I’m all OVER the place at the moment, one minute I’m carefree & feeling all zen, the next, frazzled and overwhelmed, one day I think I know what I’m doing with my life, where my interests lie, and how to pursue them, fast forward an hour or two & I’m questioning myself, I’m drained of energy and my only desire is to live in a shed (
Hi Steph thanks for a lovely news letter I love reading them and hearing about your life and wonderful recipes. I think it’s so good to hear someone else who confesses to not always having everything Instagram perfect so us mortals feel less alone! I do love baking but I do find it quite stressful. I used to be able to make a pretty good Victoria sponge by manual effort but my husband brought me a beautiful Kitchen Aid mixer. Since then however I have sponges that rise and then sink and do other stuff and yet on Bake Off I see everyone using them. So if you have any very basic tips on this? What do you beat and for how long etc? I think I’m too impatient so I don’t practice often enough! Thanks again and if this is too basic feel free to ignore 😀xx
Thanks so much for your message! In regards to your cake question, firstly - I RELATE... here's some truth for you: when I was on Bake off, I was REALLY inexperienced with baking - in particular cakes - I used the all in one method, I slapped everything around in the kitchen aid as briefly as possible and managed to produce ethereally fluffy bakes - it was a bit of a miracle - I found them domed quite a bit in the middle but I trimmed this bit off and cracked on with the bake. Fast forward with more time on my hand and a perfectionist mentality and more information to draw on, I started to cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs bit by bitter etc etc. AND OH GOOD GAWD I had issues - exactly as you mention. in fairness this taught me a LOT... but it's frustrating, I know. Firstly, you need to approach everything with a Goldilocks attitude - all your ingredients should be room temp - that's about 18C - so butter should be soft but not greasy soft, push your finger into it and it leaves a dent but there is some resistance to it, beat it with the sugar so its light and fluffy but not SUPER aerated - so about 5 mins tops - too much air makes it unstable which is why you get the sinking cakes. Add the ROOM temp eggs incrementally, beat well between each addition but again, do be excessive, then fold in your dries - be mindful of raising agents - if you used quite a lot of raising agent when you were making sponges by hand, then it may be that you don't need quite as much because you are naturally incorporating more air with mechanical assistance. Don't bake at too high temp - i usually go for 180C/160C fan for cakes and obv don't open the oven door while it bakes. Let me know if you have any success... and KEEP persevering, I'm still learning majorly so don't consider yourself unique with this problem! Sending hugs! xx
Hi thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I’d looked everywhere but not found anything so this will be so good and helpful. Looking forward to reading your newsletter today. I hope you realise how much people value and enjoy them. Hope you’re doing okay. We’re all with you. Have a lovely Sunday xx
Self indulgent? I would characterize it as gracious! And hugely comforting and helpful for me to read so I'm hoping you would indulge me with your gracious [self-]indulgence! I love hearing of your cute comfort moments during the week, I think it's generous of you to let others experience it vicariously! Totally agree - a cottage, veg patch, animals - yeah that sounds perfect. A table full of Ensaimadas as well. If not for you, I would not have known about Mallorcan anything, let alone these dazzling pastries. Over the past 15 weeks or so you have been an incredible, enlightening source of comfort and joy. Maybe being all over the place, from zen to frazzled, just increases your positive influence on others. Praying for more comforting moments, strength, encouragement, and health to you... Thanks for all your lovely thoughts and words!
Your newsletter is one of my absolute favorite "comfort moments" of my week. I love everything you share about your daily life - it's so important to acknowledge both the ups and downs. And of course I'm here for allll the recipes. :)
I’m all over the place as well. I’m moving to Germany in a couple weeks. I’ll be there for 10 months and I have to say goodbye to all my family and friends and my cat! It’s been an emotional and stressful week but I managed to bake a chocolate cake with my mom. Haven’t tried it yet. I always enjoy your newsletter and you! hugs and love~ Jess
Hey Jess - how are you? Are you in Germany now? I need you to give me updates of your time there - tell me what you're there for, what the food is like? Enlighten us on some German comforts - I'm excited to hear and I hope you're ok too - it must be a fairly big move but hopefully one that you will thoroughly enjoy! xx
I’m okay. Spending time before my big move on Sept. 1st. I’m moving to Germany for ten months because I won the Fulbright and I’ll be doing research there. I hope to eat lots of chicken schnitzel and drink German beer and go to some cafes and bakeries. It’s been stressful coordinating everything and I’ll miss my family and my cats. I had a good, puffy-eyed cry just like you this week. So, you’re not alone. I’m worried about my routine changing but I’ll just have to make a new one! I hope you are doing well. Sending love and hugs. xoxo
Hey Jess - OMG this is AMAZING, what an incredible achievement, I can totally understand the general anxiety around moving and gawd change of routine is HARD to embrace, but I'm in AWE of you! Take it one day at a time, imagine you are a kid again and everything is new and exciting as opposed to big and fearful! Keep me posted on EVERYTHING, i genuinely would be delighted to hear how you get on! Have a safe trip... and I bet that schnitzel and beer is gonna be mega when you try it! haha! Lots of love xxx
Thank you so much! I will try my best to embrace the change. Very scary and wonderful. I will definitely keep you posted on all things Germany! I get there in 5 days and will be staying with a friend for a few days before venturing off on my own. eeeee. Thanks for the tip:) sending love as always and hugs!
Stephi...it's interesting to hear you say(okay, write) "one day I think I know what I’m doing with my life"...meanwhile, you entertained us for a season on GBBO (which you clearly won, btw) and now provide us with perspective and comfort weekly with your life observations and wonderful recipes. I suspect you may have already found what you will be doing. But time will tell. I'm 69 years old and thoroughly enjoy the "reality you bring to life", as Amina wrote in an earlier comment. Oh AND you love Formula 1 :)
Steph, I love your newsletters. I had to laugh out loud during your one-minute-to-the-next recounting of your days...I do the same thing. In the kitchen, I'm wanting to experiment with more homemade salad dressings and making giant salads (I've been adding fruit to mine), so I'll be making the chickpea salad this week! Thank you.
Thank you so much for your letters and your posts on Instagram. Just recently started following you and am thankful for the reality you bring to life - I think everyone needs a little of that.
Hi Steph thanks for a lovely news letter I love reading them and hearing about your life and wonderful recipes. I think it’s so good to hear someone else who confesses to not always having everything Instagram perfect so us mortals feel less alone! I do love baking but I do find it quite stressful. I used to be able to make a pretty good Victoria sponge by manual effort but my husband brought me a beautiful Kitchen Aid mixer. Since then however I have sponges that rise and then sink and do other stuff and yet on Bake Off I see everyone using them. So if you have any very basic tips on this? What do you beat and for how long etc? I think I’m too impatient so I don’t practice often enough! Thanks again and if this is too basic feel free to ignore 😀xx
Hey Mary,
Thanks so much for your message! In regards to your cake question, firstly - I RELATE... here's some truth for you: when I was on Bake off, I was REALLY inexperienced with baking - in particular cakes - I used the all in one method, I slapped everything around in the kitchen aid as briefly as possible and managed to produce ethereally fluffy bakes - it was a bit of a miracle - I found them domed quite a bit in the middle but I trimmed this bit off and cracked on with the bake. Fast forward with more time on my hand and a perfectionist mentality and more information to draw on, I started to cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs bit by bitter etc etc. AND OH GOOD GAWD I had issues - exactly as you mention. in fairness this taught me a LOT... but it's frustrating, I know. Firstly, you need to approach everything with a Goldilocks attitude - all your ingredients should be room temp - that's about 18C - so butter should be soft but not greasy soft, push your finger into it and it leaves a dent but there is some resistance to it, beat it with the sugar so its light and fluffy but not SUPER aerated - so about 5 mins tops - too much air makes it unstable which is why you get the sinking cakes. Add the ROOM temp eggs incrementally, beat well between each addition but again, do be excessive, then fold in your dries - be mindful of raising agents - if you used quite a lot of raising agent when you were making sponges by hand, then it may be that you don't need quite as much because you are naturally incorporating more air with mechanical assistance. Don't bake at too high temp - i usually go for 180C/160C fan for cakes and obv don't open the oven door while it bakes. Let me know if you have any success... and KEEP persevering, I'm still learning majorly so don't consider yourself unique with this problem! Sending hugs! xx
Hi thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I’d looked everywhere but not found anything so this will be so good and helpful. Looking forward to reading your newsletter today. I hope you realise how much people value and enjoy them. Hope you’re doing okay. We’re all with you. Have a lovely Sunday xx
Hi Steph,
Self indulgent? I would characterize it as gracious! And hugely comforting and helpful for me to read so I'm hoping you would indulge me with your gracious [self-]indulgence! I love hearing of your cute comfort moments during the week, I think it's generous of you to let others experience it vicariously! Totally agree - a cottage, veg patch, animals - yeah that sounds perfect. A table full of Ensaimadas as well. If not for you, I would not have known about Mallorcan anything, let alone these dazzling pastries. Over the past 15 weeks or so you have been an incredible, enlightening source of comfort and joy. Maybe being all over the place, from zen to frazzled, just increases your positive influence on others. Praying for more comforting moments, strength, encouragement, and health to you... Thanks for all your lovely thoughts and words!
This message means the world - thank you so so so much! xx
Your newsletter is one of my absolute favorite "comfort moments" of my week. I love everything you share about your daily life - it's so important to acknowledge both the ups and downs. And of course I'm here for allll the recipes. :)
Thank you so much! I'm so pleased I can provide a teeny bit of comfort! xx
It’s it a little jelly ball of joy when your morning coffee tastes especially amazing ☺️💕
Love this!!! xx
I love your stories about yourself. They make me feel like I'm not the only one who thinks a certain way.
I finally got to try your cornflakes snack this week. Excellent! Big hit with my kids.
Awh thank you! and I'm SO glad they liked them! xx
I’m all over the place as well. I’m moving to Germany in a couple weeks. I’ll be there for 10 months and I have to say goodbye to all my family and friends and my cat! It’s been an emotional and stressful week but I managed to bake a chocolate cake with my mom. Haven’t tried it yet. I always enjoy your newsletter and you! hugs and love~ Jess
Hey Jess - how are you? Are you in Germany now? I need you to give me updates of your time there - tell me what you're there for, what the food is like? Enlighten us on some German comforts - I'm excited to hear and I hope you're ok too - it must be a fairly big move but hopefully one that you will thoroughly enjoy! xx
Hi Steph,
I’m okay. Spending time before my big move on Sept. 1st. I’m moving to Germany for ten months because I won the Fulbright and I’ll be doing research there. I hope to eat lots of chicken schnitzel and drink German beer and go to some cafes and bakeries. It’s been stressful coordinating everything and I’ll miss my family and my cats. I had a good, puffy-eyed cry just like you this week. So, you’re not alone. I’m worried about my routine changing but I’ll just have to make a new one! I hope you are doing well. Sending love and hugs. xoxo
Hey Jess - OMG this is AMAZING, what an incredible achievement, I can totally understand the general anxiety around moving and gawd change of routine is HARD to embrace, but I'm in AWE of you! Take it one day at a time, imagine you are a kid again and everything is new and exciting as opposed to big and fearful! Keep me posted on EVERYTHING, i genuinely would be delighted to hear how you get on! Have a safe trip... and I bet that schnitzel and beer is gonna be mega when you try it! haha! Lots of love xxx
Thank you so much! I will try my best to embrace the change. Very scary and wonderful. I will definitely keep you posted on all things Germany! I get there in 5 days and will be staying with a friend for a few days before venturing off on my own. eeeee. Thanks for the tip:) sending love as always and hugs!
Stephi...it's interesting to hear you say(okay, write) "one day I think I know what I’m doing with my life"...meanwhile, you entertained us for a season on GBBO (which you clearly won, btw) and now provide us with perspective and comfort weekly with your life observations and wonderful recipes. I suspect you may have already found what you will be doing. But time will tell. I'm 69 years old and thoroughly enjoy the "reality you bring to life", as Amina wrote in an earlier comment. Oh AND you love Formula 1 :)
Awh thank you so much for your kind words Darnell - means so much! xx
Belgain GP...they're back!!! Enjoy!
Steph, I love your newsletters. I had to laugh out loud during your one-minute-to-the-next recounting of your days...I do the same thing. In the kitchen, I'm wanting to experiment with more homemade salad dressings and making giant salads (I've been adding fruit to mine), so I'll be making the chickpea salad this week! Thank you.
HAha - thanks so much for the support Mary! Let me know what you thought of the chickpea salad if you tried it! I LOVE a good salad! Sending hugs! xx
Thank you so much for your letters and your posts on Instagram. Just recently started following you and am thankful for the reality you bring to life - I think everyone needs a little of that.
Hey Amina - thanks so much for your message... and the support! sending massive hugs! xx
Keep banging on. It's helpful and thoughtful. <3
Love this... and I'm on it! xx
We all love to hear you bang on about yourself
Haha! thank you! xx