Jammy Bakers' review of the year

Cook 5 - Leon
We started the year with a challenge - to cook 5 dishes within the course of a year.  All three of us managed to do our five dishes and have really enjoyed the challenge. We even visited Leon Restaurants earlier in the year and had some very tasty food.






Jampionships
As a prize for Christopher winning the Junior Jammie section of the World Jampionships last year, we were invited to stay in Blairgowrie for a few days.  We were looked after really well by our hosts Eileen and Bill McBain from the Old Stables, Alyth in their wonderful self catering accommodation.  Christopher and Charlotte addressed BEPTA and gave away some tips on how to make the best jam.  We also were also delighted to go to Bamff House and went on a beaver hunt and saw a beaver for the first time.

Northampton Produce show
The Northampton Produce show was re-launched this year and we loved taking part in this.  We did well with various classes and Christopher's cupcakes won him best in show. Christopher was pleased to enter his homegrown onions in the show too.

Making cakes for food parcel project 
Christopher took part in a community challenge in which he baked lots of loaf cakes, and sold them to friends.  Christopher then spent the money on food for the food parcel project.

Sandringham Food Festival

We were so pleased to go to Sandringham Food Festival and meet the Fabulous Baker Brothers: Tom and Henry Herbert.  They gave a very funny demonstration on meat and sourdough.  Shelina Permaloo also demonstrated some delicious food.  At the end of the show we had a lovely chat to Linda Hewett from Fulbeck Bread.






Wellingborough Bake Off 

Christopher did not enter the Welllingborough Bake Off this year.  However Charlotte rose to the challenge and was "Star Baker" in the children's section with her Owl cupcakes





Show and Tell at the Cake and Bake Show

We had a great time at the Cake and Bake Show. Christopher took his harvest wheel bread on the Great British Bake Off Stage.  Jo Wheatley complimented Christopher on the flavour and texture of the bread.  It was a cheesy herby bread and included mice and mini loaves of bread

World Bread Awards
We returned again to the World Bread Awards and were greeted as friends, by many who we had met last year and during the last year.  Again we were treated to a lots of lovely food and then it was the awards.  Christopher was a finalist again this year, having entered two of his breads into the competition.  He was called as runner up for one of his breads...and then winner of the Young Baker 12-17 years category for his other bread! Both of the breads were given "Gold" certificates.

KitchenAid sponsor the children's section and following the awards, Christopher was delighted to receive a Kitchen Aid Artisan Food Processor which has been put to good use for bread, soups and chopped vegetables.

WI - Jam demonstration
Christopher and his Mum demonstrated jam making to the local WI, with Christopher again taking the stage to share more jam making secrets.

BBC Good Food Show
The BBC Good Food Show was a great opportunity to hear excellent speakers and taste fantastic foods.  Christopher was pleased to meet Paul Hollywood who said Christopher will be taking over from him next! He also met Mich Turner who gave some handy hints on what to study at school.



Christmas baking
We had a lot of fun with Christmas this year. We always love to make stollen as presents and decided to try three different recipes.  We tried an award winning recipe by Emmanuel Hadrianjeou which was really zesty and tasty and everyone loved.

We tried a Baker Brothers recipe that was very quick and easy and included chocolate, which was different.  Christopher took two of these into school to his German lesson and they were enjoyed by everyone.  Charlotte made a few too and added some pink marzipan for a girly twist.

We finished the year with Baker Mike's stollen recipe and it was these we made for our family as gifts as they had enjoyed them so much last year and kept well.

We followed two fruit cake recipes this Christmas: one by Dan Lepard and one by Charlotte White.  Christopher turned Dan's recipe into the most wonderfully dark treacly cake and topped it with some sugarcraft decorations he had been inspired to make at a local sugarcraft class.

Charlotte used Charlotte White's Ruby Red fruit cake and turned it into a beautiful 50th wedding anniversary cake.  This was very fruity and delicious.

Well that was 2015:  next year? Lets hope for lots more new recipes to try and interesting people to meet.        

Love from the Jammy Bakers xx