When Charlie met Mary........

The excitement in the Allen household has built almost to fever pitch, finally, it’s the weekend for the 1^st ever Cake and Bake Show at Earls Court in London.  Charlotte is just about beside herself and I’m stressing – I’ve got to get us there and back, on my own, without loosing her.  I know this sounds ridiculous as I am a grown up, and so far I’ve managed to cope with most things in my life so a short trip to London with an 11 year old who, I might add, probably could manage the trip on her own, should be a piece of cake (pardon the pun). We will get the train up to Schiphol for our early morning flight. Oh, no trains that early!  Okay not a problem, I’ll drive up.  Oh, the A2 is closed in places on Saturday morning.  Is someone trying to tell me something??  I’ll leave very very early!

 We’ve arrived!!! Hoorah, but it does look like half of London are here with us – wow what queues.  The staff moved everyone inside very quickly and up the escalators we went. What an amazing sight.  Bakers young and old, little and large, new and experienced everywhere –  Hmmmm what do you call a group of bakers? A Batch? A Batter? A Cream?  I don’t know, think I will Google it – be right back……….. According to www.myuniversalfacts.com the collective noun for a group of Bakers is a Tabernacle of Bakers.  I think I prefer a Batch of Bakers. 

Catherine and Sarah Jane

 Earls Court is massive, and everywhere is packed, but we picked up the programme and planned our route – so much to see in the Market place and so much to taste, this really is my kind of show.  We made our way past the Cake Kitchen and found ourselves at the Kids kitchen and they were about to begin a bread making and shaping workshop, so Charlie joined in and took another little girl under her wing.  While I was taking photos of Charlie I spotted a couple of familiar faces – Sarah-Jane and Catherine from this years Great British Bake Off.  They were just lovely and were happy to smile for a photo – apparently they are doing a demo this evening.  Sorry to say, they didn’t give anything away about who won – Im glad really as I’m loving watching them both.

the Lovely Paul Hollywood

 When Charlie finished her course, we wandered on only to “bump” into Paul Hollywood who was being rushed off to present in the Bread Kitchen.  I asked him for a photo, but he was really busy – then he stopped and said “of course, no problem” Thank you Mr Hollywood you are a true gentleman – you made Charlie smile and I will never believe anything negative written or said about you – I know just how lovely you are.  You were also pretty fantastic in the demo and had everyone laughing.

 We picked up our copies of the Telegraph so we have our lovely pink bags and popped into Pretty Witty Cakes and picked up their pink bags too. I had a lovely chat with the chap who runs some of the courses and he told me about courses available not only in the South of England but also in Altrincham, Cheshire.  Also, if you cannot get to a course, they have just launched on line courses - so you can learn how to make some of their fantastic creations from where ever you are in the world – I love their fairies and will probably be joining them for a course very soon. Check them out www.prettywittycakes.com



Patrick Ryan making bread

 Did I mention the queues?  OMG – massive massive massive.  Luckily there were enough toilets, but there weren’t enough places to get a drink.  I think there were four vendors – really not enough.  We stood in a line waiting to get a cup of tea for over an hour! It was our only gripe; we couldn’t even buy a bottle of water without standing in one of the never-ending lines.  I think vending machines with bottles of water would have been a great idea.  After all the yummie munching we indulged in, we really needed a drink!  Tomorrow we’re bringing water and sandwiches – top tip for next time bring your own just incase!




Juliet Sear

Mary Berry wasn’t at the show on Saturday, but will be there on Sunday and is conducting a book signing so before we left for the day we picked up her new book, Mary Berry’s Complete Cookbook.  I don’t want them to run out!  Charlie also picked up a copy of Juliet Sear’s The Cake Decorating Bible, which Juliet signed for her and obviously had a little photo.

The really nice Ed Kimber

Day 2 at the show began very wet, again massive queues but apparently they are going to have more refreshments stalls so at least we will be able to get a drink easier today.  We dashed in and went straight to the book-signing stall.  Mary is signing her new book at 11:45 and at 10:40 people have already started lining up.  I’ve got two books I would like signing so I lined up and Charlie went to watch Ed Kimber, who won the original Great British Bake Off, in the Bread Kitchen next door who was “really really good” Unfortunately Ed’s book was sold out so we were unable to get that one.  Charlie was able to have a photo taken with Ed, who was also “really really nice mummy”

 Mary was escorted to the book-signing table surrounded by what looked like baking security – bouncers with aprons!  She is tiny.  I wonder what she makes of all this fame and the level of interest in her – I’m sure she is quite bemused by the whole thing.  We are shuffled to the front of the line and Charlie slips round the back to have her photo taken – she signs the books and we’re gone! There was not time to say anything and I think she probably was slightly dazzled by all the photo snappers – I know I was.  I’m not sure how I feel, a little sad to be honest, but I have a photo of Charlie and Mary and she is happy, so that’s enough plus we have two signed books.

The wonderful Mary Berry herself

Baking Mad sponsored part of the Show and of course Eric Lanlard was on hand running demos and classes, which were sold out.  Boy that Boy works hard! For two days he didn’t stop – if he wasn’t in a demo, he was teaching and always with a smile.  I think there is something very special about baking – it makes you happy and if you are lucky enough to have a job that makes you this happy, you make others happy.  Eric is obviously very happy plus I could listen to him all day – unfortunately, I have an 11 year old to which a sexy French accent is totally wasted on so I’m moved along.

The Market place was truly an Aladdin’s cave of goodies – everything you could imagine for the keen armature baker.  Tins, cases, moulds, colours, sugars, flours, sprinkles and edibles.  We only had hand luggage, so weren’t able to buy too much, but I was able to pick up some great cutters, cases, a lovely mould and a great silicone Macaroon sheet.  Nothing else could possibly fit in our little case, never the less, we are delighted with our fabulous purchases.  Do you know what was missing? Branded merchandise! I would of loved an Apron or Tea Towel or Tote bag with the Bake Show logo on it or Storage tins or T-shirts or Recipe folders – you know the type of things – I think they really missed a trick, I might mention it on their Facebook page.

 
Anyway, we had a wonderful time and arrived home safe and sound on Sunday night much to the relief of my hubbie who’s only worry was that I would either loose or forget Charlotte somewhere.   If you’re interested in going to the next show its  April 5th –7th 2013 in Manchester. Yippie!  We can go Home for the weekend and next time I can take the car and “load up”

Some useful links you might be interested in:

www.thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk
www.paulhollywood.com
www.maryberry.co.uk
www.theboywhobakes.co.uk

Happy Baking everyone x

 

Add 50grams of Mixed Peel………

Mixed Peel or Candied Peel is a lovely ingredient.  It adds a tangy flavour to many recipes and is delicious in Hot Cross Buns, Christmas Cakes and Minced Pies.  It is also a key ingredient in many of the fruitcake or spiced cake recipes within the Baking Bible.

Within the UK, mixed peel or candied peel is readily available in all supermarkets within the baking section.  It comes in little pots, all chopped up and ready, just pop the lid and you’re good to go.  So it will come as no surprise that when Charlie and I read the recipe for our next cake “Old Fashioned Seed Cake” it required mixed peel. “No problem” I said, “I will pick some up this week and on Sunday we can bake”.  I spent a very long week checking out various supermarkets in the Eindhoven area looking for Mixed Peel or something similar…….Nothing, Narda, Zilch!!!  

It’s too late to order on line, and I can’t find it anywhere… I know we’ll make some!! It can’t be too difficult… can it? I’ve got an Orange, Lemon and a Lime so we can rustle up some on Sunday morning and then we can bake on Sunday afternoon. Perfect.  I searched on line and it didn’t look too complicated, just a little time consuming so I thought I would share with you how you do it, just in case, like me you need Mixed Peel and you too live in a Peel free zone.

 

 

How to Make Mixed Peel or Candied Peel.

 

Basically it’s really simple you need 8.5 floz of water and 128g of sugar per Orange.

Depending on the size of your lemons – I had large lemons so I counted them as an Orange, but small Lemons count it as ½ an Orange and a lime as ½ an Orange.

Put the water on to boil and dissolve the sugar into the water and bring it to the boil for 5 mins.  While this is happening, remove the peel from your fruit and remove all the pith.  Slice the peel into strips.

 

Add the peel to the boiling sugar water and bring back to the boil, reduce and simmer for between 1 ½ - 2 hours or until the water is just covering the peel and reduced to a quarter of its original quantity.

 Keep an eye on your peel, after an hour mine was nearly ready, but having never done this before, I continued cooking as the recipe said about 2 hours – boy was that a mistake!  The sugar caramelised, burnt then crystallised and it then it turned into a big pan of burnt blaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!

"Oh Mummy!!!! Why did you leave it that long? Why didn’t you take it off? Have you got anymore Oranges/Lemons/Limes???” and worst of all “ Does that mean we can’t bake today? (sob)”   Baking the Seed Cake has to wait for another time as No, I don’t have any more Oranges/Lemons/Limes and, just for the record,  I don’t know why I didn’t take it off the heat before it burnt on the bottom of the pan.  I hung my head in shame - I've let her down again.

2 Days later I tried again.  I decided that I would have a go without Charlie’s little eyes watching my every move.  The whole of the next chapter in the Bible is about fruit and spiced cakes so we are going to need this peel and there is nothing worse than failing in your 11 year olds eyes.  Sheesh, talk about pressure!

So, second attempt…

Everything the same up to the point of the bubbling sugar at the hour point.  This time the peel looked different, I think its because I had managed to get just about all the pith off the peel so it was much softer.  It was ready after 1 hour 25 mins.  I took it off the heat to cool.  When it was cold, I drained it in the colander and let it dry a little.

 

Once the peel has dried a little you dip it in sugar and place it on lined baking sheet.  At this point you can either place it in a very low oven for 1 hour or, if you are a complete chicken like me, simply leave it to air dry over night.  Can you imagine if I had got to this point and then burnt it in the oven – blimey! it doesn’t bare thinking about!

 

Anyway, the following day it was nicely dry and still lovely coloured so I snipped it into smaller pieces and placed it into a zip lock bag.  This will now keep for up to 3 months in the bag. This is really easy to make once you get past the burning sugar stage, it just takes a careful eye and some time.  Have a go!

See you on Sunday its Old Fashioned Seed Cake........with Mixed Peel!

Lemon Yoghurt Cake

Back to school and back to routine. After what can only be described as a totally amazing summer holiday, we are all feeling a little jaded. Our holiday was a whirl wind camping trip in a mobile home round Brighton, Little Hampton, Isle of Wight and London - oh and did I mentioned we went to the Olympics too?

As I said, totally amazing and one, which I doubt, I will ever forget.

Baking over the summer has not exactly been our top priority and as we have only been at home for 2.5 weeks, we didn't actually have much time. Now, its 1st September 2012, the girls have been back at school for 2 weeks, and Georgia has gone off to play golf with her daddy so Charlotte is looking for something to do. We have already settled into the Great British Bake Off series 3 so she's flipping thru the Baking Bible feeling all inspired again.... now where were we up to??? Oh yes Lemon Yoghurt Cake....

 Yoghurt in a cake? Mmmmm ….. Yuk! I know I’ve never tried it, so I shouldn’t turn up my nose, but I’ve got to be honest, I don’t fancy this at all – plus Phil, my hubbie has done exactly the same so we are not convinced this is going to be good.  Anyway, we’ll give it a go.

 

This cake is made by firstly separating 3 eggs and whisking the whites into soft peaks – great in a kitchen aid, still I made Charlie do the test by turning the bowl over her head to see if they were whisked enough – I would love to say it fell out on her head, purely for comic effect, but unfortunately it was whisked enough and stayed in the bowl.  The butter, sugar and egg yokes are creamed together before adding the Greek Yoghurt and lemon zest and mixing well.  The flour is folded in; the egg whites are then very carefully folded into the mix.  There is quite a lot of mix, so it goes into a deep, 8-inch tin and put in the oven for between 1 – 11/4 hours.

 

Im expecting that this isn’t going to take that long with our oven so we started checking at 50 mins.  Wasn’t ready!  Charlie checked and then slammed the oven door!!!!! Oh pants! The whole thing collapsed  – There’s our lesson for the day, don’t slam an oven door when there is a cake baking.  So, when it was baked, we turned it out - it looked a little flat and weighed a ton.   When the cake is cool, its iced with lemon juice and icing sugar which is left to set. The good book says that this cake is best stored in the fridge and eaten within a week.  This made me laugh, as I don’t believe any cake would last that long in our house.

 

Looking at our cake, its not the best looking cake that we have produced but we’re sure it will taste better than it looks…do you know what, it didn’t!  Whether it was the door slamming, the yoghurt, or if it was actually under baked I don’t know, but something caused it to be very heavy.  What ever it was, it was horrible.  Guess what, it didn’t make it into the fridge – it want straight down the waste disposal – next week its Old Fashioned Seed Cake – oh I hope that’s better.