Baker Badge

Ok, I started this in an effort to stop buying coffee and cake, so that I would usually have something in the freezer for when cake was a medicinal need! 

I love a tray bake, and mostly use Mary Berry's recipes as they're pretty much foolproof. Lemon drizzle rarely gets to the freezer. I did, however, make treacle spice tray bake as it seemed appropriate for autumn walks. And was delicious. It is now frozen.

I also made Devonshire Apple Traybake.

Bread

I saw buttermilk in the shop so had to make soda bread! I made a second batch of savoury Chelsea buns, with a different filling. They looked and smelled marvellous but the neighbours cat got in and ruined the lot. I might have sworn loudly and repeatedly.....

Finally I made Olive Bread Rolls, loosely based on a recipe by Paul Hollywood; the dough took ages to prove as it was a cold, damp day and I didn't put the heating on for long. The rolls look great and will hopefully taste delicious for lunch tomorrow.

Classic Pudding

I was given a HUGE bag of apples, and had a fantastic crop of blackberries, so was forced to make a large batch of apple and blackberry crumble for the freezer.

Batch Baking

I found a recipe for Turkey, Cranberry and Stuffing Chelsea Buns. I made them (with chicken) and they were delicious. I made ten rather than 12, and they weren't quite identical, but it's the taste that matters isn't it??

Millefeuille

Right, I thought this would be difficult but I found a scrumptious recipe for blackberry and apple millefeuille tart and gave it a go (shop bought pastry!), and I think I will make that again and again.

Biscuits

I made flapjacks. I think that counts! Also, chocolate fudge crinkle biscuits. Yum! I finally made vanilla biscuit men for my Halloween badge. Looks a bit like a cemetery!

Savoury Pie

I made shortcrust pastry from scratch, blind baked it and filled it with chicken and leeks in white sauce. I didn't have enough shortcrust pastry left for a lid but had a little puff pastry so made some strips and formed a lattice. All rather rough and ready but edible. Served with mixed vegetables, and introduced as 'lower your expectations pie'!

Sweet Tart

I thought I would give Tarte Tatin a try. Easier than I thought! Also, rather delicious even if there caramel was a little overdone.

Eclairs

How hard can this be, thought I. Very bloomin' hard indeed. The first recipe I used produced very runny dough, the second attempt wasn't much better, but the third, using my trusty Good Housekeeping cookery book, worked. I shall, however, be buying them from the shop in future!