Nadiya Bakes episode 5 – Bakes to Share: Nadiya Hussain focuses on something close to heart – baking delicious treats to share with loved ones. Nadiya comes from a huge family, so baking for others has always taken centre stage in her own home. She kicks things off with her epic chilli and cranberry brioche wreath, featuring fluffy indulgent dough balls surrounding an entire baked camembert cheese, creating the ultimate tear and share.
Over the years, Nadiya has become an expert in catering for big family gatherings, and she has learnt that there is nothing better for impressing guests than a gigantic stack of delicious desserts. Her mini pecan pies filled with clotted cream ensure that everyone has their own little parcel of perfection.
Next up is a cheat’s bread and butter pudding, using ice cream and shop-bought croissants to slash the traditional cooking time without compromising on flavour. This easy recipe is one of Nadiya’s go-to family favourites and a big hit with her kids. To finish, Nadiya wows with her mango and black pepper cranachan, a spectacular dessert that is a cinch to make and a joy to share, perfect for warm, lazy days.
And pastry expert and cookery writer Ravneet Gill showcases the art of handmade puff pastry, a key component in her signature mille-feuille.
Nadiya Bakes episode 5 – Bakes to Share recipes:
Pecan and cream pies – Nadiya Bakes episode 5
Nadiya’s pecan and clotted cream mini pies are the perfect size for your mid-morning cuppa.
Method
- To make the pastry, place the flour and salt in a bowl and mix. Add the butter and rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs and mix in. Add 140ml/4½fl oz cold water and mix until you have a dough that comes together in a mound. To make life easier, the above steps can also be done in the same order in a food processor. Flatten the dough, wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.
- To make the filling, place the 2 eggs, sugar, butter, flour, milk, vanilla and pecans in a bowl and mix well to form an even, smooth mixture. Set aside.
- Roll the dough out to about 3mm thick, then cut out 22 circles with a 10cm/4in round cutter. Spread the circles out on a surface and evenly distribute the filling between each circle, making sure to put the filling off-centre, because the other half will fold over to create a semi-circle. Add 1 teaspoon of clotted cream on top of each filling. Brush the unfilled half of each circle with the beaten egg and fold over to enclose the filling. Press and seal all the way around the join with the back of a teaspoon. Pop onto a tray, cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Heat enough oil in a deep saucepan or frying pan to allow for shallow frying of the empanadas. I like to use a large, deep frying pan and add enough oil to half-fill the pan. Heat the oil to 180C or until, when you add a cube of bread, it floats to the surface and browns in 30–40 seconds. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
- Add 3–4 empanadas, depending on the size of your pan, and fry for just a few minutes on each side until light golden-brown. Each batch will take about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt. These are best eaten hot.
Mango and black pepper cranachan
Nadiya’s twist on the traditional Scottish cranachan uses mango, cornflakes and black pepper instead of the usual raspberries and oats!
Method
- Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan and add the cornflakes. Toast the cornflakes for about 5 minutes until they are golden and have soaked up the butter. They need to be very crisp, so just keep stirring and moving them around. Pop onto a baking tray, sprinkle over the ground peppercorns and, using a spoon, toss them around so they all get covered with a little bit of that black pepper. Leave to cool.
- Place the mango pulp and mango pieces in a bowl, mix to combine, then spoon a layer of the mango mixture into the base of 6 dessert dishes.
- Place the cream and caster sugar in a bowl and whip to soft peaks. Add a third of the cooled cornflakes and fold through. Put most of the remaining mango mixture, keeping just a little back for the topping, and ripple the mango mixture through cream mixture. Add the cream mixture to the 6 dishes on top of the mango base.
- Spoon the remaining mango on top. If you are ready to eat, add the remaining cornflakes; if not, chill and leave the flakes in an airtight container until you are ready. Serve the cranachans with their crunchy cornflake topping and dust with the icing sugar.
Cranberry and chilli brioche wreath
Nadiya’s brioche wreath is the perfect Christmas centrepiece, complete with a melted camembert in the middle for dipping.
Method
- Whisk the eggs and milk in a jug to combine. Add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt to another bowl and mix until well combined. Add the chilli flakes and cranberries and mix through. Make a well in the centre of the flour bowl, add the egg mixture and bring the dough roughly together. The mixture will look quite wet and more like a very thick cake batter, but don’t worry.
- Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer with a dough hook attached. Slowly add the softened butter a bit at a time, mixing after each addition to make sure it is incorporated before adding more. Then knead the dough on a fast setting for 10 minutes. Cover, pop into the fridge and leave to prove overnight.
- Line a large baking tray with some baking paper. Take the bottom half of the camembert wooden case and place in the centre of the baking tray. Put the cheese back in the fridge.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock back. Roll into a sausage shape and divide into 5 equal pieces. Divide each piece into 5 equal pieces so you have 25 little dough balls in total. Pinch each ball into the centre, turn seam-side down and roll around in your hand to create a smooth ball. Arrange the first 10 around the wooden cheese case and then the following 15 around them, leaving small gaps to allow them to prove. Cover with some greased cling film and leave to prove at room temperature until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Take the cheese out of the wrapper and pop into the wooden case. Brush the dough balls with the beaten egg and sprinkle all over the salt. Bake for 20 minutes. Add the marmalade to the hot cheese and serve.