If you want to expand your home cooking repertoire or fancy trying something new, we’ve rounded up the best of Mary Berry’s easy recipes – which take less than 30 minutes.
Mary Berry, the queen of British baking, has a plethora of recipe books and TV shows for aspiring home chefs to delve into. Her ‘Complete Cookbook’ alone boasts over 650 mouth-watering recipes.
However, it’s her spins on classic dishes that she’s most renowned for – think Victoria sponge, hearty casseroles, roast dinner essentials, and festive favourites for every occasion, from Easter to Christmas.
If you’re looking to broaden your culinary horizons or just fancy shaking things up in the kitchen, Express.co.uk has compiled a list of Mary’s easiest meals that we’ve tested ourselves. Some were shockingly quick to whip up and even replaced supermarket staples we thought were impossible to recreate at home.
From fluffy scones to speedy pasta dishes, here are our top picks from Mary Berry’s simplest recipes:
1. Chocolate cake
Mary’s foolproof chocolate cake recipe uses the all-in-one method and is filled with cream and jam. It’s the perfect choice for those craving a light, airy chocolate cake that isn’t overly rich. This cake took five minutes to prepare and required just 25 minutes in the oven.
2. Banana bread
This banana bread recipe suggests adding a drizzle of dark chocolate in a zig-zag pattern or a sprinkling of nuts on top of the finished loaf for an optional decorative touch. The banana bread emerges from the oven after 30 minutes with a lightly crunchy crust and a soft, spongey centre that’s refreshingly light and moist.
3. Lemon drizzle traybake
Mary’s lemon drizzle traybake recipe calls for just eight ingredients, and the cake is topped off with a signature crunchy topping made from granulated sugar and fresh lemon juice. The lemon zest is also added to the cake for an extra zing.
4. Rocky Road
According to Mary’s recipe notes, her rocky road is “a super simple, no-bake fridge cake. Rocky Road is a real crowd pleaser for kids, but also lovely for grown-ups served with a cup of coffee as a relaxed dessert after a meal.” The recipe couldn’t be simpler, with six ingredients, including a crunchy honeycomb.
5. Lemon cheesecake
Despite needing several hours to set, the cheesecake takes less than 10 minutes to assemble. Mary’s recipe uses ginger biscuits and butter for the base, which Express.co.uk suggests doubling to create a thicker base.
6. Pancakes
Mary Berry whips up her pancakes using three ingredients, making them a speedy treat. Because they are intended to be super thin, there’s enough pancake batter to make 12. However, Express.co.uk found that this recipe should be doubled to make the pancakes large enough to fit in a large frying pan.
7. 15-minute pasta
Sharing her creamy parma ham pasta dish, Mary said, “This is my standby pasta supper as it is so delicious, so quick, and everyone loves it. It’s great for everyday or casual supper parties, too. Its base is a creme fraiche pasta sauce topped with crispy parma ham, adding flavour and great texture.”
8. Fluffy scones
Scones are a classic British treat, and Mary Berry’s “easy” scone recipe promises perfect results with minimal fuss. You can find her straightforward method at BBC Food, which means you can bake 16 petite scones in no more than half an hour.
9. Lemon Easter biscuits
When it comes to Easter indulgences, Mary Berry truly outdoes herself. While she’s known for her luxurious Easter simnel cake and rich chocolate steamed pudding, as well as delectable lemon pavlova and chocolate truffle pots, it’s her buttery lemon biscuits that stand out for their simplicity and quick prep time – ideal for those who prefer a lighter sweet treat.
10. Chicken Chow Mein
Mary Berry brings her trademark touch to Chicken Chow Mein, branding its taste as “gently spiced” in her book Mary’s Foolproof Dinners. An added perk of cooking this takeout favourite at home is that any spare ingredients enhance your pantry, ready for another culinary adventure.
11. Coffee and walnut cake
Among Mary Berry’s famous bakes is the exquisite coffee and walnut cake – a timeless two-layered coffee-infused sponge packed with crunchy walnuts within and atop the cake.
12. Sausage and potato hotpot
Whip up some homely grub with minimal fuss using Mary’s sausage and potato traybake—it’s the ultimate comfort food ready in a jiffy. Peel, chop, toss it all together in a dish, and let the oven do the rest.
13. Chocolate traybake
Sink your teeth into Mary Berry’s luscious chocolate traybake, crowned with a silky milk chocolate ganache and artfully feathered with white chocolate. The secret to its incredibly moist sponge? A dollop of apricot jam, as Mary recommended, brushed on while it’s still warm.
14. Foolproof flapjacks
With just four staple ingredients, Mary Berry’s flapjack recipe is as “foolproof” as they come. Whip them up in no time and stash them in an airtight tin—they’ll keep for a fortnight.
15. Victoria sponge sandwich cake
Express.co.uk suggests sweetening the whipped cream filling with a couple of tablespoons of icing sugar for a twist on Mary’s classic Victoria sponge. It’s not overly sweet but adds a scrumptious touch that brings the cake together.
16. Chicken traybake
When dinner decisions have you stumped, and you’re not keen on kitchen marathons, turn to Mary Berry’s Mediterranean-inspired chicken traybake – a simple, one-dish wonder.
