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The Great British Baking Show ™

Season:
Episode:
Challenge:
Set of 12 pineapple upside down puddings
Set of 12 pineapple upside down puddings

For this technical challenge, the "judge's tip" from Paul Hollywood was "This is a classic. We're testing you on your timings and your consistency, so read your recipes carefully."


When discussing the challenge, Paul Hollywood said "This is a classic bake. Pineapple upside down cake is something I used to have school dinners many moons ago. It's light, buttery, but also you have the perfect caramel. If it goes too dark, it's too bitter, you can't see the caramel, you're not going to be able to get that caramel flavor. And also, the worst thing is ripping the sponge when they're trying to get it out."


Prue Leith added "Getting it out of the tin is where most people come unstuck because the caramel sticks to the edge and it's really difficult."


The presenters summed up with "Paul and Prue are expecting six identical pineapple upside down cakes topped with caramel cream and crowned with a cherry."

Time Allowed for this challenge:

1 hour 30 minutes

How the bakers performed

Sura

Ranking

1

Paul Hollywood "Piping is very good."


Prue Leith "Piping is excellent." 


Paul Hollywood "The cream has been put on when it's relatively cool. It's well balanced out. You have some great caramel."


Prue Leith "Lovely."


Paul Hollywood "It's almost toffee like and it balances beautifully with the sponge."

Rowan

Ranking

3

Paul Hollywood "Now, these look quite neat. Cherry sits well on the top"


Prue Leith "Nice color."


Paul Hollywood "And they're pretty uniform."


Prue Leith "Lovely cake"


Paul Hollywood "It is a nice cake."

Hermine

Ranking

5

Paul Hollywood" "It's got a nice height to it, hasn't it? "


Prue Leith "And it's about the right color. I think the cream was going on when they were still hot."  


(Judges taste)


Paul Hollywood: " Nice and light. Very well balanced."

Mark

Ranking

7

Paul Hollywood: "Again, problems with the heat. You can see where the creams melted and it is sliding off the top. "


Prue Leith "Good flavor, that cake. It just doesn't look great. "


Dave

Ranking

9

Paul Hollywood "These puddings look quite dark down the side. They're almost burnt. That's because it's been over caramelised. They've got a nice height to them, though. "


Prue Leith "Delicious." 

Marc

Ranking

11

Paul Hollywood "This one's got an issue with the sticking in the tin, but also, that's too dark." 


Prue Leith "Yeah, it's a bit too dark. It's quite bitter and there's a lot of caramel. "


Paul Hollywood "Yes, and the caramel is burnt."

Peter

Ranking

2

Prue Leith "This one ooks really nice. I mean, the piping is good. Caramel color is good. They're even, they're all risen."


Paul Hollywood "The caramel is just the right level, so it brings in the color, the flavor of these pineapple upside down puddings. "


Prue Leith "I have no problem with that at all. "




Lottie

Ranking

4

Paul Hollywood "These do look neat."


Prue Leith "Looks good. And it's pretty uniform as well. Across all six, the balance between the sponge, the cream and the syrup together. "


Paul Hollywood "The balance is good."

Laura

Ranking

6

Paul Hollywood "This one looks quite dark in places."


Prue Leith "That caramel is a bit dominant because it's a little darker."

Mak

Ranking

8

Paul Hollywood "Problems with the heat coming out. These pineapple upside down puddings needed to rise higher. Just a little bit more open." 


Prue Leith "It's a bit doughy. "

Loriea

Ranking

10

Prue Leith "These puddings are too pale."


Paul Hollywood "Yes, they are too pale. This baker was rushing. They brought it out too soon, and then put the cream on when it's piping hot and then just poured off the side."


Prue Leith "It does not look a pretty thing."


(Judges taste.)


Prue Leith "I think if you get it a little browner, it takes away from some of the sweetness, because the caramel has that just tiny little bit of bitterness. "

Linda

Ranking

12

Paul Hollywood "Issues bringing these pineapple upside down puddings out of the oven too soon. Issues with the sponge - it didn't rise enough. Issue getting it out the tin. Too hot when the cream went on. What has happened to this?"


Prue Leith "I don't think it's properly cooked, is it? Looks like it's been pushed together into the tin."

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