Teen Baker's interview
Teen BakerWe interviewed Teen Baker!
Visit the blog: Teen Baker.
Discover Teen Baker's favourite recipe: Molten chocolate Cupcakes
"My earliest memories of food are birthday cakes and standing on a stool watching my Mum cook, but my first memory of properly cooking is making lemon meringue pie with my sister for my Nana."
Hello Teen Baker, so tell us...
When did you start your blog?
I started my blog on July 29th 2008, shortly after my 13th birthday: nearly 6 years ago now! I had a whole list of blogs I'd been reading for a while and was saying to my sister how I wanted to start my own 'one day'. She told me to stop waiting for one day to come and get cracking, so I did!
What is your earliest memory involving food? Does it continue to inspire you today?
My earliest memories of food are birthday cakes and standing on a stool watching my Mum cook, but my first memory of properly cooking is making lemon meringue pie with my sister for my Nana. I remember the meringue used to feel like it took forever to peak and get glossy - one particularly memorable time I got my hair caught in the electric whisk and had to spend a very long time combing sticky sugar out. When I made lemon meringue pie at cookery school last year it felt strange being allowed to do all the jobs for the first time, as being the younger sister meant I was normally relegated to juicing and weighing!
If you could be a contestant or guest on any cooking show what show would you choose?
I think it would have to be Great British Bake Off! For so many reasons - the chance to meet the great Mary Berry, Mel and Sue could make me laugh, and every episode I've seen has inspired my baking in some way.
How has cookery school best influenced your blog? What has been the biggest challenge ?
Doing the Leiths diploma taught me so much about the theory behind cooking and what makes things go wrong. I think this has made me more confident to look at a recipe, see any issues and adapt it for myself. It has probably made me more technical too - rather than just make a tart I'm now practicing my pastry, timing and knife skills. I've loved blogging about the diploma at the end of each week and I'm excited that I'll always be able to read it back and remember all the successes, disasters and overall adventures we've all had. The biggest challenge has simply been fitting it all in!
What are your other culinary influences?
I'm influenced a lot by all the blogs and websites I read - I'm constantly bookmarking recipes and currently have over 400 in my 'Sweet' category alone. Because of this my cookery book collection has been a bit neglected recently so I'm currently going through them and getting inspired by old favourites.
My worst food flop was ...
At Leiths it would have to be mock exam day back in the first term, forever ingrained in my mind as 'Chewy Soup and Frilly Fish Day'. Everyone has an off day in the kitchen and that was mine - the title pretty much sums it up. At home I'm sure there have been a few - a soggy white chocolate cake and overly eggy grapefruit tart spring to mind. Cooking is all about learning!
Which Gourmandize recipe would you recommend? (if none take your fancy, add your own and share it with us!)
I'm a total chocoholic so the whole chocolate section of Gourmandize UK is dangerous for me! A recent favourite from my blog would be the Salted Caramel Brownie Sandwich cookies... the name says it all!
Thank you Teen Baker for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Rachel - 11/07/2014
If you are a blogger, a chef, working in the food industry or have a website about food and cooking, and you would like to share with our community, please contact us!
We would be happy to feature you on our site.
Comment on this interview