Five bank holiday baking ideas

Daniel Culpan picks his favourite recipes to bake this bank holiday.

What better way to spend a bank holiday than with the smell of freshly baked delights wafting through your house?

So whether you have a shamelessly sweet tooth or a craving for a classic homebaked pie, get your rolling pins at the ready for these tastebud-tickling treats.

Lorraine Pascale’s mojito genoise

This indulgent take on a traditional Italian cake from Genoa has a light and buttery texture, with generous lashings of buttercream for extra decadence. With no chemical raising agent, this one definitely requires some serious whisking for its fluffy consistency (but think of the burned calories...) 

With its zesty lime and mint flavour, the crunchy texture of the pecans and more than a splash of rum, the Genoise is definitely worth the effort.

Read Lorraine Pascale’s mojito genoise recipe

Rachel Green’s sausage and apple pie

There’s something about the flaky crunch of puff pastry that is irresistible. Rachel Green’s collision between sharp, thinly sliced Bramley apples and sage-infused sausage is an assured ‘party in your mouth’ moment.

With its lovely golden brown colour and quick cooking time, this is ideal for a bank holiday dinner party, or (fingers crossed) a sun-soaked picnic with a chilled glass of wine.

Read Rachel Green’s sausage and apple pie recipe

Paul A Young’s tea bread

This moist loaf cake is crammed with juicy pieces of stem ginger, dark chocolate chunks and a caramelised muscovado top.

The aromatic overtones of Assam tea lend a flavoursome infusion and the deep, earthy cardamom gives a fragrant, strong taste. Served with soft butter and hot chocolate, this recipe will feed eight people – but you’ll be tempted to scoff it all yourself!

Read Paul A Young’s tea bread recipe

Bill Granger’s chocolate coconut slice

Is there any ingredient combination in the cookbook that works better than chocolate and coconut? If there is, I’ve yet to find it. Bill Granger’s ridiculously simple melt-and-mix traybake definitely won’t gather dust on your cake stand.

It's a chuck-it-all-together approach (perfect for a sunny day when time spent in the garden is prioritised over time spent in the kitchen), and its melting texture – not to mention heaps of dark chocolate – is sumptuous. Tastes best still warm and oozing from the oven.

Read Bill Granger’s chocolate coconut slice recipe

Melton Mowbray style pork pie

A good old British bank holiday requires a good British recipe - what better than a scrummy pork pie? The secret behind the Melton Mowbray brand is fresh, hand-chopped prime cuts of beef flavoured with anchovy essence and fresh sage. This recipe is quite a time investment: it take two hours in the oven, but you’ll definitely reap the rewards.

The crisp, firm crust breaking through to a soft, meaty centre, and the squidgy coolness of the jellied stock is mouth-watering. Served cold with pickle, this is perfect for picnics and generally impressing friends.

Read the Great British Book of Baking’s Melton Mowbray style pork pie recipe

Also worth your attention:

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