About two years ago I was introduced to Iranian cooking through Margaret Shaida’s classic book The Legendary Cuisine of Persia. The use of fruit in savoury dishes is a particular ...
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Brendan’s Streetlamp Christmas Cake
This is a Christmas cake design that I have wanted to do for ages. It comprises a number of elements some of which need to be made well in advance. For example, the cantilevered, run-out top needs 4 days to dry out thoroughly if it is to survive being lifted from the paper onto the [...]
Ten Things I’ve Learned from The Great British Bake Off
The excitement surrounding the final has receded and there is now time to step back and reflect on my journey on the Great British Bake Off. This journey began nearly a year ago when I sent in my application form, continued through the audition process at the start of 2012, then the weeks of recipe [...]
Brendan joins Seasoned Courses
Brendan has confirmed he will be delivering baking courses at Seasoned Courses’ converted stables at Catton Hall, set in beautiful countryside outside Lichfield in the Midlands. It is expected that he will be providing 2 courses a month, and details will soon be on Seasoned Courses‘ website. Brilliant Baking – This will be a day [...]
Episode 9 – Semi Final Nerves
Getting to this stage of the competition brought with it a lot of tension. We were so close to the final and nerves were jangled. I think that we were also pretty fatigued. Everyday life of study and work hadn’t ceased for any of us and the cumulative effect of all those weekends spent filming [...]
Episide 7 – Getting Sweet with the Dough
After the dramas of the previous episode, this week felt relatively calm. We had all originally been asked to prepare recipes for two different buns. However, after John’s injury the week before and the consequent decision to evict two people the following week, we were asked to drop one of the buns and double up [...]
Episode 6 – Riding the Rollercoaster
Sarah-Jane’s comments about GBBO being like a “massive rollercoaster ride” felt especially apt this week. Viewers will have seen the dropped puddings, flying pastry, John’s injury, and the tears at the end. These incidents give some sense of the pressure that we were all feeling. On one hand the competition was moving up a notch. [...]
Episode 5 – Red, White & Blue
This was the only episode filmed midweek. It was a busy and hectic two days with several visitors, including a journalist from the Daily Telegraph who interviewed us all. The weather was still pretty grim – I had to wear a fleece until the warmth from the ovens kicked in. The salmon coulibiac was one [...]
Salmon Coulibiac with a Scandinavian Pastry
This is a special dish, suitable for a celebration or family gathering. And it is excellent for Christmas Day lunch or dinner. Although there are a number of elements, none is particularly tricky. Just make sure to allow enough time and the making of this should prove a pleasure (3-4 hours in total). Some elements [...]
Episode 4 – Back on track
The setback I experienced in Episode 3 was a real turning point for me in how I approached the competition. For the first 3 programmes, I found the environment somewhat alien and unsettling. Nothing to do with the extensive Production Team, who were consistently encouraging and helpful, but the many mini interviews that preceded each [...]
Chocolate & Vanilla Bagels
Bagels are a relatively recent departure for me, particularly sweet bagels. When asked to make some of these for the Great British Bake Off I tried out various combinations. I was keen to produce something that looked interesting as well as tasting good, but there is only so much you can do to jazz up [...]
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