Rachel Allen: Bake! Season 1 Episode 8 Iced Orange Cake And Goat Cheese Tart

Rachel Allen is back in the kitchen for the eighth episode of the first season of Bake! This time around, she is whipping up two delicious desserts: an iced orange cake and a goat cheese tart.

In the first half of the episode, Rachel begins by preparing the batter for her iced orange cake. She starts by creaming together butter and sugar until it becomes light and fluffy. Rachel then adds in some freshly squeezed orange juice and zest, as well as a few eggs, to create a citrusy base for her cake. She gradually mixes in flour and baking powder, making sure not to overwork the batter. Once everything is combined, Rachel pours the batter into a greased cake tin and pops it in the oven to bake.

Next up, Rachel moves on to her goat cheese tart. She begins by making the pastry from scratch, using a combination of flour, butter, and water. Once the pastry dough has come together, Rachel rolls it out and presses it into a tart tin, trimming off any excess. She then whisks together some goat's cheese, cream cheese, and eggs to make the filling. Rachel adds in some thyme leaves and seasoning, before pouring the filling into the prepared pastry case. She finishes off the tart by baking it until the filling is set and the pastry is golden brown.

Back to the iced orange cake, Rachel takes it out of the oven and allows it to cool completely. Once cooled, she whips up some buttercream icing using butter, icing sugar, and a touch of orange juice. Rachel spreads a generous layer of icing over the top of the cake, smoothing it out with a palette knife. To add some extra zest, she decorates the cake with some candied orange slices.

While the tart and cake set in the fridge, Rachel moves on to making some flavoured butter. She starts with a plain butter mixture before adding different flavourings. Rachel creates a paprika and cumin butter, a blue cheese and walnut butter, and a chilli and ginger butter. She forms the flavoured butter into rolls and sets them in the fridge to chill.

Finally, it's time to taste test the desserts. Rachel cuts a slice of her iced orange cake and serves it alongside a slice of her goat cheese tart. She uses a melon baller to create scoops of the flavoured butter and arranges them on a tasting platter. Rachel invites a few guests to join her in trying out the desserts and the flavoured butter. As usual, the feedback is positive, with everyone remarking on the delicious flavours and textures of Rachel's creations.

Overall, episode eight of the first season of Bake! is a must-watch for dessert lovers and home bakers. With Rachel's expert guidance, anyone can replicate her stunning iced orange cake and goat cheese tart at home. Plus, the flavoured butter recipes make for a fun and easy way to elevate any meal.