Bakers must earn their crust in pastry challenge
With bread, biscuits and cakes under their belts, the bakers must prove their skill with pastry in this week’s instalment of the Great British Bake Off.
Last week contestants made sugar- free cakes, gluten- free pittas, and dairy- free ice cream rolls.
Ugne Bubnaityte had some ambitious ideas but failed to pull them off and was the latest baker to leave the tent.
The remaining seven contestants face a new set of challenges on Wednesday.
First, the bakers will make frangipane tarts for their signature challenge.
The pastry of this tart is a rich shortcrust pastry which includes egg yolk and caster sugar, along with plain flour and butter, explains the SWI’s Isabell Montgomerie, of the Ayrshire Federation and a member of Ochiltree Institute.
Isabell advises: “As with all pastry, the ingredients should be cold, once mixed the pastry should be rested in the fridge for 30 minutes.
“Choose a fluted flan tin or ring to add to the attractiveness of the tart. The frangipane filling is a mixture of butter, sugar, eggs and ground almonds, the ground almonds should be as fine as possible.
“Between the filling and the pastry, apply a thin layer of jam to complement any fruit which is used such as apricot jam with apricots in the frangipane.”
Paul sets the technical challenge, a traditional cheese- filled pastry from Cyprus - the flaouna.
“This is certainly a challenge for the bakers! This is a cheese filled pastry from Cyprus, made to celebrate the breaking of Lenten fast,” comments Isabell.
“Raisins, sultanas, halloumi or graviera cheese, sesame seeds sprinkled on top – what will the bakers come up with?”
The showstopper is the classic 70s canape, vol- au- vents which translates as ‘ flight on the wind’ so the puff pastry should be as light as air.
“Puff pastry requires time to prepare,” says Isabell.
“The rolling and folding process, with resting time ( for the pastry, not the bakers).
“There’s no need to grease the tin; sprinkle a heavy baking tray with cold water.
“A cutter two sizes smaller should be used to mark the top of the pastries, the same cutter being used for the lids.
“Egg wash the outside rims and the lids. A very hot, preheated oven is required 240° C, reduced to 190° C after 15 minutes. Remove soft dough from inside of cases and return to the oven to dry off.”
The fillings for those ‘ light as air’ cases may be hot or cold, savoury or sweet, and this is where is bakers can really show off their inventiveness, adds Isabell.
The SWI has refreshed its name, logo and motto and launched a new website.
New Institutes are being formed, taking up themes and activities that reflect their own interests, lifestyles and communities, alongside existing SWI groups where education and training in home skills, family welfare, citizenship and friendship remain the key aims. Baking and crafts remain among the most popular activities.
For more details of how to find your nearest institute, log on to www. theswi. org. uk .