From MasterChef star’s shortbread to Hairy Bikers’ flapjack, get baking for Comic Relief with these delicious recipes

RED Nose Day returns this Friday.

Comic Relief’s celebrity packed fundraiser has raised £1.4billion over 35 years for people living in poverty.

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This year the all-night TV extravaganza will be hosted by David Tennant, Paddy McGuinness, Zoe Ball and Comic Relief co-founder Sir Lenny Henry.

So why not help raise some cash with a classic bake sale?

Here, top celebrity chefs share recipes from tray bakes to cookies to get you started.

• The apron and homeware collection featuring designs from 11 awesome artists is available in-store at Homesense and TK Maxx and online at tkmaxx.com to raise money for Comic Relief.

MARCUS WAREING’S Sticky toffee carrot cake (Serves 8)

MASTERCHEF judge Marcus says: “We love to bake in our household, and this carrot cake is a particular favourite.

“I am constantly in awe of the amazing work Comic Relief does to support young people – and know the public’s donations can make a huge difference. So roll your sleeves up, get your Homesense aprons on and get baking.”

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YOU NEED:

• 100g pitted dates, chopped
• 50g sultanas
• 150g carrots, grated
• 1 Earl Grey tea bag
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• 200ml boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 50g soft unsalted butter
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150g self-raising flour
• For the carrot caramel sauce
• 200g demerara sugar
• 100g unsalted butter, cubed
• 200g carrot juice
• 200ml double cream
• Pinch of sea salt

METHOD: Preheat the over to 175C/155C fan/ gas mark 4 and line a 23cm square baking tray with baking parchment.

Put the fruit, carrots, tea bag and spices in a large saucepan. Cover with boiling water, then place over medium heat and bring to the boil. Remove the tea bag.

Whisk in the bicarbonate of soda until fully dissolved (this must be off the heat or the bicarbonate will create a volcanic effect!).

Beat the butter and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl for two to three minutes until pale and fluffy ­– by hand with a wooden spoon or using an electric whisk – then gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing until fully incorporated.=

Sift the flour and gently fold through to a smooth batter. Gently fold the cooked date and carrot mixture through the batter until fully combined.

Transfer the batter to the baking tin and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

When cooked, insert a knife into the middle of the cake – it should come out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.

To make the carrot caramel sauce, put the sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat and heat for two to three minutes until it has dissolved and you have an evenly golden caramel. Reduce the heat to low and add the butter bit by bit, whisking until smooth.

Add the carrot juice (bought from any supermarket), cream and salt and increase the heat to medium. Bring the sauce back to the boil and cook for five to eight minutes until thick.

Portion the warm cake into bowls. Generously cover with the sauce and add a big spoonful of creme fraiche or ice cream.

•  Marcus’ Kitchen, by Marcus Wareing, (HarperCollins, £22) is out now.

AINSLEY HARRIOTT’S Mango and passion fruit traybake with lime and passion fruit yoghurt (Serves 8)

AINSLEY says: “This is full of tropical flavour and one of my family’s all-time favourite treats I love to see someone’s eyes light up when they taste something you’ve cooked up for them, which is why I’d urge everyone to get involved in a bake sale for Red Nose Day.

"Why not get creative and make sure you make it while wearing one of this year’s Comic Relief aprons, so you really look the part.”

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YOU NEED:

• 200g caster sugar
• 225g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 150g self-raising flour
• 50g desiccated coconut
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 2 passion fruit
• 1 large ripe mango, de-stoned and diced
• 100ml milk
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• For the lime and passion fruit yoghurt
• 300g thick Greek yoghurt
• 2 tsp runny honey
• 1 passion fruit
• Zest of 1 lime

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4, then line a 30x20x4cm baking tin with greased baking parchment.

Put the sugar and butter in a large bowl and cream together, using a hand-held electric mixer, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.

Sift the flour into the bowl, add the coconut and then pour in the milk, folding everything together using a metal spoon.

Add the lime zest and juice, the passion fruit pulp and half the diced mango, and fold together until well combined.

Pour the mix into the prepared tin and level the surface with a spoon. Scatter over the remaining mango pieces. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with a moist crumb.

Cool in the tin on a wire rack for eight to ten minutes. Meanwhile, melt the jam in a small saucepan over a low-medium heat.

Brush the jam glaze over the top of the cake and leave to cool before cutting into squares.

In a small bowl, mix together the yoghurt, honey and half the zest.

Drizzle over the passion fruit seeds and swirl through the yoghurt.

Sprinkle with the remain-ing lime zest to serve along-side the tray bake.

MELISSA HEMSLEY’S Tahini choc-chip cookies (makes 16)

FOR a healthier sweet treat look no further than Melissa’s delicious recipe. She says: “You can store these cakey cookies in an airtight container for five days.

“Warm them briefly in the oven to give them a little crispening boost. For vegans, replace the two eggs with one large, mashed, ripe banana.”

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YOU NEED:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g light tahini
• 110g smooth nut butter
• 100g good-quality dark chocolate broken into squares or chips
• 30g black and/or white sesame seeds
• Pinch of sea salt

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 170C fan/gas mark 5. Line a large baking tray with reusable baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs then mix in the baking powder, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add the tahini and nut butter and mix together until very well combined.

Roughly chop the chocolate (if not using chips) and fold through the batter along with the sesame seeds.

Measure out 16 balls of the cookie batter – roughly one tablespoon each – and bake for ten to 15 minutes on the lined baking tray (making sure to leave a little room between each one) until the cookies are just set.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a little sea salt and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.

• MELISSA is taking part in this year’s Ideal Home Show, in partnership with NatWest, which is returned to Olympia London on Friday and runs until Sunday, March 27. For information and tickets, visit idealhomeshow.co.uk.

THE HAIRY BIKERS’ Manchester tart flapjack (Makes 9 squares)

TV’s The Hairy Bikers say: “The topping has all the delights of a classic Manchester tart – custard, raspberry jam and coconut. Epic. Us northerners love a traybake.

"You just bung it all in the oven and bob’s your uncle! Our flapjacks would make the perfect addition to any bake sale. We’re long-time supporters of Comic Relief and are proud to be supporting the campaign again this year.”

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YOU NEED:

For the base

• 75g butter
• 50g light-brown soft sugar
• 1 tbsp (25g) golden syrup
• Pinch of salt
• 175g porridge oats
• 50g flour
• 1 egg

For the custard

• 500ml milk
• 250ml double or whipping cream
• Vanilla pod, split
• 5 egg yolks
• 100g caster sugar
• 50g cornflour or custard powder

To assemble

• 5 tbsp raspberry jam
• Fresh raspberries (optional)
• 35g desiccated coconut
• Maraschino cherries

METHOD: Line a square brownie tin with baking parchment or a non-stick liner. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas mark 3½.

Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan with a pinch of salt.

Remove from the heat and beat in the oats, followed by the flour and the egg.

Spread the mixture over the base of the tin. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the mixture has set and is browning round the edges. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

To make the custard, heat the milk and cream together with the vanilla pod until just below boiling point. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until thick and creamy, then beat in the cornflour or custard powder.

Pour the milk and cream mixture from a height on to the eggs, whisking the bowl contents as you do so, then tip everything back into the saucepan.

Stir the custard on a medium-low heat until you notice it starting to thicken at the bottom.

Whisk constantly at this point so that the custard stays smooth and free of lumps.

It will be ready when it is starting to bubble, has thickened considerably but is still pourable. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature, whisking regularly in order to prevent a skin from forming. Take out the vanilla pod.

To assemble, spread the jam over the base. Dot over fresh raspberries, if using, then spread the custard over the top, smoothing it with a palette knife.

Sprinkle with the coconut and decorate with one or several maraschino cherries.

Chill for several hours until completely set.

Remove from the tin, then cut up into squares to serve.

 Top Tip: The raw mixture is quite sticky so it can be tricky to work with.

Our tip is to run your hands under cold water and use them to pat the mixture into place, making it as smooth (in the tin) and as even as you can.

• The Hairy Bikers’ Every-day Winners, by Si King and Dave Myers, is published by Seven Dials in hardback at £22.

MONICA GALEFFI’S Moreish masi Samoa (Samoan shortbread)

MASTERCHEF judge Monica says: “I like these for breakfast with yoghurt and fruit.

"The work that Comic Relief does to help support children and other young people in the UK and worldwide is incredible. And if you’re at a loss for what to bake, my masi Samoa is a real crowd-pleaser.”

(Makes 12)

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YOU NEED:

• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 60g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 100g coconut oil
• 125ml coconut milk (if using canned, shake the can before opening)

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 170C fan/gas mark 5. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl. Stir in the sugar and rub in the coconut oil with your fingers, to a crumb.

Add the coconut milk and knead into a dough.

Place the dough between two sheets of non-stick baking paper and roll out into a 20cm square about 5mm thick. Cut into bars into 7cm x 5cm shapes, then place on a baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes or until a nice golden brown.

Dust with caster sugar while still warm, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container for up to four days.

• At Home: My Favourite Recipes For Family And Friends, by Monica Galetti, is published by Aster (£20).

RACHEL KHOO’S Raspberry and rye cookies (Makes 20)

TV cook and author Rachel says: “These thumb or fingerprint cookies are child’s play to make, although bigger thumbs or finger prints allow for a more generous filling of jam or chocolate spread in the cookie ‘cave’.

"As a kid I remember wearing a red nose to school to raise money for Comic Relief. It’s wonderful being able to participate with my recipe, for such a wonderful and important cause.”

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YOU NEED:

• 100g rye flour
• 80g plain flour
• 20g potato flour
• 30g light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 120g cold butter, cubed
• 100g raspberry jam

METHOD: In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the butter, toss together, then rub between your finger-tips until you get a sandy texture. Press the mixture together until you have a smooth/smoothish ball.

Roll into a sausage with a diameter of 3cm, then cut into 1.5cm rounds.

Roll each round into a ball and press your thumb or finger into the centre, leaving an indent for about half to one teaspoon of jam. Put the jam into the cookie indent with a teaspoon, then place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Chill for 15 minutes in the fridge. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.

Bake for ten to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are firm to the touch.

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Leave to cool on a wire rack, then store in a container until ready to eat.

Rachel’s top tip: Different jams, chocolate-hazelnut spread or even a square of chocolate can be used to fill the thumb or fingerprint.
If your dough gets too warm to work with at any stage, pop it back in the fridge to chill.