Dessert’s fit for a queen
The Queen will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in June to mark an incredible 70 years on the throne.
And Dame Mary Berry is hoping she can help bring some inspiration when it comes to the food. In a new show, The Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years In The Baking, former Great British Bake Off judge Mary will search for the perfect dessert for the 96-year-old monarch as bakers compete to come up with a recipe fit for royalty.
Over 5000 entries were whittled down to a final five, who will compete against each other to impress Mary as well as her fellow judges Monica Galetti and Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanagan.
“It’s a wonderful thought that perhaps this Jubilee pudding will be made for everyone celebrating,” Mary said.
Here, Mary, 87, tells us how she’ll be celebrating the Jubilee and discusses what the Queen will think of the show...
What do you hope viewers will take from the programme?
I hope they will be inspired to get going themselves. I’m sure everyone will be tempted to make the winning recipe.
Were you impressed by the calibre of the entries?
Very impressed. The final five puddings couldn’t have been more different.
If you were making a pudding for the Queen, what would it be?
Something for a street party, a celebration, and it would be portable. Something that could be made ahead of an event with favourite flavours and not too unusual that everybody would “ooh and ahh” about.
The Duchess of Cornwall announces the winner. That must have been special…
It was very special. It was a privilege to hand her the envelope for her to announce the winner. She was delightful.
What do you think the Queen will think of this competition?
I’m sure the Queen will love it and I’m sure she would be flattered that 5000 people all wanted to put forward their idea for the competition.
The Big Jubilee Lunch Weekend, coincides with the Platinum Jubilee on June 5. How will you be celebrating?
I shall be with family and we’ll all bring something to eat. We’ll have the TV on, watching how everybody else is enjoying The Big Jubilee Lunch. And I will certainly be making the winning recipe.