back to basics

Nigel Slater’s apple crumble balances tart Bramleys with an oat crumble topping that’s made extra crunchy by demerara sugar.

Nigel Slater's apple crumble

1kg/2lb 3½oz Bramley apples

sugar,

water juice

grams/3½oz plain flour

grams/2½oz butter

oats

100 grams/3½oz demerara sugar

This easy butternut squash soup recipe is completely dairy-free! It has added red pepper and ginger, and is deliciously smooth. 

For this recipe you will need a 3.5–4 litre/6–7 pint deep-sided saucepan. 

Mary Berry's butternut squash soup

onion,

carrots,

red pepper, deseeded and

olive oil

tbsp clear honey (optional)

root

vegetable stock

salt and black pepper

Learn how to make cheese sauce with this easy recipe. Great for cauliflower cheese, fish pies, mac and cheese and pasta.

Each serving provides 216 kcal, 9g protein, 9g carbohydrates (of which 4.5g sugars), 16g fat (of which 10g saturates), 0g fibre and 0.8g salt.

Cheese Sauce

butter

flour

400–500 milliliters/14–18fl oz milk

80 grams/3 ounces cheese, grated (e.g. mature cheddar, gruyère)

salt and white pepper

Cheese sauce

Learn how to make a white sauce with this video technique.

How to make white sauce

Mary Berry's easy Victoria sponge cake recipe is a baking classic and a tasty tea-time treat. 

Each serving provides 501 kcal, 5g protein, 50g carbohydrates (of which 36g sugars), 31g fat (of which 19g saturates), 0.8g fibre and 0.8g salt (serving with 300g of jam and 300ml cream). 

Mary Berry's easy Victoria sandwich

free-range eggs

225 grams/8 ounces caster sugar,

tsp baking powder

strawberry jam

whipped double cream (optional)

This recipe is from The Great British Bake Off, in which ten home bakers take part in a bake-off to test their baking skills and battle to be crowned best amateur baker. They begin with cake in the Cotswolds, including a Victoria sponge.

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood show you how to bake with easy-to-follow recipes and advice on the Get Baking website.

Mary Berry's perfect Victoria sandwich

Customise this recipe to make your perfect macaroni cheese for a quick family dinner that everyone will love.You can also make it with extra vegetables, bacon and breadcrumbs on top. 

Each serving provides 743 kcal, 34g protein, 60g carbohydrates (of which 8g sugars), 40g fat (of which 25g saturates), 3.5g fibre and 1.7g salt.

Macaroni cheese

macaroni

grams/1½oz butter

grams/1½ plain flour

600 milliliters/1 pint 1½fl oz milk

250 grams/9 ounces cheddar, grated

Parmesan (or

This quick and easy chicken curry is creamy, full of flavour and takes less than half an hour! 

Each serving provides 232 kcal, 25g protein, 6.5g carbohydrates (of which 4g sugars), 11g fat (of which 3g saturates), 3g fibre and 0.6g salt.

Easy chicken curry

spring onions

garlic

vegetable oil

tomatoes

curry powder

ginger

400 grams/14 ounces boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces

milliliters/3½fl oz Greek-style natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve

salt and pepper

rice

A wonderfully quick and tasty chicken curry from MasterChef Shelina Permalloo.

Simple chicken curry

Fish expert Mitch Tonks' fish pie recipe has bags of flavour from the smoked haddock, prawns and cod. It's the perfect comfort dinner.

Each serving provides 861 kcal, 39.5g protein, 69g carbohydrates (of which 13.5g sugars), 45.5g fat (of which 27g saturates), 10g fibre and 1.9g salt.

How to make fish pie

potatoes,

100 grams/3½ oz crème fraîche

tbsp milk

500 milliliters/1 pint milk

haddock

cod loin

onion

bay leaf

(optional)

leeks,

butter,

tbsp plain flour

grams/3½oz prawns

peas

tbsp finely chopped parsley

lemon,

Our simple step-by-step recipe video for comforting fish pie topped with mashed potato.

Everyone needs a basic spaghetti bolognese recipe that still tastes great, no matter how simple. Get that depth of flavour by cooking the sauce very gently until it’s super rich. This spag bol is designed to be a low cost recipe.

Each serving provides 787 kcal, 35g protein, 103g carbohydrates (of which 19g sugars), 24g fat (of which 8g saturates), 8.5g fibre and 1.5g salt.

Easy spaghetti bolognese

beef mince

onion, diced

garlic cloves, chopped

grams/3½oz carrot, grated

400 milliliters/14fl oz stock (made

spaghetti

Paul Hollywood's easy white bread recipe shows you step by step how to make bread that's crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. If you're new to making bread, this one's great for beginners.

Easy white bread

bread

sachet fast-action dried yeast

salt

milliliters/10¾fl oz tepid water (warm not cold – about body temperature)

Home bakers battle to be crowned best amateur baker. The six remaining bakers are making bread in the shadow of Sarre Windmill in Kent.

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood show you how to bake with easy-to-follow recipes and advice on the Get Baking website.

Paul Hollywood's crusty cob loaf

Try making these easy, buttery shortbread biscuits for an afternoon activity with the kids. This recipe also works with chocolate chips or orange zest added the dough. 

Shortbread

125 grams/4 ounces unsalted butter,

55 grams/2 ounces caster sugar, plus extra to finish

Mary Berry's scones are the perfect easy tea-time treat, whether jam-and-cream-topped (in whichever order you like), plain or packed with sultanas. 
 
Equipment: You will need a fluted 5cm/2in cutter.


Mary Berry's scones

450 grams/1lb self-raising flour

level tsp baking powder

grams/1¾oz caster sugar

grams/3½oz butter, softened,

milk

clotted cream

Mary Berry's banana bread recipe is small, but perfectly formed and loaded with chocolate chips. You can double this classic loaf cake recipe if you have lots of bananas to use up.

Mary Berry's banana bread

banana (peeled weight 100 grams/4 ounces)

75 grams/3 ounces caster sugar

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

free-range egg

chocolate chips

chocolate

This creamy mashed potato recipe is perfect with sausages, roast chicken or a wintery stew. Try this simple hack for getting lump-free mash every time.

Mashed potato

floury

grams/2 butter,

100 milliliters/3½fl oz double cream

salt and black pepper,

Learn how to make mashed potato that's smooth, creamy and delicious with our video recipe

How to make mashed potato

Make a birthday special with Mary Berry's chocolatiest of chocolate sponge cakes. It is super easy to bake and is covered with a rich, dark chocolate ganache.

Chocolate sponge cake

cocoa powder

water

baking powder

grams/4 ounces baking spread butter

300 grams/10 ounces natural caster sugar

dark chocolate,

150 milliliters/5fl oz double cream

apricot jam

You've got to love a warming toad-in-the-hole recipe when there's a nip in the air. Skip the garlic cabbage if you like and serve with another green vegetable of your choice. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.


Toad in the hole

300 milliliters/10fl oz milk

sausages

onions, finely sliced

½ tsp English mustard

500 milliliters/18fl oz stock

Savoy cabbage, shredded, core discarded

garlic cloves,

Mary Berry's tomato soup is quick, easy and delicious. In fact, it is one of her favourite family recipes, as she always have the ingredients in the cupboard. With no onions to chop or tomatoes to skin, it really is ready in ten minutes!

Ten-minute tomato soup

garlic cloves, crushed

500 milliliters/18fl oz chicken or vegetable stock

tbsp caster sugar

150 milliliters/5fl oz full-fat milk

basil

An easy veggie curry that makes a cheap and healthy meal. It uses basic store cupboard ingredients so is very quick and easy to cook. It's simple to make vegan too, just swap the yoghurt for a dairy-free alternative.

Each serving provides 335 kcal, 9g protein, 41g carbohydrate (of which 14.5g sugars), 12.5g fat (of which 1.5g saturates), 10g fibre and 0.5g salt.

Easy vegetable curry

potatoes

carrot,

cauliflower (around 300 grams/10½oz),

tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil

tbsp curry powder

300 milliliters/10fl oz vegetable or chicken stock

plain yoghurt

mango chutney, to serve

A classic, rich tomato sauce - great with pasta, meatballs or mixed with creamy mascarpone. This recipe makes a big batch and freezes well so you can whip up quick weekday meals. You'll never buy shop-bought jars again!

How to make a tomato sauce

onion, finely chopped

garlic clove, finely grated or crushed

tin chopped tomatoes

½ tsp dried oregano, basil

½ tsp caster sugar

You can make a great pasta sauce with just a few ingredients and a bit of know-how.

How to make a pasta sauce

Back to Basics-How to Cook Rice

white rice, short grain (360 ml)

water (400 ml)

Wash rice until water is not cloudy any more.  In a heavy pot add rice and water.  Let soak for 30 minutes.

Cook uncovered at medium high heat until boiling, stir, then cook covered at medium to medium low heat about 15 minutes.  Check if it's done.

Cover and let settled for 10 minutes and fluff rice.

The secret to a perfect mushroom risotto is keeping a creamy, almost soupy texture at the end, and not over-cooking it to stodge. Feel free to use a mix of mushrooms depending on what's available. Wild mushrooms have a more distinctive flavour, but cultivated chestnut or portobello mushrooms are still very good.

Perfect mushroom risotto 

1.2 litre/2 pints chicken stock

grams/½oz dried porcini mushrooms (or dried mixed mushrooms)

mushrooms, mushrooms

grams/2½oz unsalted butter, cubed

1–2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

shallot, finely chopped

250 grams/9 ounces carnaroli or arborio risotto rice

100 milliliters/3½fl oz dry white wine

grams/1¾oz Parmesan

parsley,

Joseph Denison Carey takes you through the steps to creating the perfect, creamy risotto.

How to cook risotto

This basic white sauce recipe is so versatile, and can be dressed-up or dressed-down for any occasion. Add cheese, or flavour the milk with onion or bay.

Each serving provides 657 kcal, 23g protein, 46g carbohydrates (of which 27g sugars), 43g fat (of which 27g saturates), 1g fibre and 2.1g salt.

White sauce

grams/2 butter

grams/2 flour

500 milliliters/18fl oz milk

Top 21 back to basics recipes from across the web

The most viewed back to basics recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Nigel Slater's apple crumble

Mary Berry's butternut squash soup

Cheese Sauce

Mary Berry's easy Victoria sandwich

Macaroni cheese

Easy chicken curry

How to make fish pie

Easy spaghetti bolognese

Easy white bread

Shortbread

Mary Berry's scones

Mary Berry's banana bread

Mashed potato

Chocolate sponge cake

Toad in the hole

Ten-minute tomato soup

Easy vegetable curry

How to make a tomato sauce

Back to Basics-How to Cook Rice

Perfect mushroom risotto

White sauce

Top 21 back to basics recipes from across the web

The most viewed back to basics recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Nigel Slater's apple crumble

Mary Berry's butternut squash soup

Cheese Sauce

Mary Berry's easy Victoria sandwich

Macaroni cheese

Easy chicken curry

How to make fish pie

Easy spaghetti bolognese

Easy white bread

Shortbread

Mary Berry's scones

Mary Berry's banana bread

Mashed potato

Chocolate sponge cake

Toad in the hole

Ten-minute tomato soup

Easy vegetable curry

How to make a tomato sauce

Back to Basics-How to Cook Rice

Perfect mushroom risotto

White sauce

The most viewed back to basics recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine