Air fryers aren’t just for chips and chicken wings – they could be the secret to your next showstopping bake.
With The Great British Bake Off returning to screens and Nigella Lawson joining as a new judge, fans are looking for new ways to recreate her classic bakes at home – and the air fryer may be the perfect kitchen companion.
Martin Senders, an air fryer chef at Philips, has revealed how to adapt Nigella’s beloved recipes for the appliance, promising crispier edges, fluffy centres, and shorter cooking times.
Mr Senders said: "Nigella’s bakes are all about flavour and texture, and that’s exactly where an airfryer can make a real difference.
"Airfryers circulate hot air around food, which is particularly useful when you want to create a crisp exterior without having to deep-fry or use lots of oil.
"They also heat up quickly, making them ideal for smaller batches of cooking and baking.
"When adapting oven recipes, the key thing to remember is that air fryers can cook food up to 20% faster than conventional ovens.
"Becuase the heat is more intense, you may need to lower the temperature slightly and check your food earlier than the recipe suggests, as this can make all the difference when it comes to getting the perfect finish."
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Here are Martin’s top three tips on how to get the most out of Nigella’s bakes, with your airfryer:
Norwegian cinnamon buns
These pillowy cinnamon rolls, filled with buttery cinnamon sugar and baked until golden, can be perfectly cooked in an air fryer.
Mr Senders said: "Cinnamon buns are one of my favourite things to cook in an airfryer because the circulating hot air helps them cook evenly and develop a golden finish, while the dough stays soft inside.
"My top tip is to not overcrowd the basket.
"Give each bun plenty of space so the hot air can circulate properly.
"If you’re using a Philips 5000 Series Megabasket Airfryer, you can spread the buns out rather than stacking them, which helps every piece get that golden finish and avoids them sticking together."
Sticky toffee pudding
Nigella’s rich, date-filled sponge, soaked in toffee sauce, can be made faster and just as delicious in an air fryer.
Mr Senders recommends dividing the mixture into smaller, air fryer-safe ramekins to help them cook quickly and evenly.
He said: "This will give you a lovely golden top while keeping the centre of the sponge soft, sticky and full of flavour."
Chocolate olive oil cake
This gluten-free favourite is known for its deep flavour and moist texture.
Mr Senders said: "Texture is so important for a chocolate cake.
"You want a slightly crisp edge, but when you cut into it, the middle should be soft.
"An airfryer can quickly set and brown the outside of the cake, while the olive oil in Nigella’s recipe helps keep the centre gooey.
"My advice is to use a skewer to judge the centre.
"You’re looking for a few moist crumbs rather than a completely clean skewer – that’s how you avoid overcooking the sponge and losing that soft centre."
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For those eager to try these recipes at home, the Philips 5000 Series Megabasket Airfryer offers a flexible extra-large basket of approximately 10L.
It combines moisture with hot air circulation, and the Megabasket can also be split into two separate baskets, making it flexible for both larger meals and smaller dishes.
Will you be trying out any Nigella bakes in the airfryer? Let us know in the comments.
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