Nadiya Bakes episode 6 – Baking on a Budget: Nadiya Hussain turns her attention to baking on a budget. Baking spectacular treats can be pricey, and after a strained 2020, many of us are looking for ways to tighten the purse strings. Nadiya believes you can create something delicious without breaking the bank or compromising on flavour – one of her golden rules is never throw anything away, so her potato rosti quiche uses leftover ingredients that many of us having knocking around in the fridge to create a scrumptious family meal on a shoestring.
Baking bread always offers value for money, and Nadiya’s fluffy onion pretzels are the ultimate satisfying cheap snack. Next, Nadiya’s rhubarb and custard kisses turn a few store-cupboard staples into beautiful little biscuits that are pretty enough for a special occasion. Finally, Nadiya creates her signature chocolate fondant, rich, indulgent, and rustled up for a fraction of the price you would pay in a restaurant.
And master baker Richard Bertinet shares his recipe for frugal but irresistible cinnamon buns.
Nadiya Bakes episode 6 – Baking on a Budget
Potato rosti quiche
Nadiya uses a crisp potato rosti mxture as the base of this cheese and chive quiche. Genius! You could use gluten-free flour to make it gluten-free too.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Generously grease a 24cm/9½in round tart tin or pie dish, preferably not loose-bottomed to prevent any leaks.
- To make the base, grate the potatoes and squeeze out any excess moisture. Pop the potato into a bowl along with the salt, paprika, garlic, onion and flour and mix really well, making sure it is all evenly distributed. Add the egg and mix through well − you should have a mixture that is well coated and clumps together.
- Tip the mixture out into the tart tin and, using the back of a spoon, press tightly into the base and sides. Bake for 25−30 minutes. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the base and sides again. Brush the base and sides with the beaten egg, generously filling in any gaps that might be there and all over. More is more! Pop back into the oven for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to make the filling, place the eggs and milk in a jug and whisk until well blended. Take the tart shell out of the oven and scatter the cheese into the shell. Pour the egg and milk mixture straight in, sprinkle over the chives and add a sprinkling of salt and a generous sprinkling of pepper. Bake for 20 minutes until the centre is just wobbly.
- Leave to cool for about 30 minutes to allow the eggy custard filling to set. Slice and serve immediately.
Onion pretzels – Nadiya Bakes episode 6
These savoury pretzel rolls make a delicious lunch – try stuffing them with your favourite sandwich fillings.
Method
- Place the flour, yeast, sugar, onions, onion granules and chives in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Add the butter and mix through using a cutlery knife. Make a well in the centre, pour in the water and mix until the dough comes together.
- Attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and knead for 5 minutes on medium until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Place in a greased bowl, cover and leave to double in size (about 45 minutes).
- Grease 2 baking trays. Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized balls, about 75g/2¾oz each. Roll out each ball on a lightly floured surface to a 30cm/12in sausage shape and then tie into a knot, tucking the ends underneath. Transfer onto the greased trays, cover with greased cling film and leave for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the bicarbonate of soda, stir until dissolved, then leave to simmer. Gently drop in a few of the dough knots (just enough so they don’t touch) and cook for 10 seconds. Flip with a slotted spoon and leave in for another 10 seconds. Drain and pop back onto the greased trays. Repeat until all the knots are ready.
- To finish, glaze the pretzels with the beaten egg. Mix the paprika, onion granules and salt together, sprinkle all over the knots and bake for 12 minutes. Leave to cool a little on a wire rack and then eat while still warm.
Sharing chocolate fondant
This sharing chocolate fondant is the perfect pudding for a family lunch or dinner. Much less faff than individual ones. If you’re feeling brave, you could try and turn it out like we did for the photo, but it’s much easier to leave it in the dish!
Method
- Use a pastry brush to grease a 23cm/9in non-stick or enamel pie dish (I use a 22cm/8½in round enamel pie dish that is 4.5cm/1¾in deep). Grease the base and right up the sides of the dish with butter until completely covered. Pop into the freezer for 5 minutes. Take out of the freezer, sprinkle over the cocoa powder and tip the dish so that the butter catches all the cocoa and the dish is completely covered. Put the dish in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Place the butter and chocolate in a glass bowl and melt either over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts on low, stirring in between. Once the butter and chocolate are totally melted and mixed, leave to cool.
- In another bowl, add the eggs, egg yolks and sugar and whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take 2–3 minutes using an electric hand-held whisk on high. Add the melted chocolate mixture and whisk until you have an even, smooth mixture. Fold in the flour until it is completely incorporated and no flour is showing.
- Take the dish out of the fridge, pour in the mixture into the dish and allow to level off naturally. Bake for 17–18 minutes. The fondant should be set around the sides and on top, but still gooey in the middle. Leave it in the dish to serve, or, if you’re feeling brave, place a serving plate on top and turn the fondant out onto the plate.
- To serve, dust with icing sugar, add dollops of crème fraîche and get stuck in while it is still hot. This needs to be eaten straightaway as it carries on cooking if left and the gooey middle will start to set – and we don’t want that to happen!