GBBO

[VikingVagine]

Seeing as the first thread is almost full, I thought I'd start a new one

For good measure, here is Monkseal's blog for this week.

[HighBrows]

I both cried and jumped off the sofa when they announced Frances as the winner. I'm delighted for her. She is so very lovely and sweet.

[VikingVagine]

The Times front page! at he bottom! it's not great quality, but I totally agree with you STG

[VikingVagine]

SDT even.

[VikingVagine]

SDTG ffs.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

It's OK - I answer to any permutation of my initials, Viking - and I get them wrong all the time too.

[TheHeadlessLadyofCannock]

I see what you mean . Posed and pouting like a starlet. Can't imagine Glenn or Mark being asked to strike that attitude if it had been them.

[Floralnomad]

I didn't care who won out of Kimberley or Frances ,but TBH the final was really disappointing and none of them would have come in the top 3 last year IMO. If it wasn't for sky plus I doubt I'd have stuck with this series as I wasn't really engaged with any of them after the first few weeks ,perhaps it was edited badly but I just didn't care about any of the last four.

[CambridgeBlue]

Think that pic of Frances was from the Radio Times shoot a few weeks back - they had all 4 semi-finalists plastered in make-up and pouting with kitchen utensils. They did look quite pretty but not very much like themselves and as you say, I bet they wouldn't have done that with Howard or Glenn (just imagine!)

[VikingVagine]

I'm now trying to picture Howard in the same get up.

[NoComet]

Also I see the DM couldn't resist a bitchy one of Ruby, what a surprise not

[ExitPursuedByABear]

The final was a bit ....... Dull.

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

I agree with Exit, was all a bit dull and meh


And daft to try to make a wedding cake in such a short time, no wonder they were all shite.

Was a proper anticlimax

[mignonnette]

It was dull. DH was so full of nervous anticipation that he poured himself two fingers of single malt to steady his butterflies. But as the show progressed he got a little bored and didn't need it.

Pretzels? Done so much better by the Hairy Bikers in Germany a few weeks ago. NOT the choice for a final.

[PoppyAmex]

"Pretzels? [...] NOT the choice for a final."

True, all the bakes were fairly average and I can't imagine the finalists from previous years producing such under par showstoppers.

[CbeebiesIsMyLife]

As a cake decorator I was disappointed in the choice of a wedding cake. I take 3 days to make a cake, how can you expect to make a good one in 3 hours!

[mignonnette]

Totally agree Poppy

Can you imagine what Brendan's wedding cake would have looked and tasted like?

Brendan was robbed last year. The finalists this year were not up to last year by a country mile although Frances' blog is gorgeous.

[difficultpickle]

They had 6 hours to make the wedding cake, not 3 which was more time than usual but maybe not enough time (or were finalists in previous years simply more talented?).

[mignonnette]

it isn't enough time. Cakes need to cool and settle before being placed on top of each other and decorated. Some decorations need to settle too. Icing needs to set overnight before being decorated.

it was a ridiculous task and chosen I think, to produce some screw ups and better TV.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

If I were to make a wedding cake, it would be fruit and would need to soak in alcohol for three days - 6 hours was ridiculous.

[CbeebiesIsMyLife]

Sorry I hought it was 3 6 hours still not long enough.

My schedule goes
Cake mix 20-30 minutes
Bake 1-3 hours (depending on size)
Cool over night
Slice and crumb coat
Settle for 30 minutes then buttercream
Leave 1-2 hours to set (if in a rush over night if not)
Cover in paste and leave to harden then decorate - 6 hours at least

No way could I produce anything I'd be happy with in 6 hours!
I was impressed with francess's as she kept it simple yet elegant, but it wasn't a fair task

[mignonnette]

Frances' blog has gorgeous rustic tiered sponge wedding cakes in it but I imagine the cream based filling would dissolve in a puddle under the studio lights and that is why she went for the cake style she did.

Here is one of them. Isn't it divine? So modern looking.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Crikey I could eat a slice of that!

[mignonnette]

There is a beautiful Christening cake and a Greenpeace cake on her blog that are similar in style. So gorgeous and actually not beyond the capabilities of many of us. They are just Victoria type sponges stacked up after all.

[difficultpickle]

Her cakes on her blog are lovely but, like her showstopper, all the three tier ones are lopsided.

[NoComet]

Time scale was impossible to do anything other than butter cream and minimal decoration, the other two, especially Kimberly should have spotted that.

There were faults in her toadstool. It's impossible to get fondant neat quickly. (At least it is if you don't do it everyday).

Me I'd have made masses of American butter cream and done roughly three shades of pink, getting lighter, spray luster and marbled pink fondant butterflies like Frances's confetti and added flowers if time.

And no way would I enter because arty cakes are where my baking skills stop, I buy pastry from Sainsbury's