How to fill those 17 MINUTES of ads? Bake a three-course meal like 2014 champ Nancy

IT ATTRACTED 6.5million viewers and new presenter Prue Leith has gone down a treat – but the 17 minutes of ad breaks on Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off have left the nation yawning.

So why not use that time to do a little star bakery yourself, as demonstrated here with a nifty three-course dinner from Bake Off’s 2014 winner Nancy Birtwhistle, left. True, you’ll have to weigh the ingredients before the show begins. But by the end you’ll have a meal for six to eight – and you can munch while you watch.

BREAK 1 – AN EVEN BAKE

Snack: Tapenade or Marmite Cheese Straws You will need a baking sheet, lightly greased; 200g puff pastry; 3-4 tbsp tapenade or Marmite; 2-3 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese. Roll out the pastry to a square measuring 30cm and spread over the tapenade or Marmite. Grate over the parmesan. Neaten the edges with a pizza cutter and then cut strips 5cm wide. Take each strip and, holding both ends, twist from the right so that the strips form a barley sugar shape. Transfer to the greased baking sheet and press down the two ends to anchor. Bake at 200C for between 12 and 14 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

BREAK 2 – PREPARATION IS THE KEY

Savoury: Quick no-yeast pizza You will need a 33cm pizza tin plate or baking sheet lightly greased. For the dough: 175g strong plain flour; 1 tsp baking

powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp oil; 120130ml cold water.

For the topping: Tin chopped tomatoes (sieved of the juice); 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp mixed dried herbs; 100g grated cheese; fresh basil leaves; 50g pepperoni or chopped ham. Drizzle of oil and fresh rocket leaves to serve. Stir all the dry ingredients together, then add the oil and water and form a smooth dough. I made this by hand in a couple of minutes. Ten minutes kneading is NOT required.

BREAK 3 – CRISP AND EVEN

Quick no-yeast pizza (continued) Roll out and place on a lightly greased 33cm round pizza tin or baking sheet. Place in the oven when you take your tapenade/ Marmite straws out – and turn up the temperature to 220C.

Spoon over the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle over the sugar and mixed herbs, the grated cheese, ham or pepperoni. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. When the cheese is bubbling and brown, take from the oven and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a few fresh basil and/or rocket leaves.

BREAK 4 – THE SHOW STOPPER

Pudding: Microwave Chocolate and Orange Pudding served with fresh raspberries or strawberries and cream or ice cream You will need a 23cm-wide Pyrex pie dish 4cm deep, well-greased; 150g butter; 60g dark chocolate (blitzed to a crumb in the food processor); 180g caster sugar; 1tsp orange extract; finely grated zest of 1 orange; 2 eggs; 120g plain flour. In a large non-metallic bowl melt the butter. Add the sugar, orange extract, orange zest and chocolate. Give it a good stir then add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Finally fold in the flour.

Transfer to the prepared pie dish and microwave on high for four and a half minutes, then let it stand for ten minutes before serving.