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Cream Pie. Although cream pie in name, its nature is more custardy cake: the cake (I ... in my pie as it is lighter than custard or crème patissiere. This indulgent.
SPONGES & LAYER CAKES

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Sponges & Layer Cakes

Sponges & Layer Cakes

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Boston Cream Pie Serves 8–10 For the Genoise sponge: 6 eggs 200g (7oz) caster sugar 160g (5¾oz) plain flour 25g (1oz) cornflour 30g (1¼oz) butter, melted

For the filling: (Crème Legere) 500ml (18fl oz) crème pâtissière (see page XX) 300ml (10fl oz) double cream, whipped to a ribbon

For the topping: 300g (10½oz) Chocolate ganache (see page XX)

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Sponges & Layer Cakes

In the mid-1850s in the Parker House Hotel of Boston, the chef – Monsieur Sanzian – tinkered with the hotel’s long-standing Pudding-Cake Pie to create the Parker House Chocolate Pie, and this is what’s known today as Boston Cream Pie. Although cream pie in name, its nature is more custardy cake: the cake (I use a Genoise sponge) has a glorious sandwich of custardy filling, which is traditionally custard or crème pâtissière. I have used Crème Legere in my pie as it is lighter than custard or crème patissiere. This indulgent wonder of a cake has since become the official cake of Massachusetts. 1 Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3 and grease and line 2 21cm (8in) round cake tins with baking parchment. 2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until white and foamy. Slowly add the sugar and beat until trebled in size. 3. Sift together in a bowl the cornflour and flour and fold in carefully to the egg mixture and lastly fold in the melted butter. 4. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tins and bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a cocktail stick comes out clean. Meanwhile, make the crème Chantilly and stock syrup. 5. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin and then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the parchment. 6. Chill the sponge; it is important to leave the sponge to firm in the fridge for at least 3 hours before creating your pie.

7. Meanwhile, make the crème pâtissière (see page XX) and then pour into a baking tray and cover with clingfilm (to avoid skimming) and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. 8. In a round bottomed bowl, whip the cream to a light ribbon. Take the crème pâtissière out of the fridge and put in a mixing bowl and beat until softened then fold in the whipped cream. 9. Make your ganache (see page XX) and allow to cool to a thick pouring consistency. 10. To assemble the cake, cut the Genoise horizontally in half and brush off any excess crumbs. Using a palette knife spread all of the filling evenly over the bottom sponge, place on the top half and press down slightly. Pour the ganache over the top and tip the sponge up and around so that the ganache spills randomly over the sides. Allow to set and slice for awaiting guests. 11. Serve with coffee.

Sponges & Layer Cakes

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Macarons Makes 18 40g (1½oz) plain flour 350g (12oz) icing sugar 210g (7½oz) ground almonds 8 egg whites 85g (3oz) caster sugar ½ tsp food colouring powder 1 tsp flavouring of your choice

These delicate, multicoloured, almondy sweet treats have always been popular in France. Historians can find all sorts of stories about when macarons first put in an appearance from as far back as the 8th century, but it’s not until early in the 20th century that we see two macarons sandwiched around a filling. Recently macarons have enjoyed a new lease of life as people all around the world have become entranced by their fabulous array of colours and tastes. They can be difficult to get right but it’s worth persevering as they will always bring a smile to the recipient’s face. 1 Line a baking tray with baking parchment or use a silicone baking mat. 2 Sift the flour, icing sugar and ground almonds into a bowl. 3 In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and slowly add the caster sugar. Then add any food colouring and food flavouring you desire. 4 Using a metal spoon, fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites until fully combined. Continue to fold until a thick ribbon forms. Be careful not to overfold as the mixture will be too wet to pipe. 5 Fill the piping bag and, using a No.10 piping nozzle, pipe the macarons onto a silicone mat or prepared baking tray.

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Small Cakes

6 Pipe into approximately 4cm (1½in) rounds evenly spaced across the tray. Tap the tray gently to release any air and leave for about 20 minutes until a skin has formed on the top of the macaron. 7 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 140°C/275°F/ gas mark 1. 8 Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, then turn the tray around and cook for a further 8 minutes. 9 Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray before sandwiching together with your favourite filling. Here I have made Blueberry Macarons filled with a White Chocolate Ganache (see page 297), Raspberry Macarons filled with raspberry jam and Lemon Macarons filled with Chocolate Ganache (see page 297).

Small Cakes

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Where to Eat Cake ...

Bea’s of Bloomsbury 44 Theobalds Rd, London WC1X 8NW (and other branches, see website) www.beasofbloomsbury.com

London

The tradition of taking afternoon tea with friends and family dates back to 1840. It was Anna Maria, the Duchess of Bedford, who first admitted to feeling a tad peckish in the long hours between luncheon and dinner. Her butler brought her a few bits of bread and cakes with some tea; and soon her afternoon tea parties were quite the thing. When Queen Victoria took to this new trend, the rest, as they say, is history. But London offers much more than afternoon tea options – although, it has to be said, there is nothing more quintessentially British than taking afternoon tea. In recent years, London’s interest in all things baked has rocketed and has embraced all cultures. Now, you can easily locate a Swedish cinnamon bun, an American whoopie pie or a classic millefeuille, whenever the mood takes you.

This fabulous tea room offers spectacular layer cakes, special occasion cakes and unique cupcakes (using Italian buttercream, fluffy Italian meringue or fudge toppings).

Peggy Porschen 116 Ebury St, London SW1W 9QQ www.peggyporschen.com

With its signature pastel pink building on a corner of Belgravia, it’s hard to miss this most fabulous of cake shops. Renowned for baking and decorating cakes for celebrities, such as Stella McCartney and Elton John, Peggy Porschen’s Parlour serves up superb cakes with great aplomb and, needless to say, she has a loyal and committed cake-loving following.

Primrose Bakery Peyton ANd Byrne Unit 11, The Undercroft, St Pancras International, London NW1 2QP and other branches www.peytonandbyrne.co.uk

A stylish bakery offering a modern take on traditional British baking.

69 Gloucester Ave, London NW1 8LD 42 Tavistock St, London WC2E 7PB www.primrosebakery.org.uk

It’s all about the cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes here. This super-cute bakery with a retro vibe serves up delightfully scrumptious and sugar-coated cakes.

This London favourite first opened in Soho in 1926 by the Belgian-born Madame Valerie. Whichever branch you happen upon in London, you’ll be sure to marvel at the amazing window displays of individual pastries and towers of croquembouche, all of them top-notch. Their croissants are said to be the best in London.

Hummingbird Bakery 133 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 2DY (and other branches, see website) www.hummingbirdbakery.com

From humble beginnings in London’s Notting Hill in 2004 has come the Hummingbird Bakery empire, now with branches all over the city. This allAmerican-style bakery offers an amazing array of cupcakes, layer cakes, brownies, pies, cheesecakes, muffins and whoopie pies – it’s credited with first bringing these little delights to the UK.

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22 Cornwall Rd, London SE1 8TW (and other branches, see website) www.konditorandcook.com

This small artisanal bakers of bread and cakes (including their magic cakes, which can spell out any message) has a massive following in the capital.

Claridges Brook St, London W1K 4HR www.claridges.co.uk

Experience tea and cake within the all-pervading atmosphere of genteel refinement. Sadly, you’ll need to book up to three months in advance. But the experience is well worth the wait.

Fortnum & Mason 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER www.fortnumandmason.com

If you’re after a traditionally English afternoon tea with impeccable service and delectable cakes, then look no further than here. You’ll need to book well ahead but they have several restaurants that can accommodate any yearnings for a cucumber sandwich or scones with jam and clotted cream.

Patisserie Valerie 44 Old Compton St, London W1D 4TY www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk

Konditor & Cook

Sketch 9 Conduit St, London W1S 2XG www.sketch.uk.com

Situated in the same building as the Michelin-starred restaurant, the afternoon tea experience in Sketch’s parlour is a treat for all the senses, from the super-stylish room to the delightfully decadent food at this quirky and eccentric pâtisserie.

St John’s Bakery Ottolenghi 287 Upper St, London N1 2TZ (and other branches, see website) www.ottolenghi.co.uk

A celebrity chef with a huge following, Ottolenghi ensures his café windows are full of amazing meringues, colourful cakes and pastries. Sink your mouth into sinful miniature tarts or luscious tray bakes.

72 Druid St, London SE1 2DU www.stjohngroup.uk.com/bakery

A welcome addition to the London artisan bakery scene from the stable of Fergus Henderson, this bakery has become renowned for its high-quality cakes and bakes; the doughnuts are legendary.

Nordic Bakery 14A Golden Square, London W1F 9JG (and other branches, see website) www.nordicbakery.com

As the name suggests, traditional Scandi fare, such as cinnamon buns and blueberry buns, is served up in a calm, stylish space and on authentic Nordic designerware.

Cake Boy Kingfisher House, Juniper Drive, London SW18 1TX www.cake-boy.com

Master Pâtissier Eric Lanlard’s lush cake boutique also houses a cookery school and serves up a tempting array of sweets, miniature cakes and luscious tarts.

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