I am also game to do something, I didn’t do the pastry bake-off so I feel a bit guilty!!  I have just made a huge fruit cake today, ready for a Golden Wedding celebration, not mine, my DIL’s parents.  It will need to be iced and decorated but not for a few weeks so I should be able to fit something in,  I shall have to look for ideas in Rose’s books.

Oooh, Jeannette, keep feeding it the brandy!  Are you going to make your own marzipan?  I use Delia’s recipe and it never fails.

I’m up for the bake-off too - the only weekend I’m not available is 29/30th.

Annie

Hi all, I’m just back in town, and nothing would make me happier to be home again than baking… well, after I get caught up on laundry, groceries, etc.

Perhaps we could have a particularly loose time frame this month, to accommodate schedules?

Julie - 08 August 2009 08:17 PM

Perhaps we could have a particularly loose time frame this month, to accommodate schedules?

Great idea Julie. Maybe we could do the bake-off throughout the whole month of August with no particular date, week or weekend. I hope I am making sense. 

Rozanne, that sounds perfect!  Count me in.

I was just on Amazon, and noticed that they have now listed three recipes from Heavenly Cakes: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471781738/ref=ox_ya_oh_product.  They are the red velvet, lemon cheesecakes and whipped cream bundt cake.

Thanks for the link Julie. I am dying to try the Red Velvet cake, just b/c I have never made one.

Do we have a theme for September, yet?  If not, I was thinking maybe chocolate, or else favorite ways to use up extra egg whites.  If chocolate, it might be fun to do a theme of chocolate decorations (like bands, leaves, curls, etc.).  What do you all think?

Hmmmm chocolate…..twist my rubber arm.    I’m game for chocolate anytime, anyday. Let’s see what the others have to say.

Is it chocolate for September? Twist my arm, too!!! I love working with the stuff. And don’t they say it’s one of the major food groups? Also have a ton of egg whites left over from the lemon luxury wedding cake project, so a “uses for egg white” bake-off would be fun and helpful.

I have been reading your bake-off posts since it started, and so enjoying them. Wanted to join in but working weekends made it seem impossible. There must be a way.  hmmm

Carol, you could bake at your convenience. You don’t necessarily have to bake it the day of the bake-off. It’s all about having fun and not having rules.    Hope you’ll join the bake-off team this time.

Thanks, Rozanne! I read more of the bake-off schedule and the father’s day threads and “got it” that things had shifted to accommodate people who couldn’t bake on a specific weekend. Also, that all along it was about fun, learning, sharing and no hard-and-fast rules! Great.

I’ll certainly be able to join in on that basis. Maybe bake when it’s feasible, but report in when the bake-off is scheduled? Or in the case of chocolate decorations, play (rather than bake) whenever I have time. Sounds like a plan to me!

Sept bake-off update:

Julie, Carol, Jeannette, Annie and myself

Theme: Chocolate / chocolate decorations (any other suggestions, anyone??????)

Date: TBA

Please cast your vote. 

Chocolate suits me fine, my favourite flavour for a cake, I also like lemon!

Chocolate? Or chocolate decorations? The latter was my interest, responding to Julie’s post on Sunday (bands, leaves, curls, etc.) Maybe save chocolate cake for another month? Just a suggestion.