The Big Bake Off

15.9.11

Bloomfield's Baking Group, led by Occupational Therapist Brid Halpin were finalists in the Big Bake Off Competition, organised by Age Action Ireland.

The Big Bake Off  challenged the public to bake “what grandma used to make”, and to look to long loved family recipes for inspiration.  

After much debate in the baking group, they decided to bake a traditional Apple Pie and enter this into the competition.  Each member of the group remembered either their mother or their grandmothers baking this when they were growing up.  It provoked happy memories and the group reminisced about the past whilst tucking into the apple pie, all washed down with a pot of tea!

Not long after entering the competition, the group was short-listed to the 8 finalists and then the next challenge occurred - to bake the apple pie live in front of judges on the Big Bake Off!  The group delegated Peter and Brid to represent them on the day and they did a fine job under a lot of pressure.  A big thank you also to our Director of Nursing Sharon Hennessy who picked apples from her own apple tree for the pie.

Bloomfield was delighted to be chosen as a finalist and although we didn't win, we value our trophy and certificate and are planning already for next year! 

Below find some photographs of the Big Bake Off and Brid and Peter in action.  Scroll down further for the recipe that took us to the finals.

Recipe!

Apple Pie Ingredients:
225g Plain Flour 
125g Margarine 
150ml Cold Water (approx.)
4 Large Cooking Apples (peeled, cored and sliced) 
Brown Sugar to sweeten apples

Teaspoon of Nutmeg

Icing Sugar to dust

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 200°C
• Place margarine in freezer for about 15 minutes to harden.
• Sieve flour into a bowl.
• Place hard margarine into the flour. Using a knife, mix margarine into flour.
• Add sufficient water and mix to a soft dough with the knife.
• Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly.
• Roll out half the pastry to the size of an oven proof plate.
• Boil apples until soft; add sugar to sweeten and nutmeg.
• Roll remaining pastry to cover the apples.
• Dampen edge of base pastry with cold water to seal.
• Press top pastry over apples to make the tart. Seal the edges by using the back of a knife to form a crust. Put a cut on top of pastry to allow steam to escape.
• Place in oven for 35 minutes approx (until golden brown colour).