Some 'egg'cellent fun to brighten a morning

Although this doesn't quite qualify as a bake, but nevertheless essential baking equipment was needed, the trusty and very loyal muffin tray! I saw this in a cook book and couldn't believed I didn't think of it before. It's excruciatingly easy which is perfect for novices like me and my fellow under achivevers. So here's to playing it safe and creating an impact- the renewal of the bog standard egg on toast 

One step at a time

The Crown Jewels of Christmas baking has to be an impressive gingerbread house. This simple just painfully technical project is what can define you as a baker, it can resemble everything we love about Christmas. The gumdrop sweets to remind us of our childhoods and excitement of Christmas, the drizzle of icing resembling winters magical snow and the taste of spiced filled seasonal snacks. However the classic gingerbread house can alternatively reflect the attempts and never ending difficulties with baking. Such as the structure collapsing, the gingerbread being to crumbly to roll or the icing to wet  looking like slush rather than fluffy snow, which you end up with what looks like a natural disaster in the gingerbread community and a crushed ego. 

So I decided to take one step at a time, and my gingerbread stars were step one to my hopes of making a master piece.  

Christmas in a cupcake

 

Flushed away

I know what you are thinking.. 'What could you possibly have as an excuse to explain the fact you haven't posted in over a month?' And I'm afraid it's a rubbish and slightly embarrassing.. My phone fell down the toilet, therefore no access to Internet in what felt like an eternity. But have no fear, the baking did proceed better than the outcome of my phone.

A journey not quite as smooth as the caramel

This weeks bake was a request from one of my best friends, the infamous caramel shortbread, a classic of the tray bakes and something I've always wanted to try. Also a great thing to munch on while, on a coach to Leeds. Although this is seen as a simple bake it did not come without its obstacles, for example my tray being too big or too little mixture. Either way I used a bread loaf tin which worked fine. Then ironically I had too much caramel so I recycled it to make caremel apple, very appropriate for the oncoming Halloween festivities. 

 Although they don't look perfect, I had rave reviews for taste and I quite like how they are. There's a homecooked look about them, rustic and original, perfects boring anyways. They make quite a picture, their sharp edges looking like cliffs juxtaposing the smoothness of the apples. Oh god I must stop trying to sell them to you, well for me the tragic baker, they were an achievement. And I was right, they would have been great to munch on for a long journey to Leeds...

... That is if I had remembered to bring them. At least my baking is better than my memory..

It's that time of the week again

Here it is the dyslexic clock,

Just to let you know, this cake was used for donations and sold a slice each, and it raised £60 overall ! I never expected it would be such a success and would make such a difference. So I do believe every little helps, this will help families who can't afford dyslexic tests to have an opportunity to get tested and help. So we can have our and and eat it too :) happy days!!!

For a great cause

You may or may not know that this week is dyslexia awareness week, and those who watched daybreak on Monday will have seen Helen Arkell promote it. So if you have not guessed already, this weeks bake is dedicated to them! Helping many individuals with their learning difficulties including me, so this is a thank you to them and a celebration of how dyslexia is a gift and it's pretty cool to be different. Albert Einstein was dyslexic and that didn't stop him. http://www.arkellcentre.org.uk

The farm yard apron is on! Let's do this! Go dyslexics! 

A Anniversary not so sweet

To cook or what to cook? That was the question. My first ever bake for this blog. The pressure was on. After realizing us children's lack of effort to celebrate my parents 25th anniversary, my mind was decided. It was to be a present for my parents, a thank you and a well done for lasting 25 years with each other. I know that's an achievement because I know them both very well, and let me tell you it can't have been easy. BUT all jokes aside their anniversary was overshadowed by an unfortunate coincidence of my birthday being on the same day. DISASTER.

SO this bake was for them, followed by flowers and (student on a budget) wine. I could not think of more deserving inspirations than these two. 

Individual white chocolate cakes with white chocolate icing, coloured using food colouring. And white icing used to make rose, it was so much easier than I thought it would be. Probably the best thing ive made so far. HORRAY. 

And so it begins

Breakfast brainstorm

Back from a weekend in Paris, and I can still smell the freshly made bread and the taste of those unique Parisian macroons, among many of the finely made pastry's. It should not be hard to find a recipe this week, having been so inspire by the amazing french culture and beauty of Paris. Au revoir les amis, jusqu'au prochain

Inspired by the very popular show British Bake off, I have decided, along with many, to divulge into the world of Baking. An exciting world full of food colouring stained clothes, flour covered surfaces and endlessly sticky fingers-and  it being all worth it in the end when your recipe looks identical to the one in the picture, which you so tirelessly tried to achieve. 

However with me, all of the above is true, expect for the outcome. Lets just say, and my family can definitely vouch for me on this one, that I am not a natural cook, in any sense of the word. If one thing can go wrong, it will certainly for me and none of my attempts seem to look remotely like the picture, let alone edible. 

So many times I have questioned, with help from my family, why I even try. Then I thought I mustn't be alone on this one, although it is impressive of how much of a talent I do not hold, many people struggle endlessly with bog standard baking. 

So this Blog is for the hopeless bakers like me, challenging the so called 'easy' and 'simple' recipes that they all claim to be. Giving tips and guidance and most likely entertainment at the very least- in the hopes that one day I and many like me. will achieve a standard Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood would be proud of.