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Welcome!

Welcome to my blog. I, Jessica, have had a long-time love of baking, and would like to share it with you. How did this start? My Savta (my grandmother) would let me help her bake cakes and brownies when I visited her house as a child. Looking back, I realize we were just making boxed cakes, and she only really let me stir... But it was a start. Years later, though, she started me with baking from scratch. When I was a teenager, she taught me how to make my great-great-grandmother's mandelbrodt recipe. Ever since, I have insisted on baking almost everything from scratch... and I have had to make mandelbrodt for my Savta every time I visit.

Let's fast forward a few years to university. I first heard about The Great British Bake Off (henceforth referred to lovingly as GBBO) when I did a semester abroad in Nottingham in 2013. Sadly, I was in Nottingham in Spring, and did not see the show. When I went back to England for a Master's, though, I watched GBBO and quickly became a big fan. I've continued watching since returning to the US, and re-watch series on Netflix.

The Great British Bake Off has diversified my baking interests. Previously, I only really baked cakes, cookies, and pies. Now, I find myself experimenting with choux pastry, different sponges, and custards. I want to challenge myself further the way contestants are challenged in the baking tent. I invite you to follow my progress.

My goal is to do almost every challenge done on GBBO- signatures, technicals, and showstoppers. I will develop my own ideas and recipes for the signature and showstopper challenges, and will follow the recipes for technical challenges. I hope to do one challenge each week, although they will not necessarily be done in order. My husband, Vincent, and his coworkers will be my loyal taste-testers.

Yes, I only plan to do almost every challenge. I am a practicing Jew and keep a kosher household. When possible, I will try to adapt non-kosher recipes or challenges to being kosher. Hence, many of the savory challenges will likely end up vegetarian. There are, however, a few challenges (pork pies with bacon, lard, and gelatin, anyone?) that just can't be made kosher. Also, I know of at least one challenge which I cannot do for more logistical reasons. The series 9 final technical- the campfire pita challenge- would not go over very well with my HOA.

Well, I think you have the gist of what I will be doing. I hope you enjoy my journey!

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