Great British Baking Show ™
Season 14 (also known as Collection 11 on Netflix)
There is plenty of online information about the Great British Baking Show ™, and the recipes created by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith and their professional teams are online here, but as far as I'm aware, this is the only place that focuses on the cooking that happens on the show.
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What's interesting for me is the food that is cooked on the show and the lessons to be learned. I'm constantly asking myself "Wait. What? I wonder why they used an Italian meringue for that?" or "Golly, I've never seen that combination before. I need to step into the kitchen and see if I can recreate it".
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And so, I'm going to write about the food of the Great British Baking Show ™ and I'm going to research, and cook, and bring you hints, tips, and recipes. I hope you'll read along.
Anticipated Weekly Cooking Themes
Cake baking
Just as with biscuits, the range of cakes that are celebrated by the British overlaps somewhat with American tastes, but with some substantial differences. The British 'Victoria sponge' (named after the Queen) is the basis for many beautiful concoctions and is a 'must-know' for contestants.
Baking with Chocolate
Competitors need to know how to temper chocolate, how to make a ganache, and the differences between plain, milk and white chocolates. The Great British Baking Show ™ is usually filmed in the summer, and while this isn't a tent in California, some days are still quite warm and handling the chocolate in the tent is one-to-watch.
Baking with Botanicals
This will be a new introduction to the weekly theme for The Great British Baking Show and will be fascinating to watch. The addition of 'botanicals' into food brings a wide range of benefits - adding flavor, coloring, thickening and preserving. Think mint, rose, juniper, elderflower ... It's fun to imagine what the hosts will choose for the technical challenge.
Desserts Week
"Desserts Week" is a highly anticipated week on The Great British Baking Show ™, where the contestants must showcase their mastery of sweet treats. It's a week of delicate pastries, creamy custards, and show-stopping creations that push the boundaries of dessert artistry.
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The Signature Challenge often features a classic dessert with a modern twist, demanding a balance of tradition and innovation. From the elegance of a French macaron to the rustic charm of an apple pie, the bakers must demonstrate their technical skills and ability to elevate familiar flavors.
Semi-finals: Patisserie Week
Patisserie Week is a notoriously challenging week on The Great British Baking Show ™, as it demands a high level of precision, skill, and creativity from the contestants.
The challenges often involve delicate pastries, intricate decorations, and complex flavor combinations, pushing the bakers to their limits and showcasing their mastery of the art of patisserie.
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Patisserie Week is a true test of the bakers' patisserie prowess. The challenges are designed to push the bakers beyond their comfort zones and encourage them to think outside the box, resulting in some of the most memorable and visually stunning creations seen on the show.