Flour power! Brilliant bakes for absolute beginners from a new book by the author of Jane’s Patisserie – the UK’s fastest-selling baking book of all time

EASY FRUIT TART 

SERVES 8-10+

PREP 30 minutes SET 2 hours

LASTS 3+ days, in the fridge

For the base

• 300g (10½oz) digestive biscuits
• 150g (5½oz) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 200ml (7fl oz) double cream
• 250g (9oz) mascarpone
• 100g (3½oz) icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract

For the fruit topping

Sxollie Cripps Pink Cider (4.5%, 500ml) £2.35, Sainsbury’s

• 100g (3½oz) strawberries
• 100g (3½oz) kiwi fruit
• 100g (3½oz) blueberries
• 100g (3½oz) raspberries
• 100g (3½oz) blackberries

In a food processor, blitz the biscuits to a fine crumb, or crush with a rolling pin.

Transfer to a bowl, add the melted butter and mix together. Press into the sides and base of a 23cm diameter springform tart tin.

In a clean bowl, whisk the double cream, mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and starting to thicken. Pour onto the biscuit base and chill in the fridge while you prep the fruit.

Wash the fruit and remove any greenery or skin. Cut larger fruit, such as strawberries and kiwis, into thin slices. Create rings of each fruit in circles on the tart to make a pretty pattern. Chill for about 2 hours, until set, then enjoy!

Olly Smith’s wine pairing: Fantastic with fruit 

Sxollie Cripps Pink Cider (4.5%, 500ml) £2.35, Sainsbury’s

Gently fruity without being overly sweet, this superbly balanced cider with no added sugar or concentrate is great served cold with Jane’s Easy Fruit Tart.

BROWNIE CAKE

SERVES 15

PREP 30 minutes BAKE 20-23 minutes COOL 3 hours DECORATE 30 minutes 

LASTS 3+ days, at room temperature

• 300g (10½oz) dark (70% cocoa) chocolate, broken into pieces
• 300g (10½oz) unsalted butter
• 400g (14oz) soft light brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 150g (5½oz) plain flour
• 75g (2¾oz) cocoa powder
• 100g (3½oz) dark chocolate chips
• 100g (3½oz) milk chocolate chips
• 100g (3½oz) white chocolate chips

To decorate

• 250g (9oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• Chocolate sprinkles
• Chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line two 20cm diameter cake tins with baking paper. 

Place the dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt in the microwave in short bursts, or set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat until smooth. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

In a new bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until the mixture has become mousse-like and the whisk leaves a trail in the mixture. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and fold together gently. 

Pour in the flour and cocoa powder and fold together gently until combined. Finally, fold in all the chocolate chips.

Split the mixture between the two tins. Bake the brownies in the oven for 20-23 minutes, until there is still a slight wobble in the middle of the brownies. 

Leave to cool fully in the tins. Then chill in the fridge for 2 hours to create a fudgy texture.

To decorate, beat the butter for a minute or two to loosen. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. 

Transfer to a piping bag with the piping nozzle of your choice fitted and pipe most of the buttercream onto one brownie. Place the second brownie on top. 

Big Drop Galactic Milk Stout (0.5%, 300ml) £1.50, Morrisons

Pipe the last of the buttercream over the top layer, and decorate with sprinkles and chocolate chips.

Cook’s tip: You can flavour this brownie cake easily with orange, almond, coffee or peppermint extract – 1-2tsp works perfectly.

Olly’s wine pairing: Cracking with cake

Big Drop Galactic Milk Stout (0.5%, 300ml) £1.50, Morrisons

This deliciously creamy low-alcohol stout makes a sumptuous velvet pairing when served cool in white wine glasses with the Brownie Cake.

VANILLA SPRINKLE DOUGHNUTS

MAKES 12-15

PREP 30 minutes BAKE 10-13 minutes COOL 1 hour DECORATE 20 minutes 

LASTS 3+ days, at room temperature

• 150g (5½oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 150g (5½oz) caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 175g (6oz) plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 100ml (3½fl oz) whole milk
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• Olive oil, for greasing

To decorate

• 300g (10½oz) icing sugar
• 1-3tbsp water
• 1tsp pink food colouring
• 100g (3½oz) rainbow sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper and grease a 12 to 15-hole doughnut mould.

Finest Cream Sherry (18%, 37.5cl) £7.25, Tesco

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and beat again. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat. Add the milk and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. 

Pipe or spoon into the doughnut mould. The mixture should be slightly below the edge of the mould.

Bake for 10-13 minutes, until the doughnuts are starting to come away from the edges of the mould. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate, place the icing sugar in a bowl. Gradually add the water, mixing until you have a thick icing. Add the colouring and stir until the colour is even. 

One at a time, dunk the tops of the doughnuts into the icing, place on the lined tray and sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles. Leave until the icing is set.

Cook’s tip: Baking the doughnuts rather than frying them means they are much easier to make because you don’t need a lot of oil. 

Olly’s wine pairing: Doughnut dazzler

Finest Cream Sherry (18%, 37.5cl) £7.25, Tesco

With a sweet orangey tang, this is a high-impact delight to enjoy with Vanilla Sprinkle Doughnuts. A hidden gem best served fridge-cold in little glasses.

MINI QUICHES

MAKES 12

PREP 1 hour BAKE 18-22 minutes COOL 1 hour 

LASTS 3+ days, in the fridge

For the pastry cases

• Butter, for greasing
• Plain flour, for dusting
• 1 x 320g sheet of ready rolled shortcrust pastry
• 175ml (6fl oz) double cream
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper

For Quiche Lorraine

• 15g (½oz) unsalted butter
• 100g (3½oz) bacon, fat removed, finely chopped
• ½ an onion, finely chopped
• 50g (1¾oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

For spinach and pepper Quiche

• 100g (3½oz) spinach
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 50g (1¾oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

For Mushroom quiche

• 15g (½oz) unsalted butter
• 100g (3½oz) chestnut mushrooms, chopped
• 50g (1¾oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease a 12-hole muffin tray and sprinkle with flour.

On a floured work surface, unroll the pastry and, using an 8-9cm diameter pastry cutter, cut out 12 circles. Press the circles into the muffin holes.

In a bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, salt and pepper. Then choose your filling.

Specially Selected Coteaux de Béziers Viognier Grenache 2022 (13%) £6.99, Aldi

To make quiche Lorraine: heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the butter, bacon and onion. Cook until the bacon has started to become crispy. Spoon the mixture into the pastry cases, sprinkle with the cheese and pour in the egg mixture.

To make spinach and pepper quiche: place the spinach in a frying pan over a low heat and cook until wilted. Divide the spinach and red pepper between the pastry cases, sprinkle with the cheese and pour in the egg mixture.

To make mushroom quiche: heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the butter and mushrooms and cook until they have started to soften. Divide between the pastry cases, sprinkle with the cheese and pour in the egg mixture.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden and starting to brown. Allow to cool in the tin.

Cook’s tip: It’s a good idea to line the base of the muffin tray with small circles of baking paper to help prevent sticking.

Olly’s wine pairing: Exquisite with quiche 

Specially Selected Coteaux de Béziers Viognier Grenache 2022 (13%) £6.99, Aldi

Quiche calls for a white wine with rich texture and this good-value French beauty has the silkiness of marmalade minus the sweetness.

LEMON DRIZZLE BUNDT CAKE

SERVES 12

PREP 20 minutes BAKE 1 hour 5 minutes-1 hour 10 minutes COOL 2 hours DECORATE 15 minutes

LASTS 4+ days, at room temperature

• 300g (10½oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra, melted, for greasing
• 300g (10½oz) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 300g (10½oz) caster sugar
• 6 eggs
• Grated zest of 3 lemons

For the drizzle

• 75ml (2½fl oz) lemon juice
• 75g (2¾oz) caster sugar

To decorate

• 100g (3½oz) icing sugar
• 1-2tbsp lemon juice
• Grated lemon zest

Valdo Oro Puro Prosecco Superiore DOCG (11%) £8.99 (reduced from £13.99 until 26 September), Waitrose

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/ gas 3 and very generously grease and flour a 2.5ltr (4½pt) bundt tin with melted butter and flour (see tip, above).

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour and zest and beat until combined. Pour into the tin. Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes-1 hour 10 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the drizzle. In a pan, heat the lemon juice and caster sugar over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.

Remove the cake from the oven, poke a few holes in the sponge and pour the drizzle over. Leave to soak in for 15-20 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate, mix the icing sugar and lemon juice to a paste. Drizzle over the cake. Sprinkle with lemon zest.

Cook’s tip: To prep the bundt tin, brush or spray with melted butter or cooking spray. Douse in flour, then gently tap out the excess. 

Olly’s wine pairing: Perfect for patisserie

Valdo Oro Puro Prosecco Superiore DOCG (11%) £8.99 (reduced from £13.99 until 26 September), Waitrose

This prosecco is fruitier and more intense than most, so serve it in flutes with cupcakes for a sense of occasion.

• Extracted from Jane’s Patisserie Everyday by Jane Dunn, published by Ebury Press, £22, out now. 
• To order a copy for £19.80 go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. 
• Free UK delivery on orders over £25.
• Promotional price valid until 07/10/23.

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