Savarin Recipe from 'The Great British Baking Show'

The final two episodes of The Great British Baking Show air Friday, August 4, at 9:00 and 10:00 pm. Stream previous episodes here.

In the semifinal episode of this season of The Great British Baking Show, the remaining four bakers are asked to make a savarin for the technical challenge. What is it? A citrus-flavored yeasted cake soaked in citrus liqueur and garnished with fruit and Chantilly cream. Try your hand at the "all singing, all dancing" dessert.

Ingredients

For this recipe you will need a 9 in bundt tin or savarin mold, and, if adding Chantilly cream, a piping bag.

Paul's savarin.For the savarin:

12 oz plain flour
1¾ oz caster sugar
¼ oz instant yeast
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
6 free-range eggs
16 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed, plus extra for greasing
1 large orange, finely grated zest and segmented fruit
1 large lemon, finely grated zest only

For the syrup: 

10½ oz caster sugar
1 large lemon, juice only (you can use the juice of the lemon zested for the savarin cake)
3½ fl oz orange liqueur, preferably Grand Marnier

For the Chantilly cream:

10 fl oz double cream
½ oz icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla paste

To decorate:

sliced mixed fruit (such as orange, mango, kiwi, strawberries)
pomegranate seeds, blueberries or raspberries

Directions:

1. Stir together the flour, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Mix the salt, milk, and eggs together in a jug, then pour into the flour mixture and beat well using a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes to make a thick, sticky batter.

2. Gradually add the butter, beating until the mixture is smooth, elastic, and shiny. Finally fold in the orange and lemon zest. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise for 1 hour.

3. For the syrup, tip the sugar into a pan, add the lemon juice and 5 fl oz water and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, stir in the orange liqueur and leave to cool.

4. Grease a 9 in bundt tin or savarin mold with butter. When the batter has risen, spoon it into the tin. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it reaches three-quarters of the way up the tin.

5. Preheat the oven to 350F.

6. Remove the cling film and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the savarin is risen and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack to cool for 5–10 minutes.

7. When cool enough to handle, remove the savarin from the tin and pour half of the syrup into the tin. Gently place the savarin back into the tin to soak up the syrup and cool completely. 

8. Pour the remaining syrup into a roasting tin, then place the savarin into the syrup and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer to a serving plate.

9. Meanwhile, for the Chantilly cream, whip the cream, icing sugar, and vanilla together until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Spoon one-third of the Chantilly cream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

10. Using a sharp knife, segment the zested orange. Carefully slice off the top and bottom of the orange. Using even downward strokes, slice the skin away from the flesh and discard. Remove any remaining white pith.

11. Pipe the Chantilly cream around the top of the savarin and arrange the orange slices over the cream. Fill the savarin with the remaining Chantilly cream and decorate with sliced fruit.