Howard's Hardly-Lardy Cake & Coffee Eclairs, GBBO Week 10

Join the brilliant Howard Middleton (GBBO contestant from series 4) live from Sheffield, UK who will guide you through baking the last of our GBBO Mystery classes from 2023's Bake Off, where we will teach you BOTH the signature and the technical challenge from week 10 of this year's show: Lardy Cake & Coffee Eclairs.

Howard's take on the classic lardy cake swaps lard for white chocolate and cranberries in this sweet layered yeasted cake, and he'll also teach you how to make the perfect coffee eclair.

The class is on Sunday 3rd December at the following times:

9am PT / 11am CT / 12pm ET / 5pm UK BST

***To ensure everything is baked in the class, you are required to make and prove the dough ahead of the class. When you book, you will have access to a pre-recorded instructional video showing you how to prepare your dough.***

We’ll start off the class with an introductory welcome and some background from Howard's time on TV, before we ask you to put on your aprons and bake along as you watch Howard demonstrate all the skills required to make your delicious recipe.

Our class will take around two hours as we bake our masterpieces, before you can tuck into the fruits of your labour all whilst hearing fantastic memories and stories from Howard, Tickets are priced at £35 for individuals and £50 for groups of two or more that will join from the same household. Places are non-refundable and cannot be cancelled or altered after purchase. All guests will be emailed a link to the class following their booking.

EQUIPMENT

8in (20cm) square baking tin lined with baking parchment  

Mixing bowls

Rolling pin 

Baking parchment or silicone mat 

Wooden spoon

Wire cooling rack  

Saucepans   

Piping bags

Piping nozzles*  

Pastry brush   

Sharp knife

Balloon whisk 

Flat baking sheets/trays   

Dough scraper

*Ideally a 1.2cm/½in French star or open star for piping the choux pastry and a long filling nozzle for the crème patissiere (or you can just split the eclairs and fill them with any nozzle).

INGREDIENTS

For the Hardly lardy cake dough, to be made before the class:

300g (2 ⅓ cup) strong white bread flour (plus extra for rolling)

1½ tsp fast action/quick yeast  

A pinch of salt

180ml (¾ cup) milk  

25g (1 ¾ tbsp) unsalted butter

For the lardy cake filling:

130g (¾ to 1 cup) dried cranberries (or other dried berries)**

150g (~1 cup) good quality white chocolate

Grated zest of ½ an orange or cinnamon or cardamom to taste (optional)

**ideally soaked in tea or orange juice for 10 minutes

For the Coffee crème patissiere:

150ml (⅔ cup) milk (preferably full fat)  

1 tsp instant espresso powder***

25g (2 tbsp) caster sugar 

2 large egg yolks

20g (2 ½ tbsp) cornflour/corn starch  

12g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter

150ml (⅔ cup) double cream /heavy cream (optional) 

2 tsp icing sugar (optional)

***or you can use malted milk powder or vanilla extract if you don’t like coffee

For the Choux pastry:

75ml (⅓ cup) water  

25g (1 ¾ tbsp) unsalted butter

45g (⅓ cup) strong white bread flour or plain flour 

Pinch of salt

2 large eggs (beaten)  

About 1 tbsp icing sugar

For the coating and decoration:

50g (~⅓ cup) dark chocolate  

25g (~3 tbsp) milk chocolate (optional)

Alternatively we do offer private events, please contact us for more information or click on the ‘Online Classes’ page for more detail. Upon booking, all guests will be emailed a link to the class with a full breakdown of ingredients and equipment as well as the method on the Monday proceeding their class. Please do check junk email just in case you don't spot it arrive!

It is your responsiblity to check the ingredients do not impact any allergies  or intolerances which you may have. Bake With A Legend and our bakers take no responsibility in this regard.

If you're in any doubt about you then you should contact us before booking in terms of discussing alternative ingredients to suit your requirements. We will, wherever possible provide alternatives to include gluten & dairy free options.