Writing exclusively for GoodtoKnow in her #NadiyaBakes blog, Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain talks about two big birthdays and one very exciting project...
I have been gearing up for this month, for months. As have my boys, but for very different reasons. The boys turned 10 and 9 this month. September has always been a month of fun and frolics for us. With two children with two birthdays in one month, that are a lot of 'how many days to my birthday?' questions, asked religiously everyday!
Of course it's a big deal for them and us. I mean a double digit is a big deal for anyone. I know it was for me when I was that age. Of course that meant cake! Right? Wrong.
I asked them what cake they would like for their birthdays, as of course being the owner of the Bake Off trophy would mean I was guaranteed an extravagant cake commission! Apparently not. Musa who turned 10 said he would just love to have pancakes with yoghurt please. Dawud who turned 9 said I would love an Irish stew. This wound promises to be licked till Christmas at least! But that's what they got, along with a few celebrations and presents.
"I realised my children didn't want big fondant covered, luminous birthday cakes anymore"
With the realisation that my children don't want big fondant covered luminous birthday cakes anymore I was happily distracted by the fact that my first children's book has finally has been published, Nadiya's Bake Me a Story.
I took the opportunity to re-write the Grimm's classic fairytales. Upon reading the fairytales for research purposes it dawned on me that Grimm's fairytales are exactly that, grim! It's no wonder children go to bed and say they're having nightmares. I know I would have nightmares if I thought about wicked-step mothers, poisonous apples and trolls before bed.
So I set out to make fairy tales a little more accessible, more friendly, slightly more relevant and a lot less grim. Along with the 15 stories are 15 recipes, making baking and reading an interactive experience for little ones.
"There's nothing nicer than spending a few weeks travelling and talking about something I am so very proud of"
I am so proud of this book; my little humans have been so involved in the whole process from the story writing, recipe testing down to the photos. As much as they were excited for their birthdays they were equally proud and excited about the book as they played such a massive part in it.
There's nothing nicer than spending a few weeks travelling and talking about something I am so very proud of. With two birthdays behind us, I have one more birthday that is fast approaching and something says this little girl won't be distracted by anything but a pink, fluffy, sugar laden fondant encased thing of beauty. I will finally feel needed!!
