Great British Bake Off inspiration: 80 cakes From Around the World

Ahead of the Great British Bake Off's hotly-anticipated return on Wednesday, we share some delicious and glutinious bakes

Baking is not, as some might think, only synonymous with Brits. Yes, we love a slice of Victoria sandwich made with farm eggs and strawberries on top with a lovely cuppa, but we are not the only ones who love a baked good.

With other classics including French macaroons, and Scotland’s Dundee cake author and pastry chef, Claire Clark has whittled her favourite cake recipes down to just 80, and added her own personal twists to some and simplified some that might seem insurmountable like the French croquembouche.

Explore the cakes of Europe and how they wildly differ from the Asian and Middle Eastern kitchens, and discover the flavours and techniques, that all have one unifying factor – they all taste superb.

Turkey: Fig and Sesame Honey Drizzle Cake

My favourite figs are the sweet, plump, purple-black Turkish ones, which are readily available in September and October. This cake contains sesame seeds, which are also plentiful in Turkey. They give a slight crunch to the outside of the cake, while the fine semolina adds a soft, spongy texture. It’s delicious warm but also keeps really well and is equally delightful cold. Serve with a cup of Turkish coffee.

Makes a 20cm cake

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
200g ground almonds
85g fine semolina
5 eggs, separated
grated zest of 1 lemon
140g icing sugar
50g unsalted butter, melted
4 fresh black figs

Syrup

200g honey
50ml water

Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark

Grease a 20cm deep cake tin and sprinkle the base and sides with the sesame seeds. Mix the almonds and semolina together, rubbing them thoroughly with your fingertips to remove any lumps. Put the egg yolks, lemon zest and 100g of the icing sugar in a bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until pale, fluffy and doubledin volume. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining icing sugar until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mix with a large metal spoon, alternating it with the almonds and semolina. Finally, fold in the melted butter.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin. Cut the figs in half and arrange on top of the cake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm to the touch.

Remove the cake from the oven and poke small holes into the top with a skewer. Bring the honey and water to the boil to make a syrup and pour it over the warm cake while it is still in the tin. Leave for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

USA: Rocky Road Cheesecake

These adorable little baked chocolate cheesecakes feature an Oreo cookie base, which adds a slightly salty taste. It’s a great combination and includes all the elements of the famous Rocky Road: marshmallows, nuts, chocolate and cherries. I use griottine cherries, which pack an alcoholic punch; you might prefer to substitute glacé cherries if you are making this for children.

Makes 12

100g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)
50g white chocolate
500g full-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
125g caster sugar
3 medium eggs

Base

14 Oreo cookies, crushed
45g unsalted butter, melted

To decorate

100g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), melted
100g salted roasted peanuts
1 bag of mini marshmallows
1 bag of mini Oreo cookies
12 griottine cherries

First make the base. Heat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3. Put the Oreo cookies in a plastic bag and crush to fine crumbs with a rolling pin. Transfer them to a mixing bowl and stir in the melted butter. Take a 12-cup muffin tin and spoon a tablespoon of the crumbs into each hole, pressing them down to level.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/GasMark 1. To make the cheesecake, melt the dark and white chocolate together in a microwave or in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Using an electric mixer on a low speed, mix together the cream cheese, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth. Do not over mix. Add the eggs and mix until combined. With the mixer still on a low speed, gradually mix in the melted chocolate.

Pour the mixture into the muffin tins and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is firm and they are no longer wobbly. Be careful not to let them soufflé up or they will be overdone. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins. I find it easiest to put them in the freezer for an hour before turning out of the tins, then they pop right out. To finish, pour some of the melted chocolate on top of each cheesecake, then sprinkle with the peanuts, marshmallows, mini Oreo cookies and griottine cherries. Drizzle with more melted chocolate.

Austria: Austrian Coffe Cake

When the Turkish army retreated in haste after the Battle of Vienna in 1683, they left behind bags of coffee, or so the story goes. Perhaps it was the bountiful supply of coffee that led to Vienna’s famous café culture. Many a fine cake has come out of Vienna and this coffee cake is a prime example of how good a sponge cake can be. It is really simple to make but the results are stunning. I was reminded of this when I went for dinner at my neighbour’s house. Kath baked this cake for dessert and filled it with fresh raspberries. Use whatever fruits are in season.

Makes a 20cm cake

185g unsalted butter, at room temperature
185g caster sugar
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
185g self-raising flour, sifted
a pinch of salt

To finish

125g hot, strong black coffee
15g caster sugar
1 tablespoon rum
300ml whipping cream
25g icing sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

To decorate

1 tube (2g) freeze-dried raspberries
5 fresh black figs
5g candied rose fragments

Heat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark

Grease and flour a 20cm bundt ring tin. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, creaming well after each addition. Fold in the flour and salt with a large metal spoon. Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin and bake for about 25 minutes, until it is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed with your finger.

Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool. Sweeten the hot coffee with the sugar and stir in the rum. Return the cooled cake to the bundt tin and slowly pour the coffee over it. Invert immediately on to a serving plate and leave to cool once more.

Put the cream in a bowl with the icing sugar and vanilla and whip to medium peaks. Spread most of it over the cake, using a palette knife; it does not have to look perfectly smooth.

Spoon or pipe the remaining cream into the centre of the cake and level with a spatula. Grind half the freeze-dried raspberries to a powder in a pestle and mortar or with a spice grinder. Using a tea strainer, dust the powder over the cream. Sprinkle with the remaining raspberry pieces. Cut the figs into quarters and arrange them in a circular fashion on top of the cake. Sprinkle with the candied rose fragments.

80 Cakes From Around The World: Claire Clark. Published by Absolute Press, £20