Patisserie week

This is the ninth week of Season 14 of The Great British Baking Show ™ and focuses on 'patisserie week'. This is also the semi-finals.

This page is all about the food that the show brings to our screens. The goal is to have a lasting memory of some of the flavors and taste combinations, to bring some creativity and ideas to your own cooking. I hope you find it fun and useful.

Signature Dish

In episode 9 of Season 14 of The Great British Baking Show ™, the 4 remaining contestants were required to create two batches, each of twelve financiers. The bakers were given two hours and each batch could be any flavor.

Prue Leith: "A classic financier is a little sponge cake that looks like a little gold bar. They always have ground nuts, most often ground almonds and the usually involve brown butter, which is just butter heated until it is right on the point of burning. This gives the financier a really rich and nutty flavor."

Paul Hollywood: "Financiers should be quite moist inside but light at the the same time. It's quite tricky to get them absolutely spot on. Also, we're asking the bakers to decorate - elevate - the financiers to a really high standard. It's the semi-finals, so we're looking for perfection, elegance and a beautiful flavor."

About the Financier

Wikipedia states that the financier is a small French almond cake, flavored with "beurre noisette" (brown butter) and usually baked in a small shallow mold.

Light and moist with a crisp, eggshell-like exterior, the traditional financier also contains egg whites, flour and powdered sugar.

Fancy Fruit and Nut Financiers

Batch 1: Tasha delivered pistachio sponges, decorated with raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream and fresh raspberries.

Judging of Batch 1: The financier was overbaked and the raspberry meringue split.

Batch 2: Hazelnut and coffee financiers topped with coffee chocolate ganache and caramelized hazelnuts.

Judging of Batch 2: Paul Hollywood said "The flavors are spot on and the bake is perfect". Prue Leith added "Absolutely delicious. The sponge melts in the mouth and the ganache is luxurious and decadent."

"Pick Me Up" Financiers

Batch 1 : Running through the center of Matty's coffee-flavored financiers was a generous channel of chocolate ganache topped with vanilla mascarpone cream.

Judging of Batch 1: Good flavors - verging on being too strong. The financiers were overbaked.

Batch 2: Mango, lime and coconut financiers were decorated with mango puree and a white chocolate coconut ganache.

Judging of Batch 2: Really great flavors. Again, the sponge was just a little overcooked and the judges suspected that the issue was that Matty used deep molds instead of the shallow ones that were recommended.

Fancy Financiers

Batch 1: Delicately flavored with matcha green tea powder, these financiers were decorated with yuzu gel and tonka bean mousse.

Judging of Batch 1: Paul Hollywood, who had expressed his displeasure with matcha said "it's beautiful".

Batch 2: Orange and vanilla financiers topped with macerated peach and fresh raspberries.

Judging of Batch 2: Hollywood Handshake! Prue Leith said "this is a triumph".

Perfect Pudding Financiers

Batch 1:Josh embellished his bakewell-inspired financiers with a vanilla custard buttercream, fresh raspberries and flaked almonds.

Judging of Batch 1: The judges felt that there was a little too much almond extract, giving an artificial taste. Also, since Josh, like Matty, opted out of the silicon molds and used deeper molds, the ratio of sponge to frosting was off.

Batch 2: Josh's chocolate and orange offering was topped with a rich chocolate buttercream and a wafer thin chocolate shard.

Judging of Batch 2: The sponge was judged to be too dry.

Also in Patisserie Week

Technical challenge

Showstopper Challenge

Lessons learned in Patisserie Week

What is 'bakewell'?

There is a small town in the English midlands called Bakewell from where originated the Bakewell Tart and the Bakewell Pudding. In both of these dishes there is a layer of jam topped with something that is often described as a thick almond custard, or a very moist almond sponge.

It is very similar to frangipane.

Does Swiss meringue split?

Swiss Meringue buttercream is an emulsification of butter and eggs (meringue) and it splits, or curdles, when the butter is too cold. You can just patiently stand by, leaving it at room temperature and unless you live in an ice-box, it'll fix itself. If, like Tasha, you're racing time, you can rest your mixing bowl in a warm (not hot) water bath. You could also use a hair-dryer. As the butter warms, the buttercream becomes silky.

Matcha Green Tea

Matcha is a Japanese green tea where the vibrant green leaves are ground into a powder. It has a slightly bitter, 'vegetal' taste. It's newly popular outside of Japan because of the health benefits (antioxidant powerhouse!)

Yuzu

Yuzu is a citrus fruit native to East Asia.

Yuzu is known for its unique aroma, described as being similar to a blend of mandarin, grapefruit, and lime. It has a sour taste with a hint of sweetness, and its juice is highly acidic and contains a high amount of vitamin C.

Yuzu fruit can be difficult to find in grocery stores outside of Asia, but it is sometimes available at specialty food stores or online retailers. If you are unable to find fresh yuzu fruit, you can also purchase yuzu juice,

Tonka Bean

Tonka beans are a unique and versatile ingredient that can add a touch of sophistication to your culinary creations.

They have a complex flavor profile that is often described as a combination of vanilla, almond, and caramel.

Tonka beans can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, and they are particularly well-suited for desserts, pastries, and sauces.

Patisserie week

Signature Dish

Also in Patisserie Week

Lessons learned in Patisserie Week

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