Bake Off Blues...or Greens

So picture the scene - 

The day before wedding number three, I have just finished making a dress, I've cleaned bedrooms and made up spare beds for our six guests arriving that afternoon (well eight guests actually but over three nights, two went, were replaced by two others, and then the original two came back again) I have made four large salads for a post wedding rehearsal buffet, I have shopped and filled the house with food and I have finished making a wedding cake.

I know you have already seen the wedding cake but I loved this shot by one of Kirsty's friends so thought I'd sneak it in!

 

Photo credit: Claire Tyne

So with an hour to spare while Stewart went to the airport to collect his sister and niece I thought I would try the technical challenge from last week's Great British Bake Off... yes, homemade Wagon Wheels. I don't know what possessed me either!

The biscuit base was easy and even making marshmallow wasn't too bad despite never having done it before. Although just for the record I probably won't do it again. Homemade marshmallow is infinitely superior to the shop bought variety but after three or four they have the same effect of making you feel sick. Just don't ask how I know. But I digress. I opted for shop bought jam under the circumstances (I know, slacking!) and then it came to coating the biscuits in chocolate and putting them all together.

You have probably never seen so much mess in your life. Everything, and I do mean everything, was coated in chocolate... and all this was done at 10.30 pm, after the rehearsal supper, the night before the wedding. Because of course, the whole process took far longer than the hour or so Stewart was away to the airport!

And the verdict... well they all went and everyone seemed to like them except me. I'd forgotten that one of my pet hates is fruit jam with chocolate. I took one bite and almost spat it out. I thought they were revolting and won't be making them again!

If you have seen last night's show you will know that the technical challenge was a sponge cake with pistachio marzipan and fondant icing coloured with... spinach! Which frankly sounds ridiculous and looked far too heavy and sickly for my taste so I won't be making that. Instead I will show you my version of a green cake from a recipe by the amazing Jin, master of Eastern flavours and wonderful cakes, which was flavoured with pandan (not made this week I might add but a couple of years ago!)

Only brought to mind because one of the contestants used pandan last night for her signature bake and Paul Hollywood turned his nose up to it and Noel Fielding likened it to pond weed which seemed rather unfair given it has a delicate flavour reminiscent of the fragrance of basmati rice crossed with coconut. 

Two shows into the new series and I think it is starting to look a bit past it. The challenges are becoming more and more ridiculous (they are meant to be amateur bakers for heaven's sake) and the presenters more and more irritating. The corny jokes are painful... or is it just me? What do you think?