Great British Baking Show, PBS, season 2 (a.k.a. Great British Bake-Off, season 4)

(erica) #1

I think. Hard to keep track. This week began with 9 bakers, down from the original 13 (2 left last week). Again, the contestants are good sports. As an American, I was surprised to see thick, deep fruit pies with straight sides. On this side of the pond, a pie pan is about 1" deep, with sloped sides. Kimberley’s savory phyllo pie was my favorite bake of the episode. Ruby is about as accomplished as the previous season’s ingenue, Martha, but seems tightly-wound. I would not be shocked if she had a meltdown. Biscuits next week, which is to say, cookies.

Via Youtube, I skipped ahead to the last episode but won’t spoil the suspense. However, I do recommend youtubing “An Extra Slice”, the humorous recap hosted by Jo Brand. Only a few of these will stream on Americans’ computers.

(John Hartley) #2

Season 4 was the 2013 run here in the UK. As far as any programme about making cakes can have excitement, this series had it! Not so much within the show but gossip that there was favouritism going on. It even reached the serious news programmes.

Not as much contraversy as Season 5 where, in due course, overseas viewers will see the episode referred to as Bingate or Fridgegate.

I can’t recall the episode that grey is referring to but, in general, a traditional British pie dish is as the American one described - fairly shallow with sloping sides. However, deeper, straight-sided ones are also common - I’d think of them more for savoury pies than sweet (but I’m not a baker) I assume they had been told to use a deeper dish so as to make a pie that was more visually attractive for TV.

#3

All I know is that after seeing how badly mangled ALL of thr custard tarts turned out, I am less than enthusiastic about trying them!

Much of it seemed to be that the event didn’t leave enough time for the custards to cool and set properly, but yeesh.

(erica) #4

There must be a interval between when the bakers’ time runs out and when the tasting is filmed. If not, the bakes would be steaming when sliced, and the judges would burn their tongues.

#5

Fridgegate was something else!

If y’all wish to watch, episodes of the current BBC season are available on YouTube. Each week’s ep is usually online by Friday evening here in the States. A good season, again.

#6

but not much – not only did some of the damage to the custard tarts come from some ‘bobbling’ of the hot tarts, but a couple of the bakers said something along the line that they would leave these to cool for a couple of hours before attempting to take them out of the pans.

There have been a couple of random shots of Paul and Mary blowing on the taste on the fork to cool it off.

(Mark) #7

Fridgegate was the first season we got. Come to think of it, I wonder if that was by design.

(June Pickering) #8

Tonight is the final here in the UK for this season of the Great British Baking Show.
No spoilers from me. :slight_smile: