We’re big fans of The Great British Bake Off at Eat Marketing, so much so we thought we’d join in the fun with our own studio bake off...
Since we only have one oven in the studio, and to save time, the rules of the bake off began by bringing in either pre-baked biscuits, cupcakes or cakes. No shop-bought allowed! However one member of the team “misplaced” their cake and so reverted to buying a ‘mug in a cup’.
When Wednesday afternoon arrived, the Eat team donned their make-do aprons, grabbed whatever tools they were nifty enough to bring with them and got decorating!
With a theme of ‘Summer 2019 memories’, there were a few raised eyebrows as some of the team began dolloping bright blue icing sugar onto Victoria sponges and assembling mysterious three-tiered cakes.
The results
From Sophie’s delicious ginger biscuits decorated to look like Turkish ‘eyes’ to Maria’s Pina Colada masterpiece and Alison’s giant American burger, it was tough competition to choose a winning creation.
However Joe’s gluten free chocolate muffins, each decorated to look like little beaches with umbrellas, were named champion bake!
Stay tuned for more activities and updates from the Eat Marketing team. In the meantime, why not check out our favourite Bake-Off inspired recipes or catch up on when the team enjoyed a Halloween inspired baking session in the studio?
Just because summer is coming to an end, doesn’t mean we can’t continue to enjoy delicious summer cocktails well into autumn and winter. To help inspire you for your next get together, we’ve teamed up with top Mixologist, friend and client, Thomas of Mambo Mobile Bars, who has kindly provided us with some delicious cocktail recipes you won’t be able to resist. So grab some ice, get your shaker at the ready and let’s create some irresistible thirst quenchers!
Endless Summer
For a non-alcoholic drink with a refreshing zing and spicy notes, Endless Summer is bound to keep you in the holiday mood long into December. To make, all you have to do is muddle and shake the following ingredients with plenty of crushed ice.
1 slice diced melon
¼ fresh chilli
20ml lime juice
15ml agave syrup
50ml still water
To finish, serve in a tall glass and garnish with fresh chilli.
Dark and Stormy
If the recent storms have you fancying something a little darker, why not give this atmospheric cocktail a try? To create this masterpiece, all you have to do is add the ingredients directly into a tall glass, over ice cubes.
50ml dark rum
100ml ginger beer
20ml lime juice
1 dash Angostura aromatic bitters
Bloody Maria
Perfect for our lovely Maria, or for you when you're enjoying a laid back brunch with friends, this offers a delightful twist on the old favourite, a Bloody Mary! To make, all you have to do is build the ingredients into a tall glass over ice.
50ml tequila
100ml tomato juice
1 dash of orange juice
1 dash tabasco sauce
1 dash Worcester sauce
Once ready to serve, garnish with pepper, salt and celery.
English Garden
Whether you’re enjoying a lovely garden party, or just fancy a gin and tonic with a difference, this is the cocktail for you. To make, simply shake all of the ingredients together.
40ml gin
20ml lime juice
15ml elderflower cordial
25ml apple juice
When you’ve shaken it all together, serve in a martini glass with a slice of cucumber.
Breakfast in Sicily
If you fancy something different to wake you up in the morning, why not try this Italian delight? To create this refreshing waker-upper, all you have to do is shake the following ingredients together with crushed ice.
1 teaspoon marmalade
20ml lemon juice
100ml grape juice
To serve, simply pour into a tall glass and garnish with pepper and a couple of basil leaves.
Ready to keep summer alive a little bit longer? If these recipes have got you inspired, be sure to check out Mambo Mobile Bars for even more cocktail ideas and information on how you can try Thomas’ creations for yourself.
Cheers!
The Rio 2016 Olympics is nearly here and to celebrate, we’ve put together a colourful selection of Brazilian dishes that are oh so tasty and perfect for an evening in front of the telly watching your favourite Olympic picks.
If you’ve never tried Brazilian cuisine before, what are you waiting for? Now is a great time to discover new dishes and new tastes. Oh and be prepared for a taste explosion, as this vibrant part of the world really knows how to use and mix ingredients for food that deserves a gold medal!
Feijoada
To begin your Brazilian food journey, we recommend you start with one of the most universal and popular dishes of Brazil: Feijoada (pronounced fed-ge-waaa-da). This hearty stew combines black beans, (which are the main ingredient; the word ‘feijão’ means beans in Portuguese), sausages and different cuts of pork (with even trotters and ears going in!) along with garlic and other herbs. In the interest of research (of course) we cooked our very own pot-full and everyone in the office gave it the thumbs up!
The dish also has a rich history: slaves – imported by colonial Portugese to Brazil in the mid-16th century – introduced the dish to Brazil. As servants, they would cook for their masters, and any remains of meat, such as the remains from the pork would be used to create a stew. Adding beans and seasoning ensured it was a well-rounded meal that would sustain the servants after a hard day’s work.
Fancy making it for yourself? Take a look at our favourite Feijoada recipe but remember, preparing this dish takes time (but it’s worth it) so make sure you have all the ingredients you need before you start.
Jamie Oliver’s Feijoada Recipe
Moqueca de Camarão
Another great ‘one pot’ dish to experience is Moqueca de Camarão. This creamy concoction combines prawns, coconut milk and palm oil, along with your choice of veggies and a handful of herbs. Oh, and it’s pretty spicy too!
The Brazilian state of Bahia can proudly claim the dish as their own, but it is extremely popular throughout the Northeast region of Brazil. We love the seductive medley of seafood, coconut milk, peppers and herbs – and the clever addition of palm oil transforms the coconut milk both in taste and colour, and enhances the sea salty flavour of the prawns. Utterly delicious…
Tempted? Try this recipe today:
Salpicão
If you fancy something a little ‘lighter’, how about a Brazilian salad with a twist? Ok, it’s not exactly a lettuce and cucumber combo, but Salpicão is a salad! Take a little chicken, ham, raisins, carrots, olives, apples and mix with mayo, then, top with shoestring potatoes. Yes, we know it sounds a little odd, but trust us, it tastes amazing!
Also known as a Brazilian Chicken Salad, Salpicão is made a little differently depending on where you go in Brazil, or which recipe you follow.
You can also use this delicious salad as a filling for a sandwich. Here are a couple of different versions for you to try:
Salpicão (topped with shoestring fries)
Coxinhas
Ok, we’ve had enough of being good, let’s get back to temptation with Coxinhas, which are tantalising little balls of fried goodness! Usually filled with chicken and ‘catupiry’, a creamy cheese, they look and taste divine!
Easy to eat on the go, it’s no surprise that Coxinhas is an extremely popular street snack. But you don’t need to go to Brazil to find them, they’re easy to make too, so cook up your own tasty batch, close your eyes and imagine you’re in Rio…
Brigadeiro
So, we’ve had plenty of savoury options, how about a couple of sweet options too? Our first sweet treat is Brigadeiro, which is a heavenly mix of chocolate truffles, condensed milk and chocolate sprinkles.
From north to south, these chocolaty balls are, quite simply, scrumptious.
They are often served at parties and made for celebrations such as Christmas – in fact, if there is an excuse to make or buy them, Brazilians will do just that! Fortunately for us here in the UK, they are simple to make, which means we can enjoy their sweet taste too…
Pavé
You may have heard of Pavé. A popular sweet dessert, it layers cookies filled with different combinations such as chocolate, fruit, lemon or coconut (to name a few).
The trick here is to layer, and then fill with your favourite sweet pick. Popular in restaurants and homes throughout Brazil, Pavé is surprisingly easy to make – and it will be an instant hit with guests. Perfect with a cuppa when watching the Olympics!
Get your Pavé on with this step-by-step recipe
Hungry now? We hope our specially selected recipes have inspired you to try something new - and to celebrate the Rio 2016 Olympics in the best possible way... with food.
Enjoy!
Here at Eat Marketing, we're beyond excited... The Great British Bake Off is back! To celebrate, we think it's time to get our bake on so we've picked our top 3 favourite Great British Bake Off recipes, so why not join us and try them out? C'mon, let's get bakey in time for the first episode of the The Great British Bake Off...
No top recipe pick list is complete without a chocolate number and this choc-loaded roulade recipe ticks all the right choccy boxes so put your pinny on and let’s bake!
Ingredients
175g plain chocolate
175g caster sugar
6 large eggs, separated
2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
300ml double cream and icing sugar
Instructions
Serves 8 - 1
Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Lightly grease a Use a 33cm x 23cm Swiss-roll tin; lightly grease and line with non-stick baking parchment, making sure you pushing it right into the corners.
First, you need to melt your chocolate. Break it into small pieces over a bowl and stand the bowl over a pan of hot water but make sure the bowl does not touch the water or the chocolate may overheat. Place the pan over a low heat until the chocolate has melted.
Pour the specified amount of sugar and egg yolks into a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until the mixture is light and creamy. Add the cooled chocolate and stir gently until all the ingredients are evenly blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff (but not dry). Stir a large spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Mix gently, then fold in the remaining egg whites and the sieved cocoa powder. Spread evenly in the prepared tin. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until firm.
Remove the cake from the oven, leave in the tin, cover with a dry tea towel and leave until cold.
Now for the tricky part! Whip the cream until it just holds its shape and dust a large piece of greaseproof paper with sifted icing sugar. Turn out the roulade and peel off the paper. Spread with the cream. Score a mark 2.5cm in along the short edge, then roll up very tightly so that it resembles a Swiss roll. Use the paper to help and don’t worry if the roulade cracks… all the best ones do!
Dust with more sifted icing sugar to serve.
Using an AGA?
Place your cake mix on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven with the cold plain shelf on the second set of runners. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning after 12 minutes.
Preparing ahead?
Complete the roulade but without the final dusting of icing sugar up to 24 hours ahead, cover and keep in the fridge. Or you could freeze the roulade, again without the final dusting of icing sugar, for up to 1 month.
Ah… Lemon drizzle… Here at Eat Marketing, we’re big lemon fans, we have it in our tea, on our food and we especially like it in cake! This lemon tray-bake recipe is great as it is so simple to follow that even the kids can help!
Just remember, add the topping when the cake is still warm (not too hot though as the syrup will just run straight through, give it about five or ten minutes) so that it absorbs all that lovely lemon syrup… yum!
Preparation time: about 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 35-40 minutes
Cuts into about 30 squares
Ingredients
225g (8 oz.) butter, softened
225g (8 oz.) caster sugar
275g (10 oz.) self-raising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
4 tablespoons milk
finely grated rind of 2 lemons
Syrupy topping
175g (6 oz.) granulated sugar
juice of 2 lemons
Special Equipment
A tray-bake or roasting tin 30 x 23 x 4 cm (12 x 9 x 1 ½ inches).
Instructions
Cut a rectangle of non-stick baking parchment to fit the base and sides of a tray-bake tin or roasting tin, 30 x 23 x 4 cm (12 x 9 x 1 ½ inches). Grease the tin and then line with the paper, pushing it neatly into the corners of the tin. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3.
Measure all the ingredients for the tray-bake into a large bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes until blended, an electric mixer is best for this but of course you can also beat by hand with a wooden spoon. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula to remove all of the mixture. Level the top gently with the back of the spatula.
Bake in the middle of the pre-heated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the tray-bake springs back when pressed lightly with a finger in the centre and is beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin.
Allow the tray-bake to cool in the tin for a few minutes then lift the it out of the tin still in the lining paper. Carefully remove the paper and put the tray-bake onto a wire rack placed over a tray (to catch drips of the topping).
To make the crunchy topping, mix the lemon juice and granulated sugar in a small bowl to give a runny consistency. Spoon this mixture evenly over the tray-bake whilst it is still just warm. Cut into squares when cold.
If you’re a budding Great British Bake Off contender you’ll love our last but not least recipe pick. This creamy, dreamy dessert is a decadent combination of poached meringues and creamy custard, all finished with a ball of spun sugar. This is the perfect show off dessert when you want something special and it tastes divine too…
Ingredients
For the crème anglaise
300ml/10½fl oz. whole milk
300ml/10½fl oz. double cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
6 free-range eggs, yolks only
100g/3½oz caster sugar
For the meringues
6 free-range eggs, whites only
150g/5½oz caster sugar
For the spun sugar
100g/3½oz caster sugar
Instructions
Serves 6
To prepare the poaching liquid (and what will become the crème anglaise), heat the milk and cream in a large lidded pan or deep-sided frying pan. Stir in the vanilla bean paste and bring to a simmer over a low heat.
For the meringues, in a large grease-free bowl use an electric hand whisk to whisk the egg whites together on fast speed, until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Add one tablespoon of the sugar to the egg whites and continue to whisk until the mixture comes back to stiff peaks. Keep adding sugar one tablespoon at a time until 150g/5½oz has been used, and the meringue is thick and glossy.
Using two large tablespoons or serving spoons dipped in cold water, shape six large quenelles from the meringue mixture and place in the poaching liquid, over a very low heat for about 9-10 minutes, flipping the quenelles halfway through. Cover the pan with a lid while poaching. Make sure the poaching liquid doesn’t boil or the meringues will puff up then collapse.
When the quenelles are really puffed up and cooked, transfer them to a wire rack to drain.
For the crème anglaise, pass the poaching milk through a sieve into a large jug.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Pour over the warm poaching milk, whisking continuously. Pour the mixture into a clean heavy-based pan and cook over a very low heat for 3-4 minutes stirring continuously until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To serve, pour a little crème anglaise into each serving bowl and float a quenelle of meringue on top.
We hope you love our Great British Bake Off recipe picks and that you have fun making them and come back soon for more recipes from us here at Eat Marketing! We’re off to do some baking…
And…the bakes are in! As you may be aware, we had a Halloween bake off in the Eat Marketing office on 31 October and the results were spooktacular! All the contestants were given one hour to create their beastly bakes and Maria - The Eat Marketing Guru and our very own ‘Maria Berry’, (she even wore a Mary Berry inspired jacket) judged the finished ‘creepations’, and they were all so good…
Fred presented apples dipped in white chocolate with scary faces, whilst Emily produced spindly iced skeleton biscuits (no soggy bottoms in sight!) There were also vampire biscuit bakes and terrifying skull bites from Lewis, but the winner was Alison, whose colourful creation of spider biscuits with liquorice legs and marshmallow fang biscuits won by a bite.
Phew! We are all baked out, but I’m sure you’ll agree, we’ve had a great Halloween bake off. In fact, it was such great fun, we want to do it all again (we do like our sweet treats…).