GBBO season 5 - thread #2

[Dolly80]

Thought I better start another one (in case I lose you all next week!)

I didn't think Diana looked very well. She was nervous and teary but I suspect she might've had a more serious injury.
I'm glad Jo Brand went easy on her.
Not sure any of the contestants are quite as creative as Frances was last year.

I agree with ppeatfruit about them all being of similar standard. It doesn't make for exciting tv when there's no one to root for (not keen on Richard)I don't know who I'd like to win! Last year Ruby got on my nerves, so it was a better show imho.
Poor Diana. I still feel she's been done up like a kipper.

Thanks toldmywrath I enjoy it I hope that Mel and Sue aren't going though. I reckon that WOULD kill it.

I've got puff pastry down to a fine art now! It was a few years ago and I hadn't made it since I was a child (my mum and gran taught me), so I needed some reminder of quantities - I'm sure the GBBO book got them wrong . Anyway, I've done it often enough in the last few years to feel OK about it. Just need the time and energy.....

OMG Jux the amount of fat that goes into puff pastry I would put back the weight that I spent years taking off just looking at it!!

Diana looked very frightened to be on. I felt sorry for her. She's lost weight probably due to not being able to taste anything. Surprised by the crystal meth comment from Fay Ripley. Kate's really grown on me.

I miss Norm. I don't feel the same love for the other contestants although I agree that they are all pretty good.

I am hoping that Louis doesn't win though. IMHO he is the real villain of alaskagate

Just caught up with Extra Slice. I thought Diana was nervous about being on TV and I thought she looked lovely. I agree about why bother having Glenn and Frances on and commented to DH that all the guests should just stay for the duration of the show or even go and sit in the audience. I have perfected puff pastry, I buy it from the freezer section of the supermarket and give it to DH to do something with, simple!

Glad I'm not the only one missing norm. I hope people aren't getting bored with bake off, I love it. I'm with many of you though, there isn't anyone really that stands out this year

Late joiner, just need to put my pennies worth into the Princess Cake, it is heavenly when done right! You can happily cheat and still get a great result! Ready made marzipan green sheets for a perfect top can be bought from Ocado. Creme pat can be made from birds custard powder but needs to be thick and not too sweet. Use naice jam. For the cake use potatoflour instead of cornflour, buy at Ocado or health shops. Whisk eggs and sugar until foamy then fold in flour very very gently. Dont overbake! Dont sweeten the whipped cream, just add a touch of vanilla.

Lastly dont, DONT have the IKEA version. Its sickly vile and nothing like the real thing. To sample the real deal go to the Swedish Bakery in Rose Street in Covent Gardens. They have perfected it. Everything else they do is gorgeous as well, have a prawn sandwich, vanilla heart and a slice of Princess Cake. You will love it....

Princess Cake from the Swedish Bakery

Thanks HRH -We're not worthy ma'am!!! They do look lovely. I'll check out that bakery next time I'm in london do they do wheat\gluten free?

Oh that's on my list to visit in December when I go to London.

www.bageriet.co.uk/about.html

Cant link properly but im sure the owner who is charming, if you contact him he can tell you whats gluten and wheat free. Hes a young lad and is usually serving and baking so can tell you exactly whats in things. Everything is made fresh and baked by the owner. Its yum.

Thanks again HRH !

I watched the repeat today and am warming to Richard he's not an egoist which is nice.

How rude was Paul just taking a grape from Chetna's work station! Unless the editor wanted us to think it and didn't show him asking?

Was not inspired by this week's at all. The Swedish princess cakes looked frankly forbidding, and all that marzipan and sugar?

I'm chuffed that Chetna got Star Baker. I love her. I also now have a raging crush on Richard. I love his soft husky voice and his accent, and he's so self-effacing and cheery. He looks like a man very comfortable in his own skin and that's very attractive.

I just hope he can get his mojo back and not get sent home.

I hope M and S aren't leaving! It would be dull without them.

Diana was clearly nervous about being on telly/being asked about BakedAlaskagate, but she must have known she'd be asked and she could have come up with something better. Just saying her conscience was clear came across as very self-centred and defensive. She could have reiterated the stuff she's said to the press about calling Ian over to claim his ice cream etc. And 'silly boy'? Can you imagine the uproar if a man had said 'silly girl'? I don't feel very sorry for her or like her very much, TBH.

Fay Ripley (who is she???) was dull and her crystal meth comment was just silly. I liked the vegan chap though; funny and dry. Richard Corrigan was boring.

Looking forward to 'intricate pastries', although I think it's a silly name for a category.

I agree with nearly everything you say 0nlylovers not sure about fancying Richard though
I was thinking maybe they're running out of ideas for 'sophisticated' baking, they should go for more basic stuff which is sometimes harder to get right and shows real skill to perfect. E.G. using non wheat flour and or vegan baking, just ground nuts instead of flour or something.

They did wheat-free last year, I think, now you mention it ...

I do think they often go for things that are style over substance –and sometimes sheer volume over anything else, e.g. enormous tiered cakes or 48 canapes or whatever.

Oh well, just me for Richard then.

Just saying her conscience was clear came across as very self-centred and defensive.

But again that could be editing. She may have said "This is what actually happened.... so my conscience is clear". If she'd told the story in a slightly long winded way (which I think she would have done, as she tended to beat around the bushes a lot when talking) they'd almost certainly have cut it from a half hour programme-aren't they there for an hour.

Or she may have just wanted to be off as soon as possible, and felt that rehashing it would sound like me thinks the lady doth protest too much.

It would have been nicer if Iain had publicly said on Extra Slice what had happened, and said it wasn't her fault.

Morrisons used to do a version of those Princess cakes back in the 90s as dm used to occasionally get them.

only the Swedish Princess cake is actually not very sweet, the sponge is light as a feather and the cream and creme pat should not be sweet, just vanilla and a touch of sugar. I use fresh rasberries instead of jam and its lovely. Now for the Caramel monstrosities, talk about sugar rush! I didnt fancy trying any of those...

Yes one of the male contestants began as GF last year IIRC (too many capitals sorry!) but it sort of fizzled out.

Richard comes across as much less 'entitled' than Luis and a pleasanter person but he doesn't do it for me sorry

Oh, that's interesting about the princess cake. I think I have an issue about the textures though –I imagined it being squishy cream and squishy sponge and squishy marzipan ...

Yes, all the caramel stuff made my teeth scream

I don't think Diana said much more and it was edited out, going by the things Jo B said. I think she kept it brief. IMO she could/should have rehearsed what she wanted to say.

I didn't think Diana came across very well at all. Of course she was nervous but she must have known she would be asked about it and while I was sorry for all the flak she got at the time of The Incident, it was precisely that defensive, prickly attitude that got people's backs up.

I have to say, although I am enjoying this series, I'm beginning to wonder if the Bake Off's had its day. It's still good TV but they are definitely running out of ideas - some of the bakes this week were really obscure - and after 5 (?) series pretty much everything's been done before. I don't like some of the BBC1 tweaks either and even Mel and Sue are starting to grate slightly which I never thought I'd say.

OnlyLovers I will join you in the Richard appreciation society if you don't mind. He comes across as a decent human being, very grounded, not egotistical and too. All very appealing in a man, as far as I'm concerned.

My mid 20's daughter likes him too.

Oh and he doesn't take himself too seriously. Never underestimate this as a positive character trait.