Grayson is our hottest home baker!

One of our very own slynkey writers - the gorgeous Grayson - is competing on Nestle NZ's Hottest Home Baker at the moment! I caught up with him recently and asked the questions we all want to know!
 
R: What are April, Dean, Pauline & Colin really like?
G: Everyone is actually really lovely. I know it seems like they are harsh at times but it's all for tv - behind the scenes it's all giggles. Colin is exactly the same however, he's such a big kid and so much fun to have around the studio.
 
R: Have you made any good friends on the show?
G: Because we filmed in such a short time and we were incredibly busy I actually didn't get to talk too much to most of the contestants. Since we finished filming though I have caught up with a few of the girls on facebook and we all get along really well.
 
R: How did you hear about the show, and what made you enter?
G: It's a funny story actually. I saw the advert for auditions on Food Tv and very casually applied online. I had no idea at all that it was actually the very last day for applications and when I got a call back the next day I was promptly rushed into the studio, put in front of a camera and told "Ok start talking!" We began filming the following week.
 
R: What was your schedule - Do they film at nights or was it all filmed at once and cut up into the shows?
G: We had really long days, it was unbelievable! We had to be there for hair and makeup at 6am and didn't finish some nights until 7pm. Then of course we had to race to the supermarket to get our ingredients for the next day and then go home and practice. I was getting about 4-5 hours sleep a night! And people wonder why I looked so 'calm' on camera - I was half asleep!
 
R: Any really quick, no fail recipes you can quickly give the slynkey girls?
G: The slynkey girls will love my triple chocolate drop cookies. I didn't make them on the show because they are so easy and not at all innovative and take no time to make but they are so delicious!

Ingredients:

• 200g butter, softened and cubed
• ½ cup soft brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1tps Vanilla Extract
• 1 large egg
• ½ tin (200ml) condensed milk
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk chocolate drops
• ½ cup white chocolate drops
• ½ cup dark chocolate drops 

Preheat oven to 170 for 10 minutes. Cream butter and sugars for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add Vanilla, egg and condensed milk and beat on low to combine. Gradually add in flour as you mix. Finally mix in all chocolate drops until combined. Scoop out even balls of dough onto prepard baking tray lined with baking paper, then place in the middle of your oven and bake for 12 minutes. Leave to cool completely before removing from paper.
 
R: Has doing this given you the acting/ presenting/ TV bug? I can see you hosting a cooking show! :)
G: I've worked behind the scenes in tv before and so I already had a good idea of how it all worked. I've also grown up in front of the cameras now and again and it's still exciting for me. It has always been my wildest dream to host a travel show. I would absolutely love it!
 
R: Have you been recognised in the street yet?
G: I've had a lot of people come up to me on the street and chat about the show. It's all been really positive and I think people love it. I'm always happy to talk to fans of the show but don't ask me who wins cause I can't tell you!
 
R: What has been the feedback from your family & friends about you on the show?
G: I watch the show every week with my partner and our dog, who actually sits down on floor at 8:30 on the dot and then gets up and returns to his spot outside straight after it finishes - such attitude! All my friends watch every week and send me messages during the show! My mum loves having nationwide recognition for her pavlova recipe!
 
R: How do you stay so slim amongst all the baking temptation - Most bakers are more 'cuddly'! hehe
G: I go to the gym five days a week and I'm very active outside of that. And baking is a treat! It's fun for me to actually be baking in the kitchen and of course I have to taste the food but I don't go nuts. Anyway, it usually doesn't last that long in the kitchen so I don't have a problem with temptation!

R: If you win the $20,000 what are you going to do with it?
G: If I win I'm going to disappear on a fabulous tropical vacation for a whole month!
 
Watch Grayson on NZ's Hottest home baker every Thursday at 8.30pm on TV3 or Mondays at 6.30pm on Food TV!