Raymond Blanc's Kitchen Secrets

Raymond Blanc creates four mouth-watering chocolate recipes: the simplest mousse, an impressive and rich chocolate delice, a fondant with a melting middle, and his impressive signature dessert - cafe creme - a cup sculpted from chocolate filled with a mousse and coffee sabayon.

Raymond dives into the world of fish. He creates a supper of grilled mackerel with a soy lime dressing. Another of the cheaper fish available, pollock, is given a French twist with a sauce Grenobloise made with capers, butter, and lemon, all served on a base of creamy mash.

Raymond looks to the UK's favorite fruit, apples, for inspiration. He returns to memories of childhood with a simple apple tart made with a foolproof pastry and custard filling. On a trip to Kent, Raymond learns how to graft apples from fruit expert William Sibley.

Raymond makes roots exciting! He creates a celebration of the season with a winter vegetable salad featuring pumpkin, beets, wild mushrooms, and a red wine reduction. Raymond also tries his hand at cutting watercress in Britain's watercress capital, Arlesford, in Hampshire.

Two wonderfully seasonal ingredients, game, and mushrooms are used by Raymond to create a French version of a pasty called pithivier, filled with a rich mix of pheasant, chestnuts, and dried fruits. Raymond's salt crust baked pigeon uncovers a technique perfect for cooking game and poultry.

The miracle of yeast helps Raymond to create a French classic - brioche. He gets down to basics with a French country bread recipe essential to any baker's repertoire, and to finish, there's a delicate yet spectacular dessert of apple croustade made from the thinnest pastry baked until crisp and golden.