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The GDST Bake Off: Nottingham Girls’ High hosts first semi-final
On Tuesday 11th October Nottingham Girls’ High School hosted the first semi-final of this year’s GDST Bake Off competition. Based on the popular and highly topical BBC television show, 10 representatives from six GDST schools were set the task of baking a special version of a lemon Victoria sandwich with lemon curd filling. Fittingly, the unique recipe they followed was specially created by GDST and Royal High School alumna, Mary Berry for the Trust’s 140th anniversary celebrations in 2012.
This is the second time the GDST Bake Off has been held. It is a popular and fun event that showcases the culinary, design and organisational skills of the girls involved. Like the TV show, the girls also had to take part in a technical challenge, bringing with them a design/style sheet illustrating how they would bake and decorate cupcakes in honour of a favourite heroine, real or fictional, contemporary or historic, if they succeeded in getting through to the finals.
Judges at the semi-final were County cricket players Georgie Boyce (Nottinghamshire County Cricket Ladies, Loughborough Lightning and England U19) and Australian born Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Player, Riki Wessels, as well as Nottingham Girls High School’s resident baking enthusiast Miss Shambrook – famed for making the best lemon drizzle cake in the school!
Welcoming the contestants and starting the competition off was Mr Tim Ellis, Head of Design and Technology at the school who said: “This is an amazing competition for the girls to enter. It allows them to be involved in a fantastic experience and opportunity to showcase their skills and passion for the subject.”
After two hours of sifting, mixing, beating, folding, baking and decorating, the judges had to sample the bakes and rate them on presentation, technique and taste, and also judge the proposed cupcake designs for the final. It was a great day and a close contest, and all of the judges agreed that the standard and creativity were exceptional.
Four winners in total were chosen who will go through to the finals taking place on 10th November at Sheffield High School – congratulations to Florence Williams-Rowe and Britt Watson from Shrewsbury High School, Charlotte Carr from Norwich High School and India Beighton from Oxford High School on their amazing bakes.
The next semi-final will take place at Portsmouth High School on Friday 14 October, with the final to follow at Sheffield High School on Thursday 10 November.
If your’re feeling inspired to get backing, view Mary Berry’s lemon Victoria sandwich recipeBake Mary Berry’s unique GDST Lemon Victoria Sandwich.
