Cake Taster Day Feedback!

Today I had a cake taster day for my peers in my class and my teacher who tasted my scrumptious banana loaves!

The Feedback!

And the cake tasting begins...

Yummy, delicious banana loaves!

Sir writing his feedback on my cake

Girls having a second round...

And another bite.

Presentation for Class In Regards To The Project I Carried Out Over Half Term

Baking Presentation For EPQ By: Yusra Chaumun from yusra99

My Completed Video On How To Make A Victoria Sponge! Enjoy! =)

The Mouthwatering Tarte A La Banane!

Superb Tarte Banane without the lattice!

The island of Mauritius, a piece of paradise in the Indian Ocean East coast of Southern Africa. Mauritius was uninhabited then taken over by the French and subsequently the British. Indians were brought to the island as indentured labourers and the Chinese came to invest in small businesses. Slaves were brought from Africa. The beauty of this multicultural society lies in the fusion of its food. The food of Mauritius is a unique blend of French, Indian, African and Chinese cuisines. Mauritians in general have a sweet tooth and when it comes to pastries one that stands out from everything else is undoubtedly the Banana Pie or Tarte à la Bananes: Rich buttery flaky crust with a sweet smooth banana paste. This is a must have with a great cup of tea on any afternoon whilst relaxing!

TIP: When making tart shell Do not add water and try to handle dough as little as you can. This will give you a nice flaky shortcrust shell.

Ingredients:

For Tart Shell:

• 150g Plain flour
• 100g Lurpak unsalted butter, cubed 

For Filling:

• 5-6 medium sized or 4 large bananas
• 4-5 tbsps. sugar
• 2 tsps. toasted coconut (optional)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

For Lattice: Optional

• 150g Plain flour
• 75g Lurpak unsalted butter, cubed.
• Milk, for glazing

Method:

• Place 100g butter in a bowl and sift in flour. Knead into a soft dough. You may need to add extra flour to achieve the correct consistency. 
• Use good quality butter like Lurpak or President to give a rich buttery flavor  You do not need to bring it down to room temperature.
• Press dough into a 9 inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom.
• Use a flat bottomed glass to level the surface till crust is uniform in thickness. Refrigerate crust for about an hour.
• Now prepare the lattice in the same way as you did for the tart shell. Knead into a soft ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove tart shell from fridge and prick all over with a fork. Bake in oven preheated at 180C/350F/Gas 20 minutes. 

• Meanwhile prepare banana filling. Overripe bananas with brown to black skin are ideal for this. Peel and mash well with 3-4 tbsps sugar.
• Add toasted coconut and vanilla extract and mix well. (optional)
• In a heavy based pan, cook bananas under high heat till it turns a shade darker and comes together in a mass. It will stop sticking to base and sides of pan. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Cooking will not cause the bananas to brown as in the finished tart. The final brown colour is a result of baking, so don't overcook.
• Your tart shell should also be done by now. Remove from oven.

• Drop tablespoons of filling in shell and level surface. Do not be tempted to overfill as it may overflow during baking.
• Remove lattice from fridge. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into long strips 1 cm wide with a knife or pizza cutter.
• Layer strips in a crisscross pattern over filling. Press ends into crust.
• Brush lattice generously with milk glaze and return to oven.

Scrumptious Banana Loaf!

My Yummy Banana Loaf!

Banana bread first became a standard story of American cookbooks with the spread of baking soda and baking powder in the 1930s it later gained more acceptances with the release of the original Chiquita Banana's Recipe Book in 1950.

TIP: When pouring mixture into rectangular tin, make sure there is not an over flow of cake mix as it will break whilst rising in the oven. Put the amount of the level of the tin.

Ingredients:

·         285g/10oz plain flour
·         1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
·         ½ tsp salt
·         110g/4oz butter, plus extra for greasing
·         225g/8oz caster sugar
·         2 free-range eggs
·         4 ripe bananas, mashed
·         85ml/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
·         1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Grease a 20cm x 12.5cm/8in x 5in loaf tin
• Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Technique: Creaming butter by hand
• Add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in the flour mixture.
• Pour the cake mixture into the tin. Then transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour, or until well-risen and golden-brown.
• Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

The Elite Tea Time Snack- Pound Cake!

Pound Cake

This cake takes it name originally from the pre-metric conversion, it was equally created with a pound each of: Butter, sugar and flour. Somehow '250g Cake' just does not have the same ring to it! This cake is absolutely divine and is also enjoyed best with tea!

You can decorate your pound cake with icing/marzipan; however I like to keep it simple and plain as it brings a justified delight to my taste buds!

TIP: Whilst combining all ingredients ensure you mix it well with your hand/ wooden spoon/ electric mixer. You'll know when you have a good cake mix  as it will become a dropping consistency- that will instantly fall off your hand/spoon/mixer.

To make a cake which serves roughly 12 people:

Ingredients:
250g Butter
1 cup Plain Flour
1 cup of Caster Sugar
1/2 cup of Self-raising Flour
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
4 eggs

Method:

1. Grease deep 20cm round cake pan; line base with paper; grease proof paper.
2. Beat butter, essence and sugar in small bowl with either by: hand/ wooden spoon/ electric mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well between additions.
4. Transfer mixture to large bowl, fold in sifted flours in 2 batches.
5. Spread mixture into prepared pan, baking in a moderate over at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for about an one hour.

Stand cake 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.

TIP:

• Cake can be made 3 days ahead.
• Storage: airtight container.
• Freeze: Suitable.

Baking Her Royal Highness- The Classic Victoria Sponge Cake

Today I baked the traditional afternoon treat: The Victoria Sponge Cake!

It was very simple and straightforward as I followed Mary Berry's recipe, which contained combining all ingredients together then separating them in to 2 sandwich tins. I was extremely happy with my outcome; although my sandwich sponge had broken off on the sides. Overall a splendid cake to eat for tea lovers in the afternoon!

The Completed Victoria Sponge!

               Here's the recipe if anyone would like to bake it:

Ingredients:

4 free-range eggs

225g/8oz caster sugar, plus a little extra for dusting the finished cake

225g/8oz self-raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

225g/8oz baking spread, margarine or soft butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

To serve:

good-quality strawberry or raspberry jam

whipped double cream (optional)

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins: use a piece of baking or silicone paper to rub a little baking spread or butter around the inside of the tins until the sides and base are lightly coated. Line the bottom of the tins with a circle of baking or silicone paper (to do this, draw around the base of the tin onto the paper and cut out).

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, flour, baking powder and baking spread.

Mix everything together until well combined. The easiest way to do this is with an electric hand mixer, but you can use a wooden spoon. Put a damp cloth under your bowl when you’re mixing to stop it moving around. Be careful not to over-mix – as soon as everything is blended you should stop. The finished mixture should be of a soft ‘dropping’ consistency – it should fall off a spoon easily.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact, but you can weigh the filled tins if you want to check. Use a spatula to remove all of the mixture from the bowl and gently smooth the surface of the cakes.

Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Don't be tempted to open the door while they're cooking, but after 20 minutes do look through the door to check them.

The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins. Press them gently to check – they should be springy to the touch. Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.

To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down. The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel – then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack.

Technique: Removing cakes from a cake tin

Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam. If you want to, you can spread over whipped cream too.

Top with the second cake, top-side up. Sprinkle over the caster sugar.

Marry Berry's Victoria Sponge Cake

Why The Great British Bake Off Was The Most Watched Television Programme In 2012? By Andrew Collins

'Home Baking Makes A Return To British Kitchens' Says Andrew Evans

The nation has gone all domestic as the trend for home baking explodes in kitchens around Britain. It all started a few years ago when the American cupcake went global, thanks to its fashionable influence in New York. Its popularity spread across the pond and baking fans started to whip up a storm in the kitchen producing colourful and deliciously sweet creations.

However, like all fashion trends, the world of baking has moved on from the cupcake as Britain’s bakers become patriotic to their culinary roots. British classics have never tasted so good, with the return of the Treacle Tart, Victoria Sponge and Lemon Drizzle. This change of heart in baking has stemmed from the popularity of the BBC’s The Great British Bake Off, which inspired the nation to dust down their mixers and get back into ‘home’ baking, quite literally! Even the TV programme’s presenter Mary Berry, the iconic British Baker, has become a household name again thanks to her cookery tips and classic recipes during the series. Co-presenter Paul Hollywood has also challenged the traditional role of baking, by encouraging more male bakers into the kitchen.

There has also been a change in the way that the nation is baking; forget packet mixes and ready-made bases, the nation is baking from scratch. So much so that the high street supermarkets are widening their baking aisles and market research has shown that only the finest ingredients will do for savvy baking shoppers. The nation is also turning to the shelves for inspiring recipe books, as bakers yearn to rediscover or re-invent old favourites.

Why The Younger Generation Should Bake?

Baking is a creative way of expressing yourself as you invent a form of art from powdered, buttery ingredients that accumulate together and rise to the finish of your product. The reason why it is especially beneficial for the youth is because they can either pick it up as a therapeutic hobby or can blossom to being very skilled as they will know the difference between the ingredients.