Great British Bake Off Series 3

[Slainte]

I'm so excited, the new series starts next week . Link

Yes, he doesn't sound very Shetland-ish, does he? I like his accent and voice though.

[smitten]

at Paul Hollywood though.

I have a colleague who fancies Paul Hollywood. Don't get it myself. I'd want to smack him over the head with a rolling pin.

James is sweet, Scottish, has a rather nice selection of knitwear and a nice smile, is hopefully intelligent seeing as he's studying to be a doctor, seems free and easy with his booze, and can cook and bake. I'm not seeing the problem

On an actual baking note, what's the scraper tool they use when they're scraping dough around on the worktops? I don't cook or bake but I really want one of those scrapy things.

Just scrapers, I've got a couple which I originally bought for smoothing buttercream.

I like James's glasses.

I don't even mind his increasingly messy (and not in a cool way) hair.

[really smitten]

[much too old for him]

Letuspray- you can get a dough scraper for £1.99 here

www.bakerybits.co.uk

Don't they just use spatulas for the scrap-ey bits? I have silicon spatulas from Lakeland (best shop ever) which are ace.

Think I'm edging towards not liking Cathryn.

LadyClarice

Flip- that radio times link is good thanks now I want to know who he means and also cliques forming in the last series ? Ooo the intrigue

You mean the person who kept telling them they were going to win? I think it was that Stuart.

I LOVE those bread-dough scraper things and the action they use. Would love a go.

You're welcome here. I'm dying to know as well! Any guesses?

Thanks for the link flipin I must be so DOH 'cos i never noticed Brendan's accent as being Irish I thought he had a mid european accent!! sweet biog. of him.

Okay who said they didn't get Paul Hollywood's sex appeal? I bloody do !!! those blue eyes and that accent he was even cuter before he went so grey though; the stress of TGBBO has made him go grey and put on weight not surprisingly.

I do like james's accent as well though lady

The stress of GBBO has made me put on weight too .

I'm afraid PH reminds me a little too much of my XP, although I'm sure he's much nicer!

If it makes you feel any better I never would have identified Brendan's accent as Irish either :). He has a very clipped and precise way of speaking that sounds quite RP-ish.

I do like the bios on the Radio Times site.

James always makes me think of that actor in Little Shop of Horrors - www.amazon.co.uk/LITTLE-HORRORS-MORANIS-24X36-POSTER/dp/B0077PNKZ8

Yeah he does look like Rick Moranis now you come to mention it.

Confession time, last weeks episode for the first one I watched where I didn't want to try any of the things they made. Sweet dough just doesn't do it for me and I've always found celebration breads really stodgy and offputting.

Thanks for the link herethereeverywhere. I really want one even though I don't bake. It makes no sense.

The reviews made me giggle [immature]

Richard said ".......... The size, shape and level of rigidity work for me."

Javier said " ......... The best scraper I have ever used. I know it's a matter of taste (and hand size, and probably strength and/or kneading method) but for me this is the best model (right size, shape and stiffness)."

Hahahaha

Agree flippinada. Totally uninspiring. Whereas I've been making tarte Tatin regularly since they reminded me it existed!

I want a sheet you roll pastry on though, but I know a friend has got one for me, so I can't order one

Dough scraper here, highly recommend it, and very cheap. I have one for my sourdoughs (very wet dough) and I love it.

Not the same as the spatulas at all. Though I have silicone spatulas for scraping bowls, this hand-held plastic thing is ideal for using with bread dough on a flat surface, and dividing a dough into bits.

Agree about the celebration breads, though I do like a nice stollen. I've wanted donuts for a week now!

Would it be wrong to buy one even though I won't use it?

Mind you, I suppose I could - shock horror - start trying to make bread. According to the lovely James on his blog, it's very easy to do

LetUsPrey, I have a bean shaped scraper and I used it yesterday for puff pastry. You're not confined to bread dough. In fact, I think you could use it for all sorts of things, including scraping up mess from kids' arts and crafts.

There you go, better get one right away!

I stand corrected about the dough scraper! I do bake my own bread but as time is at a premium it mainly gets done in the bread maker which is probably sacrilege because your are NOT USING YOUR HANDS (except to put the ingredients in ).

Anyway, the point of that post was that bad is easy to make. I can do it the proper way, honest guv.

Bad = bread. Flaming smart phone!

No I like that bad flip like 'm'blud's bad innit?' !!

I even bake my bread by hand BUT I use non wheat flour and you don't have to knead it!! honest you just mix it well in the bowl. I still fancy a dough scraper though .

Yeah i agree James looks like Rick Moranis he looks a BIT like John too he's deffo not sexy.

I thought the celebration-breads challenge was v boring too. Stollen and the rest really don't appeal to me.

flippinada, bad IS very easy to make. In my kitchen anyway .

ppeat, I'm glad we see eye to eye about James, but Hollywood? No way.

Prey, thanks for those reviews.

'The size, shape and level of rigidity work for me.' [snurk]

'(right size, shape and stiffness).' [snigger]