Katie Bakes

Baking my way through GBBO

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Finally nailed bread, thank you good old fashioned white rolls!

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Christmas by Katie

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Day 4: Signature Bake

Goats Cheese and Broccoli Quiche

This might have been my favourite of the challenges so far. I love pastry and working with it, so was always looking forward to this week anyway. I chose the combination because I love the flavours individually and thought why not combine it! However, I didn't think I loved quiche, until I tried this.. I know it is not a thing of beauty (really, are quiches in generally a thing of beauty? Even the name is quite ugly), but it tasted incredible. I didn't have a proper fluted tin to bake it in, just a really deep pie dish, hence why the pastry extend so far up from the filing (and is also slightly burnt). If I was doing it again using the proper tin- which I bought today!- would really be the only change I would make! Not a soggy bottom in sight, and the filling was perfectly set.

[katieclara]

Day 3: Showstopper

Apple Streusel and Lemon Jaconde 

Now, there really was no "idea" for this cake, other than the fact that I needed to make a tiered cake, had loads of apples and egg whites and that my mum really wanted apple crumble. So I pieced together this rather strange combination that I would definitely NOT have thought of in a normal situation (tip, streusel does not tier well). So the bottom layer has grated apple and cinnamon, as well as an apple puree filling added after it was cooked. The top is a sponge that uses only the whites from eggs, flavoured with lemon rind. In an effort to cut down on waste, I made the top tiers very small, using mini ceramic pots to bake them. In a feeble attempt to mesh the two cakes together, I put more of the apple puree in between the top three layers. Finally, I put a layer of lemon buttercream around all of the tiers, coating the top ones in lightly toasted crushed almonds and pecans (to try and make them look a bit more uniform, but you can be the judge of that). A little swirl of buttercream on top and a dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon and it was done!! My family and I ate the top tier, then I brought in the bottom one (with some pecans and more icing sugar to hide the rather obvious blob of buttercream mysteriously in the middle of the cake) into school. Everyone was very happy with both, so all in all a success I think!

[katieclara]

Day 2: Technical Challenge

The Battenberg

So I was expecting this so be really easy, I don't know why. First difficulty was lining the tin (way more difficult than it sounds). Then there was getting exactly half the mix in each (not a success). Then, worst of all, rolling out that goddam marzipan. I have never worked with it before because I hate it, but never expected it to be so difficult to just roll out. It kept wanting to tear, but I think I actually pulled it out and got it as thin as I possibly could! It was possibly a bit to thin, because when I came to crimp it there was a bit of splitting. Overall though I'm really happy with the result, and thought it tasted delicious (even the marzipan!). Next time I would just make sure to spread the mixture perfectly in the tin, because one part of the vanilla batter was a bit thinner than the rest. 

[katieclara]

Day 1- Signature Cupcakes

I got the inspiration for these from my favourite thing in the world, afternoon tea. The cake is (meant to be) darjeeling flavoured, with a peach puree running through the creme patisserie filling and whipped cream topping. It's incredibly decadent, but the flavours are relatively subtle, and I actually thought they were great. Sadly, the darjeeling didn't come through very strongly and the creme pat was a bit on the runny side, but you live and you learn. Next time I think I would just do a normal buttercream instead, but truthfully I just wanted to make custard because I've only made it once before and felt like pushing myself! Presentation wise, definitely could have done the peach puree swirls a bit neater (always sieve your puree, lesson learned!!) 

[katieclara]

GBBO Challenge

I've fantasised about entering the Great British Bake Off since it came out, but being a poor student and not the best baker, I thought it probably wouldn't work out. However, I came up with possibly the best and worst idea that I've ever had.. to bake my way through every single challenge since GBBO's beginning. Unfortunately, I can't find Season 1 ANYWHERE, and as it was nearly 4 years ago, I can't remember the challenges. So sorry Paul and Mary, we'll have to make do by starting with Season 2. I'll use this blog as a way of documenting my progress and testing out new recipes, as I've never made the majority of the bakes on the show. No doubt it will be full of disasters, but I guess I've got to get thick skin if I'm ever going to present my work to the king and queen of baking, and what better way to learn to take criticism than by taking to the internet?