GBBO Episode 1 – 6/8/14
Woo hoo a new series has started and this year I have this blog/website to publish my attempts at as many of the challenges as possible. Usually I only do the technical challenges, which you will be able to see soon (there is still some tweaking to do!). This year I’m going to try and flex my culinary skills by inventing new recipes. Scary, but these are the things I think of on my 1 ½ hour morning cycle to work, so what better reason to put them to the test? As well as doing the technical, I’m going to do the Signature Bake too! As with every new series of this type I always find it difficult to concentrate of so many of the contestants, so for now I’ll focus on the challenges instead…
Signature Challenge: Swiss roll
The first time I made a swiss roll was last year with the brain cake! I’ve wanted to make a decent swiss roll for ages, but never really had an occasion to do it. Well I have friends over for a bbq this weekend, so what better reason to try this one out!
Patterned sponge! That’s a new one. Freezing it first to set it, this definitely had better results than baking the pattern first. I’m not sure I’m going to attempt this technique this time, not on it’s first outing, but I’ll definitely try it soon.
Key tips to take away from this weeks episode for the bake this weekend:
1. Too thick a sponge and you won’t get the delicate layers of the catherine wheel
2. Rolling it up when its warm will prevent cracking, and help to achieve a tight and clearly defined roll
For my version of a swiss roll I’m going to attempt something iconically British…A Pimms Swiss Roll. I’ve thought about making this particular cake a few months ago for my sisters birthday, but just didn’t get round to it. Instead the idea has been manifesting itself in my head while I cycle to work. How do I make a cake taste like a cocktail, without making it too wet. Can I combine the main signature flavours of the drink while still maintaining all the characteristics of a swiss roll? What cocktail, you may ask, well wait and see!
Technical Bake: Cherry cake
“A cake with cherries need to be suspended through out, drizzled with icing and sprinkled with almonds”
This will be my second bake of the weekend. Another first, plus the use of yet another new cake tin. Thankfully my sister has one of these tins, so that will save me pennies this week! I think i’ll have to do some research for the best way to keep those cherries suspended. Nancy’s tip, dry and dust with flour, seemed to have the most success, but if you have any better ideas please let me know. Finger crossed it comes out in the end and there are no tears over the cake crumbs!
Showstopper: 36 Miniature British Classics
I’m the same as most people, I only have a limited amount of time at the weekend and even more limited funds, so I don’t think I’ll be making the Showstoppers. However if I have made something like them before I’ll post that but there are only so many cakes I can make my savoury toothed boyfriend eat!
My favourites from this episode:
- The flavour combinations of Chetna’s Cardamom, Pistachio and Coffee and Ian’s Apricot and Basil swiss roll challenge were inspired and something I’d love to try.
- Nancy’s showstopper, did exactly what it said on the tin. Not only were they precise with the aid of a cake guillotine but the tiny homemade jelly tots on the top…Wow!
- Martha is definitely one to watch, not just because she is the youngest but because she doesn’t seem phased by trying something new with a classing recipe.
Poor Claire, everything she tried to do to salvage what should have been a moist and flavoursome cake just didn’t work. I love the idea of the use of the cherries as well as the syrup through out the cake to keep it moist, and I’m sure on a less stressful day it would have worked. Keep baking Claire and don’t worry about crying over the cake crumbs… we all do it sometimes.