I’ve always wanted to be on the show, I just got hooked and my interest in baking grew even more as I watched it. I bought everything from books to baking equipment and different spices and flavours.
My favourite bake to make for the family are Entremets (delicate and decorative French cakes/patisseries), they are quite complicated as they are multi layered, so I make each section one day at a time and work it around my day job. They look so beautiful when they are finished, you can’t rush them and you have to build up the components with care and love, I quite like the technical aspect of it.
I feel I can call myself a good baker now, as I have moved on from cupcakes and sponges. I like to keep challenging myself, which is good I think. I was flattered and proud when Mary commented on my flavours, and to hear that is an amazing thing. How many people in everyday life get positive comments from the doyenne of baking? Initially I was nervous of Paul’s comments and I was so surprised to find he is very down to earth and gave good comments about my bread, and to get a good note from Paul is great.
My best moment in the tent I think I would go back to bread week mainly because I was in my element. I missed the brief a little with my Cornucopia of bread by making far too much and I confused my ciabatta with my baguettes, but hey I enjoyed myself.
My worst moment in the tent was the biscuit box, I just couldn’t finish it and I was so emotional. I thought at the time that if I push on finishing the box I will be going home, so I had to make a decision. I chose to fail on the box and make the brandy snaps, which I knew my daughter loves and I wanted to finish them for her, and at the end of the day abandoning the box actually saved me.
You have to give a lot of care and attention in nursing the same as you do in baking. Nursing is who I am it defines me and is my way of life. Sometimes when it’s stressful at work it is good to come home and bake and then you can unwind. I knew what I was getting myself into going into the tent, but you get so much support from the production and the other bakers that it was all worth it.
I would do it all again in an instant, but change the size of my bakes! I went too big and they took so much longer to cool down. I am carrying on with my nursing, but would also like to take a patisserie course and get some kind of qualification working with chocolate.