A resident from Roodepoort will be participating in the Great South African Bake-off, where he will have the opportunity to showcase his baking skills.
Hillary Arries has been baking since his early teens and loves to experiment in the kitchen. He told the story of his family’s Sunday tradition – “We had to have something fresh out of the oven, and I would always bake anything from scones to breads. My favourite was always chocolate cake.” According to him, he has his sister to thank for being allowed freedom in the kitchen to bake. He used to watch her make vetkoek, and started making it himself not long after that.
“My sister always tells me I have very light hands, making my vetkoek light and fluffy,” he said, smiling.
He described himself as a baker who always strives to get the perfect flavour balance in every dish he makes. Even though everyone says you eat with your eyes, Hillary believes the smell of food is equally important.”It is the smell of food that attracts me – if it smells good, it will taste even better,” he said.
He is very nervous about the signature and showstopper challenges of the competition, because he does not see himself as a showstopper kind of guy. The fact that they will be judged on the professional appearance of their bakes also makes him a bit nervous. “I know my decorating skills are probably not on the same level as the other bakers,” he said.
Hillary believes he will have an edge over the other bakers participating in the competition, because he has overcome many challenges throughout his life. “I have developed a very strong mindset and think it will definitely come in handy on the show. We will all be faced with our own unique challenges,” Hillary said confidently.
But his baking has not always been flawless and he remembers his first disastrous attempt at making a traditional milk tart. “I made my own puff pastry, and the all-important filling. I remember being so excited, because I tasted my filling and it was amazing. Everything was going as planned, and I even got
that perfect wobble. In the end it just ended up as a scrambled mess, and my pastry was under-cooked and soggy. Needless to say, it went straight into the dustbin,” he told us with a laugh.
He concluded by sharing some lessons he’s learned through baking, “Always read a recipe like a story and treat every single ingredient like a character – it will make the process enjoyable and simple. Learn through your baking flops or disasters – they don’t necessarily make you a bad baker. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself in the kitchen, and last but not least, baking should never feel like a job. Have fun, fun, and more fun!”
The Great South African Bake-off will be broadcast every Tuesday night at 8pm on DSTV channel 174.
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