1245 – Pastries | Great British Baking Off to Sleep S10/C7 Ep8

Episode 1245 – Pastries | Great British Baking Off to Sleep S10/C7 Ep8

 

[START OF RECORDING]

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster who does…I honestly don’t…I haven’t had the time to look up the difference between pastries and patissiere. You’d think I would have looked it up already. But this is the third season of Great British Bake Off, Great British Baking Show we’ve covered, and it still gets me mixed up to the point that the last season we were missing a episode because I called them both…I said, okay, well, there must only be…it really caused me a lot of consternation.

 

But if you’re confused…if you’re as confused as I am…if you’re as confused about me being confused, then you may be in the right place 'cause this is Sleep With Me, the podcast that’s here to keep you company, to be your friend in the deep, dark night while you fall asleep, to give you a safe place and to be a friendly voice, to make the deep, dark night feel less lonely, so that you can drift off. That’s really what the show is here to do. It does put a lot of people to sleep 'cause I’m not super exciting, and that’s what’s coming up. The show’s here for you; that’s why I make it. You deserve a good night's sleep and I’ve been there, and so have a lot of other people that are listening right now.

 

What we got coming up is support so the show could be free, then a long, meandering intro. You don’t want to miss out on it. It’s a show within a show meant to ease you into bedtime, and then later we’ll be talking about the Great British Bake Off. There’s three episodes left in the season and, yeah, hopefully you’ll sleep through it or it’ll keep you company and make you feel less alone. So, welcome to Sleep With Me, your friend in the deep, dark night. It’s time for Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts 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. It could be thoughts on your mind that you’re thinking about, thoughts about the past, the present, or the future, thinking thoughts…I have a lot of those. You know, always thinking. I say, what are you thinking…? You know when someone…there’s a loaded…what are you thinking about? Really, that means why is your face…why is your brow so furrowed?

 

Or, there seems to be some tension between us. There’s other meanings, but what are you thinking about? Usually…well, sometimes I’ll say it to fill the air, to be honest. I say, well, the other person’s quiet. Is it okay for me to be quiet all the time? I mean, I do like that. So, it’s just…it’s like a checking-in. Say, I’m not comfortable asking you that I want to…I really enjoy being quiet around you, and you seem to be quiet. I just want to make sure we’re both being quiet together comfortably. But instead I’ll just ask you, what are you thinking about? But that’s what I mean this time. Other times I may ask you what you’re thinking about or you might ask me, 'cause you say, what’s going on with your face?

 

Did you eat a lemon out of the trashcan or are you thinking about puppies crying or something else, or are you doing some sort of nuclear calculations? I’d say, nuclear calculations? No. You say, what are you thinking about? That’s another way I use…or that’s usually projected on me, but I have said it to other people. Then the other way is just…I sense some tension. What are you thinking about? Which really means, is this…is there some sort of tension we need to…what’s…are you making that…? I guess that goes back to the face thing. You know what? Don’t…here’s one thing; don’t ever…why so quiet? Because I like it. That would be my answer. I just say, I’ve attained…mostly I’ve attained comfortableness by being…why so quiet? That’s usually…only an authority figure can say that to you.

 

Oh, I don't know, maybe someone that’s…I don't know, they’re really outgoing and confident or something. Say, well, it’s my nature. I guess that’s what I would say. There you go; there’s an easy answer. I never came up with a solution before. Why so quiet? It’s my nature. What are you thinking about? Nature, my nature. It’s my nature. Maybe if you say that…it’s so confusing. Why so quiet? It’s my nature. Why’d you say ‘it’s my nature’ instead of ‘it’s my nature’? I don't know. It just felt like sing-song. It’s my nature sometimes. What are you thinking about? It’s my nature. I’m sorry, I don't understand. Yeah, it’s my nature. Well, that…for me, it is. But yeah, I guess if someone says ‘what are you thinking about?’, you could say, my nature. You say, what? I guess you’d say, well, what are you really asking?

 

But I don't know how there’s a easy way to say that without it feeling…for me, I’d say, well, that’s way too emotionally on-point for me. I’m not equipped for this kind of discussion. I’d prefer to indirectly not talk about…I’d prefer to be thinking about what’s gonna happen but not actually know what’s…I’d prefer to be worrying about the unknown than to find out any truth or…that’s my nature. I don't need to get to the bottom of it. I’d rather just…I’d prefer…this is…this…I don't know if anybody’s relating. Talk about a tangent. But I think the reason I go through this is because it’s relatable. I don't know, it’s been a while since I’ve had a dating profile, but I’d say, prefers bottom…prefers bottomless pits over getting to the bottom of it, preferably bottomless pits of internal…rhymes with ‘stairs’. Yeah. You say, what?

 

Yeah, no, I prefer…don’t…I’d rather not get to the…when you asked me what I was thinking about…I’d rather not get to the bottom of it. I was thinking about a bottomless pit. I was thinking about the difference between a bottomless pit and a bottomless well. That totally could change the subject. Say, we don’t need to talk…you say, really? I guess clearly a bottomless well could be considered a bottomless pit, but it’s made or it has an intention behind it, where a bottomless pit is just a pit. Then it could be…is it a well…could it ever be a well if it’s bottomless, if it’s a well of…? It rhymes with stairs, it could be. If it’s a water well, you’re probably right.

 

Here’s the thing, though; I’m sure somewhere there’s a bottom…you say, yeah, oh my gosh, the guy from the sleep podcast, he really invented this thing…he didn’t realize if you draw a bucket far enough up a bottomless well in a humid area…like some sort of…right kind of bucket. It’s got electrostatic metal or some kind of thing, and all this stuff somebody smarter learned in nature; dew point and all that. It actually fills with water. It’s a bottomless well. It’s a bottomless water well. Mind-blowing. Now we don’t need to talk about what I’m thinking about because…I wasn’t actually thinking about that stuff, but I just didn’t want to talk about it.

 

So, that’s some of the thoughts that go on with me; thoughts, feelings, it could be emotions related to those thoughts or those discussions or those situations, even the ones that took place fifteen years ago or me anticipating having to discuss it later. I say, well, I’d really not…I’d rather not…like I said, I don't have any desire to get to the bottom of it. I mean, unless it’s a neutral…unless the bottom’s on this level right here. I wish I was capable of getting to the bottom of it and I had that…whatever they call that inside people, natural…whatever. But for me, I’d just rather not get to the bottom of it. It’s just my nature. I shouldn’t have told you any of this, huh? I’m not thinking about you, the listener; I’m thinking about…say, is this the kind of thing you’re not supposed to bring up on a first date? Oh, boy. There you go.

 

That’s not the first…my opening…what do you prefer; a bottomless well, a bottomless pit, or getting to the bottom of it? I say, getting outta here is what…this is what…this is the standard reply that I’ve received; you know, I gotta use the restroom. Well, the restroom’s…but that’s the front door of the rest…that’s the restroom…oh, ah…okay. That happens to me not on dates, either. They say, yeah, I gotta use the…I’ll be right back. That’s usually what they say nowadays. I guess maybe only I say ‘I gotta use the restroom’. They say, I’ll be right back. Maybe they take their call, or you know, I gotta take this, or I gotta check in with somebody. Maybe they could just…I’m not at this party to have pit-based discussions. I say, okay, fair enough. Those are the only…unfortunately, that’s my nature.

 

Just, pit-based discussions are my thing. I mean, you could make…we’re about…do you like making puns about pit-based situations? No, I’m not at this party…well, pit-based…you could say it’s the pits. I’m sure there’s other puns you could come up with, but…so, no. That’s a no. Oh, when you said ‘no pit-based discussions’, you really meant it. What about pit-adjacent discussions? No. Okay. Okay, well…okay, bye. So, I got walked out on in my own sleep podcast…imaginary…with imaginary people. So, there’s feelings, anything emotionally coming up for you, it could be physical sensations, changes in time, temperature, routine. Whatever it is that’s keeping you awake, the reason I run through all that stuff isn’t to remind you to bring all that up other than the fact to let you know you’re not alone.

 

There’s other people listening. If you didn’t relate to those discussions, there’s other people that have gone through probably something very similar to what you’re going through, and they can relate to how it feels. Even if I can’t relate to how it feels, there’s someone listening right now that understands how you feel. They believe just like I do, you deserve a good night's sleep. You deserve a place you could rest. Even if it’s not this show, you deserve a bedtime you don’t have to dread, and that’s the most important takeaway from the show whether you’re listening to it again or you never listened to it ever, or whatever structured way of saying…whether you never listen to this ever again or you become a regular listener, you deserve a good night's sleep.

 

If you loathe this show already, Sleep With Me…if you’re like, yeah, man, I’m not into pits…you are the pits. I’d say, okay, well, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou has plenty of other stuff on there. I didn’t real…I wish…what about…? I don't have any other things to talk about. I’m literally going in my brain…I’m saying, what other party topics could I come up with on the fly? My brain said, I got nothing. Other than pits, alls I got is…and I’d say, great. So, this is a real-world example. So, you’re not alone in the deep, dark night. You deserve a bedtime you could get some rest during, whether you go to sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou or you keep listening to the show, a bedtime that eventually you get the sleep you need…your life is more manageable, because if your life is more manageable, your world’s better, our whole world is better.

 

What I’m gonna do here is I’m gonna send my voice across the deep, dark night. I’m gonna use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, and pointless meanders. So, that means I’m gonna go off-topic, I’m gonna get mixed up. I’m gonna remind you that it does take a couple times to get used to this show. When you first get here…for most regular listeners, they say, hey, it took two or three tries 'cause at first I had expectations or doubts or I was skeptical. I had tried so many other things to put me to sleep. I didn’t know I just needed a friend in the deep, dark night to keep me company and talk to me about nothing. You say, I spent my whole life walking away from pit-based conversations. I didn’t know a pit-based conversation is what I needed at bedtime. No one…I wouldn’t have known that, either.

 

So, just give it a few tries and see how it goes. This is a podcast…it’s kinda hard to get used to because one, you only kinda listen to it. I’m here to keep you company but not to totally be listened to, but you could listen at any point. But you could kinda just barely listen, just like at the party. If you weren’t gonna walk away but you weren’t gonna give me your full attention, you’d say, okay…but you could…and actually, you could totally peter me out and then I would probably walk away. You say, okay, yeah, tell me about the most famous pits in history. I’d say, oh boy, should I make it up? Like, in my head. You could just say, uh-huh, uh-huh, oh yeah. Tell me more. I’m looking for more historical pits. I’d say, oh boy, I’ve met my match. I’ve met my match.

 

But that’s the way to solve it. I’d say, listen, I’ll be right back. They say, well, the bathroom’s that way. I’ll show myself out. So, there you go. We’re solving things on this show. I don't even remember what we solved before. Oh, it’s my nature. I think that…I mean, yeah, why the sour face? It’s my nature. Why don’t you…? That would quiet those people down, huh? What’s with the frowny face? It’s my nature. Especially the nicer you say it or the stranger way…but don’t say it in a passive…that was…that could have been interpreted as passive-aggressive, but it wasn’t. It’s my nature. So, okay…oh, I was trying to explain…this is a podcast you don’t really listen to. Also, believe it or not, it doesn't put you to sleep.

 

I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep, to be your friend in the deep, dark night, your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your bore-bestie, your neigh-bore, your bore-bor, your Borbie, your bore-friend, your bore-bestie, your bore-bruh. That means I’m just here to keep you company and talk but not be listened to, 'cause if you can't sleep, I’m here to the very end. There’s a reason the shows are over an hour, so there’s no pressure to fall asleep. Something about that makes it easier to fall asleep, but it also is reassurance if you can't sleep. There’s people with a kind of insomnia that can’t sleep at all or that are going through such a tough time they just need a friend in the deep, dark night. So, I’m here for you whether you’re listening or not, whether you’re awake or not.

 

That’s kinda the strange nature of the show. What else do you need to know? Structure of the show can throw people off other than all the other stuff. It starts out with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, so you feel seen and welcomed in. Then there’s support so the show could be free for everybody, then there’s a long, meandering intro meant to ease you into bedtime, and that long, meandering intro is a show within a show. Some people skip it or they get really upset about the support and they lump the intro in with it, but the intro is, for most listeners, a part of their wind-down routine. That’s just what’s been shown to work, is to be eased into bedtime.

 

So, you could listen to the intro while you’re getting ready for bed, while you’re doing some other wind-down activity like drawing or stretching or just laying on the floor or sitting on the couch or staring out the window, whatever it is…or while you’re in bed getting comfortable, or, for a percentage of people, while they’re drifting off. So, that’s what the intro is. It’s meant to be a buffer between the start of the show and putting you to sleep. Then there will be support, then we’ll talk about the Great British Bake Off, and I think that’s it. I’m really glad you’re here. I work really hard on the show. So, thank you so much for stopping by, and I really hope I can help you fall asleep, and here’s a couple ways I’m able to do it for you for free twice a week.

 

Alright, bakers, Scoots here. We’re talking Great British Bake Off. Holy cow, it’s good to be back in the baking chair, or good to be back in the tent. It’s time for Pastry Week. Like I said earlier, this is a podcaster who doesn't know his pastry from his patissiere. It starts off with Noel and a cake. We do have to talk about Noel’s sweater. Noel says, I made this cake for Prue. I just need to find a dish to serve it in. Then he opens a drawer and Sandi’s napping in a drawer. I mean, it’s a special effect, obviously. He says, you sleep in the cutlery drawer? No; I sleep on a washing-up sponge. I do my diary in the cutlery drawer. Welcome to the Great British Baking Show. Then he goes, have you seen my favorite dish? Ran away with the spoon. So, they keep the jokes going.

 

Now…then they do a teaser, but Noel’s wearing a sweater that in my old apartment and…it was on the floor of two…I think both climb-in closets or just…no, the first climb-in closet where I recorded the first five years of the podcast. Is that…? Five and a half years? Three…thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen…six years of the podcast. Oh, boy. So, the first six years of the podcast, I recorded it on a rug that looked exactly like Noel’s sweater. Originally it was in my living room. Kind of tongue-in-cheek. It’s a cool friend that…yeah. If you see…you gotta watch it. But yeah, it was just of…I don't know. So, okay…so, they do the talking heads. Everybody’s talking about pastry. David says, I have warm hands which is good for healthcare, but not for pastry. No one likes doing pastry, Rosie says.

 

I just don’t like pastry. Mystifying Moroccan…teetering on the brink…technical teetering on the brink. We walk in…warm hands…Tarte Tartin; savory, not sweet…rough puff or full pastry. When the going gets tough, the pastry gets rough or full puff. You gotta have good lamination, which is like a Beach Boys song. On your mark, get set, back. Everybody starts making their dough. Apple Tarte Tartin; that’s what Henry’s talking about. Steph’s talking about…I would do a vegetarian one if I did. Alice…I don't even know if I’ve had one of these, but this week I’ve had quite a few. Classic Tarte Tartin is…Prue says, is pastry on…oh, it’s a flip…it’s interesting. I’d like to do it. You make it in a frying pan, and it’s kinda like you put the thing on top. Especially…it looks like they used cast iron. Maybe not, though.

 

But you can't have a soggy bottom. Too much…'cause you’re flipping it over. But you gotta have caramelization…savory or sweet. You need that pie to look golden and delicious, Prue says. Light, flaky, golden-brown pastry…warm weather today, so using the freezer. Like Uncle Ebenezer…good lamination. David’s even singing ‘good lamination’. Now, you could do rough or full puff, but most of them have gone for rough 'cause they don’t have the time to do full puff. Rosie’s doing a shallot, goat cheese, spiced red pepper…black garlic to add color and flavor. What’s full puff? Noel says. Full puff is when you have a full slab of butter, flatten it out, stick it in the middle, and fold and fold and fold. Rough puff is you roll or grate butter or smear it between the layers. He says, okay.

 

But working with one…it’s so warm, they’re like, you gotta use frozen butter; grate it or something else, and fold it. Steph’s showing us how. Otherwise it’ll be flat and claggy if you don’t get the good lamination. That’s what this is all about; pastry. Henry closes the freezer door. It opens back up. He closes it again, uses his wrist 'cause he’s got dough on his hands. Then we have the filling sequence. David’s working on purple carrots. Henry; Tarte Tartin…he’s doing crab, new potato, and tomato. They say, good lord. Crab? Crab and new potato, a seafood salad, crab and radish? They say, can we talk about…your tie’s a little warm for a tie? It’s loosened up. They say, you could loosen it more. He says, I may not, though. I could. Meanwhile, Paul’s got two buttons on his shirt open.

 

It is hot, though, Henry says. Steph’s doing a dress-down approach. Shallots, or cheese and onion, tomatoes…or, no, she tried tomatoes; they didn’t work. Caramelized onion goat cheese Tarte Tartin…balsamic vinegar caramel, basil…basil, as they say. Prue says, sounds simple. Could be…delicious. Prue’s looking…hopping blue with the red underneath. Her glasses match her vest. Prue would make a good librarian. Alice is going…leeks, a lattice of leeks. Holy cow, talk about alliteration. That’ll create a nice cross-cross pattern, Alice says. Leek, apple, and goat cheese with thyme and honey. Say, what thyme is it, honey? It’s honey thyme, with an…or a Y. You really…you don’t want it to be soggy, though, Alice points out, 'cause they’re gonna want perfection.

 

David’s doing a caramely, carroty crunch…walnuts…Bulgaria, you just pick them from the hills, and those were picked by his partner’s grandma. He has them in a jelly jar. So, a treasured gift. Heritage carrots, shallots, he’s got dips, carrot tops…Prue says, carrot tops? Last time I heard about Carrot Top was when we were doing a Gallagher retrospective. He’s also using a Bulgarian cheese that he had to search for at shops. He finally found it in London, and hopefully it’ll be delicious altogether. Hopefully, yes. Alice, smartly, is using a cutting board made of marble that she had in her freezer. I didn’t realize…I said, that’s kinda brilliant. I think it’s marble. It could be plastic, but…and everybody’s trying to get their lamination, worried about it…in and out of the freezer, stuff’s coming out of the oven.

 

Henry’s got his little tomatoes. Don’t want a soggy bottom, though. David’s carrots come out, three different styles. Caramelized carrots are nice. Then we see people’s…what is that called? Cast iron. Henry’s gonna fry potatoes as a liquid barrier, 'cause no one wants a soggy tart. We get the outside. Sandi and Noel have lobster oven mitts. They’re arm wrestling, talking about cracks. We’re halfway through. The only way to get the golden-brown top is with a well-made caramel. What? How can you have caramel with something savory, though? Alice is putting her leeks in caramel, and that’s where she’s making her lattice…leek…lattice leeks. Henry’s doing his new potatoes…slices of potatoes in the caramel. David’s doing his ginger, sumac, and carrots.

 

Rosie’s doing onions and some other vegetables in a pattern. Alice’s leeks have gone soft. Yeah, we’re watching everybody just do some assembly. Rosie’s got…is like, maybe I put too much butter in there, or maybe I should drain the butter. Not sure. Steph’s got caramelized onions, then Henry’s doing another layer of tomatoes and potatoes. Rosie’s trying to get some of the butter out. Oh, dear. Oh, bother. Steph’s rolling out her thing. They’re talking goat cheese and simplicity. Enkel is a Danish word. Beauty through simplicity, Sandi says. Simple; sometimes that’s what works. Then they show Noel trying to use a lobster glove to make his phone…the Salvador Dali mobile phone is not working out. Forty-five minutes left. Henry puts his stuff…he’s trying to get everything in the oven.

 

Rosie’s talking about black garlic, but maybe it’s gonna make it too dark and look burnt, but it’s black garlic. David’s doing his final roll. So, everybody’s getting their top…their pie top ready. Pressure’s on trying to get it…everybody’s trying to get it done. So…'cause you want…as soon as you roll it out, you want to get it in the oven. Everybody’s got fans, too, 'cause it’s so hot. People are kind of trying to create ways to get their steam out. I guess not everybody’s using cast iron. Some people are using other frying pans or a frying pan without a handle. Rosie’s got the cast iron. Maybe she’s the only one. Twenty minutes; 180, twenty minutes; 160. Steph’s 190…twenty minutes, then maybe drop it to 180. Everything’s in the oven. So, then people are trying to stay cool 'cause it’s really hot.

 

Everybody’s doing twenty minutes and watching their ovens. Steph’s really staring right at the oven and whizzing it with olive oil. Crab salad…Alice, what are you…? Like, Alice is keeping an eye on her pastry. Soggy middle, soggy bottom…and, yeah, I don't know if this is gonna work. I don't know. I don't know. Why are you wearing a wet tea towel as a scarf, David? I was trying to stay cool. A lot of waving…then the outside of the tent…five minutes. Noel has a sound effect…electronic, handheld sound effect thing that you buy from a comic book…but everybody’s like, I don't know if it’s gonna be soggy or not on the bottom. So, no one’s…everyone’s under duress, I would say. Alice’s is not cooking; too much liquid, so she’s trying to drain some of the liquid out now.

 

Maybe super sog, but I’ll give it three more minutes…puts it back in the oven. David’s comes out, Henry’s comes out…this has to be done. Now I gotta get all the toppings ready. David says, okay, mine has layers. I’m gonna put…leave it out for a couple minutes. That’s something I learned recently. Steph talks about the same thing, tin-leaving time. Do you leave it for a minute? How long to you leave it for? David starts working on his dips. Rosie’s waiting another minute and a half. Alice is checking hers. Okay, it’s soggy. Rosie’s giving it five more seconds, but now it’s coming out. It’s nice and crispy on the top. Who knows about the bottom. So, you gotta flip it. One minute left, so everybody starts flipping theirs. So, then the top of the pie becomes the bottom and the…oh, I guess it’s supposed to surround the whole thing, though.

 

Everybody’s happy that most of them stayed together and did not stick to the pan. So, everybody starts doing their assembly. Alice’s lattice worked. So, everybody’s kinda happy. It doesn't look too soggy. We go to the end of the benches and everybody exhales. We see the sun…and now they say, okay…now Paul and Prue are up to check it out. Hello, Henry. So, we see Henry’s. Prue says, I like the crab on there. It’s original. Paul says, there’s lamination and layers. It could use more caramelization on the potato, maybe. He flips one thing to see the bottom. Nice color. Nice pastry. Nice lamination. Paul takes a bite. Flavors are delicious. Oh, Henry says, thank goodness. A little chilli, chilli and dill in the crab. Beautiful. Prue said, I would have advised you not to do it, but I would have been wrong. Delicious.

 

Well done. Thank you. Then David’s up next. Layers look excellent. It’s a little burnt, though, Paul says. David says, those are purple carrots. He says, okay, anyway…he goes, this isn’t exactly attractive. Cuts well. Smells good. Nice, flaky base. Really nice base. They take a bite. They put some dip on it. It’s a bit dry. It needs the sauce of the dips, but it shouldn’t be saved by the sauce, Prue says. We’re judging the tart. Flavors are beautiful but dry. Sandi says, I’m gonna take a purple carrot, a burnt carrot, hardy-har. Then we go to Alice who’s up next. They love the lattice; clever. A little disappointed because it’s not caramelized, though. But you could see the layers, so we’ll have to see how the texture is. They start cutting it. It sounds good when we’re cutting it; crispy. They flip it.

 

Okay, nice color underneath, but a little soggy line. Oh, boy. Paul takes a bite, then Prue takes a bite. Taste the honey and the butter…okay. Delicious, the apple and leeks. Melt in your mouth, but too wet, Paul says, and a little more color on it would have nailed it. She says, thank you. Woo, she says. Steph’s up next. Paul says, ugh. He doesn't like the goat cheese circles on top. Prue says, it looks like you just added it on. But they say, okay, it cuts well. Nice and not very thick. They take a bite. Very nice flavor, Prue says. Sweetness from the shallots comes through, caramelization…you even get toffee. But the goat’s cheese made me put it inside and the pastry’s a little thin, but can't argue with it. They say, that’s…okay. Steph says, okay, that’s alright. Then they go to Rosie’s next.

 

She goes, red wine and balsamic. The colors from the black garlic…and Paul says, huh, it looks charred to me. They take a slice. Nice and thick pastry, but a bit wet under there. But some layers…but soggy. But majority of it — Paul is fixated on it — is quite wet. She says, yeah, I put up twice as much butter. So, they take a bite. Quite a lot of garlic. You’re gonna have to have people that like garlic around you, and soggy bottom. Like a membrane, Sandi says. So, they go off. She checks it and she’s a little bit upset. Then we see some flowers and bumble friends. Talking heads…Henry says, that went quite well. Didn’t expect that. David’s…yeah, dry. He goes, yeah, that’s what the sauces were there for, but Paul didn’t want those. Rosie’s gutted…'cause now I gotta make more pastry. Yay.

 

We see a deer, and then we go back to the tent. Okay, so, we see the gingham towel, and…no practice on this one. So, what is up next? They come out. Noel’s got different gear on. I don't know if this was a different day 'cause I wasn’t paying…this one’s been set by Paul, though. Consistency really matters, Paul says. Thanks, Paul. Is he finished? Okay. Well, I guess why Noel wouldn’t have a sweater on…'cause it’s so warm. They’re going to a yard sale. Paul’s selling old slippers. Okay, so you have to make a Moroccan pie, warka or brick pastry. Warka…I think I wrote out how to say it…and a perfectly spiced filling, and that’s all there is to it. Warka, White Walker, 'cause, yeah, Henry says, White Walker, from…a warka pastry. It’s filo-ish, maybe? I don't know, Alice says. No one’s ever heard of it.

 

Henry’s confident that no one’s ever heard of it. David has, on a travel program. They say, Paul, what’s this Moroccan pie? Well, it’s a bit like a filo mince pie; layer on layer on layer, and you build it up and you put your filling in and then fold it over the top. But you’re making it with warka pastry or brick, which is difficult 'cause it’s a loose batter. You make it on a hotplate with a brush. It can't be too thin 'cause it’ll disintegrate, but if it’s too thick it’ll be splodgy. The mixture’s gonna be chicken, a lot of spices…oh, we…Paul didn’t tell you how much spice to use. Prue says, this is crispy and delicious. Okay, solid enough…so, yeah. I mean, look how thin it is. But this is gonna be rough with the heat wave. Paul says, yeah, I probably wouldn’t have done it if…you know what I’m saying, if I knew it was this hot.

 

So, everybody’s trying to follow the directions and make their dough. You don’t want it to be too thick. You gotta place a flat pan which is literally a frying pan flattened out that…they put it over boiling water, I think. Steph is a little bit under duress. Rosie’s got a nice citrus-style shirt on. Everybody’s trying to paint and being like…and then Noel says, can you explain it to me? It’s like wallpaper paste…on a plate on top of a pan? It’s not going good for Henry, either. He’s like, holy cow. Alice says, my first one came out a bit thick. David’s is thinner but he’s like…he throws his first one out. Steph’s is not working at all. We see the top of the tent. Alice lowered her temperature. Maybe it’ll be easier now.

 

So, Henry says, okay, I’m getting comfortable. Rosie’s comfortable. You gotta make twelve of them. Steph is not having any luck at all and really feeling it, and…big frowny face. Steph says, this is my fear, of not being able to present something. Noel says, you can do it, Steph. You can do it. Don't worry. She goes, it’s grim. Noel says, keep going. So, Steph tries using a spoon. I’m gonna try to get through this. Then we see a exterior shot. Then somebody else says, bakers, you’re halfway through, and says, Sandi, you need to shave. You’re starting to look like Adam Hills. I don't know who Adam Hills is, so I’m gonna look it up. I mean, yeah, I’m not the most knowledgeable person in the world. Adam Hills; Australian comedian. Is this who it is, possibly?

 

He was…let me see, if I put ‘Adam Hills, Great British Bake Off’…Adam Hills, Great British Bake Off. Took his kids to watch Bake-Off being filmed. Viewers baffled by Adam Hills. This is in the Daily Express. Unexpected cameo by a famous face. I guess this is a video report? Or, where’s the actual…? Continue reading…Channel 4 viewers may know Adam Hills from the topical comedy show The Last Leg, where Adam acts as host. Yeah, fans were confused but also happy. So, yeah, like a mashup. So, sure…all the listeners in the UK know who Adam Hills is. So, now everybody’s working on their chicken — so, I kinda cleared that up — chopping meat, putting it in…and putting in the spices, and…onion, garlic, harissa paste, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, and cardamom. This sounds exactly like what I would like.

 

Steph put…it does smell good, Steph says, a teaspoon of everything. Henry’s like, I don't much like spicy stuff. Alice is kinda coughing at the amount of spice from the harissa paste. A half-hour left. Everybody’s counting their sheets. Henry’s still doing it and then he says…he refers to the GoT Walkers. It’s Arabic for sheet, Sandi says. So, sheet pastry. Okay, so then you gotta layer them in the tin, kind of…it’s interesting. I don't know what I’ve had that…so, you put seven on the bottom, then you put the chicken mixture in. Oh, chickpeas, chicken…that looks delicious. Henry says, it looks like…I mean, that would make any kind of pie or even a empanada really good. Noel’s talking to Henry about folding, folding, and how it’s gotta be scrunched in so it has some texture. Steph’s kinda like, mine are too thick. David’s got his ready.

 

So, then you put it in…oh, I guess you bake it and then you add the filling? It just says ‘bake’. Maybe I’ll check it after twenty minutes, Alice says. Or, not…Rosie says that. Henry’s trying to…Henry’s running a little bit behind, I think. Oh no, yeah, I guess they did have the filling in there. So, they bake it with the filling. Henry’s groaning. Alice is watching hers, leaving it to the last minute. Rosie says, oh boy. Everybody’s trying to stay cool. Then they start playing catch with a lime, Henry and David. Then they play kinda Hot Potato, and then Noel starts throwing around a lemon. They’re definitely playing Hot Potato. Five minutes, so stop mucking about. Everybody’s like, okay…checks their oven. Henry’s is far from baked. He’s trying to wait ‘til the last second. Rosie’s trying not to drop hers. Alice…I’m not sure. Steph; this is grim.

 

Everybody’s…one minute left. Henry grabs his with one minute left. Steph sighs. Henry is trying to get his out of his tin, but it’s very warm. Everybody gets theirs barely on a plate. Henry’s starts falling apart. Rosie’s leaking a lot of juice and then hers starts to fall apart. Oh my gosh, my stomach, though, is rumbling. Carrots, chickpeas, and chicken…so, it does sound really delicious. They say, yeah, we’re looking for a perfectly crisp, un-split warka pastry. So, we go to the judging. They start with Rosie. Burst…yeah. She tried to cover it up, I guess, or whoever. There’s no base at all, just filling. Sharp on the spices; I like that. Good flavor, Paul and Prue say, but a bit of a mess. Then they go to Steph. Okay, this is difficult to cut. There is a base, though.

 

Pastry’s a bit thick and tough and undercooked, but the filling is delicious. Filling’s good. Then they go to Henry’s. The whole thing collapsed. Mild flavored…then they go to Alice. Neater, solid…impressed with the top. A nice folded look. Soggy when you get down to the bottom layer, though. A lot of garlic. Spicy, innit? Too much garlic. Then they go to David’s. Nice, good base. Holding together even when it’s really hot. This is excellent. Lovely. Then they say, okay, Prue and Paul are gonna judge from worst to best now. Fifth position; this one. That’s Henry. Henry struggled a bit with the pastry. Then Steph is fourth. Filling was delicious but it needed longer. Third; Alice. Not bad. It came together nicely. Strong flavors, but overboard with the garlic. Second place is Rosie, and everybody’s like, whoa.

 

There’s debate about it 'cause it exploded, but the pastry was excellent and flavorsome. So, filling was good. First place is David. First, finally first. You had some thin pastry but you managed to layer it up. Solid colors. Well done. Finally first. Finally got first place, he says. Eight tries. My pie exploded. Steph’s relieved she got through it. Flaky…Monday, Thursday, Henry talks about. Monday, Thursday…then they say, okay, the bakers have one last chance. They show everybody going into the tent. Who’s gonna be Star Baker? Who must leave the tent? Table talk; brilliant signature. Lousy technical for Henry. David came in first in the technical. It was the same situation the last couple weeks. Roles reversed…so, it all relies on the showstopper.

 

Alice and Henry are not doing great, and…but Prue says, my lunch was delicious. I love that crab tart, so…but Rosie managed to pull herself out. So, we have no idea who’s winning, frankly. It’s tight. You’re gonna have to create a little bit of magic 'cause the semi-finals are next week. So, the judges come out. Alright, showstopper; a stunning vertical pie. Vertical pie? What’s next, horizontal quiche? Also, Sandi says, yeah, quiches are horizontal. Decoratively shaped, arranged vertically…at least two pies on top of a pie. Savory or sweet, any pastry you like, but not each other’s. Four hours. Bake it. Everybody gets to work. They start chilling the pastry. Steph’s like, this is not my thing. Never been into pie. Everyone’s feeling the pressure. Prue’s like, yeah, this is a wild idea, vertical pie.

 

Paul says, yeah, it’s like three pies on top of each other. They could be boring or interesting, Prue says. Could be shortcrust or water crust. I don't even know. I missed it. Pastry needs to be delicious, though. Water crust? I don't know. Don’t put too much liquid. You want to be able to put a knife through so it holds its shape. This challenge is gonna be difficult. So, we’re looking for the four best people. They start with Alice. Tell us about your vertical pie, Alice. Okay, I’m making a tree trunk out of the pastry and I’m gonna support a pie on top of that. Treehouse…Apple Treehouse Pie; blackberry, hollow tree trunk, toasted pecans, shortcrust pastry. They say, okay, your support…it’s gonna have to be thick to support it. I hope it stays. Sandi says, I could live in it if there was a ladder.

 

She goes, oh, I’m making a ladder and a swing, a pastry ladder. That’s not the only thing [inaudible] in the tent 'cause David’s doing a fish pie, 'cause it’s Whitby, his old port…fishing port. So, I’m doing a Whitby Fish Pie. Shortcrust…a really fancy design, sea-based…fishing-based design. But he goes, I’m doing it without a…no…a lidless tie. So, an open pie, they say? Paul’s looking at him like…now, you don't want to overwork your shortcrust, and you gotta let it rest or it’ll be tough and rubbery, they say. So, everybody’s working their shortcrust and getting their fillings ready. So, then we have…everybody’s chopping up their fillings. Chillis going into the curry for Steph…Steph was like, it may be the first thing I ate. When I was younger, I was a curry girl. It goes back to my childhood.

 

It’s Curry, Chickpea, and Potato Carousel Pie. Hot water crust…oh, that’s the other kind of pastry, hot water crust. She said she went to a wedding and they had a carousel, and that’s cool. Sandi says, that’s cool, too. Steph’s not the only one making curry. Rosie’s also doing curry vegetables. A little bit mild, though; her husband doesn't like spicy food. She’s slowly converting him. Rosie’s doing a Rapunzel tower; hot water crust, a rose and vegetable dragon friend. How many pies altogether? Nine pies. Nine pies? Are you gonna finish this on time? Yeah. I practiced it. Yes-ish. I’ve got it done. Then they go to Henry. Hey, Henry. So, you’re making a savory pie? Pretty savory. Ham? Yeah, let’s have some ham. So, they’re all trying Henry’s ham and joking around.

 

You’re doing a vertical sweet and savory pie like a chandelier. Reminiscent of a chandelier, he says. Chandelier Picnic Pie; cranberries, apricots, blackberries, mint leaves, spiced chocolate and pecan, and cinnamon. They say, well, who says that’s nice? He goes, my mom. They say, okay, we won't mess with your mother here. Judges are expecting moist fillings packed with flavor. Alice is getting that Granny Smith. A nice piece of smoked salmon, I think…is it from Whitby? No. They talk about living in Whitby and being a teen and that kinda stuff. It looks like he’s doing…but Paul’s just staring at Henry, kind of, not helping him, kinda messing with his rhythm. He says, Paul has eyes like a shark, but less mercy. Okay, everybody has their pastry to worry about. Lard, butter…a lot of fat going in there.

 

Hot water crust is…you have to use it straightaway, I guess? Whatever their pastry…pistry, pastry…if it’s too thick, it won't be strong enough. So, you have to balance the structural integrity of the pie, make sure it holds together. Now Noel has a crab hat on and everybody’s trying to get their pies together…a little flustered. Henry’s kinda trying to do a pipe nozzle through his pies. You gotta do a time…he’s gotta be right with all these pies. So, pies are going in the oven. Hour and ten for Steph’s. Two of Rosie’s in the oven, many to go. Alice has got to get the last pie in the oven. Noel’s talking dragons with…a dragon named Cambert…Camembert, Bert the Dragon. Unicorns, rainbows, dragons…what about a sports car?

 

Then Henry’s working on his pecan pie filling. An hour and a half, but there’s only one hour left. So Henry goes, wait a second, I thought we had two hours. So, he’s not in great shape. All of Rosie’s pies are in the oven. Henry gets his in. Gotta craft pastry perfection. So, they’re working on their structures and their decorations; trees, trunks, carousels, scales for the fish, chandelier shapes, everything…putting the decoration pieces in the oven, fishtails, dragon scales. Then Noel’s doing these ongoing sack jokes with Sandi. One, two, three…and you got a half-hour left. Okay, and then it’s like, okay, the time to get them out of the oven. How much more time do I leave them? People are saying, okay, mine look okay, I think.

 

David’s topless…lidless pies…Henry’s trying to get his pies out of the tins and they’re not coming apart. I don't know what to do, he says. So, it’s kinda like a slide-off pie tin, 'cause you don’t eat…I guess it’s 'cause it’s like a English-style standing pie. Oh yeah, like a meat pie versus a pie in a pie tin. In the US we’re used to that, pies staying in…keep your pies in the tin; USA. England; let your pie be free. Rosie does some tongue-in-cheek stuff. Her dragon looks really good. They’re trying to…Steph’s trying to create structures. Her pies stay…yeah, and everybody’s trying to put it together. A boat on David’s, a treehouse…one minute left. Henry’s using dowels and some decoration. Alice has got a swing. David’s is very sculptural. Rosie’s trying to balance hers…and that’s it. Steph and David hug. Not perfect, but okay.

 

Rosie’s trying to worry about…is like, is mine gonna fall apart or not? Then we see the outside of the tent. The bakers are sitting. Paul and Prue will judge. Rosie goes first. Sandi goes to help. They really gotta go slow. No rush at all. It looks good when it’s at presentation. You got braided hair…design’s amazing. I like the joke of the night…imaginative. Funny, too. Pie number one; it’s a giant cutting of cake. The pastry’s too thick, though, so…and curry flavor’s good, though, Paul says, but a little bit dry. It falls apart. She was worried about the moisture, but dryness is worse. The Camembert…goodbye, bert, as they go into the cheese dragon. Very dry, too. Sculpture’s excellent. Textures are wrong. Thank you, Rosie.

 

Alice is next; Applehouse Tree Pie. Also looks good…the swing…the trunk of the tree’s well done. Overall design; exceptional. They cut the first pie and they take some bites of it. It’s tough as old boots. You worked it too much. Prue says, not as tough, but it’s not the tenderest. The filling’s dry…taken the moisture out of it. Not enough sweetness. Idea’s fantastic, but not quite there. Thank you. Imaginative. Then David’s up next. His is very intricate, really interesting. Big marine story…three pies, one story. Design good…well constructed. I don't know about the exposed vegetables, though, Paul says. I don't like that. I like my pies enclosed. Pastry could have been baked a bit longer. Okay. They start eating it. Lovely and short but over-seasoned. Smoked salmon feels dry. It lost all the moisture. No lid; it dried out.

 

Then Steph’s up. Her pie looks pretty good. Prue says she loves it. Horses are lovely. The pastry’s properly browned. Pastry squares could have been thinner on the side, but neat and organized. Very Steph. So, they cut the thing. It’s holding together nicely. Paul says, huh. Prue gives thumbs ups. Delicious. Not too dry. Flavors are lovely. The filling’s not moving but it’s still moist. Wow. Pastry’s thin, flaky. A really nice pie. Thank you, thank you. Steph carries hers back. They say, well done. Henry,  you’re up, buddy. He carries his up and it’s a little shaky. Everybody laughs. Prue says, my first feeling is it’s just stacked pies. It’s unimaginative, and dried leaves doesn't work. Paul says, let’s open these pies up. Pastry’s a little thick. It’s a lot thick, and it’s raw. It needed to be paper-thin. They start taking bites of it…very dry.

 

Should have used a fattier meat, maybe. Bone dry. You had a hole in the top. Then the dessert pie tastes like mince pie, more Christmas flavors than chocolate. They say, humbug. Or, Henry says that. The idea’s there, Henry, but not executed. Maddening. Henry says, geez, I might be in danger here. Rosie says, this is gonna be tough. I would be gutted if I went home now. This is a tough place. We see a duck and three or four ducklings, a sky shot…table talk; a visual feast but disappointing. Dry, dry, dry. The only one that got it right was Steph. She was in the middle. Now she’s up there for Star Baker. David did great but it was a little dry.

 

Henry we’re disappointed in. So disappointing; dry, thick, and it wasn’t imaginative, either. Did well on the signature, struggled with the technical, struggled with this. Rosie; it didn’t look good. The showstopper design was one of the best, but it was dry. They’re both in trouble. Noel says, to come this far…and it’s a terrible point to go out, huh? Then they say, okay, we’re gonna find out who’s going through here. Sandi’s like, I get to do Star Baker. ‘Cause next week’s harder; that’s why I have to go next week. She says, Star Baker is Steph. Noel says, that means I get the horrible job of announcing who’s going home, and the one who’s leaving this week is Henry. Henry nods.

 

There’s a lot of hugging and sad faces. Then this great story from Henry; he goes, I first met Paul outside the Bake-Off tent at age twelve and I shook his hand. Paul says, unlucky, mate. He says, I never thought I’d be there with him actually baking. He says, yeah, he’s really improved. He did a great job. The other four are just better. Henry says, it’s been a pleasure. Darling Rosie…Rosie’s sad but she’s happy to still be there. Even Prue says, Rosie’s not believing her luck. Steph just says, what? Wow, wow, wow. Pastries…well done. Prue says, that was faultless. Then Steph says, is this for real? The episode comes to a close. Goodnight, everybody.

 

[END OF RECORDING]

(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)

Baking Off to Sleep

 

Wells

https://www.aquapump.com/history-of-water-wells/

https://tacomadrilling.com/quick-history-of-water-wells/

https://accurate4.com/history-of-the-water-well-part-one/

 

Warm Hands

https://www.bakingmad.com/baking-tips/keeping-your-hands-cool-when-handling-pastry

https://whippingitup.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/perfect-pastry-tips-the-gift-of-cold-hands/

https://www.puffpastry.com/tip_techniques/handling-puff-pastry/

 

Warka Pastry

https://www.engagingcultures.com/traditional-kaak-warka-of-zaghouan-tunisia/

https://carthagemagazine.com/tunisian-kaak-warka/

https://www.laylasdelicacies.com/blogs/news/warka-pastry

 

GBBO S10/C7 Ep 8 Review

https://ew.com/recap/the-great-british-baking-show-season-10-episode-8/

https://jenrosewrites.blog/2019/10/17/the-great-british-bake-off-season-10-episode-8-my-thoughts/

https://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2019/10/18/the-great-british-baking-show-season-10-episode-eight-recap-pastry-week/

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

I honestly don’t know the difference between pastries and patissiere

We’ll be talking Bake Off

 

Deep Dark Night United

Sarah (Helix Sleep)

 

PLUGS

Hand in Hand; The Midnight Mission; Trevor Project; Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline

 

SPONSORS

AquaTru; Helix Sleep; Wild Health; Polysleep; Odoo; Air Doctor Pro; Zocdoc; Progressive

 

INTRO

I’m always thinkin’

What are you thinkin’ about? AKA why is your brow so furrowed?

What’s going on with my face? Did I eat a lemon out of a trashcan?

Am I doing nucler calculations?

Why so quiet?

Usually only authority figures ask me why I’m so quiet

It’s just my nature

Itsma Nature

I’d prefer to just worry about the unknown, thank you very much

Hopefully this is relatable to people

Getting to the bottom of my bottomless pits

De (Rhymes with Stairs)

Bottomless Pit vs Bottomless Well

I guess wells are manmade? 

A bottomless water well, wow, that’s soooo impressive, Scoots

Well now I’ve distracted you and we don’t have to talk about me

I guess I shouldn’t have told you any of this on a first date, huh?

My dates often have to use the restroom by going out the front door of the restaurant

Pit-Based Discussions are just my thing

Oh, you really meant no pit-based discussions? Wow

Someone out there can relate to you

SWM: We’re the Pits

My brain is drawing a blank on other potential party topics besides pits

Maybe a pit-based conversation is exactly what you need, you never know

The Most Famous Pits in History

I actually don’t know what would happen if someone else was interested in pits

The Strange Nature of the Show

 

STORY

Holy Cow, it’s good to be back in the baking chair

Time for pastry week

We do have to talk about Noel’s sweater

Sandi is napping in a drawer

Noel is wearing a sweater whose pattern is the same as the rug of the old climb-in closet

A cool friend print

David has warm hands, which is not good for pastry

Signature – Tart Tartine

Rough puff or full puff pastry

“You Gotta Have Good Lamination” – Beach Boys

Henry – Apple tart tartine

Oh, wow, you make it in a frying pan

You must not have a soggy bottom

Needs to be golden and delicious

Should be in the freezer – it’s a warm day today

Most people are going rough puff

Rosie – Shallot, goat cheese spiced

Rough Puff is grating butter and smearing it between layers

The butter has to be frozen to to be grated

David – purple carrots

Henry – crab, new potato, and tomato

Henry’s tie is only slightly loosened

Steph – Caramelized goat cheese tart tartine

Prue has a popping blue

Prue would make a good librarian

Alice – Lattice of Leeks, thyme, and honey

What thyme is it, honey?

David – caramely, carroty, crunchy walnuts

Picked from the hills of Bulgaria

He’s also using Bulgarian cheese and carrot tops

Alice is smartly using a frozen marble cutting board

No one wants a soggy tart

Sandi and Noel are wrestling with lobster oven mitts

How can you have caramel with something savory?

You need caramel for the golden color

Alice’s leeks have gone soft

Everyone’s assembling 

Rosie might have put too much butter in there

Beauty Through Simplicity

Noel is having trouble making his Salvador Dali mobile phone

Creative ways to get steam out

Not everyone is using cast iron

People are trying to stay cool, it’s just so hot

Noel has a sound effect alarm tool

Alice tries to drain some liquid out

Tin Leaving Time

David works on his dips

You gotta flip them with about a minute left

Most of them didn’t stick to the pan

Nothing looks too soggy

Time is up

Henry – original crab usage, great lamination, needed more caramelization, nice color, nice pastry, delicious

David – great layers, a little burnt, not exactly attractive, great base, a bit dry, it needs the sauce too much, beautiful flavors

Alice – lovely lattice, not caramelized, good layers, sounds good, a little soggy on the bottom, too wet, good flavor

Steph – Paul doesn’t like the goat cheese circles on top, cuts well, too thin, nice flavor, good flavor

Rosie – looks a little charred, thick pastry, quite wet, a lot of garlic, soggy bottom

Rosie is gutted

Technical Time

Consistency really matters

Noel has a new outfit

Moroccan Pie

Warka Pastry, kind of a brick pie

You have to make it on a griddle

It’ll be hard to make with the heat wave

A flat pan placed over boiled water

Steph is under duress

This is tough

Henry is getting more comfortable

Steph is having a really hard time with this

Big Frowny Face

Halfway Through

Sandi is starting to look like Adam Hills?

Some Adam Hills background

Putting meat and spices in

I think I’d love this

Alice is coughing at all the spice

Warka is arabic for sheet

Oh, it’s like assembled sheets

That looks delicious

David gets his ready

I guess you bake it and then add the filling?

Henry and David play catch with a lime

Playing hot potato

Stop mucking about!

Henry’s is far from baked

Steph says it’s grim

They barely get them on the plate

Henry’s starts falling apart

Man, my stomach is really rumbling right now

Judgment Time

Rosie – burst, no base at all, just filling, good flavor, bit of a mess

Steph – difficult to cut, does have a base, thick pastry and undercooked, good flavor

Henry – all collapsed, mild flavor

Alice – neat, impressive, a little soggy at the bottom, spicy, too much garlic

David – nice, good base, holding together, excellent, lovely

Henry is last

Steph is fourth

Alice is third

Rosie is second

David wins his first Technical!

Finally First

Henry is Monday Thursday…?

Table Talk – it all comes down to the showstopper

Alice and Henry are in trouble

Show Stopper – Stunning Vertical Pie

Vertical Pie???

At least 2 pies on top of a pie

Immediately start chilling pastry

Steph has never been into pie

It can be whatever crust you like

It needs to hold its shape

Alice – making a tree trunk out of pastry

Apple Treehouse Pie

It’ll need to be strong to support

David is doing an open-faced fish pie in honor of Whidbey, his home

Don’t overwork the shortcrust or it’ll be tough and rubbery

Chopping Up Filling

Steph is a curry girl

Hot Water Crust and Curried Chickpea

It’ll be a carousel design

Rosie is also doing curried vegetables

Rosie is dong a Rapunzel tower

She has to make 9 pies??!

Henry is making a pretty savory pie

They’re all trying Henry’s ham

Reminiscent of a chandelier

Sweet savory combo for Henry

Paul is just staring at Henry, unhelpfully

Paul has less mercy than a shark

I guess you have to go with hot water crust right away

The crust has to be pretty strong

Get those pies into the oven!

Bert the Dragon

Henry is pressed for time

All of Rosie’s pies are in the oven

Noel is doing some ongoing sack jokes with Sandi

Henry is struggling to get his out of the tins

Rosie’s dragon looks really good

Henry uses dowels

Closing Assembly Time

David’s is very sculptural

Time is up

Judgment Time

Rosie – looks great presentation, fun design, pastry is too thick, great flavor but a little dry, very dry cheese dragon, textures are wrong, good structure

Alice – great design, tough as old boots, dry filling, not enough sweetness, not great execution of great idea

David – very intricate, great construction and design, Paul doesn’t like lidless nature, pastry is a little undercooked, great pastry, underseasoned, dry salmon because no lid

Steph – great design, great pastry color, could’ve been thinner, holding together nicely, not too dry, flavor is lovely, still moist, lovely

Henry – unimaginative structure – they’re just stacked, pastry is very thick, it’s raw, very dry, meat needed more fat, humbug to the bad Christmas flavors, not good execution

Overall – visual feasts, but very dry and disappointing

A terrible time to go out

Sandi does star baker

Steph is Star Baker!

Henry is going home

A great story from Henry

Henry met Paul at age 12! He never thought he’d be back in the tent

Rosie is very grateful to still be here

Steph is stunned

“Is this for real?”

 

PATREON THANKS

Marcy, LJ, Marissa, Otessa, Rachelle, Angela, Jordan, Matthew, Nasir, Becca, Rainn, Amanda, Anne, Amy, Liz, Bridget, Mr. Happy, Louise, Laura, Helen, Colleen, Nazya

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1245

Title: Pastries | Great British Baking Off to Sleep S10/C7 Ep8

Deep Dark Night United: Sarah (Helix Sleep)

Plugs: Hand in Hand; The Midnight Mission; Trevor Project; Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline

Sponsors: AquaTru; Helix Sleep; Wild Health; Polysleep; Odoo; Air Doctor Pro; Zocdoc; Progressive

Patreon Thanks: Marcy, LJ, Marissa, Otessa, Rachelle, Angela, Jordan, Matthew, Nasir, Becca, Rainn, Amanda, Anne, Amy, Liz, Bridget, Mr. Happy, Louise, Laura, Helen, Colleen, Nazya

Notable Language:

• Nuclear / Nucler
• Itsma Nature
• De (Rhymes with Stairs)
• Pit-Based Discussions (PBDs)
• Pits
• Lattice of Leeks
• Salvador Dali mobile phone
• Warka
• Big Frowny Face
• Finally First
• Chandelier Shapes

 

Notable Culture:

• Great British Bake Off

• • “You Gotta Have Good Lamination” – Beach Boys
  • Carrot Top
  • Salvador Dali
  • Adam Hills
  • Rapunzel

• A Christmas Carol

 

Notable Talking Points:

• I’m always thinkin’
• What are you thinkin’ about? AKA why is your brow so furrowed?
• What’s going on with my face? Did I eat a lemon out of a trashcan?
• Am I doing nucler calculations?
• Why so quiet?
• Usually only authority figures ask me why I’m so quiet
• It’s just my nature
• Itsma Nature
• I’d prefer to just worry about the unknown, thank you very much
• Hopefully this is relatable to people
• Getting to the bottom of my bottomless pits
• De (Rhymes with Stairs)
• Bottomless Pit vs Bottomless Well
• I guess wells are manmade? 
• A bottomless water well, wow, that’s soooo impressive, Scoots
• Well now I’ve distracted you and we don’t have to talk about me
• I guess I shouldn’t have told you any of this on a first date, huh?
• My dates often have to use the restroom by going out the front door of the restaurant
• Pit-Based Discussions are just my thing
• Oh, you really meant no pit-based discussions? Wow
• Someone out there can relate to you
• SWM: We’re the Pits
• My brain is drawing a blank on other potential party topics besides pits
• Maybe a pit-based conversation is exactly what you need, you never know
• The Most Famous Pits in History
• I actually don’t know what would happen if someone else was interested in pits
• The Strange Nature of the Show
• Holy Cow, it’s good to be back in the baking chair
• Time for pastry week
• We do have to talk about Noel’s sweater
• Sandi is napping in a drawer
• Noel is wearing a sweater whose pattern is the same as the rug of the old climb-in closet
• A cool friend print
• David has warm hands, which is not good for pastry
• Signature – Tart Tartine
• Rough puff or full puff pastry
• “You Gotta Have Good Lamination” – Beach Boys
• Henry – Apple tart tartine
• Oh, wow, you make it in a frying pan
• You must not have a soggy bottom
• Needs to be golden and delicious
• Should be in the freezer – it’s a warm day today
• Most people are going rough puff
• Rosie – Shallot, goat cheese spiced
• Rough Puff is grating butter and smearing it between layers
• The butter has to be frozen to to be grated
• David – purple carrots
• Henry – crab, new potato, and tomato
• Henry’s tie is only slightly loosened
• Steph – Caramelized goat cheese tart tartine
• Prue has a popping blue
• Prue would make a good librarian
• Alice – Lattice of Leeks, thyme, and honey
• What thyme is it, honey?
• David – caramely, carroty, crunchy walnuts
• Picked from the hills of Bulgaria
• He’s also using Bulgarian cheese and carrot tops
• Alice is smartly using a frozen marble cutting board
• No one wants a soggy tart
• Sandi and Noel are wrestling with lobster oven mitts
• How can you have caramel with something savory?
• You need caramel for the golden color
• Alice’s leeks have gone soft
• Everyone’s assembling 
• Rosie might have put too much butter in there
• Beauty Through Simplicity
• Noel is having trouble making his Salvador Dali mobile phone
• Creative ways to get steam out
• Not everyone is using cast iron
• People are trying to stay cool, it’s just so hot
• Noel has a sound effect alarm tool
• Alice tries to drain some liquid out
• Tin Leaving Time
• David works on his dips
• You gotta flip them with about a minute left
• Most of them didn’t stick to the pan
• Nothing looks too soggy
• Time is up
• Henry – original crab usage, great lamination, needed more caramelization, nice color, nice pastry, delicious
• David – great layers, a little burnt, not exactly attractive, great base, a bit dry, it needs the sauce too much, beautiful flavors
• Alice – lovely lattice, not caramelized, good layers, sounds good, a little soggy on the bottom, too wet, good flavor
• Steph – Paul doesn’t like the goat cheese circles on top, cuts well, too thin, nice flavor, good flavor
• Rosie – looks a little charred, thick pastry, quite wet, a lot of garlic, soggy bottom
• Rosie is gutted
• Technical Time
• Consistency really matters
• Noel has a new outfit
• Moroccan Pie
• Warka Pastry, kind of a brick pie
• You have to make it on a griddle
• It’ll be hard to make with the heat wave
• A flat pan placed over boiled water
• Steph is under duress
• This is tough
• Henry is getting more comfortable
• Steph is having a really hard time with this
• Big Frowny Face
• Halfway Through
• Sandi is starting to look like Adam Hills?
• Some Adam Hills background
• Putting meat and spices in
• I think I’d love this
• Alice is coughing at all the spice
• Warka is arabic for sheet
• Oh, it’s like assembled sheets
• That looks delicious
• David gets his ready
• I guess you bake it and then add the filling?
• Henry and David play catch with a lime
• Playing hot potato
• Stop mucking about!
• Henry’s is far from baked
• Steph says it’s grim
• They barely get them on the plate
• Henry’s starts falling apart
• Man, my stomach is really rumbling right now
• Judgment Time
• Rosie – burst, no base at all, just filling, good flavor, bit of a mess
• Steph – difficult to cut, does have a base, thick pastry and undercooked, good flavor
• Henry – all collapsed, mild flavor
• Alice – neat, impressive, a little soggy at the bottom, spicy, too much garlic
• David – nice, good base, holding together, excellent, lovely
• Henry is last
• Steph is fourth
• Alice is third
• Rosie is second
• David wins his first Technical!
• Finally First
• Henry is Monday Thursday…?
• Table Talk – it all comes down to the showstopper
• Alice and Henry are in trouble
• Show Stopper – Stunning Vertical Pie
• Vertical Pie???
• At least 2 pies on top of a pie
• Immediately start chilling pastry
• Steph has never been into pie
• It can be whatever crust you like
• It needs to hold its shape
• Alice – making a tree trunk out of pastry
• Apple Treehouse Pie
• It’ll need to be strong to support
• David is doing an open-faced fish pie in honor of Whidbey, his home
• Don’t overwork the shortcrust or it’ll be tough and rubbery
• Chopping Up Filling
• Steph is a curry girl
• Hot Water Crust and Curried Chickpea
• It’ll be a carousel design
• Rosie is also doing curried vegetables
• Rosie is dong a Rapunzel tower
• She has to make 9 pies??!
• Henry is making a pretty savory pie
• They’re all trying Henry’s ham
• Reminiscent of a chandelier
• Sweet savory combo for Henry
• Paul is just staring at Henry, unhelpfully
• Paul has less mercy than a shark
• I guess you have to go with hot water crust right away
• The crust has to be pretty strong
• Get those pies into the oven!
• Bert the Dragon
• Henry is pressed for time
• All of Rosie’s pies are in the oven
• Noel is doing some ongoing sack jokes with Sandi
• Henry is struggling to get his out of the tins
• Rosie’s dragon looks really good
• Henry uses dowels
• Closing Assembly Time
• David’s is very sculptural
• Time is up
• Judgment Time
• Rosie – looks great presentation, fun design, pastry is too thick, great flavor but a little dry, very dry cheese dragon, textures are wrong, good structure
• Alice – great design, tough as old boots, dry filling, not enough sweetness, not great execution of great idea
• David – very intricate, great construction and design, Paul doesn’t like lidless nature, pastry is a little undercooked, great pastry, underseasoned, dry salmon because no lid
• Steph – great design, great pastry color, could’ve been thinner, holding together nicely, not too dry, flavor is lovely, still moist, lovely
• Henry – unimaginative structure – they’re just stacked, pastry is very thick, it’s raw, very dry, meat needed more fat, humbug to the bad Christmas flavors, not good execution
• Overall – visual feasts, but very dry and disappointing
• A terrible time to go out
• Sandi does star baker
• Steph is Star Baker!
• Henry is going home
• A great story from Henry
• Henry met Paul at age 12! He never thought he’d be back in the tent
• Rosie is very grateful to still be here
• Steph is stunned
• “Is this for real?”