Rachel Allen: Bake

[TwoIfByScream]

Anyone else watching this on UKTV Food?

I ordered the book from The Book People this week as I can't stop salvating looking at those gorgeous cakes, I have to start baking again. Some of the tips she has given as well as really good. To think of the number of times I have driven through Gullane and not realised there was a German bakery there. Shall be having a little stop next time m'thinks.

I'll sit and eat my cake by myself then!

i'm watching it and agree there are soem good tips - ie pastry and roll out in clingfim. Let me know if hte book's anygood - i didn't think the review on Amazon was too good.

I used to like watching her but I think she's become a bit too Nigella-like with this new series. All that wafting around looking at cup cakes in soft focus is a bit unnecessary imo.

I bought her other book (Rachel's Favourite Food?) and such recipes as I have tried didn't work at all. The crumble was particularly horrible (think she got the proportions of flour and butter very wrong in the recipe). We threw the topping away and just ate the fruit.

You're not alone, TwoIfByScream - I've watched some of her programmes (though I keep forgetting that it's on -

I have made the 'Blondies' - white chocolate and peanut butter brownies, and they were very delicious indeed - but I had a big problem convincing the children that they weren't a suitable breakfast.

I also made cupcakes, because she did a segment on the cupcake boom in the same programme, and iced some with glace icing flavoured with rosewater and lemon - Turkish Delight icing - which was yummy!!

The only downside with this programme is that it makes me want to bake cakes, and then I want to EAT cakes and then I get even fatter!

Thank God it wasn't just me with the crumble! It was a kind of cookie mixture by the time I'd finished, not entirely unpalatable but certainly not a crumble!

But my 2 year old loves her.

I made another of her recipes this afternoon - lemon biscuits - and was not impressed. They don't taste of anything and are stodgy rather than crispy. Good, in a way, as I'm not tempted to eat them.

Think this book will be off to the charity shop at the weekend.

Whatever about the crap cakes, I could never support that families business. The term "brass neck" was invented for people like that.

I think I must have missed something, ItsAllaBitNoisy - what family and why can't you support it? Asking for info, btw, not having a dig.

I'm intrigued too...

Have googled. Is this about the FIL and porn?

Sorry, yes. The family stood by him when he was convicted of possessing child porn. As a family its up to them I guess, but I can't support the family business as a result.

Turns my stomach. He got a ridiculously light punishment too.

All he got was a bit of community service, so no sentance whatsoever

Twoifbythesea, I've been to the Gullane bakery several times. The bread is great, but the cakes are all a bit almond-y. Even things you wouldn't expect to have almonds in.

If you've got your book by now and have baked something, how did you get on?