1224 – Cake Week | Great British Baking Off to Sleep S10/C7 Ep1
Scoots will meander so much that you could bake a cake or two as we return to the gingham and the tent.
-
Baking Off to Sleep
Tab Soda
https://www.snackhistory.com/tab-soda/
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/save-tab-soda-interview
https://jezebel.com/that-shape-he-cant-forget-the-bittersweet-history-of-d-1845618613
The Magic Faraway Tree / Enid Blyton
S10 / C7 Episode 1 Review
https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/great-british-baking-show-recap-season-10-episode-1-cake-week.html
https://ew.com/recap/the-great-british-baking-show-season-10-premiere/
Fruit Cake History
https://www.harryanddavid.com/blog/fruitcake/
https://culinaryagents.com/resources/the-history-of-the-fruitcake
DOWN TO BUSINESS
You might be a new baker
Deep Dark Night United
Leah, Lynn (SleepPhones)
PLUGS
Hand in Hand; The Midnight Mission; Trevor Project; Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline
SPONSORS
Wild Health; Hello Fresh; Polysleep; Odoo; Helix Sleep; Air Doctor Pro; Zocdoc; Progressive
INTRO
Thoughts – I have those
Is this a wave pool of feelings?
The Feelings Kiddie Pool
Someone else can relate to your feelings
Pondering Powdered Sugar
Bedtime is definitely the wrong time for sugar (metaphorically)
My childhood relationship with powdered sugar
Am I seeing the trees for the hot dogs?
I hope I remember to get back to powdered sugar
Powdered Sugar, Sugar
You might have a taste sensitivity to SWM
The intro is where you really get to relate to Scoots
I think it’s the season before the last season I did … or maybe 2
Back to powdered sugar
Does powdered sugar taste different just because it’s powdered?
My dad used to drink Tab
The sugar substitute in Tab looked just like powdered sugar
Culturally, I’m Roman Catholic with the sub-belief that powdered sugar is used in Tab
This is probably a very obvious metaphor for something
STORY
This might’ve been Sandi’s last season
I might not be able to do this without Sandi
A mix of nice and interesting people
Wizard of Oz sequence
Maybe this is some stunt heels
A baker named Dan
Dan reminds me so much of Posty Posterson
Dan is the first talking head
13 Bakers, oh my days
At some point, 2 people will go home
Back in Berkshire
They’ll have to do a fruit cake
More than one currant, no more than 5
Paul talks about fruit cake
Amelia – Christmas cake with fruit and brandy
I like her pink hair
Jamie is using her grandma’s recipe
As is Michelle, from Wales
Noel and Michelle look alike
Steph is making something after her Grandma Rosie
Rose is next with dried fruit
Michael is also doing a chai cake
Henna-Inspired Frosting (HIF)
Alice and Dan are next
Dan is from Rotterdam
Jamaican Rum Cake
Noel really likes Dan
Multiple David’s
The halfway point of no return
Phil drives a truck
I think this is 2019
Priya is an aspiring novelist
Psychedelic Snowman
Al is next
They saw Wallace a lot in this
Jamie has a twin brother named Alex
Helena likes every day like Halloween
Spookifying a fruitcake
Noel is happy to see another goth
Henry sings while he bakes
On to the judging
Priya – effective, like a Wham! Song, light summery
Jamie – delicate, marzipan well done
Henry – very good to great
Amelia – naked cake, very moist, lovely flavor
Phil – beautiful, quite spicy, out of balance but close
Helena – no bat in the fruitcake, spicy, almost savory
Rosie – back to the drawing board
David – Lovely Looking Loaf, too much almond
Alice – gingerbread fruit wreath, could go back to basics
Michael – good flavors
Dan – nervous, rustic, raw in the middle, good alcohol content
Technical
Somebody says chuffed!
6 identical angel cake slices
Sop Job? What’s that?
A Genoese sponge has to be just right
Paul had great school desserts when he was a kid
Don’t overwhisk in the ribbon stage!
Balancing lemon, raspberry, and vanilla
A delicate balance with food dye
Sandi and Noel have a lint roller
Jamie gets some love from Sandi
Dan forgot to turn on his timer
Jamie tries to redo his sponges
Are the buttercream and meringue separate?
Only 5 minutes left??
Jamie’s cake is rubbery
I would not be good with this detail stuff
Feather Fondant Icing
Helena – not much height, rubbery, good flavor
Next – not much higher, not bad
Jamie – missing a layer
Amelia – delicate
Rosie – good flavoring and flavor
Dan – rubbery, good flavor
Priya – a bit tough
Michael – very good
Steph – not bad
13 people is a lot
Jamie is 13
12 is Helena
11 is Michael
David
Dan
Phil
Priya
Michelle
Alice
Amelia
Stephanie
Rosie
Henry wins the Technical!
Henry’s was excellent in every way
Dan’s gotta do well in the next competition
Only one baker is gonna go home
Childhood dream birthday cake for Showstopper
Spectacular & Sizable
What did they dream about as a child?
Helena – chocolate cake, fairy garden
Fondant Woodland Decorations
More like a fairy mountain
Michelle is making a Welsh fairy cake
Steph’s showstopper is based on dropping an ice cream as a child
Priya is making a Once Upon a Time cake
Henry’s doing The Magic Faraway Tree cake
Jamie – Schnauzer Birthday Cake
Jamie forgot to put eggs in his batter
Alice’s parents were dentists, so she didn’t have a lot of sweets as a kid
Marshmallow Rice Krispie Structures
Phil’s doing a space race cake
Amelia’s doing a carousel cake – very purpley and SWM
David’s will be a cool pet – kind of like a worm
Time to start decorating
Rosie is doing a jungle cake
She’s a vet, so she knows animals
When Michael was wee…
Making gold bars for a pirate chest cake
Full Gem Effect
Dan is making a Pirate Island Cake
Noel will not allow Dan to go home
Noel pretends to give himself a bowl cut
Cakes Cooled Construction
Dan’s cake is cracking
Have I had a fondant cake like this before?
30 minutes left
IsoMalt Waterfall
Phil has an unstable rocket
Time is up
Michelle is first – mushroom on a piece of wood, exquisite, tidy, great details, moist, faultless flavors
Helena – delicate, charming, great flavor, good job
Priya – cake looks clumsy, but good concept
Alice – impressive that it didn’t collapse, rough and ready, light sponge
Phil – cake is falling over, nostalgic, needs more sharpness
Henry – interesting
Amelia – restrained, ran out of time, pretty claggy
Steph – love the idea, a little dry, good flavors
David – amazing, well done, nice icing
Rosie – simplistic, Pru disagrees on that, great layers, interior works
Michael – oh my goodness, looks great, needed more chocolate
Dan – clever, don’t taste passionfruit, pretty good design
Jamie – his voice cracks, Pru likes the biscuits
People are worried about Jamie and Dan
Jamie is getting teary-eyed
Table Talk – Michelle’s was the best showstopper
Jamie and Dan are at the bottom
Noel gives good news
Michelle is Star Baker!
Sandi has bad news
Dan is going home
Jamie’s gotta pull it together
Michelle is fighting off tears of pride
A great first episode
PATREON THANKS
Theresa, Rachel, Catherine, Mark, Lauren, David, Michelle, Christine, Casey, Tim, John, David, JP, Michele, Thea, Christina, Nancy, Amanda, Adam, Pamela, Joseph, Katherine, Keeley, Hana, Kelsey, Jason, Michael
SUMMARY:
Episode: 1,224
Title: 1,224. Cake Week | Baking Off to Sleep S10/C7 E1
Deep Dark Night United: Leah, Lynn (SleepPhones)
Plugs: Hand in Hand; The Midnight Mission; Trevor Project; Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline
Sponsors: Wild Health; Hello Fresh; Polysleep; Odoo; Helix Sleep; Air Doctor Pro; Zocdoc; Progressive
Patreon Thanks: Theresa, Rachel, Catherine, Mark, Lauren, David, Michelle, Christine, Casey, Tim, John, David, JP, Michele, Thea, Christina, Nancy, Amanda, Adam, Pamela, Joseph, Katherine, Keeley, Hana, Kelsey, Jason, Michael
Notable Language:
- Baker
- Pondering Powdered Sugar
- Powdered Sugar, Sugar
- Henna-Inspired Frosting (HIF)
- Psychedelic Snowman
- Spookifying
- Lovely Looking Loaf
- Sop Job
- Feather Fondant Icing
- Spectacular & Sizable
- Marshmallow Rice Krispie Structures
- Full Gem Effect
- Cakes Cooled Construction
- IsoMalt Waterfall
Notable Culture:
- Great British Bake Off
-
- Alton Brown
- Tab Soda
- The Wizard of Oz
- The Magic Faraway Tree
Notable Talking Points:
- Thoughts – I have those
- Is this a wave pool of feelings?
- The Feelings Kiddie Pool
- Someone else can relate to your feelings
- Pondering Powdered Sugar
- Bedtime is definitely the wrong time for sugar (metaphorically)
- My childhood relationship with powdered sugar
- Am I seeing the trees for the hot dogs?
- I hope I remember to get back to powdered sugar
- Powdered Sugar, Sugar
- You might have a taste sensitivity to SWM
- The intro is where you really get to relate to Scoots
- I think it’s the season before the last season I did … or maybe 2
- Back to powdered sugar
- Does powdered sugar taste different just because it’s powdered?
- My dad used to drink Tab
- The sugar substitute in Tab looked just like powdered sugar
- Culturally, I’m Roman Catholic with the sub-belief that powdered sugar is used in Tab
- This is probably a very obvious metaphor for something
- This might’ve been Sandi’s last season
- I might not be able to do this without Sandi
- A mix of nice and interesting people
- Wizard of Oz sequence
- Maybe this is some stunt heels
- A baker named Dan
- Dan reminds me so much of Posty Posterson
- Dan is the first talking head
- 13 Bakers, oh my days
- At some point, 2 people will go home
- Back in Berkshire
- They’ll have to do a fruit cake
- More than one currant, no more than 5
- Paul talks about fruit cake
- Amelia – Christmas cake with fruit and brandy
- I like her pink hair
- Jamie is using her grandma’s recipe
- As is Michelle, from Wales
- Noel and Michelle look alike
- Steph is making something after her Grandma Rosie
- Rose is next with dried fruit
- Michael is also doing a chai cake
- Henna-Inspired Frosting (HIF)
- Alice and Dan are next
- Dan is from Rotterdam
- Jamaican Rum Cake
- Noel really likes Dan
- Multiple David’s
- The halfway point of no return
- Phil drives a truck
- I think this is 2019
- Priya is an aspiring novelist
- Psychedelic Snowman
- Al is next
- They saw Wallace a lot in this
- Jamie has a twin brother named Alex
- Helena likes every day like Halloween
- Spookifying a fruitcake
- Noel is happy to see another goth
- Henry sings while he bakes
- On to the judging
- Priya – effective, like a Wham! Song, light summery
- Jamie – delicate, marzipan well done
- Henry – very good to great
- Amelia – naked cake, very moist, lovely flavor
- Phil – beautiful, quite spicy, out of balance but close
- Helena – no bat in the fruitcake, spicy, almost savory
- Rosie – back to the drawing board
- David – Lovely Looking Loaf, too much almond
- Alice – gingerbread fruit wreath, could go back to basics
- Michael – good flavors
- Dan – nervous, rustic, raw in the middle, good alcohol content
- Technical
- Somebody says chuffed!
- 6 identical angel cake slices
- Sop Job? What’s that?
- A Genoese sponge has to be just right
- Paul had great school desserts when he was a kid
- Don’t overwhisk in the ribbon stage!
- Balancing lemon, raspberry, and vanilla
- A delicate balance with food dye
- Sandi and Noel have a lint roller
- Jamie gets some love from Sandi
- Dan forgot to turn on his timer
- Jamie tries to redo his sponges
- Are the buttercream and meringue separate?
- Only 5 minutes left??
- Jamie’s cake is rubbery
- I would not be good with this detail stuff
- Feather Fondant Icing
- Helena – not much height, rubbery, good flavor
- Next – not much higher, not bad
- Jamie – missing a layer
- Amelia – delicate
- Rosie – good flavoring and flavor
- Dan – rubbery, good flavor
- Priya – a bit tough
- Michael – very good
- Steph – not bad
- 13 people is a lot
- Jamie is 13
- 12 is Helena
- 11 is Michael
- David
- Dan
- Phil
- Priya
- Michelle
- Alice
- Amelia
- Stephanie
- Rosie
- Henry wins the Technical!
- Henry’s was excellent in every way
- Dan’s gotta do well in the next competition
- Only one baker is gonna go home
- Childhood dream birthday cake for Showstopper
- Spectacular & Sizable
- What did they dream about as a child?
- Helena – chocolate cake, fairy garden
- Fondant Woodland Decorations
- More like a fairy mountain
- Michelle is making a Welsh fairy cake
- Steph’s showstopper is based on dropping an ice cream as a child
- Priya is making a Once Upon a Time cake
- Henry’s doing The Magic Faraway Tree cake
- Jamie – Schnauzer Birthday Cake
- Jamie forgot to put eggs in his batter
- Alice’s parents were dentists, so she didn’t have a lot of sweets as a kid
- Marshmallow Rice Krispie Structures
- Phil’s doing a space race cake
- Amelia’s doing a carousel cake – very purpley and SWM
- David’s will be a cool pet – kind of like a worm
- Time to start decorating
- Rosie is doing a jungle cake
- She’s a vet, so she knows animals
- When Michael was wee…
- Making gold bars for a pirate chest cake
- Full Gem Effect
- Dan is making a Pirate Island Cake
- Noel will not allow Dan to go home
- Noel pretends to give himself a bowl cut
- Cakes Cooled Construction
- Dan’s cake is cracking
- Have I had a fondant cake like this before?
- 30 minutes left
- IsoMalt Waterfall
- Phil has an unstable rocket
- Time is up
- Michelle is first – mushroom on a piece of wood, exquisite, tidy, great details, moist, faultless flavors
- Helena – delicate, charming, great flavor, good job
- Priya – cake looks clumsy, but good concept
- Alice – impressive that it didn’t collapse, rough and ready, light sponge
- Phil – cake is falling over, nostalgic, needs more sharpness
- Henry – interesting
- Amelia – restrained, ran out of time, pretty claggy
- Steph – love the idea, a little dry, good flavors
- David – amazing, well done, nice icing
- Rosie – simplistic, Pru disagrees on that, great layers, interior works
- Michael – oh my goodness, looks great, needed more chocolate
- Dan – clever, don’t taste passionfruit, pretty good design
- Jamie – his voice cracks, Pru likes the biscuits
- People are worried about Jamie and Dan
- Jamie is getting teary-eyed
- Table Talk – Michelle’s was the best showstopper
- Jamie and Dan are at the bottom
- Noel gives good news
- Michelle is Star Baker!
- Sandi has bad news
- Dan is going home
- Jamie’s gotta pull it together
- Michelle is fighting off tears of pride
- A great first episode
-
Episode 1224 – Cake Week | Great British Baking Off to Sleep S10/C7 Ep1
[START OF RECORDING]
SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and my bakers…hello, bakers. It’s time for Sleep With Me. Welcome. You might be a new baker. You might be wondering, why are you saying ‘baker’ so much? I’d say, well, this is…tonight’s episode we’re gonna recap an episode of the Great British Baking Show or the Great British Bake Off, depending on, whatever, the titling rules of wherever you are. I’m so glad you’re here. This is gonna be our first episode covering…don’t have the details in front of me, but a…'cause then again…and then there’s collections and there’s series. But some of you might be saying, what…in the name of Mary Beary, could you get to the point, Scooter? I’d say, well, that’s not my…I’m here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff.
But if you’re confused, welcome to Sleep With Me. It’s a podcast that’s here to keep you company while you fall asleep, to be your friend in the deep, dark night. It is a bit different. It is a bit strange, and it’s all here to soothe you at bedtime and, yeah, take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep, basically. I’m here to be your friend in the deep, dark night because you deserve a good night’s sleep. Even if you never listen to this podcast again, I hope you hear that. You deserve a bedtime you don’t have to dread, that you could look forward to. I even have a list of other stuff you could try at sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou. But yeah, I’m here to be your friend in the deep, dark night, to keep you company, and take your mind off of stuff. Give it a few tries. See how it goes. That’s what most people say about the show. But welcome to Sleep With Me, the podcast that’s here to put you to sleep. Thanks for making it possible, my patron peeps.
INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, 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, whether it’s thoughts on your mind about the past, the present, the future, so thoughts, thinking stuff…thoughts; I have those. Feelings, it could anything coming up for you emotionally related to those thoughts or feelings that are there or feelings about stuff coming up, you know, feelings.
Sometimes they come in…people like to describe them with things like, oh, sometimes they come in waves. Aren’t we lucky? You say, I don't remember…I thought…is this a wave pool? I thought I was…if it’s a feeling pool, maybe I could be…is there a kiddie version of this? ‘Cause I prefer…so, feelings, it could be physical sensations, changes in time or temperature or routine. Could be something else. Whatever it is you’re going through, I’m here to help and keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep. But I want you to know you’re not alone, and I realize that’s weird to say on a podcast with all the pseudo-friendship or whatever they call it. But the reality of this show is…is that there’s…like, I can relate to not being able to sleep.
I can relate to trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep, dreading bedtime, and I might not know exactly what you’re going through, but I may be able to relate to some of the feelings you’re having about it. If I can’t, I know there’s someone out there that can that’s listening right now, and maybe somebody that’s going through the same thing you are. We’re all kinda looking at the same thing, that we deserve a good night’s sleep and we want the rest we need so our lives are more manageable. You deserve that. We can relate to it, myself and a lot of other regular listeners here. We also believe that, that if your life’s more manageable tomorrow, it’s gonna be better. If you start getting the sleep you need on a regular basis, our world’s gonna be better 'cause the world you inhabit will be better, and that’s important.
Again, if you never listen to the show again, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou has got other sleepy stuff. But that’s the main takeaway, and the way I do it is I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I’m gonna use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones and pointless meanders, which means my voice is not traditionally soothing, but you say, well, it’s not that bad. So, it’s pointless meanders, superfluous tangents, all to…so, that means I repeat myself, which you’ve probably heard a few times already, then I get mixed up, then I double back, then I say, wait a second…and then I’ll ponder something. Right now I may be pondering…for some reason, my brain is pondering powdered sugar.
I don't know if powdered sugar has ever come up on this podcast before, and I don't know if I have…I don't know if it’s…this is definitely the wrong way to use…I don't know…you say, it’s the wrong…bedtime? Wrong time for powdered sugar. I can almost guarantee it. Of all the sugars…well, it’s probably the softest. You don’t want any sugar in your bed. I mean, well, metaphorical sugar, sure. ‘Cause you probably say, hey, move over, sugar, I’m coming in to snuggle you. But powdered sugar, probably not. Turbino…whatever that sugar is that’s extra grainy…extra-grainy sugar; for sure no. But my brain…it just popped in my brain. It says, what about powdered sugar? I say, did you notice I’m in the middle of introducing a sleep podcast to new listeners? Oh, yeah.
I was just thinking about…don’t…have you ever talked on the podcast before about our childhood relationship with powdered sugar? You’ve never told anyone…? This is going through my head right now, and it’s true. I don't think you’ve ever told anyone in your life your theories about powdered sugar. I’d say, you’re right, but this probably isn’t the best time. But that’s a pointless meander. Maybe we’ll get back to it, powdered sugar brain, 'cause I think it is a valid thing. Maybe it’s relatable to somebody. But so, don't worry, I’ll…if you’re one of those people…a completist, I’ll try to…I’ll cross my fingers so I could get back to it. But so, what else do you need to know? It’s a podcast you don’t really listen to. You kinda just barely listen, just like a out-of-focus painting or something.
You say, well, I can kinda see what you’re talking about. Or if you’re humoring someone that sees something you don’t see, you say, okay…oh, so those are the trees. I thought they were hot dogs, but okay, those are the trees. Oh, wow, that’s…am I seeing the trees for the forest or the forest for the trees? You don’t mind me saying. Hardy-har-har-har. Oh, no. Okay, okay…oh, no…oh, so those are tree trunks; okay, that makes more sense. Tree trunks, hot dogs, there’s some…okay. So, that’s kinda…you say, none of that made any sense. I say, well, that’s kinda the podcast. So, listening is optional. You can listen. Here’s the thing; if you can't sleep or you need a break during the day, I’m here to the very end. It’s just for you, listening to me is optional.
So, the ideal thing is you kinda listen and you say, well, I was waiting to hear what you were gonna talk about about something, but I almost think you forgot what you were gonna talk about. Powder…I just remembered; powered…I wonder if he’ll get back to that. Then tomorrow maybe you’ll…you’ll have fallen asleep; you say, I don't know…honey, when did you fall asleep during that sleep thing? I don't know. No idea. But you know what, honey? I’ve been meaning to tell you; you powder my sugar, sugar. Oh, thanks. I don't understand what that means but I feel like it’s a compliment…I appreciate the…that’s a sentimental sentiment I could get behind. No, no, literally, I’m asking you to…do you know the process about powdering…? No, so, I’ll see you at dinner later. Bye. Oh, so, this is a podcast you don’t really listen to.
It’s also a podcast that doesn’t put you to sleep, which this was kinda the first sleep podcast around, so that might be a shocker for you. So, you don’t put me to sleep? I say, no, I’m here to keep you company whether you’re awake or asleep, to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your bore-bestie, your neigh-bore, your friend in the deep, dark night, your…what, a bore-bor, neigh-bore, bore-bruh, to keep you company, just like if you were calling somebody and you were like, hey, tell me about different things in your pantry. This would be probably the perfect podcast for you. I’m here to be here, but that’s what kinda works about the podcast.
There’s people that listen who can't sleep or who need a break during the day, and I’m here for them to the very end, but that also works for the people that are already asleep not really listening, too, or that have me turned down to a mumble. Now, another thing you need to know about the show is it doesn’t work for everybody, but it almost works for no one on the first try. There are a percentage of people…I don't know, 10%, 20% of people that it…right away they said, oh, this is my cup of tea. Like, this is what I’ve been looking for for my whole life. You say, I’m surprised; I had no idea this would…I didn’t even know I was looking for this. But for most people, it is an acquired taste, which actually leads into our powdered sugar discussion.
Maybe I just have a taste sensitivity there, but I think it’s also my imagination. But so…but Sleep With Me, you could say, I don't know if this fits my taste. This is so strange. I thought this would be more of like…I thought there would be Tibetan bowls and maybe some rolling waves and some gentle counting, and you’re just rambling on and on and on a little bit nonsensically. I’d say, yeah, the show is different. It takes two or three tries to get used to. It doesn’t…some people don’t like it on the first try. That’s fine, too. But give it a few tries and just see how it goes. One more thing is that…before I get to the discuss…this powdered sugar thing, is the structure of the show can throw people off. I understand that.
That’s why I take the time to explain this at the beginning of every show, or towards the beginning, because the show is designed to kinda reach the most…and help the most people it can. It is adjustable as you become a regular listener, but at first kinda just ride it out and see how it goes. The show starts off with a greeting so you feel seen and welcomed in. You say, oh, I could check that out. Then there’s support so the podcast can be free and come out twice a week, and support for listeners and support for other stuff, then there’s an intro which we’re like, ten minutes into now. The intro…for some people, when they dislike the support, they kinda lump it in with the intro and they say, oh, this show is like, thirty minutes of ads or something, but the intro is separate from the support.
It’s a show within a show and it serves a couple purposes; one, it’s kinda the part most people hear, so you say, whoa boy, this is really where I get to relate to Scoots, and for new people, it introduces the show. It’s different every time so you don’t know what to expect, and that kinda helps us. At least for me, I adjust really fast to other sleep solutions and then they stop working for me. So, that’s why I follow a familiar structure but it’s different every time. But the intro is also meant to ease you into bedtime. It could put you to sleep or you could skip it, but for most listeners, it’s part of more of a wind down or a lowering of the volume or a landing or a twilight period.
So, some people are getting ready for bed, some people are in bed getting comfortable, some people are asleep, but a lot of people are doing some sort of other chill wind-down activity whether it’s just…you could…literally for me, sometimes chilling, wind-down activities is just staring at stuff, normal stuff in my room, listening to something like this. So, that’s why the intro goes on and on and on. Then again there’s support so the show could be free, and then there will be our discussion of the Great British Bake Off baking show, the first episode of a season in the collection, I think the season before the last season we did or two seasons before. I don't know, 'cause it’s…anyway, it’ll…it’s there, and you say, well, that’s a pretty exciting show.
I say, oh, but it’s a soothing show and when I talk about it, it’s…it’ll be point…full of pointless meanders and superfluous tangents. So, finally, let’s get to this…that’s everything you kinda need to know about the podcast. So, the powdered sugar, right? And I’ve never run this by Alton Brown or anything, but it taste…I think you could agree with me that it has a different taste than other sugars. You’d say, well, it’s because it’s powdered. I would say, at least in my mind…I’m not saying from a factual standpoint; whoa, whoa, whoa, not so fast, okay? It tastes…it does not taste anything like the other sugars, and I just have trouble accepting that it’s only because it’s powdered. Some part of me, in a deep-held belief system, I’m not kidding…'cause I try to tell myself, it’s the same sugar, man.
Deep down I say, no, it’s not. It can’t be. It can’t just be powdered. There’s something else. But also, I’m pretty sure some of you…and I say, well, I could taste the difference. You can’t sneak it by me. It’s either something different that is not as agreeable to me…that’s part of my point but not important, 'cause you consume it differently or it’s different ingredients or whatever. But here’s the part…you might agree with me so far. At some point during my childhood, my father drank a drink that they don’t really…they reintroduced it once, a diet soda at bed…after he got home from work, called Tab.
Tab was like Coke Zero, or…now you got Coke Zero, Diet Coke, and Tab was another one. I don't know which company made Tab. That’s not super important for this point, but the main point was that at one point they were talking about the ingredients of Tab and what made it not sweet. I don't remember which one it was. That’s not super important at this point, but whatever which one it was…I think it was saccharine, maybe? But they showed it on the news once and it looked like powdered sugar to me. Now, people that are adults in the eighties would probably say, well, it looks like something else, too.
I say, yeah, but this is…was a kid…I was watching this, and I said, that looks just like powdered sugar. Ever since then, I’ve associated…when I would drink my dad’s Tab, I’d say, oh, gross, this doesn’t taste like sweet, sweet soda. I don't know, that just…it’s one of those things that’s just in my mind. It’s literally in my belief system. You’d say, well, I’m…culturally, I guess I’m Roman-Catholic with a sub-belief in…that powdered sugar’s actually a artificial sweetener used in Tab. They’d say, well, you’re gonna have to come back…you’re gonna have to see me twice a week now. I say, oh boy. I knew I should never have told another human being this.
I knew there was another reason I didn’t share this. That might not make any sense, but to me it does. Every time I taste it, I think of Tab and I say, well, this…and then part of me says, I know that’s what they say…and I don't even have anything controversial about it. I just say, I just have trouble believing that it’s the same sugar. It’s probably a metaphor for something that’s so obvious only I’m not getting it. But anyway, if you’re looking for someone flawed in a multitude of ways and accepting of my flaws, I’m glad you’re here. I work really hard. I yearn and I strive. I really hope I can help you fall asleep. Thanks again for coming by, and here’s a couples ways I’m able to do it for you for free twice a week.
Okay everybody, it’s…we’re back. Hello, bakers. We’re back with our Great British Bake Off coverage. Third time…third season, series, collection we’re covering. I guess the other ones we covered were the two seasons before this, which I didn’t…I don't know. I had a little bit of trouble…again, 'cause here in the US, it’s kinda disjointed. But I did want to have some continuance of the cast, and we got lucky in some sense, 'cause we still have Sandi. I don't know if this is Sandi’s last season, but…and I’ll be honest, I don't know if I could do it without Sandi. So, we’ll see.
So, that was part of it, but I was a little bit worried 'cause I was looking at lists of top seasons, and we just had two great seasons we’ve been able to cover with amazing casts, and I met some…we met some other cast members when I was watching the holiday episodes that I had…I said, well, those seem like nice people, too. But you want a mix of nice people and interesting people that you say, well, I want to learn more about this person. But I really feel happy about this season. I already say, okay, wow, there’s…I really enjoy this cast already. But first we start with the old…I don't know if this is a cold open, but it’s a Wizard of Oz sequence. We’ll kinda go through it. Noel is Dorothy and Sandi is the scarecrow, and then later in the scene coming up…I haven’t hit Play on it yet.
Paul comes in as the one that doesn’t have a heart, the Tin Man, and Prue is the person who is trying to develop some courage and says, I’m not lying; I’m trying to develop some courage. Then they all skip off. It starts with a blue flower, life-size, then they pan to…and it’s Sandi and Noel. Yeah, got a yellow-brick road. We gotta find our way back to the tent. Q…they talk about some show, Q, I think Sandi’s on. Then Paul, that’s not a shock; you don’t have a heart. Prue says, well, this is the last costume available. Prue still has glasses with a matching necklace, though. Quiches, cakes, and quiches and pies, oh, my. But then Noel says, what if I just click my heels together? Looks like there’s some stunt heels in there, 'cause there’s two shots of heels. It was like a weird dream.
Paul still doesn’t have a heart and Noel’s still dressed as Dorothy. A strong look. You can never have too much gingham. We see a boom…raising boom shot of the tent, then we get the river or the stream. We get some highlights from other seasons of people winning, including fan favorite Rahul. I think it was out of order, though, because didn’t Rahul…? Anyway, it doesn’t matter 'cause people are walking into the tent, and oh boy, do we get a nice surprise from a Sleep With Me perspective. Again, this is someone who has worked on the show since 2015, maybe, 2016? But if you pause it at — what is this? — 105 minutes left in the episode, there’s a baker named Dan, and Dan reminds me a lot of Chris Posty Posterson, including the times I’ve…so, I’ve Zoomed with Posty, so I do know what Posty looks like.
Posty would…or I say, oh, luckily Carl’s editing this episode, so, Posty will only hear about it…but I say, this Dan reminds me of Posty Posterson. So, if you ever wanted to have an image of Posty Posterson…but Posty doesn’t edit the TV-show episodes, but not that important. This is what Posty looks like to me, like the spiritual Posty. I think he kinda looks like him. So anyway, just really…I’m having trouble not laughing 'cause of the episode, but the embody…so we say…we have…I guess it’s good 'cause it won't be distracting for the whole season, but a character that…or a human being, a baker, who embodies Sleep With Me. So, they do the talking head sequence, but Dan is the first talking head. That’s why I was pointing it out. Dan’s talking about…whatever, going on the show? Really?
Everybody’s talking about the opportunity, the dream, surreal…we don’t get names yet, but I know…and I’ve watched two episodes; I haven’t learned everybody’s names, so…but there’s thirteen bakers. Oh, my days. Then we get Paul…so, at some point, two people are gonna go home. Then they talk about their high expectations, and then they’re…yeah, this is gonna be spectacular. So, this is the season set-up. You say, okay, we got some characters here. Ten…tenth…oh, it was the tenth anniversary. That’s another reason why it’s important. Conjure up…bobs…bits and bobs, baker’s dozen…mayhem is the best word. Then we open, but we get shots from the whole season and the episode. But who will be the winner and who will, you know, not…but yeah, a lot of this is from the episode.
There’s something flawless, there’s jokes from the episode, then we get the episode…break…we get the shot, then we get a high shot of the town. Back in Welford Park in Berkshire. Morning, marvellous bakers, or something. Thirteen, so two of you could go home at any point, but then they reveal later that only one person’s going home, I think accidentally. They’re gonna do a fruitcake…anytime between now and the semi-final. So, this is Signature Challenge; make a fruitcake any size or shape. It has to have dried fruit, more than one currant. It has to be significant. Five is significant, though, the number of currants. Beautifully decorated, baked…two and a half hours. On your mark, get set, bake. First everybody…they got to practice, but there’s nerves. Relatable, right? In a tiz already.
Paul talks about fruitcake; it’s gotta be good sponge. You gotta bake it perfectly and the right thickness to balance the fruit so it’s not on the top or the bottom. Prue talks about having it cool 'cause you gotta decorate it, too. You can't put icing on a hot cake. Something I have to relearn and relearn; it’s that one. Yeah, so then they got everybody chopping fruit, mixing stuff up. Not too thin, not too thick…icing on a hot cake…need a plastic…oh, so, need a plastic is…we start meeting the people. It’s already ahead of me. But need a plastic…somebody has a nick on their finger. We meet Amelia. She’s making a Christmas Cake with fruit and brandy. Amelia’s a Halifax fashion designer…mum Julia bakes with her. 700 grams of fruit; do you consider that significant? Yes. At least four currants…hour-and-fifteen baking time.
Amelia’s got some pink…I don't know if they’re pink highlights or pink ends of her hair that I like. Then we get Jamie; he’s making his grandma’s recipe. Other people are using generational recipes as well. Michelle, she’s using her Bara Brith…Bara Brith…from Wales. Now she lives in Tenby. They got chickens, a son named Alfie, a husband…Bara Brith tel une. Bara Brith Cake, pecan crumble, some sort of rum thingamajig. Then Michelle says, my husband thinks you…Noel, you and I look like each other. Noel says, next time you go on holiday, I’ll go with you. Noel has on a black sweater with a leopard on there, maybe? A lion? Next up is Steph. Great-grandma Rosie…Steph’s from Chester, works in a classic car business. Vintage fruitcake with candied oranges named after her grandma Rosie…marzipan roses.
Then we have Rose…Rosie is next, and…a normal tea loaf with dried fruit, but dried fruit doesn’t weigh a lot, so they’ve had to add more and more of it. I would think I would prefer dried…oh, Rosie’s a vet. A lot of different pets around the house. Spicy chai loaf…I would prefer dried fruit, maybe, than dried…? I guess, what’s the difference? You’re right. But then…oh, we quickly cut 'cause this is…we gotta introduce everybody. Michael’s also doing a chai. Hearthshire, Nicole and dad Sam, Scottish and Indian heritage…celebrated in his baking. A stepladder there is called a climb-up that Michael used to use when he would cook when he was younger. Henna-inspired frosting…he’s the one that needed the plastic, and then he needs another plastic. Another nick for poor Michael. Just a little stress.
Then they say, don’t make your cake stodgy or overwhelm it with fruit or something. Overwhelm the batter; that would be stodgy. A under-baked cake…Alice is next, but also Dan…Dan’s Posty Posterson. Dan changed his recipe just now to double his fruit last-minute. He’s from Rotterdam, maybe? Rotterdam…support worker for people with learning difficulties. Jamaican Rum Cake. Spiced rum, buttercream, coffee, and almond brittle. Noel tries to help him clean up his workspace by imaginarily pushing everything off. Actually, he does push everything out of the way. Fly, my pretty. Noel really likes Dan, so it’s probably good; maybe he would like Posty. Wouldn’t be exciting as baking watching someone edit this episode. Next up is Jamie? Is that right? No, that’s Jamaican Rum Cake. Wallast…oh, this is multiple Davids.
Squishy, squashy fruitcake. David’s on a trampoline…Yorkshire…stays fit…carrot, squash, prunes, and figs. No fat in his cake, but Wallast has said multiple times this episode…never kept track of that before. May not again. Now we’re at the halfway point of no return. People are spraying their tins, putting stuff in the oven, and begging for mercy from the baking gods and kinda saying, well, how long, forty, fifty? Different times for everybody. Starting…she’s in. Phil is not ready to hit the oven. He’s making a ring inside of the cake. Phil’s a lorry driver, which is a truck, from Essex. Angela…daughters Alexi and Pippa. One of them is on a climb-up, helping dad. Marzipan, cloves, spiced fruitcake with rum glaze. His wife suggested this marzipan thing in the center.
Wallast number two comes up, or maybe that’s Wallast number three. Oh, that’s Wallast number two, after Phil. Decorative something…ideas. We meet Priya, aspiring novelist…Kiam and Liam helping Priya, her kids. Dried papaya, dried pineapple, Sunshine Fruitcake. Psychedelic snowman. Noel says, that’s gonna look crazy, man. Alice next; gingerbread fruit wreath. Geography teacher in London, baking to help students with their coursework. Let’s see, it’s very Christmassy. Gingery punch, royal icing…Alice loves ginger. Snow white icing…love ginger…Wallast three comes up right then. After that I lose track, but…then we get a good gag with Jamie and his twin brother, Alex, pretending he’s in a mirror. He’s not. He’s making a Easter cake with chicks, gap…he’s on his gap year with his twin, Alex.
Easter Seminal Cake? He’s twenty. So, he’s pretty youthful. Helena is up next. She likes every day like Halloween. She’s making a spookify fruit…or, she’s spookifying a fruitcake. She’s from Leeds with Cato and Will and Flora. A Fruitbat Cake…maple cream cheese, buttercream, but some stuff’s not going well. Her crystal…trying to make caramel; it’s not going well. Noel loves that a fellow goth is on the show. One goth to another…then we have Henry who’s singing while he works. I loved that. Royal icing…hours…Durham University…sings at his local church. Woodstreet Cake…this is a 400-year-old recipe. Not ancient, but older. Piped trees…he’s gonna put a house on it made of crystal or something. Crystal sugar…we got a shot of the tent. One hour left, or a half-hour left.
Watching the oven…cakes, cool, stress, checking to make sure they’re done with sticks and stuff…stress…into the fridge, or maybe it’s not done. Dan’s is not done, Posty. People are crossing their fingers, sitting in front of their ovens…wow, fifteen minutes left. Move out of the oven…cakes come out. Five minutes…people are fanning their cakes, particularly Posty, and decorating. No, no, poor Henry…we watch in slow motion; they catch it on camera trying to move his crystal sugar house to the top of his cake and he drops it just from stress. Place your cakes now. Priya; effective…wham…oh, so then we go to the judging. Priya was up first. They say, okay, your cake was effective. It reminds me of a Wham! song. Yeah, Club Tropicana. Lovely color, well-baked…light summary…so, a good result for Priya.
Then we have Jamie. They say something…it’s delicate. Marzipan’s well done. Something, something feel…we’ll come back to it. Henry; very good cake to a great cake, Paul and Prue say. So, they think it turned out pretty well. Okay, let’s go to Jamie. They say, okay, eyeless chicks…looks…beautiful layers…mostly marzipan. Fruit content’s good. Great bake. Great flavor. Well done. Okay, then Henry’s up. He says, yeah, there was gonna be a little cottage there. It was beautiful but it didn’t work out. You’ve made a very good cake, Prue says. He says, oh, goodness. Paul says, great cake. Amelia’s cake is naked; just has a glaze on…clear glaze. They say, okay, it’s very moist. The flavor is lovely. Screams ‘Christmas’. Great tea loaf. Well done. Then Phil; it looks beautiful. Quite spicy. It’s out of balance.
You were close, though. Marzipan in the middle…yeah, alls you get is the spice. So, they say, back to work. Noel says, so close. Helena’s Fruitbat Cake. No bat because of the…it wouldn’t crystallize, the caramel. Spicy, almost savory. Paul says, I’ve never had anything like it before. Good color. Oh, who’s this person? Oh, is this Helena? No. But this is a person…oh, man. I’m already…but that was…sorry, I missed one person. Steph; good-looking cake. Very nice. Juicy. Then we have Rosie; sad…Rosie looks sad. Your cake looks sad. It’s a little flat. It’s over-baked. Cinnamon…a lot of cinnamon. Overboard. Then they say, back to the drawing board. Then David; lovely-looking loaf. Lovely alliteration. Moistness…texture’s perfect. Too much almond, though. Alice; gingerbread fruit wreath. You could hang it on a door. Love the ginger.
Crystallized ginger is beautiful, but you could have pulled back. Go back to basics. Don’t overdo it. Michael; beautiful, flavor’s lovely. Very good tea cake. Well done. They said, pretty good considering you didn’t have [inaudible] in your hand. Dan; nervous. Rustic, raw…flowers were good. They take out a big slice. It’s raw in the middle, dude. Then they say, the alcohol’s nice, though. The alcohol is nice; not the flowers. Dan says, that didn’t go well. At least he…that’s all I heard; he liked the booze. Amelia is happy. Steph’s happy. Michael’s happy. Priya’s like, okay, I’m in a good spot. Then we see a duck with some chicks. Or, baby ducks, I guess they’re not chicks. Then the gingham shrouded mystery is next…chuffed…oh, somebody says, chuffed. Secret of success is accuracy. Sandi says, I have that…Prue says that.
Prudence, they call her. Then they send them out for a PE lesson. Paul’s got leotards and a pommel horse. Six identical angel cake slices. Silky smooth meringue, buttercream, icing feathered…feathers on cakes? Ready, set…get set, get baked…bake. Genoise sponge…to make angel cakes, a fifteen-stage recipe from Prue. Sop job? I don't know what that is. Then Prue and Paul talk…technical…Prue says, it sounds simple, but the genoise sponge can become flat. If you over-mix it, you’ll lose volume and texture. Paul says, this takes me back to when I was a kid, once again…whatever, he went to a school that had great desserts. They say, we’ll get to know them. Starts him off on the right foot.
Takes me back…three sections…it’s gonna take some maths 'cause there’s three layer…it’s a three-layer cake with three different flavors. So, we get a egg, sugar, bowl sequence, whisking…you gotta get the air in it. Mixing it up…good, strong arm to build up that volume. You’re kinda cooking it in a double-baker or whatever, tempering the egg mixture? I don't know, like where the water is boiling and you put a bowl in the pot. Oh, they’re talking about ID-ing this young guy. Henry? I don't know. Ribbon stage you get to…people are whisking. Don’t overdo it. Then you over-batter it or whatever. Then you gotta add the flour and the butter in. Divide by three…lemon, raspberry, and vanilla, but they don’t have measurements, so they have to guess on the thing. Noel does some fake bowl music at Jamie’s workstation.
Also, you have to put colors in. One layer is yellow, pink, and then non-colored, I guess? So, that’s another thing. Lemon zest…sieve flour over the egg and fold, but don’t over-mix it. We’ve been hearing that, but you gotta make sure you mix it. One bowl at a time. I’ve never sieved any flour like that before, but I mean, these are the bakers. That’s why I don't have quite this…I’m more of a cook, you know? I like cookies. They’re a little bit easier. Then you gotta put them in a three…you make three sections in your tin, put them in the oven…everybody’s nervous. It’s a technical challenge. Time call…news…worth…link-roller…so, they have a lint-roller. They pretend they’re on the news, Sandi and Noel. Buttercream…Jamie gets some love from Sandi 'cause he’s already a little stressed.
It is lumpy and…so, that’s…can cause some…also some stress, you know, for the person. Twelve minutes out. Dan forgot to turn on his timer. Oh, Jamie says his is rubbish. I think he tries to even redo his cake at some point, his sponges. Dan forgot to turn his timer on…buttercream, meringue fondant? But some people’s sponges come out of the oven…they’re doing a sandwich with buttercream. Oh, meringue. I don't know if those are two separate things. Then you gotta feather the top with icing. Five minutes left. Everybody’s like, five minutes? Jamie’s just getting his out of the oven. It’s rubbery. He doesn’t…he only has two layers. Some people have never feathered before. There’s definitely different levels of experience with this, 'cause you can see some people are just breezing through it. Other people would be like me.
Anything that may need detail, this would be challenging. Feather with pink…five minutes…game gone mental, somebody says. One minute; that’s when Jamie says, oh, my days. Music ends. Feather fondant icing…so, a little more alliteration. Lost all length…or too much red…so, the first person is Helena. Not much height. No silky smooth, melted…flavors are there, but it’s like rubber. Then, I don't know who’s next. Better not…high…not much high…much higher. Not bad. Then another failure. Missing a layer; that must be Jamie’s. Then somebody else is more delicate. Amelia? Her raspberry’s okay. Rosie; like feather…like the feathering. Equal…nice flavor. Dan; thin, rubbery. Not bad. Priya; a bit tough. Dan; like the feathering. Dried on the edges. Somebody…Michael? I don't know. Very good. Steph, maybe?
Looks not bad. Thin, shiny…so, they go through everybody. I mean, thirteen people is a lot, you know? They say, okay, thirteenth is Jamie. Number thirteen…who’s…? Okay, pretty awful, they say. Twelve spots. Helena; rubbery. Michael; uneven. David, then Dan, then Phil, then Priya, then Michelle, then Alice, then Amelia, then Stephanie, then…I say…number two, Rosie, and then Henry comes in first. Say, Rosie, nice feathering. Number one; Henry. Well done. Lots of applause. Everybody smiling. Good feathering. Excellent in every way. So, then the talking heads; Henry and Rosie feel good 'cause they say, okay, probably safe now. Dan’s like, I gotta do it next competition now. Everybody’s got their jackets on. They exit the tent. Posty’s stressed. Jamie’s stressed, but laughs. A bird walks…everybody…we see birds.
They walk to the tent. One bake…this one, they reveal one baker’s gonna go home. Gotta do a birthday cake you dreamt of as a child for your showstopper. Noel talks about how his cake would have marzipan arms. They get four hours. Spectacular and sizeable. On your marks, get set, bake. So, everybody gets busy. Mayhem…that’s when the mayhem quote comes in. Time…gotta be detail, color…wow, Paul says. Prue wants originality. What did they dream about as a child? But it’s gotta be the quality of the cake. Real punchy flavors, delicious. Paul says, it’s good all-around to see their skills. So, they start with Helena; chocolate cake…fairy garden. Paul has a one-track mind about a fairy garden which must be a different thing…a furry garden. Green grass, chocolate bark, chocolate buttercream, fondant woodland decorations.
So, it’s gonna be a fairy mountain. Then we have a Ty Tylwyth Teg, which is a fairy cake in Welsh. That’s Michelle. Orange and cinnamon, fondant icing. It’s a mushroom on kind of a…that’s kind of like a mushroom house. Steph’s showstopper is based on dropping a ice cream as a child at the beach. Sunday on the Beach Cake. Dark chocolate ganache, vanilla and raspberry buttercream…Steph says, yeah, I practiced this one. Once it worked; once it didn’t, so we’ll see. No going back. Then we get more mixing, more chatting. Supersized creations…gotta make a structure. Moist cake, but it’s gotta stand up. Priya’s mixing her cake. A simple batter, which will be a structure that can carve out of…a Once Upon A Time Cake. It’s a pop-up book.
She used to write stories as a kid; The Bunny Who Lost His Eggs and Sally Sue’s Glasses. Even library numbers. Priya’s cool, man. It’s like my childhood. Yeah, so, it’s gonna be a story. Henry’s also doing a story; The Magic Faraway Tree with that…I guess it’s a popular book in England. Noel knows it, some of the characters. Secret Woodland Cake. Woodland berries…wouldn’t be too sweet 'cause Henry says, sometimes kids’ cakes are too sweet. Jamie’s got a salted caramel sponge, caramel buttercream, caramel sauce. It was my favorite flavor…so does my brother Alex, who’s my twin…likes it. Schnauser Birthday Cake with biscuits in the middle. So, a cake that looks like a dog. I mean, not shaped like a dog; it’s a circular cake. It’s cute. It’s gonna be cute. But Jamie realizes the batter’s too swift.
He says, I forgot to put eggs in my batter, man. Too late to add it in now. So, he’s definitely distracted. Three hours left. We get a drone shot of the tent. First hour went fast. Deja-vu…Henry’s…or Jamie’s redoing his cake. Everybody’s checking their ovens. Get the going-in-the-oven sequence. There’s not enough room to bake everything at once, so people are doing it in batches. Alice is making some lemon butter biscuits to form the wall, making a sweet shop. Her parents were dentists, so she didn’t have a lot of sweets as a kid. Lemon Swiss meringue buttercream, fresh raspberries, but you gotta make sure the roof doesn’t collapse. So, scaling…oh, so, other people are using marshmallow Rice Krispie structures to give their stuff some structural integrity. That’s a good idea for a kid’s cake, too. Makes sense.
Phil’s doing a Retro Rocket Cake. Ripple…raspberry ripple, buttercream, sherbert sponge. 1969 moon landing, Sputnik. The Americans called it Kaputnik when theirs didn’t work. Amelia’s doing a Carousel Cake. A lot of purples. Very Sleep With Me. Red velvet sponge, raspberry jam, white chocolate ganache…working on the logistics, though. David’s showstopper is gonna be a pet, a cool pet, kinda like a worm but different. Birthday cakey…chocolate and orange sponge, baby…an egg. This one is definitely…I don't want to spoil it, but definitely the best-looking cake in the end is David’s. But everybody…then they say, okay, you gotta hurry up. Jamie’s still working on his second sponge. Salted caramel, fondant…it’s my favorite flavor with Alex.
So, now everybody’s trying to keep track of their different cooling times, their timers…start decorating, making candy, decorative elements. Let’s see what else we got. Chocolate…oh, Rosie’s doing this Jungle Cake with a chocolate tree, red velvet sponge, vanilla, Italian meringue buttercream. ‘Cause she’s a vet, so she has…she even tells some stories, work stories, of having guests at work. Michael, when he was wee…when I was wee, as he says…he’s making gold bars for a Pirate Treasure Chest Cake. His is also very good-looking. He’s making candy gems. A full gem effect I’m going for, gems of sugar. Dan is also pirate-themed. He’s doing a Pirate Island Cake. His is different, though, so they’re not similar. His is a island. Five tiers of lime and coconut sponge. Dan really needs to pull it together.
Isomalt waterfall…don’t walk the plank. Noel loves Dan; he says, if you get voted out, we’re gonna graffiti Paul’s car and I’m gonna pull the tent down, and I’m gonna hide Prue’s glasses. Then we have Paul and Prue commenting on stuff, talking decorative things. One hour of stress left. Noel pretends to give himself a bowl cut. We see people making…doing their different decorations. Cakes cooled…construction; that was another one. Strength of sponges…Dan’s cracked cake…so, he tries…his cake’s cracked. He’s trying to seal a crack in it. This kinda seems like it’s Jamie versus Dan as far as…Noel’s trying to boost them both up. Construction begins. People are flipping cakes. Dan’s trying to seal his cake. Everybody’s trying to make sure it comes out best they can. Some good cakes, good flips.
Carving, stacking, shaping…showstopping structures could collapse. So, people are decorating it…if it’s…'cause some people are carving out their insides of their cake and putting stuff in there, and layering them. Passion fruit curd, fruit’s gonna pack a punch…and different-sized cakes, too…and wood dowels and stuff as they start to build structures, make sure they’re gonna hold up. Oh, so I wonder if she put the cookies in the thing. Then the fondant starts to go on the cakes to start making it look like a structure. I don't know if I’ve…I guess…have I had a fondant cake like this? Dan’s working the nose cone of his ship. They don’t even comment on it. They just show it. A half-hour…somebody says, I can, I can. Isomalt waterfall, Dan’s working on. Jamie’s putting his biscuits in his center of his cake. What’s that guy’s name?
Phil’s trying to keep his rocket from falling over. He’s like, maybe I’ll wait to put it together. Ten minutes are left. Unstable rocket…no pressure. We get more decorating, spraying, putting stuff on there. Jamie’s like, my chicks aren’t gonna have eyes, but whatever. One minute left. Phil groans. Oh, my days, gets said again. Childhood dreams…Sandi says, okay, beautiful bakers, you did it. Somebody else says, come on. The time is up. We get a shot of the tent, then we get a shot of the bakers sitting, and people not…Dan’s like, oh boy, I do not feel good about this at all, and it’s judgement time. Michelle has to go first. Hers is a mushroom kind of on a piece of wood. They say, it’s exquisite, tidy, neat…details…orange cream cheese frosting, carrot cake…Prue says, holy cow, I love it. Salivating. Wonderful.
Paul says the balance of spices are good. It’s moist. It’s faultless, actually. Thank you very much. Everybody’s happy for her. Then we have Helena. It’s delicate, charming…the chocolate smells good. Fantastic sponge. Depth of flavor is beautiful. Coffee…good job. Paul tries to crack a joke. Priya goes; her cake looks a little clumsy, Paul says, but they love the concept. They said, if Helena’s cake wasn’t so good, this would be good, but it just needs a little bit more time in the bake. Alice’s sweet shop; impressive. It did not collapse, but it’s a bit rough and ready. Light sponge. Beautiful cake, though. I like what you’ve done. Phil’s cake’s fallen over. Not all the way. But they say, 1969 rocket landing is…we do have nostalgia for it, some of us. It is leaning, though. Sherbert’s a little too sweet. It needs more sharpness to balance it out.
They go to Henry. What a interesting cake. Would have never thought of it. The blackberries…it’s a sweet cake, but the blackberries help. Then we go to Amelia. It’s restrained. Could have done a bit more. Did you run out of time? Okay, they say, okay, it’s pretty claggy. Doesn’t taste good. Holy cow. A little bit off the mark. Then they go to Steph. Love the idea. Happens to everybody; relatable. Raspberry ripple and coconut…a little over-baked. It’s dry. The flavor’s good, though. Concentrate on the baking. Dan’s they say is amazing…oh, no, not Dan. Oh, David; right. Citrus all marries up lovely. Well done, David. Nice icing. Rosie, they say, is simplistic. Paul says that, but Prue disagrees. She says, this cake looks great. Iced layers, cake’s baked beautiful, silky-smooth buttercream. Interior works. Paul didn’t like the exterior.
When they look at Michael’s cake, they say, oh my goodness, it looks so good. Texture…but it needed more chocolate. Just yours, you need the flavors. It’d be good for a kid. Well done. Dan, he does a dry-ice effect. They say, it’s clever. Passion fruit…they don’t…he can’t…they can’t…they say, strong on the coconut, but we don’t taste the passion fruit. They try again. They still can’t taste it. Poor Posty’s turning red. Paul’s still giving him a hard time. Flavors were sound, but the design was pretty good. Then Jamie; how many sponges are in there? Four. Salted caramel…his voice cracks. He says, finally, I’m growing up. Everybody laughs at that. Then they see the biscuits in there. They’re very good. Prue likes those.
There’s actually a focus pull between Jamie and Dan 'cause we know those two are kinda having the toughest time. Cake’s over-baked, they tell him, too. So, there’s a couple frowns. Everybody’s worried about Jamie and Dan now. Then they go to the talking heads. Jamie says, that didn’t go well. But they do…the people that went well, too, they’re happy. Dan says, I would like to stay in here. I need a lifeline. Jamie’s ready to go home. He gets teary-eyed. Goes off camera. Everybody’s sitting there. Okay, who’s gonna be our first Star Baker? Who’s gonna leave the tent? Then we go to table talk. Personalities have come out. Sieve showstoppers…but Michelle’s was the best. This is really elevated. Steph’s in there. Her cake was good. Henry is doing good, but had a bad day yesterday. So, they said, Jamie’s not doing great.
He struggled, and Dan couldn’t even get that flavor, though his design was good. Thirteen pieces of cake, though. Holy mackerel. Then we cut to everybody, then we go to the first week…I don't know why…Noel gets to give the Best Baker. He gets the fantastic…or Star Baker. So, they do it, and it’s Michelle. She’s very happy and she tears up. Poor Sandi has to let whoever…you know, the first person to part. She’s tearing up already 'cause that’s a tough job. She says, Dan, I’m sorry. Jamie’s relieved. He says, I’ll take away the friendships. He goes, I can’t believe how much we bonded. Everybody says how much they loved him. I’m gonna miss everybody. Paul says, it was his bake, man. Then he says, Jamie, you gotta do better, Paul says to Jamie.
You gotta pull it together. Jamie’s relieved. They do him…and yeah, then they show Michelle kinda fighting off tears. So proud. Prue, what a way to start. Then Michelle calls home and says, hey, guess what? I’m Star Baker. I think it’s her husband. He goes…or first she says something else, plays a joke, then she goes, oh, I didn’t get voted out. By the way, I’m Star Baker. He kinda says, oh, I knew it, I knew it. I’m so happy. And the episode comes to a close. So, a good first episode to be back, bakers, huh? Goodnight, everybody.
[END OF RECORDING]
(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)
Listen on your favorite app
