GREAT BLOGGERS BAKE OFF 2016 – WEEK 6 - Botanical

This week's Bloggers Bake Off bake did not go to plan.

Over on the BBC this week The Bake Off Bakers were challenged to make a citrus meringue pie with a twist, a fougasse, and a floral themed three tier centre piece cake.

As you probably know by now, I do like baking bread so the fougasse didn't seem much of a challenge. With only 3 of us at home at the moment, a three tier cake seemed a bit excessive, so a lemon meringue pie it is. Particularly given that I can't remember last time I made one.

Recipe Development

This is pretty much the way I  go about developing  a new recipe: I have an idea which could be sparked by a recipe I have seen, a meal I have eaten, a need to useup some ingredients I have or a brief I have been given when working for a client. In this instance the Bloggers Bake off challenge -  to make a recipe inspired by the Great British Bake Off. Next I think about how I can adapt, change and improve on the idea. Then it's time to write up the basic recipe and into the kitchen to test. Making sure I follow the recipe I have written exactly or making copious notes to remember where I didn't.

I have a lot of experience writing and testing recipes but sometimes things don't work out quite as I expect. For some recipes one test will be enough, some take a few more tries to get the results I want  perhaps because half way through I think of something better or  I change it dramatically. For the blog I'll make it again to be able to take pictures and, as long as that goes well, that's it. Incidentally, even when I am posting old recipes I have used over and over again I will still "test" it to make sure I don't vary from the written recipe so that I can be doubly sure it will work for you. In any other circumstance I'm not that good in following recipes to the letter.....

Recipes don't always go to plan

With baking its different, if it doesn't go right, you have to test again and, sometimes  again and again. Even little tweaks can completely change the out come. This particular recipe was off to a good start with the pastry case and the curd filling turning out well. Until I realised I had made my pastry case far too big that is. Not too big an issue, and I just doubled the amount of filling. Once the case was filled I topped the curd with raspberries.  I used a total of 6 egg yolks for the curd, so made the meringue with the 6 egg whites. The result was a lovely, thick glossy meringue.  Pie into the oven and all was looking fab. I was on to a winner!

But unfortunately it wasn't to be. Once out of the oven and allowed to cool, I removed the pie from the tin.  The pastry with the addition of hazelnuts was delicious but so short that it soon started to collapse, the meringue started to weep (perhaps I should have made a more stable Swiss meringue instead) and there was way too much of it.

My once perfect looking meringue pie quickly looked less than perfect. But boy did it taste good, so I don't want to give up on the recipe completely. Unfortunately I don't have the time to test it again to make the deadline for the Bloggers Bake Off Challenge so, for first time, I'm writing a post without a recipe.  At least this way I can say I have taken part each week (so far) even if not entirely successfully. A little tweaking here and there and a retest or two and I am sure it will be great. Until then it's back to the kitchen!

 

I'm linking this post up to

 

hosted by Jenny at Mummy mishaps. Some how I don't think I will be getting Star Baker this week:)

and of course when I do get the recipe just right I'll be sharing it with you here.