Bake Off showstoppers from Nadiya Hussain and David Atherton

With this year’s contestants about to enter the tent for the latest series of the TV baking phenomenon, dip into some show-stopping recipes from previous winners Nadiya Hussain and David Atherton

Here we go again. Back for a 12th season and seemingly showing no signs of slowing down (last year’s viewing figures were higher than any year since 2016 and the highest since the controversial switch from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2017), The Great British Bake Off returns on Tuesday.

The unique and frankly unlikely success story sees 12 competitors of diverse background – and, in all honesty, variable quality – compete for the title of Britain’s best amateur baker. Confronted with the shark-like glare of Paul Hollywood and the firm-but-fair Prue Leith, the bakers will wilt in a stuffy tent, dropping layer cakes like hot potatoes and stifling prewatershed swear words.

Of course, the cream always rises to the top and this year we’ve got our money on a few contestants. Above all, perhaps, on Jürgen, 56, a Sussex-based physicist of German stock. The show’s last star scientist was Dr Rahul Mandal, the shy-as-anything engineer who walked away with the 2018 gong. Undoubtedly, at least a couple of contestants will carve out careers in the food world, bagging book contracts and perhaps even television shows.

Today’s recipes come from two former champions. Nadiya Hussain won in 2015 and has subsequently gone on to do what very few have: like Jamie, Delia and Nigella, she is on first-name terms with the nation. David Atherton won in 2019 and earlier this year released the acclaimed cookbook Good To Eat. Here, the pair share recipes to get you into the mood – happy baking!

I am always in search of the

best brownie and I figure if you can’t find it, make it. So here it is: a triple chocolate brownie, with a layer of

toasted chopped nuts encased in dulce de leche, then topped with a zesty

cheesecake mixture and baked again. I rest my case.

Prep time: 40 minutes, plus

overnight chilling

Cooking time: 55 minutes

Best kept in the fridge

for 3-4 days

Makes 18 squares

INGREDIENTS

For the brownie base:

250g unsalted butter, softened,

plus extra to grease 250g dark chocolate

4 medium eggs 280g soft dark brown sugar 1 tsp instant coffee mixed with

2 tsp hot water 120g plain flour, sifted 30g cocoa, sifted

½ tsp salt

1 tsp plain flour 150g dark choc chips

For the nutty centre:

200g chopped mixed nuts

or hazelnuts

1 x 450g jar of dulce de leche

½ tsp salt

For the top:

300g full-fat soft cream cheese 100g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

1 tsp almond extract

zest of 1 orange

1 tbsp plain flour Cocoa powder for dusting

METHOD

► Put the butter and chocolate in a small pan and melt gently, stirring occasionally until the mix is liquid. Set aside to cool.

► Line the base and sides of a 20x30x5cm brownie tin with some baking paper so that it comes 1cm above the top of the tin and lightly grease.

► Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 60C/Gas 4. Add the eggs, sugar and cooled coffee to a large mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is light, thick and fluffy. This should take five minutes with an electric hand whisk.

(Adding the coffee really enhances the flavour of the cocoa: you won’t be able to taste the coffee itself.)

► Pour in the cooled melted chocolate and whisk until the mixture no longer has any streaks in it.

Then add the sifted flour, cocoa and salt and mix until you have a glossy batter.

► Mix the teaspoon of flour with the chocolate chips in a bowl before mixing them into the batter until they’re well dispersed – this trick will stop them sinking to the bottom when you bake the brownies. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level off the top. Bake for 25 minutes.

► While it is baking, toast the nuts in a large non-stick pan, stirring until they are a deep golden brown. Put the dulce de leche in a bowl along with the toasted nuts and the salt, mix and set aside.

► As soon as the brownies are baked, take them out of the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin. As soon as they have cooled, spread the sticky nut mixture over the top and pop the whole thing in the freezer for 30 minutes. Adjust the oven to 170C/fan 150C/Gas 3½.

► Make the cheesecake top by mixing the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, almond extract, orange zest and flour together really well. Spoon and spread into an even layer over the nut mix and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. As soon as the cheesecake is set in the centre, allow to cool and leave overnight in the fridge. The wait is worth it!

► Dust with the cocoa, take out of the tin and cut into squares. Eat, eat, eat!