On Thursday, the final episode of Koekedoor, Corli Botha was crowned the winner of Season 2 of Koekedoor, with Wessels van Vuuren her runner-up.The theme of the final episode was wedding cake, and it was Corli’s wedding cake that won the day, with her taste combinations, decorating skills, and finish. Wessels was praised for the taste and unusualness of his wedding cake. The brief was to bake a cake with a minimum of four layers, in Delft blue, and a spot of colour, to meet the theme ‘Die Kaap is weer Hollands’. Corli’s wedding cake was made of lemon yoghurt cake, vanilla sponge cake, and butter cake separated with layers of lime-schnapps, toasted coconut, white chocolate salt caramel, and peanut butter. Her cake decoration in Delft design was created by decorating piping and paint brush. 
Corli is an entrepreneur baker who believes that baking with love can be tasted in one’s baking. She enjoys baking because it makes her feel good, she can express her emotions, and it is a pleasure to spoil others. Winning Koekedoor Season 2 has made her dream of launching her new business Corli’s Kitchen come true. When she and her husband lived in France, she took courses in fine baking techniques. Her Ouma Corrie has been her biggest baking inspiration.
Corli was described by judge Mari-Louis Guy as a ‘Survivor’ of the Baking world, having mastered 35 challenges in 13 episodes with grace. Koekedoor judge Tiaan Langenegger said that an amateur baking competition like Koekedoor demands talents in traditional baking, yeast baking, and bread baking, and be up to date in latest baking trends and decorating techniques.
Corli won the largest prize ever awarded in an amateur baking competition, winning a Suzuki Ciaz, R200000 in cash, a Rolkem/Capsicum sugar art course, and a Human & Rosseau cook book contract, with cooking and baking recipes, called ‘Corli se Kombuis’, which will be launched on 20 August.
Wessels works as a clerk in the Simonstown sheriff office, and has a passion for gardening. His dream is to open a coffee shop in a nursery. He loves baking, as it is the fastest way in which he can express himself creatively.
At a special event on Thursday evening, coinciding with the screening of the final episode, it was announced that a new cooking and baking Kokkedoortjie competition for children between the ages of nine and thirteen is to be filmed by Homebrew Films and screened on kykNET. The judges for the new reality TV series are Mari-Louis Guy and Chef Nic Van Wyk. The book ‘Koekedoor 2’ was also presented at the function, and will be released on 21 July.
I will miss Thursday Koekedoor evenings, the contestants feeling like friends. I was fortunate to meet Sanet Eigelaar at the Waterfront by chance, and hope to meet the other contestants living in Cape Town after my return from overseas. I wish to thank Koekedoor PR Consultant Errieda du Toit for the information she provided when I was unable to view some of the episodes.
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter: @WhaleCottage Facebook: click here Instagram: @Chris_Ulmenstein
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