Make sure Christmas sparkles with one of these fabulous creations from the new Bake Off book

Marc’s Chocolate Brownie Drip Cake

Candidate Marc Elliott’s daughters, Jasmine and Rosie, love this cake – he says they’ll be buzzing with excitement when they know he’s baking it.

You will need

• 3 x 15 cm sandwich cans, greased, then lined with baking paper
• Medium piping bag with medium smooth nozzle
• 20cm cake board
• Cake scraper
• Cake decorating comb (optional)
• Squeeze bottle or small piping bag made of paper (optional)

Hands on 1.5 hours plus chilling

to bake 25 min

For 12 people

For the sponge

• 50 g cocoa powder
• 2 tsp instant coffee
• 6 tbsp freshly boiled water
• 100 g unsalted butter, softened
• 275 g powdered sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 175 g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
• 100 g dark chocolate chips
• For the chocolate ganache
• 200 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200 ml double cream

For the Chantilly cream

• 200 ml double cream
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For the chocolate drips
• 75 g milk chocolate
• 75 ml (2½ fl oz) double cream

Decorate

• 100 g milk each, white and dark chocolate, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C / fan 160 ° C / gas. 4. First make the sponge. Mix the cocoa and coffee with the water you just boiled into a smooth paste and set aside.

In a stand mixer equipped with a beater, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until pale and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl from time to time.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition, adding a little flour when the mixture starts to curdle. Stir in the cooled cocoa / coffee paste, then fold in the flour, baking powder and chocolate chips until everything is well mixed.

Spread the mixture evenly over the lined cans and level with a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until some of the edges come off and a skewer comes out clean in the center of each sponge.

Let cool in the cans for 5 minutes, then place on a wire rack and let cool down completely.

In the meantime, prepare the chocolate ganache. Place the chocolate in a medium heat-resistant bowl. Pour the cream into a small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Then pour them over the chocolate.

Leave on for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth and shiny. Let cool, then beat lightly and loosely with an electric whisk.

Make the Chantilly cream. Use an electric whisk to whisk the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to make soft tips. Pour into the piping bag with a medium-sized smooth nozzle and twist the end to seal.

To assemble, spread a drop of ganache on the cake board or serving plate and place a sponge on top. Pour half of the Chantilly on top, add the second sponge and repeat with the rest of the Chantilly.

Top with the last sponge. Use a spatula to brush the sides and top of the cake with the chocolate ganache, then use a scraper to scrape the top and sides smooth. If you want, you can use a decoration comb to gently comb grooves into the chocolate ganache.

Chill the cake for 30 minutes. Next, make the chocolate drip. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the cream into a small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Then pour them over the chocolate.

Leave on for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let cool a little until it has thickened slightly.

Place the chocolate mixture in a squeeze bottle or small piping bag (twist to seal and cut the end).

The pipe drips over the edge of the cake (it’s okay if the drips puddle at the bottom) then spread the rest of the top. (If you want, you can make the drops with a teaspoon.) Chill for 30 minutes until the chocolate has hardened.

Use a potato peeler to shave curls of white, milk, and dark chocolate on top of the cake to decorate.

Cherry and Chocolate Baked Alaska

This decadent Alaska with cherry and chocolate pastry is a twist on the classic recipe that will bring delight to a classically baked Alaska. It’s the ultimate party piece to bring to the table

This decadent take on a classically baked Alaska is the ultimate party piece to bring to the table.

You will need

• 1.75 l pudding basin, coated inside with vegetable oil and lined with cling film
• 300 ml pudding basin, wrapped in cling film
• 20 cm cake tin, greased, then lined with baking paper
• Large ovenproof serving plate; or baking sheet, greased, then lined
• Pallet knife

Hands on 1.5 hours plus freezing

to bake 15 minutes

Serves 8-10

For the parfait and ice cream

• 8 egg yolks
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 175 g 70% dark chocolate, chopped
• 600 ml (1pt) double cream
• For the cherry compote
• 250 g frozen or canned pitted cherries
• 50 g powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

For the cake base

• 2 eggs
• 50 g powdered sugar
• 40 g flour
• 20 g cocoa powder

For the meringue

• 5 egg whites at room temperature
• A pinch of salt
• 225 g powdered sugar

Make the parfait. Put the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl. Put the sugar in a small pan, add 4 tablespoons of water and stir occasionally over low heat to dissolve the sugar.

Bring to a boil and cook over high heat for about 1 minute until they are syrupy. Pour the hot syrup over the yolks and whisk until smooth.

Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water. Add the vanilla and whisk for 3 minutes until it doubles in volume, thick and frothy, and the mixture leaves a trail of tape as you lift the whisk.

Remove from heat and immerse the bottom of the bowl in cold water to stop cooking. Let cool down to room temperature.

In the meantime, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan with barely boiling water or in the microwave on a low setting. Stir until smooth, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft tips. Weigh the egg mixture and divide it evenly between 2 bowls. Then cover one of them and let it cool.

Put the melted chocolate in the unrefrigerated bowl and stir until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped cream until there are no more strips. Cover the rest of the cream and let it cool.

Pour the chocolate parfait mixture into the lined custard bowl and press the smaller, wrapped bowl into the center to make a parfait bowl. Cover and freeze for 2 hours until set.

In the meantime, prepare the cherry compote. Combine the cherries, sugar, and vanilla paste in a small pan over low to medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Boil the cherries and let them bubble gently for 20 minutes until they are jammy. Let cool and cover until ready to use.

Make the cake base. In a whisk equipped stand mixer, whisk together eggs and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until they combine.

Increase the speed and whisk until the volume is tripled, thick and frothy, and the mixture will leave a trail of tape as you lift the whisk. Heat the oven to 180 ° C / fan 160 ° C / gas 4.

Sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl and fold in with a large metal spoon or spatula. Pour the mixture into the lined cake pan and level. Bake for 10 minutes, until it has risen and feels firm. Take out of the oven and place on a rack to cool.

In the meantime, prepare the vanilla ice cream layer. Fold the reserved whipped cream into the rest of the chilled egg yolk mixture. Take the basin with the parfait out of the freezer and carefully remove the smaller basin.

Pour half of the cherry compote into the well and pour the vanilla ice cream over it. Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

Just before serving, heat the oven to 220 ° C / fan 200 ° C / gas 7. Make the meringue. Whisk the egg white with the pinch of salt in a stand mixer with a whisk until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, and whisk well.

Whisk for another 2 minutes at high speed until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue is stiff and shiny.

Take the pudding bowl with the parfait / ice cream out of the freezer. Place the chocolate cake on the large ovenproof serving plate or lined baking sheet and spoon the reserved cherry compote into the center of the cake.

Quickly turn the parfait / ice cream from the bowl onto the cake and peel off the cling film. Spread the meringue evenly over the parfait / ice cream until it is completely covered, then swirl the meringue with a spatula.

Quickly put the Alaska back in the oven on the lower middle shelf.

Bake for 3-4 minutes until the outside of the meringue is crispy and golden and starts to caramelize around the edges. Serve immediately (with sparklers, of course!).

Battenberg’s mini lemon & pistachio

This delicious recipe for lemon and pistachio pegs is a twist on the traditional cake

We’ve given this traditional cake a twist, not only by making mini versions, but also by making them in a delicious combination of lemon and pistachio flavors.

You will need

• 15cm square cake pan, greased
• 17 x 30 cm strips of 2-in-1 parchment and foil
• 8 pieces of pistachio-colored paper, each 20 x 3 cm
• 8 lengths of narrow ribbon (gold is pretty), 30 cm long (total 2.5 m)

Hands on 1 hour

to bake 25 min | Power 8

For the cake

• 150 g salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 100 g self-raising flour
• 25 g ground almonds
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Finely grated peel of ½ unwaxed lemon
• 25 g pistachio flour or finely ground Iranian pistachios (available online)
• 5-6 drops of pistachio extract (available online)
• Green food coloring (optional)
• 4 tbsp apricot or seedless raspberry jam

For the marzipan

• 160 g ground almonds
• 80 g powdered sugar
• 80 g powdered sugar
• 4tsp pasteurized egg whites (from supermarkets)
• 1 drop of almond extract

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C / fan 160 ° C / gas. 4. Halve the parchment strip so that the shorter edges meet the foil on the inside (a piece of 17 x 15 cm). Take the folded edge and fold it again about 7 cm to form a crease.

Grasp this smaller folded piece and open both sides to hold it together so that you have a divider with two flat pieces of 17 x 8 cm each and a 7 cm high piece in the middle perpendicular to them.

Place the divider in the center of the cake pan. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the eggs until they combine and add 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling if necessary.

Fold the remaining flour into the mixture. Halve the mixture and add half of the almonds, lemon juice and peel and the other half of the pistachio flour (or ground pistachios) and extract. If using, add a drop of green food coloring to the pistachio mixture.

Transfer the mixtures to the can – the lemon on one side of the divide and the pistachio on the other. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and risen.

Let cool in the can for 5 minutes, then place on a rack to cool completely. Cut off the tops and sides of each cake to smooth and nourish them.

Cut each cake in half horizontally – to make 2 yellow and 2 green (approximately) 6 “by 3” rectangles. Brush the top of each cake rectangle with some jam. Make two sandwiches with 1 green cake and 1 yellow each.

Cut each sandwich evenly into 4 strips to make eight (approximately) 15 by 1.5 cm finger sandwiches. Lay the strips flat and spread the sides with a little more jam.

Stack the strips in alternating piles to make 4 long thin battenbergs. Cut off the ends and set them aside. For the marzipan, put the ground almonds, powdered sugar and powdered sugar in a small bowl.

Add the egg white and almond extract and mix with your hands until a smooth paste is formed. Divide the marzipan into 4 equal portions.

On a work surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar, making sure it doesn’t stick to the surface, roll the first part into a neat square (about 6 inches) and sprinkle it with more jam.

Cut one end off with a ruler to get a straight edge and place the long side of a Battenberg pile against that neat edge. Roll up the pile in the marzipan, trim off the excess and cut in half to make 2 mini battenbergs.

Repeat with the remaining 3 servings of marzipan for a total of 8 mini Battenbergs.

Neatly wrap 1 piece of pistachio colored paper around the center of each mini battenberg. Tie a piece of ribbon around each cake to secure the paper and serve.

Fig, pomegranate and cardamompavlova

This delightful pavlova made from fig, pomegranate and cardamom is ideal to share during the festive season

Fig, pomegranate and cardamom as well as pistachios and almonds give this version of a pavlova an oriental taste.

You will need

• Large piping bag with large star nozzle
• 3 baking sheets lined with baking paper, each marked with a 20 cm circle

Hands on 30 minutes plus chilling

to bake 50 minutes l For 8-10 people

For the pavlova

• 6 large egg whites
• 350 g powdered sugar
• A good pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp gluten-free corn flour
• 1 teaspoon apple cider or white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

For the filling

• 400 ml (14 fl oz) double cream
• 200 ml crème fraîche
• 50 g powdered sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• Seeds of 4 cardamom pods, finely ground
• 1 teaspoon finely grated unwaxed orange peel
• 8-10 figs, cut into thin wedges
• 300 g raspberries
• Seeds of 1 pomegranate

Serve

• 25 g flaked almonds, toasted
• 25 g unsalted, peeled pistachios, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 180 ° C / fan 160 ° C / gas. 4. Whisk egg whites, sugar, and salt in a blender equipped with a whisk for 8-10 minutes on high speed, until mixture is very thick and shiny and completely smooth between your fingertips.

Sieve the cornmeal onto the meringue, add the vinegar and vanilla and mix for 20 seconds.

Spoon into the piping bag. Turn the parchment paper on the baking sheet so that the circles drawn are on the underside. Place 1 slice of meringue on each sheet of parchment paper, using the circles drawn as a guide.

Bake for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to 120 ° C / fan 100 ° C / gas ¾ and bake for 45 minutes until they are crispy on the outside and marshmallowy in the middle. Turn off the oven and let the meringues cool for 1 hour. Then leave the door ajar until it is cold.

Make the filling. Beat the cream, crème fraîche, powdered sugar, vanilla paste, cardamom and orange peel to form soft tips. Carefully slide one of the meringues from the parchment paper onto a serving plate.

Pour a third of the whipped cream over it. Sprinkle a third of the figs over the cream and a third of the raspberries and pomegranate seeds on top.

Repeat this layer of meringue, cream and fruit two more times and arrange the fruit decoratively on the top layer. Sprinkle with almonds and pistachios and dust with powdered sugar.

Christmas wooden cake

This is a luscious version of the classic Christmas log, where the layers are vertical rather than horizontal. It looks impressive on any festive table.

You will need

30 cm x 40 cm Swiss roll can, greased, then lined with baking paper (bottom and sides) l 2 baking trays, lined with baking paper

Hands on 1.5 hours plus chilling

to bake 14 minutes l For 10 people

For the sponge

• 50 g unsalted butter
• 7 eggs
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• 50 g flour
• 40 g ground almonds
• 40 g cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• A pinch of salt

For the chocolate meringue buttercream

• 300 g 70% dark chocolate, chopped
• 175 g powdered sugar
• 3 egg whites
• A pinch of salt
• 250 g unsalted butter, softened

For the chocolate crust

• 200 g dark chocolate, chopped

Decorate

• Red currants
• Christmas decorations (optional)
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C / fan 160 ° C / gas. 4. First make the sponge. Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

In a whisk equipped stand mixer, whisk eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla until thick and frothy, and the mixture will leave a band mark when you lift the whisk.

Sift flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into the bowl and carefully fold in with a large metal spoon, being careful not to blow out too much air. Add the melted butter and fold again until the mixture is smooth and united.

Carefully pour the mixture into the lined can and level it with a spatula. Bake on the middle shelf for 12-14 minutes, until the cake has risen and is springy and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool in the can for 2 minutes, then place on a clean tea towel. Peel off the baking paper and, starting from one of the short ends, roll the sponge with the tea towel rolled in it into a spiral. Let cool down.

In the meantime, prepare the chocolate meringue buttercream. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan with barely boiling water. Stir until smooth, then remove from heat.

Place the sugar, egg white, and salt in a medium-heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is frothy.

Continue cooking for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and increases in volume, changes from opaque to light white, and leaves a trace of tape when you lift the whisk.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a whisk, and beat it on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture doubles in volume and feels thick, stiff, shiny, and cold.

Gradually add the butter to the cooled meringue mixture, continuously beating it until smooth. Fold in the melted chocolate and cover until ready to use.

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Carefully unroll the sponge cake and remove the tea towel. Turn the cake so that one long side is closest to you, then cut it horizontally into three long strips, each strip about 16 inches by 10 inches. Spread 3-4 tablespoons of meringue buttercream on top.

Roll a strip into a tight Swiss-roll shape. Place the end of the roll on one end of the second frozen strip of cake, then roll it around the first rolled strip – the cake will become a short, wide Swiss roll.

Position the end of the roll on one end of the third strip of ice and roll again. Carefully turn the cake over and place it spiral side down in the center of a serving plate. Cover, then chill for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, make the bark. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan with hardly boiling water. Stir until smooth and remove from heat. Let cool for 30 minutes.

Measure the height of the cake and draw two parallel lines on each sheet of parchment paper lining the baking sheets and position them the same distance as the height of the cake. Turn the paper over so you can see the lines through the paper.

Melt the chocolate again until it’s runny again, then spoon it onto the parchment paper between the lines. Spread evenly with a spatula and allow to cool (not in the refrigerator) until the chocolate hardens and loses its shine.

Using a fork, mark the ridges in the chocolate, going from one of the parallel lines to the other, to resemble the rind, then let it stand until it is firm.

Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Using a spatula, spread the sides smoothly, creating a swirl pattern at the top that resembles the rings on a tree trunk.

Using a hot knife, cut the chocolate crust into 3 cm wide strips and use a spatula to carefully position the pieces around the outside of the cake and press to stick.

Decorate the cake with berries and Christmas cake decorations and dust lightly with powdered sugar. Let the cake cool until ready, then let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.