‘Great British Baking Show’: Highs & Lows of Season 12
Ten weeks, 30 challenges, 12 new bakers, and one new host make up Season 14 of The Great British Baking Show. New co-host Alison Hammond joins Noel Fielding, alongside judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, under the iconic white tent. Abbi, Amos, Cristy, Dan, Dana, Josh, Keith, Matty, Nicky, Rowan, Saku, and Tasha are the 12 amateur bakers picked out of over 16,000 who applied, and each is incredibly eager to take home the crown.
But being an amateur baker comes with lots of room to learn, and with learning comes making mistakes. With plenty of kitchen disasters in store, the 12 bakers try their hand at the signature, technical, and showstopper challenges. As of week 7, the bakers have delved into cakes, biscuits, bread, chocolate, pastry, botanical, and desserts, and few have already earned the coveted Paul Hollywood handshake. With two weeks left, here are some of the best highs and lows of the season.
The Great British Baking Show, Fridays, Netflix
HIGH: "Biscuit Week" (Season 14, Episode 2)
Tasha is awarded the first Paul Hollywood handshake of the season, with 10s across the board for her after-school treat marshmallow biscuits. “They look very sophisticated and beautifully piped, and the spinning is just so thin and lovely,” raved Prue. Paul’s feedback is next, “I think they’re delicate, I think they’re pretty, and I have to shake your hand.” Gasps are heard around the tent as jaws drop and Prue, Alison, and Noel clap and celebrate Tasha’s little victory.
HIGH: "Biscuit Week" (Season 14, Episode 2)
Two handshakes in one episode, and only at episode 2, a very unexpected move from Paul Hollywood. What was even more unexpected, the way Paul went about the handshake, tricking both viewers and Josh himself. Josh’s showstopper for biscuit week named, JJ’s burger & fries illusion biscuits were a hit, Prue called it a little triumph and Paul thought it deserved even more praise calling it a big triumph. The shortbread was beautiful, delicate and light while the flavors of his optical illusion burger were delicious. Paul even went on to commend Josh saying, “I think overall you created something a little bit special. You don’t often get illusion stuff that tastes and looks as good as that.” But it wasn’t until after Josh took his plate and sat back down did Paul come in for the shake, walking all the way down to his station to shake Josh’s hand.
LOW: "Bread Week" (Season 14, Episode 3)
It’s bread week and Dana is making her Bread-ley Cooper cottage loaf which consists of chipotle chili paste, smoked paprika, and smoked cheddar. Her mixer, however, must not be a fan of Bradley’s work and shatters mid kneading of the dough. “I’m doing the kneading in the mixer to save me some arm strength,” says Dana seconds before disaster strikes. The bakers around her all gasp and turn their attention to her station as Dana jokes that it was all done on purpose and that adding the glass was for flavor purposes.
HIGH: "Chocolate Week" (Season 14, Episode 4)
Dan receives first place for his cheesecake, redeeming himself for bread week where he was disappointed in his bread baking abilities. “You know, I know, we all know you can do a hell of a lot better than that,” said Prue during the showstopper challenge in the previous episode, very different to her comments for this round, “It’s the only one which is perfect.” The bakers clap and Saku joyously puts her head on Dans shoulder congratulating him.
LOW: "Chocolate Week" (Season 14, Episode 4)
It’s chocolate week and even Prue admits that the bakers have been given a particularly difficult challenge: caramelizing white chocolate. “When working with the chocolate you need perseverance and patience,” are the wise words Prue leaves the bakers with before heading out of the tent. Leaving them to their own devices, the bakers seem as confused as ever trying to understand the caramelization process. “I’m going to set up a charity for everybody that has ever worked with white chocolate,” says Rowan as he takes his burnt chocolate out of the oven. Definitely a low point for the bakers.
HIGH: "Pastry Week" (Season 14, Episode 5)
It’s finally time for the third Paul Hollywood handshake of the season. Nerves are high as Cristy really wants to prove herself to the judges after the previous week where she had an issue with her flavors. After a brief moment of panic and some tears, it is time for the judges to try Cristy’s creamy mushroom & leek picnic pies, presented adorably in a classic picnic basket. “It’s beautifully moist inside and crispy. So, what I will do…” says Paul as he goes in for the shake and Cristy is thrilled. She even takes home baker of the week.
LOW: "Pastry Week" (Season 14, Episode 5)
While it has been a great week for Cristy, it wasn’t for Nicky and Rowan who both got sent home following the end of the episode, since no one was sent home the week before. In the signature round Nicky described her pastry as, “an absolute bag of pants,” after being told both the pastry and the filling were undercooked. The technical round goes a bit similarly, as Nicky put butter directly into her flour mixture, something you are not supposed to do. Rowan struggled this week as well, saying that he had seen “neater poos” than his pithivier. Both of their personalities will be greatly missed in the tent, but Rowans collapsing pies and Nicky’s dry pies will not be keeping them another week.
LOW: "Botanical Week" (Season 14, Episode 6)
In an attempt to make the bakers laugh, Noel decides to have some fun with lemons. He walks up to Saku and asks “how many keepie uppies” she can do with a lemon. Despite her response being none, she eagerly takes the lemon and hits it with her knee, gaining some great distance. Despite the laughter it received, Noel didn’t stop there asking Saku if she thought he could hit one of the saucepans on the other side of the room with the lemon he was holding. The answer, a resounding no. The lemon hits something completely different, shattering what is assumed to be a bowl and covering the floor with glass shards.
LOW: "Desserts Week" (Season 14, episode 7)
Dessert week proved to be a challenge for everyone in more ways than one. The technical challenge threw everyone, with Paul turning around in an attempt to leave the tent as soon as his eyes found the desserts he was meant to judge. The first thing he says, “that is disgusting,” just what the bakers want to hear. Alison puts it best, “Paul and Prue will now rank the puddings from worse to least worse.” Even Tasha who received first place for the bake was told, “Not as terrible, but pretty terrible. But at least it’s edible.” Not a very promising outcome for the soon to be semifinalists.
