Just the smell of the Baker’s oven is enough to entice you through their doors. Inhale slowly and you’ll understand why people travel far and wide to visit this award-winning* artisan bakery. From sourdough staples, spelt and savoury specialities, such as their famous Ploughman’s Parcels to sweet Eccles cakes, treacle tarts and quintessentially British scones – choice is in abundance at Hambleton Bakery.

But it’s not just the variety that’s special about Hambleton – it’s also rich in history. Established in September 2018, founders Julian Carter and Tim Hart wanted to be famous for more than a mix of flour and yeast. Their ambitions rose from a desire to offer every customer a bespoke experience with their bread, loaf by loaf, across leafy Leicestershire including high-quality bread for us here at Hambleton Hall.

Recipes are strictly knead to know

In the recent backlash over carbs in the media, it would be easy to assue that all bread is bad, difficult to digest or fattening. In reality whole grain loaves are actually beneficial for our diets, and loaves such as Borodinski rye, spelt, wholemeal, and sourdough are proven to actually reduce risks of certain cancers, improve fertility and provide fewer calories than their overprocessed counterparts.

Hambleton Bakery use slow, traditional methods and fermentation processes and four simple ingredients: high-quality, stoneground organic flour, salt, water and time to bake in the way that fed our ancestors. Each loaf is free from additives and full of the natural vitamins and nutrients that wheat provides. And their recipes are a closely guarded secret – especially their ‘local loaf’ that uses beer barm for a distinctive ‘hoppy’ taste and flour from Rutland’s Whissendine Mill’  – one of England’s few remaining operational windmills.

Attracting visitors and restauranteurs alike, locals also share an affinity with the Bakery, including Great British Bake-Off Winner Frances Quinn  – Hambleton’s proud ambassador. Frances has given the county two exquisite gifts with her ‘Quinntessential’ Jaffa Cakes created solely for Hambleton Bakery. Choose from a traditional chocolate Jaffa with a twist – infusing marmalade in the orange jelly or try her unique Jaffa creation of rhubarb and custard with delectable rhubarb flavours ruling the centre.

World Records? Piece of cake

Although these two aren’t the only Jaffa Cakes Frances and Hambleton are famous for. On 5th February 2017, together they broke the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest Jaffa Cake ever created, at the Bakery’s headquarters – Exton bakery. Here’s how they did it. The cake (or biscuit? – you decide) was an impressive 124cm (4 ft 0.9inches) in width and boasted a surface area of 1.207 square metres (13 square feet).

Freshly baked from Britain’s Best Bakery**

Although BBC Radio 4 had the pleasure of sampling this colossal cake, here at Hambleton Hall our guests are guaranteed delicious delights from Hambleton Bakery with every meal throughout their stay. From morning breakfast breads to soup rolls and delicious delights for an afternoon tea…the bakery’s produce complements most of our menus – because it’s our wish that our guests have the best and truly experience the taste of Leicestershire.

Hambleton bakery won’t let you go hungry – dedicated to your dietary needs they cater for all allergens and their doors are open six days a week in Harborough, Oakham, Stanford, Oundle, West Bridgford and Exton (where the bakery is even open on Sundays).

Enjoy the taste of a slower way of life. Relax with us in rural Rutland and indulge in the craftmanship of the artisan baker.

 

*Most recently winning a Muddy Stiletto for ‘Best Local Producer’ (Food and Drink)

**2012 Winner