Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Kitchens Cookshop is watching closely each episode of BBC TV series ‘The Great British Bake Off’ and noting the equipment used, to help customers who want to recreate the bakes shown on screen.
A message on the specialist housewares retailer’s website – https://www.kitchenscookshop.co.uk/ – says: ‘Many of us will become absorbed with the activity in the tent over the coming weeks: the signature bakes, technical challenges and show stoppers. We can sit back and watch while the contestants are put through their paces making cakes, biscuits, bread, tarts, pies and more.
“You might want to re-create the bakes, so we’ll sum up each week and point you in the right direction for the equipment you’ll need.’
The three-strong chain said the KitchenAid Mixers being used on the show are Boysenberry, Ice Blue and Pistachio, which it describes as ‘three fabulous colours that look great with the overall colour scheme of the tent’.
The company has also made the following observations on products featured in the three episodes that have aired so far:
Week 1 – Cake Week
Kitchens Cookshop says: ‘The signature bake was a drizzle cake which had the contestants immediately reaching for their KitchenAid Food Mixers. They used various different moulds including loaf tins, round cake tins, a ring mould and a silicone version of the Nordic Ware Heritage bundt pan. Pyrex bowls, Mason Cash bowls, cooling racks and skewers were all essential equipment.
‘Jaffa cakes were the technical challenge and the competitors had to get the right balance of sponge, jelly and chocolate in order to meet the judge’s approval. Hand whisks at the ready, they also needed bun trays for the sponges, round cutters to cut the jelly and piping bags for the chocolate.
‘The show stopper was a cake with a mirror glaze. The cake had to be made with a génoise sponge – so lots of whisking prevailed. The mirror glaze was tricky but most of the bakers managed with careful mixing, temperature control and the use of a palette knife.’
Week 2 – Biscuit Week
‘The bakers rose to the iced biscuit signature challenge and created a variety of shapes including butterflies, sheep, motorbikes, hearts and hexagons.
‘Food processors and KitchenAids were in use again, while rolling pins came to the fore, with one baker using the Joseph Joseph adjustable rolling pin so that he could be sure of getting an even thickness. Numerous baking sheets were needed for the baking, quickly followed by a number of cooling trays.
‘The bakers were in a spin with the technical challenge of Viennese Whirls. Swirling the dough proved challenging; they used disposable piping bags and large nozzles. Dualit hand mixers were employed to beat the butter cream. Timing the biscuit baking had to be so accurate – so electronic timers were at hand to control the proceedings.
‘The showstopper had to be a gingerbread story that was at least 30cm high and included eight separate pieces. Concoctions of butter, sugar, molasses and spices were melted together in GreenPan saucepans.’
Week 3 – Bread Week
‘The first challenge was chocolate bread. Kilner jars were unclipped and ingredients measured out. Traditional Mason Cash bowls were used for the mixing – although some was done in the KitchenAid food mixers.
‘Dough scrapers, baking sheets and loaf tins were in demand and probe thermometers were used to check if the bread was cooked.
‘The technical challenge was to make Dampfnudel. Dough balls had to be made and then cooked in steam, which was done using a sauté pan with a lid.’
Week 4 (of 11) of The Great British Bake Off – entitled Batter Week – airs next Wednesday (September 14) at 8pm on BBC1.
Kitchens Cookshop was established nearly 50 years ago in 1968 and operates three stores in Bath (pictured), Bristol and Cardiff
