A community bakery in County Durham has bagged the top Britain’s Best Loaf award at this year’s Farm Shop & Deli Show in Birmingham.
Darlington’s Bakerman secured the accolade of overall champion for its Parmesan & Black Pepper Sourdough Loaf, which also won the competition’s Sourdough with Other Ingredients category.
Judged by a 13-strong panel including Claire Powell, technical baker at Bako Group; James Maye, product manager/baker for Delice de France; and Craft Bakers Association president Neil Woods, the bread was applauded for its bold flavour, punchy aroma and technical expertise.
“I had a good feeling when I was making the dough,” Bakerman’s Dan Booth (pictured above, third right) told British Baker, sister title of The Grocer. The victorious loaf “came out of the ovens lovely in the morning, so I thought I was in with as good a chance as I could give myself”.
Britain’s Best Loaf’s winners were announced this week at the NEC, Birmingham, where the Farm Shop & Deli Show and other three events comprised The UK Food & Drink Shows, held by The Grocer publisher William Reed.
Here are all the winning loaves of the 2022 competition’s six categories.
Gluten-Free
Winner: Smoked Beetroot & Sweet Chilli Loaf, Stir Cambridge
This tin loaf is colourful and smoky in flavour. Made with gluten-free flour – a mix of rice, potato, buckwheat and millet – it also features smoked beetroot and sweet chilli.
It was an “attractive-looking loaf with a great taste” said the judges, who also praised the innovative use of ingredients.
Highly commended: Gluten Free Seeded Loaf, Two Magpies Bakery
Innovation
Winner: Turmeric, Red Onion & Nigella Seed Sourdough, Bakerman
This is a slow-fermented sourdough loaf produced over 48 hours using a variety of organic ingredients, including strong white bread flour, red onions, turmeric and nigella seeds. Judges admired its vibrant appearance.
Highly commended: Turmeric Sourdough with Cranberries and Walnuts, The Baking Room
Plain Sourdough
Winner: Everyday Sourdough, Bakehouse at Cakesmiths
Shaped into cane baskets after three hours of bulk fermentation and left to prove at ambient temperature for one hour prior to being cold proved for 18 hours, this loaf is scored straight along the top to help control the shape and the quality of the crumb structure.
This loaf “ticked all the boxes for a wonderful plain sourdough” said the judges. They praised crust, appearance and balanced flavour.
Highly commended: White Sourdough, The Danish Bakery
Sourdough with Other Ingredients
Winner: Parmesan & Black Pepper Sourdough, Bakerman
Also Britain’s Best Loaf 2022’s champion of champions, this is a traditional slow-fermented sourdough loaf. It is made with organic strong white flour, organic stoneground wholemeal flour, organic parmesan, cracked black pepper, wheat levain, water and sea salt.
Its creator, Dan Booth of Darlington’s organic community bakery Bakerman, had spent some time “tweaking the ratios and flours” he said. The loaf had been “a work in progress for the last five or six years, so I’m delighted we’ve finally nailed it”.
Judges loved the bread’s peppery kick for complementing the taste of parmesan. The overall look of the loaf and its internal structure also drew praise.
Highly commended: Fruity Botanical Sourdough, Country Style
White
Winner: White Farmhouse Loaf, Elsie May’s Cafe, Bar & Bakery
Made using Shipton Mill strong white flour and Cornish sea salt, this bread impressed the judges with its strong consumer appeal.
Highly commended: White Tin Loaf, Seasons Bakery
Wholegrain
Winner: Malted Barley Sourdough, Lovingly Artisan
Brewers’ barley from Warminster Maltings features in this loaf – which attracted judges with its rustic appearance.
Highly commended: Watford Sour, Flourish Craft Bakery
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