The Great British Bake Off 2021: Pinch of Nom Caramel Week Inspiration

We’re over halfway through the Great British Bake Off 2021 and already we’ve seen everything from leaky pies to spectacular showstoppers. 

The remaining bakers have survived pastry week and now face the sticky sweet challenge of caramel week. 

This theme first made an appearance back in 2017, and if the previous challenges are anything to go by, we can expect to see some seriously chewy, gooey, caramel-y creations. 

So, we don’t know about you, but we’ll definitely be needing something sweet to snack on while the tension in the tent rises! Good job we’ve got plenty of caramel week recipe inspiration…

Fresh and fruity caramel treats

Fruit and caramel might not seem like an obvious pairing, but get it right and you’ll never go back. Some fruit works better than others, and good old apples and bananas never fail. Perfectly suited to the rich, buttery taste of caramel, the sweet, creamy flavour of bananas is a match made in heaven. 

A recipe that would fit in just as well on pastry week, these Banana and Caramel Filo Rolls are a must-have treat to enjoy in front of Bake Off. Ready in just over half an hour, you can pop these in the oven and serve them warm, drizzled in caramel sauce, just as the shout of ‘ready, set, BAKE’ rings out through the tent. 

The beauty of this recipe is that you need so few ingredients. Paul Hollywood’s not paying attention, so there’s no need to be making the filo pastry from scratch. Readymade sheets of filo from the supermarket will do the trick. 

You’ll need some 50% less sugar caramel dessert topping – it’s the key to keeping this sweet treat slimming friendly. You should be able to find it in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. It’s the perfect consistency for dipping and drizzling, and it’s completely irresistible too. 

Once you’ve got some of that caramel dessert topping in the cupboard you’ll be able to make good use of it time and time again. Traditional caramel is made with heaps of sugar and a generous amount of butter – that’s why it tastes so good! The 50% less sugar version is a handy switch, saving sugar and so many calories.

In fact, we love it so much it also features in this Toffee Apple Pies recipe. Apples and caramel are another classic pairing, and the toffee apple flavours of these little pies will get you in the mood for bonfire night. 

Even though there’s caramel in the pie filling, we can’t resist serving these with even more drizzled over the top. If you feel like pushing the boat out, you can always add a good glug of hot Custard too. Mmmm! 

Baked caramel treats

While the bakers in the tent grapple with caramel tarts, biscuits and spun sugar, we’ll be tucking into a slice of this Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Cream. 

Salted caramel has been one of the biggest flavour trends for the last few years –  and with good reason! There’s something about that salty sweet combination that sets our taste buds tingling. Pair it with chocolate cake and it’s hard to say no! 

This recipe doesn’t contain actual caramel (so no need to worry about having to clean up sticky mess from your baking trays). Instead, the sweetly savoury taste comes from a few drops of food flavouring, mixed into some creamy, rich quark. 

Ready to roll up your sleeves and summon your inner Star Baker? You’ll be making the fluffy chocolate sponge from scratch. The key is to whip up the egg whites first and carefully fold them into the rest of the ingredients. You’ll want to keep in as much air as possible so your cake stays light and spongy. 

We bet Prue would love a slice of this with a cuppa!

One of the best things about caramel is just how versatile it is. It’s so delicious whether it’s baked into a recipe, drizzled over a dish or served on the side as a dipping sauce. 

This next recipe may not technically have a caramel element to it, but hear us out – is there anything better than a freshly cooked churro, dipped in buttery caramel? Actually, there is something better…Churros that are just 23 calories each!

Traditionally deep fried, you may not think that these delicious doughy desserts could be slimming friendly, but our recipe works so well (if we do say so ourselves). 

These are a little fiddly to make, but well worth the effort. To help them crisp up, make sure you leave them in the oven for 10 minutes at the end of their cooking time. Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar so they can finish off baking at a cooler temperature. 

Serve with a little pot of 50% less sugar caramel dessert topping and dip away as you wait to see who’ll be crowned star baker in the tent. 

Sweet caramel snacks

If you’d rather watch the Great British Bake Off rather than get baking yourself, you might prefer a recipe that requires a lot less measuring and mixing. 

How does this sound – a creamy, caramel-y, biscuity dessert in a glass? Our Biscoff Cookie Milkshake is a non-baker’s dream. 

This tastes so indulgent that it’s hard to believe it’s only 225 calories. Ready in just 5 minutes, you can make it in the ad break if the Bake Off creations set your sugar craving into overdrive. 

Rich with salted caramel ice cream and a drizzle of caramel syrup, even the Lotus Biscoff cookies add caramelised flavour to this milkshake. The sweet, salty flavours will rival anything baked in the tent this week! 

If sweet, salty and no bake are your magic ingredients, you’ll also adore these Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Bars. 

Satisfyingly chewy, they’re not just ideal for in front of the TV. We love to wrap them up and add them into packed lunches, or keep them handy for on-the-go snacking. 

The full recipe can be found in our Quick & Easy cookbook.

The ultimate caramel recipe 

What’s your ultimate caramel recipe? For us, caramel treats are a total comfort food and Millionaire’s Shortbread is one of the best. Buttery and rich, it’s also usually super high in calories. 

The good news is that our new cookbook Pinch of Nom: Comfort Food is out on December 9th and it includes our slimming friendly take on this classic caramel dessert. Head over to Facebook to watch the Millionaire’s Shortbread recipe video!

You can also pre-order your copy of Comfort Food today. Find the retailer details here. 

Been following our Bake Off blog articles? Tell us who your favourite baker is over in our Facebook Group! It’s the place to be for slimming motivation, inspiration and so much more.