Glamour Puds

Renowned patisserie chef Eric Lanlard returns for a new series celebrating the world's most glamorous desserts. Eric examines the legacy of Marie-Antoine Careme, the world's first celebrity chef. Eric visits Michel Roux Jnr at his Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche. They discuss Careme's influence on patisserie and how he became famous cooking for Napoleon, Tsar Alexander and the Prince Regent. Eric cooks Michel a traditional Careme dessert, hoping Michel will put it on the specials for dinner that night. Eric then re-creates five incredible Careme-style edible centre-pieces, decorated with petit fours, for a dinner party in London. Recipes on the show include a chocolate fondant with orange sauce, and Vacherine Glace, a frozen meringue with cream, ice cream, and berries. Continues tomorrow.

Renowned patisserie chef Eric Lanlard visits the spectacular Versailles Palace, meeting historian Lisa Hilton to understand the roots of the French Revolution, and the role the Bourbon Monarchy played in their own downfall; before baking revolution-themed cupcakes for a dinner party in Paris. Recipes on the show include the king's cake, a pastry that celebrates Twelfth Night in France, and the matches cake, a Careme invention: individual cakes using puff pastry, royal icing and crme mousseline.

Eric visits the stunning Valencay Palace in the Loire Valley, which was once home to Napoleon's diplomatic mastermind, Prince Talleyrand. Eric cooks a seasonal sweet pumpkin pie in the amazing historic kitchens, and creates a macaroon tower, and caged apples in a zabaglione sauce.

Renowned patisserie chef Eric Lanlard visits the picturesque Compiegne Palace in northern France, to tell the story of why Napoleon left Josephine and married an Austrian princess. Eric relives their grand wedding day with historian Peter Hicks, and finds out why Careme stormed out of the kitchen. Eric cooks his own stunning wedding cake for a lucky couple planning their wedding in Brighton. Featured recipes include a two-tiered chocolate cake that you can make for your own celebration, and Gateaux Mont Blanc, individual meringues with chestnut cream.

The Napoleonic wars almost crushed Europe, but Britain and Russia had the last laugh when Paris fell. Renowned patisserie chef Eric Lanlard visits the setting of the great victory celebration in Champagne. It was here that Careme cooked for the Tsar, Wellington and hundreds of their generals, and where the Russians stole much of the champagne houses' stock! Eric takes a tour of the region and cooks a Champagne-inspired dish for the tasting of the new vintage. Other recipes featured on the show include a dish Careme made for the Russians, pudding diplomat, and a visually stunning fruit terrine.

Joined by historian Kate Williams, Eric Lanlard learns about Marie-Antoine Careme's role in the Congress of Vienna, where he cooked for the most influential politicians and aristocrats of the time. Eric cooks petit fours at the stunning Art History Museum of Vienna for 150 influential guests, and cooks a rum baba and orange souffls presented in their own skins.

Eric Lanlard takes a tour of Vienna's famous coffee houses, finding out about the history of the famous caf culture in this beautiful city. Coffee and croissants were introduced to Europe when the Ottomans tried to invade Vienna. Eric tackles another famous Viennese dish, the sacher torte. He also cooks a pink champagne Charlotte and a beautifully presented pear blancmange with spices.

Eric Lanlard hears how the British came to love French food again after the victory over Napoleon at Waterloo. Eric visits the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, where the Prince Regent paid a fortune for Marie-Antoine Careme's services. Eric visits the restored kitchens, the best equipped in Europe at the time, and discovers that the world's first celebrity chef and the Prince did not see eye to eye. Eric cooks a delicious creamy dessert with pralines and hazelnuts, and a chocolate and apple tart.

Eric Lanlard travels to St Petersburg, cooking a chocolate Faberge egg to pay the captain for his passage. At the amazing Winter Palace, he learns about Marie-Antoine Careme's eventful stint trying to cook for Tsar Alexander, why he was suspected of being a spy, and how he ended up inventing the third course, the dessert. Eric also cooks the easiest souffl in the world, and the French classic floating island.

Eric Lanlard discovers how Marie-Antoine Careme ended his days cooking for the most powerful family in the world, the Rothschilds. He completed his now legendary cook books, and Eric discovers his legacy in the patisseries of Paris. Recipes in this episode include French classics inspired by the great man, the religious cake, and petit fours.