Sweet success (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Sweet success

2:46pm Tuesday 16th November 2010 in Food & Wine By Emma Clayton

He’s the former bank clerk who went on to win the title of Britain’s best amateur baker – but it wasn’t until Edd Kimber lost an impressive 10st that he started taking baking seriously.

Edd, of Thackley near Bradford, beat off stiff competition to win TV’s Great British Bake Off, after wowing judges with his array of cakes, tarts, scones and puddings.

He nearly didn’t make it to the final of the BBC2 show, though, when he stabbed his hand on a scraper. “I almost fainted. They didn’t show it on the programme, but I had to take 15 minutes out,” says Edd. “I ended up kneading bread with one hand!” Edd went on to win the show, which tested the skills of amateur bakers, and hasn’t looked back. He has been offered training experience at Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin-star restaurant Le Manoir and is involved in other TV projects.

“It’s been amazing. The day after the show went out, my feet barely touched the ground,” he says. “I was on Chris Evans’ Radio 2 show, then I did a live TV interview on BBC Breakfast. I did about 20 different interviews that day.

Edd, 25, competed against experienced bakers twice his age, but the judges - renowned baking writer Mary Berry and expert baker Paul Hollywood - said he excelled in all areas of baking and were impressed with how his skills had developed.

“I almost didn’t apply for the show, I didn’t think I stood a chance,” reveals Edd. “I applied at the last minute and ended up being auditioned. It was only when I reached the final that I thought, ‘Maybe I can win this’.

“For the first audition I travelled to London with a stupidly big cake and a Bakewell tart I’d made. I had to get two buses, a train and a Tube - I just about managed to get there with the cake and tart in one piece. For the second audition I had to cook one of Mary’s recipes and talk to camera. I thought I’d blown it.” Edd started baking as a boy and says many childhood memories revolve around food. “I remember making mince pies with my mum at Christmas. One of my most vivid memories is being on holiday and being served a whole fish, complete with eyes staring at me,” he laughs.

As a youngster, Edd piled on weight, but, after embarking on a diet, he lost 10st. He credits baking with helping him diet! “I guess it’s a bit odd, but I started taking baking more seriously around the time I lost the weight,” he says. “It seems like the wrong way around, but it seemed to work. When I lost weight, I became much more aware of food and health in general. While baking may seem unhealthy in some aspects, it’s like anything - moderation is the key.”

Edd was working at the Yorkshire Bank when he started doing the show, combining a full-time job with practising his baking in the evenings, and filming at weekends. “I was baking until 1am,. It was tiring and stressful but it paid off,” he says. The show tested all areas of ability, from bread-making to baking pastry. “The longest challenge was the chocolate cake one. It went on for five hours,” he recalls. “Each week they gave us a theme and we had to come up with a recipe, then there was a surprise recipe as well.

“Bread-making was the biggest challenge, mainly because I could count on one hand the number of times I’d made bread. It was a huge shock when I did well in that.”

Edd’s favourite part of the programme was pastry-making in Cornwall. “I made sweet and savoury tarts. I really enjoy making pastry,” he says. “Pudding week was my low point. I was absolutely exhausted and had to make an apple and plum pudding with hot caramel sauce. There was too much apple so it was too moist and my suet pudding didn’t come out properly. It looked awful. When I got through, I cried - on national TV!

A favourite recipe is his oatmeal and raisin cookie, inspired by his travels to America. “It’s simple but different,” he says. “In America they have blueberry and cream cookies, which are both chewy and crispy. I’ve developed my own version. When I travel I like to go to bakeries and pick up ideas. I enjoy researching new combinations of ingredients.”

For the final of The Great British Bake Off, Edd was challenged to make a signature cake, then an afternoon tea of scones, choux buns, tarts and finger sandwiches made with home-made bread, served for 40 guests at Fulham Palace. Edd’s signature cinnamon and banana cakes with an Italian meringue and caramel-flavoured syrup on the side was described by Paul Hollywood as “exquisite.” “We had five hours to make the afternoon tea. It was designed to test every aspect of our baking skills and our ability to cook to quantity,” says Edd, whose dishes included chocolate and ginger tarts with a vanilla bean pastry, lemon scones and choux buns filled with raspberries and cream.

“The main challenge was timing,” says Edd, who was thrilled with the judges’ comments. “Family and friends can say they like your food, but when you’re told by the experts, it means the world,” he says. “Baking has become much more popular with people of all ages, and this show has inspired people to get baking. Lots of people have been e-mailing me requesting recipes.” Now he plans to train as a dessert chef. “It’s always been my dream to do it professionally and I’d love to open my own patisserie, but I’m only 25 and an amateur. I need some time in a professional kitchen,” says Edd.