Where There's Cake, There's Hope...Bake Off 25

[GetSetFake]

The new series starts on Tuesday 2nd September and the bakers have been named. A few weeks earlier than recent seasons, so taking us nicely from late summer through to the cosiness of autumn.

No change to the team of Paul, Prue, Noel and Alison, which I thought worked well last year - it was a warmer and kinder programme than it has been for a few years.

The usual eclectic mix of contestants, but less of an age spread than some years - a lot of 30 somethings, no-one under 20 or over 60.

Anyone else excited for this season?

The Great British Bake Off confirms return date for season 16 and reveals cast | Radio Times

I'm not keen either, I think you can taste the actual grains of sugar in them. And the chocolate ones are too sweet, a digestive works much better with chocolate IMO.

Biscuit week really isn't my ' thing ' as I don't eat many biscuits - a KitKat is my idea of a biscuit.
So we didn't buy any biscuits to eat during this episode, tho if I'd realised macaroons were biscuits I would have found some of them for tonight.

Thus dd and I ' cheated ' I bought a fresh cream chocolate swiss roll in M&S ( after all there was swiss rolls last week )
and dd had a very expensive for what it actually was ! an individual dessert thingy which seemed to be a cookie style topping on a cheesecake base ? The packaging is in the bin so I can't say what it was actually called.
Thus her cheesecake base had biscuit as a base :) bingo ! biscuit week was ' sorted '

Bread week we equally struggle with.

As someone else mentioned - have we had a handshake in the last bake before ? yes he deserved it, I did think Pui Man did very well in that bake too.
Yes sadly it was Leighton's time to go.

@OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon

More than you ever wanted to know about the Hollywood Handshake. A couple of years old but the principles are probably the same.

Hollywood Handshake data analysis: Great British Bake Off www.swlondoner.co.uk/entertainment/08122023-gbbo-analysis-a-data-deep-dive-into-paul-hollywoods-handshakes

Good episode last night. Tom is a bit smug imho but that cottage did look amazing.

Pui Man was very lucky.

It did look amazing but IMO fondant has no place on a biscuit! And Prue is often rude about it but that did look so perfect I can see why she accepted it. And he did do other non fondanty stuff as well.

I thought Aaron would go. I need to rewatch it to see why I thought he would go but deleted my recording of it 🙄
Is it repeated I wonder ?

You can see it on All4 catch-up.

There’s a website that gives details of all the Hollywood Handshakes - but it only goes up to series 14 (we’re now on series 16).

hollywoodhandshakes.com

I don’t like hobnobs either.

I thought that. I think my reasoning was; he was mediocre to bottom in most tasks. And Leighton did fabulous orange biscuits.

I thought Tom was smug throughout this episode having been quite happy with himself last week too.

I wasn't happy that he got the first Hollywood handshake!

Hobnob naysayer here too.
I’m having to watch the day after because of the Sewing Bee clash which is annoying because I can’t escape seeing who goes out. But agree with the judges choices this week.

For those who know

I don't rate hobnobs either. Chocolate digestive is the king

I think it's a shame that they had this showstopper challenge whilst there were so many contestants. We barely got to see the biscuits that they put into their memory box because of lack of time.

I dunno, was he smug or was he just pleased to have done well? Hard to play it cool when you've just done something very ambitious and pulled it off. Though I think there a few too many "Shut-Uuuup"s. Maybe 2 from him and one from his boyfriend?

I didn't think Tom was smug. He just looked pleased. I remember Fran (?) who won the Bake Off before. She really did look smug quite often but maybe that was just her natural smiley face? Sometimes we can't help out expressions. People often think I'm miserable when I'm not!

Can anyone tell me what sort of biscuit recipe would work to make the biscuits which which the bakers made with pictures in them (like the baby and the dog faces) - thanks!

@spaghettijunction98 a simple shortbread would work for that sort of biscuit work.
1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 3 parts plain flour by weight. Add colour as needed and perhaps balance really wet colour with extra flour.

Are you thinking of Frances? I enjoyed her bakes, she was very artistic. The judges often told her that she needed to focus on substance (flavour) over style, which was humbling for her to hear, I'm sure. I think it probably was just her face that gave you an impression of smugness (as you acknowledged).

Yes - Frances. I agree - very artistic. Her final winning bake was a wedding cake and it looked streets ahead of the other two.

No! I think they're overrated and I don't mind saying it.
They're worthy and chewy. And no, the chocolate doesn't make up for it.

So...I am not a fan of Hobnobs but can report the recipe featured on the show is flipping delicious!

@GetSetFake Wow! They look great.

Well done, I'm very impressed! Maybe you'll be a future contestant...

Sat 😊