Hawke's Bay's Trevor Hall has spent lockdown creating countless recipes for the nation to replicate through Kiwi Bake Box. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hawke's Bay's Trevor Hall has spent lockdown creating countless recipes for the nation to replicate through Kiwi Bake Box. Photo / Warren Buckland
One of New Zealand's most likable reality show stars has been baking up a storm during lockdown.
Hawke's Bay's Trevor Hall, the winner of TVNZ's Great Kiwi Bake Off, has spent his time whisking, kneading, beating and baking, creating endless recipes for the nation to replicate.
Hall said donning the apron at least four to five times a week meant giving his baked goods to others was often the answer.
"The lockdown for me has been spending most of my time developing new recipes and putting together a plan for the nation to get them baking more," he said.
A chocolate cake, one of many new recipes developed in the previous weeks, has been a hit with the nurses at Hawke's Bay Hospital, according to Hall.
"I developed a chocolate cake and gave it to the nurses at the hospital and the feedback has been outstanding," he said.
"That is where a lot of my baking goes – I've been giving it away to essential service workers just a bit of a thank you, and as a way of getting rid of it or I'll end up eating it all."
Hall, the winner of TVNZ's Great Kiwi Bake Off, has been giving his cakes away to the region's essential workers. Photo / Warren Buckland
Teaming up with fellow Hawke's Bay resident Anna Howley, from Napier, who was eliminated in week two of the show, Kiwi Bake Box launched earlier this year.
The subscription-based baking delivery boxes are designed to encourage those of all ages to develop new skills using pre-measured ingredients to create their very own masterpieces.
Hall, who was crowned the 2019 Bake Off champion in December last year, said the baking business venture had already exceeded his expectations.
"The thing I enjoy the most about Kiwi Bake Box is seeing people spend time with their partners, kids, families in their bubbles – all learning how to bake," he said.
"It has become a bit of a lost skill.
"We've done a whole bunch of development work to make it easier and more convenient for people to bake their own products and not having the nasties that are in the commercially made products.
"More people baked more than ever during lockdown, so hopefully they have learnt that baking is not that scary and anybody can give it a go."
Kiwi Bake Box offers a Get Baking Box – a range of pre-measured ingredients and simple recipes for those looking to learn the basics - and a Star Baker Box, for those looking to sharpen their baking prowess.
Both are delivered fortnightly, with a price tag of $20 and $30 respectively, with the aim of bringing "good old-fashioned grassroots, home-style baking" back to the Bay and beyond.
Hall, a former efficiency coach, said although he has baked everything from cakes to muffins, breads to cookies, lockdown was about viewing baking differently.
"The baking I've been doing is looking to see whether it's repeatable on a simple level, what are the important steps to make sure people get it right to make it a success," he said.
"I've been looking at it from a coaching perspective.
"We've been considering cost and convenience for the consumer, reducing waste and ease of a well-illustrated recipe. We've put them all in the mix to give people a good baking experience."
