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We’re Doing The Showstopper! #GBBOBloggers2018 @SageAppliances

Flipping ‘eck, that was a job and a half!
We went for the showstopper again, but this time it was a joint effort between the super wonderful husband and myself.
The kids went to Belper for the weekend to stay with family so we decided it would be a good time to get baking.

Edible Landscape Showstopper

Anyone who knows me knows my most favourite time of the year is Christmas and seeing that it’s very nearly Christmas time, we made a Winter wonderland home using gingerbread, choux pastry, fudge, sponge cake and shortbread!

One day we would love to live somewhere snowy (well, I would, maybe not Ant so much!), in a log cabin, by a stream, with mountains in the background and trees all around us. This was our inspiration for our edible landscape.

Great British Bake Off Bloggers 2018 Edible Landscape Showstopper

Sharing The Work

Ant made the choux pastry mountain and the fudge path.

Choux pastry mountain, stream, gingerbread house and deer - all edible
The choux mountain was taller but we had to leave it overnight so I could take photos in natural light and it shrunk a bit!!
Fudge path in front of gingerbread house

I made the gingerbread house, lavender shortbread 3D Christmas tree and Mary Berry’s tray bake cake.

lavender shortbread 3d Christmas tree

I also did some sculpting from sugar paste using pictures and tutorials I found on Pinterest.

For the snowman, I used a tutorial from Martha Stewart but I changed our snowman a bit because I only wanted 2 snowballs, not 3 and I wanted him to have a proper top hat, oh, and a smile!

sugar paste snowman

The deer was done using a tutorial that isn’t written in English, but it didn’t matter because the pictures were good enough for me 🙂

sugar paste deer

Finally, the robin was an afterthought because I had some brown sugar paste left from the little deer and some red from the snowman’s scarf and I just happened to spot this picture while browsing Pinterest.

sugar paste robins
sugar paste robin with a santa hat on
Every time I look at my little robin I notice how big his eyes are compared to the picture on Pinterest and it makes me laugh!

We Only Bought…

The sweet rocks, mini smarties and the white icing which I used to cover the cake and make the snowman, deer and robin. Everything else was made by us :o)

It was a massive job that took us two days to complete and left us totally shattered last night! It was lovely working together, though.

Edible landscape - gingerbread house, choux bun mountain, fudge path, shortbread 3d Christmas tree and sugar paste snowman, deer and robin

I have to admit, I couldn’t stop going into the kitchen just to look at it! I’m now really sad because after not being able to touch it until I’d taken lots of photos, the kids and Ant have now done this to it….

half eaten edible landscape!
I did rescue the snowman, deer and robin, though. I’m going to use them again at our Christmas Eve party!

Before I go, I have to say that I’m currently on a very strict diet with Slimming World (it’s not extra easy, it’s a special diet that helps get you back on track when you’ve fallen off the wagon!) and over the last 2 days I haven’t eaten 1 cake crumb or even licked a bit of icing from my fingers. Somehow I’ve resisted gingerbread, choux buns, fudge and my favourite ever, shortcake!
I’m very proud of myself!!

I’d like to thank Jenny and Helen for hosting again this year. We’ve baked along every week and really enjoyed seeing all the other bakes. I’m a little bit sad that Bake Off is done for another year.

Previous Bakes

Below you can find links to all our previous bakes in 2018.

Week 1 – Grantham Gingerbread
Week 2 – Apple Streusel
Week 3 – Naan
Week 4 – White Chocolate Blancmange
Week 5 – Sticky Ginger Cake
Week 6 – Steak & Guiness Banquet Pie
Week 7 – Vegan Chickpea, Mushroom & Tomato Tartlets
Week 8 – Danish Rye Bread
Week 9 – Patisserie

I’m baking along with Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and Helen from Casa Costello

Casa Costello

For more Great British Bake Off Bloggers’ posts, click here

Patisserie Week #GBBOBloggers2018 Week 9

It’s not often we go for the showstopper when we’re baking along with The Great British Bake Off, but Ant really wanted to try his hand at Mille-feuille, Chou and Pâté Sucrée pastries on patisserie week and I have to say, he did brilliantly.

I loved the mille-feuille and the chou buns and eclairs were delicious but the strawberry tarts were my absolute favourite.

*Edit* Ant was delighted to win Star Baker for his bakes this week. Thanks, Jenny and Helen, you made his day!

Patisserie week - mille feuille with strawberries and cream, strawberry tarts and chocolate chou buns and eclairs
Great BritishBake Off Bloggers showstopper pastries
Great British Bake Off bloggers showstopper pastries

Ant used Ruby’s Mille-feuille recipe for the pastry.

He made the Chantilly cream by whisking 600ml Double Cream, 50g Caster Sugar and 1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract together until stiff.

For the Chou Buns / Eclairs, he used Kim-Joy’s Recipe, filled them with Chantilly Cream and dipped them in melted Milk Chocolate.

The Pâté Sucrée for the Strawberry Tartlets used a recipe from The BBC Food Website, for the Pastry. The filling is just halved strawberries and packet Glaze made using strawberry flavoured water.

So next week it’s the final and I have to say, I’m going to be a bit sad to say goodbye to GBBO for another year!

I’m baking along with Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and Helen from Casa Costello

For more Great British Bake Off Bloggers posts, click here

I’m also taking part in Blogtober18 with Mandi at Big Family Organised Chaos

Danish Rye Bread Open Sandwiches #GBBOBloggers2018 Week 8

I really wanted to try the Danish aebleskiver but we don’t have one of those pans so Ant made the Danish rye bread open sandwiches instead.

I’m not a lover of rye bread, I have to admit, so I haven’t tasted any of it. Ant made the open sandwiches for his lunch and he really enjoyed them.

Danish Rye Bread Open Sandwiches

Danish rye bread open sandwiches

He used Ruby’s recipe for the rye bread and did 2 different toppings. The first was Ham and Italiensk Salat and the second was Kartoffelmad (Potato Food)

Danish Rye Bread loaf cut on half
Danish rye bread open sandwiches

We’re going to have fun doing the bake along next week as we’ll be in a caravan in sunny Mablethorpe and I can’t imagine they’ll have lots of baking equipment in there!

I’m baking along with Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and Helen from Casa Costello

For more Great British Bake Off Bloggers’ posts, click here

I’m also taking part in Blogtober18 with Mandi at Big Family Organised Chaos

Vegan Chickpea, Mushroom & Tomato Tarts #GBBOBloggers2018 Week 7

It’s Vegan week and Ant took up the challenge of making some vegan pastry. I didn’t have one of the chickpea, mushroom and tomato tarts but I did have a taste of the filling and it was lovely.

If you want lots more vegan recipes, head on over to The Lifestyle Blogger. Her vegan blueberry and lemon crumble slices look delicious.

Vegan Chickpea, Mushroom & Tomato Tarts

Vegan chickpea, mushroom & tomato tarts

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry

  • 225g plain flour
  • 115g Flora dairy-free spread (cold)
  • 30ml cold water

Method

  1. Sieve flour into a bowl
  2. Rub the spread into the flour with your fingertips, until the mix resembles a breadcrumb texture
  3. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together and leaves the sides of the bowl clean
  4. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently with fingertips until the dough becomes smooth
  5. Wrap in cling film and place in the refrigerator to cool and relax (minimum 1 hour)
  6. Pre-heat oven to 200°c/180°c Fan
  7. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1 – 2mm thick (use short, even, forward strokes
  8. Line the tartlet cases with the pastry, trimming neatly. (If it breaks, just press back together, patching where required)
  9. Using baking paper and baking beans, par-bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until just golden brown
  10. Remove from oven, remove beans and paper and return to oven for another 5 minutes, to dry out the base.
  11. Fill and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
  12. Do not remove the tartlets from their cases until cold.

Chickpea, Mushroom & Tomato Filling

Ingredients

  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 300g mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Herbs de Provence (mixed herbs with added thyme may be used)
  • 400g chickpeas in water
  • 250g baby plum tomatoes, finely chopped
  • Vegetable oil for cooking
  • Salt and pepper to season

Method

  1. In Oil fry off the Garlic for a minute or two, before adding the Mushrooms and then sauté until soft and just turning colour (approximately 5 minutes)
  2. Add the Herbs
  3. Stir in the drained Chickpeas (save the Water) and then the Tomatoes
  4. Cook gently, to heat through, and then add the Chickpea water
  5. Simmer gently, stirring from time to time, until the liquid is nearly gone (season with Salt and Pepper, to taste)
  6. Break the Chickpeas with the back of a large spoon, or gently mash
  7. Store in an airtight container, or use directly

I’m baking along with Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and Helen from Casa Costello

For more Great British Bake Off Bloggers posts, click here

I’m also taking part in Blogtober18 with Mandi at Big Family Organised Chaos

Steak And Guinness Banquet Pie #GBBOBlogers2018

This is a bit of a rush post because I had to wait for Ant to make the pie for dinner tonight. He had to make two pies for dinner, a steak and Guinness banquet pie, so I could do this blog post, and a Slimming World friendly chicken and leek pie, because Aiden and I couldn’t have any of the banquet pie!

Banquet Pie

Ant was very proud of his pie. He did underestimate how long it was going to take him so we ended up having dinner later than usual, but that was ok because it’s Friday.

It’s the first time he’s made a pie like this and everyone agreed it looked amazing. I didn’t taste the pastry, but I did taste the filling and it was delicious.

steak and Guinness banquet pie for Great British Bake Off Bloggers bake along
steak and Guinness banquet pie for great british bbake off bloggers
steak and Guinness pie for Great British Bake Off bloggers bake along

I’m baking along with Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and Helen from Casa Costello

For more Great British Bake Off Bloggers’ posts, click here

I’m also taking part in Blogtober18 with Mandi at Big Family Organised Chaos

Sticky Ginger & Caramel Cake #GBBOBloggers2018 Week 5

Ant’s favourite cake is sticky ginger so I knew what we’d be making this week! He found a recipe for gluten-free ginger and caramel cake that uses Caramac chocolate as a topping. He LOVES Caramac chocolate! We didn’t use gluten-free flour, however, so the recipe below uses regular flour.

Ant added a layer of ginger jam in the middle that wasn’t called for in the recipe. It was absolutely delicious; I’m not looking forward to weigh-in at Slimming World again next week!

sticky ginger and caramel cake for #GBBOBloggers2018

Sticky Ginger and Caramel Cake

Ingredients

  • 250g Salted butter
  • 200g black treacle
  • 100ml dark rum
  • 200ml whole milk
  • 100g dark brown muscovado sugar
  • 200g dates, stoned and roughly chopped
  • 3 balls of stem ginger, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup
  • 150g Carnation caramel plus 4 tablespoons for the icing
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 400g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp mixed spice

Icing Ingredients

  • 150g salted butter
  • 450g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Drizzle Ingredients

  • 90g Caramac chocolate

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
  2. Butter and line 2 x 20cm springform tins with baking paper.
  3. Put the treacle, rum, milk and muscovado sugar in a pan with the chopped dates and stem ginger chunks.
  4. Bring to the boil, then bubble for 3 minutes to soften the dates.
  5. Use a hand blender to blitz the date mixture to a smooth purée – be careful, it will be hot!
  6. Stir in the diced butter until it’s melted, followed by the caramel and the eggs.
  7. Combine the flour, bicarb and spices in a bowl, then make a well in the centre and pour in the warm date mixture.
  8. Mix with a wooden spoon until the batter is lump-free. Divide between the two tins (weigh the mixture for really even layers), then bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.
  9. Cool in the tins.
  10. When the cakes are cool (or, if wrapped in clingfilm, the sponges will mature to an even tastier cake in a day or two) remove from the tins and make the icing.
  11. Beat the butter with electric beaters until soft, then beat in half the icing sugar.
  12. Add the remaining icing sugar with the vanilla extract and beat until the icing is fluffy and pale. Beat in the 4 tbsp caramel.
  13. Spread a thick layer of icing over one of the cakes and chill for 20 minutes to firm up, then sandwich the second cake on top.
  14. Spread the rest of the icing sparsely over the top and sides of the cake, filling any gaps where the sponges were sandwiched and scraping excess icing to give straight, clean, ‘naked’ sides.
  15. Chill for 30 minutes until the icing is cold and firm.
sticky ginger and caramel cake

I’m baking along with Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and Helen from Casa Costello

For more Great British Bake Off Bloggers’ posts, click here

Week 1 Grantham Gingerbread #GBBOBloggers2018 #GBBOBakeoftheWeek

We’re all happy that Bake Off is back on the TV and for the third year running, we’re baking along with some other lovely bloggers.
We decided to make a regional biscuit and after some Googling, we came across a recipe for Grantham Gingerbread.

Grantham Gingerbread

Grantham Gingerbread

It was biscuit week on the GBBO and KayCee made Grantham Gingerbread for our first bake along. We live in Lincoln and wanted to make a biscuit that was first made in Lincolnshire.
The Grantham gingerbread recipe is said to be the oldest biscuit recipe in the country, first made as a mistake by William Eggleston in 1740. It is said that he was supposed to be making Grantham Whetstones, a hard flat biscuit that was the earliest form of biscuit made for sale, but he mixed up the ingredients and the Grantham Gingerbread was born.

Ingredients

  • 100 grams of butter
  • 350 grams of caster sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 250 grams of self-raising flour
  • 1 – 2 tbsp of ground ginger

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 150°C and grease 3-4 baking trays.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar until soft then beat in the egg.
  3. Sieve the flour with the ginger then add to the butter mixture and mix well, forming into a dough.
  4. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead and form into walnut-sized balls.
  6. Place them on the baking sheet, spaced well apart.
  7. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the biscuits are puffed up and lightly brown.
  8. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to allow them to cool.
Grantham Gingerbread

To see our recipes from previous years, click here

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