Jump to content

Great British Bake Off (Includes Spoilers)


baby.giraffe

Recommended Posts

Yes, I meant to say too that I .. mostly .. love Ruby's dress style. It's just that cardigan :D

 

I think that's it Marie .. it's the repetitiveness .. and this week she was saying she wasn't going to start rubbishing her own food but she immediately did.

I do think that, though they are very professional, Paul & Mary do get soft spots for people .. it's only natural I guess and they definitely have one for Ruby because they're never harsh even when she messes up (as she did with the bread). Perhaps it's her age .. I know they get particularly excited about young people baking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 189
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Yes, I meant to say too that I .. mostly .. love Ruby's dress style. It's just that cardigan :D

 

I think that's it Marie .. it's the repetitiveness .. and this week she was saying she wasn't going to start rubbishing her own food but she immediately did.

I do think that, though they are very professional, Paul & Mary do get soft spots for people .. it's only natural I guess and they definitely have one for Ruby because they're never harsh even when she messes up (as she did with the bread). Perhaps it's her age .. I know they get particularly excited about young people baking.

 

Well put poppyshake. We always have our soft spots, and I admit that I am rooting for Kimberley, so I'm not that impartial. 

 

I am getting a bit (over)worked up because Paul and Mary seem to be prejudiced towards Ruby. I suppose they're not doing this consciously. It could be a case of them seeing Ruby as little fledgling that has just fallen out of the nest! So cute and helpless... :sarcastic:Bah! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well put poppyshake. We always have our soft spots, and I admit that I am rooting for Kimberley, so I'm not that impartial. 

 

I am getting a bit (over)worked up because Paul and Mary seem to be prejudiced towards Ruby. I suppose they're not doing this consciously. It could be a case of them seeing Ruby as little fledgling that has just fallen out of the nest! So cute and helpless... :sarcastic:Bah! 

:D

I am rooting for Kimberley too .. though I like Beca also .. either of those please :D

 

But I do understand that we can't taste the food and maybe Ruby's tastes extraordinarily good :shrug: .. it doesn't always look extraordinarily good though and that usually has more sway with the judges.

It will be a woman winner though  :cows: yay!! Pesky men pretending they can bake :giggle2: 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think I've ever laughed so much at Mel and Sue as I did last week :D .. hilarious .. I could watch them forever :)

 

Well, another week that Ruby was lucky to survive. Beca didn't have a brilliant two days either but that technical bake from Ruby was just a shocker ... and the state she gets herself and her bench into :o .. yet they never say anything about it (though others have been told off for being messy).

What is still niggling me is Paul & Mary's 'softly softly' approach with her .. when they walk up to her bench they already have this benevolent look on their faces .. like they are going to pat a dog or a child :D Contrariwise they already are looking sour when they approach Frances and they have to have a jab at her .. they bordered on rude this week I thought, though when it came to the finished product, they liked it all.

Of course it all hinges on taste but I bet it helps your tastebuds along amazingly when you're already pre-disposed towards a person .. and vice versa. Frances seems to have to do things to extra impress .. to live up to her marvellous finishes. She did annoy me with her early concept bakes but now she is just making things look gorgeous .. which should be commended. Ruby's bakes don't look all that nice and yet she's hardly ever told to work on that aspect.

Kimberley did very well this week so yay!! Some people think her over confident and smug which I think is because she smiles and is happy if she's done a good job (and is the reverse of Ruby in other words) .. there is nothing wrong in showing a little confidence.

Hope the final is a good one. May the best woman win :D  

 

As far as future TV stardom (and cookbooks and TV appearances etc) is concerned then Kimberley would be perfect. Frances is a little nervy (though it doesn't show in her bakes) and Ruby is just dreary.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think I've ever laughed so much at Mel and Sue as I did last week :D .. hilarious .. I could watch them forever :)

That was the best part of that bake off, they took it lightly, which is a good attitude. :I-Agree: 

Beautifully put, Poppyshake  :D about Paul & Mary being partial against everyone but Ruby, AGAIN!. :I-Agree: They reminded me of being at school, with P & M being those nasty bitches, who were really 'popular' :angry:

 

I hope that it will work out in the end, and I will be cheering " Go Beverley" :e010:  this week.

 

But, ou est le cardie de Ruby?  :giggle2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was a bit lacklustre I thought :(  and a little bit of an anti-climax. The showstopper was too difficult to achieve in the time scale .. consequently Ruby's and Kimberley's cakes looked a mess .. perhaps with a bit more time to finish they might have put up something to rival Frances's but goodness what an undertaking :o  It looked for all the world like they were going to give the title to Ruby until that last bake and there was no way they could talk away the problems there. She looked like they had run her through with a sword.

 

Kimberley just didn't perform :( .. the picnic pie was all wrong .. it was always going to ooze juice with all that fatty meat inside. Her bagels were the best but none of them resembled Paul's. Ruby's picnic pie looked amazing .. it looked very fiddly all that drying out of the vegetables but it obviously works a treat. Frances's wedding cake was a stunner .. especially given the timescale .. what she would come up with if given a few days Lord only knows. I would love to know how she made that edible confetti .. it looked stunning. It didn't look very steady on it's plinth .. it looked a bit lopsided but still .. it looked marvellous compared to the other two which were a bit amateur. This year they didn't have many people .. other than Frances .. who could decorate cakes etc to a high standard. Last year John, Catherine, Victoria and Brendan all were able to give professional finishes to their bakes.

 

Still, I was hoping that Kimberley might just somehow get the verdict as her cake tasted good .. all but that last tier :(

 

I will miss it .. especially Mel & Sue .. I hope they don't change or tweak it when it goes to BBC1.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was so disappointed at the end of the programme, I couldn't even get the words out.  I can't believe Frances won.  Throughout the series they have commented on her style over substance, and surely taste has to be the most important thing?  She was not the even best baker on the day from the comments the judges made on the night.

 

Having said that, the final challenge was awful, and doomed to failure from the start.  Who can possibly make and decorate a three tier wedding cake in six hours????

 

If you work it out on a points system, first up, the pie challenge.  Based on the comments of the judges, the contestants were ranked:

 

1. Ruby  (3 points)

2. Frances (2 points)

3. Kimberley (1 point)

 

Then the technical bake of the pretzels, ranked:

 

1. Kimberley (3 points)

2. Ruby (2 points)

3. Frances (1 point)

 

So after two challenges, that makes it:

 

1. Ruby - 5 points,

2. Kimberley - 4 points

3. Frances - 3 points.

 

Then it was that ridiculous showstopping wedding cake.

 

Ruby.  Decoration - poor colours and theme, little skill shown.  Taste/bake of top layer - excellent; second layer - over baked, but taste good; bottom layer - over baked, taste quite good.

 

Frances.  Decoration - good, but not great, all decoration on one side.  Taste/bake of top layer - not balanced between icing and cake; second layer - well baked and taste good; bottom layer - baked well, but rhubarb and ginger didn't work.

 

Kimberley.  Decoration - not enough skill.  Taste/bake of top layer - very good; second layer - well baked, taste good; bottom layer - dry but flavour very good.

 

However, during the post bake discussion, the judges then contradicted their previous comments saying that ALL Frances's layers tasted good and after the result was announced Paul said EACH layer was superb - that just doesn't add up?????

 

So, Ruby's definitely last in that challenge.  Based on the judges comments (and forgive me if I've got this wrong), they've said all along that Frances is style over substance, but the only way for her to win that challenge is IF they then rate style over substance, based on their first judging comments, and they've put her ahead of Kimberley, putting them all on the same points, and then as Paul stated in the final comments, it all came down to the Showstopper, which surely makes the rest of the contest pointless?

 

I thought Kimberley should have won based on the bakes on the day, but I also think it was ridiculous to ask them to bake a wedding cake, with three different flavours of cake, and decorate it, all within six hours, and expect it to be actually fit for a wedding!!!

 

All the previous winners have produced cook books, and I know I rave about Jo Wheatley's books, but I'd quite happily buy books from both Ed's from Series 1 and John from last year, but I would never buy a book by Frances, because too often the flavour wasn't good, so then I can only she that she just sticks to the decorative elements, and doesn't worry about the baking itself, which isn't the hallmark of a good baker, as far as I can see.  I know that shouldn't be a consideration for the judges, but it did strike me after the result was announced.

 

It was still a fantastic series, and I loved everything about it except that final week, and I also hope a move to BBC One wont change it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it would've been difficult to give it to Kimberley because her first bake was awful and her showstopper looked too unappealing plus they don't like it when decorations are bought in or whatever. Even with time I'm not sure she had the decorating skill to make it look beautiful but I wish she had thought of something more achievable and pretty. Perhaps if her last tier had not been over baked they might have at least debated over it. I totally agree that the challenge was a ridiculous one though and ought never to have been attempted.

 

I had a quick look back over all the episodes .. particularly at Frances and though Paul & Mary have moaned incessantly over her 'style over substance' .. there were only two episodes where they criticized her showstopper flavours (but it seemed like more because they mentioned it constantly before they'd even tasted anything). They loved the flavours of her secret squirrel cake, choc plait loaf, petit fours, mille feuilles/cream horns and chai tea loaf etc .. also I think Paul & Mary did both like the flavour of the bottom tier of her wedding cake .. they just couldn't detect the rhubarb (Paul said it tasted 'fantastic'). As for the decor  .. the only complaint was from Mary and that was just about the placement of the confetti but both of them seemed complimentary otherwise.

 

John pinched the title last year from under the noses of James and Brendan so I guess it probably does come down to that last bake.  It would've gone to James otherwise but he had a terrible final showstopper. Jo also probably hadn't been as strong as Holly throughout either (but thank goodness they chose her .. Holly was insufferable) but again she did a fantastic job with the showstopper. 

 

I think Frances' future probably lies in designing and making cakes .. for the rich and famous :D .. she did say something about a 'coffee table book' so I'm guessing it'll be full of ambitious bakes that won't be easily replicated at home. Someone somewhere said that Ruby could be the next Nigella?? .. not sure about that .. they are poles apart in personality but because she is a bit of a stunner she probably will get lots of media interest and that could lead to her own show. I hope Kimberley will bring out a book .. I think she would be excellent on TV so hope she's given the opportunity. Frances is a bit too awkward and geeky to be comfy on TV.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you're probably right, Kay, and I think I'm still more cross about the ridiculousness of the scale of the final challenge, giving them such an impossible task.   I have no interest in weddings, but do people have different flavour cakes in each tier of their cakes nowadays, and if so, could a professional baker even have achieved something impressive within such a short timescale?  Stoopid challenge. :irked:

 

I sort of think they made it impossible for the contestants to give that final wow of a showstopper, and on the day, it's almost like none of them really shone and deserved to win.  It's such a shame as I much preferred the first two series, where they had to prepare bakes for a high tea, which gave them the scope to do savoury, sweet, cake, pastry, bread, etc., and could work to their strengths while still needing to produce to a high quality, whereas this was very limited.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you're probably right, Kay, and I think I'm still more cross about the ridiculousness of the scale of the final challenge, giving them such an impossible task.   I have no interest in weddings, but do people have different flavour cakes in each tier of their cakes nowadays, and if so, could a professional baker even have achieved something impressive within such a short timescale?  Stoopid challenge. :irked:

I was amazed they got anything resembling three tiers tbh .. and .. though I think it is fashionable now to have fruit cake and sponge cake .. I've never heard of a three tier sponge cake incorporating different flavours. The cake part of a wedding cake is usually the simplest bit .. all your efforts go into the decor but they couldn't do that with this particular remit .. very annoying and I agree .. stOOpid :D

I sort of think they made it impossible for the contestants to give that final wow of a showstopper, and on the day, it's almost like none of them really shone and deserved to win.  It's such a shame as I much preferred the first two series, where they had to prepare bakes for a high tea, which gave them the scope to do savoury, sweet, cake, pastry, bread, etc., and could work to their strengths while still needing to produce to a high quality, whereas this was very limited.

My mum said the same .. a very disappointing final which was mostly down to the wedding cake showstopper. I preferred the other years too and even last year .. though they had to make cake .. it didn't have to be quite as elaborate (though I seem to remember James making hard work of it .. but that's because he gave himself too much to do with all those different cakes .. so he came similarly unstuck).

I don't know who decides on what gets chosen but if it's Paul & Mary then I'd like to see them make a wedding cake in six hours. I'm not convinced they make those technical bakes (I AM convinced they COULD make them .. but I bet they have minions to do it for them  :D)  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Oh I really like Samantha Bond :) .. many moons ago I saw an adaptation of Mansfield Park where she played Maria and have followed her ever since (not literally of course .. they have laws against that sort of thing nowadays :D) Very exciting .. I saw the trailer and noticed Victoria Pendleton .. I wonder if she's better at baking than dancing? :D Just looked at the line up .. some interesting names. Jane Horrocks strikes me as being quite meticulous so she could be good .. ahh little Ginny Weasley is baking :D The one I'm not looking forward to (and will boo and hiss at) is Jason Gardiner .. I know people compare him with Craig but there is no comparison in my book :blush2: I hope he makes a dog's dinner of it and incurs the wrath of Paul & Mary :giggle:

 

I don't know if I like the idea of other comedians hosting with Sue .. much prefer it to be Mel but it is all in a good cause so mustn't grumble .. if I can help it :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Dates for your diaries, Great British Bake Off fans ...
 
The new series starts on BBC One at 8pm on Wednesday 6th August.
 
In addition, (from the BBC Press Office) there will be a sister show called An Extra Slice on BBC Two at 9pm on Friday nights.  The show will be hosted by Jo Brand, who will be joined by three different celebrity Bake Off fans each week, and will shine a spotlight on the good, the bad and the soggy-bottomed from each week’s episode. There will be chat, unseen footage from the BBC One show and an interview with the week’s eliminated baker.
 
The studio audience will also be challenged to bring in a bake inspired by the week’s baking theme - be that bread, pastry or a cake - and viewers will be invited to share photos of their efforts too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't watch either show since we don't have BBC One (unfortunately) but just wanted to say it sounds really nice. I really like Jo Brand too, I've seen her on Britsh TV during my holidays in the UK. I hope you have fun watching it all, Claire :)!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really excited and looking forward to it  :smile: Love the idea of the extra programme .. should be a lot of fun. Thanks for the info Claire :) I wonder what they have in store for us this year? Will there be the same number of contestants do you know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I'm so looking forward to the new series on Wednesday. Although whenever this is on, it makes me hungry. :JC_cookies:

The idea of the extra programme sounds interesting. It works with 'Strictly Come Dancing' and 'It Takes Two', but will there be enough content to make 'An Extra Slice' interesting? We shall see!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know about anybody else, but I loved the first episode this week. I like almost everyone, there's just one person that I found irritating, but maybe that was just first week ebullience, and they'll grow on me. :D

I thought Nancy was great, and was pleased she won star baker, as I wanted to try all her bakes, especially those jaffa orange cakes, which looked fabulous.  I'm not sure based on what we saw that I'd have got rid of Claire (although she was always going to be a disaster with a name like that ;)) but I think it was probably close between the bottom three, so unless the two lads buck their ideas up next week, I think one of them will be out anyway.  Favourite moment has to be Mel and Sue fighting over licking out the chocolate mousse bowl!

 

Did anyone watch An Extra Slice with Jo Brand on Friday night?  I thought it was pretty good, and it was nice to have a little interview with Claire as well as the extra snippets of the main show, and just talking about baking generally.  I'll definitely keep watching if the first one is anything to go by, and it might improve even more once they get in the swing of things :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know about anybody else, but I loved the first episode this week. I like almost everyone, there's just one person that I found irritating, but maybe that was just first week ebullience, and they'll grow on me. :D

 

I thought Nancy was great, and was pleased she won star baker, as I wanted to try all her bakes, especially those jaffa orange cakes, which looked fabulous.  I'm not sure based on what we saw that I'd have got rid of Claire (although she was always going to be a disaster with a name like that ;)) but I think it was probably close between the bottom three, so unless the two lads buck their ideas up next week, I think one of them will be out anyway.  Favourite moment has to be Mel and Sue fighting over licking out the chocolate mousse bowl!

 

Did anyone watch An Extra Slice with Jo Brand on Friday night?  I thought it was pretty good, and it was nice to have a little interview with Claire as well as the extra snippets of the main show, and just talking about baking generally.  I'll definitely keep watching if the first one is anything to go by, and it might improve even more once they get in the swing of things :)

I saw the first episode of 'The Great British Bake Off' and was really impressed with the first bakes! Nancy and Martha are standing out for me at the moment, but you never know how things are going to change throughout the series.

 

I didn't get the opportunity to see 'An Extra Slice' on Friday night as I was out. Is this worth watching?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven't caught up with last night's programme yet but loved last week. I think I like everyone so far .. I'm even giving Jordan the benefit of the doubt :D I think it was a close call between Claire and Jordan as to who went home but Claire made more of a mess of her showstopper .. and it was over baked .. plus they didn't like her swiss roll. I didn't like the first few mins of An Extra Slice and couldn't go on with it but then I took a deep breath and watched it a few days later and it improved as it went along and I liked the fact that they give the losing baker a chance to redeem themselves and do the showstopper again (Claire was a lot of fun and took it all so well plus her showstopper looked amazing.) Nancy is stand out (I loved the look and the sound of those mini jaffa orange cakes) and she seems pretty unflappable but there looks to be lots of really competent bakers. Not sure how much further Jordan or Iain can go but then Ruby had a dreadful first episode last year and improved dramatically afterwards so you can never tell. Will watch episode 2 soon. It's making me hungry though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Up to date now or at least with the main programme. Loved biscuit week .. especially the showstoppers .. how brilliant were they? Thought in the end the right person went home but sad also as I liked Enwezor. His showstopper didn't look as good as anybody else's and it didn't taste good either .. also the shop bought fondant was never going to go down well with Mary and Paul. Actually .. though Jordan's looked a bit of a mess .. I did like the concept .. it was fun and a bit different to what we normally see. I absolutely loved Iain's though .. I know Richard's and Luis's (which I loved also) were probably technically streets ahead but Iain's is the one I want to make :D Nearly every one did brilliantly in that challenge. Surprised that most of them didn't know what a Florentine looked like .. hardly anyone got the zig zag pattern right. Martha did but unfortunately hers didn't quite have the right consistency. Diana just slathered on the chocolate .. tbh those are the ones I'd like to have tasted  :D 

Nancy still looks extremely competent, Chetna also .. Martha, Richard and Luis too. Kate seems to make small mistakes but is pretty good all the same and I like Diana. Still think Iain and Jordan won't last the distance but very happy for them both that they got some praise at last. Not sure about Norman .. perhaps a bit stuck in his ways and keeping things too simple sometimes compared with the others but seems nice and can bake well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...
  • 1 month later...

I never used to watch the GBBO but really getting into the spirit of it now.  The good thing about having Sky is that you can catch up with past series, although they don't show the series in any sort of order so now watched series 1 and 4.

 

Love the comments between Mel and Sue I find them so funny.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...