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Treat yourself with a Simnel Tart. Photo: Hambleton Bakery

Hambleton Bakery – helping the new normal taste a whole lot better

By Bobby Twidale

This year has been challenging but in the Rutland area we have the wonderful Hambleton Bakery boosting our wellbeing with their delicious bread, cakes, pastries and savouries. Bobby Twidale finds out how we can improve our home bread-making and gets a sneak preview of the lovely things they have planned for Easter. 

In September 2008, Julian Carter and Tim Hart of Hambleton Hall opened a bakery to produce top quality traditionally made bread for their award-winning restaurants in Rutland and Nottingham. The little shop at the front was almost an afterthought but soon acquired a cult following, especially after being named Britain’s Best Bakery in 2012. Hambleton Bakery now has shops in Oakham, Market Harborough, West Bridgford, Stamford and Oundle as well as supplying some of the best food venues in the area. 

Julian started his career in the family bakery in Liverpool. After working as an RAF chef, he cooked for Prime Minister, John Major. At Hambleton Hall, he quickly rose to become second chef, producing Michelin starred food for 9 years. 

Julian Carter, Head Baker. Photo: Hambleton Bakery
Chef’s tips for bread-making success

Julian’s top tip for successful home bread-making is to add Salt after the first dough rise.

Find his recipe and more useful advice on the YouTube Tutorial made at the Bakery last year.  https://youtu.be/zwzuIobTSq0

Hambleton Bakery has always been a traditional bakery, producing breads, cakes and savouries with no additives or preservatives. The breads and cakes are all vegetarian and 80% of the breads are vegan. The Bakery is always seeking out new ideas and ingredients, ideally sourced locally and seasonal. They adapt quickly to new trends, bringing the best to the lucky people of the Rutland area.

Hot cross buns. Photo: Hambleton Bakery.
Easter treats

Easter is just around the corner and Hambleton Bakery has some delicious treats planned. 

Simnel cake is a traditional spiced fruit cake. It dates back to Tudor times and is decorated with eleven marzipan balls representing the apostles. If you can’t manage a whole cake, look out for the individual Simnel tarts cased in bakery pastry – they make the perfect Easter gift. 

Hot Cross Buns are a popular take on the teacake, with added spice and topped with the traditional cross paste. Don’t tell anyone but we like ours warmed with lashings of butter.

Every year the team at the Bakery produces a range of Easter biscuits with different toppings. Colleagues sample the contenders and the most popular is the one sold in the bakery shops.

Top tip - add salt after the first dough rise. Photo: Hambleton Bakery
The Bakery in the community 

Hambleton Bakery has always actively supported the community with talks and demonstrations, tours of the Bakery for local organisations and schools, and by providing judges for bakery competitions. This year they have continued to support many local charities with raffle prizes, sponsorships, young achievers and competitions.

Helping us shop safely during the pandemic

This year the Bakery introduced convenient local delivery hubs to keep communities supplied with delicious, fresh bread. New ways to shop include Click and Collect and local at-home delivery services via their online shop, a big step towards helping customers to shop safely during the pandemic.

This year’s favourite Easter biscuit. Photo: Hambleton Bakery
Breaking news!

The Bakery recently broke ground on their new site. Local to the existing bakery, it will ensure future 24-hour production of breads to meet an ever-growing demand. The popular and beautiful existing location near Cottesmore will house a café for visitors while maintaining production of cakes and savouries – an exciting start to 2021. We can’t wait to try it for ourselves!

 Visit Hambleton Bakery online here: https://www.hambletonbakery.co.uk

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