Dame Mary Berry talks all things recipes at Good Housekeeping Live, in partnership with Dyson

Dame Mary Berry shared all about the secrets to making easy, everyday recipes and what we can expect from her new cookbook - including when it's okay to cut the occasional corner and cheat a little!

Mary appeared at Good Housekeeping Live, in partnership with Dyson, and spoke on stage in front of 200 readers, while in conversation with GH’s Editorial Director, Gaby Huddart.

During the talk, Mary explained that her goal has remained the same over her seven decade career; to provide easy to follow recipes without over-complicated steps.

Good Housekeeping’s Editorial Director, Gaby Huddart and Mary Berry.

“I cheat a bit, don’t we all?” Mary said. “Life’s too short to make puff pastry!”

Mary also said that she tries to avoid too many ingredients, instead relying on store-cupboard staples and things that can be used in multiple recipes. Otherwise, she says, you end up with lots of leftover ingredients such as juniper berries, “and what the hell do you do with them?” Mary asked the audience, laughing.

The legendary cook added that she likes to include extra hints and tips in her instructions, “rather than leaving it to you to make a cock up!” on a first attempt at a new recipe. For instance, to add the mascarpone slowly while making her red velvet cake, so it doesn’t curdle and the ingredients end up wasted.

Mary also revealed that one of her favourite recipes in the new book was her vegetable wellington, as people were always asking her for a vegetarian recipe that everyone would love.

The star credits her early love of cooking to her home economics teacher, joking that students who were too “dim like me!” for maths and Latin did cookery instead. Mary said this suited her much better and admitted she wasn’t quite the model student. “I was always at the back,” she said. “I spent a lot of time looking out of the window!”