Bring back the nostalgia with an easy-to-make traybake.

“Traybakes remind me of village fetes and bake sales as a kid,” says The Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood. “I remember making them when I was a Cub Scout. They’re a great way to get into baking, and you can play around with different flavours and toppings.

“One thing to remember is to leave them to cool before you slice up – don’t rush it.”

Credits: PA;

Coconut and Passion Fruit Traybake

Ingredients

(12 squares)

200g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease

200g caster sugar

Finely grated zest of 2 limes

3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten

200g self-raising flour

1tsp vanilla extract

100g desiccated coconut

3tbsp milk

For the topping:

250g mascarpone

1tbsp icing sugar

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes

3 passion fruit

25g toasted coconut flakes

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 30 x 23cm baking tin, 5cm deep, and line with baking paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and lime zest together, using a hand-held electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, beating well after each addition and adding a spoonful of flour halfway through. Add the vanilla extract and stir in.

3. Using a spatula or large metal spoon, carefully fold in the rest of the flour and the desiccated coconut. Finally, incorporate the milk until smoothly combined.

4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and gently smooth the surface to level. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until risen and springy to the touch.

5. Leave the sponge to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

6. For the topping, in a bowl, mix the mascarpone with the icing sugar and lime juice. Cut each passion fruit in half and scoop out the seeds and juice into a small bowl. Add half of the passion fruit pulp to the mascarpone and stir to mix; save the rest for decoration.

7. Spread the mascarpone over the top of the cooled sponge, using a palette knife. Trickle over the remaining passion fruit pulp and sprinkle with the toasted coconut flakes and grated lime zest to finish. Cut into squares to serve.

Much more impressive for a party than shop-bought mini versions.

“I grew up with sausage rolls in my dad’s bakery and they’re still probably my all-time number one food,” says celebrity chef Paul Hollywood. “This elaborate plaited version is a great way to show off your pastry skills.

“The sausage meat is flavoured with roasted peppers, fennel seeds and chilli flakes, but you can leave out these extras and just use your favourite sausages – it’ll still taste amazing.”

Credits: PA;

Sausage plait

Ingredients

(Serves 10)

1 quantity puff pastry (homemade or 500g good-quality ready-made)

Plain flour, to dust

For the filling:

1tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed or grated

2tsp fennel seeds

½tsp dried chilli flakes

2 x 400g packs of good-quality sausages

450g jar roasted peppers

To finish:

1 medium egg, beaten, to glaze

A small handful of poppy seeds

Method

1. For the filling, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan, add the onion and cook over a medium-low heat for 7–10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and chilli flakes and sauté for another minute. Transfer to a medium bowl and leave to cool.

2. Peel away the skins from the sausages and then add the sausage meat to the cooled onion mix. Mix well with your hand until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

3. Heat your oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 7. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

4. Drain the peppers, cut them lengthways to open them up and pat dry on kitchen paper.

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 35 x 40cm rectangle. Arrange half of the roasted peppers down the centre of the pastry. Now form the sausage mix into a log that will cover the centre third of the pastry. Lay the sausage log on top of the peppers and then arrange the remaining peppers on top.

6. Using a small knife, make diagonal cuts in the pastry down either side of the sausage filling, spacing them 1.5–2cm apart. Fold the strips in over the filling alternately to create a plait and seal the ends.

7. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake the plait in the oven for 35–45 minutes until crisp and piping hot. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before slicing. It is delicious hot or cold.

This zesty creation is perfect for summer.

“I love strong flavours, especially lime, so if anyone makes me a key lime pie on Bake Off, they’re going to get a handshake!” says celebrity chef Paul Hollywood. “I made it when I was in Miami, where it was invented. With its crunchy crumb base, creamy filling and tangy lime flavour, to me it’s just the perfect dessert.”


Key lime pie

Ingredients

Dehydrated lime slices

1 lime

For the base:

200g digestive biscuits

125g unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

4 large egg yolks

400g tin condensed milk

Finely grated zest and juice of 5 limes

To decorate:

250ml double cream

Finely grated zest of 1 lime

Method

1 First, prepare the dehydrated lime slices for the decoration. Heat your oven to 110°C/100°C Fan/Gas ¼. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Finely slice the lime into 2mm thick slices and lay on the prepared baking tray. Place in the oven for 1½–2 hours until the lime slices are completely dried out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

2 For the base, place the digestive biscuits in a food processor and pulse to a crumb-like texture (not too fine). Tip into a bowl, pour over the melted butter and stir to combine.

3 Spoon the crumb mixture into a loose-bottomed rectangular tart tin, 36 x 12cm, or a 20cm round tart tin, 3cm deep. Press it evenly onto the base and push the mixture up the sides of the tin to create a crust. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to set.

4 Heat your oven to 150°C/130°C Fan/Gas 2.

5 To make the filling, in a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and condensed milk together until smoothly combined. Add the lime zest and juice and whisk again until smooth.

6 Pour the lime filling into the prepared crust and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until risen and just set. Leave to cool in the tin, then chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.

7 To finish, whip the cream in a bowl to firm peaks then put into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe a decorative cream border on the pie, arrange the dried lime slices on top and finish with a sprinkling of lime zest. Serve cut into slices.

Celebrate by Paul Hollywood is published in hardback by Bloomsbury Publishing