Raymond Blanc's Kitchen Secrets

Episode Synopsis

Raymond focuses on bread and the miracle of yeast. His first recipe is a French classic, brioche, a buttery bread using eggs that is the easiest of bread recipes. Using this as a base, he makes a celebratory gateau a la creme brioche filled with a lemony creme fraiche. To follow, we get down to basics with a French country bread recipe essential to any bakers' repertoire, that is formed into beer-topped rolls, a basket-shaped loaf and an olive-and-tomato-topped fougasse. To finish, there's a delicate yet spectacular dessert of apple croustade made from the thinnest pastry baked until crisp and golden. Along the way, Raymond visits one of the UK's oldest flourmills, Shipton Mill in Gloucestershire, to experiment making bread with gluten-free flour.