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

that black cheesecake was a monstrosity.

The 'standalone trifles' look more like gateaux than trifles.

Arghhhhh has dangerous Toby stuffed up at the end ????

I hope so and the judges don’t like it! Really find him so smug and over confident. Jasmine is amazing and just quietly gets on with it.

Jasmine's does look very pretty.

That doesn’t look like a trifle. Looks like a cake

I agree - these are gateauxs

Tom’s looks incredible.

They are just not trifles. Poor challenge

Oh dear, Toby's in trouble. I did like his - it appealed to the kid in me.

Poor Toby, he was doing so well this week till this.

I think Tom is getting a hard time on here. He has been stressed and panicked this week and I bet the constant narrating of what he is doing is exactly what they look for when casting. He seems like a bit of a baking nerd if anything and “the other 7 were rubbish” was clearly a joke.

I don’t like this week: those steamed puddings looked awful imo, including the model ones (supposedly?) made by Prue. I’m not a fan of trifle either ☹️

You can't call it an almond trifle Paul...... because Tom made an almond cake

I think Iain will leave. Not sure for Star Baker, Jasmine?

Oh, Iain's gutted.

Surely ‘trifles’ like that will always be a bit crappy as the brief itself is style over substance due to not being in a dish.

I'm a massive trifle fan, and a massive fan of cakes involving custard and cream and fruit - THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING!

Goes to look in the fridge...

Poor Iain he takes it all so hard. Think he’ll be going this week as Toms showstopper was very good.

Iain to go? A narrow escape for Tom? Toby saved by a strong performance in the first two challenges?

Iain should probably go, but I'd rather it was Tom, just because of that hideous black cheesecake.

Yeah brief was crap. Who wants a trifle like a big cake

Jasmine's - they liked everything
Aaron - they criticised flavour
Toby - cracked, something about flavours?
Tom - almond, dry
Iain - 'pale' flavour

I think it must be Jasmine for star baker and Iain to go.

Toms looked good but didn't taste good though - bland and too much extract.

Tom really doesn’t like criticism. Every week if there is a negative comment from the judges he automatically questions it unlike any of the others. He seems to survive even in weeks where he does badly so I suspect its Toby or Iain to go. I really hope it isn’t Aaron - he hasn’t had his best week but his ideas are a hell of a lot more appetising.

Trifles belong in glass dishes with lighter construction, not to be kept vertical by a mountain of gelatine and heavy sponge.

What about Aaron and his textures ? Could he be in danger?

Oh, that's right - with Aaron it wasn't flavour, it was texture they criticised. I think he did enough though, to save himself.

That seems to be a theme. Tom’s always look marvellous which may be why even when the feedback is really bad he dodges the bullet. Personally I’d rather have great flavours and a glitch on presentation than beautifully sculpted blue or black food which tasted awful of simply of nothing.