Challenge #8 Bakewell Tart

 My mac has died and so my blog updates are a little behind :-(. I'm having to use my phone camera instead of my SLR because it's easier to upload onto my borrowed PC. Anyway! This week I made bakewell tart mmm. We had dinner at the in laws and I was in charge of puds.  I've just started a new job - as a baker in a lovely coffee & cake shop in Chester and the lady who I bake with made bakewell tarts this week and they looked so good that it was an obvious choice for this occasion.  So step one was make pastry...

I used my friend Jen's kitchen, she had invited some of us round for a girlie film - so I baked whilst Bridget Jones was on in the background. Good times. Next step spread raspberry jam onto the pastry base...

Step three...make almond sponge...

Step four spread batter onto jam and pastry base and sprinkle flaked almonds on top. Then bung in the oven...

180 degrees for 25mins. Jen's oven has a light that actually works - what a novelty.

Ta daaaa

Le Creuset 7-oz. Petite Tart Dish - Cherry - Le Creuset Stoneware (Google Affiliate Ad)

Challenge #7 Carrot Cake

So the next recipe in Mary Berry's Baking Bible is (drum roll please)...Carrot Cake! If you know me, you'll know I'm not a fan of carrots in cake. Don't get me wrong, I like unusual combinations and textures but the carrot does not do it for me. But I trust Mary Berry so we'll see if she converts me...

So step one was very easy - bung all the ingredients into a bowl and mix (low maintenance - I like it!). It definitely wins the award for ugliest batter ever. 

The recipe included eggs, walnuts, carrots (obviously), muscavado sugar, flour, sunflower oil and....banana! 

So after whizzing it together you simply put it in the oven for about an hour and ta daaaaa...we have a carrot cake!

Then it was time to top it with cream cheese icing, decorate with walnut halves and share with friends and a cup of tea. 

And what did I think? I think it was a glorified banana cake but not as nice. Mary Berry let me down. It was OK but quite filling and dense. The last piece is still in my fridge and I'm not dreaming of eating it any time soon. So not a carrot cake convert yet but the cream cheese icing was gorgeous mmm.