on the surface long enough to finish drawing, then the mixture is ready. If not, continue to whisk for a further minute.
3. Meanwhile, heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until almost simmering. Remove from heat and pour down the side of the mixing bowl. Quickly sift the flour and cornflour together over the egg mixture and then immediately whisk again with the electric mixer on low speed briefly until the flour mixture is just incorporated (be careful not to overmix). Scrape the base of the bowl and then whisk briefly again, if necessary.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake tins (see Baker’s Tips) and gently tap the tins on the bench top three times to settle the mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until the cakes are a pale golden colour, spring back when lightly touched in the centre and start pulling away from the sides of the tins. Remove from the oven and immediately use a small palette knife to loosen the top of the sponges from the tins and turn onto a wire rack (see Baker’s Tips), top side up, to cool completely.
5. When ready to fill, use a hand-held electric mixer with a whisk attachment or a balloon whisk to whisk the cream until soft-firm peaks form. Spread one cake with the jam and then the whipped cream. Top with the remaining cake and dust with icing sugar.
   

Prep 20min (+cooling time)Bake 35-40minMakes 8-10 serves

I love this tart – a no-fuss, slice-like affair of buttery shortbread layers filled with jam and nuts. Research has revealed no reason why this tart is Belgian, but it brings back vivid childhood memories of my mum, Jocelyn, making it in two enamel plates, throwing them in the oven and then, once cool, covering them with foil to take to a picnic or tennis day. I remember it so clearly when I make the tart now (with a few small alterations) in my own kitchen. 

Ingredients

185g (6½oz) salted butter, softened slightly
150g (5¼oz) caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
260g (9¼) plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
165g (5¾oz) mixed berry jam (see Baker’s Tips)
70g (½ cup/6oz) unsalted raw peanuts (or nuts of your choice)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F (140°C/285°F fan-forced).
2. Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until well combined. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and process to combine, scraping down the side of the bowl if necessary. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture and use the pulse butter to process until just combined and a soft dough forms.
3. Press half of the mixture evenly over the base of an ungreased 23cm/9in tart tin with removable base. Spread evenly with the jam, leaving a 2cm/¾in border. Press portions of the remaining dough between your hands to flatten and press over the jam to cover, patching where necessary. Sprinkle with the peanuts and press into the dough.
4. Place the tart tin on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Leave the tart to cool in the tin and then serve in wedges.
   

Prep 15min (+chilling time)

Shortcrust pastry, when you have a good recipe, is one of the simplest and quickest pastries to make. This sweet vanilla variety is great with a Classic Apple Pie.

Ingredients

200g (1⅓ cups) plain flour
2 tablespoons almond meal
2 tablespoons caster sugar
150g chilled salted butter, cubed
3 tablespoons iced water
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Method

1. Combine the flour, almond meal and caster sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and use the pulse button to pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Remove the lid of the food processor and sprinkle the water over the flour mixture and then add the vanilla bean paste. Continue to process using the pulse button until the mixture is evenly combined and just starts to come together (but hasn’t as yet formed a ball). The pastry should be soft but not sticky.
3. Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured, cool bench top. Knead lightly with your fingertips for about 10 seconds or until it comes together but isn’t completely smooth. Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap well in plastic wrap, and chill and use as directed.