Ruby Tandoh: rising star

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/20/ruby-tandoh-cake-recipes-great-british-bake-off

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I was living in a dank London flat when I saw a TV baking show and wondered whether it was something I could do.

Perhaps my book began to take shape there, in the pages of scrawled notes on baking theory and chemistry that I made in a bid to learn all I needed to know to survive in the competition.

Before long, I was spending my weekends filming, during which some of the recipes in these pages began to crystallise. Notes still stored on my phone – "try coffee & blackcurrant. do washing. make croissants" – are the reminders of this baking storm.

By the time The Great British Bake Off began to air, I had dozens of books of notes: paeans to profiteroles, half-finished recipes, flavour combinations, diary entries fondly recounting good meals, sketches of cakes, breads and biscuits, and scores of shopping lists. These recipes are built from those musings, experiments and memories – a distillation of my obsession with food.

Olive and orange crown

A glug of olive oil is the secret to this rich, tender loaf. Orange and olive might not be an obvious pairing, but they strike a delicate balance, an echo of citrus playing off the punchy saltiness of the olives. Though I'm loth to descend into food snobbery, it has to be said that the quality of the olives is paramount. Olive bread made with rubbery, briny cheap olives won't be the same. That said, olive bread is arguably – like pizza – good even when it's bad.

350g strong white flour, plus extra to dust 1½ tsp instant dried yeast¾ tsp salt60ml olive oil175ml cool waterZest of 1 orange100g Kalamata olives, chopped and patted dry

Combine the flour and yeast in a large bowl, then stir in the salt. Add the oil, water and orange zest, mix roughly to combine, then knead the dough. It will be wet and uncooperative to start with, but the high oil content should stop it from sticking too much. Persevere until it is elastic and no longer sticky – about 10 minutes. Knead in the chopped olives, put the dough in a large, covered bowl and leave to rise at room temperature for an hour and a half to two hours, or until doubled in size.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into five pieces and roll each into an oval shape, a little like a rugby ball. Arrange in a circle shape on a large baking tray, each piece of dough very close to, but not quite touching, its neighbours (they will swell and join as they rise and bake). Leave to prove at room temperature for 40-50 minutes more – the dough ought to almost double in size. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 220C (fan 200C)/gas mark 7.

Dust the dough with flour, score lightly along the length of each oval of dough, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 200C (fan 180C)/gas mark 6 and bake for 25 minutes more.

Chocolate fudge cake

200g dark chocolate 200g butter, cubed4 large eggs200ml milk100g soft dark brown sugar 160g caster sugar50g cocoa powder200g plain flour2 tsp baking powder½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp salt

Heat the oven to 180C (fan 160C)/gas mark 4, and grease two 20cm round cake tins, preferably loose-bottomed or spring-form, and line with baking parchment.

Melt the chocolate, either in short bursts in a microwave or in a bowl suspended over (but not touching) simmering water in a pan. Off the heat, stir in the butter until melted, then whisk in the eggs, milk and both sugars.

In another bowl, combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients, gently whisking for just as long as it takes to combine. The batter will be thick and satiny, inviting you to take first a little finger, then a teaspoon, then a ladle to it.

Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes. Chocolate cakes suffer for being even slightly over-baked, so be vigilant: test at 25 minutes and keep a close eye on it thereafter. If a knife inserted into the centre comes out with no more than a couple of crumbs sticking to it, it's ready.

Leave the cakes to cool for a few minutes in their tins, then turn them out on to wire racks to finish cooling to room temperature. Sandwich and ice the cakes with the following frosting.

Chocolate fudge ganache

This dark, fudgy ganache is an event in itself. Chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids (65% or more) will give a richer, more chocolatey ganache, while a lower-quality chocolate will create a frosting with a very different (but no less interesting) flavour – more mellow, caramelised and sweeter. Makes enough to fill and cover one 20cm sandwich cake.

200g dark chocolate 200ml double cream100g soft dark brown sugar Pinch of salt4 tbsp golden syrup

Finely chop the chocolate and set aside in a large bowl. Heat the cream, sugar and salt in a pan over a low heat until scalding – it needs to be steaming hot but you mustn't let it boil. Slowly pour this over the chopped chocolate, let the mixture sit for a minute, then stir to combine. The chocolate should melt into the cream, leaving a smooth, shiny ganache mixture. (If any chunks of chocolate remain, heat very gently over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave.) Stir in the golden syrup.

Leave the ganache to cool to room temperature, then use some to sandwich together the cake layers. Spread the rest on the top and sides. It'll set too firm to use if you keep it in the fridge, but if you want a firmer set, put the whole cake in the fridge once iced.

Caraway carrot cake with poppy seeds

Despite being an unusual addition to a carrot cake (which is typically flavoured with cinnamon), caraway works very well. It's not much to look at – a tiny, banana-shaped seed – but the taste is unique. If you haven't ever done so, chew on one before you get to work on this cake: you'll find it sharp yet earthy, bitter but surprisingly bright. It's often used in rye breads. Increase the amount of caraway to taste or, for a bolder flavour, leave a few seeds whole. Use good-quality cream cheese: cheap ones have a higher water content, and make a runny and thin icing.

150g unsalted butter, softened 150g soft light brown sugar125g grated carrot (from about 2 medium carrots) 2 large eggs30ml milk150g plain flourPinch of salt1½ tsp baking powder1 tsp ground coriander1½ tsp caraway seeds, coarsely ground or crushed 25g poppy seeds

For the icing300g full-fat cream cheese75g icing sugarZest of 1 lemon25g poppy seeds

Heat the oven to 180C (fan 160C)/gas mark 4 and grease a deep, 20cm round cake tin, preferably spring-form or loose-bottomed. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the carrot, eggs, milk and a tablespoon or two of flour. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining flour, salt, baking powder, coriander, caraway seeds and poppy seeds, then add all to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out with no more than a crumb or two stuck to it. Leave to cool for a few minutes in its tin, then unmould and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the icing, strain any excess liquid from the cheese (this is to avoid a runny icing), then stir the cheese until smooth. Add the icing sugar, lemon zest and poppy seeds, and mix just until combined.

Using a large, serrated knife, cut the cooled cake in half horizontally. Perfectly even layers aren't always easy to achieve, so I tend to remedy the inevitably wonky cake with extra icing to balance it. Dollop half the icing on the bottom circle of cake and spread gently to cover the layer. Sandwich with the upper layer, and spread the remaining icing over the top and sides.

Rose and burnt honey florentines

I'd usually cringe at the thought of using something as twee as rose petals, but they're actually lovely to eat as well as to look at. You can buy them online, in specialist cake-decorating shops and in some of the more expensive supermarkets. Just make sure you get the kind sold as edible rose petals – nobody wants potpourri florentines. If you can't find (or be bothered to look for) rose petals, it's no tragedy. Cooked for a few minutes until it darkens and sizzles, honey takes on a far mellower flavour. The intense sweetness is subdued and toasted, and toffee notes come to the fore. It's an easy way to make a little honey go a long way. Makes eight to 10.

50g honey50g caster sugar50g unsalted butter1 tbsp single cream 1 tsp rosewater2 tbsp plain flour50g flaked almonds50g sultanas or raisins50g glacé cherries, roughly chopped 4 tbsp dried rose petals 150g dark chocolate

Heat the oven to 180C(fan 160C)/gas mark 4 and line a large baking tray with a sheet of baking parchment. Put the honey in a medium pan over a low heat. After a couple of minutes it'll begin to bubble: let it simmer, stirring regularly, for a minute or two, or until the honey is fragrant and has darkened by a couple of shades. Add the sugar, butter, cream and rosewater, stir to combine and then bring back to a simmer. As soon as it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and add the flour, beating to combine. Add the flaked almonds, dried fruit, cherries and rose petals.

Spoon into small mounds spaced well apart on the lined baking tray (they'll spread a lot while baking – don't underestimate them). You may need to spread the batch over two trays to lessen the likelihood of a conjoined monster florentine emerging from the oven later. Bake for 15-17 minutes. The florentines will spread to wide discs and their edges will become lacy and golden-brown. Once baked, but while they're still hot, gently nudge the outer edges inwards using a spoon, pushing them back into a neat circular shape. Leave to cool in the tray until firm, then transfer to a wire rack.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water or, very carefully and in short bursts, in a microwave. Using a pastry brush, spread the underside of each florentine with a layer of chocolate and leave to set, in the fridge if necessary.

Raspberry mascarpone vatrushka

Vatrushkas are fat discs with hollows at their centres, heaped with sweetened mascarpone and topped with raspberries. The traditional Russian versions use quark instead of the far richer mascarpone, but I find this better balances the brightness of the fruit. Use blackberries, blueberries or blackcurrants, if you'd prefer. There's mascarpone in both the dough and the filling, ensuring the buns are tender without any of the greasiness that butter can bring. A mixture of plain and strong white flours means that the bread is particularly soft. Makes six.

125g strong white flour125g plain flour1½ tsp instant dried yeast½ tsp salt2 tbsp caster sugar100g mascarpone 120ml full-fat milk

For the filling 150g mascarpone1 large egg yolk40g caster sugar1 tbsp cornflour1 tsp vanilla extract 100–125g raspberries1 large egg, lightly beaten, to glaze

Combine the flours and yeast, then add the salt and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone for the dough until smooth. Heat the milk in a pan over a low heat until lukewarm, then whisk it, a little at a time, into the cheese. Once combined, add to the flour bowl and mix with your hands.

Knead the dough for 10 minutes, until smoother and more elastic. Don't add extra flour to the dough or work surface – just have a spatula to hand, to scrape up any dough that sticks to your hands or the work surface, and knead with speed and conviction. Thanks to the proportion of lower-gluten plain flour in it, this dough might not feel quite as robust as some others, but it will grow supple nonetheless. Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover and leave to rise at room temperature for one and a half to two hours, or until doubled in size.

Divide the risen dough into six pieces and roll each into a ball. One by one, use a rolling pin to flatten the balls to 1cm-thick discs, then use your hands to stretch them until they're around 12cm in diameter. You'll need to stretch the centres quite a bit thinner than the edges, in order to leave a rim of dough around the perimeter.

Leave the dough shapes to prove on a large, lined baking tray (or two trays if yours aren't very big) for around 45 minutes, or until visibly puffy and risen. While they prove, heat the oven to 180C (fan 160C)/gas mark 4 and prepare the filling. Beat the mascarpone until smooth, then stir in the egg yolk, sugar, cornflour and vanilla.

Once the buns have risen, neaten them by very gently pressing down around the centre to define the indentation and ensure that the rim is well above the level of the hollow. Fill with a spoonful of the mascarpone mixture and press a few raspberries into the centre of each one.

Brush the buns all over with the egg, to glaze. This will be easy on the dough rims, but you'll have to be very gentle when brushing over the surface of the filling and raspberries. Bake for 20 minutes, then leave on the tray to cool to room temperature before eating. The centres will remain soft-set even when completely cooled, but this rich, quivering custard is precisely what makes these buns special.

Blackberry ricotta cheesecake

I love the swirls of deep purple berries against this creamy cheesecake. Ricotta gives a less smooth texture than the heavier cream cheese, but the taste is cleaner, allowing the fruit to really shine. Serves eight to 10.

For the base150g digestive biscuits 75g unsalted butter

For the blackberry swirl150g blackberries2 tbsp caster sugar Juice of ½ lemon1 tsp cornflour

For the filling 500g ricotta cheese2 tbsp cornflour 150ml double cream125g caster sugar2 large eggs, plus 1 large yolk Zest of 1 lemon1½ tsp vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 180C (fan 160C)/gas mark 4. Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin or blitz them in a food processor, until sandy. Melt the butter over a low heat, and mix with the biscuit rubble in a large bowl: the crumbs need to be moist enough to hold in clumps if squeezed together, so add extra butter if necessary.

Spread the biscuit mixture over the base of a 20cm round loose-bottomed or spring-form tin and press down firmly all over. Bake for 10 minutes, then take out, leave to cool slightly and turn down the oven to 120C (fan 100C)/gas mark ½.

In a small pan, heat the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice over a low heat until the blackberries soften. Crush with the back of a fork until no whole berries remain, then set aside to cool. If the blackberries release a lot of juice, add a teaspoon of cornflour while the pan's still on the heat and stir for a minute or two, until thickened.

Beat the ricotta and cornflour in a large bowl until smooth, then stir in the cream. Once combined, incorporate the sugar, followed by the eggs and yolk (one at a time), lemon zest and vanilla extract. Pour the filling on to the baked biscuit base. Dollop spoonfuls of blackberries into the cheesecake and gently swirl through using a spoon. Bake for an hour and three-quarters to two hours, or until the cheesecake has no more than a slight wobble at its centre. It should be quite firm all over, except for the blackberry swirls, which should be slightly sunken, jammy and a deep purple colour.

Leave to cool completely in its tin before attempting to unmould it. For a firmer texture, chill in the fridge before serving.

Fig, orange and star anise tea loaf

This is one of my favourite recipes. If you buy dried figs just once in your life, let it be for this. It's a headily perfumed loaf that is, quite impossibly, at once floral, citrus, liquorice, spice and caramel and yet not definitively any one of those things. It sits happily outside the tea loaf status quo. I love it.

300ml milk250g dried figs, coarsely chopped75g soft brown sugarZest of 1 orange1 tsp finely ground star anise (grind 3–4 whole star anise, sift out the grit and measure what you need)1½ tsp vanilla extract2 large eggs275g plain flour 2½ tsp baking powder1 tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp salt

Heat the oven to 180C (fan 160C)/gas mark 4 and grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. In a large bowl, combine the milk, figs, sugar, orange zest, star anise, vanilla extract and eggs. In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ginger and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir gently to combine. Spoon into the tin and bake for 50-60 minutes. Once baked, leave to rest in the tin for 15 minutes or so, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.