I’ve spent the last year being an incredibly casual baker. Baking once a month – if that – and really just trying to reacquaint myself with baking – in a no-pressure, no-eating-disorder(ish) way. Just baking when I want, what I want and seeing if baking even needs to be a part of my life or if it was even healthy that it was a part of my life. I’ve worked with my therapist to make sure I’m not feeding my eating disorder with my baking, but rather feeding my soul with baking. I know, therapy stuff is so hokey.
Over the last 2 months, I’ve rewatched every single season of the Great British Bake off. I also watched all of Zumbo’s Just Desserts on netflix. And it’s resulted in me really wanting to bake. It started with 2 weeks of nonstop bread making and has led to a decision. I’m going to make all the Great British Bake Off technical challenge bakes.
See, I am in no way a trained baker. I’ve learned everything I can through practice, and failure, and watching, and reading. And honestly, I want to spend this next year stretching myself and learning; I want to get out of my comfort zone and make new things; I want to try all this weird British food I’d never heard of until watching this show; I want to learn!
I’ve decided to start with season 2’s technical challenges. Season 1 is both too basic and a cornish pasty. I have no intention of making the couple of bakes that involve meat, which unfortunately limits the pie I’ll be making but I can fill in that gap later.
That’s what this blog will be for the next handful of months. Me documenting my way through learning a lot about baking. And maybe complaining about some Paul Hollywood recipes (future spoilers, I have a lot to say to you Mr. Hollywood!). I can’t wait to get going on this! See below for a master list of challenges. I’ll link them up as I go:
