The Final GBBO

I loved the final. It was such an amazing weekend. The petit fours were my favourite bakes of the whole show and I almost whooped for joy when we were given that brief because they were a very 'me' bake. All girly and a chance to show my creativity. My idea to use a wind lantern came to me while shopping in TK MAX. I walked past the lovely cooper wind lantern and the rest was history as they say. With a little imagination and some good friends help my display case was created. Nick took the lantern and had the glass shelves cut to size, then fitted them for me, and my very clever friend Vicky arranged flowers that my lovely friend Sara had picked from my garden early that morning. I loved it and it now sits proudly in my dining room read to be used again.

MINI VICTORIA SANDWICH CAKES

          

8oz caster sugar
8oz S/R flour
8oz stork

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

4 eggs + 1 yolk to enrich                              

mix all ingredients together in free standing mixer
spoon into 1 lined swiss roll tins 
bake for 18-20 mins 
leave to cool 
cut out rounds
brush with jam
pipe in buttercream
top with icing sugar dusting, piped rosette, crystallised roses

JAM
450g strawberries
300g jam sugar
put strawberries in pan break up with fork pour in sugar 
bring to boil cook for 10 mins decant leave to cool

Buttercream
500g icing sugar & some for dusting
125g butter
2 tbsp milk
12 crystallised roses
mix in freestanding mixer to a light fluffy constancy 

MINI BANOFFEE TARTS
9oz plain flour
4 1/2 oz cold butter
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp sug
pinch salt
1-4 tsp cream

TOFFEE
250g brown sugar
50g butter
142 pot double cream

BANANA MOUSSE
2 banana's (RIPE)
2 cups of double cream
4 tbsp icing sug


TOPPINGS

plain chocolate

Combine flour, butter,  salt and sugar into food processor pulse until breadcrumb like,add egg yolks and cream if needed.
Rest in fridge until needed, cut out 12 circles, blindbake in pastry tins for 12-16 mins @ 200,then cool on wire rack

Melt butter and sugar in frying pan stir in cream cook until sugar has dissolved, pour in container to cool.
Blend bananas and sugar with hand blender whip cream fold together and chill
Once pastry cases have cooled spoon in toffee, pipe on mousse, then top with dark chocolate shavings and set in the fridge.



MINI MERINGUE

3 egg whites

150g sugarpistachios shelled unsalted,finely choppedwhite chocolate white chocolate with raspberry (sainsburys) raspberries double creammint leaves (tiny ones please if poss) lemon juice. Whisk egg whites to soft peaks add lemon juice, fold in sugar & nuts

pipe onto a prepared  baking sheet, bake for 2 hrs at 100, remove from oven & leave to cool, melt raspberry chocolate brush inside nests, pipe in whipped double cream,

Finish with a glazed raspberry, a mint leave and white chocolate shavings.

Marry Berry: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sachertorte_59630