The Great British Bake Off Series 15: Episode 1 Recap
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8 mins ago
Here's how the bakers kicked off the 2024 season
It’s finally that time of year again. Britain’s favourite baking show returned for another series on Tuesday, with 12 fresh-faced bakers entering the tent to show off their homespun skills. And the first challenge? Cake Week. Here’s a recap of everything that happened in Series 15, Episode 1 of The Great British Bake Off.
What Happened In The Great British Bake Off Series 15, Episode 1?
It might have hit screens last summer, but it seems Barbie fever is still well and truly alive over at Bake Off. The season opened with a birds eye view of the tent – given a hot pink makeover – with a Barbie-fied version of Alison Hammond floating down from the sky. Down on the ground, she’s joined by Noel… also dressed as Barbie. Following a short scuffle on who’s the best Barbie, Paul (in full Ken garb) heads over to set the record straight, with Weird Barbie Prue hot on his heels.
Weirdness (and bad American accents) aside, the skit was the gateway we needed to get prepped for a full intro to Series 15 of Bake Off.
Noel, Prue, Alison and Paul in The Great British Bake Off Series 15
What Was The Theme This Week?
As is tradition, The Great British Bake Off starts each season with Cake Week. As per Channel 4, ‘Bake Off‘s back, as a new set of bakers enter the tent. It’s Cake Week and the bakers elevate a loaf cake, tackle a Technical with a twist and make bamboozling illusion cakes.’
Signature Bake: Loaf Cake
There’s no time to loaf around this season. The first Signature Bake of Series 15 was a loaf cake, which the judges dubbed ‘difficult to mess up’ – although Prue did follow this up by saying she wanted a ‘surprise’ and Paul noted ‘it will be tricky’ to pour on the icing without it slipping off. Mixed signals much?
Here’s how the bakers got on:
- Andy, Loaf Cake: Andy had good flavour, but the judges pointed out the texture was heavy and the look of the cake all over the place.
- Christiaan, ‘Umami Apple’ Loaf Cake: While praised for his clean design, the judges weren’t convinced by Christiaan’s miso/apple combination. Paul especially was very vocal of his dislike.
- Sumayah, ‘Halwa Surprise’ Loaf Cake: A strong bake and a pretty facade earned Sumayah brownie (cake?) points with the judges, who also praised the flavour balance and texture.
- Dylan, ‘Sticky Rice’ Loaf Cake: His bake was neat and had height, but because Dylan missed out on adding his coconut yoghurt his loaf ended up feeling a bit doughy and dense.
- Georgie, Vanilla & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake: The judges liked the flavour of Georgie’s bake, but criticised it for not having enough height. ‘I don’t dislike it, I just think it could be better,’ said Paul.
- Gill, Loaf Cake: Gill achieed a lovely marble effect with her bake, but the judges noted the taste was let down by the overall look.
- Hazel, ‘Raspberry Surprise’ Loaf Cake: Not a good start for Hazel, whose shards were dubbbed ‘too big’ and her cake ‘dry and overbaked’.
- Illiyin, ‘Cinnamon Roll’ Loaf Cake: Earning the first Paul Hollywood handshake of the season, Illyin’s loaf received praise all-round from the judges.
- Jeff, ‘Guiding Star’ Loaf Cake: It was all about the flavour for Jeff, with the judges commenting on his ‘impressive’ strong lemon flavours. The appearance, however, was compared to a ‘lava flow’.
- Mike, Loaf Cake: Mike unfortunately split his loaf at the last moment – ‘you have a big crack,’ said Paul – but the lemon level was perfect. The judges overall called issues on timing.
- Nelly, Coconut Loaf Cake: ‘Straight from the 1970s,’ Nelly’s loaf was given positive feedback, with Prue saying, ‘it’s like pudding.’
- John, Loaf Cake: Despite having some issues with his macarons, John had good feedback on the height and flavour of his bake. The judges especially like how the sourness of the cherries carried through to sponge.
Technical Challenge
The gingham-clad secret challenge comes with a twist. ‘You’ll certainly know the cake, but the recipe will rely on equal quantities,’ warns Paul. Pulling off the material, the bakers were greeted by a mini Battenberg cake… and no recipe. Challenged with creating an identical set of eight, the bakers were given a few minute to taste the cake in front of them and use it to determine the ingredients and method to make it. This marked the show’s first ‘Taste and Bake’ challenge.
Here’s who came out on top:
- Georgie
- Christiaan
- John
- Dylan
- Nelly
- Gill
- Illiyin
- Andy
- Sumayah
- Hazel
- Mike
Jeff became poorly before this challenge was filmed, so didn’t participate in the Technical Challenge. He’ll be back for next week’s episode.
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Showstopper
‘We have set them a real corker,’ said Prue. ‘I feel quite sorry for them.’ Obviously not sorry enough, as the criteria for this week’s Showstopper asked the bakers to make a hyperrealistic cake that looked exactly like the object it portrayed. With just four hours to get their cake on, it was a real test for the bakers.
Here’s what the judges made of this week’s Showstoppers:
- Andy, ‘It’s an Overnight Job’ Illusion Cake: The smallest overnight bag we’ve ever seen? Likely, but it’s cake so we can’t be too upset. ‘It looks so real,’ said Prue. But while it looked great, the cake itself overbaked and firm. The flavours, however, picked it back up.
- Christiaan, ‘Sweet Seams are Made of This’ Illusion Cake: Christiaan pulled out all the stops with his sewing machine bake, which he threaded up with a real spool of thread. But again, while it looked great, the judges found the bake too firm and the flavour too sour.
- Sumayah, ‘Pato the Duck’ Illusion Cake: Taking inspiration from her pet duck, Pato, Sumayah created one of the most realistic-looking cakes we’ve seen in the tent. Dubbed ‘exceptional’ by Paul, the baker was given high praise (but sadly no handshake).
- Dylan, ‘Canopic Jar’ Illusion Cake: Dylan looked to ancient Egypt for cake inspo, settling on a canopic jar topped with the head of Anubis. But don’t worry, the inside was much nicer than what you’d find in the real thing. The judges found the flavours of Dylan’s bake ‘unusual’ but ‘delicious’, and said the cake itself ‘looked like something out of a museum.’
- Georgie, ‘Fanny the Chicken’ Illusion Cake: While not the first mention of Fanny this season, it was possibly the most memorable. Despite falling behind during her prep time, the judges highlighted the chicken’s ‘good personality’ and shape. ‘How does Fanny taste, guys?’ asked Alison. ‘Absolutely lovely,’ replied the judges.
- Gill Crown Green Bowling Illusion Cake: Ready to hit a strike with the judges, Gill made a set of bowls for her bake. The judges was fairly positive in their feedback, with Prue saying she loved it.
- Hazel, ‘Handbag’ Illusion Cake: It’s not everyday you see a baker walk up to the judging bench holding a cake by its bag straps, but Hazel managed it just fine. The drama of the cake was praised, but the judges were slightly disappointed by the ‘old’ look of the bag and the overbaked state of the cake.
- Illiyin, Vase Illusion Cake: One handshake down, Illyin was determined to impress with her vase of flowers. The blooms themselves were a clever trick created with fried rice paper, but the vase itself was called messy. ‘The design is slightly flawed,’ commented Paul.
- Mike, ‘My Favourite Cake & Books’ Illusion Cake: Mike brought to the table a stack of books that could be picked up and rearranged, which was a hit with the judges. The same praise was extended to the bake, which the judges deemed a nice, light cake with great flavour.
- Nelly, ‘Retro 90s Shoes’ Illusion Cake: Nelly’s shoes didn’t quite stomp their way to success, but the judges highlighted the cake’s good flavour – it just needed a little more raspberry.
- John, ‘The Perfect Brunch’ Illusion Cake: You’d be forgiven if you though John lobbed a pair of jeans onto the bench. The judges agreed that his cake looked suitably lifelike, and the cake had a lovely flavour profile. Prue was expecially pleased to find that the margarita flavour came through with a kick.
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The Result: Who Got Star Baker & Who Went Home?
Nabbing the top spot is a tricky task, especially during the first week. But it was John that took home the title of Star Baker this week, as he was commended for his consistently good bakes.
And who went home? This time, no one. ‘Because Jeff couldn’t be here, we decided not to send anyone home,’ said Prue. This means that potentially two bakers could be heading home next week.
What’s Happening Next Week?
Our preview for next week promises even more chaos in the tent. ‘Can anyone make it through Biscuit Week without crumbling?’ asks Noel. Let’s hope so.
Where To Watch Series 15, Episode 1 Of Bake Off
You can stream The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4. channel4.com
Featured image: The Great British Bake Off Series 15, Episode 1 Opening Sequence (c) Channel 4 / Mark Bourdillon
