Monday 28 September 2015

Bake Off

The Great British Bake Off
Every year The Great British Bake Off* has me glued to my seat. Tuning in weekly to watch the bakers turn their hands to the signature bake, technical challenges and to see if they have the stamina to whip up a storm for their showstopper bake.   

I love watching to see which of the twelve home bakers can survive the intensity of the marquee or if there will be any major meltdowns.

Contestant Tamal sums up the pressure beautifully: 

"I feel like we’re a herd of gazelles that’s being picked off one-by-one by lions. Mary and Paul are the lions and they’re hungry for bakers.”
The Great British Bake Off
I'm regularly left laughing at Mary BerryPaul Hollywood and Sue Perkins use of wonderful one liners, innuendos and damn right wonderful put downs.  

Sue: "You want something quite rigid, but something that will taste good too"
Paul:"Keep your biscuits erect... you've got four hours to do so!"

Paul: “I think it’s over-baked.”
Mary: “It is over-baked but it isn’t bitter and it isn’t burnt.”
Paul: “It is burnt and it is bitter, thank you very much indeed.”

The show is definitely to thank for reinvigorating the UK's love for cooking. Last year's final attracted over twelve million viewers. 

So at work when someone suggested that we do our very own Bake Off, I had already thrown my spoon in the mixing bowl. Well any excuse to bake and eat!

You all know that if I had a choice to cook it would have to be savoury over sweet, but I thought given that the idea is to challenge yourself I would go for sweet. Probably rather stupidly I also decided to bake two things that I haven't previously made before. 

The recipes are both from BBC GoodFood, where you will find loads of recipes and great cooking tips.  

Below are my efforts in making the recipes in pictures. I have purposefully not listed the cooking steps below as you will find these on the website. 

Custard and White Chocolate Biscuits

140g of butter
175g of caster sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
85g custard powder (My favourite is Bird's)
85g white chocolate chunks

Biscuit Recipe
Biscuit recipe

Chocolate and Banana Cake 

100ml sunflower oil,
175g of caster sugar
175g of self-raising flour
half tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 tbsp of cocoa powder
100g chocolate chunks
175g very ripe bananas
3 medium eggs
50ml of milk

For the topping
100g of milk chocolate
100ml of soured cream
Handful of dried banana chips
Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake
The highlight of the two definitely had to be the chocolate and banana cake, which with the sour cream icing made for the perfect sweet and savoury balance. 

Do you watch the Bake Off? Who do you want to win? If you had to cook your signature dish what would it be? 

*For those of you not based in the UK, The British Bake Off is a TV programme where amateur bakers compete to be crowned best baker.

 photo foodieforce_32.jpg

22 comments:

  1. chocolate and banana makes for a yummy combo!

    Have a great week!
    Animated Confessions

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    1. It is a really yummy cake perfect as an afternoon snack Lucy x

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  2. I am obsessed with Bake Off! Every week it makes me hungry and desperate to bake. I'm rubbish in the kitchen though so never brave enough to actually do it. Your baked goods look lovely x

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    1. It's a great show. I have never been that great at cakes and desserts but you definitely have to try these recipes they are supper easy trust me Lucy x

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  3. I love Bake Off! Although the person who I want to win never does, so this year I'm keeping quiet. Both your bakes look yummy :) xx

    Toasty

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    1. Same here every year I think that it has to be one person, clear winner then they don't win Lucy x

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  4. Oh Lucy, you're a baker extraordinaire! These look delicious, well done you! I'm a massive bake off fan! 😊
    Marie x
    www.titchytombie.blogspot.com

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    1. Not sure about that but I do enjoy baking. The bake off is brilliant Lucy x

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  5. That chocolate and banana cake has got my name on it! I sometimes watch GBBO, it's always entertaining

    Suze | LuxuryColumnist

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    1. It is a really yummy recipe you really need to give it a go Lucy x

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  6. I love Bake Off, even though I'm not even the biggest fan of cake. The biscuits sound yum, I love white chocolate! x

    Josie | Sick Chick Chic

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    1. The biscuits are supper sweet but perfect for dipping in tea Lucy x

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  7. I hardly ever watch TV but the bake off is something I never miss - I love it! Banana and chocolate are probably some of my favourite flavours so I bet this is divine x

    Sam // Samantha Betteridge

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    1. It is yummy you need to give it a go Lucy x

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  8. Haha, I feel bad that I don't like this show!I watched it once and was so bored but everyone seems to love it. Doom.

    Corinne x
    www.skinnedcartree.com

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    1. If we all liked the same the world would be a very boring place Lucy x

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  9. You're making my mouth water Lucy !! I don't know what looks better, the biscuits or the cake !?

    www.myfroley.com

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    1. The biscuits are delicious but you have to have a sweet tooth, the banana cake is the best that I have tried yet it is lovely and moist and the chocolate icing is yummy Lucy x

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  10. Lucy you are such a good chef! You're little one is going to be very lucky!

    Ash | Liakada

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    1. I am starting to enjoy making sweet recipes. Hope you are well x

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  11. Controversial, I know, but I just can't get into the Bake Off.... not my thing. Oddly though I LOVE reading everyone's blogs about it. Much better than the real thing.

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  12. Oh my Gaaad, they both sound so good! Can I confess that I don't actually watch Bake Off? Please don't shoot me! I really enjoy it when I catch it but I'm just not a TV person (although I did get hooked on Masterchef USA with Italian dubbing when I was living in Milan hahaha) Hope you're well and looking after yourself xxx

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