Is Heston’s £159 slow cooker really better than one that £39 costs
...and how good are Jamie and Mary Berry’s cookware ranges?
COOKeRy season is upon us. The BBC’s Big Family Cooking Showdown began this week, and next week The great British Bake Off starts its new life on Channel 4.
Inevitably, there’s a whole host of celebrity chefs keen to cash in on our newfound love of home cooking with equipment bearing their name.
ALICE SMELLIE pitted a selection of pans, dishes and baking trays endorsed by famous chefs against similar, but far less expensive, versions to see if they’re worth your dough. DEEP CAKE TIN Mary Berry v Asda MaRy BeRRy with Lakeland, 20cm deep cake tin, £10.99, lakeland.co.uk and george at asda (bought in store), £4.
WHO: The former star of The great British Bake Off, Berry has written more than 70 cook books. Worth £15million.
WHAT: almost identical deep baking tins, measuring 20cm across with lift-up style bases, to remove cakes easily.
TEST: I grease both tins, make a sponge mix and put half into each. Both sponges rise reasonably well and lift out easily. The only difference between the cake-tin twins is the sponge from the asda tin looks a bit neater. WINNER: CHEAP VERSION
STEWPOT Jamie Oliver v Ikea JaMIe OLIVeR by Tefal Professional Series stainless steel stewpot with lid, £64, debenhams.com and £15 stew pan, ikea.com
WHO: The cheeky naked chef is said to be worth £240million and is famous for his TV series, cook books and restaurants, such as Fifteen in London and Cornwall, as well as healthy eating campaigns.
WHAT: a large stainless steel stewpot by Tefal which has an excellent reputation of its own. The Ikea version has a thick base consisting of one layer of aluminium between two layers of stainless steel, which gives an even heat and reduces the risk of food burning and sticking.
TEST: I make coq au vin and manage to burn the garlic in both — but more slowly in the Jamie Oliver version. It has a slightly larger surface area meaning everything cooks more evenly and quickly. another bonus is that the handles remain cool enough to touch. Measurements are also marked on the inside, meaning it is easy to judge how much liquid is present. The Ikea handles, however, get very hot,
My coq au vins are almost identical in terms of tenderness and taste. So I’d rather buy the Ikea pan and spend the extra £50 in Zara. WINNER: CHEAP VERSION
MUFFIN TIN Paul Hollywood v Lakeland PauL HOLLyWOOD 12-cup muffin tin, £ 18.39, johnlewis.com and Lakeland silicone 12- hole muffin tin, £ 14.99, lakeland.co.uk
WHO: Hollywood, with an estimated net worth of £10million, is the ‘poorest’ of our group. The blue-eyed Bake Off judge has worked at several high-class establishments, including London’s Dorchester, and has written many baking books.
WHAT: Two bronze- coloured 12-hole muffin tins. The Lakeland version has silicone cases with a metal top for stability — silicone baking items are very bendy and hard to carry without spills. The Hollywood version is made of carbon steel.
TEST: I whizz up a chocolate chip mix, fill both tins and put them in the oven. Both batches are excellent, but the Paul Hollywood muffins are definitely superior. The perfectly shaped muffins slip gently out of the tin.
The Lakeland ones pop out less easily and the shapes are not as well-formed. On the plus side, it takes seconds to wash. WINNER: PAUL HOLLYWOOD SLOW COOKER Heston v Morphy Richards Sage by Heston Blumenthal The Fast Slow Pro cooker, £159.95,
johnlewis. com and Morphy Richards, £59.99 (now reduced to £39.99), currys.co.uk
WHO: Famous for his innovative cuisine, Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck restaurant at Bray, Berkshire, has three Michelin stars and has been voted the best restaurant in the world. He could be worth at least £13million.
WHAT: The shiny metal Heston slow cooker looks very high tech, with functions including pressure cooking, slow cooking, searing, sautéing, reducing and steaming. The Morphy Richards is simply a metal pot with a dial. Both have a six-litre capacity.
TEST: I cook a ham in ginger beer. an LeD pad on the Heston model lights up when it’s turned on, and a dial is used to select the right function. In contrast, the Morphy Richards simply turns on. I have no idea if it’s working or not and there’s no timer.
I put two small hams into each, add a few cloves, cover the lot with ginger beer and turn them on. Three hours later, two nearidentical hams emerge and I finish them off in the oven.
There’s little difference between results, and a lot of difference in price. I’m coming down in favour of the Morphy Richards — although the lack of timer irritates me, it’s insanely simple. I’m not a good enough cook to need the other functions on Heston’s cooker. WINNER: CHEAP VERSION
GRATIN DISH Ramsay v Mason Cash gORDOn RaMSay Bread Street gratin dish by Royal Doulton, £15, houseoffraser.co.uk, and Mason Cash Baker Lane grey gratin dish, £ 8.95, silvermushroom.com
WHO: Multi-Michelin-starred chef gordon Ramsay owns successful restaurants across the globe and is also a TV star. Said to be worth well over £100million.
WHAT: grey and white dishes. The gordon Ramsay version is earthenware. It’s cheaper stoneware twin is thicker. Both are dishwasher and microwave safe.
TEST: I grease both and layer thinly sliced potatoes with a mixture of double cream and milk, simmered with chopped shallots, thyme and garlic. I scatter Parmesan on top and place in the oven.
after an hour, the potatoes look and taste the same. Delicious.
I am able to wash up both dishes extremely quickly, despite the encrusted cheese.
Choosing between them comes down to design and shape. Personally, I love the rustic thickness of the Mason Cash, which has larger handles, making it easier to carry, but a smarter household may splash out the extra £6 for the Ramsay version. WINNER: CHEAP VERSION BAKING TRAY Tom Kerridge v Lakeland TOM KeRRIDge large enamel baking and roasting tray, £45,
tomkerridge.com and Lakeland large roasting tin with pouring lip, £13.99, lakeland.co.uk
WHO: Kerridge is a Michelinstarred chef, who presents the BBC Two spin- off Bake- Off: Creme De La Creme. Owns the Hand & Flowers in Marlow, Bucks, and has just published his fourth book, Dopamine Diet.
WHAT: Kerridge’s blue tin is truly beautiful. Made of high- quality steel, it apparently won’t bend or twist when heated in the oven or on the hob. It can be used in the oven as well on top of either a gas or induction hob. Impressive.
Lakeland’s blue offering is carbon steel and is less elegant, with ridges on the inside for even cooking, a corner ‘ nose’ for pouring away juices and excess fat as well as generous handles.
TEST: I roast a couple of large chickens with chopped vegetables. When the veg are cooked I take them out of the oven. They’ve stuck to the Kerridge tray but that may be due to my cooking, although the chicken cooks well and doesn’t stick.
although I love the wide lip that makes it easy to slide in and out of the oven, I’d choose the Lakeland tray. WINNER: CHEAP VERSION