If you've seen a single episode of The Great British Baking Show, your mouth has watered at the contestants' fabulous English cakes, tarts, and biscuits, and you've fantasized about making impressive confections of your own. Look no further. With these recipes, you can bake scrumptious British desserts from the comfort of your own kitchen and without the harsh eyes of judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. On your marks, get set, BAKE!
Victoria Sponge With Blackberry Curd
This delightfully messy take on the classic Victoria sponge replaces plain cream filling with a sour whipped cream, which cuts through the butteriness of the cake and complements the tart sweetness of blackberry curd. It's so interesting — and insanely good-looking — that Mary Berry just might overlook the creative twists on one of her favorite bakes.
Get the recipe: Victoria sponge with blackberry curd
Treacle Tart With Brown Butter, Rosemary, and Lemon
Treacle tart is Harry Potter's favorite dessert for a reason — probably because it's chewy, caramel-y, and oh so comforting. This take on the sweet and salty pudding adds complexity to the traditional filling of breadcrumbs and sweet golden syrup with bursts of lemon, rosemary, and browned butter.
Get the recipe: treacle tart with brown butter, rosemary, and lemon
Blueberry and Almond Traybake
These blueberry and almond squares are charming on top, moist in the middle, and, of course, never soggy on the bottom. Serve these to guests with their favorite hot tea, and they'll surely reach for seconds.
Get the recipe: blueberry and almond traybake
English Muffins
The perfect thickness and golden-brown color on these tasty English muffins would impress even the harshest of critics — even Paul Hollywood. Slather them with plenty of butter and jam for a deliciously simple breakfast or satisfying snack.
Get the recipe: English muffins
Eton Mess Cake
This terrific towering cake, inspired by traditional Eton mess, combines layers of fluffy vanilla cake with blankets of airy, meringue-flecked whipped cream and fresh berries for a beautifully textured experience. It would definitely turn the judges' heads during the showstopper round.
Get the recipe: Eton mess cake
Cherry Bakewell Cookies
This recipe throws all of the elements of a Bakewell tart — buttery shortcrust pastry, almond filling, and jam — into convenient bite-size cookies. You'd think that would make portion control easier, but these cherry-rich babies are bound to disappear in minutes.
Get the recipe: cherry Bakewell cookies
Salty Sticky Toffee Persimmon Pudding
Nothing says British like sticky toffee. This particular pudding stays true to the dessert's buttery, gooey decadence with a twist. A marriage of two puddings sticky toffee from the UK and persimmon from the US — this treat is equal parts soft, spongey, salty, and sweet.
Get the recipe: salty sticky toffee persimmon pudding
Lemon Mascarpone Scones
Mascarpone cheese replaces butter in these crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside subtly citrusy scones. Their light lemon flavor pairs splendidly with jam, clotted cream, and, of course, tea.
Get the recipe: lemon mascarpone scones
Almond Fairy Cakes With Candied Borage Flowers
Smooth almond-scented fondant glazes these dainty cakes, topped with candied edible flowers for an enchantingly uniform platter of sweetness that would have Paul Hollywood swooning.
Get the recipe: almond fairy cakes with candied borage flowers
Chocolate Cake Roll
We all love chocolate cake, but isn't it more enticing when rolled into a perfect log? The swirled design of this Swiss roll showcases luscious chocolate cream even more beautifully than a layered cake could — and it makes for prettier slices.
Get the recipe: chocolate cake roll
Honey Strawberry Apricot Tart
Summery strawberries and apricots are the stars of this colorful and crisp tart. Golden-brown puff pastry is topped with sweet almond filling and lightly drizzled with honey, while whipped mascarpone adds fluffiness and a pleasant contrast in color and temperature. If you're looking for a party-ready Summer dessert, look no further.
Get the recipe: honey strawberry apricot tart
Vegan Viennese Whirls
Crunchy, buttery biscuits give way to a silky, sweet interior in these traditional British confections. Filled with butter and jam, they're basically portable scone sandwiches with lovely twirled designs.
Get the recipe: vegan Viennese whirls
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake With Mascarpone Frosting and Fresh Berries
Poppy seeds (for lack of a better word) pop against this fresh and dense lemon cake, topped with a whipped mascarpone frosting and studded with ripe berries. And it doesn't hurt that Mary Berry would be totally thrilled about those neat layers either.
Get the recipe: lemon poppy seed cake with mascarpone frosting and fresh berries
Soda Bread With Milk Chocolate and Salted Honey Butter
If you're (somehow) not a bread person, this bake will convert you immediately. Speckled with milk chocolate chips, flavored with cinnamon and cardamom, and spread with plenty of salted honey butter, this loaf is dangerous to have around the house but undeniably worth the indulgence.
Get the recipe: soda bread with milk chocolate and salted honey butter
Orange Tea Cake With Currants and Earl Grey Glaze
A big ol' slice of this orange-zest sponge cake — sprinkled with sweet, chewy currants and glazed with Earl Grey-infused condensed milk — makes a perfect day with a big ol' cup of tea and a good book.
Get the recipe: orange tea cake with currants and Earl Grey glaze
Roasted Cherry Shortcake With Buttermilk Cream
This dessert begins with pitted cherries, roasted with sugar and basil until the fruit is soft and the mixture is thick. Then come the shortcakes, sweetened with vanilla bean and brightened with lemon zest. Finally, sour yet sweet buttermilk whipped cream is smothered on each shortcake and topped with cherry sauce. Oops, we're drooling.
Get the recipe: roasted cherry shortcake with buttermilk cream
Matcha Strawberry Battenberg Cake
This 2017 take on a Battenberg cake combines two of this year's hottest trends: matcha and millennial pink.
Get the recipe: matcha strawberry Battenberg cake
Rhubarb, Strawberry, and Almond Pie
This pretty pie's flaky almond crust and tart strawberry-rhubarb filling have just five ingredients each. Have fun forming the dough into different shapes to create an unexpectedly whimsical crust and watching a dollop of ice cream melt seductively over your own slice.
Get the recipe: rhubarb, strawberry, and almond pie
Easy Cream Puffs
Summon the brightest of days with these colorful cream puffs, bursting with sweet whipped cream and dusted with plenty of sprinkles. Paul and Mary wouldn't be able to eat just one.
Get the recipe: easy cream puffs
Almond Dacquoise With Rose and White Chocolate Filling
This Baking Show-inspired recipe sandwiches luscious layers of rose, white chocolate, and almond cream between discs of delicately crisp meringue. Naturally gluten free and topped with pastel-colored rose petals, it's perfect for a baby or bridal shower.
Get the recipe: almond dacquoise with rose and white chocolate filling
Orange Shortbread Cookies
Citrus is the name of the game with these crispy and golden shortbread cookies. Dunk these buttery, sugar-dusted treats in a glass of milk, or pair them with any citrusy tea for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Get the recipe: orange shortbread cookies
Apple Turnovers
Few things are more comforting than the flavor and smell of baking apples with cinnamon, butter, and brown sugar. Once you're done staring at the puff pastry as it browns and rises in the oven, drizzle leftover syrup from the apple mixture over each turnover. They're so good, no contestant would want to hand them over to the judges.
Get the recipe: apple turnovers
Vegan Frosted Walnut Cake
This dairy-free re-creation of Mary Berry's frosted walnut cake is made with zero refined sugar, but that doesn't mean it tastes any less indulgent than the original.
Get the recipe: vegan frosted walnut cake
Hazelnut Tea Cake With Moscato Pears
Toasted hazelnut cake sounds great on its own. But when it's topped with pears that have been soaked in Moscato and browned in butter — and generously dolloped with Moscato-infused whipped cream — that's nothing to wine about.
Get the recipe: hazelnut tea cake with Moscato pears
Sweet Apple Buns
As if the apple-like buns weren't adorable enough, you'll be delighted to bite into these sweet rolls to taste a warm and fragrant apple filling. Mary Berry would love the cinnamon sticks, which make the perfect "stems" on these doughy treats.
Get the recipe: sweet apple buns