Take a bow, fellow forumites!

[vernon]

Well done to @PaulB for starting the Great British Bake Off thread.

I think Nadia was brilliant

Me too and she lives in Leeds.

 

[vernon]

When people get all excited about someone throwing an egg into a bit of flour, then I despair for the current (none intended) state of the world. One forum I go on, where I have cause to respect the majority of the contributors, now has no fewer than 18 pages, each over 25 postings long, where grown men (nearly all) are giving serious discussion to a programme about cooking stuff last night that apparently took the nation by storm!

But the contributors on THIS forum are clearly made of stronger stuff as I don't see any threads regarding last night's debacle of a programme about blending carbohydrates, protein and fats in an 'entertaining' way. And if one does exist on here, it hasn't found much interest as it has done the decent thing and faded rightfully away down amongst the forgotten threads.

Well done to all! You've gone a notch higher in my estimation for this!

I think that there should be a curmudgeons thread started where all the naysayers, gripers and miserable sods can wallow in their own loathing.

The Great British Bake Off is inspirational and full of tips which helps folk to avoid some of the faults that appear in the contestants' cakes and pastries. I am reassured by the contestents cakes exiting the oven with a higher centre than the edges particualrly with lemon drizzle cake. The one that appear in the illustrations of cook books have flat tops whereas mine always have a central bulge.

The Good to Know, Lemon and Elderflower drizzle cake allegedly looks like this:

Where as mine invariably look like this in profile:

Even my ganache covered chocolate cake has a central bulge albeit a smaller one

The GBBO showcases traditional recipes and disasters excepted there's been nothing that I wouldn't eat. Long may the series survive and thrive. I find it informative, educational and entertaining in equal measure and the programme meets the BBCs mission in full. I really don't know what's not to like.

 

[Katherine]

I think that there should be a curmudgeons thread started where all the naysayers, gripers and miserable sods can wallow in their own loathing.

The Great British Bake Off is inspirational and full of tips which helps folk to avoid some of the faults that appear in the contestants' cakes and pastries. I am reassured by the contestents cakes exiting the oven with a higher centre than the edges particualrly with lemon drizzle cake. The one that appear in the illustrations of cook books have flat tops whereas mine always have a central bulge.

The Good to Know, Lemon and Elderflower drizzle cake allegedly looks like this:

Where as mine invariably look like this in profile:

Even my ganache covered chocolate cake has a central bulge albeit a smaller one

The GBBO showcases traditional recipes and disasters excepted there's been nothing that I wouldn't eat. Long may the series survive and thrive. I find it informative, educational and entertaining in equal measure and the programme meets the BBCs mission in full. I really don't know what's not to like.

That recipe looks worth trying!

 

[vernon]

That recipe looks worth trying!

It is really easy and tastes fantastic.

I'd never considered covering it in icing like Nadia did. She had a really novel way of making fondant icing too.

 

[Dan B]

I am reassured by the contestents cakes exiting the oven with a higher centre than the edges particualrly with lemon drizzle cake

Isn't lemon drizzle cake supposed to look like a volcano? How else do you pour the lemon /sugar gloop in?

 

[Katherine]

Isn't lemon drizzle cake supposed to look like a volcano? How else do you pour the lemon /sugar gloop in?

Skewer holes.

 

[vernon]

Isn't lemon drizzle cake supposed to look like a volcano? How else do you pour the lemon /sugar gloop in?

You poke holes in the top with a skewer and gently spoon the lemon juice/elderberry cordial over the top. The sugar is sprinkled on immediately after pouring the liquid over the cake.

 

[stephec]

I think that there should be a curmudgeons thread started where all the naysayers, gripers and miserable sods can wallow in their own loathing.

The Great British Bake Off is inspirational and full of tips which helps folk to avoid some of the faults that appear in the contestants' cakes and pastries. I am reassured by the contestents cakes exiting the oven with a higher centre than the edges particualrly with lemon drizzle cake. The one that appear in the illustrations of cook books have flat tops whereas mine always have a central bulge.

The Good to Know, Lemon and Elderflower drizzle cake allegedly looks like this:

Where as mine invariably look like this in profile:

Even my ganache covered chocolate cake has a central bulge albeit a smaller one

The GBBO showcases traditional recipes and disasters excepted there's been nothing that I wouldn't eat. Long may the series survive and thrive. I find it informative, educational and entertaining in equal measure and the programme meets the BBCs mission in full. I really don't know what's not to like.

I've worked in a few commercial bread bakeries, they usually get a flat top on a loaf by putting a lid on the tin.

As the dough rises it hits the lid and spreads sideways, creating a flat top.

I don't know about cakes though, doesn't a cake rise and bake at the same time, whilst they're separate processes in bread making?

 

[vernon]

I haven't watched all of the episodes but I don't recall ever seeing any meat or vegetable pies. I'm confident with my pies:

Mini Indian potato pies.

A slice of my pork pie made with hot water pastry

Larger Indian potato pie

A birthday corned beef and potato pie

Two students enjoying their first ever meat pie. Halal corned beef and onion.

 

[TVC]

I don't understand what @PaulB is talking about. What is this cooking programme? Is Fanny Craddock the presenter?

Fanny Craddock isn't fit to sit at the feet of Mary Berry.


This thread isn't turning out like Paul hoped.

 

[vernon]

I don't understand what @PaulB is talking about. What is this cooking programme? Is Fanny Craddock the presenter?

Fanny Craddock scared me though I idolised Barry Bucknell.

Did you know that he was the co-designer of the Mirror dingy?

 

[TVC]

Fanny

View attachment 106142

Weirdo

 

[vernon]

Fanny Craddock isn't fit to sit at the feet of Mary Berry.

Mary Berry isn't fit to sit at the feet of Lorraine Pascal

 

[vernon]

I remember his DIY programmes but didn't know he designed boats.

I wanted to build a Mirror dingy but it wouldn't fit in my bedboxroom.

 

[vernon]

That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me today...............mind you it's been a rotten day all round.

Never mind. Eight more Fridays to Pieday.