It was the royal bake-off that endeared Prince William and Kate Middleton to the internet — and now The Post has the recipe.
Millions of people have been cooing about the chemistry (save for one very awkward moment) between the married couple on the British television special “A Berry Royal Christmas” while salivating over the orange curd roulade they made during a lighthearted contest on the show.
“You need to taste it as you go,” Prince William cheerfully comments while rolling up his meringue roulade dessert, which was then topped with drizzles of chocolate and decorative Christmas trees.
The hourlong special — yet to be aired in the US — features the Duke and duch*ess of Cambridge chatting with beloved former “The Great British Bake Off” judge Mary Berry, who turned 84 this year.
It shows the trio visiting four charities around Great Britain, assembling their matching roulades alongside 2015 “Bake Off” champion Nadiya Hussain and hosting a holiday party to thank those who volunteer and work over the festive season.
Perhaps most fascinating for viewers is the show’s insight into the royals’ private life. For example, we learn that the couple’s elder son, Prince George, 6, keeps a small “museum” of treasures he collects, including a crab’s claw; their 4-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte adores Charlotte potatoes and one of the first words of younger son Prince Louis was “Mary” because one of Berry’s cookery books was kept at toddler height in their kitchen.
During the bake-off, Kate confides to Berry that her husband sometimes cooks for her.
“He is very good at breakfast,” she says, before reflecting on their days at the University of St Andrews in Scotland where they first met in 2001. “He used to cook all sorts of meals [then,]” adds Kate. “I think it was when he was trying to impress me, Mary. Things like Bolognese sauce.”
Once the royals put the finishing touches to their desserts, Berry declares the competition a draw, saying: “I’m not quarreling with either of you!”
In another part of the documentary, the duch*ess gives the host a tour of her new garden in the British county of Surrey. She speaks about her kids’ love of being outdoors and her desire to encourage families to spend time together and “focus on the simple things.”
“Sometimes when it’s chucking it down with rain and it’s freezing cold and I’m dragging [the children] outside they would probably rather be staying inside,” she laughs. “But I think it’s so important.”
The topic of social awareness comes up repeatedly with 37-year-old Prince William revealing that visits he made in his youth to the homeless charity the Passage had a “profound impact” on him. At the time, he was accompanied by his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales who died in a car crash in 1997.
The second in line to the UK throne also shares that Prince George and Princess Charlotte see rough sleepers on their way to school and ask: “Why can’t they go home?” Their father makes it a priority to discuss the struggles faced by others and explain how fortunate the royals are in their privileged position.
“I know it sounds a little bit trite, but on the school run already, bearing in mind they’re 6 and 4, whenever we see someone who’s sleeping rough on the streets, I talk about it,” he tells Berry.
Meanwhile, fashion watchers have been impressed by the outfits worn by Kate on the show.
The most coveted one is a mid-length red silk-jacquard dress with a puss*-bow collar. It was custom-made by one of the duch*ess’s favorite designers, Alessandra Rich.
Mere mortals can purchase a version of the dress as it is currently on sale, reduced by 50 percent from $1,940 to $970.
But don’t forget to put on an apron like Kate when you make the roulade! This version, from “The Great British Baking Show’s” “The Big Book of Amazing Cakes,” is called a Swiss roll.
SWISS ROLL
Serves 8
Baked in just 10 minutes, this confection is best eaten on the day of baking since it’s made from a fat-less sponge that doesn’t store particularly well. It’s delicious rolled with homemade jam or lemon curd (or orange curd for the holidays) and sublime with whipped cream, too.
Ingredients
4 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
a pinch of salt
½ cup homemade or good-quality fruit jam or lemon or orange curd
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
Tools
9 x 13-inch baking pan, greased, then lined with parchment paper
14-inch-long sheet of parchment paper
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 425° F.
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed, until the mixture is thick and mousse-like, and leaves a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk.
3. Sift the flour and salt onto a sheet of parchment paper, then sift half of it over the egg mixture. Fold it in with a metal spoon, then sift in the remaining flour and salt and fold until the mixture is smooth and streak-free. Gently scrape down the sides of the bowl and check the bottom of the mixture for any pockets of flour — incorporate them if you find them.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and gently tip the pan so that the mixture flows into the corners and is level. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until golden-brown and springy to the touch.
5. Lay the sheet of parchment paper on the work surface and sprinkle with sugar. As soon as you take the sponge out of the oven, turn it out onto the sugar-coated paper — lift off the pan and peel away the parchment paper that had lined the pan.
6. Turn the sponge so that one of the short ends is closest to you. Using a sharp knife, score a cut ¾ inches in from the short end — this will help the roll. Starting from that end, gently roll up the Swiss roll with the sheet of paper rolled inside. Place the roll on a wire rack and let cool completely.
7. To assemble, gently unroll the roll and trim off the edges with a sharp knife. Spread with jam or lemon curd, leaving a ¾-inch border around the edge. Cover the jam with a layer of whipped cream, keeping the ¾-inch border.
8. Starting again at the scored end of the roll, gently roll up, this time without the parchment paper. Turn the roll seam-side down and sprinkle with sugar before serving.
Recipe courtesy of “The Great British Baking Show: The Big Book of Amazing Cakes” by the Bake Off Team.
