B Bagna cauda Derived from the Italian bagno caudo meaning ‘warm bath’ this is a flavourful dip made from olive oil, butter, garlic and anchovies. It’s a speciality of Piedmont and is served warm as a starter with raw vegetables for dipping.
Baked Alaska A dessert made of a layer of sponge cake topped with ice cream, all of which is then coated in a layer of meringue. Bake the Alaska quickly (for about five minutes) in a very hot oven until the outside is golden-brown. The meringue insulates the ice cream and stops it from melting.
Baklava This sweet, nutty pastry is a feature of Greek, and Turkish cuisine. It is made from sheets of filo pastry, brushed with butter and layered one on top of the other in a baking dish and filled with sugar, honey and ground nuts. A sweet rosewater-honey syrup is poured over the pastry and left to soak into the layers.