Mary Berry has been writing and developing recipes for years, including both sweet and savoury ones. She told The Times that writing recipes comes from a “desire to teach” and that her “all-in-one” method was created in the 1960s, which involves beating all of the ingredients at once, which saves lots of time.
The chef and baker still use this method today in many of her recipes. Mary has shared her “all-time” favourite recipes, some of which are cake and others which are a little more tricky, but still simple to whip up.
1. Victoria sponge sandwich
An absolute British classic, and Mary’s “ultimate” favourite cake, the Victoria sponge sandwich is a super simple cake which anyone can whip up. Consisting of baking spread, sugar, eggs and flour, Mary also adds freshly whipped cream and strawberry jam to her cake.
You can find the recipe here.
2: New York cheesecake with strawberries
This cheesecake recipe is Mary’s version of a classic vanilla baked cheesecake, with delicious flavour and texture. She makes the base using digestive biscuits, demerara sugar and butter, whilst the filling has a tasty but subtle vanilla flavour.
You can find the recipe in Mary’s latest book, Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes by Mary Berry.
3. Red velvet traybake
Red velvet is a popular cake, made with buttermilk for a slight tang in the bake. You’ll need proper red food colouring gel to achieve the vibrancy, and it’s delicious topped with some sweetened cream cheese.
You can find the recipe in Mary’s latest book, Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes by Mary Berry. Mary Berry’s standard red velvet cake recipe can be found here.
4. Fabulous chocolate and cherry cake
Mary calls this cake an “impressive” cake, “perfect” for a celebration. It consists of a rich chocolate sponge, with a cherry and cream filling, topped with a delicious chocolate ganache. It may seem complicated, but it’s definitely going to impress guests.
You can find the recipe in Mary’s latest book, Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes by Mary Berry.
5. Lemon meringue pie
This classic dessert can be made using a few cheat methods, but if you have time to make your own pastry, it’s definitely worth it. Consisting of a tangy lemon filling, Mary’s pie is topped with a sweet meringue.
You can find the recipe here.
The chef has published over 70 cookbooks since her debut in 1966, and her new one has just been released. Mary’s new book is available for £14 at Waterstones, Amazon or TGJones.
Many bakers have already got their hands on the book, with some publishing their reviews already. User B and P Mum commented: “Although this is a beautifully produced book, not to mention a great idea, just how many recipes for lasagne does one book need?”
User Sophie said: “Unfortunately, the text is so small that it will be impossible to reference the recipes whilst I cook.”
However, others love the new book with one Instagram comment reading: “This will be one to pass through the generations.”