THE Manchester Food and Drink Festival (September 10-21) has launched its official quest to crown the best home baker in Greater Manchester, as well as announcing a huge community bake sale to take place at the Festival Hub on Albert Square.
The Great Manchester Bake Off is searching for the the creator of the most extraordinary tarts in Trafford, beautiful bread in Bolton, marvellous muffins in Middleton or the very best biscuits in Bury – anyone who thinks they’ve all the ingredients to be named Great Manchester Bake Off Champion 2015.
Budding bakers are invited to bring their homemade creation to Foundation Coffee on Lever Street in the city centre on August 29 for round one. The Festival’s specially selected judges will taste entries and decide who gets through to the Great Manchester Bake Off Final. The finalists will be invited to the Festival Hub’s Great Manchester Bake Sale on Sunday, September 13, where they will be competing in the Festival’s ‘Made in Manchester’ challenge. MFDF will be looking for cakes and bakes inspired by our great city and made with maximum flair! Full details will be revealed to applicants upon gaining a place in the final round.
Judges include Richard Burr (pictured), Great British Bake Off Runner Up 2014; Charlotte O’Toole, Home Sweet Home head pastry chef; Su Su, Manchester’s Queen of Puds (founder of Manchester’s First Pudding Club at The Market Restaurant); Frankie Najduch, Barbakan Deli, Adam Chapman, Foundation Coffee, and Emily Heward of the MEN.To enter, residents of Greater Manchester (must be over 12) should visit mfdfbakeoff.eventbrite.co.uk and register. Unregistered entrants will not be permitted to enter Round One.
The Great Manchester Bake Sale on Septembr 13 is raising money for Forever Manchester. The event space marquee will be transformed into a cake-haven with all proceeds supporting grass roots community projects across Greater Manchester and MFDF is calling for bakers to sell their own creations at their own stalls, in return for a donation to the charity. To register for your own stall, or to help with the Forever Manchester stall interested parties should email [email protected].
The Great Manchester Bake Sale is free to attend, and is open from 12-6pm on Sunday, September 13. As well as being able to try and buy lots of cakes there’ll be decorating, kids activities, demos (including one by Richard Burr himself along with signing of his new book Bake It Yourself), guess the weight of the cake competitions and much more.
Prizes for the Great Manchester Bake-off in association with the Manchester Evening News and Nisbets, include a Kitchen Aid K45 Mixer courtesy of Nisbets; a baking goodie pack including Mason Cash Mixing Bowl and professional cake pans also courtesy of Nisbets; afternoon tea at Tea Hive; a baking hamper from Barbakan, Chorlton; plus as signed copy of Richard Burr’s debut cookbook.
For latest news from the Manchester Food and Drink Festival visit this link. To download the brochure go here.