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Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Paul Hollywood's top tips for beginner bakers and recipes to try
The Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, known for his icy stares and no-nonsense feedback of contestants' masterpieces, says he's his own biggest critic too. 'I'll always be critical, because nothing's ever really perfect, even the stuff I make – nothing is perfect,' says the 59-year-old. Merseyside-born Hollywood, who is releasing his latest cookbook, Celebrate, has been the only mainstay on the popular baking show since its conception on the BBC in 2010, before it moved to Channel 4 seven years later. Running the family bakery at 20, his on-screen persona certainly hasn't been created for TV. 'I've always been like that [at the] bakery, with the lads I was working with. My dad [John] was like that with me – so I'm just passing the buck. 'I am very critical, but I think it's healthy. It's not a destructive criticism. It's constructive because you get better and better.' Sometimes his more balanced comments don't make the edit on the programme, he says. 'I'll say, 'That's terrible' and then they'll go, 'That's the cut!'' His own family, apparently, don't even like baking for him – 'Yeah I didn't know to what depth they worry about it!' he laughs. 'I was at a party a couple of years ago and someone made something and wanted me to tell them what my thoughts were. I thought it was pretty good but they pushed me to give a proper Bake Off response, so I did and they were a little bit upset.' Of course, the other thing he's become strangely famous for is his handshakes – given out to contestants he deems to have done a great bake in the Bake Off tent. People come up to him on the street 'all the time' asking for a Hollywood handshake. 'It's charming,' he insists, 'but I normally say, 'Where's my cake?'. It's been 13-odd years and anywhere in the world people will offer me a handshake. It's quite strange. Home baking has had somewhat of a renaissance through the TV show that solidified Hollywood's stature as a household name, and the rise in popularity of making sourdough and banana bread during the pandemic. But baking, he says, is one of the oldest trades, along with fishing. 'It's one of the oldest things mentioned in the Bible. 'It's one of the rare things in the world that you take a lot of raw ingredients, and [transform them] completely differently by putting into an oven. 'It's a very prehistoric thing to do. Bread making goes back many, many years, and I think with modern technology, machines and ovens, we can produce proper baking that rivals all the professional bakeries – and you can do all that in your safety of your own kitchen.' Hollywood bakes, usually, every other day. 'I put a bit of Coldplay on and then make a bit of bread. When it's fully risen you knock it back and gently shake it. I find that extremely relaxing. 'I can picture how that breads going to come out the oven before it's even gone in the oven. You just know it's going to be a good loaf. It comes from years of making doughs and sponges and batters. I enjoy that side of things. Quite therapeutic.' Plus, amidst the cost-of-living crisis, Hollywood says savings can be made by baking more at home – particularly for a celebration or party. 'Often we just buy something cheap and I think it's important that people bake, because, A, they realise what does into their bakes and, B, it's actually cheaper overall to bake yourself. 'When you buy ingredients to make something, you're probably going to be able to make more than own. You might even be able to do two or three.' Hollywood's tips for beginner bakers 1. Don't be scared 'If you see something that you really want to make in the book and you want to have a go. It's very 'stagey'… when you break down the stages it's actually very simple. You take things nice and slow and at the end you'll go, 'My God, look what I've just made – it's amazing!' 2. Start with something easy 'I'd say the easiest bake is a Victoria sandwich. Either make two or one and split it. Traditionally, it's just raspberry jam and a dusting of icing sugar. Because I'm from the North, I like to add cream to it as well. A whisked sponge is slightly different, because you're whisking up a sponge, which makes it very light. When you put a spoon into it, with cream [which is] silky smooth and soft, It's just delicious with a cup of tea.' 3. Make sure you're prepared Baking, especially for a celebratory event, might feel a bit daunting but Hollywood says: 'It's about preparation. It's like anything. When we're working in a professional kitchen, they call it 'mise en place' – it's about getting everything in place so when you start to make something, everything's there at hand.' 4. Get a table mixer They can be quite expensive but, 'Some models start from £200-£300, but you're going to use it to death. It's going to last you a long time, probably the rest of your life if it's looked after. I think a good table mixer takes the worry out of making bread because people don't want to knead the bread.' Some recipes in his book are 'no knead' though. 'Basically just stir it together, leave nature to do most of the work, and then you just fold it. But a table mixer is essential.' 5. Keep a clean oven A rookie mistake most people make is not cleaning their ovens, he says. 'I'm quite fanatical about cleaning my oven. The glass especially, so I can peer in without opening the door. Most people, I can probably guarantee you can't see anything that's on there. 'If you open the oven door, you're losing temperature straight away – especially with breads and cakes. Mid-rise on a cake, if you open the door and introduce cold heat, it will drop and create a little dip in the middle and then sort of concertina up.' Celebrate by Paul Hollywood is published in hardback by Bloomsbury Publishing. Photography by Haarala Hamilton. Available June 5 Read More Meet the Irish chefs making waves in top London restaurants
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'I date Lioness Alex Greenwood and played in Prem but had to retire at 29'
Lionesses star Alex Greenwood's footballer boyfriend Jack O'Connell saw his own career wrecked by injury, having once been in the thoughts of England manager Gareth Southgate The boyfriend of England women's star Alex Greenwood was on the verge of international honours himself before injury cruelly cut short his career. Greenwood is a Lionesses legend after being part of the squad that memorably won Euro 2022 and one of the players of the tournament at the 2023 World Cup as England reached the final, where they were beaten by Spain. The Merseyside-born defender has been in a relationship with Jack O'Connell since the pair met at sixth-form college. Both went on to become footballers, with O'Connell coming through the Blackburn Rovers academy and having a string of loan spells in the lower leagues. The centre-back joined Brentford permanently in 2015, but his stay in west London was brief. It was at Sheffield United where he truly made his name, helping the Blades soar from League One to the Premier League. His form was so impressive that then-England boss Gareth Southgate held discussions with Blades manager Chris Wilder after an impressive debut season in the top-flight. However, his career was ruined by injury and after several attempted comebacks, he made the heartbreaking decision to call time on his career at the age of just 29 in 2023. In an emotional message on social media, he wrote: 'This is a very difficult announcement for me to make, although Sheffield United fans will already know that for the past three seasons, I have been fighting to save my professional football career. 'Today, I am announcing my retirement from football. I have put my heart and soul into this recovery since my knee problems began in June 2020, but this is a battle I cannot win.' He also paid tribute to his partner Greenwood, adding: 'Walking away from football will leave a void in my life - but I have made my peace with it. And I am grateful for the matches I played, the moments I lived out on the pitch, and to my team-mates - many of whom will be friends for life. It was all a dream come true. "For now, some thanks. First, to partner Alex, who has given me support through my lowest moments. She is a supremely talented footballer and it has been a great consolation to be able to watch her career go from strength to strength. I am her biggest fan.' O'Connor, now 31, travelled to Australia to support his partner and the Lionesses at the World Cup. He told Sky Sports at the time: '[I'm] really proud of her. I've been there from the very start. I used to go and watch Alex when she was 16. It's unbelievable how far it's grown now. 'I'm her biggest critic as well. The standard that she sets herself, she has more to come. I get goosebumps when I think about it but I think she's one of the best centre-halves in the world and she still has gears to go through.' O'Connell, regarded as a modern Blades legend, didn't get a chance to say a proper goodbye as his final game was played behind closed doors during the pandemic. However, he recently made a one-game comeback in honour of another Blades favourite forced into retirement by injury when he took part in Chris Basham's testimonial in front of 17,000 fans at Bramall Lane. Ahead of the game, Basham paid tribute to O'Connell. He told the Sheffield Star: 'I think it will be nice for him to go back and get that feeling, and show gratitude from his point of view as well. 'It's hard at the time, because you're leaving the game and your emotions are also a little higher. Then, once things have settled down, you realise what you've done and what you've done for the club. It means much more now, seeing flashbacks and things like that.' O'Connell will be looking forward to cheering on Greenwood at Euro 2025 in Switzerland this summer. Before then, the Lionesses round off their Nations League group schedule with games against Portugal at home and Spain away on May 30 and June 3 respectively.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Farhad Moshiri wealth soars after Everton sale as former club owner rockets up Rich List
Following his sale of Everton, Farhad Moshiri has rocketed up the Sunday Times Rich List, but his wealth is still dwarfed by Dan Friedkin who purchased his majority shareholding in the club. Moshiri had a controlling stake in the Blues from February 2016 to December 2014, but despite being the owner who delivered the club's new 52,888 capacity stadium on the Mersey waterfront as they prepare to depart Goodison Park for Bramley-Moore Dock, they were also hit by an unprecedented brace of points deductions for PSR rule breaches during his tenure. After actively seeking to sell up for almost two-and-a-half years, the Iran-born businessman finally offloaded his shares to The Friedkin Group with a takeover deal understood to be worth in excess of £400million being confirmed six days before last Christmas. READ MORE: Managerial great stunned by what Everton did to Man Utd - 'I've seen Brazil play in blue' READ MORE: David Moyes makes midweek Goodison Park visit as hint dropped over Seamus Coleman Everton role Moshiri has moved 38 places up the list from 112th to 74th with the estimation of his personal fortune having increased by £758million, on a list that sees Manchester United's part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe as the biggest faller with a £6billion decrease over 12 months to £17billion (moving down from fourth to seventh place). Other points of note include Home Bargains founder Tom Morris, 71, being named as the richest person in Liverpool's history, as despite dropping one place from 25 to 26, his fortune is estimated to have risen by £316million to £6.989billion while Merseyside-born brothers Tom and Phil Beaton, who own Everton's kit manufacturer Castore, make their Rich List debut in 345th place with an estimated worth of £350million. Given that he doesn't have a residence in the UK, Everton owner Dan Friedkin is not on the list. However, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world's richest people, currently has him in 278th place and calculates the 60-year-old Gulf States Toyota CEO as having a net worth of $10.9billion (approximately £8.19billion), which for context would place him 21st on the Sunday Times Rich List if he lived in this country.
Daily Tribune
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
‘Not nice' to hear Alexander-Arnold booed by Liverpool fans: Robertson
Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by Liverpool fans during Sunday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal as Andrew Robertson admitted it was 'not nice' to hear the jeers for his team-mate in his first appearance since announcing he will leave the champions at the end of this season. Liverpool right-back Alexander-Arnold confirmed his impending exit last Monday ahead of a widely-expected move to Real Madrid. In his first game in front of Liver - pool's fans at An field since his decision to quit his boyhood club, the Merseyside-born England star was subjected to audible jeers as he was introduced as a 67th-minute substitute against Arsenal. There were also some cheers f o r the 26-year-old product of Liverpool's youth academy, who has won two Premier League titles and the Champions League with the Reds. But he was booed several times while in possession in the second half as Arsenal fought back from two goals down des p i t e fin - ishing with 10 men after Mikel Merino's late dismissal. Liverpool manager Arne Slot had said prior to the game he would not tell supporters how they should react to the player's announcement. Slot dropped Alexander-Arnold from his line-up as he looked to the future by starting with 21-year-old Conor Bradley. The highly-rated Northern Irishman is viewed as the natural successor to Alexander-Arnold and the crowd sang his name during the game. 'There's a lot of emotion around it,' Robertson said of the taunts for Alexander-Arnold. ' For Trent , it's not been an easy one. Of course it's not. But he's made the decision.
Express Tribune
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Arsenal hit back to pull off draw at Liverpool
Arsenal fought back from two goals down to rescue a valuable 2-2 draw against Liverpool as the Gunners moved a step closer to qualifying for the Champions League on Sunday. Mikel Arteta's side trailed to first-half goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz at Anfield. But Gabriel Martinelli reduced the deficit before Mikel Merino grabbed the visitors' equaliser. Although Merino was sent off for a second booking with 11 minutes left, Arsenal clung on for a vital point in the battle for a top-five finish in the Premier League. Second-placed Arsenal sit five points clear of sixth-placed Aston Villa. They face a crucial clash with third-placed Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium next week before travelling to relegated Southampton on the last day of the season. With a vastly superior goal difference to all their top-five rivals, Arsenal should need just one more point to secure a Champions League berth despite winning only one of their last six league games. "What we did in the first half is nowhere near the level... that is not acceptable," Arteta said. "When the team plays like this, that's on me. No one accepts those standards. It has to hurt a lot." Trent Alexander-Arnold was dropped to the bench by Liverpool boss Arne Slot, just days after the Merseyside-born England right-back confirmed he will leave Anfield when his contract expires in June. Widely expected to join Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold was replaced by Conor Bradley. Alexander-Arnold's decision has divided Liverpool fans and he was booed by some sections of the crowd when he came on in the second half, with jeers accompanying his every touch after his introduction. "For the fans, they can always have the reaction they want but I will always back the players I lead and the ones that wear the red shirt. I will back them no matter what," Slot said. What could have been a dramatic title decider had become irrelevant to champions Liverpool after they wrapped up their record-equalling 20th English crown two weeks ago. Arsenal were still licking their wounds after being dumped out of this season's Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday. That 2-1 defeat had prompted Arteta to claim Arsenal were the best team in the competition. Arsenal make their point Arteta's debatable boast came just days after he joked Arsenal had "won" the last two Premier Leagues because they had more points while finishing runners-up to Manchester City than Liverpool had when they clinched this season's title, despite Slot's men still having several games to play. With much to prove, Arsenal, without a trophy for five years, had to grit their teeth as they lined up to give Liverpool a pre-match guard of honour onto the pitch. Liverpool looked like lording it over the north Londoners for even longer when they struck in the 20th minute. Andrew Robertson curled a cross to the near post, where Gakpo planted his header past David Raya from six yards. Liverpool netted again just 87 seconds later as Diaz slid in to meet Dominik Szoboszlai's low cross with a close-range finish. Liverpool fans on the Kop rubbed salt into Arteta's wounds as they chanted "best team in Europe? you're having a laugh". But Arsenal had the perfect response to the taunts, pulling one back in the 47th minute when Martinelli met Leandro Trossard's cross with a glancing header into the far corner. Alisson Becker preserved Liverpool's lead with a brilliant stop from Ben White's shot before turning away Martinelli's drive soon afterwards. Arteta's men were on top and they deservedly drew level in the 70th minute. Alexander-Arnold was the fall-guy after being jeered by his own fans. Martin Odegaard's powerful strike was parried by Alisson and Merino reacted quickest with a diving header while Alexander-Arnold played the Spain midfielder onside.
