Hats off to Helen's home baking

Jane Asher (left) congratulates Helen Roscoe her Home Baker of the Year

Blackburn's Helen Roscoe can certainly rise to the occasion.

Her cooking was the toast of the Manchester Food & Drink Festival and earned her the title of the 2009 Jane Asher Home Baker of the Year.

Judges Jane Asher, celebrity chef Andrew Nutter and TV personality Lucy Meacock gave her 'Lancashire Belles' entry the thumbs up in the final bake-off.

And Helen revealed her secret recipe for success; her father's flat cap.

The 49 year old sported his hat for the duration of the competition to bring her luck and said it helped her "keep her head" while she whipped up her winning dish; Lancashire Parkin cake with a twist.

It hit the sweet spot with the judges especially Asher. "The standard of the recipes entered for this year's competition was higher than ever and we picked five really interesting cakes for the bake-off in Manchester," says Jane.

Pie belt

"Helen's winning Lancashire Belles was such a creative pudding that it was a clear winner for us."

The winning recipe hit the sweet spot with the judges

Helen has been involved in food since her early teens when she worked in Kenyons baking factory in Blackburn. Her first job was working on the 'pie belt' before being promoted to chocolate éclairs.

She then worked in the food department at Marks & Spencers until 2001 when she moved to Spain and launched a catering company Your Personal Cook Ltd with her partner Paul.

In June 2009 the couple returned to Blackburn to bring the concept of private catering to the UK.

While she is delighted to be crowned the Home Baker of the Year, the winning prize of a £25,000 designer kitchen is the icing on the cap. "It's incredible! I can't wait to get it especially after cooking in the Poggenphol showrooms at the bake off."

Helen Roscoe's Lancashire Belles Recipe

A modern take on the traditional recipe combining 4 traditional elements; Lancashire Parkin blended with ice cream, choux pastry and warm chocolate fondant sauce.

Lancashire Parkin Buns:

Preparation time: 15 mins. Cooking time: 20 mins
Oven 140 c/275 f

Helen's winning Lancashire Belles was such a creative pudding that it was a clear winner for us. Jane Asher

1 bun tray lined with muffin cases
110g syrup & 25g treacle
75g margarine
75g soft brown sugar
155g good quality oats
75g sifted self-raising flour
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 pinch of salt
1 small egg beaten
1 dessertspoon milk

Place the syrup, treacle, margarine and sugar in a pan. Place over a gentle heat till the margarine has melted down. Do not let it boil. Place the oats, flour, salt and ginger into a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the warmed syrup mixture and blend everything together. Add and mix in the beaten egg and milk. Pour/spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for approx 20 mins till they feel springy to the touch.

Remove from the oven, let the buns stand for 2 mins peel off the muffin cases before turning out to cool on a wire rack.

Ice Cream Recipe:

Preparation time: 20 mins. Freezing time: ½ hour minimum

4 eggs separated
100g caster sugar
150g Parkin
300ml double cream

Whisk the separated egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale.

Break up 150g of the cooled Parkin into small pieces and distribute it evenly through the yolk mixture. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and fold into the egg mixture. Then finally, whisk the eggs whites until they form stiff peaks then fold into the egg, parkin and cream mixture.

Place this mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until set.

Basic Choux Pastry:

Helen Roscoe's father's flat cap helped her "keep her head"

Preparation time: 30 mins. Cooking time: 20-30 mins

Oven 200c/400f

Makes about 12 belles:

85g butter, cut into small cubes
220ml water
105g plain flour
A pinch and a half of salt
3 eggs beaten

Sift the flour and salt 3 times onto greaseproof paper. Place the cubes of butter and water in a saucepan over a low heat and allow the butter to melt. When the butter has melted, turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to the boil.

As soon as the water comes to a fast boil, (so that the liquid climbs the side of the pan), turn off the heat and quickly tip all the flour, all at once into the liquid.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the liquid to form a firm, smooth paste. Beat the paste till it comes away from the edges of the pan, forming a ball. Tip the paste, onto a cool dinner size plate and smooth it into a thin layer.

Leave to cool for 10 mins, until it feels just warm to the touch.

Return the paste to the pan (not over any heat) and beat in the eggs, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue adding the egg till the mixture is a reluctant dropping consistency, holds its shape and has a slight sheen.

To bake the belles, spoon the paste onto bell shapes cut out of greased proof paper placed onto lightly greased baking sheets. Each bell shape should contain a tablespoon of the paste. Keep the bells about half an inch apart giving them room to rise.

Bake in the top third of the oven for 20-30 mins.

When the belles are golden brown and firm remove them from the oven. Remove the grease proof paper and make a small hole in the bottom of each belle using the tip of a small knife.

Lay the belles on the baking sheet so the holes are uppermost and return to the oven for a further 5 mins. This allows the interiors to dry out and become crisp. Remove from the oven and leave on a wire rack to cool.

While the choux pastry is cooking and the ice cream is freezing start on the chocolate fondant sauce.

Warm Chocolate Fondant Sauce:

Preparation time: 10 mins

100g butter
100g best cooking chocolate
100g icing sugar sifted
3 tablespoons milk

Melt the ingredients together in a bowl placed in a pan with some simmering water in it so that the heat slowly and gently melts the ingredients in the bowl. Stir till smooth.

Note 1: This sauce will thicken the cooler it gets, to soften, place over the simmering water again.

Note 2: If you do not sift the icing sugar the sauce will have a little crunch to it, which is nice for a change.

Plating up

With sharp bread knife cut the belles in half. Fill one half with some of the Lancashire Parkin ice cream, and then sandwich the 2 halves back together.

Arrange the belles on a plate, bowl or tall glass and drizzle with the warm fondant sauce. Serve immediately.