BBC2: Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets

EPISODE TWO: CAKES & PASTRIES
Broadcast Monday 28 February, BBC2 at 8.30pm

In this episode Raymond pays tribute to the sweetly satisfying extravagance of cakes and pastries.

To kick off, a feather-light lemon tea cake, generously coated in sticky apricot jam and a tangy lemon glaze. Next pure chocolate indulgence - crisp, fluffy choux pastry filled with a cooling chocolate cream and covered with a glossy chocolate icing. The secrets of the perfect macarons - the fashionable and delectable almond-based pastries - are shared and used to decorate a flourless chocolate cake. And for the finale, Piece Montée Croquembouche: the quintessential French celebration cake stand a metre tall. Raymond also goes to Paris to visit protégé and world famous patissier Laurent Duchène.

To view the recipes and to watch the episode again, visit the BBC website by clicking here.

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Raymond Blanc's new book, Kitchen Secrets, featuring recipes from Kitchen Secrets Series 1 & 2 and many more, was published by Bloomsbury on 14 February and is available to buy from Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Brasserie Blanc, Maison Blanc, online and from bookstores.

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Read RB's Le Blog for the catering profession on the Caterer webiste