Great British Bake-off: The Final

[StrangerintheNight]

Just typed out a very excitable post only to find the previous thread, on which I was an avid lurker, had exceeded it's capacity. So if you don't mind, I'll start the overflow thread in the lead up to the Grand Final.

Hello all, anyone fancy joining us on the GBBO challenge thread?

The other point is that as the technical challenges have got more difficult James has shone ( he has won the last three) Brendan though has struggled , which would seem to indicate that he is fine with a recipe or when he has been able to practice but struggles without his instructions.

John could be the dark horse , his technical bake was very good this week.

I didnt see the last thread but got into bake off in the last few episodes. I just end up hungry though!

Wem I've seen all the compliments people have posted about your baking accomplishments, so no thanks to the challenge :)

I don't have a functional oven. And even if I did, I can't bake.

You mean you've seen through my oh-so-cryptic halloween name change? Damn. That's only sugarcraft stuff though, not actual proper baking. I have a pretty limited repertoire of basic cakes and I'd love to learn more. Bread too.

Perhaps challenge was too strong a word. How about GBBO workshop instead? :)

Think John would be adoptive or donor dad though (NOT that that makes one iota of difference!!). Agree he works himself up so much. But if he was laid back, wound his stuff work?

Sorry, just name changed for Halloween. Yes, maybe John needs the stressy adrenaline to produce his best stuff. I was quite warming to Brendan until he got a bit boasty, saying he'd done enough to get through to the finals. Now I've gone back off him again.

Brendan seems very clinical and self-contained; notice they hardly ever show any clips of him chatting or interacting during the challenges. From his comments last night he just wants to win and doesn't seem to be enjoying it much.

Definitely think the pressure is getting to John

Re - Brendan and chit chat - I thought he looked fed up with Mel last night when she came over to see him as he was completing the technical Frasier cake. She was chatting to him about it and he looked like he really wanted her to bugger off! But I can sort of understand why though. I get a bit annoyed myself if I'm busy and someone is prattling on about stuff. Must be very easy to get stressed out in that kitchen.

I think it's a shame Brendan is so hated. I think it's his accent, it's so clipped it makes him sound a bit cold and unlikeable. I'm sure he's perfectly lovely IRL.

Slight aside, but does anyone have Jo Wheatley's book? It's fab, and really geared towards lovely homely family stuff (as you might imagine!). I'm really impressed with it.

I don't like James at all! I think he tries too hard to be quirky and I thought his bicycle looked crap and his gingerbread barn was a mess and couldn't understand why they wowed over them. At least he seems to have run out of contrived ways to make things Scottish, that was getting really dull.

I like Brendan, his stuff always looks amazing and he can be funny and self-deprecating - he knew his birdhouse was awfully twee and loved his comments as he was applying mascara to the bluebird.

John is lovely, don't think he has a chance of winning but hope he doesn't let himself down in the final. One article says that he really wanted to be a baker but his parents forced him into academia and this is his chance to show them that he really can make a go of it. Bless him, I really want him to succeed.

I love James he is so cute.

I know his stuff doesn't always look that great, but I think it must taste fantastic if the judges reactions are anything to go by? We can't judge that from the telly sadly.

Violet Please don't count me as a Brendan hater! It's a shame he doesn't come across on tv as naturally as the other two, but that doesn't matter because this show has 'proper' judges rather than a popularity contest phone-in.

I'm not a Brendan hater either. I think he puts people off cos he's such a perfectionist etc but it has to be said he is brilliant. Personality wise - John would be my favourite but he is not the best baker. I think it will be tough to judge between Brendan and James in the final. Am very much looking forward to it!

Ooh, I'm so excited!

I'm watching later than you lot because on iplayer ... I may have to find a friend with a TV to watch the final in real time.

I was sad Danni had to go, I thought she was good and she came across in the last episode as so happy to have got so far. She seems like a nice, fun person, whereas the two lads, bless them, are quite annoying! And although she made a mistake, it was one mistake that had such a huge effect!

Does anyone else find this show is hugely inconsistent in what they tell you is difficult/easy? About 90% of what they do would have me with my hands shaking, gibbering in the corner - especially the sugar work and the way they follow recipes with half the instructions out! - but then they made a really big thing of how hard it is to get choux pastry right. It's not, is it? My big brother used to make profiteroles from the time he was about 7, it was 'his' cake, and I don't recall it ever going especially wrong.

I do like Brendan. What's the homophobic comments reference on the other thread?

I actually really like that they don't make a big thing of saying 'and here is so-and-so with his GAY PARTNER, they just show clips of them at home and don't comment, just as they do with Cathryn and her children. It's nicer.

To whoever on the previous page said they were craving patisserie but had to put up with Gregg's, I'm the opposite! I live in Paris and have patisseries coming out of my ears, but can't get a decent pasty, sausage roll or meat pie for love nor money! As for Chelsea buns and bake wells...forget it. Maybe we could arrange a little exchange programme?

I'm a big Brendan fan. I like his dry wit and although he can be a bit smug he is often quite self deprecating too. He makes me want to be retired and baking my way through the breads of the world...

That said I do love John and James too. Its the first time in ages watching a TV competition like this that that I can say I'll be happy no matter who wins.

James to win.

Brendan might be technically excellent but when faced with something he hasn't practised to death since the Seventies, he loses it, and more importantly, he lacks creative flair. James has serious baking skills, which because it doesn't always come off, or he loses a bit of focus, makes it look as if he is merely slap-dash; but really he is the more "natural" baker. Brendan rigidly operates according to his tastes (or those of a set recipe) and regards it an "impertinence" to deviate from them even a jot. I think a star baker has to have an element of risk-taking occasionally, as well as the overall skills. (Personality-wise, it has also been hard to like Brendan as he has come across as overly smug about his own talents and has seemed to operate apart from the other bakers.)

John is too hit-and-miss, sadly, but I hope he gets at place at the French patisserie school, that he spoke of.

Riverboat - that was me who said I was craving going to a Pattisserie but we don't have one where I live. I could probably find one in Manchester or Liverpool though, not sure, will have to look into it. Exchange sounds good to me! Was supposed to be travelling to France this summer but I had a baby boy instead so had to put it on hold till next year!

Wintera - There's a Patisserie Valerie on Deansgate in Manchester. Vair nice. A little pricey but lovely for a treat. They do a gorgeous croque Monsieur as well as cakes, pastries etc. It gets very busy with ladies wot lunch. And me

Thank you so much Iklboo - that is good to hear. I will definitely try that sometime soon when I am next in Manchester. Sounds great! Ta!

Marking place for final! So excited!!! Look, I'm overusing exclamation marks!!

Brendan is not smug he just has confidence in his abilities. Faux modesty is what really gets on my wick. Also I think Brendan is quite shy, and some people are perceiving that as arrogance, but agree that he is also self deprecating.

He seems LOVELY on twitter.

GO BRENDAN!

Auntgertrude I totally agree; flexibility is needed in everything in life including baking! JAMES TO WIN!!!!

Also James cannot win with such scruffy offerings even if they do taste as good as licking Ryan Gosling's thigh.

Sadly I have not licked Ryan Gosling's thighs. One day, one day . . . . . .