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13th August 2015

So last night we experienced ‘Biscuit Week’ on GBBO.  What may have sounded an ‘easy’ish’ week turned out very challenging.  This week saw the signature bake being Biscotti, which are also known as “Cantuccini” and mean twice baked and originated in Prato (Italy).  AS flavouring for my Biscotti, I opted for  Italian White wine, a mixture of nuts and seeds and the superfood which be Goji Berries.  I tried to build a luscious structure with the fruit, nuts and seeds without losing the rusk-like crunch a good Biscotti should have.  As the Italians would say the outcome was “Bellissima”!  Both Paul and Mary loved my Biscotti which was pleasing to say the least…now who said you can’t bake with WINE!!

The ‘technical’ bake this week was the Arlette which is a French ‘biscuit’ made out of very thinly rolled caramelised puff pastry  which should have a great crunch and lamination throughout.  Anyone who knows about baking will tell you that to make puff pastry in itself is a great challenge, mix that with a recipe unknown to well 11 bakers, mix it up with a dash of immense pressure, a pinch of judges staring you down and several cameras watching your every move then you get the idea as to what most of us dished up, eek! – it is one of those bakes you will more than likely never attempt in your kitchen unless called for either way! 

The showstopper this week was a biscuit box (out of biscuit base itself) with 32 identical biscuits to fill your box.  I found inspiration in my Lithuanian roots in terms of the biscuits I prepared and went for a cottage cheese based biscuits which are traditional in my country of birth, Lithuania.  As for the biscuit box I took myself back to my childhood and us children pinching cookies from the cookie jar when Mom was not around!  It was playful in a sense and the colours pan-Russian inspired so boisterous, flamboyant and colourful (Mary thought it to be over the top – but I suppose she missed the point about my cultural background and where I may have found inspiration from – but each to our own I guess and you learn and move on).  The theme as such was a baby pinching cookies from the cookie box (as we did from the jar as kids).  Paul said that he didn’t like my biscuits…HE LOVED THEM so yayyy!

I felt overall week two was a good week for me and I look forward to week 3 – ‘Bread Week’, I absolutely love baking bread and very much looking forward to it.  I hope you all enjoyed week 2 as much as I did and thank you all for your continued support!

X Ugne B

6th August 2015

Good morning All,

So it’s the morning after the night before – what a strange feeling it was to see myself on the bake-off where in previous years I would have been a keen fan and an arm-chair baker; truly surreal!

Where do I start, the signature bake was the Madeira cake which I wanted to keep as true to itself as I possibly could with making my own imprint on it, I decided on a Thyme and Lemon variation which I was happy with the outcome on, Paul mentioned it was too Lemony for his palate but then again as we all know taste is very individual to each of us.

For the technical bake we were asked to prepare a Walnut Cake which I absolutely love myself and as you know if you love something that much you normally do it well.  I do a fair amount of research in my spare time so I know a little bit about a lot and the Walnut cake is one of those I have researched in the past so I had a ‘rough idea’ how to make it.  I practice baking sponge over and over and over so making a good sponge for me by now is second nature.  The combination paid me dividends on the day, seeing me win the first episode’s technical challenge.

The show stopper was a Black Forrest Gateau, which I pulled out all the stops for and went for a theatrical theme on the cake which I like to describe as the Falling Cup Gateau (on twitter someone mentioned it seems very Alexander McQueen inspired – which just so happens to be one of my all-time favourite fashion designers). It featured a teacup (tempered from dark chocolate) spilled over with kirsch filled cherry truffles spilling out of it down the side of the cake. The basics I kept the same as the traditional gateau with the difference that I used an American styles buttermilk sponge which was rich and gooey (not fluffy like its European counterpart).

I like to challenge the way we perceive baking and I do push boundaries/bake traditional baking ‘rules’.  I am not one to just bake a ‘pretty cake’ sticking to basics – nothing extraordinary comes from your comfort zone and I will continue to push boundaries when baking on the Bake-off so keep watching.

Couple articles for you to get an insight of yesterdays action in the tent

https://uk.beamly.com/tv-news/great-british-bake-recap-week-1-cakes/?sid=14388853209875009&utm_source=web&utm_medium=external_share&utm_campaign=article_page_share&utm_content=a:w:2898cfb6c5676fce5ae80c6cb26d5e59

http://www.elleuk.com/now-trending/11-gbbo-moments-that-made-episode-1-a-roller-coaster-of-emotion

http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/features/great-british-bake-off-2015-e1-cake-week

I will keep you updated with the latest action and news from GBBO weekly 🙂

4th July 2015

Hi All,

So here we are… I guess that you are all just as excited as I am seeing that tomorrow evening the Great British Bake off returns to BBC 1 at 8pm, with the difference that this year I am a participant and not just watching, and sharing the GBBO Bakers’ journeys!

Quick run  through the past week; last Tuesday I woke up to me sprawled all over the front pages of 3 National newspapers and featuring in numerous other news articles related to the GBBO  that day and as the week went on. An ‘interesting’ experience to say the least and it was ‘comical’ at part to see how the media portrayed me or should I say portrayed me to the Nation. After all I am just an everyday, modern girl whom loves to bake or am I…?

I’m going to keep this brief  and have to run, as life will not stop and have to carry on with everyday routine as per usual, but before I do so I just want to thank everyone for their well wishes and support and I hope you all enjoy this years’ GBBO!

A special word of thanks to the other 11 Bakers,  everyone at Love Productions and the BBC for making this happen.  Being part of a fantastic now institution in British Television is a dream come true.

Last years winner Nancy speaks up about GBBO experience;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/great-british-bake-off/11780863/Nancy-Birtwhistle-theyve-gone-too-far-with-The-Great-British-Bake-Offs-technical-challenges.html

X Ugne

2nd August 2015

Busy week it was. I would like to apologise for those lovely people who are following me that I’m not here as often as I would like to.

I promise I will be back, and catch up on my recipe additions and general communication. Please be patient.

Thanks. Ugne x

28th July 2015

I guess you all are in the know of the past events in my life from the todays newspapers. I have been going through the articles today, good memories comin back looking at the pictures 🙂 … All GBBO bakers loolks great!

Have a browse, and please, do not believe everything they say 😉

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-07-28/the-great-british-bake-off-2015-meet-the-bakers

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/great-british-bake-off/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3176613/Great-British-Bake-contestants-eclectic-batch.html 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3177107/Meet-Bake-contestant-WITHOUT-soggy-bottom-Lithuanian-body-builder-loves-high-heels-cocktails-pumping-iron-match-scary-Mary-Berry.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33687012

http://www.anglija.today/namai/lietuve-pateko-i-kultine-britu-kulinarijos-laida-the-great-british-bake-off

http://www.thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/bakers/series-6/ 

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/our-food-hysterias-reached-new-heights-when-great-british-bake-off-contestants-call-cake-sinful-10421754.html

More still to come 🙂

28th July 2015

Long, busy, emotional & tiresome day.

I really did not expect my training regime would turn me into a ‘pro bodybuilder’with a bodybuilding career overnight hehe having not put a foot on a stage yet..anyway got to laugh that one off!

Just wanted to thank everyone who has been supporting me. A special word of thanks and big shout out to Love Productions / fellow Bakers on GBBO 2015 and BBC as without you guys none of this would be and ever ao thankful to be part of it all!

21st July 2015

Good morning lovely people,

And what a nice weekend I had…. Relaxing family time out and about… some garden work and, ofcourse- a bit of baking ^_^

I went for my love of chocolate, and did oh so chocolatey ‘ Intensement Chocolat’ with beautiful fresh and juicy Raspberries… As it is fairly long making process and few stages takes place, it takes a while to perfect this (hopefully) taste and look masterpiece.

I am sharing a sneak peak of yet to be finished product…

Please be patient, as the full details with recipe and method will be uploaded to my recipe section due course.

Hope you are having a super duper Monday 🙂

Ugne

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