My workplace decided to run its own Bake Off Competition in aid of its BCA breast Cancer charity fund raising. The idea being that each week the bakes would be for sale in the staff canteen where all the employees could vote for their favourite.
The GBBO episode would air on the wednesday, and then we would receive our task choices based on what they did in that week's episode. We would then have to bring our bakes in on the Monday morning.
Well....this was an interesting number weeks.
It gave me a chance to try my hand at things I had never done before (like pastries and breads) and i really enjoyed the challenge each week.
The GBBO episode would air on the wednesday, and then we would receive our task choices based on what they did in that week's episode. We would then have to bring our bakes in on the Monday morning.
Well....this was an interesting number weeks.
It gave me a chance to try my hand at things I had never done before (like pastries and breads) and i really enjoyed the challenge each week.
Week 1 - Cakes
Kept this simple and I chose to go with the Black Forest Gateau task...but in cupcake form.
So a lovely chocolate sponge, cored and filled with a dark cherry conserve, topped with a kirsch/cherry flavoured buttercream, and decorated with chocolate shavings and a Cherry.
Kept this simple and I chose to go with the Black Forest Gateau task...but in cupcake form.
So a lovely chocolate sponge, cored and filled with a dark cherry conserve, topped with a kirsch/cherry flavoured buttercream, and decorated with chocolate shavings and a Cherry.
Week 2 - Biscuits
This week i decided to challenge myself a little and chose to do the biscuit box with a different type of biscuit inside.
So I used my usual Vanilla biscuit recipe for the box, rather than a traditional gingerbread, and I filled the box with SNICKERDOODLES (because I love cinnamon hehe)
This week i decided to challenge myself a little and chose to do the biscuit box with a different type of biscuit inside.
So I used my usual Vanilla biscuit recipe for the box, rather than a traditional gingerbread, and I filled the box with SNICKERDOODLES (because I love cinnamon hehe)
Week 3 - Bread
I have never really made much bread before, especially not from scratch so i decided to try my hand at Cranberry filled Brioche rolls...they tasted lovely, but were a little overbaked. Will try again in the future tho
I have never really made much bread before, especially not from scratch so i decided to try my hand at Cranberry filled Brioche rolls...they tasted lovely, but were a little overbaked. Will try again in the future tho
Week 4 - Desserts
You can never go wrong with a nice cheesecake. Until now I had only ever made cheesecake using the "no-bake" versions that you leave to set in the fridge, however this one needed to be baked. So I found myself a trusty recipe and gave it a go...voila! A Summer Fruits Baked Cheesecake
You can never go wrong with a nice cheesecake. Until now I had only ever made cheesecake using the "no-bake" versions that you leave to set in the fridge, however this one needed to be baked. So I found myself a trusty recipe and gave it a go...voila! A Summer Fruits Baked Cheesecake
Week 5 - Alternative Ingredients
Well...I didn't even bother to take a picture of this weeks entry....a sugar free cake.
I chose to do a carrot cake which used Agave Syrup as a sugar substitute...definitely not my most successful week.
My only consolation was that all the bakers involved seemed to struggle as much as each other for this task.
Well...I didn't even bother to take a picture of this weeks entry....a sugar free cake.
I chose to do a carrot cake which used Agave Syrup as a sugar substitute...definitely not my most successful week.
My only consolation was that all the bakers involved seemed to struggle as much as each other for this task.
Week 6 - Pastry
This week I decided to really challenge myself and make the Cypriot Flaounes! And I found an online Greek supermarket that was actually based locally so I was able to easily source the Masticha and Mahlepi spices.
These were actually a lot harder to make than I expected (it was a lot of cheese!) and definitely an odd flavour
This week I decided to really challenge myself and make the Cypriot Flaounes! And I found an online Greek supermarket that was actually based locally so I was able to easily source the Masticha and Mahlepi spices.
These were actually a lot harder to make than I expected (it was a lot of cheese!) and definitely an odd flavour
Week 7 - Victorian
A proper Mary Berry Tennis (Fruit) Cake. Not cheap to make once you bought all the different dried fruits...and there was a LOT of fruit in this cake.
This was also the first time I had ever tried to make a fruit cake....and I must say it was very tasty
A proper Mary Berry Tennis (Fruit) Cake. Not cheap to make once you bought all the different dried fruits...and there was a LOT of fruit in this cake.
This was also the first time I had ever tried to make a fruit cake....and I must say it was very tasty
Week 8 - Patisserie
Another week that wasn't my strong point, and contained a lot of firsts for me.
I chose to make Chocolate covered Eclairs filled with a vanilla creme patisserie. They tasted lovely but the aesthetics of them could definitely be improved.
Another week that wasn't my strong point, and contained a lot of firsts for me.
I chose to make Chocolate covered Eclairs filled with a vanilla creme patisserie. They tasted lovely but the aesthetics of them could definitely be improved.
Week 9 - Chocolate
I had a very busy weekend so I went with something simple, I took my usual vanilla biscuit recipe and turned it into a chocolate version and made biscuits pops in the shape of flowers and butterflies, and piped the detail on with melted white chocolate. Then for display these were placed into a covered cake dummy
I had a very busy weekend so I went with something simple, I took my usual vanilla biscuit recipe and turned it into a chocolate version and made biscuits pops in the shape of flowers and butterflies, and piped the detail on with melted white chocolate. Then for display these were placed into a covered cake dummy
Week 10 - The FINAL
A Classic British Bake...I was torn between what one to do, so I made two cakes and then decided.
The first was a classic Nigella recipe I love to use for a Coffee & Walnut Cake, the second was a Bakewell cake.
I ended up submitting the Coffee & Walnut and taking the Bakewell into the office the next day
A Classic British Bake...I was torn between what one to do, so I made two cakes and then decided.
The first was a classic Nigella recipe I love to use for a Coffee & Walnut Cake, the second was a Bakewell cake.
I ended up submitting the Coffee & Walnut and taking the Bakewell into the office the next day
Many people started the competition, but it slowly dwindled down til there was only really 4 of us doing almost every week.
With the bakes only being sold at 50p a slice/piece plus the option of adding extra votes for 20p each we managed to raise over £350 for BCA.
oh....and I won :-)
With the bakes only being sold at 50p a slice/piece plus the option of adding extra votes for 20p each we managed to raise over £350 for BCA.
oh....and I won :-)
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