By: Yusra Chaumun

BAKING

Baking began in 5600BCE, when humans used wild grass grains to soak them with water and combine everything they assumed was food together, producing a broth-like paste. The paste was then cooked, pouring it onto a flat hot rock surface, creating a bread like substance. Eventually, the transferred mix was placed onto hot embers; thus making it easier to make bread as it could now be baked anytime fire was created.

Baking developed in the Roman Empire about 300 BC; the pastry cook became a job for Romans (known as the pastillarium) and therefore became the most respected profession. Due to Romans finding pastries compassionately self indulgent, this made them host festivities and celebrations for large banquets.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN…

Since Rome began the evolution of baking, the art of baking eventually flourished throughout Europe and Eastern areas of Asia. Bakers often baked homemade produce at home and then sold them in the streets. For example: In London, pastry chefs sold their goods from handcarts; which instantly developed into a system of delivering baked goods to households. Hence the demand from it increased greatly as a result which made bakeries open.

HOW BAKING SPREAD?

Now, baking has become a popular hobby and is one of Britain's beloved hobbies which enables a universal audience to join in and create something spectacular. This is indeed very encouraging as children are grasping the techniques of how to craft baked foods. Thus expanding their knowledge in how food is made and the predominant differences between various ingredients.

For instance, ‘The Great British Bake Off’ is a tremendously popular television programme which was broadcasted in 2010. The show consists of 12 home bakers battling it out to be crowned best amateur baker of the competition under the watchful eye of the judges: Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. Baking has once again become highly embraced in the limelight and the show has rocketed to 7.2 million viewers in 2012 final; coming ahead of ‘Holby City’ again, by 0.3 of a million viewers.

POPULARITY OF BAKING

As a passionate baker, I was enormously inspired by the food writer and television presenter: Mary Berry, who is a significant figure within in British television cooking. Mary left her hopeless domestic science classes and went to college to study catering where her dreams slowly became reality. From there she moved, at the youthful age of seventeen, to study at Le Cordon Bleu culinary arts school in France before working in numerous cooking related jobs.

Mary has published over seventy cookery books which her first being: ‘The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook’ in 1970. She has also hosted several television series for the broadcasters BBC and Thames Television. Berry is an exclusive participant on Woman’s Hour and Saturday Kitchen who shows her entire contribution and enthusiasm to cooking. She is an invigorating individual who generously discloses her recipes teaching the public what to cook and how it is best done.

MY INSPIRATION TOWARDS BAKING

MY PROPOSED PROJECT

I will demonstrate how fun the basics of baking can be by creating two spectacular yet simple treats: A British classic Victoria sponge and I will be baking something from my own roots which will be a divine Mauritian delight: ‘Tarte à la Banane’ (Banana Tart). Also, I will be blogging and creating a baking sketchbook for a universal audience about the outcomes of my baking and how they can adapt certain methods or leave out certain ingredients which are optional. This will hopefully help move my youthful audience to attempt trying to create something, which is out of their comfort zone.

• When you pick EPQ, ensure you know what your topic or idea would be, before you begin your project. Or else you will struggle to complete it!• Ensure you meet all EPQ deadlines and never hesitate to ask your teacher for assistance!

A WORD OF ADVICE!