And so to the final challenge. On first glance it looks a little simple if I’m completely honest. It’s not as if scones and victoria sponges are the most difficult things to cook, I’ve been cooking them since I was a child. The real challenge of this final task is all about timings, and I’m … Continue reading Ep10: Technical – Afternoon Tea Trio

The first of the two final challenges was Vienoisseries. This term was a little confusing at first as it is not something that you generally see these baked goods called in the shops. Basically in laymen’s terms it mean lamented dough pastries, commonly known to you and me as croissants or danishes. As this was … Continue reading Ep10: Signature – Croissants

Wow what a result, it’s not like it was unpredictable, but still a little surprising.  But before we get ahead of ourselves lets get back to the show. Ahhh what is it with the increase in the amount of the bakes needed for the challenges? Two for signature and now three entirely different bakes for … Continue reading Ep10: The Finale!

Monday night was filo fandango night!! Making a quick exit from work it was an earlier train home than usual to get a start on this potentially catastrophic bake. Time consuming prep The ingredients for this week took a lot longer to sort out as I had to do two different flavours. In the end … Continue reading Ep9: Signature – Baklava

A grilled cake made up of what is effectively a fancy pancake batter. How hard can that be? Well not particularly, it was more about concentration than anything. This bake called for an early morning session so that I could get a head start on the weekend ahead. I wanted to get this time consuming part of the challenge out of the way so that … Continue reading Ep9: Technical – Schichttorte

Crikey this weekend if going to be hectic and somewhat time consuming.  I’m due to visit my parents again so I’m going to have to be very strict with my time. What with making fill pastry and grilling a cake it’s going to mean a few early mornings I think! Signature Bake: Baklava (12 x … Continue reading Ep9: Time to pull the grey hairs out!

It clear from this weeks episode that I was going to be in for an adventure with this challenge! With a dough thats needs to be stretched so thinly so that you can see the pattern of a tablecloth underneath and spreading a thick paste on it without making any holes you are asking for … Continue reading Ep8: Technical – Povitica

Another week of dough and yeast, I’m gong to embrace it and hope for the best. The aim, to create a loaf that is fruity, free formed, unburnt (panettone) and cooked in the middle, all while using a recipe I’ve never made before! This weekends baking has a bit of less relaxed affair. My best … Continue reading Ep8: Signature -Sweet Fruit Loaf

Another week of dough, which means another week of proving stresses.  Lets hope that the corner in the kitchen will work as well this week as it did last week! You can tell that it’s a Paul week, because he was asking more pointed questions about the doughs and prodding them too. How rude! Signature … Continue reading Ep8: Advanced Dough is a PHD in Bread!

Savoury Saviour! This is one recipe I am going to take time over and enjoy.  It’s nice to finally be free of the sugar for at least one challenge, that isn’t bread related.  I really think that on the next bake off they really need to try and add more savoury items, Baking doesn’t always … Continue reading Ep7: Signature – Empanadas Mendocinas

I was looking forward to making this sweet pastry treat.  I’ve only ever seen and them in their large form but never made them.  Infact I have near forgotten about them until I saw the label of for them on an empty shelf in Sainsbury’s then on Bake off.  I like making pastry, but it … Continue reading Ep7: Technical – Kouign Amann

  Hoorah! I cannot tell you how pleased I am that there is finally a savoury bake to make! Don’t get me wrong I do like a bit of cake everyone and then, but after 6 weeks it can get a little boring, and heavy of the tum! This week certainly seemed one were the … Continue reading Ep7: Pastry Parcel Paradise!

And so onto the multi ingredient, multi stage, multi tasking Swedish Princess Torte.  Only last week was I thinking that I’m not a fan of stage cooking and this one has 14 to go through.  In fairness though, each stage has to be completed before putting the final build.  One is not dependent on another … Continue reading Ep6: Technical – Swedish Princess Torte

For this weeks signature bake I’m in a bit of a quandary. I had decided to make panettone as it is something that both the boyfriend and I enjoy, so rather then make a random concoction from a selection of ideas I decided to go traditional and with something less risky. My quandary was whether … Continue reading Ep6: Signature – Panettone

You’ve got to love Mel and Sue, they bring refreshing lightness and comedy to a show that could otherwise be like all the other vote off TV programmes. They to know the programme they are presenting can be a bit farcical and but the play along with it. This week was no exception. They were … Continue reading Ep6: European Cake Contest

And so to the custard tart. At the same time as making the rough puff for the pear pies I made the pastry that was required for the tart. As I mentioned in my previous post the main influence for my custard tart was a roasted fruit recipe from Nigella. I wanted to incorporate all … Continue reading Ep5: Signature – Peach and Orange Flower Custard Tart

Have you ever had one of those days where you think everything is going so well? Then BAM everything goes to pot?! This weekends baking was a whole lot of that. Strange surroundings Unlike most weekends I was not baking in my native kitchen, but a garden. We were visiting my parents to help decorate, what … Continue reading Ep5: Technical – Mini Pear Pies

After last weeks episode this week seems a little muted.  Not only have we lost Diana at the start (from an injury unrelated to the show), but two time star baker Richard had a poor week, and the youngest baker Martha had a really emotionally time.  Other than the custard tarts the boyfriend is not … Continue reading Ep5: You can’t keep a tart waiting!

The idea of self saucing seems pretty simple, there are few ingredients for these simple little lemon pots so what can possibly go wrong? Like I said in my previous post (about the show), I’ve made chocolate fondants before and they are lovely but they can be very rich and filling. Fondants are great for … Continue reading Ep4: Signature – Lemon Saucy Pots

This new challenge doesn’t feel immensely technical to me. The only thing that you need to bake is the sponge, the rest of it is just about measuring it out into equal portions so that it is evenly distributed throughout the cake. If it is does correctly it should mean that you get a balanced … Continue reading Ep4: Technical – Tiramisu

Oh my lord where do I start! This weeks episode was definitely the most high octane so far! What with having to contend with the temperature when it came to the chocolate tempering but also the whole freezer fiasco with the ice cream for the Baked Alaska. I’m so pleased that I’m not going to … Continue reading Ep4: Now that is ‘sort of unacceptable!’

The signature this week was “12 Right royal rye rolls… an alliterative challenge.” I was feeling a little unsure about this one not only because it was something I’ve not really attempted before, but because it was bread (even though I really enjoy it). My mother has baked bread every week for as far back … Continue reading Ep3: Signature – Vört Limpa Rye Rolls

This challenge starts with a little confusion. After watching the programme and going on the BBC website I can see that there are some big differences in the recipes. I know that the contestants are given very simple and basic recipes but the one on the BBC site is clearly different. For starters it seems … Continue reading Ep3: Technical – Ciabatta

Bread week this week and not one of my favourites. Don’t get me wrong I love making bread, the kneading and the smell of it baking, it’s just the bits in between I have problems with. As Paul Hollywood said, you need to be a patient baker this week, especially when it came to the … Continue reading Ep3: A Good Baker Must Be Patient!

This weeks signature bake was certainly open to many interpretations, do I do a cracker, water biscuit, something puffy or a crisp-bread? Then do I go with seedy or plain, herby or spiced, oaty or buttery?  The idea for the eventual biscuit came through a process of elimination.  I’d already made oatcake biscuits and although … Continue reading Ep2: Signature – Parmesan & Rosemary Biscuits

You know when you’ve done something before, you feel more than confident that you will be able to do it again without any problems? This is how I felt entering this challenge, and continued to feel for most of the bake, right up until the chocolate part.  Chocolate it not my friend, whether that is … Continue reading Ep2: Technical – Florentines

GBBO Episode 2 – 13/8/14 Sometimes you’ve just got to laugh at some at some of the things that not only Mel and Sue come out with but also Paul and Mary. This week the shining example of this came from the blue-eyed baker himself when explaining the fist challenge of the programme, baking 36 savoury … Continue reading Ep2: The Scorn of the Berry!

I’m so pleased that the Bake Off is back on, I love having a challenge to look forward to, and knowing that by the end of the weekend I will hopefully have learned something new and added to my baking repertoire. This week’s cherry cake challenge was just that. I’ve been staying at my sisters … Continue reading Ep1: Technical – Cherry Cake

This is the first time that I have made up a recipe for anything official. I usually manage to make something from ‘the nothing’ that is the fridge and cupboards etc for dinner, but it’s never really anything to write about, although it still manages to impress my boyfriend! As I mentioned previously I had … Continue reading Ep1: Signature – Pimms Swiss Roll

GBBO Episode 1 – 6/8/14 Woo hoo a new series has started and this year I have this blog/website to publish my attempts at as many of the challenges as possible. Usually I only do the technical challenges, which you will be able to see soon (there is still some tweaking to do!). This year I’m … Continue reading Ep1: A New Series of GBBO…Bring on the challenges!