GBBO - The Final

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 copper 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
200g caster sugar

200g S/R flour
200g 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 bananas (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 sugar 
50g pistachios shelled unsalted,finely chopped
70g white chocolate 
70g white chocolate with raspberry (sainsburys) 
100g raspberries 
300ml double cream
Mint leaves (tiny ones please if poss) 

Whisk egg whites to soft peaks, slowly whisk in the sugar. Next fold in chopped 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.