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River Bake-off 2024

Welcome to the FREE River “Bake-off” competition 2024 – a baking challenge run as part of our Annual Produce Shows. Our Bake-off is open to everyone of all ages and abilities – you needn’t be a professional Chef, you just need access to a kitchen and some basic ingredients! 🙂

The River Bake-off Competition is run annually and is split into Three competitions held in the Spring, Summer and Autumn. You can enter as many or as few categories as you like – there are prizes for each category and an overall prize (with a Trophy for the winner) for the entrant with the most points across all categories.

Rules & Hints

  • All exhibits in the Cookery classes must have been made by the exhibitor.
  • Exhibits may not be cleared before prize giving. Exhibits not cleared immediately after prize-giving will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Club.
  • All Bottles and Jars must be clear, clean glass with White Lids
  • Attach a plain stick-on label to container with name of contents & date of preserving.
  • Quiches, flans etc. should be shown out of the container
  • Entries must comply with the recipe – if given

Spring Show Categories (23rd March 2024)

  1. Almond Cake (recipe supplied Pg 5)
  2. 5 Easter Biscuits (recipe supplied Pg 5)
  3. 5 Cheese Scones (use own recipe)
  4. 3 Hot X Buns (use own recipe)
  5. Marmalade – Approx. 500g Jar
  6. Soft Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
  7. Stone Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
  8. Lemon or Orange Curd – Approx. 250g Jar
  9. Jar of Jelly – Approx. 250g Jar
  10. Jar of Chutney/Pickle (Matured)

Summer Show Categories (06th July 2024)

  1. Lemon Sponge Cake – Approx 20cm/8” Diameter (use own recipe)
  2. 5 Chocolate Chip Cookies (use own recipe)
  3. 3 Pieces Bread Pudding (use own recipe)
  4. 5 White Round Bread Rolls – use approx 500g (use own recipe)
  5. Soft Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
  6. Stone Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
  7. Jar of Jelly – Approx. 250g Jar
  8. Jar of Chutney (Matured) – Approx. 500g Jar
  9. Bottle of Elderflower Cordial 0.25 – 0.5L (recipe supplied Pg 6

Autumn Show Categories (14th September 2024)

  1. Apple Scone Round – (recipe supplied Pg 14)
  2. Easy Malt Loaf (recipe supplied Pg 14)
  3. 5 Macaroon Mincemeat Tarts (recipe supplied Pg 14)
  4. Wholemeal Loaf – Using 500g dough
  5. Soft Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
  6. Stone Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
  7. Jar Jelly – Approx. 250g Jar
  8. Jar of Pickles (matured)
  9. Jar of Chutney (matured) – Approx. 500g Ja

Recipes

Spring: Class 39 Almond Cake

175g Margarine 70g Plain Flour 200g Caster Sugar 3-4 drops Almond essence4 Large Eggs Flaked Almonds 125g Ground Almonds Icing sugar to finish

Pre-heat oven 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.Beat in the eggs one at a time and fold in the ground almonds, flour and essence. Placemixture in a greased & bottom lined 20cm deep cake tin. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.Bake in oven for 1-1½ hours or until cooked. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

Spring: Class 40 Easter Biscuits

75g Butter 75g Caster Sugar 1 Egg yolk Pinch mixed Spice 50g Currants15g Mixed peel (optional) 175g Plain flour sifted A little milkGlaze1 Egg white Caster Sugar

Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mk 4. Soften butter, add sugar, cream the mixtureuntil light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, spice, currants, peel and flour, and mix to a softdough with milk. Roll out the dough thinly and cut into approx 3” rounds. Place on agreased baking sheet, bake for 15-20 mins. After 10 mins brush with the egg white andsprinkle with caster sugar. Return to oven until golden brown, cool on a wire rack.

Summer Show:Class 67 Elderflower Cordial


15 Elderflower heads 500g Caster Sugar 4 tbls runny Honey 2 unwaxed Lemons

Wash the elderflowers. Put sugar & honey in large saucepan add 1 ltr water, gently
bring to the boil, until sugar has dissolved, remove from heat. Finely grate in lemon zest
& add elderflowers, squeeze in juice from 1 lemon, then slice other lemon & add to pan.
Pop on lid, leave to infuse for 24 hrs, strain into clear glass bottle

Autumn Show: Class 56 Apple Scone Round


225g Self Raising Flour Good pinch of Salt ½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda ½ tsp Ground
Cinnamon 60g un-salted Butter (diced) 60g Demerara Sugar (extra for sprinkling)
1 large Bramley Apple (250-275g) 150ml full fat creamy Milk Baking tray, greased


Preheat oven 220C/425F/ Gas 7. Sift flour, salt, bicarb of soda and cinnamon in mixing
bowl. Add butter and rub in flour using finger tips, when mixture resembles fine crumbs
stir in sugar. Peel, core and dice apple, add to bowl, add 125ml milk and mix in, gradually
work in more milk a tsp at a time to make soft but not sticky dough. Using floured
hands, lightly shape dough into a ball, place on prepared tray, gently pat out a 20cm
round, brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Using a sharp knife, score into 8 wedges.
Bake for 15 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, cut into wedges.


Autumn Show: Class 57 Easy Malt Loaf


350g Self raising Flour 175g Currants 60g Sultanas 30g Caster Sugar
30g Dark Brown Sugar 2½ Tbls Ovaltine 4 Tbls Golden Syrup Pinch of salt 300mls Milk

Preheat oven 160C/325F/Gas 3. Grease & line a 1kg loaf tin. Sieve flour into bowl, add
dry ingredients and mix. Slightly warm milk and syrup together add to dry ingredients.
Mix batter well & pour into tin. Bake on a pre-heated baking sheet for 1-1½ hours. Place
on a cooling rack, leave to cool/ Ease sides with flat bladed knife & loaf should tap out.


Autumn Show: Class 58 Macaroon Mincemeat Tarts(makes approx 12)


175g Short Crust Pastry Jar of Mincemeat 85g Caster Sugar 30g Ground rice
60g Ground Almonds3 drops Almond Essence 1 Large Egg white 1 Tbls Cold water
12 split Almonds to decorate

Preheat oven 180C/375F/Gas 5. Line tart tins with pastry. Put small amount of
mincemeat in base of each tart. Mix sugar, ground almonds, ground rice together. Beat
egg white until just frothy, then mix into dry ingredients with water & almond essence.
Divide mixture between tarts smoothing the surface, put half almond on each. Bake for
10-15mins

How to Enter

To enter, simply complete this entry form by Wednesday prior to each show.

Entries to be brought to River Village Hall and positioned between 09:00 and 10:45. Results available from 14:00

Entry Form

Need help on the Show day?

Just ask us, one of our friendly team in branded T-Shirts.