Paul Hollywood tour review and top baking tips
Baking fanatic Elizabeth Ryan went to Paul Hollywood’s live show and made a note of some of his best baking tips for you to try at home.
Following the huge success of The Great British Bake Off, judge Paul Hollywood has been busy touring the country with his own live baking show. Sharing his recipes, tips and life stories, his self-proclaimed ‘rock ‘n’ roll tour’ proves to be not only hugely entertaining but an insight into the 'Silver Fox' himself.
It’s obvious when I arrive that Paul’s show appeals to a certain demographic – hordes of women sit giggling, ogling their own photos of Mr Hollywood covered in flour. Soon enough, the ladies and I are greeted by a warm-up act who whips the crowd into a relative frenzy, bar a few hilariously grumpy men who sit with their arms resolutely folded across their chests. They seem to cheer up when Paul finally comes onto the stage though.
A personal performance
The show feels personal, with a huge screen linked to a roaming camera showing close-ups of the master at work, alongside photos of Paul throughout his life (the shot of him in motorcycle leathers receives the biggest cheer). He works the audience well, weaving between personal insights and baking tips, and it’s clear what a huge part baking has played in his life.
Paul has made the show as interactive as possible, actively encouraging the audience to live tweet him questions that he then answers throughout the show. He even throws bread out into the audience and gives his mixing bowl to an eager audience member to lick.
He also talks a great deal about the Bake Off, as you'd expect given how much of his popularity is down to the show, but also discusses his reputation for ‘smuttiness’. He tries to blame the whole thing on Mary Berry, his Bake Off partner in crime, insisting that it’s almost always her who comes out with the best lines.
Paul talks of popping to Mary's house for tea, and how she likes to be driven around in his Aston Martin when they are filming. The great love and passion he has for working with Mary really comes across, and I think their relationship has a great deal to do with why we Brits love the programme so much. Take a look at the video below for an even better idea of what the tour is all about.
Paul’s top baking tips
Despite offering belly laughs throughout, I could never accuse Paul of putting together a superficial show, because at its heart is his passion for encouraging others to bake. He talks through and demonstrates several recipes, and then has members of the audience on stage to undertake a mini plaited loaf challenge.
As a keen baker myself, always looking for ways to improve, I kept my ears open for any tips. Here are some of the most helpful nuggets that I took away from the show.
1. Use your hands. Especially when making bread dough or pastry, because your hands remember how the mixture feels and you’ll be able to intuitively tell over time how it’s supposed to feel.
2. Leave bread dough to rise in your kitchen, at room temperature. Don’t put it in your airing cupboard, next to the fire, etc., because a slow rise is what develops depth of flavour. The same goes for adding liquids to your dough. Always go for cold as it allows the dough to spend longer rising, resulting in a tastier loaf.
3. When rolling pastry, keep it moving. People are shy about picking the pastry up and flipping it over, but if you don’t keep it moving then it will stick to your worktop.
4. Try baking your scones using strong white flour. He swears that it makes a better scone and encourages everyone to try baking his recipe alongside one using plain flour to see the difference.
5. If you find that your cake batter splits when you add the eggs, try whisking the eggs for five minutes first. Another tip is to add a small amount of the flour with the eggs, which should stop the mixture from splitting.
6. Make notes in your cookbooks. Consistency is key, and Paul says that you should make notes of the brands of ingredients you’ve used, size of eggs, etc., so that you can replicate your recipe with the same success or adapt the recipe as needed.
7. Use olive oil to knead your dough. This has long been a Hollywood tip. He says that where most people go wrong is by adding flour in the kneading process, which results in a stiff, heavy loaf, whereas olive oil gives a softer texture.
8. Bake with your family. Getting the whole family involved is part of the fun.
Make your own plaited loaf
Feeling inspired by all this Hollywood talk? Learn how to make one of Paul's most famous recipes: the eight-strand plaited loaf
This leg of the Paul Hollywood's tour is over, but due to popular demand Paul Hollywood is back in November with another 25 live shows, with rumours that he will be demonstrating festive recipes.
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