The Great British Bake Off is the ultimate baking battle where passionate amateur baking fans compete to be crowned the UK's Best Amateur Baker. Over the course of 6 hour-long episodes, the series follows the trials and tribulations of the competitors, young and old, from every background and every corner of Britain, as they attempt to prove their baking prowess. Each week the bakers tackle a different baking skill, which become progressively more difficult as the competition unfolds.
Testing the bakers' personality, creative flair and baking ability, the main challenge here is to produce something cute, rustic and altogether home-made-looking. It's in this test that the Bakers get to show off their tried-and-tested handcooked bites.
This challenge separates the wheat from the chaff. Take one basic recipe, with the same ingredients and instructions, and ask our bakers to produce the finished product... sound easy? Well, any variation on the finished product will be a result of their own technical knowledge and experience - or lack of. Bakers are laid bare in this task and this is where the pressure's really on in the bake-off.
The oven gloves are off in this final challenge where the bakers are able to showcase their depth of skill and talent. The complexities of this task call for a professional standard in taste and appearance. Are they up to it? The judges will be looking for the most impressive and elaborate creations – that better taste first-class too.
In our first series, the search began for the country's top home baker. Ten passionate cooks travelled the country, baking cakes in the Cotswolds, biscuits in Scotland, bread in Sandwich, puddings in Bakewell and pastry in Cornwall before a grand final in London. The series also traced the history of British baking: visiting local baking landmarks and discovering why we bake what we bake today. And the winner was Edward.
Over eight weeks, 12 of the Britain's best amateur bakers will show-off their cake-baking, pastry- and bread-making and patisserie skills as they are challenged to make everything from the perfect tarte au citron to towers of macaroons, and from iced fingers to family pies. But only one can become Britain’s Best Amateur Baker. That's the icing on the cake! All the challenges are devised and judged by legendary cookery writer and baker Mary Berry and acclaimed Master Baker Paul Hollywood. The winner was Joanne Wheatley.
Over ten weeks, twelve of the country’s best amateur bakers face challenges offered up by the King and Queen of baking, legendary cookery writer Mary Berry and Master Baker Paul Hollywood. Giving the bakers support whilst licking their mixing bowls clean are Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins who continue to host the proceedings. The Great British Bake Off returns for a third series with cakes, pies, breads and the odd kitchen disaster.