Feeding our appetite for TV show’s best recipes

Although the programme now comes in flavours including Professionals, Live and Celebrity, judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace are convinced we are not consuming more than is good for us. Now you can recreate some of your favourite dishes. The new book MasterChef at Home includes recipes and tips from the television series.

Goat’s Cheese and Red Onion Tart by Lisa Faulkner, actress and 2010 Celebrity champion

Serves four

For the pastry: small sprig of thyme, 100g plain flour, 25g butter, 25g lard

For the red onion jam: 25g butter, 25g soft brown sugar, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1-2 tbsp cassis, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 2 red onions, finely sliced

For the goat’s cheese: 175g crumbly goat’s cheese, 1 egg yolk, 1-2 tbsp double cream

For the salad: handful of rocket leaves, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp lemon juice

To make the pastry, strip the thyme leaves into a blender or a food processor and add the flour, butter and lard. Mix on pulse setting to form crumbs. Gradually add enough cold water (about 2-3 tbsp) to form a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 min. To make the onion jam, melt the butter in a saute pan and add the sugar, vinegar, cassis and some seasoning. Add the onions, bring to the boil and cook, uncovered, over very low heat for 30 min. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Place on a sturdy baking sheet in the oven. Divide the pastry into quarters, then roll them out, and use to line four 10cm (4in) loose-bottomed tart tins. Line with greaseproof paper and baking beans. Place on the heated baking sheet and cook for 10 min. Remove the beans and lining paper and return to the oven for five min. Leave to cool. Trim away any rind on the goat’s cheese and crumble the cheese into a bowl. Mix with egg yolk and a splash of cream. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve a third of the red onion jam to garnish, then divide the rest between the tartlets and spoon the goat’s cheese mixture on top. Return to the oven for 7-8 min. For the salad, rinse the rocket leaves and pat dry. Pour the olive oil and lemon juice into a bowl, and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Add the rocket and toss gently to coat. To serve, place a spoonful of red onion jam on the centre of each plate. Carefully remove the tarts from their tins and sit them on top of the jam. Top with rocket salad and serve.

Pan-roasted breast of duck by John Calton, head chef and 2010 Professionals finalist

500g carrots, tops still on, 4 duck breasts, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for dressing, 200g clear honey, 200ml balsamic vinegar, 200ml soy sauce, sprig of rosemary, 200g chard, plus baby chard, squeeze of lemon juice to garnish

For the polenta: knob of butter, splash of olive oil, 1 banana shallot, finely chopped, 1 garlic clove, 250g polenta, about 500ml carrot juice, 100g mascarpone cheese, 100g Parmesan cheese, grated, 1 bunch of chives, chervil, and coriander, chopped, salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim and cook half the carrots in boiling water for about 10 min. Transfer to a blender and blend to a purée. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy frying pan and pan-fry the duck breasts for seven to eight min until pink. Transfer to a roasting tin and cook in the oven for about 10 min to finish. Transfer the duck to a plate and leave to rest.To make the polenta, heat the butter and olive oil in a saucepan and then sweat the shallot and garlic over low heat for five min. Stir in the polenta and cover with the carrot juice. Bring to the boil and cook for five to 10 min, stirring continuously, until the polenta is soft and the liquid absorbed.

Add the cheeses and the chopped herbs (reserving some for garnishing). Season. Combine the honey, vinegar, soy sauce, and rosemary in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and reduce by half. Blanche the chard in boiling water for about two min. Drain and dress it with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and seasoning.

To serve, cut the duck breasts into slices.

Divide the polenta between four plates. Top with the chard and slices of duck and add spoonfuls of the carrot purée on each side. Pour the sauce around each plate and garnish with the reserved herbs and baby chard.

Dark Chocolate and Almond Torte by Dhruv Baker, sales director and 2010 champion.

Makes 8 slices

150g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), 125g unsalted butter, 5 eggs, separated, 175g light soft brown sugar, 175g ground almonds, 100ml amaretto

For amaretto cream: 100ml double cream, 1 punnet raspberries, 2 passion fruit, peeled, cut in half, and seeds scooped out, icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2). Line the base of a 23cm diameter springform baking tin with baking parchment and butter in the sides. Melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly. Whisk the egg whites until they form peaks. Mix the sugar and almonds in the chocolate, then stir in the egg yolks and the 100ml of amaretto. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture using a metal spoon. Pour it into tin, bake for about 30 min or until firm on top and a skewer comes out clean. Remove torte from the oven and allow to cool. Whip cream with a whisk and pour in the remaining amaretto. Put the passion fruit flesh into a blender or food processor and whisk to a pulp. Push through a sieve and add icing sugar to taste. To serve, place a slice of torte on each plate. Drizzle over some passion fruit coulis and add a spoonful of cream and a few raspberries.

• MasterChef At Home, DK, £20. MasterChef is on BBC1 tonight at 9pm.