Great British Bake Off week ten

Bake Off week ten and we’re there, after bread, cake, pastry and a whole bunch of slightly odd themed weeks it’s the final three bakers. Three challenges left before they turn off the ovens and pack up the tent for another year.

If you’ve been following the series in the UK you’ll know that this season hasn’t been received quite as positively as previous years. I think there are a couple of reasons for this.

The first was the age range of the contestants. Previous series have had bakers from their teens to their sixties and seventies involved, this time around over half of the bakers were in their twenties and only one was over forty. In itself this isn’t a problem but I do think it hinders a large proportion of the shows viewers from directly identifying with those taking part. As a baker who would have significantly increased the average age of this years tent I can vouch for that.

The second issue that people had was with the judging on the show, in particular how harsh it was at times. Here I think the show has perhaps become a victim of it’s own success. There’s no doubt that the skill levels of the bakers is getting higher year on year and an inevitable outcome has to be the judges expecting ever higher standards. They just need to remember that however good the bakers are it is only an amateur show. If you set the bar too high it risks scaring people off.

Neither of these were major issues but I hope that the shows makers take them into consideration when the time comes for the next series.

Back to the final and as with previous years it wasn’t themed, so the bakers faced three random challenges. For the signature bake they were asked to make their ultimate chocolate cake, for the technical bake it was stilton souffles with lavash crackers and for the show stopper bake a surprise picnic selection

By surprise the judges meant food that wasn’t what it looked like. If you click the link there is an example of a cheese board selection that is actually made of cake. Definitely something to do in the Bake Off tent rather than a home kitchen bake.

As a confirmed chocoholic there was never really much doubt which of the bakes I was going for, but I have to admit to a slight hiccup in my plans as it’s not happened yet. After nine weeks of GBBO baking real life has got in the way this week and I’ve not been able to get my chocolate  cake baked in time for this post. When I do it’s going to be a White Forest Gateau and as they say on all the best TV cookery shows “here’s one I made earlier”

If you’re looking to make a special occasion cake, or just fancy some indulgence, this is gorgeous.

So that’s it for another year. Of the bakes I did as I followed along with the show it was the fig rolls  that surprised me the most. Prior to the bake I didn’t think I liked them but they are now a  firm favourite. Angel Cake was the first time as a home bake, I’d only known it previously as a shop bought childhood treat. Maids of Honour were the most intricate bake, I’m glad I made them I can’t see it it happening again. 

The big decisions to be made now are what takes the place of Bake Off on Tuesday evening and do I pluck up courage to have a go at applying for next year.