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As the nation enjoys the return of The Great British Bake Off, season nine finalist Ruby Bhogal reveals something about the famous Paul Hollywood handshake – it’s not just his bakes that are moist.
“Him and his sweaty hands!” Bhogal laughs as she recalls being awarded the famous handshake several times. “I did make a joke about it when I received my first one, I don’t think he appreciated that very much.”
Like everyone else, the recipe creator, columnist and TV cook can’t wait to see the new judge Nigella Lawson join Hollywood and presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding as another 12 contestants battle it out for the title.
Bhogal describes Lawson as a “formidable force of great, feminine energy”.
She says, “Nigella gave me a quote for my first book One Bake, Two Ways. She’s kind, humble, but so alpha as well – I can’t wait to see her and Paul!”
It’s been eight years since the recipe creator, columnist, and TV cook reached the final of GBBO in 2018 having only been baking for a year. Looking back, Bhogal says her life now compared to eight years ago is “like night and day”.
“I fell into baking after I’d quit my job and went home to live at my mum and dad’s,” she says. “I was getting desperate on the job front as the months went by – then I found a baking book gathering dust at home.”
She says: “The magic about baking is that it really helped me get through my unemployment – I’ve got such a sweet tooth, to make something with my own hands and then have instant gratification is like therapy for me.”
It was Bhogal’s family who saw the adverts. “They said, ‘We’ve been eating your baking over the past year – you should apply.’ So I thought I’d give it a whirl but it did mean I was probably the least experienced person in the competition.”
Ironically Bhogal was back working full-time as an engineer for Network Rail when she got the call to enter the tent.
Although not a favourite to win, each week she impressed judges with her sparky personality, true grit and pushing herself with showstoppers which won her Star Baker twice, and how she drew on the big flavours of her Indian heritage.
She admits, “It was very intimidating but I took feedback from Paul and [former judge] Prue [Leith], and would always apply it for the following week. I think it was my competitive nature that saw me through to the end.”
The supreme irony of having a Masters in architecture and also being remembered as the woman whose beautiful cakes collapsed in one of the episodes is not lost on Bhogal, and as the youngest of three sisters, she’s used to taking flack.
But she says the keyboard warriors have got worse since then, and she advises this year’s contestants, “Do not Google yourself. Speaking as someone who’s done that.”
Having now carved out a kind corner of the internet on Instagram and Substack with her newsletter The Last Bite, Bhogal shares many of her life moments, as well as all the glorious bakes for her latest book, Around the World in 80 Cakes, which she describes as like “travelling around the world from the comfort of your own kitchen”.
“I have a nice community and rarely get negative comments, and if I do, it’s because people are very patriotic about a cake from their country!” she says with a chuckle. “But the day it gives me anxiety, is the day I’ll step away from social media.”
The 37-year-old is expecting a baby with her husband, TV presenter James Stewart, who she married in June last year.
She has also been very open about the grief and guilt she suffered after miscarrying their first baby at Christmas.
“I don’t think something like that ever leaves you,” she says. “James is so caring and loving, but I really took it personally because I’m the one carrying the baby – I felt like I’d done something wrong.”
She adds, “It meant that when we found out I was pregnant again, it robbed some of that magic, and we tiptoed our way along. But we are in the third trimester now, so I’m going to allow myself to relax.”
The couple, who moved out of London to the southwest to be closer to both of their parents, now have more space for their growing family.
“We’re kind of living that slightly countryside-ish life where we can get into London by train in half an hour,” she says. “We recently adopted Bandit, a Jack Chi, thinking he would be a friend for our Maltese poodle, Milo.
“And guess what? Milo hates him…” she laughs. “And now we have a little one to join the mix at the end of November.”
It also meant Bhogal was pregnant during this summer’s relentless heatwaves.
She sighs: “I am so grateful James managed to get one of the only air-cons left in existence at the time! The poor guy was there lugging the air con up and down the stairs every single day for me.”
Extreme weather always reminds her of being in the Bake Off tent during the summer filming. “Either a heatwave or downpours when you least need it. And there’s a lot of fake cakes dotted around the tent, which get a lot of attention from wasps!”
Grateful for GBBO changing her life, she says, “It’s given me a wonderful platform to be able to turn a late passion in life into a career – and for giving me the gift of wonderful friendships.
“I keep in touch with winner Rahul [Mandal] – but I also made a best friend for life, Antony Amourdoux, who went out in week three. He even made my wedding cake last year. I had made my own, but he just turned up with an additional cake!”
The new series returns at a time we could all do with a bit of comfort after warnings of AI risk and the never-ending cost-of-living crisis.
As Bhogal says: “Cake is so much more than just cake – it’s memories and connection, and it’s a reminder of people who are very important in our lives.”
Ruby’s baking tips:
1. “Potato starch is a must-have cupboard item. Substituting some plain flour makes cake sponges so much lighter.”
2. “I’m a diehard vanilla powder girl. It’s more expensive for a small sachet, but you get potent flavouring from it.”
3. “I love tonka beans. Use sparingly but they taste like a mix between vanilla bean, almond and nutmeg.”
4. “If you over bake your sponge and it’s dry, retain moisture by wrapping your warm sponge in cling film. Cake sweat is the good kind of sweat.”
5. “If the sponge is still dry after wrapping, drench them in a simple sugar syrup by brushing with equal parts caster sugar and water. Or add lemon zest and juice for a flavour boost.”
Basque cheesecake
“Burnt Basque cheesecake was originally developed back in the Eighties by chef Santiago Rivera,” explains Bhogal. “My version flavours the cheesecake with vanilla and a subtle hint of pistachio for a bit of well-balanced sweet relief and then we top each slice with a generous drizzling of roasted berry compote.”
Serves: 10
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Territory: Spain
Difficulty: Beginner
Ingredients:
For the cheesecake:
650g full-fat cream cheese, room temp
260g golden caster sugar
70g pistachio cream
4 large eggs
250ml double cream, room temp
100g soured cream, room temp
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
½ tsp salt
30g cornflour, sifted
For the roasted berry compote:
300g frozen berries
25g caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour
200g fresh strawberries
Equipment:
A 23cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin, greased and overlined – use two large sheets of greaseproof paper layered on top of each other (one sitting horizontally, one sitting vertically) and then press down into the base of the tin and around the sides to ensure everything is covered. If it looks rustic, you are doing it right.
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan/200C/gas mark 6. Start with the cheesecake. Add the cream cheese, sugar and pistachio cream to a stand mixer bowl and beat on a medium speed until smooth.
2. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition. Pour in the double cream, soured cream, vanilla and salt and mix well until smooth.
3. Sift in a third of the cornflour and mix on a slow speed until just combined. Repeat with the remaining two-thirds, going slow and steady to avoid the cornflour clumping. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and base of the bowl to ensure everything is well mixed before pouring into the prepared tin.
4. Place the tin on a baking tray (this will just help you remove it when the tin is hot) and pop in the oven on a low shelf.
5. Bake for 45 minutes. If it looks slightly burnt and is still wobbly in the middle, fear not – this is exactly what we are after. Leave to cool completely at room temperature before popping in the fridge to set overnight.
6. The next day, make your roasted berry compote. Preheat the oven to 180C fan/200C/gas mark 6. Add the frozen berries to an ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the caster sugar and cornflour and give it all a good mix. Pop the dish in the oven for 15 minutes, then take it out to give it all a quick stir and pop it back in for a further 10 minutes.
7. Remove the green tops from the strawberries and slice half of them in half. Once the berries have been roasted, add the whole and sliced strawberries and give it all a good mix. Set aside to cool.
8. An hour or two before serving, remove the cheesecake from the fridge and transfer to a serving plate. Use a hot knife to slice (run under hot water or hold over a steaming kettle, then wipe), before topping with a generous spoonful of roasted berry compote to finish.
Irish chocolate Guinness cake
“This is an adults-only cake: unapologetically bold in flavour and paired with a subtle hit of booze in every department,” laughs Bhogal. “We’ve got that malty stout flavour running through the rich chocolate sponge, topped with a whipped cream cheese that’s spiked with Irish cream and finished with juicy blackberries for an extra bit of sharpness.”
Serves: 8
Hands-on time: 1 hour
Territory: Ireland
Difficulty: Intermediate
Ingredients:
For the loaf:
360g plain flour, sifted
3 tsp baking powder, sifted
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted
120g cocoa powder, sifted
440g soft light brown sugar
½ tsp sea salt
2 large eggs
175ml Guinness
150ml double cream, room temp
100ml neutral oil
100ml boiling water
For the chocolate glaze:
160ml double cream, fridge temp
140g milk chocolate
¼ tsp sea salt
For the whipped cream cheese:
175g full-fat cream cheese, fridge temp
100ml Irish cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
45g icing sugar, sifted
225ml double cream, fridge temp
To finish:
A handful of fresh blackberries
Crème de Mûre (optional)
900g loaf tin, greased and lined
PLUS a muffin tray, lined with 6-8 cases
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 150C fan/170C/gas mark 3. Start with the loaf batter. In a large bowl, put the dry ingredients and use a balloon whisk to mix well, breaking down any large lumps of sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, put all the wet ingredients and mix well until smooth.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a balloon whisk to begin incorporating, then switch out to a rubber spatula, scraping down the sides and base of the bowl to ensure there are no unmixed flour pockets.
4. When smooth, transfer three-quarters of the mix into the prepared loaf tin, using any surplus to fill the muffin cases.
5. Pop the loaf into the oven and bake for 58-60 minutes. Insert a skewer into the middle to check for doneness – you are looking for it to return a few crumbs and a small amount of batter.
6. For the cupcakes, bake for 18-20 minutes, in a separate oven if possible. Allow the cupcakes to sit for 5 minutes in the tray before transferring to a cooling rack. Cover the tops with clingfilm whilst they cool. For the loaf, let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a large sheet of clingfilm. Wrap tightly and leave to cool at room temperature for 1 hour before placing in the fridge to chill overnight.
7. The next day, remove the loaf from the fridge and make the chocolate glaze. Add the double cream to a pan and bring to a near-boil, then remove from the heat and add the chocolate and sea salt. Cover the pan with a lid and leave to sit for 2 minutes, then mix with a rubber spatula until glossy and smooth before leaving to cool for 30 minutes.
8. Place the chilled loaf on a cooling rack with a large tray positioned underneath. Generously pour the glaze over the top to cover, coating all the surface area. For the cupcakes, transfer any surplus glaze (including any sitting in the large tray) to a piping bag and pipe it into the middle of the cupcake. To do this, use the base of a piping tip to press into the cupcake top and scoop out a little sponge, then fill the hole with ganache and place the scooped-out piece back on top.
9. Whilst the glaze is setting on the loaf, place the blackberries into a bowl and macerate lightly with a drizzle of creme de mure.
10. Once the ganache has set, make the whipped cream cheese. Add the cream cheese, Irish cream, vanilla bean paste and icing sugar to a bowl and mix until smooth. Pour in the double cream and whisk to a medium peak, so you are left with a silky-smooth consistency that lightly holds its shape.
11. To serve, use a sharp, warm knife to slice the room-temperature loaf. Pipe any leftover ganache on top and cover with a generous dollop of whipped cream cheese. Finish with the boozy blackberries.
Sicilian cassata
“Made from two simple, lighter-than-air lemon sponges, soaked in a maraschino liqueur syrup, it’s filled with an orange, cherry and chocolate ricotta filling and wrapped in a layer of marzipan before being topped with decorative royal icing and maraschino cherries. A mouthful in every sort of way – think of this as cake-come-cannoli,” says Bhogal.
Serves: 14
Hands-on time: Less than 1½ hours
Territory: Sicily
Difficulty: Advanced
Ingredients:
For the sponge:
225g caster sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
5 large eggs, whole
2 large eggs, yolks only
110g plain flour, sifted
110g cornflour, sifted
¼ tsp salt
For the ricotta filling:
1kg ricotta, fridge temp
200g icing sugar, sifted
125g dark chocolate, chunks or chips
100g candied orange peel or mixed peel
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Zest of 1 extra-large orange
80g glacé cherries, roughly chopped
For the soaking syrup:
100ml water
75ml maraschino liqueur
125g caster sugar
To decorate:
300g icing sugar, sifted, plus extrafor dusting
1 large egg, white only
Apricot jam, to glaze
200g marzipan (approx)
Green or yellow food colouring
2-3 maraschino cherries (optional)
Equipment:
23cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin, greased and lined
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160C fan/180C /gas mark 4. Start with the sponge. Add the caster sugar and lemon zest to a stand mixer bowl and, using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed for 5 minutes to help release the oils for a punchier flavour.
2. Scrape the sides and base of the bowl before adding the eggs and yolks, then whisk on a medium-to-high speed for 8–10 minutes until you reach the ribbon stage (i.e. it’s aerated, doubled in volume, and the whisk leaves a trail of batter on the surface when removed).
3. In a separate bowl, put the flour, cornflour and salt and use a balloon whisk to mix together. Add the flour into the mixer bowl and gently fold through by working the spatula around the side and cutting through the middle, then scraping the bottom and bringing up before working the side and repeating. Try to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
4. As soon as there remain no visible streaks of flour, pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 32-35 minutes until the top of the sponge bounces back when gently pressed and a skewer returns no batter when inserted.
5. Place the tin on a cooling rack and allow the sponge to sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Carefully turn out the sponge onto a large sheet of clingfilm, then wrap and set aside to cool at room temperature.
6. Whilst the sponge is baking, make the filling. Slowly strain the ricotta through a muslin or sieve to remove excess water – this will take about 2 hours.
7. Whilst the ricotta is straining, make the soaking syrup. Add all the ingredients to a pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes until you are left with a lightly thickened syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
8. Once strained, add the ricotta to a stand mixerbowl, along with the icing sugar, dark chocolate, candied orange peel, chopped glace cherries, vanilla bean paste and orange zest. Using the paddle attachment, mix on a medium speed until smooth, then transfer to a piping bag and pop into the fridge until you are ready to construct the cake.
9. When the sponge is cool, level the top using a serrated knife, before carefully dividing the cake into three equal-sized sponges. Line the tin you baked the sponge in with plenty of clingfilm, ensuring the edges overflow the sides and the clingfilm is pressed tightly into the base.
10. Place one of the sponges into the lined tin and, using a pastry brush, liberally apply the maraschino soaking syrup. Cut the second sponge into 5cm strips and use these to line the edge of the tin – this will be a bit like a forcing a jigsaw to work but trust the process.
11. Fill the cake cavity with the chilled ricotta filling, using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to condense the filling, remove any air pockets and level out the top.
12. Drench the last sponge layer with the remaining maraschino syrup, then place on top of the ricotta (soaked side down), sandwich and seal. Bring the edges of the clingfilm over the top of the cake to wrap completely before popping into the fridge to set overnight.
13. The next day, unwrap the top of the sponge and carefully turn out the cake onto a serving plate. Remove the clingfilm. Now it’s time to decorate. In a bowl, put the icing sugar and egg white and mix well with a spoon to form a thick but fluid royal icing. Pour three-quarters of the icing on top of the cake and use an offset palette knife to create a smooth, even layer, taking the icing up to the cake edge. Brush the side of the cake with the apricot jam, generously coating so it can act as a glue for the marzipan.
14. Lightly dust a worktop with icing sugar, add a few drops of food colouring to the marzipan and knead until you’re left with an even colour. Roll out the marzipan and slice a long strip, equal to the height of the cake. Carefully apply the marzipan strip around the outside of the cake, blending the two edges to conceal the joint. Using the remaining royal icing and any leftover marzipan and maraschino cherries, decorate the top as you wish.
‘Around The World In 80 Cakes’ by Ruby Bhogal (Pavilion, £26).
