The Big Thame Bake 2017 is launched!

SPATULAS at the ready; Aprons on and stand by your ovens! It’s time for this year’s BIG THAME BAKE.

This year there are nine exciting categories to choose from and all entries are open to both adults and children. All of the cakes will be judged by Thame Food Festival’s star Bakers, who will also be appearing on the Baking Stage at the festival on Sunday, October 1.

So dust down your mixing bowl, get planning your bakes and cakes and enter NOW to become the next Baking King or Queen of Thame.

The categories and their judges are:

Chris (p) up your Choux – Chris Wheeler
Using choux pastry, devise, design, fill, build and bake any way you want. Savoury or sweet, piled high or laid beautifully on a plate – just make sure they are Chris (p), not soggy … and utterly delicious!

Titivate your Traybakes – Chetna Makan
Anything goes! Glitter, icing, spice, fruit, chocolate or more – go for it. Titivate to your heart’s content – NOTHING is too much!

Prove you can make it rise – Paul Jagger
Paul will show you his rise, if you show him yours! Use your imagination to design and bake a spectacular bread that stands out from the crowd and stuns us all.

Gluten Free Bakes – Howard Middleton
Howie has lovely buns! And his pastries aren’t too shabby either! You can make anything here, anything at all, just as long as it’s Gluten Free.

Brexit Bakes – Jose Pizarro
Let’s celebrate our European cousins’ delicious cakes and bakes. Anything you want from any European country and the lovely Jose will run his keen eye and palate over them. There are so many exciting European bakes out there, so make them and bring them to Blighty’s very best Food Festival!

Rolling rolling rolling…. – Richard Burr
Richard likes precision – design and bake a perfectly measured and rolled cake….Meringue based or a light and airy fatless sponge – we don’t mind – just make it a beauty.

Flying Freestyle! – Jane Devonshire
Whatever you want to make – Jane loves a surprise! Maybe it’s your very own recipe, or one handed down through your family. Tarts, Puffs, Brownies, Fruity or Chocolatey – we don’t mind – just fly freestyle and bring us your very best celebration bakes.

Harvest Festival Happiness – Jane Beedle
Autumn’s fruit and vegetable basket is overflowing with delicious produce. Bake a stunner using the best the land can offer at this time of year. Savoury or sweet we really don’t mind – just make it utterly seasonal.

Lotte’s Kitsch Cakes – Lotte Duncan
You can make anything you want as long as it’s completely over the top and it still tastes delicious. Glitter, icing, cream, sprinkles, jelly, chocolate, marzipan, strawberries – ANYTHING! Decorate madly and make it loud, make it fun and make it kitsch!

Thame Food Festival, originally based in the town centre, has been going since 2008 and last year attracted in the region of 28k people. This year will see the festival relocating to Thame Show Ground and extending the programme over two days – Saturday, September 30, and Sunday, October 1. Supported by Raymond Blanc, this year is aiming to have about 300 artisan producers alongside demonstrations from many leading chefs and bakers. The first day will be dedicated to chefs and the second day to bakers.

The event attracts a number of high profile celebrities from both the chef and baking world including Master Chef and Great British Bake Off stars. Take a look at the Big Thame Bake 2016 video

Details about Thame Food Festival 2017 can be found at: http://www.thamefoodfestival.co.uk/