Bake Off Episode 1: How To Make Paul Hollywood’s Fondant Fancies

Bake Off returned to our screens for its 16th season last night, complete with a line-up of 12 hopefuls hungry to impress the judges. In keeping with tradition, the series began with Cake Week: first up, the bakers were tasked with making a Swiss roll. But it was the ‘taste and bake’ technical challenge that really tested the contestants. Paul Hollywood dished out his raspberry and almond fondant fancies to try, which the bakers then had to recreate without the recipe.

It was no easy feat, with many red herrings thrown in – for instance, if you make a fondant fancy with almond flour the cake doesn’t rise, a trap around half of the bakers fell into. Everyone struggled with the challenge, and even the winner didn’t really master it. But no doubt the success rate would have been much higher had the bakers been equipped with the recipe, which we’ve nabbed below. Give it a go and see how you fare.

MORE: The Great British Bake Off Series 16: A Recap Of The Action So Far

Paul and Prue with the pink fondant fancies. (Channel 4)

What Are Fondant Fancies?

Launched in the 1960s by Mr Kipling, French fancies are a nostalgic taste of childhood, but they’re even more delicious when homemade (when done right, of course). Miniature, square cakes are layered with jam or marzipan, then covered with a fondant icing coating – perfect for afternoon tea. The difficulty lies in balancing the various stages of the cake, as well as achieving the perfect icing consistency and piping it on neatly. 

Paul Hollywood’s version is flavoured with almonds and raspberries (not cherries, as some Bake Off contestants fell victim to). Here’s how to make them below.

Channel 4 / Laura Palmer

Recipe: Paul Hollywood’s Raspberry & Almond Fondant Fancies

Ingredients

For the sponge:

• 170g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 170g caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 170g self-raising flour

For the jam:

• 150g raspberries
• 150g jam sugar

For the buttercream:

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp almond extract

For the coating:

• 600g fondant icing sugar, sifted
• 5 drops raspberry flavouring
• Raspberry red food colouring
• 4-5 tbsp water

Equipment:

• 5cm square cake tin
• Paper cupcake cases
• Piping bags

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C Fan. Grease and line a 15cm square cake tin with baking paper and butter.
2. For the sponge, beat together the butter and caster sugar using an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition. Add the almond extract and mix again to combine.
3. Sift the flour into the creamed mixture and beat again briefly until the cake batter is smooth (taking care not to overmix).
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, spread level and bake for 25-30 minutes until well risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the sponge comes out clean.
5. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. For the jam, tip the raspberries into a small pan, add the sugar and mash together with a potato masher. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the temperature on a sugar thermometer reaches 105°C / 221°F. Pass through a sieve into a bowl and leave to cool.
7. For the buttercream. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, icing sugar and almond extract until very pale and soft.
8. Trim the top of the sponge flat, if domed, then turn upside down so the base becomes the top. Cut the sponge into 9 perfectly neat squares.
9. Using a 2cm round cutter, cut out neat 2.5cm deep pieces of sponge from the middle of each sponge. Spoon or pipe the raspberry jam into the hole to almost fill. Cut the top (flat end) of the pieces of sponge you cut out into a disc and place back over the jam, to seal it into the sponge.
10. Using the buttercream, crumb coat the top and sides of the 9 sponges, then freeze for 10 mins or chill in the fridge until firm. Spoon the remaining buttercream into a piping bag and snip the end to a 1cm opening, then pipe a generous buttercream blob, on top of each sponge.
11. For the fondant icing, tip 500g of the fondant icing sugar into a mixing bowl and whisking continuously, gradually add raspberry flavour drops and water, one tablespoon at a time until the icing is smooth and thick, but pourable. Add the food colouring and mix to a raspberry red colour.
12. Once chilled, sit one sponge on top of a fork, hold the fork over the icing bowl and spoon icing over the top and sides of the sponges to cover.
13. Using a palette knife carefully slide the sponge off the fork onto a wire rack, then repeat to ice all the cakes.
14. Sieve the remaining 100g fondant icing sugar into a bowl, add water one teaspoon at a time, whisking continuously until the icing is smooth and will hold a ribbon trail. Spoon into a piping bag and snip the end to a fine writing point. Pipe delicate lines over the top of each sponge.
15. Carefully lift the sponges off the wire rack and place in paper cases to serve.

Recipe from thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk

Try your hand at more Bake Off Technical Challenges on the C&TH Great British Bake Off hub.