I wasn't sure I'd have time to do the GBBO technical challenge this week as I had a big birthday cake to finish today, farm shop bakes to get done and delivered by 4 pm and we're off to the airport before the crack of dawn tomorrow... But there was just time! When I first heard the news about the Bake Off going to Channel 4 and Sue, Mel and Mary leaving I felt quite sad but I'm getting the feeling that they have started to lost the plot a little this series what with Batter week and now Tudor week so perhaps it has started to run its course. Better to stop on a high than to drag on forever with a tired format with more amd more bizarre bakes.
But that said, I'm still working my way through the technical challenges and this week it was... Jumbles! No, I hadn't heard of them either! A jumble describes the contents of my wardrobe or the meanderings of my brain... but not a biscuit as far as I'm concerned. I decided to forego Tudor baking methods and got out the food processor to speed things up.
I followed Paul Hollywood's recipe from the programme. These spicy biscuits are flavoured with caraway, aniseed and mace, none of which I had in the cupboard, so not being up for another supermarket dash, I substituted a teaspoon and a half of fennel seeds for the caraway and aniseed and some nutmeg for the mace as they are from the same seed and have a similar flavour.
The recipe wasn't very clear about the size of eggs to use and I instinctively felt that three large eggs (which was all I had) was probably too much. However I didn't trust my instincts, bunged in all the egg and ended up with a dough that was far too sticky. Off course, had I been mixing by hand and not using the food processor I might have found out before it was too late. Ah, the wisdom of hindsight!
But with a long rest in the fridge and a good dusting of flour the dough was just about manageable and various lumpy looking knots were made... and baked
Of course being very soft they lost definition during baking but had the required crispy exterior and soft interior... well if I'm honest the interior was rather doughy but the flavour was wonderful. I've never used fennel in a sweet bake before, generally only putting it in curries but it was lovely and aniseedy. After I finished my first one (yes, I had two) I decided they reminded me of the Farley's Rusks of my childhood... in the days when they still put sugar in baby food!
Now if you'll excuse me I really must go and pack for the weekend... after I've finished off making a batch of chilli jam that is... have a lovely weekend and I'll see you next week!
Joining in with Jenny of Mummy Mishaps for the Great Bloggers Bake Off.
p.s. I forgot to mention that my Marjolaine got star baker last week so I'm feeling rather chuffed!
The look very tempting and I like Farley's rusks, though only ate the bits my babies left! Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteLove the look of your jumbles, perfect for dipping in coffee. I think the jumbles might be the only bake I make from the GBBO. They appeal to me with their unusual spices (all of which I have in the cupboard). Mmmm Farleys rusks, there's a memory to smile about. Have a fabulous time on your trip. x
ReplyDeleteGina, before now, I'd only thought of jumble in connection with ... sales. And some of those can be great fun. Ahh, but once again, it seems as if the GBBO team's recipes might not quite hold all required info, even for seasoned bakers like you.
ReplyDeleteAll the same...I'd have loved to be a taster when those lovelies emerged from the oven, and cooled just a bit. (Glad you didn't use mace...that's a spice that really puts me off.)
Have a grand time on your get away! xo
I too had not heard of jumbles and was also sad about the move to Channel 4, have heard a rumour that French & Saunders are going to take over, really hope this is true because that good be great. I am continually impressed that you are keeping up with the tech makes, well done you. Enjoy the week end wherever you go x
ReplyDeleteOh Jumbles! I shouted that at the telly!
ReplyDeleteI used to bake Jumbles with my Mum when I was small, probably the first things I helped with baking. Our Jumbles were flavoured with lemon zest and had a small piece of glace cherry on the middle. Yesterday Mum and I found the recipe in an well thumbed Trex Cookbook from the early 1960s. I remember rolling out thin sausages of the dough, like playing with plasticine, and then making them into S shapes. When baked the S spreads a little and joins up - to make a lovely knot-shaped biscuit that is both chewy and crispy. Happy memories!
Have a lovely weekend trip xx
I've seen jumbles in various guises on a number of blogs and had wondered what they tasted like. Well done on the star baker award. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteImpressed that you tried these. Whilst I liked Farely's rusks as a child I'm not sure I will go to the effort of these. Hope you have had a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteJust like you and probably most of the country I too have never heard of Jumbles, though I must say they intregue me though perhaps with different spices just like you did (I don't fancy popping mace in them). They really look great, they've certainly held some definition which must have been helped by chilling the dough.
ReplyDeleteAngela x
You have a much better even colour than mine. Fennel goes really well with apple and i use it in apple pie. I used paul's recipe from the bake off site its basically the same recipe but it specifies the eggs as medium. It also says divided the dough into 6 of each side - there is not enough dough to do that!
ReplyDeleteYour Jumbles look so nice. I try to make the dough by hand for the first time, so I know how it should be. Altough is so much easier with the food processor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about GBBO, this year wasn't as exciting as last year.
Oh wow -- I'd heard that GBBO was moving channels, but I hadn't heard that Mary was leaving! I don't think it's anywhere near to running it's course yet -- so many things still to bake! Ah well, all good things must end. Your little bakes look wonderful this week, although, I confess, I would be a little wary about the fennel! ;-D
ReplyDeletereading through the posts I think everyones jumbles turned out differently! I love your flavouring and your shape efforts are brilliant. #GBBObloggers2016
ReplyDeletei am so happy that your jumbles look very similar in texture and shape to mine - seriously you have made me feel so much better, because i thought it was only me who really struggled to make them. Fennel is a great idea as a spice to add for their flavour too. I thought they tasted nice but not nice enough to bother making again!!! LOL thank you for linking up.
ReplyDeleteI think that these would taste good dipped in coffee or hot coco.. I think they'd take the dunking on very well! Look great to me! Haze x
ReplyDeleteFarley's Rusks!! Oh how I loved them Gina but I think they are the root cause of my perennial sweet tooth so I'd better not try and replicate them!!
ReplyDeleteThese look great! I though it looked like a deceptively hard technical challenge! Mmm, Farley's rusks, there's a blast from the past x
ReplyDelete