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

Booo not Nadia and her lovely hair! That's such a shame. Pleased about Aaron though (even though it probably should have been Jasmine)

I'll look forward to pastry week.

Hope you all have a good week; 'see' you on Tuesday 7th!

Ermmmm. I was brought up on them with an American mother and I say Graham!

Her lovely hair that she never stopped touching though!

Jasmine's coated chocolate biscuit was technically less demanding than Aaron's tempered piano, I think, though her overall dessert was clearly stunning.

Looking forward to making that pastry plait, I feel a giant sausage roll coming on!

Sad for Nadia but it wasn’t a surprise.

Love Aaron. @GetSetFake bakers who get lots of comments about flavours but don’t quite tip into the top are often late bloomers so fingers crossed1

Maybe commemorated rather than celebrated? Anyway, it was amazing.

He kept saying 'gram'.

Finding Jasmine a bit irritating.
Toby makes me laugh,he's quite endearing.

Correction then: in some parts of America Graham is pronounced Gram (possibly just the north-east) 😅

You'll never guess which part of the US I'm from

Oh so glad it's not just me. I've been irritated by Jasmine for a couple of weeks now. Her bakes are clearly good but I feel that in accouncing results hers get a boost in comparison with others. Eg the technical today. They seemed ok but not hugely impressed when tasting, said the white chocolate element got a bit lost (which it did) but then suddenly she's second and it's practically perfect!

I also lived in the north-east ☺️ It’s a known pronunciation thing: you can google it. Also frequently comes up online in those discussions of why Americans pronounce certain names “differently”…Gram for Graham, Creg for Craig, Hairy for Harry etc etc.

That just sent me down a Graham cracker rabbit hole.
They’re not quite the same as digestives, they have molasses rather than sugar, lard as the fat and a bit of salt. I was confused by Graham flour for a bit though, as I use Gram flour which is a very different thing. It seems to be wheat meal (in the way oatmeal is different to oat flour).

Well, OK - but we all say Graham (via Connecticut, Philad
elphia and New York!), Craig and Harry in my family (Hairy is just the way the English hear a slightly different vowel sound, I'd argue). But it doesn't really matter!

Cinnamon Grahams is a favourite cereal in my family!

Graham Crackers are nice. Not at all like digestives. Much thinner and crumblier witha distinctive flavour. Hard to describe really.

I like the sound of Graham crackers. Might have a go at making some.

They are really nice. It doesn't sound like Toby's were, though!

I agree, it was fab. Nataliia really has a talent for landscape makes.

Poor Nadia but she had a terrible week.
I'm so pleased for Aaron. That piano was jaw-droopingly brilliant, and he's such a sweet guy. I love him and Alison together (and Alison's burlesque name )
Toby has dodged a number of bullets now and I think he needs to raise his game or go. Nadia always tried so hard, and he seems to just wing it and get away with it.
Jasmine is an overachiever, but I guess medical students are by definition!
Lesley is so unassuming, but she's really good. She just gets on with it.
Iain makes me a bit nervous; he has a 'please like me' energy. He didn't have a stellar week this week and might be reaching his limit.
I quite like Tom; I like his ambition, and he makes me laugh.
Pastry week looks like a good one.

We always await the first sob nan story...although Tom's was "granny" this time, ....but hes over-egged it by mentioning both Danish granny and another granny, thats just greedy! (Krystelle -iirc- from a few series ago had a nan story every single week! )

These giant sausage rolls sound lush.

I'm here for giant chicken Kiev roll... yum

That sounds delicious and original.

Tom's - well, call me old fashioned but seriously there is no place for food colouring in pastry unless it's been asked for. Pastry should be golden brown only IMO.

Althoungh Aaron's pastry really ought to have some tumeric or saffron in it for that Jamaican patty colour...

Does anyone have a favourite to win the whole bake off?

Rushing in

made the hob nobs from prue,s recipe. Left out all the really sweet stuff

they were good