Who doesn't love the Great British Bake Off? With the series 7 final tonight, it's fair to say that this year there's probably been more publicity than ever, especially about whether or not Channel 4 have been had by spending millions on a tent and Paul Hollywood. Whatever happens in future years the Bake Off (and Mary Berry in particular) will always be a British tradition as far as I am concerned. Although ironically WI meetings always seem to clash with when it is on live, I do make sure I see each week's show and make a real point of staying off social media until I get to catch up so I ... read more
Christmas Sticky Toffee Pudding – baking with Whitworths and Edd Kimber
It's not often that I get to spend my Saturday in the kitchen with a winner of the Great British Bake Off, but that's exactly what I got to do this weekend, thanks to Whitworths. Edd Kimber won the first bake off back in 2010 and this year he's teamed up with Whitworths, those people who bring us all the fruit and nut ingredients that you use in your baking, to develop an alternative to the traditional Christmas pudding. Now, I should start by saying that I love Christmas pudding and I was therefore intrigued to see what Edd had come up with, especially as he claimed not to like ... read more
Jaffa Cake Cupcakes with HomeSense and #RaiseSomeDough
It can't have escaped your attention that Red Nose Day is back for 2015 and come Friday 13th March there will be people up and down the country wearing red noses and doing something funny for charity. My big bit this year is going to be the Comic Relief Danceathon that I'm taking part in the weekend before - please sponsor me here, hint hint! I'm more than a bit scared at the idea of 6 hours of dancing, especially as at the moment I'm into week two of some flu like thing that's really knocked me for six and stopped all my running too. Comic Relief isn't just about physical stuff though. ... read more
How to make flowerpot bread
I do love it when the kids get slightly unusual Christmas presents and one of Little Miss C's uncles really came up trumps this year (not that the other two uncles didn't, if you're reading, as the kids love all their presents too thank you!) with a flowerpot bread making kit. Flowerpot bread you may think - what on earth? The idea's quite simple really. You make bread, but rather than put it in a traditional bread tin or on a baking tray in the oven, you instead bake it in terracotta flowerpots. It's incredibly easy to do and a great activity to do with kids, so here's my how to ... read more
North Riding Loaf
As a follow on from the Great Bloggers Bake Off those of us that were involved whilst the Great British Bake Off was on telly are continuing to bake and blogging about it. I'm very much playing catch up, but finally this last week have found time to use some gorgeous smelling mixed spices that I was sent by Steenbergs. After having a look at the recipes on their website I was rather taken by their recipe for North Riding Loaf (which seems to have now been renamed on there as North Riding Bread). Now this isn't a bread in the true sense of the word, but more of a tea cake. What really ... read more
Halloween Cupcake Decorating Workshop
I was delighted to manage to get myself a place on Heaven is a Cupcake's latest cupcake decorating workshop - a special Halloween themed one. I've enjoyed Lucy's cupcakes for a while now and am always admiring photos of her amazing works of art that she regularly posts on her Facebook page. Ever since my attempts to make Thomas the Cake for Little Miss C's 3rd birthday I thought I'd better do something to up my game before I need to make the next one. Heaven is a Cupcake run regular evening decorating workshops here in St Albans and I've always heard good things about ... read more
Great Bloggers Bake Off Week 5 – Rocky Road
There's been a bit of a gap in my involvement in the bake off, mainly due to all the stresses and extra work involved in LMC starting pre-school, Master C starting nursery and Mr C starting a new job - all in the same week! Week 5 is tray bakes and biscuits though and that's exactly my thing. Now, I first blogged about this recipe way way back in 2008, not long after I started blogging. I still make it regularly and still say it is one of the nicest things ever! The recipe originally came from Nigella Lawson, although I have to say that I have absolutely no confirmation as to to which ... read more
Great Bloggers Bake Off Week 2 – Pain Au Chocolat
As if Grainy Mustard and Beer Loaf wasn't enough I today came up with my second recipe for week 2 of the Great Bloggers Bake Off - this time Pain Au Chocolat. Again the original recipe came from Bread Machine by Jennie Shapter, but this required much, much more work! This is what you need: 125ml water 250g strong white bread flour 2 tbsp skimmed milk powder 1 tbsp caster sugar 1/2 tsp salt 140g soft butter 1 1/2 tsp dried yeast 225 plain chocolate, broken into pieces You'll also require 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk for the glaze. To start with you put the water, flour, milk powder, ... read more
Great Bloggers Bake Off Week 2 – Grainy Mustard and Beer Loaf
Well I wasn't exactly star baker with my efforts for week one of the Great Bloggers Bake Off, but that hasn't deterred me. Week two's theme is bread which absolutely petrified me until Helen Hollywood and Jenny Berry (again possibly not their real names) said that you were allowed to use a breadmaker. Hallelujah! I've a couple of books full of breadmaker recipes which I tend to ignore in favour of a standard wholemeal loaf which I generally make as our "daily bread". It's fascinating to see just how many thing you can make with your ... read more
Great Bloggers Bake Off Week 1 – Victoria Sponge
If you're in the UK you really can't have missed the fact that the Great British Bake Off arrived back on our screens this last week. If you love baking then this is must watch TV. Last year I was a bit busy giving birth in the middle of the series so didn't really join in at all, but this year as soon as I saw plans for a Great Bloggers Bake Off I just knew that I had to be involved. I bake quite a bit, but generally tried and tested old recipes and I often feel too scared to try anything really new. I'm not normally too bad at baking, but there's definitely ... read more