The Great British Bake Off is the ultimate baking battle where passionate amateur British baking fans compete to be crowned the UK’s Best Amateur Baker. Over the course of 10 weeks the series follows the trials and tribulations of the competitors as they attempt to prove their baking powers with three challenges per episode: Signature bake, Technical bake and Showstopper bake (see more info below). Each week the bakers tackle a different baking skill, which become progressively more difficult as the competition unfolds.
The Great British Bake Off Challenges:
- Signature bake – Testing the bakers’ personality, creative flair and baking ability, the main challenge here is to produce something cute, rustic and altogether home-made-looking. It’s in this test that the Bakers get to show off their tried-and-tested handcooked bites.
- Technical bake – This challenge separates the wheat from the chaff. Take one basic recipe, with the same ingredients and instructions, and ask our bakers to produce the finished product… sound easy? Well, any variation on the finished product will be a result of their own technical knowledge and experience – or lack of.
- Showstopper bake – The bakers are able to showcase their depth of skill and talent. The complexities of this task call for a professional standard in taste and appearance. The judges will be looking for the most impressive and elaborate creations which tastes first-class.
Nancy Birtwhistle was crowned the winner of Season 5 in October 2014. We of course only got to see it in South Africa this year with the final episode this week. Nevertheless, I can’t wait to see what the new set of bakers will get up to in Series 6!
I was convinced that Richard Burr, who is a builder by profession, and who amazed viewers with his skills, would win. Especially after he won so many Star Baker awards in a row. Not even the cuteness of the pencil he had tucked behind his ear during the entire competition, could help him to be crowned the winner. Better luck next time Richard!
Birtwhistle, who was labelled the show’s queen of consistency, earned top marks in the signatur bake with her puff pastry creations. Also in the technical challenge with her tarte au citron. For the showstopper challenge, Nancy and the other two finalists, Luis Troyano and Richard Burr, had to combine sponge cake, caramel, choux pastry and petit fours to wow the judges. Nancy’s showstopper was a take on the Moulin Rouge in Paris. It consisted of a Victoria sponge base, an orange gingerbread biscuit windmill with sails made out of red-dyed caramel, a croquembouche collar and mini shortbread decorations (a croquembouche is a French dessert consisting of choux pastry balls piled into a cone and bound with threads of caramel).
Sources: www.thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk; www.theguardian.com; www.wikipedia.com