Conclusion

Over the past few weeks I have- 

Looked at both children’s and adult’s recipe books, found differences between children and adult cooking programmes, and have attempted to bake while following a recipe from each recipe book. 

What I found with the recipe books is that they are actually very similar. Recipes are presented clearly, in a traditional manner in both. They both have other chapters relating to baking such as ‘Techniques’ and ‘Equipment’. I feel that the main difference between the recipe books has to be the use of a more personal tone throughout The Primrose Bakery recipe book, whereas recipes seem to be thrown together in the Beautiful Baking Book. Other factors such as size and design are also effective in appealing to the desired age groups.

Of course there are very obvious differences between the children and adult cooking programmes. Language use has to the first which comes to mind, but also the speed at which the presenters are speaking to the viewers. The personalities of Ben and Small are clearly scripted whereas Jamie Oliver’s performance seems down to earth and honest. 

Finally, my baking experience has led me to believe (possibly an unpopular opinion) that although it is normally seen that children’s recipes should be easier to follow, I would argue that baking using a children’s recipe book can actually be more difficult than a professional one. More work and effort may be needed to create ‘professional’ cakes, but some of the directions in the Beautiful Baking Book were vague and hard to follow. 

As I bring this blog to an end, I’d like to remind all cooks and bakers to make sure that they are aware of the safety requirements when cooking, especially when cooking with children. Make sure all surfaces and equipment are clean, children stay away from hot appliances and sharp tools, and maybe make sure the oven is turned on when needed…? Good luck to you all and happy baking! I hope you enjoyed my blog! 

xx

Can I Bake? #2

After the interesting outcome from our first attempt at baking, we decided to choose a more simple recipe from the Primrose Bakery recipe book. We chose Chocolate Cupcakes and Coffee Buttercream Icing.

Cream butter, sugar and add egg yolks.Then add melted chocolate/(chocolate powder because we're lazy). 

Mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. 

 

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix, add 1/3 of milk and mix. Repeat until all the flour and milk has been added.

Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases-

We then added the rest of the mixture into the cake tin again- just incase the cupcakes fail...

They were both put into the oven for 20-25 minutes. After 25 minutes we realised the cakes weren't rising. Which is a tad strange. Then we realised we didn't turn the oven on. So. Please make sure the oven is turned on and not just the light otherwise the cakes take twice as long to cook.

While the cakes were cooking we made the coffee buttercream icing. 

 

 Mix all the ingredients until it is smooth and creamy.

 We then put it in the freezer to cool it down a bit before icing the cakes. 

I AM VERY HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT THE CUPCAKES CAME OUT FINE AND THE ICING TASTED AMAZING.

The cake looked fine... Then we tried to take it out... 

.... Nevermind. I have come to accept that whenever I bake, SOMETHING will go wrong. But nevertheless, I am very happy with the outcome of the cupcakes. Who would've thought that the 'professional' cupcakes would come out better than the ice cream cookies.

Can I Bake? #1

As I said in my first entry, I will be attempting to make two recipes- one from each of the recipe books I looked at. I started with 'The Beautiful Baking Book'. Unfortunately, the young baker I had in mind was busy so I asked two of my 20 year old friends to help.

 

Mix the butter and sugars:

 Add egg and egg yolk: 

 

 Stir in flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt:

Until it becomes a dough 

Grease the tray....... 

For some reason I listened to my friend and used butter to grease the tray... (Let's just pretend this is an example of what NOT to do!) 

We also had a bit of trouble making ice cream shaped cookies as the dough was a weird moist texture - so we made our own 'childlike' designs.

 

....Then something went wrong.

 The cookies spread out just a t i n y bit... They were also stuck to the tray. BUT from what we could unstick... It tasted like burnt sweet cookies. 

BUT IT'S OKAY BECAUSE

We put the rest of the mixture into the cake tin and made a cookie-cake. It actually tasted a lot better surprise surprise. 

Honestly, I struggled a bit with this recipe- I felt some of the directions were quite vague: "roughly shape into ice cream cone shapes". Three 20/21 year olds could not do that, so I wonder if the younger bakers can.

Jamie Oliver's Quick Recipes

When you say 'cooking programme' I automatically think of Jamie Oliver. Why? He's everywhere- in bookshops, online, on television and on posters in store. His youtube channel is made up of quick and diverse recipes where he often collaborates with well known youtubers or celebrities. Here we have his Chicken and Mushroom Pie in 3 minutes.

What I find with short informative videos is that you just keep watching. You think to yourself okay, that only took 3 minutes of my time, I can watch another 9 to make it 30 mins. But before you know it you've sat through and watched 2 hours of cooking videos. 

The three minutes means no singing or dancing from Jamie- which I feel only work for children's cooking programmes. I can't lie, I think it'd be pretty entertaining. But seriously, the three minutes means getting through the recipe quickly without any nonsense. Not only do Jamie's brisk movements set the pace for the video, but the sometimes tedious act of cooking is presented as enjoyable. Imagine if he were standing still and speaking slowly at the camera- it wouldn't work, we'd all switch channels right away.

Although he has speedy movements, they aren't fast to the extent where we don't understand him, we do. This is how we know this programme was made for an older audience, (...well, aside from his language and the recipes he's making) younger viewers tend to expect a step by step guide alongside definite instructions. Jamie's ingredients are not presented to us at the start of the video, he throws them in throughout- however, all the details are listed on his website so be sure to check that out if you're interested in his recipes.

Everything about his cooking is casual. He himself speaks to the viewers in a very conversational tone creating a sense that we are being taught by a friend. His cooking style is relaxed, we see him throwing the food into the pan (if I did that I'd definitely miss it). There aren't really any precise measurements in the video. His kitchen also looks homely and welcoming unlike the white, sparkling clean and at times intimidating elegant kitchens. Viewers feel as if they are watching him cook in their own home- encouraging them to try out his recipes. "That is cooked when it looks cooked" has to be my favourite line from the video, I did not expect that- and there's no way you would see it written in a recipe book.

What appeals to me, is the presentation of his food after it's cooked. He roughly scoops out the pie and places it onto a plate with the filling oozing out. Now that's what I call home cooked food. It's the lack of emphasis on the presentation and focus on taste which appeals to those cooking for family. I was definitely left hungry after watching his videos and I genuinely feel that he can make any complicated dish seem so simple to cook!

Big Cook Little Cook, Welcome to our Cafe ♪

I hope I'm not the only one who remembers this programme... I also hope you start singing the song like I did when you read the title... Anyway,

Hello readers!

I'm sure you can guess what this entry will be about- a children's cooking programme! I don't know why but I used to LOVE this show. The songs were so catchy that I remember the lyrics 10 years on.

For those who don't know, there are two cooks: Big Cook Ben and Little Cook Small. Big Cook does most of the cooking and Little Cook acts as an assistant. Although Ben is 'bigger', he is clumsy and silly whereas Small is sensible and is portrayed as a hero in the stories he tells. I feel that these two characters are a good choice- Small represents the younger cookers and Ben represents the parents/guardians. However, the reversal of the personalities makes the process of cooking less serious for the children. Well done Cbeebies. Both Ben and Small are extremely enthusiastic and always laughing, I believe this acts as a form of friendliness towards the young viewers- and not to mention keep them engaged and entertained. 

The set of 'Big Cook Little Cook' is an extremely colourful kitchen which screams FUN and appeals to the younger audience. A new customer visits every episode, who is usually a character from our childhood eg. Little Bo Peep and Humpty Dumpty- these characters create a sense of familiarity for the young viewers. Small tells an anecdote relating to each character in each episode, giving the viewers a chance to get to know characters they haven't heard of before.

Now for the recipe. Each recipe is taken out of Big Cook's Big Cookery Book which is h u u g e and has dish for each customer. Just like the kitchen, the book is also very colourful. The recipe itself has images of the ingredients needed- familiarising viewers with the names and looks of each product. The healthiness of each recipe is usually overshadowed by the interesting and different presentation of food eg. a salad in the form of a smiley face. Not only is the programme interesting and entertaining, but it is also highly educational. Small flies off on his spoon in every episode showing viewers where/how certain products are made. We are taken to factories and farms etc. where children wouldn't be able to go normally. This encourages children not to waste food as they now know there's a long process in creating it.

After Small's educational section of the programme, we are back in the kitchen where they start cooking. Phrases such as

"Have you cleaned the surfaces?"

"Yes."

"Have you washed your hands?" 

"Yes."

"All clean and ready to cook."

are present in each episode. These phrases become associated with cooking and effectively remind children about hygiene issues. It's like a to do list in a more memorable form.

Ben also uses phrases such as

"Make sure you get your grown up helper to help you with this part..."

"...because the oven is hot hot hot."

which once again remind and warn children of some safety issues in the kitchen. The repetition of these phrases in every episode will definitely help them become imprinted on the younger minds as I still remember them.

Singing and dance routines are also present within each episode: one about the dishes they make and one about cleaning up. The second song, which is probably more important to parents, is the cleaning up song. Feelings of happiness and excitement are portrayed through the lyrics of this song, alongside the enthusiastic facial expressions of Ben and Small. Did the song make me want to wash up? Not really. But it was definitely catchy.

Just after the cleaning up is done by Ben and Small oh so happily, the plate gets returned to the cafe. Each character leaves a thank you note and sometimes a gift. The thank you note obviously reminds children of the importance of their manners, and to be thankful for their food.  

The Primrose Bakery

After looking through the recipe book, I decided I had to visit the Primrose Bakery. So... After walking around Covent Garden, looking at signs, asking people and using Google Maps... I finally found the bakery... On the corner... Of a back road... Somewhere. Before I saw the sign, I kind of guessed that this was what I was looking for, from the bright yellow (which was also used on the cover of the recipe book) walls.

 

As soon as I walked in, I was hit by a mix of cinnamon, nuts, vanilla and basically every scent which screamed CAKE! This is what you see when you walk through the door:

 

The bakery itself is pretty small, with only three round tables placed very closely together. There is comfortable booth-like seating- which I didn't take a picture of as there were people sitting (and I didn't want to look too creepy). Their neon pink sign stands out from the pastel green walls. (The same way the images of cakes stand out from the pastel pages- can you see a pattern?).

As you walk towards the counter, on your right hand side, there are some stairs leading towards the kitchen (I think). Their merchandise is hung on a washing line- which includes an apron, t-shirt, tea towel, sweater etc which can be found on their website here. I thought this was a clever use of space since the bakery is on the smaller side. Also, it definitely adds to the homely feel making it a more casual and laid back surrounding.

 Other items sold are found on a shelf:

 

 

Chalkboards are used around the bakery: next to the door showing opening hours...

 

...by the seating area showing cupcake flavours and specials

... and as a big menu board next to the 'Primrose Bakery' sign which I cleverly forgot to take a picture of...

There is a large glass counter at the front where there is a selection of cakes.

I ended up choosing three- Chocolate and Vanilla, Red Velvet and Salted Caramel. No, I did not eat these all by myself!

 

*This wasn't even the right recipe, I just wanted to take a creative-ish picture. I clearly failed. 

Unfortunately, one of the workers there told me that I couldn't take pictures of any of the recipes from the book as they were all copyrighted. But if you're interested, I can send you them like friends sharing a recipe ;) Anyway, honestly speaking these cupcakes were SUPER SWEET. They definitely looked nice, but were too sweet for me. So we ended up taking two of them home.

Overall, I'd say that the Primrose Bakery is definitely somewhere to go if you're looking for somewhere cosy, welcoming, warm and homely. However, it's best if you can handle the sweetness of the cakes, and don't mind being in a fairly squashed environment.

Cupcakes!

Dear readers,

*note- this recipe book is copyrighted therefore I won't be able to share the recipes- apologies! 

For those of you who are interested in a recipe book FULL of amazing cupcake recipes, I highly recommend 'Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery'.

Just like the previous recipe book, there are chapters which cover other helpful, but more professional elements of baking such as 'Basic Icings' and 'Decorations' which I personally find very interesting and informative.

One of the first things I noticed about this book is "from the Primrose Bakery". I thought as these recipes are from a real bakery, the cupcakes must be of high quality and taste incredible! I was a bit intimidated at first - I mean how could I bake 'professional' cupcakes?! But my worries soon disappeared when I flicked through and saw the chapters "Techniques and Equipment" and "Stockists". The last chapter is especially helpful- there are names of shops and companies which sell baking equipment, alongside contact details and what is available. However, I feel it will benefit beginner bakers such as myself more, as I am scared of buying the wrong/ bad quality equipment!

Did anyone see the quotation? "This is an utterly enchanting book." - Nigella Lawson. I take it that this very recipe book is approved by the popular and respected Nigella Lawson- therefore it is obviously reliable and "enchanting"! If any of you are interested in Nigella, take a look at Dionne and Grace's posts which are both incredibly informative!

Let us now talk about the actual recipe book. Unlike 'The Beautiful Baking Book', this recipe book is bigger, slightly heavier with a hardback cover making it more sturdy. In terms of presentation, there are a few similarities between the two recipe books. Firstly, colour- although the pages are coloured, they are of a pastel shade rather than bold. The images of the brightly coloured cakes definitely stand out next to the pastel. Each cake is bursting with colour, whether it's the actual cake or the decorations. The icing and decorations also make each cake look 'professional'. Similarly to the children's recipe book, a curved font is used throughout, making it more feminine and fun.

The recipe book starts off with an 'Introduction' where readers are given some background information about the owners of The Primrose Bakery. We are told that the owners are two mothers, both with young children.To me, this is reassuring as they are ordinary people like us. It definitely boosted my confidence as, if they can do it- So can I! It also acts as a form of encouragement, persuading readers to experiment and bake for themselves. We are then given an idea of their rise to success- "[their] first cakes were built at home, in a domestic oven in Lisa's kitchen.. " - once again, something very doable for us. THEN. We are told that they "have supplied cakes for designers for Fashion Week. [They] have made cupcakes for Elton John's 60th birthday party and for the Brits music awards." Wow. Okay. I can't do that- but it is such a great, and definitely impressive transition from baking at home to baking for the biggest stars and events.

There is a short introduction for each chapter accompanied with eight photographs-

Speaking of photographs, there are LOADS. Even if you're not interested in baking I'm sure you may be interested in looking at cakes. They are extremely professional looking and definitely mouth-watering.

Finally, the actual recipes-

The recipes are presented in a traditonal form where an image of the finished product is placed next to it. The layout of the recipe is very similar to the children's recipe book- the ingedients and directions are clearly split up. However, there is a peritext surrounding each recipe. The peritexts mainly consist of the tastes of each cake or some helpful tips which will improve the outcome. One slight difference is that there isn't a section informing readers on how long the cooking time is. This may be a bit of a problem for someone who wants to find the quickest recipe, but then again, I'm guessing for the two authors, baking isn't something to be rushed- perfection takes time.

After looking at this recipe book in detail, I feel that it is suitable for nearly everyone. The younger audience may not be too interested due to the lack of decorations on the pages. However, I find the design of this recipe book very sensible with a hint of sophistication. The explanatory language used throughout, alongside the other chapters will definitely guide all bakers whether you're a beginner or a professional.

If any of you are interested in purchasing this recipe book, you can find it on Primrose Bakery, Amazon or The Works   **it's in price order** ;)

You can also visit their website here which is just as welcoming as their recipe book. There are even classes you can attend to improve baking skills.