Mary Berry webchat: Join the queen of tarts on Monday 1.30 - 2.30

[RachelMumsnet]

We are excited and delighted that queen of the kitchen, Mary Berry, will be joining us at MNHQ for a live webchat.

Mary Berry, CBE is one of the UKs best-known and most respected cookery writers and television presenters. She has over 80 books to her name and over 6 million sales worldwide. A judge on The Great British Bake Off she has been voted as Britains favourite baking companion.

Mary's autobiography A Recipe for Life is out this month. A touching, evocative and fascinating memoir, Mary tells the story of her remarkable rise to fame. Everyone who joins the webchat will be entered into a draw to win a signed copy of A Recipe for Life. Join us on Monday or post a question in advance to Mary on this thread.

[MissStrawberry]

I love Mary Berry.

I recently bought the pink covered cook book to replace the white one I had that was falling apart through years of use . Some recipes from the white having made it into the pink one and I was wondering if that was on purpose or if all are there but you have renamed them?

Also, lots of recipes aren't on the pages listed in the index. Is that a common problem and can I be your proof reader next time please?

I love Mary Berry.

[MissStrawberry]

Tally - I have that book!! Just bought the new updated version. Hang on, while link for you.

updated one

[MissStrawberry]

exhaustedmummy - IIRC coating in flour should help that.

[Handsfullandlovingit]

I'll be chained to a desk tomorrow, but I'd like to say to Mary how much I am grateful for her cake recipes. Except in circumstances of outstanding idiocy on my part they come out so perfectly, and attract so many compliments, I feel I should pass on the compliments. Favourites include Very Best Chocolate Fudge Cake and the light as a feather Lemon Drizzle from the Baking Bible.

My question is about Christmas cake, specifically the light and golden Victorian Christmas Cake in the Baking Bible. It is glorious. How far in advance would I be safe to make it? I like to do Christmas as far in advance as possible. Thank you!

[sybilfaulty]

Dear Mary

I love your programmes and your recipes. I've never yet had a MB recipe fail on me.

You are very stylish and always look amazing. Do you have a stylist for the programme or do you just love clothes? I've heard you say you dress very differently at home. What sort of look do you rock then?

I just wanted to say that your pieces about William have moved me to tears. He sounds like a fine young man and I am so very sorry for your loss.

Thank you for coming and my best wishes to you

[SunshineSuperNova]

Hi Mary

I am a huge fan - I have a cookbook you wrote some years ago which is covered in flour / gravy / other food stains because it's been used so much.

My question is: how do you come up with ideas for new recipes?

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Hi Mary - like everyone else I love your books and GBBO. I also loved hearing you on Desert Island Discs - it was a very moving episode.

I have an aga and no other cooker and wondered whether you had any plans to do another aga book - one focusing on christmas in particular would be wonderful. I am already dreading the trauma of trying to get my roast potatoes to roast whilst the temperature plumits.

Thank you!

[Whistleforit]

Oh Mary, you are such a classy lady, I want to be you when I grow up. But it's not possible as I only want to ask whether you quite often think Paul is a sanctimonious twit. Albeit within very pretty eyes.

[Whistleforit]

With

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

[TerrorMeSue]

During GBBO do you eat anything at all except what the contestants make?

I have no idea how you manage to try so many different cakes (or whatever). You must be stuffed!

[itsonlysubterfuge]

Hi Mary,

First wanted to say I adore you! You always look so amazing and I was just wondering how you stay in such great shape? Especially during the Great British Bake-Off and sampling all those great cakes?

Thanks for coming to Mumsnet and spending the time to talk to all of us.

[MavisGrind]

I am another that will be at work tomorrow but I just want to say a big thank you for all the work you do.

My sons (7&4) absolutely love GBBO and have insisted since last week that I make a custard tart. I am no baker but this afternoon I tried and it was a relative success! (nothing like jumping in on a technical bake for a novice). My dcs then pretended to be yourself and Paul and judged my efforts. They even checked if there was a soggy bottom (there wasn't ).

So, thank you. You've got another 2 young boys learning to bake because of your skills and enthusiasm.

[DoItTooJulia]

Hi Mary, really nice to have you!

Sometimes when I bake sponge cakes they have a lump on the top where they have risen unevenly. Why does is happen? Is not all of the time either, so I'm finding it difficult to pinpoint what is going wrong!

[MostlyCake]

I have a bread question if possible? My loaves go into the oven well shaped and 'proud' of yhe sheet if you see what I mean but spread and collapse in the oven. The baked loaf looks like a disc with a slight rise in the middle. Why do they spread out and how can I stop it?

Thanks!

[tinypumpkin]

Another Mary Berry fan here, who isn't?

I was wondering what the biggest calamity on GBBO has been. This year we have seen custard stealing but my memory of previous years is rather more vague sadly.

[hermancakedestroyer]

Hi Mary,

I'm a huge fan of the GBBO and always find that your comments to the competitors is kind and constructive.
My question to you is about meringues. My aunt used to make delicious meringues which were crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle but I have never managed to replicate them! Can you help? Thank you
Keep up the good work

[hermancakedestroyer]

are

[moonbells]

Hello Mary! Many thanks for coming on to the webchat. I have a very deceptively simple question: why can't I get victoria sponges to rise?

My mum can (with identical recipes) yet her fruit cakes invariably sink and mine don't. Neither of us can explain it (we both have the same mixer as well). We've muddled along for years, with her doing all the sponges and me the fruits . But I'd love to know any tips on getting the wretched sponges to work!

[FrauMoose]

Mary, I'd like to know if you consider yourself a role model for older women on television. What are your thoughts on the discrimination that Miriam O'Reilly experienced, and do you think that the BBC is starting to make changes for the better?

[Jerseymummy1]

I love Mary. Her Sacha Torte receipe is a fave and never fails to impress.

So I have a question for Mary - if you were a cake what you be and why?

[HoneyDragon]

Mary, you really are fantastic. Your Fast Cakes was the first recipie book I ever used, when I was little. And what's lovely to me is that my son now gets it down and flicks through it looking for stuff to make just like I did.

Speaking of said boy. Cake is his favourite thing. He doesn't like fondant icing (and I'm rubbish with rolling it out!) and he doesn't particularly love buttercream either . So what else can I use to decorate the fancy birthday cakes he asks for each year?

[MrsKwazii]

Hello Mary, I love your b

[HoneyDragon]

Oh, I still use Fast Cakes regularly. I'm making your Pineapple Upside Down Cake later

[Faithless12]

I have a question do you have any dairy and egg free recipes? My DS is having to avoid those and possibly gluten.