Bake Off - coming soon! (title edited by MNHQ)

[MotherOfGodWeeFella]

Just seen the trailer...looking forward to it.

I always thought it looked like they were going off a step-by-step instruction list when they do the technical?

And it was my assumption that it specified they had to use the Bain-Marie method (or whatever it’s called) otherwise I find it hard to believe that every contestant would have coincidentally decided to use it??

I may be wrong though.

But it will say steam not bake - the skill is in knowing how long, how hot, how much water etc. I wondered if having less water in the Bain Marie might help, but may be it was just not do-able. I read that the Home Economists do make all the technicals to prove they can be done in the time, but that allows no latitude for hesitation at all.

Exactly - the fact it’s a steamed pudding makes it pretty clear that it has to be cooked via steam (the Bain Marie technique) which Tasha did not do.

I just went to re-watch that part of the show and when it comes to the bakers putting their creations in the ovens Tash herself (it sounds like her anyway) says, “It says to steam in a Bain Marie in the oven.”

So it clearly did say that on their instructions.

They do have instructions but it varies how complete they are. They never get a full step by step recipe that you would see in a cookery book, but sometimes the instructions are more complete than other times. I recall in last year’s series one of the technical challenges was lemon meringue pie and the instructions were literally ‘1. Make a lemon meringue pie’ and that was it!

I think Tasha just gave them a few minutes without water at the end. Tbh, if the judges aren't going to give people sufficient time to do a good job, then contestants are within their rights, imo, to modify the instructions

That would really have thrown me - I can't say I've made a lot of steamed puddings but I'm pretty sure when I have done, it involved a big pan and a trivet/can of beans, and no oven at all.

Does anyone know where Prue's shirt from yesterday was from? It was gorgeous.

I do make sponge puddings but I always use the microwave. I kept expecting one of them to resort to the microwave. Surely better to cheat a bit than to waste all that time and ingredients by just having something inedible?

Josh is looking like the class of the field, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he won.

But the judges don't see them making them, how would they know if they've not followed the instructions (unless the producers tell them)?

I think they'd used metal moulds, hadn't they? So couldn't resort to the microwave. Though that might have been entertaining.

I agree @TheMadGardener, I think Josh is getting stronger and stronger, and could win.

Yes I think Josh is sneaking up to potentially win. I think Josh, Tasha, and Dan for the final, but Cristy has some good days too. I don't think Matty deserves to be in the final but he produces some entertaining disasters so they might do it just for that.

The technical was funny, but so unfair with the timing. And to just discount it entirely was a bit unfair too, as some were clearly better than others - several got the syrup and cream right, where others didn't, and Matty's were definitely the worst, yet he didn't go.

I'll miss Saku too, she was funny and had interesting flavours, even if they couldn't taste them enough.

I liked Josh's showstopper, but Dan's sounded delicious too.

All the creme caramels looked a bit disgusting to me too, anything that has wobble usually does!!

Weren't those meringue bombs amazing.
I'm not a good baker so well impressed !

I was surprised that Matty wasn’t considered for elimination too- I thought he had a worse week overall than Saku. I’ll miss Saku, I loved her expressions.
Josh seems a strong contender I agree but (& I know this might make me sound heartless) I feel like he’s milking the grandma thing a bit too much. At first it was sweet but now it’s nearly every task!

Tash only took her puddings out of the bain Marie when she wanted to speed up the cooking. Considering they'd all already used that method for the creme caramels they didn't seem to realise that gentle heat takes longer to cook things. I have never cooked a steamed pudding in the oven though.

The way it's edited these days I find it impossible to tell who is the worst in a particular week. About three weeks ago I though Saku was going to go, but it was someone else. When the standard is similar they favour those who have better flavours as far as I can see.

We have bets on what episode they'll feature a "nan" story. Crystelle had lots of nan bakes a few series ago
(Nans are always featured in strictly as well - not sure why no one gives a shit about grandads - maybe they are featured in the woodwork bake off ...?)

It looked as if the edges on those bowls were rounded so they'd probably have been fine in the microwave - it's only pointy bits that cause spiking. But H&S might have told them not to just in case.

@Bennyandthevets Glad it's not just me who feels this about Josh's nan... 🙈

I don't understand why they didn't make the sponges first and get them cooking while they did the sauces. Or did the sauces have to be part of the sponge mix? I missed a bit.

It's then a shame we have no Nan stories in our family 😂

We do have our granddad though who served in the army as a chief , he made a meal for king George
And a rather good lemon meringue pie, recipe for he took to the grave.
I do have one of his old cook books that he literally wrote notes at the side.

I’m glad it’s not just me 🙈, I’ve been starting to find it almost comical. Funny that others have noticed a nan/ grandma theme. I do remember it coming up on bake off before. But yes, what about the grandads!
Just been reading a few pages back, @cheshirecatssmile, am I right in thinking Dan is your brother? What an amazing grandad story you have! That would have blown Josh’s nan stories out of the water!

#equalityforgrandads 🤣

😂😂

If they have a curry week they can bake some 'nan' breads 😉