As I settle down to watch The Great British Bake Off with a slice of Victoria Sandwich, an all too familiar feeling washes over me. Looking towards the television and then down at my plate, I let the realisation sink in, before taking a deep breath and exclaiming: ‘I want to be in the Bake Off!’
This proclamation, although untypical, is not unusual in my house, being merely greeted with a patient; ‘Yes we know, you told us last week,’ from my understanding parents.
However, undeterred I continue; ‘But you don’t understand. I REALLY want to be on the Bake Off. I want to experience the thrill of competitive cake making at its finest - use their slidey door ovens and Kitchen Aid mixers. I want Mary Berry to praise my sponges for their un-soggy bottoms and Paul Hollywood to proclaim my pies as being perfect. I want to bake to bake like I’ve never baked before!’
Just as the confetti is about to be released and the fanfare sounded, my reality check is brought sharply into focus with the response;
‘Then just fill in a form and apply for the next series,’
- Oh if only it were that simple.
To apply for the bake off requires months of carefully coordinated planning, perfecting bread recipes and concocting signature tarts. Designing show stopping cakes and constructing exotic recipes. If only it were as simple as just applying!
But wait, perhaps it is?
Twelve months ago I almost filled in an application for the current series, but at the last minute pulled out, fearing that I might not be good enough. One year later and I'm still no more prepared, but yet somehow feel that I could take it on... All I need is a plan!
Over the last few months, I’ve come to the conclusion that the saying; ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained,‘ exists for a reason - to encourage us to take chances. After all, the most exciting things usually come from putting ourselves on the line and stepping out of our comfort zones.
When the worst that can happen is failure, what’s the point of being afraid? As long as we know that we‘ve tried our best.
Last summer, I set myself the challenge of baking something different every week, but never quite pulled it off. This was for a variety of different reasons, in particular the fact that I gave myself such strict time limits and so little budget. However, a glutton for punishment, this is exactly what I propose to do again, with one difference: On this occasion, my time limit will be next year’s bake off. That’s right, I’m going to apply for the bake off.
To do this I’m going to make another list, this time one to reflect the areas covered in the Bake Off, starting with cake and bread, then moving onto tarts, desserts and pies. I hope to make one of these every other week, reporting my progress as I go along. If I make it to the live shows or even the auditions, then it could be the start of something quite exciting, otherwise it’s still going to be pretty good, as I’ll hopefully become a better baker because of it. I hope that you’ll follow me on this exciting journey, giving me hints and tips as I go along!
Look out for my progress posts soon.
Until next time,
Happy Baking!
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