London - The success of the Great British Bake Off has seen sales of kitchen accessories soar.
Now one of its stars is taking a slice of the action with her own range of baking equipment for Lakeland.
Mary Berry, who taught the British nation to make everything from simple cupcakes to show-stopping chocolate gateaux, has published countless recipes. But her fans will now be able to make them using tools that meet her exacting standards.
Celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Jamie Oliver have already cashed in on their fame and expertise by lending their names to pans, sauces and high-end toasters.
Miss Berry’s devotees will be able to float about the kitchen in aprons carrying her stamp of approval, while wielding her palette knives, flour sifters and cake lifters. There is also a range of “pushpans” – cake tins with loose bases that allow bakers to turn out the perfect creation without worrying that it might get stuck – and a “traybake” for cooking brownies and other sweet treats.
These are non-stick and provide cutting guides so users can turn out cakes that are uniform.
Miss Berry has a long association with Lakeland that dates back to the late 1960s. She was involved in the early designs of some of the firm’s customer favourites.
The Bake Off judge hopes her range will inspire yet more home cooks to take up a whisk.
“I firmly believe that, equipped with the right tools and a simple recipe, anyone can achieve great results in the kitchen,” she said.
Miss Berry added: “It’s important to me that the products in the range really ‘work’ … I have worked to ensure each piece is both easy to use and practical.”
Lakeland’s Veronica Davidson visited the ‘Queen of Cakes’ at her home and went through her cupboards as part of the design process – and the partnership promises to be lucrative for both parties.
The Great British Bake Off has had a remarkable impact on sales of equipment and ingredients.
When the BBC series returned this year, John Lewis reported sales of hand mixers were up 23 percent, measuring spoons by 29 percent and paper cake cases by 44 percent. - Daily Mail