1367 – Dessert Week | Great British Bake You Off to Sleep C8/S11 E8

Episode 1367 – Dessert Week | Great British Bake You Off to Sleep C8/S11 E8

 

[START OF RECORDING]

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls…hello, bakers. It’s time for Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. Whoops, where am I? I haven't recorded an intro in about two weeks, so I totally got mixed up. I’m not used to being…well, I’ve recorded some on-location episodes over the past couple weeks, but those are different. So, I think I just messed up the beginning of the podcast.

 

Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, hello bakers, it’s time for the podcaster that doesn't expect you to be perfect or…you don’t even…perfection or imperfection; those are just words here that really are meaningless, and though I demonstrate…I can demonstrate one of the two of those. I’m very apt. Some would say I’m perfect…I’m perfectly…I’m perfect at demonstrating imperfection, or it’s…oh, I guess if I had many different taglines, it’d be like, now’s the perfect time for me to be imperfect. I guess that’s…that actually is a phrase that just popped in my head that kinda makes sense. It’s always the perfect time for being imperfect. How come that’s not on a valentine? ‘Cause it’s like June or something, Scoot. Oh yeah, you're right.

 

Okay, well, welcome to Sleep With Me. If you're already confused…I mean, clearly I’m confused about the time and the structure of my own podcast, but Sleep With Me is a show. It’s very different. It’s a sleep podcast meant to keep you company so you could fall asleep versus putting you to sleep. What that means is that I’m gonna be here and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep and just keep you company. So, that does take some getting used to. Just give the show a few tries. I’m just meant to be your friend here to keep you company in the deep, dark night, so just see how it goes. The structure we got coming up; support so paying for the podcast is optional, then a long, meandering intro meant to ease you into bedtime, not to put you to sleep.

 

You could fall asleep during it, but most people chill out, wind down…and then later on we’ll be running through an episode of The Great British Bake Off. I’m really glad you're here, and if you're new or not in a position or already asleep, don't worry about it, but if you get a lot out of this podcast…you probably heard me talking about it a bunch, you'll hear me talking about it again; if you're one of those 20,000 people out of a million…more than a million listens every month that get the most out of the show, that listen the most, that have listened the longest, and you want to opt in…you say, man, this podcast does make my life better, these are the ways you could opt in so we could do this for you and for all those other people every single week. So, thank you.

 

INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster who…oh, whoops, I messed up again. Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting…? I’m a little bit…it’s my first time in the studio in two weeks. Are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake.

 

That could be thoughts on your mind, things you're thinking about, things you're…yeah, thoughts, like thinking thoughts about the past, the present, the future, it could be feelings, anything coming up for you emotionally related to those thoughts or from…left over from the day or anticipation of tomorrow or feelings that are just there, feelings that are just making an appearance. Oh boy, love it when that happens. Yes, my fingers are…I have feelings when I cross my fingers, too. Say, oh boy, don’t do that. You say, wait a second, I don't even know…then I have thoughts about it, 'cause I say, wait a second, am I not supposed to cross both my fingers? Is there a difference between my left and my right? Is it double…?

 

I don't know. Am I not supposed to put them behind my back or am I supposed to? Fingers crossed…my feelings are gonna have feelings about it. I can't believe we talked about…that would be a thought, I guess. Do you realize…? How do you not know anything about crossing your fingers? Because I just never paid…no wonder it doesn't work for you. Yeah, I guess…is that really why? No, but…see? Okay, buddy. So, it could be feelings, it could be physical sensations, changes in time, temperature, routine, the old paper critic within my mind. It seems so intimidating ‘til you ask a couple questions, then it says, well, actually…I actually don’t have anything additive to give you.

 

You say, okay, so…yeah, but this is where these things that have…I’ve dealt with my whole life I can put to use in a positive way to help you fall asleep and keep you company. But also, whether it’s physical sensations or changes in time, temperature, routine, travel, guests, you're going through something, you're getting over something, you're in the middle of something, whatever it is that you're dealing with, I’ve been somewhere similar. I might not have been in the same spot you're in, but I think I know how it feels, and that’s why I want to help, because I know what it feels like for me; trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep, trouble waking up, all those things.

 

I just want to help if I can because I’ve been there, and even if I don't know how it feels for you, here’s the really good news about the show; there’s enough people listening that somewhere in the world there is someone listening right now who does know how it feels for you, who’s been there and has dealt with that kind of thing, like has been through something similar, and they know how you feel and they really relate to it, and they're rooting for you or they're feeling for you. They're holding a place for you or holding hope for you to get a good night's sleep. Or maybe not…or maybe and all those things, because they've been there and they know what it feels like. They can see you in that way that’s indirect and special, and they're lying in their bed thinking of you kindly.

 

That’s where the magic of the show really happens, and it is rebellious to just kinda think of someone kindly that’s been in that place we don’t like to go to or that is unpleasant, to say the least. They hope like, hey, I hope this podcast can help you like it helped me, and that one day you get that good feeling of being a indirect, welcoming presence to a new listener, because I can feel it. Even when I’m recording it right now, I can feel your side of it if you're new and you're like, what is this show? I don't even get this. What is this goo-goo this guy’s talking about? But at the same time, you know what it’s like for you when you can't sleep or whatever it is you're dealing with that brought you here.

 

But I also know the magic of the people out there that have been around a while, and they're like, man, I’m glad this person’s here. They're smiling gently in their bed or wherever they're winding down or whatever. So, that’s one part that’s important about the show. The other thing is you deserve a good night's sleep. You deserve a bedtime where you could get the rest you need so your life is more manageable, so you could get the rest you need on a regular basis, so that bedtime isn't something you dread or full of rigmarole. It’s something you could look forward to or at least feel neutral about. Well, I got that pod guy. At least I got that to look forward to, and he’s gonna go on and on and on. Because when you get the rest you need, your life is better, and that means our world’s a better place, and that’s the truth.

 

So, the way the show works is I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents. So, that means I go off topic, I get mixed up, then I forget what I was talking about, then I double back, then I get lost. I do all that not only because it just comes natural to me, but also it’s a part of just being here to keep you company. Did I say send my voice across the deep, dark night? I think I said that stuff, right? Lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones…just getting back into the groove here. A couple things to know about the show; most people don’t like the show or me when they first get here.

 

Actually, most people never like me, and I would say a third of people have much stronger feelings than that about me, and that’s okay because you still deserve a good night's sleep. I have a website set up, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, so if you decide the show is not for you, there’s plenty of other sleep podcasts nowadays out there and other sleep audio, and I have some of that listed for you. People are always coming up with new versions…so, just see…but when you first get here, see how it goes, 'cause most of the regular listeners, the people that are rooting for you right now that are mildly cheering for you, when they got here, they were confused, they were skeptical, they were doubtful, they were frustrated. They were like, where’s this guy going?

 

What does he mean with those catchphrases that he already forgot about about whatever it was being whatever it was? It’s always the perfect time for being imperfect. Always perfecting my imperfectionism. I could have…if there was a wheel…I guess it wouldn't be a wheel 'cause it wouldn't be imperfect, like one of those wheels you use to sharpen stuff or make yarn. I don't know what those things do. I don't know…I don't even know…I guess I forgot…I guess I was always perfectly honing my imperfectionism? I don't know. Some image popped in my mind; it was unrelated to words, and that’s why most people are confused when they get here and skeptical or doubtful. But on the second or third try, people say, oh, wait a second, now I realize he was serious about that.

 

He’s always going nowhere, always never getting started. He does believe it’s the perfect time for being…it’s always the perfect time…instead of whatever the happy hour clock is, it’s imperfection time somewhere. I guess maybe I should come out with a album; It’s Always…It’s Perfection…I guess I could never remember this stuff. It’s always imperfect time…if I had a team of people…come on, it’s imperfect time. I don't know, maybe we’ll get back to that with the Superdull or something, The Imperfects. Scooter and the Imperfects, always singing off-key. Yeah, we're not a doo-wop band; we're a [mumbles] band. Hardy, har, har. So, oh yeah, it just takes some getting used to. This is a show that’s mildly, barely humorous. So, just see how it goes.

 

I’m not kidding, either; I’ve gotten hundreds and hundreds of thousands of e-mails over the past eleven years that say that same thing over and over again in different ways; I never knew…on the third try I realized I never knew I was looking for something like this my whole life, that something like this could exist, because it’s a podcast you don’t really listen to. It’s like a out-of-focus painting, TV on in the other room or a show streaming under your pillow or sand running through your hands. It’s something you don’t quite grasp, but you can feel. It’s also a podcast that doesn't put you to sleep. Even though this is probably…it’s been a sleep podcast for over eleven years when this wasn’t really a thing.

 

I’m not even here to put you to sleep. There is no pressure to fall asleep with this show. I’m gonna be here over an hour so you don’t have to worry about when you fall asleep, and I’m gonna be here to the very end to keep you company while you fall asleep, because there’s people listening who can't sleep at all or who need a break during the day, and I’m here to the very end whether you're awake or asleep. That’s one of the things that works about the show. My job is not…is to tell you a bedtime story or ramble on and on and on and keep you company, and you don’t have to pay attention to me.

 

You just could if you need to, and…'cause my job’s to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your neigh-bor, your bore-bie, your bores, your boreman, your Boris Borlaf, your bore-bruh, bore-sib, bore-cuz, your best bore-friend f’eva, and to just be here and talk to you just like a roommate would or someone you're…but I can do it on a regular basis and I don't expect you to remember anything I said, but you could listen. So, that’s one thing. Don’t listen to me, don’t…most people don’t like me, it takes a while to get used to the show…oh, structure of the show’s the other thing I like to explain. So, our show is structured in a very specific way, but you can adjust.

 

But this is the way…if you're listening to this ad-supported, listener-supported version for free, this is the most popular way to listen to the show, is this version, linearly. So, most…that’s how most people listen. It starts off with a greeting, then there’s support so paying for it’s optional, then there’s a long, meandering intro meant to ease you into bedtime. If you prefer something without ads or you get so much out of the show…like you are a regular listener, you could support the show, but that’s nothing to do with the intro. The intro’s a show within a show, which we're like about fifteen minutes into now.

 

Usually it’s fifteen to twenty minutes long where I follow the same structure trying to introduce the podcast but I get off track in a new way every single time, or a somewhat-new way, and that way it’s like we're hanging out, it’s familiar, but it’s different every time so whatever keeps you awake can't quite adjust. I think that’s an important thing. The show variety is one of the important things about Sleep With Me, but a familiar variety. So, yeah, the intro goes on and on and on not just to put you to sleep. There is a small percentage of people that fall asleep, but most people, it’s to ease you into bedtime. As you're getting ready for bed, as you're getting comfortable, or as you're winding down doing some other chill activity, the intro can play.

 

If you prefer a show without intros, you could get that at any podcast app. It’s called Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me. But for most people, the intro is a nice time to have some distance from the day and just spend some time together. It’s, most of the time, the only part of the show people hear. So, the intro eases you into bedtime. Then there’s support, then there will be our discussion of the episode of The Bake…Great British Bake Off, and all told, I’ll be here a little bit over an hour to keep you company so you could fall asleep. So, just see how it goes if you're new. We work really hard, myself and a team of people on the show. We yearn and strive. We really want to help you fall asleep.

 

We couldn't do it without all of you, so thanks again for coming by, and if you're new or you're not…well, if you're in a position to support the show, it’d be great if you could refer people to the show or refer people to podcasting in general. But if you get something out of this podcast, if you regularly count on this show and it makes your life better, these are the ways you can give back so you can ensure the show is here for you, too, and everybody else that needs it. Thanks.

 

Alright bakers, it’s Scoots here. We're doing Collection 8, Episode 8, and we get our cold open. It’s a cherry bakewell. Where’s Matt, Noel says? Then the cherry bakewell talks. It says, welcome to The British Baking Show. Noel says, have you seen Matt Lucas? Tell him I’m looking for him. Okay. That was cute. Then we get all the talking heads. I gotta buy myself…I gotta find where I can buy…can I buy a bakewell? Oh bakewell, oh bakewell, can I buy thee? Where could I buy a bakewell, and will I like it? I don't know. We see jellies getting made, gelatinous cakes, it looks like, and some other thing with leakage getting made with the preview. Noel’s doing some different jokes. It goes in on a joke to the theme music, and it all starts nice and slow. Then we have the talking heads.

 

Hermine’s talking about the eggs in her fridge at home…she’s been gone so long. Peter’s like…is that…? That’s not Peter; that’s David. No coats on. It’s gonna be warm. Laura’s family’s happy. David’s family’s happy. Mark and Peter are a little bit nervous. Peter’s practice has not gone well, so he’s…this is the week he’s unsure about. We find…oh, Prue’s got great slacks and a sweater with, of course, her accoutrements; glasses and other things playing off one another. Okay, small…mini cheesecakes from scratch. They better have a base. A homemade base, or…? Yeah, a base from scratch. Yeah, a base made from scratch. On your marks, get set, bake, please. Peter has an aversion to cheese, so he hasn’t eaten many cheesecakes. He’s not like me; I over…I don't eat cheesecake 'cause I overdid it as a kid.

 

You don’t want to have a cracked cheesecake. Paul says, step it up a notch, by the way. Prue wants it full flavor and silky smooth. The base better have some texture. Peter’s…or David? Peter…David’s doing…no, Peter’s doing a oaty one. Prue says, tiny? It better pack a punch. Hermine’s multitasking. They better be exquisite and look beautiful, Prue says. Everyone’s been Star Baker once, according to Paul, and that means it better be sublime. What could possibly go wrong? Well, Mark’s glasses are fogging up. Start with that. Peter, what are you up to, they say? Ginger and lime cheesecakes. Oh boy, lime-pie-esque, lime pie vibes. What’s his name? Paul? He says, that’s what I would have done. Tiny take; some alliteration there. Ginger nut biscuit base with oats…biscuit base?

 

Is there a second alliteration right in a row that I noticed? He says, yeah, maybe I made some at home-ec at school. Noel gives Peter the same name as Steph Currie has, one of Steph Currie’s nicknames. Mark start…oh, Noel says, start with the biscuit. It better be good. A biscuit for a cheesecake; that’s what everybody’s working on. Oh boy, Laura spilled hers. But I made more; I made more than I needed. Hers is a honey and oat biscuit. Vanilla, passion fruit cheesecake, passion fruit curd, firm set…she says, I don't want it to be like last week. Last week was Ice Cream…Eighties Week with ice cream cake. Just focus. That’s the plan, man. That’s the plan, Stan, man, or whatever. Everyone’s biscuits are different. So, yeah, let’s get this common theme. Passion fruit extract for Laura…va, va, voom.

 

What’s that guy’s name? David? Dave. He’s doing a different interpretation; citrus cheesecake. Lemon cheesecake filling, traditional, but with a passion fruit and orange glaze or glaze. Some lemon…lime meringue kisses, not lemon…don’t kiss me with a lemon…kiss me with a lime meringue, please. There’s quite a bit of gelatin or gelatin in…what if it doesn't…? Well, the citrus makes it tough. Okay, cheesecake should be a mouthwatering blend of contrasting textures; a nice crunch, soft filling, cuttable glaze at the top. A lot of people are using different molds to support the thing, but Star Baker…reigning Star Baker is using…Hermine’s using jars, which…that’s the thing, man.

 

I was at a podcast conference and there was people giving out jars of cheesecake in a jar, kinda like a Phish song but without…passion fruit jelly meringue kisses. I prefer a meringue kiss. Isn't lime…? Oh yeah, I guess…yeah, but I just was stating my personal preference for naming my kisses. Okay, Paul is giving her a hard time. Are you gonna leave them in the jar? Yeah, in the jar. Oh, that’s interesting. Prue says, it’s gonna be wonderful, Paul. Zip it. Go outside…we're halfway through. Holy moly, everybody’s saying. Matthew, I want you to meet my friend, Mr. Spoon, Noel says. Do you remember him? I remember him. Let’s talk to Mr. Spoon. This is his cousin, Andre Spoon. So, they have a little character down…down to business, though. You gotta make your…cheesecake assembly time. ‘Cause how do you bake them?

 

Maybe a bain-marie, maybe a bain-marie. Bathing with bain-marie. If I ever did a show about baths, could I do that show? Just to pitch it a little bit further, I’d have…I’d like to have a baguette. Bathing with bain-marie. Can somebody remind me? I like how that sounds. I mean, in bain-marie’s bath, anyway, right? Bain-marie…bathing…bain-maries and bathing…bathing with bain-maries. I make my…you know what I’m saying? They say, no…what, are you Kramer now? Why do you have a…baguettes? Just 'cause it sounds good, and also I’m just imagining…maybe a beret, too, and barrettes in my bath with my bain-marie. What do they call me when I’m driving…what do they call Scoots when he’s driving in Germany? A bahn-marie. Why? Well, just 'cause I like to say I’m on the Autobahn with bain-marie.

 

Bon-bons would be another thing I would have there; you're right. Okay, anyway, a half-hour left. We may have…what’s going on? Oh, the spoon’s talking. I like how Noel moves…he’s…he plays things slow. I like it; patient. Can't overbake them or they’ll crack, but if they're underbaked, a weird, eggy mixture…you don’t…Peter…who’s that? Peter? He has a dip in the middle. Oh, some people are baking them in the oven, I guess. Oh, maybe a oven is water and a bain-marie. Like…oh, that’s Hermine’s 'cause hers are in a jar. Yeah, other people are baking theirs, like straight-up baking. Peter’s got some serious sinkage, not what he wanted to see. Now you gotta cool it down and slow it down and watch out for your cheesecakes.

 

Some people put them in the fridge, 'cause they gotta support the top. There’s fifteen minutes left. Passion fruit coulis…and curd’s thin for Peter, man. Slightly concerning. Central to the decoration. Should I put some butter in there, he thinks? I’m gonna try that. Laura’s chilling. I think hers are done. Dave’s assembling his. Gotta release them, release your cakes. Mark’s are hot. Laura’s are turned…oh, Laura’s turning hers out of the molds; not set yet. Five minutes, Hermine asks, and she’s answered. Mr. Spoon is in Matt’s chair. Andre the spoon, by the way. Okay, curd’s not good for Peter. Now it’s not usable because of the butter. The spoon’s talking. They're really distracting Peter. You could tell he’s trying to be polite, but he’s like, you gotta be kidding me. I’m on…I’m trying to get this done.

 

One more element that makes this difficult that you don’t…you wouldn't think so, but it does. Mark almost lost his off his counter. Laura’s having trouble extracting hers. Peter’s baking on the fly. He’s still trying to come up with a solution. Dave’s popping his. Mark’s are gonna be squidgy. Meringue kisses coming out for Dave. One minute left. Hermine’s doing her kinda detail work, too. Laura’s putting on a second layer. Wow, Hermine’s even got labels for her jars. Yeah, we got the final thing. Laura says, rubbish. Mark’s look more like quiches. No offense; they just…to me, they do. So, alright, put them at the end of your workstations, people. You got it. Alright, well, what do we got here? We got…I don't know. We got the tent and then we got everybody sitting, stroking their chins and…chinny, chin, chins.

 

Okay, Paul and Prue are about to check everything out. Hey, Dave. Hey, everybody. Celebration of citrus cheesecakes. Say, what in the name of alliteration? Very neat. Is bain-marie here? Yeah. By the way, I am. I’m with Andre the spoon. Bain-marie here with Andre the spoon. Custard middle’s delicious, Prue says. The texture’s perfect. Jelly’s thick and I like it. Dave laughs. Paul was concerned about the gelatin. Did you put it all in? I did. I thought it would be rubbery, 'cause I know everything. But you did a good job. You ticked all the boxes and it tastes good. Well done. Next up is Hermine. Hers…I mean, I’d buy one, honestly. They do look pretty. Paul takes a scoop. Prue makes a face. Stodgy. Not as silky as Prue hoped. Base is soft, says Paul. Couldn't cook with…in a jar. It sweats in there.

 

You got the moisture of the cheesecake and stuff. Not enough lime, either, or passion fruit. It looks good, though. Thank you. Oof. Mark’s up next. We get a shot of…what’s the guy’s name? The other guy. I can't remember his name. Peter? Stroking his arm for comfort. Too big and too thin, Mark, they say. They put them in their mouths. You don’t get any apricot ‘til you hit the apricot, or the vanilla. They should look neater. The apricot should have been everywhere, 'cause it was delicious when you did get a bite of it. Okay, okay. Noel says, well done, though. Peter; lime and ginger cheesecakes. We get a panning shot over them. It doesn't look like a cheesecake, Paul says. Mixture must be delicate. It’s formed a cauldron. They start to check it out. Drop some height…flavor’s lovely. Shape’s not perfect.

 

Getting the lime…ginger’s light. Nice flavor, but I’m not getting enough ginger. It doesn't look the best thing you've done. Thank you. He apologizes. Noel says, never apologize. Next up is Laura, and…remind us what’s in your cheesecake. Vanilla cheesecake; oat and honey base, passion fruit curd, passion fruit mango. It’s supposed to be a compote, but it’s a bit of a mudslide. It does look messy, but I like the consist…the base to the height, Paul says. Paul tastes it. Prue tastes it. They're thinking. Delicious, Prue says. Fantastic, Paul says. The textures are all there, which break through. Passion fruit’s there, but not overwhelming. Nothing the matter except the way it looks. She says she’ll take it. So, Dave and Laura so far did okay. We only have four people left? Or…no; five people, five.

 

Okay, so, I’m just trying to remember from when I watched the episode, because I was confused by the ending, but now I’m like, okay, I get it now. We get talking heads and mixed feelings, 'cause we got two people that kinda got a breath of relief and three people that did not. What’s our enigmatic gingham? Technical challenge is set by lovely Prue. Prue, any words of wisdom? Excellent bakers…you're not getting any extra ingredients, so get it right the first time. This will be judged…they're gonna take off, so don’t mess it up. Sussex pond puddings, is that what it says? Back to the 1700s. Sussex pond puddings, just for the alliterative purpose only. Pond puddings, Noel says? Pastry steamed to golden, and then the filling should come out when you cut it into a lemony, syrupy pond. Hermine’s look is worth a million dollars.

 

She says…her look is like, this does not sound appetizing or something any of us want to make. So, most people have never heard of this Sussex pond pudding. Maybe my nan would, but no one’s seen it before. Encased pastry, maybe, with a whole lemon inside, by the sounds of it, Mark says. Sussex pond pudding, Prue. Tell me about it, Paul says. A particular favorite. It’s not the prettiest thing in the world, but it’s surprising 'cause there’s a whole lemon inside. Two and a half hours…how are they gonna do it? Well, it’s hard because it’s a pliable pastry. If it’s too floppy, it’ll tear. You want it to squidge. Steam it as long as you got. Really, that’s what it comes down to. Puddings like this go far back in British history. Steamed pudding’s what we're known for.

 

You got the sweetness, sugar, lemon, butter, creme anglaise or whatever? I don't know how to say that. Silky smooth, kick of vanilla…delicious and beautiful. Five great bakers in the tent. Let’s see what they do, Paul says, 'cause this is delicious. Alright, so they're…everybody’s gotta…you gotta use a suet. Okay, and let’s try to get that…I’ve never used it. Most people have never used it before, so…what is this? Is this…what year is this, Hermine says? Actually, Peter has used it before for making dumplings. Lighter than you might think. Whole milk is the next ingredient. So, this is rich, man, but no idea how much to add. So, everybody’s like, you gotta be kidding me. Make it into a soft, pliable pastry. Why did Prue do this to us? This one, Hermine’s kinda really working her dough. She’s like, come on, Prue.

 

Suet breakdown, Noel says. Make it like a normal pastry? Don’t overwork it? Keep it cold? Let it rest? These are Laura’s questions. You gotta knead it ‘til smooth, somebody says, so keep kneading it, and then prepare and line your pudding molds, which I’ve interpreted as butter and line with flour? Self-raising flour plus extra for dusting…grease the sides. Peter has a parchment circle. It’s a tapered bowl, though, so Mark’s trying to put a whole piece of thing in there. How you feeling about pond…? Oh, we get a lot of plosives from Matt. He uses all the P words about pond pudding, 'cause he doesn't have to make a sleep podcast. So, he could use plosives more. Precision; there’s another plosive. A plosive is when you pop your Ps, but with a sleep podcast, I lean to the side of the mic.

 

We also have our amp…ideally keeps some plosives out, too. Alright, so, everybody’s mixing it. It’s time to put the pudding in the mold, man. Really? It’s gonna be heavy, medieval, even. Prick the lemons and place them in the pastry-lined mold. How much pricking should I do, eh? Mark’s gonna do a lot with a toothpick. Other people are using other implements. They say, sorry, Prue, this is not anything…you gotta be kidding me. Then you gotta put sugar and stuff and start lining the mold. Top the pastry with lids, then seal. But what are they…? Oh, top the thing with a pastry lid? I don't know. Crimp it, man. Should we crimp it, or what should we do? Maybe. I don't know. So, they got a top on there. I don't know if that’s the suet part or what.

 

Make two circles of paper and…but for foil, and put those around the pudding molds, which is confusing to everybody. Fold a pleat through the center and then cover. Everybody’s like, I don't…this confuses Scoots. Normally it doesn't confuse us. Everybody’s looking around about…what are they supposed…? They don’t know what they're supposed to be doing. Is it a handle to carry it or to pull it out? So there’s room to expand, Laura says. Cover the mold with pleated paper and foil. Secure with string and then across the top to make a handle so you could pull it out? I don't know. Prevent moisture…oh, keep it sealed. People are talking about making knots. There’s a knot in many people’s wheelhouse. Cross your fingers; there we go. Okay, Matt’s trying to cross more than one finger.

 

Okay, let’s see…oh, people are still having a tough time. Halfway through. Place them in the steamer and steam. How long are you gonna steam for? An hour? Don’t ask me. A hour fifty? I don't know. Is it like making dim sum, Matt asks? Can you put both of them in there? ‘Cause don’t you got…? Do they have to make two? I thought so. Maybe it’s only one. Oh, there goes…what’s his name’s…Mark’s having some tea. You gotta make a creme anglaise…creme anglaise, whatever. Egg yolks, cream, milk, tempers, vanilla bean…so, oh boy, that looks nice. Half a vanilla pod? Put a full vanilla pod in there. Thanks, Hermine. I believe in the same thing.

 

Egg yolk and sugar mixture…scram…don’t…you don’t want to over…when you're tempering things…I’ve learned this from my attemps to make nog, even my successful one, and then I tried to cheese-cloth it. That didn’t work. So, that was my last attempt to make nog. It tasted delicious, but you're supposed to put a cheese cloth…and I would have lost like ninety percent of the nog. Believe it or not, making egg nog costs more than buying it. But now the bakers wait. They wait, and they look out the tent and they wait and they do…what can we do? Noel says, let’s do something fun with string. Laura says, mess with Peter? Half-hour left, everybody, half an hour. Everybody’s just sitting about. People are trying to check theirs to see. What’s his name? His isn't quite there yet, Peter’s.

 

I’m not gonna use the string now. It should be fine. Oh boy, that’s…oh, Dave does have two. He takes his out. Then you gotta turn them out and serve. I think he took his out a little early. Well, one of his holds together. The second one did not. They're like pot pies. Both of his don’t…both of his leak right away. Five minutes left. Everybody else starts to take theirs out. We got soggy suet. Wet pond in the middle. Not much structure to it. Oh, Hermine’s…oh, or, no, hers leaked, but first it worked, her carrier thing. Let’s try another way of un-molding it; flip it. Okay, one of Hermine’s holds. One of Mark’s seems like it’s holding. Laura’s got leakage. Mark has one leakage. Peter’s got leakage. Looks a shame.

 

Sunken…and then you gotta make…put your creme relaise or whatever…so, some people have fifty-fifty, at least, at best, I think. Yeah, a couple people have…half theirs are structured. Okay, so, first up we start with who’s gonna…is Prue gonna be impressed? We don’t know. A whole lemon better be in there. Butter and sugar filling…and silky creme…whatever. Alright, let’s start with this one. Laura’s are both leaking, but you could see the shape. Pastry would have been good. Longer in the steamer…was beginning to flake, so that’s a good sign. Sauce is a bit thin. Taste is okay. Needed more cooking. Dave’s up. Are these…? Raw. Looks a good custard, though. Vanilla-y; nice. Needed sealing and longer in the steamer. Hermine’s…one’s shaped nicely. They look like they could have used a little bit longer.

 

Lemon’s hard. Creme anglaise is alright. Then Peter…collapsed on it, it has. Just raw it is. Another hour would have been lovely. Creme anglaise is nice. Spot on. Mark, you got a whole one, and…but it’s not cooked. Under-steamed. Prue, this is your fault, though. Really? I mean, it’s too short of a time period. Flavors are okay. So, this is interesting. At least it’s fair across the board, though, so…we go worst from…we're gonna rank it worst to best, right? Alright, who came in last, fifth place? Dave. Under-steamed, man. Custard was nice. Fourth place? Peter, man. Under-steamed, massively. Hermine; third. It was two hours…second spot; Laura. Oh no, second spot is Mark. Likeable ones, but needed longer.

 

That means Laura…I wish I could say it was wonderful, but it wasn’t much better than the rest, and your custard was too thin. Normally we would applaud everybody. This went about as well as the brownie part. Laura’s happy. She’s two for two. Mark’s like, at least I’m not…wasn’t last. So, Hermine and Peter are really…Dave did good in the first one, but those two are not comfortable, right? I’ll be honest; those are my two favorites, so…I mean, what…I’m allowed to…not…as far as bakers go, right? Those are who I’m…I don't know. Okay, slimmer and slimmer, the table talk says. That was a tough one. We had a technical; everyone did the same. Paul said, that was my favorite kind of pudding, man. They made a complete mess, Prue says. Prue says, I’m eighty years old, which blows my mind.

 

Paul says, I’m forty, and everybody has a laugh at that. Alright, so Laura won the technical and had a strong signature, so she’s in good shape. So, what else we got? Hermine, Mark, and David were all in the middle. It could go either way. Peter’s at the bottom. We haven't seen that before. So, he better do good because he’s at the bottom. Okay, so this is the showstopper challenge. Welcome back. Jelly art design cake…it’s a layered dessert, visually spectacular. Jelly art topping or coating…one element of cake should be a baked sponge. Noel, what jelly art would you make? Paul Hollywood. Oh, really? With lime. Okay. Four and a half hours for this one. On your mark, get set, bake. People get into the action here. Eating Jell-O is very English. Ready for the jelly. This is a first for the bake-off tent.

 

Baked element; mousse and jelly. Paul likes it. It’s a throwback. Setting of the jelly is a critical part. Many people use gelatin or agar-agar. Gelatin’s a bit hard to use 'cause you don’t know if you use enough ‘til you've set it in the fridge. If you use too much, it’ll be too hard. Thirty-five leaves of gelatin for Mark. Melt in warm water or something? I don't know. Too little, it’ll be like water. Peter’s like, yeah, I’ve used it before. You gotta put jelly into jelly to make your designs. It’s gonna take a lot of skill, Paul…or Prue says. Everybody’s a little bit worried 'cause…I mean, only Laura was pretty far ahead, so…they want five amazing bakes. They want everyone to win here, you know? Five fantastic bakers, so…Laura, are you gonna stay calm today? Bit of skill…a bit of luck for Peter. I hope it all comes together. We get a drone shot.

 

Mark, what’s up? Tell us about your cake, man. Mousse cake with a panna cotta insert. Some top…two layers, apple jelly…two-tier jelly, by the way. Gonna be interesting, as usual. That’s a lot. Last time, you pulled it off and got out in time, though. Chocolate and strawberry mousses, hazelnut meringue, chocolate mousse, strawberry mousse…jasmine flowers is his jelly art, and some other flowers. Injecting your flowers, eh? Have you done that before? Not a lot, he says. Okay, well, we want to see you get through to the semi-final, so do your best. It’s ambitious, but Prue’s got confidence. It’s ambitious. Try your best. Peter’s got some orange and cranberry flavors concentrated so it doesn't affect the texture and look of the jelly. Everybody’s using artificial flavorings, though.

 

Elderflower Mark was originally gonna use, but he didn’t like how it smelled, so…I say, okay, well…quite firm. Peter’s stuff’s firming up, so he’s happy about that. Oh, I think you gotta blind bake something. Or, I don't know, there’s different stuff going on; mixing stuff, making colors, fancy…you know, this is the decorative one. Noel is giving Hermine a hard time now about after dark when he flies in the sky. Laura’s making some fish. Fly, little fishies. She’s making a koi pond. Flower power koi jelly art cake injected with aquatic plants and fish, Genoise sponge, bavarois white chocolate, raspberry mousse. It sounds amazing, Paul says. What are you setting your jelly with? Agar-agar, I say. It’s professional, Prue says. Will it be clear enough? It does set clear. Is there gonna be a grasshopper in there?

 

No, that one’s just hanging out with me. So…okay, well, that’s interesting. Laura says, I need the luck. She’s setting her fish in some sort of mold, like jellyfish. I mean, not jelly or gelatin fish; pudding fish, almost. Dave’s doing a 3D-art beach scene that he’s doing into the upside-down bowl or right-side-up bowl for now, layer after layer, a New Quay Beach scene with guava and apple; clotted cream mousse, chocolate fudge sponge. I don't know if this would be my thing, though. I don't like chocolates and fruits together. It’s just two things I like to keep separate. They talk about Point Break, hanging with Keanu, him and Noel. Noel says, I’d be Swayze. Dave’s dad’s dog’s named Swazye. Respect, Noel says. So, he’s working on his cake. You gotta get your foundations right, man.

 

Genoise sponge…Laura’s Genoise. Genoise? Genoise. Hermine gets a kick out of that, too. You gotta make the effort. I like how they all get along. 170 for twenty or thirty…broad window for Peter. Mark’s working…he’s gonna do an airy meringue as part of his two tier…as a base for his two-tier thing, hazelnut dacquoise or something. Hermine’s sieving a cherry liqueur drizzle to her Genoise sponge, a little cake with alcohol. Hers is chocolate and raspberry mousse jelly cake…a giant poppy flower, kirsch syrup, chocolate, strawberry mousses, and a tempered collar. Paul says, is it gonna hold if we put our knife through it? Did it hold in practice? She said, I practiced them separately, so…never put one on top of the other yet.

 

So, this is gonna be the first time I do it. Prue says, have you done the jelly flowers before? A couple of times, she says. It can be…the jelly can split. Be careful. Good luck. Thanks. Gonna need it. Then everybody’s working on theirs. Laura’s showstopper…she’s looking at the fish. People are mixing their mousses. Melt-in-your-mouth jelly…Paul and Prue want to see a perfectly-set mousse. Cranberry juice Peter’s reducing down, and his base for his mousse. Dave’s making his clotted cream with gelatin in there. Laura says, I don't want it to be like my ice cream cake. I’m still thinking about that. Mark’s got something that’s turning gloppy on him. Peter’s trying to make his mousse less loose with corn flour. Make the custard base slightly thicker. Alright, well, let’s see what happens here.

 

My panna cotta’s gonna have some panna cotta…molded panna cotta shapes. Don’t slip up, man. That’s what somebody says. Peter’s doing a snow globe jelly cake…inside of a snow globe; Christmas decorations, orange and cranberry molasses, coconut dusted Italian meringue buttercream. Hello. I hope so. How long did it take to set in practice? He said, I don't know. I didn’t time it. You didn’t time it? That’s useful. We’ll find out today. Alright, one hour left. Fakey cakey bakers, Matt says. Righty-ho. Rinky dink. Okie dokie. I gotta get going, Peter says. Gotta get…everything’s cooling and setting. Mark cooked one of the things low and slow to give it a crunchy texture. Peter’s listening to his cakes. Laura’s showing her fishes, which look cool, and then she’s gonna put the flowers above them.

 

Mark’s working on his injected designs. A bit of a crazy technique of how…they have different-shaped things, even. Cookie cutting panna cotta; that’s what Peter’s doing. Oh, you bugger, somebody says. I think that was Mark. Peter’s even trying…oh, he’s trying to cookie-cut reindeer. Laura’s got a blockage on hers. This is like baking but not baking as we know it. Hermine’s waiting for her mousse to set. This is very interesting. This is different than what we’ve ever done this…since everybody’s been here. Laura’s checking hers. She actually has a clear bottom thing. Who’s that? Dave checks his. Hermine is…she’s really happy. Peter’s heating his bowl to melt the jelly…and now I gotta put the panna cotta figures in there. They're talking about…Matt’s talking about aluminum foil with Laura and Noel.

 

She’s trying to get work done. Noel says, Matt, you stay here ‘til you figure out the foil. Bottom of the jelly for Mark…put that on the flowers. Hermine’s gotta put hers in the fridge. She’s sealed her top. So, everybody’s trying to get theirs assembled, I think, so it can set again, almost like filling a bowl, 'cause there’s thirty minutes left. Oh yeah, you gotta set it and then get it…set it and don’t forget it, though. Get it outta the bowl. Okay, Dave’s gotta wait. Okay, Matt’s…okay, so, people are starting to put theirs together. Mark’s hasn’t quite set how he wanted it. Laura almost dropped hers. Laura ends up dropping her cake, but onto the thing. Dave’s been done for like a half hour. Oh, he’s waiting for his to set, I guess. Hermine’s chocolate collar’s going on nicely. Now Mark’s gonna try to put his jelly on his cake.

 

Everybody’s putting theirs in warm water to try to release it, the ones that are in bowls…or hot water. You could melt the whole thing, though, somebody says. Peter says, mine’s too melty. Oh, boy. Says, come on. We got multiple flips; Hermine, Dave…everybody’s flipping. Laura’s layer comes off. She didn’t use a bowl, though. Mark’s won't come out. Dave’s won't come out. Peter’s won't come out. Everybody’s begging theirs to come out. Peter’s is stuck. Blooming heck. Dave’s comes out, then Mark’s comes out. Wibble wobble. Jeepers creepers, Peter says. Not awful, though. Hermine’s comes out. Hers looks like something that was designed in…oh, Dave’s is pretty good, too…like in a professional…I don't even know. It looks like a piece of professional…oh, Mark’s looks really good, too. So, all the jellies look pretty good.

 

Please step away from the jelly art. We’ll see how they're judged, though. Wow, I mean, these are really cool things to look…I don't know what they taste like, but…look like lucite designs like when you see a kitchen or a bathroom with a lucite sink and toilet and stuff and bathtub with designs in it. Okay, this is big, though, because it’s all gonna come down to this. We start with Laura, who is in the most safest place, right? Flower power koi jelly art cake…they say, okay, it looks like a pond, yeah. I like the flowers and the bubbles. The koi is bubbling, right? They're fish. Paul would have preferred some kind of collar to make it look neater. The jelly’s nice and soft. They bite into it. Raspberry mousse is good. Thank you. Lovely, Prue says. Perfect, Paul says, every layer. The jelly melts in your mouth.

 

The elderflower works. Every single texture spot on. So, Laura is clearly safe. Could be Star Baker, it looks like. Okay, next up is Dave’s. His looks good. His is more of a watercolor-type look. It is three dimensional. David, absolutely astonishing. Colors are beautiful. Prue’s…colors exactly. Prue’s cake? This would be it. So, Dave’s happy. Clever. So neat on the inside, too. They take some bites. Nice and light. Fantastic. Melts in your mouth. Clotted cream mousse is the only thing Paul doesn't like. Too much gelatin. Stodgy. Sponge itself…I’m not getting any chocolate, so, I don't know. It’s dry. Okay. I wouldn't be so harsh, but my quarrel’s with the mousse, Prue says. Not as silky soft, but quite an achievement, David, really. Beautiful. Well done. Alright, so now David’s safe. Peter’s up next. They look at his.

 

Very abstract. Reindeer, snow person…okay. Christmas tree repeated…it looks like a snow globe. Oh no, it does not look like a snow globe. It needs bolder colors. A little pale. Needs more vibrancy. It’s a bit pastel. Okay. There’s mousse down the center. Not the easiest cake to cut. I don't know if these are properly set. Very soft. Okay. Overbaked sponge; you could tell by the color. It shouldn't be that dark. The flavors are beautiful, though. The main problem is the size, and the mousses aren't that set. It’s like a trifle. But Prue wants another mouthful. Well done, Peter. So, he was in trouble, and so, it seems like he’s probably still in trouble. Alright, Mark’s up next; apple jelly chocolate strawberry mousse. It looks curdled, not set, Prue says. This is gonna be interesting. Also, it’s on top of a board.

 

Oh wait a second, there’s a board in the middle of your cake or something? Oh, a meringue board, but…oh, so, they have to cut the two things separately. It’s very jiggly, so everybody has a laugh about that. Is this meant to be mousse chocolate? More like a ganache. The chocolate’s hard. The mousse split. Overbaked. Jelly’s too rubbery. Besides that, brilliant. I like the two-tier design, just not as a cake…or one piece. I don't think the concept was right. Alright, so Mark’s not in good shape, Mark and Peter, right? Hermine was not in good shape coming into this, but looking very impressive. Again, she’s got the dome one, which I guess Dave…they say, this could be a Parisian fancy place. It’s a perfect poppy, Prue…Prue says it’s a perfect poppy. They cut into it, take a bite. Paul pauses. Absolutely gorgeous.

 

Raspberry mousse; beautiful. It’s got the aromatic flavors. Fantastic. Layers are interesting. Poppy top…and you always make a good Genoise, so, a real triumph, Hermine. White chocolate ganache is delicious, too. Take it away. So, nothing to complain about. Thank you. Okay, so, Hermine’s in the safe place, so now it’s just down to David and Peter, right? Or Mark. So, Hermine’s happy, really…like really happy. Mark not feeling great. That didn’t go good. Could have done better. Peter, this kid, he’s got…this is the worst I’ve done. Not sure I’ve done enough. I think I have. We see a plane in the sky and then we go to table talk. Time for table talk. Alright, so, it was an amazing day today, Prue said. Okay, Hermine did amazing. Man, could be in a fauchon in Paris or something. It’s elegant.

 

Laura’s was good but untidy around the edges. Cake was great. Mousses were good. Topping; lovely. Dave was two halves. Top-half; amazing. Bottom-half didn’t work. Peter’s tasted really nice. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever done. Too big to cut, a bit. Noel says, geez, you should be able to cut a slice to show people. Mark’s…you couldn't even cut it. So, we had to take it apart. Could have stood on the middle part. Felt bad for him. So, it must have been worse than they even judged it, Mark’s. So, then they talk about the signature. That was tight. Everybody managed to produce some kind of cheesecakes. In the other one, nobody did great. ‘Cause it was four and a half hours; you can't just brush this off. Gotta look at the showstopper. So, this one must have been really close.

 

As a matter of fact, the first time I watched it, I didn’t…I thought…I was surprised at the outcome. But now rewatching it through your eyes, I was like, okay, it makes sense, and Mark’s probably just…so, first we’ll find out what Star Baker is. Star Baker is Hermine. So, that must have been close, too. But Hermine did just so good in the four-and-a-half-hour, day-long challenge. It was like, heads and tails above everybody else. Matt’s gotta say who’s leaving, and I’m sure this was a tough choice. Maybe it was based on past performance, because the person who’s leaving us is Mark. They're sorry. Mark says it’s okay. They hug around. The first time I was like…I was nervous just 'cause Peter was one of the people I was rooting for. I thought he was gonna go. But now it kinda makes a little bit more sense.

 

Even when I watched it, I said, okay, they did…they were…so, okay, so they give hugs all around and they say goodbye. He says, yeah, I definitely learned a lot. I should be proud. You should be. Yeah, I gotta give myself more credit in the future. Yeah, this was a big journey for you, so…started off badly, then as each week passed, you got better and better and better. It’s a shame to see you go. So, I think this was the second…was Lottie gone last week? That was another one that I was like, you gotta…what? Really? He goes off with his daughters, and Peter’s relieved. Laura’s like, I was really close to Mark’s. It’s tough. So, she’s teared up. He’s a real gent. Well done, Hermine. I can't believe it. I still think of myself in the tent wondering if that jelly was gonna set or not. She’s very happy that they liked the whole thing.

 

Prue calls her a clever girl. Second Star Baker in a row. Amazing baker. In the past she’s kept it safe, but she went for it this time, and it turned out beautiful. Semi-final’s next week. Four fantastic bakers, according to Paul. Who knows who’s gonna win. So, semi-final’s coming up. It doesn't seem real. Mind blown, Dave, that he made it through, and it ends. So, that’s it for this week. We’ll be back soon with Week 9 and then eventually Week 10 of this collection and season and series of The Great British Bake Off. Goodnight, everybody.

 

[END OF RECORDING]

(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)

Bake You Off to Sleep

 

Fingers Crossed

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55702/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-good-luck

https://www.plansponsor.com/tuesday-trivia-cross-fingers-good-luck/

https://www.bbc.com/videos/cjr4pz189zwo

 

GBBO C8/S11 E8

https://jenrosewrites.blog/2020/11/10/the-great-british-bake-off-season-11-episode-8-my-thoughts/

https://guiltyeats.com/2020/11/14/great-british-baking-show-season-11-episode-8-another-mediocre-week/

https://www.thetakeout.com/great-british-baking-show-dessert-week-recap-season-11-1845682105/

 

Sussex Pond Pudding

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/put-lemon-mysterious-history-sussex-pond-pudding/

https://www.cadburydessertscorner.com/articles/sussex-pond-pudding-a-history-and-its-delish-dessert-recipe

https://adambalic.typepad.com/the_art_and_mystery_of_fo/2007/01/post.html

 

Jelly / Jelly Cakes

https://patypixie.medium.com/the-delightful-world-of-jelly-a-journey-through-its-history-varieties-and-culinary-uses-fd9896cb87a9

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/jolly-history-jelly-ice-cream/

https://quaintcooking.com/2022/03/18/history-of-jello-poke-cake/

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Hello Bakers

Wait, where am I?

I just got so mixed up

I haven’t recorded an intro in like 2 weeks

Perfection is not expected here, har har har

A perfect demonstration of imperfection

Now is the perfect time for me to be imperfect

If you’re confused, welcome, so am I

Explaining the show structure

 

PLUGS

Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline; Referral Program

 

SPONSORS

Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressiv; Quince; Odoo

 

INTRO

Whoops, I messed up again

Thinking thoughts about all time

I have feelings when I cross my fingers

Intricacies of finger crossing

The old paper critic within my mind

Someone else has been through something similar

Holding place for you

I can feel it, I swear

The magic of the deep dark night united

Smiling gently in bed

At least I got that pod guy

Most people never like me

Always perfecting my imperfectionism

What is that wheel people use for honing things?

The Honing Wheel

Always never getting started

It’s Imperfection Time Somewhere

Scooter & The Imperfects, always singing off-key

We’re not a doo wop band, we’re a d’oh wop band

My job is to ramble so you don’t have to pay attention

Your Bore Friend, etc

Explaining the intro structure

The intro is a time to wind down

Discussing Bake Off tonight

 

STORY

Collection 8, ep 8

Matt is replaced by a Cherry Bakewell

Can I buy a Bakewell in the US?

Gelatinous cakes in the preview

It’s gonna be warm today

Dave, Mark, Peter, Hermine, and Laura

Peter’s practice has not been going well

Prue’s got great slacks and a sweater

Signature

Small mini cheesecakes with a base made from scratch

Peter has an aversion to cheese

I have an aversion but that’s because I ate too many as a kid

Everyone has been Star Baker once, so the standards are high

Peter – Ginger lime cheesecakes, ginger nut biscuit base with oats

Laura spilled her biscuit base

Laura – Honey / oat biscuit – vanilla and passionfruit curd

All these biscuits are different

Dave – citrus cheesecake with a passionfruit / orange glaze

Lime Meringue Kisses

A mouth watering blend of textures

People are using molds

Hermine is using jars

Cheesecake in a jar is really a thing

I prefer a meringue kiss

Matthew, meet Mr. Spoon’s cousin, Andre Spoon

Cheesecake assembly time

Bathing with Bain Marie

On the autobahn with bain marie

Noel plays things patiently

Peter’s has a dip in the middle

Oh Bain Marie is water in the oven

And some are just baking

Peter has serious sinkage

Straight to the fridge

Peter’s curd is thin

Laura’s are chilling

Dave is assembling

Release Your Cakes!

Peter’s curd is not usable

Stop distracting Peter right now, hosts!

Laura has trouble extracting

Peter’s operating on the fly

Mark’s will be squidgy

Hermine even has labels for her jars

Mark’s look like quiches, no offense

Time is up

Judgment Time

Celebration of Citrus Cheesecakes

Dave – Delicious custard middle, perfect texture, great thick jelly, ticked all the boxes, great taste

Hermine – I’d buy this, pretty, stodgy, not silky, soft base, not enough flavor

Mark – too big, too thin, not enough flavor, sloppy, needed more apricot

Peter – they’ve formed a cauldron, lovely flavor, not great shape, not enough ginger

Laura – A bit of a mudslide, delicious, fantastic! Great texture and flavor, just looks a little sloppy

Dave and Laura did okay in this challenge

Mixed feelings in the talking heads

Enigmatic Gingham Technical Challenge

Prue’s advice: Get it right the first time

Sussex Pond Pudding

Suet and a whole melted lemon??

You want the pastry to squidge but not break

A historical steamed pudding

Most people have never used suet

But Peter has!

Soft, pliable pastry

People are not happy with Prue for this one

How do you work suet?

Prepare and line your pudding molds

Matt uses a lot of plosives about pond puddings

It’s time to put the pudding in the mold

Should they crimp it?

Put two circles of paper / foil around the mold

What does that mean?

Even the audience is confused by this

Pleated paper so it can expand

Keep it sealed to keep the moisture in

Tie your knots and cross your fingers

Steam them in the steamer. But for how long????

Time to make a Creme Anglaise

That looks so good

Don’t overmix it, whatever you do

My last attempt to make nog

Now it’s time to wait

Believe it or not, making nog costs more than buying it

Dave took his out a little early

Both leak right away

Soggy Suet

One of Hermine’s holds

Mark has one leakage

Peter and Laura have leakage

Judgment

Laura – both leaking, needed more steaming time, thin sauce, okay flavor

Dave- raw, nice flavor, needed better sealing and steaming

Hermine – shaped nicely, needed longer, good flavor

Peter – collapsed, raw, needed more time, good creme anglaise

Mark – understeamed, but good custard

They needed more time, Prue!

Dave is last

Peter is 4th

Hermine is 3rd

Mark is 2nd

Laura wins the Technical!

Not a good technical overall

Hermine and Peter are really feeling it

That’ll be tough – they’re my 2 favorites!

Table Talk

Wait, Prue is 80 years old????

Peter is at the bottom

Showstopper Challenge

Jelly Art Design Cake

Layered dessert, visually spectacular

Eating jelly is very English

Needs a baked element, mousse, and jelly

Working with gelatin is tough

You have to inject jelly into jelly to make your designs

They want 5 fantastic bakes

Mark – Mousse Cake with a panna cotta insert. Jelly Insert.

Chocolate strawberry mousses, injected flowers, hazelnuts

Peter – orange and cranberry flavors

Everyone is using artificial flavors

This is a really decorative challenge

Laura is making a Flower Power Koi Jelly Art Cake. Genoese sponge, white chocolate, raspberry mouse

Hopefully the jelly is clear enough

Dave – 3D Art Beach Scene

He’s building his upside down

Guava, apple, chocolate fudge sponge

I don’t like chocolate and fruit together

They discuss Point Break

How do you say Genoese?

Mark – an airy meringue as a base

Hermine – cherry liquor drizzle through a genoise sponge, chocolate strawberry mousse and a tempered collar

She’s never practiced the whole thing before

People are mixing mousses

Peter reduces cranberry juice down

Mark’s is turning gloppy

Peter tries to make his mousse less loose

Peter – Snowglobe Jelly Cake – coconut dusted Italian meringue buttercream, HELLO

1 hour left

Time to cool and set

Peter is listening to his cakes

Laura’s fish look cool

Peter is trying to cookie cut panna cotta

It’s like baking but not baking, really

Laura has a clear bottom!

Assembly time before they set again

Set it but don’t forget to get it out of the bowl eventually

Mark’s hasn’t quite set right

Laura ends up dropping her cake…onto the stand

Hermine’s chocolate collar goes on nicely

A warm water bath to gently release the jelly cakes

Everybody’s flipping now

These cakes are stuck!

Peter’s is still stuck

Hermine and Dave’s look very professional

So does Mark’s

All the jellies look good, I guess

They’re cool to look at 

Like Lucite Designs

Judgment Time

Laura – Great look, Paul wanted a collar, nice and soft jelly, lovely flavor, Paul says it’s perfect, spot on!

Dave – looks good, astonishing, beautiful colors, neat on the inside, fantastic, light, too much gelatin in clotted cream, dry, needed more chocolate, but still an achievement

Peter – Very abstract, too pale to be a snowglobe, not easy to cut, very soft jelly, overbaked sponge, beautiful flavors, more like a trifle

Mark – Why is there a board in the middle of the cake? More ganache than mousse, overbaked, rubbery jelly, but brilliant flavors, not a good concept

Hermine – impressive look, fancy, absolutely gorgeous flavors, fantastic, perfect poppy top, a real triumph

Mark and Peter are at the bottom

Time for Table Talk

Hermine and Laura are tops

Mark’s must have been worse than they judged it

They have to take all challenges into account

I was surprised by this outcome the first time around

Hermine wins Star Baker!

Mark is going home

I really thought Peter was going to go

Hug all around

Mark goes off with his daughters

Hermine can’t believe it!

She’s very happy

Prue says Hermine is a clever girl

2nd Star Baker in a row

Semifinals are next week

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1367

Title: Dessert Week | Great British Bake You Off to Sleep C8/S11 E8

Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline; Referral Program

Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressiv; Quince; Odoo

Notable Language:

• Fingers Crossed
• At least I got that pod guy
• The Honing Wheel
• It’s Imperfection Time Somewhere
• Tiny Tastes
• Meringue Kiss
• Bathing with Bain Marie
• Release Your Cakes!
• Celebration of Citrus Cheesecakes
• Enigmatic Gingham
• Suet
• Plosive
• Soggy Suet
• Flower Power Koi Jelly Art Cake
• Lucite Designs
• Time for Table Talk

 

Notable Culture:

• Great British Bake Off

• • It’s Imperfection Time Somewhere, an album
  • Scooter & The Imperfects, a doo wop band
  • Boris Karloff
  • Cherry Bakewell
  • Steph Curry
  • Bathing with Bain Marie

• Seinfeld

• Point Break

 

Notable Talking Points:

• Whoops, I messed up again
• Thinking thoughts about all time
• I have feelings when I cross my fingers
• Intricacies of finger crossing
• The old paper critic within my mind
• Someone else has been through something similar
• Holding place for you
• I can feel it, I swear
• The magic of the deep dark night united
• Smiling gently in bed
• At least I got that pod guy
• Most people never like me
• Always perfecting my imperfectionism
• What is that wheel people use for honing things?
• The Honing Wheel
• Always never getting started
• It’s Imperfection Time Somewhere
• Scooter & The Imperfects, always singing off-key
• We’re not a doo wop band, we’re a d’oh wop band
• My job is to ramble so you don’t have to pay attention
• Your Bore Friend, etc
• Explaining the intro structure
• The intro is a time to wind down
• Discussing Bake Off tonight
• Collection 8, ep 8
• Matt is replaced by a Cherry Bakewell
• Can I buy a Bakewell in the US?
• Gelatinous cakes in the preview
• It’s gonna be warm today
• Dave, Mark, Peter, Hermine, and Laura
• Peter’s practice has not been going well
• Prue’s got great slacks and a sweater
• Signature
• Small mini cheesecakes with a base made from scratch
• Peter has an aversion to cheese
• I have an aversion but that’s because I ate too many as a kid
• Everyone has been Star Baker once, so the standards are high
• Peter – Ginger lime cheesecakes, ginger nut biscuit base with oats
• Laura spilled her biscuit base
• Laura – Honey / oat biscuit – vanilla and passionfruit curd
• All these biscuits are different
• Dave – citrus cheesecake with a passionfruit / orange glaze
• Lime Meringue Kisses
• A mouth watering blend of textures
• People are using molds
• Hermine is using jars
• Cheesecake in a jar is really a thing
• I prefer a meringue kiss
• Matthew, meet Mr. Spoon’s cousin, Andre Spoon
• Cheesecake assembly time
• Bathing with Bain Marie
• On the autobahn with bain marie
• Noel plays things patiently
• Peter’s has a dip in the middle
• Oh Bain Marie is water in the oven
• And some are just baking
• Peter has serious sinkage
• Straight to the fridge
• Peter’s curd is thin
• Laura’s are chilling
• Dave is assembling
• Release Your Cakes!
• Peter’s curd is not usable
• Stop distracting Peter right now, hosts!
• Laura has trouble extracting
• Peter’s operating on the fly
• Mark’s will be squidgy
• Hermine even has labels for her jars
• Mark’s look like quiches, no offense
• Time is up
• Judgment Time
• Celebration of Citrus Cheesecakes
• Dave – Delicious custard middle, perfect texture, great thick jelly, ticked all the boxes, great taste
• Hermine – I’d buy this, pretty, stodgy, not silky, soft base, not enough flavor
• Mark – too big, too thin, not enough flavor, sloppy, needed more apricot
• Peter – they’ve formed a cauldron, lovely flavor, not great shape, not enough ginger
• Laura – A bit of a mudslide, delicious, fantastic! Great texture and flavor, just looks a little sloppy
• Dave and Laura did okay in this challenge
• Mixed feelings in the talking heads
• Enigmatic Gingham Technical Challenge
• Prue’s advice: Get it right the first time
• Sussex Pond Pudding
• Suet and a whole melted lemon??
• You want the pastry to squidge but not break
• A historical steamed pudding
• Most people have never used suet
• But Peter has!
• Soft, pliable pastry
• People are not happy with Prue for this one
• How do you work suet?
• Prepare and line your pudding molds
• Matt uses a lot of plosives about pond puddings
• It’s time to put the pudding in the mold
• Should they crimp it?
• Put two circles of paper / foil around the mold
• What does that mean?
• Even the audience is confused by this
• Pleated paper so it can expand
• Keep it sealed to keep the moisture in
• Tie your knots and cross your fingers
• Steam them in the steamer. But for how long????
• Time to make a Creme Anglaise
• That looks so good
• Don’t overmix it, whatever you do
• My last attempt to make nog
• Now it’s time to wait
• Believe it or not, making nog costs more than buying it
• Dave took his out a little early
• Both leak right away
• Soggy Suet
• One of Hermine’s holds
• Mark has one leakage
• Peter and Laura have leakage
• Judgment
• Laura – both leaking, needed more steaming time, thin sauce, okay flavor
• Dave- raw, nice flavor, needed better sealing and steaming
• Hermine – shaped nicely, needed longer, good flavor
• Peter – collapsed, raw, needed more time, good creme anglaise
• Mark – understeamed, but good custard
• They needed more time, Prue!
• Dave is last
• Peter is 4th
• Hermine is 3rd
• Mark is 2nd
• Laura wins the Technical!
• Not a good technical overall
• Hermine and Peter are really feeling it
• That’ll be tough – they’re my 2 favorites!
• Table Talk
• Wait, Prue is 80 years old????
• Peter is at the bottom
• Showstopper Challenge
• Jelly Art Design Cake
• Layered dessert, visually spectacular
• Eating jelly is very English
• Needs a baked element, mousse, and jelly
• Working with gelatin is tough
• You have to inject jelly into jelly to make your designs
• They want 5 fantastic bakes
• Mark – Mousse Cake with a panna cotta insert. Jelly Insert.
• Chocolate strawberry mousses, injected flowers, hazelnuts
• Peter – orange and cranberry flavors
• Everyone is using artificial flavors
• This is a really decorative challenge
• Laura is making a Flower Power Koi Jelly Art Cake. Genoese sponge, white chocolate, raspberry mouse
• Hopefully the jelly is clear enough
• Dave – 3D Art Beach Scene
• He’s building his upside down
• Guava, apple, chocolate fudge sponge
• I don’t like chocolate and fruit together
• They discuss Point Break
• How do you say Genoese?
• Mark – an airy meringue as a base
• Hermine – cherry liquor drizzle through a genoise sponge, chocolate strawberry mousse and a tempered collar
• She’s never practiced the whole thing before
• People are mixing mousses
• Peter reduces cranberry juice down
• Mark’s is turning gloppy
• Peter tries to make his mousse less loose
• Peter – Snowglobe Jelly Cake – coconut dusted Italian meringue buttercream, HELLO
• 1 hour left
• Time to cool and set
• Peter is listening to his cakes
• Laura’s fish look cool
• Peter is trying to cookie cut panna cotta
• It’s like baking but not baking, really
• Laura has a clear bottom!
• Assembly time before they set again
• Set it but don’t forget to get it out of the bowl eventually
• Mark’s hasn’t quite set right
• Laura ends up dropping her cake…onto the stand
• Hermine’s chocolate collar goes on nicely
• A warm water bath to gently release the jelly cakes
• Everybody’s flipping now
• These cakes are stuck!
• Peter’s is still stuck
• Hermine and Dave’s look very professional
• So does Mark’s
• All the jellies look good, I guess
• They’re cool to look at 
• Like Lucite Designs
• Judgment Time
• Laura – Great look, Paul wanted a collar, nice and soft jelly, lovely flavor, Paul says it’s perfect, spot on!
• Dave – looks good, astonishing, beautiful colors, neat on the inside, fantastic, light, too much gelatin in clotted cream, dry, needed more chocolate, but still an achievement
• Peter – Very abstract, too pale to be a snowglobe, not easy to cut, very soft jelly, overbaked sponge, beautiful flavors, more like a trifle
• Mark – Why is there a board in the middle of the cake? More ganache than mousse, overbaked, rubbery jelly, but brilliant flavors, not a good concept
• Hermine – impressive look, fancy, absolutely gorgeous flavors, fantastic, perfect poppy top, a real triumph
• Mark and Peter are at the bottom
• Time for Table Talk
• Hermine and Laura are tops
• Mark’s must have been worse than they judged it
• They have to take all challenges into account
• I was surprised by this outcome the first time around
• Hermine wins Star Baker!
• Mark is going home
• I really thought Peter was going to go
• Hug all around
• Mark goes off with his daughters
• Hermine can’t believe it!
• She’s very happy
• Prue says Hermine is a clever girl
• 2nd Star Baker in a row
• Semifinals are next week