Soggy bottoms are the least of your problems…..

As the quarantine continues, I’ve had quite a few of you guys contacting me for advice over certain bakes that you are having trouble with. Which is lovely, and most of the time it’s easy to see what the problem is. The thing is with baking, is it’s all very precise, a bit like chemistry. So all the ingredients need to be exact and usually mixed in a particular way, but there are exceptions…..of course. I would certainly recommend if you are not a seasoned baker then stick to the recipe before you start supplementing one ingredient for another. There are not, however, foolproof recipes, as I have found out when giving my baking workshops. If there is one main ingredient that is essential to all baking, it is patience.

One of my lovely ladies who is a tiny little pocket rocket from South America, has been a regular to my house for my baking workshops and whilst, I would argue, she is multi-talented in so many ways, I have often wondered if her reason for coming was not to learn a new recipe but more to let off a bit of steam. Her mixing technique is criminal, her kneading…..well negligent and her decorating is abstract, shall we say? Adorable, she may be but the way she handles a wooden spoon, scares the shit out of me! It certainly doesn’t do the profiteroles any favours. Consequently, most of her bakes have been a disaster although I do think that she may have found the time therapeutic. Which is certainly the case for many, these days.

There are blogs galore from people who have found baking to have helped with depression and I’m sure the concentration that is required, helps to focus the mind. Which is maybe why it has become so popular since we have all been at home.

The temptation is though, to throw yourself into a recipe that has been demonstrated by one of the countless celebrity chefs found on our TV screens only to realise that your favourite chef has actually practiced Mille-Feuilles 1000 times before being confident enough to enthuse about it on prime-time TV. I would say the place to start is either cupcakes, a Victoria Sponge or cookies.

Any of these bakes, easily give you the opportunity to experiment, as and when you’re ready, whether it’s adding cocoa powder, lemon zest or cream cheese frosting. And when it comes to decorating, keep it simple. No need to channel your Rembrandt. A few of squirts of cream and some strategically placed cherries will always be a crowd pleaser (I think I may have stolen that line from a completely different website) Anyway, the point is, everyone loves a home-made cake and unless it looks like the cat threw up on it, most people will be over-the-moon that you bothered.

So, I’ve currently got the Foo Fighters on my headphones and I feel the need to take them into the garden to enjoy the sunshine. I’ve also got some geraniums to plant. Before I go, I thought you might like to see George trying to eat my tool belt and the complete indignation he showed when I told him to F*** off!

Here are some links for the cupcakes, Victoria Sponge and cookies

Cupcakes https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easy_vanilla_cupcakes_78448

Victoria Sponge http://www.maryberry.co.uk/recipes/baking/victoria-sandwich

Cookies https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/double-chocolate-cookies

See ya x