The easy home cooking recipes behind Mary Berry's new BBC show (2024)

She’s the queen of the kitchen, making the most humble fish ‘n’ chip supper look like a meal fit for royalty.

Mary Berry returns to our screens on Monday night with a new BBC2 cookery series called Mary Berry Everyday.

In it, she seamlessly rustles up some of her favourite day-to-day recipes, showing us all how to turn simple dishes into heavenly meals. We also get a glimpse into her family life as she travels to Scotland to explore her heritage and share some of the dishes it inspired.

And, of course, unlike in The Great British Bake Off tent, there’s not a soggy bottom in sight.

In honour of the unstoppable 81-year-old, we’ve pulled together some of her best Everyday recipes.

If anyone can turn a lazy microwave addict into an enthusiastic cook, it’s Mary.

She has a multi-million-pound chutney and kitchen equipment empire and she has written more than a dozen best-selling books.

And, not one to rest on her perfectly coiffed laurels, later this year she will film another BBC series – Mary Berry’s Secrets From Britain’s Great Houses.

So grab your apron and get inspired...

Chocolate reflection cake

For the sponge

• 50g (2oz) cocoa powder
• 90ml (3fl oz) boiling water
• 3 eggs
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100g (4oz) baking spread, plus for greasing
• 250g (9oz) caster sugar

For the icing

• 7 sheets (11g) of leaf gelatine
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 75g (3oz) cocoa powder
• 75ml (21⁄2fl oz) double cream 50g (2oz) dark chocolate, broken up into pieces
• 2 tbsp apricot jam, for brushing

To fill and decorate

• 300ml (10fl oz) double cream, lightly whipped
• 10 strawberries with their green tops

1. You will need two 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed deep cake tins. Preheat the oven
to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4, grease and line the bottoms with baking paper.

2. Sift the cocoa into a large bowl. Pour in the boiling water and stir into a smooth paste. Add the rest and beat using an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Spoon into the prepared tins.

3. Bake for 20–25 minutes until well risen and done. Transfer to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the baking paper and leave to cool.

4. To make the icing, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. Put the sugar, cocoa powder and cream into a saucepan and pour in 125ml (4fl oz) of water. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and continue to stir until smooth.

5. Remove from the heat and melt the chocolate pieces into the hot liquid. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove the gelatine leaves and squeeze out any liquid before adding to the pan. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved, then sieve into a bowl. Place in the fridge to cool down and thicken for about an hour.

6. Slice each sponge in half horizontally. Spread a third of the whipped cream over one layer of sponge and continue to assemble the cake until you have four layers of sponge and three of cream. Press down so the cream comes right to the edges and the sponges are level at the sides. Take a palette knife and smooth around the edges so the excess cream very lightly covers the sides and gives a smooth edge.

7. Warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan and then a sieve. Brush over the top the cake, then chill for 15 minutes.

8. Pour or spoon the icing over the cake, smoothing it over the top and sides with a palette knife. Leave to set then decorate with strawberries.

Fish & chips with tartare sauce

• 50g (2oz) plain flour
• 100g (4oz) panko breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 x 150g (5oz) tail-end pieces of
  cod fillet, skinned
• 1kg (2lb 3oz) medium Maris Piper or
  King Edward potatoes
• 105ml (3½fl oz) sunflower oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Parsley sprigs, to garnish
• Lemon wedges, to serve

For the tartare sauce

• 90g (3½oz) mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp double cream
• 2 tbsp sweet gherkins,
  very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped capers
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tbsp snipped chives
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• A pinch of sugar

1. Measure the flour and breadcrumbs on to two separate plates and beat the eggs in a shallow bowl.

2. Season the cod fillets on both sides with salt and pepper (or season the flour on the plate, if you prefer). Dip each fillet first into the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs on to the fish so that each piece is evenly coated on both sides. Transfer the breadcrumbed fillets to a plate or tray, cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7 and line three baking sheets (one large and two standard-sized ones) with baking paper.

4. Peel the potatoes and slice into thick chips. Place in a resealable freezer bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sunflower oil and toss together to coat the potatoes evenly in oil. Tip on to the two smaller baking sheets in an even layer. Place on separate shelves towards the top of the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, then turn the chips over and swap the trays round on the shelves so they cook evenly. Roast for a further 15 minutes or until golden and tender.

5. While the chips are roasting, start cooking the fish. Pour enough of the oil (about 2 tablespoons) into a large frying pan so it forms a thin layer on the bottom and set over a high heat (see tip). Add the cod fillets and fry on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden. Do this in two batches, adding the remaining oil for the second batch, and sit on kitchen paper to drain for a minute.

6. Shortly before the potatoes have finished cooking, transfer the fish to the large baking sheet and cook in the oven for 5–6 minutes or until cooked through.

7. Mix all the tartare sauce ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

8. Remove the fish and chips from the oven. Serve with the chips, sauce and lemon.

Prepare ahead

The fish can be pan-fried ahead and then cooked in the oven for 10 minutes from cold. Or the cod can be coated in the breadcrumbs and kept in the fridge for 2 hours before cooking.

Scots whisky cream

• 100ml (3½fl oz) whisky
• 100g (4oz) caster sugar
• 3 tbsp fine-cut orange marmalade
• Juice of ½ orange
• Pared rind of 1 orange (long strips - see tip)
• 450ml (15fl oz) pouring double cream
• 24–30 fresh raspberries, to decorate

1. Measure the whisky, sugar and marmalade into a small saucepan. Add the orange juice and half the pared rind. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the marmalade has melted. Bring to the boil, then allow to bubble for a minute. Remove and leave to cool in the pan for an hour.

2. Remove the orange rind from the syrup and discard. Pour the syrup into a large bowl. Add the cream and whisk, using an electric hand whisk, until soft peaks form.

3. Spoon into 8 to 10 clear shot glasses or cups, and top each portion with two or three raspberries and a few strips of the remaining pared orange rind. Chill until ready to serve.

Prepare ahead

Can be made up to 8 hours ahead and chilled.

Mary's tip

The easiest way to pare the rind is with a vegetable peeler – taking off the skin but as
little bitter pith as possible. When heating the syrup, make sure the sugar has completely dissolved before letting the mixture boil, or the resulting syrup will be grainy. If it starts
to bubble before the marmalade and sugar have dissolved, turn the heat down and
proceed on a gentle heat until ready to boil.

Win Mary's new book

We have 20 copies of Mary Berry’s Everyday cookbook to give away.

To be in with a chance of winning one, please email TV@trinitymirror.com with your name and postal address and put “Mary Berry” in the subject line.

Deadline is midnight on Sunday, March 12. Winners will be chosen at random by Tuesday, March 14. Standard MGN competition terms apply. See mirror.co.uk/rules.

• Mary Berry Everyday starts on Monday at 8.30pm on BBC2