S13.E09: Patisserie Week

[dgpolo]

14 hours ago, SHD said:

but I still enjoy seeing Noel because he seems such an odd choice to host this show. And he seems to have a genuinely good, sweet rapport with the contestants.

I think when a contestant 'gets' Noel he's great, like with Helena. I also think he's grown to empathize with the bakers, when they were giving the 1 minute left time call he looked very nervous for them and I think he and Matt both genuinely regret when they have to send someone home.

9 minutes ago, Lois Sandborne said:

  22 hours ago, chaifan said:

I totally understand Sandro's confusion, and I loved his slow realization of oh... semicircles...  I don't understand how a mousse can be light and airy, yet still be firm enough to be cut in half and stand vertically, though.

Anyone remember when no one knew what a 'crescent' was? that was hilarious, and a little sad.

[chaifan]

The amount of time given for the signature and show stopper bakes doesn't bother me.  These are the Baker's choices, and they know how much time they have.  Every time I see a baker seemingly doing everything right and still running out of time, to me, that's bad planning on their part.  Remove an element.  Make a thinner layer of whatever needs to form up in the fridge, or cool down to be iced.  Simplify the design.  There are a million ways for bakers to save time on most of these bakes.  For example, with Sandro's show stopper - did he ever have a practice bake where it came out "exquisite" and not half-decorated?  If not, then he should have pared something down. 

But, at the same time, if we are not seeing "show stopper" quality, "exquisite" bakes, then give them more time.  For me, a show stopper is all about the design and decoration.  OK, yeah, it has to taste good.  But that's not what makes is a shows stopper.  If we're not getting bakes that visually wow us time and time again for the show stopper, then that's on production and they need to give more time so decorations can be over the top. 

Now, for the technical, that's a different story.  But we've heard time again that they do test these, and they can be done in the time allotted. 

I'm curious - does anyone know if the amount of time has changed over the years?  I know it can vary bake to bake, but for comparable signature and show stopper bakes, I wonder if the amount of time has decreased as the show has gone on. 

[WildPlum]

This was a pretty underwhelming episode, particularly the "show stopper". None of them looked particularly neat or appetizing.

Although I did love Syabira telling Noel to go away. Something he - but especially Matt - need to hear more frequently.

[SemiCharmedLife]

On 11/12/2022 at 9:23 AM, iMonrey said:

I thought it was funny when Syabira told him to go away and he walked out of the tent and onto the lawn.

I was going to comment on that, too.  I enjoyed the humor of him walking around the yard, calling out for Syabira to acknowledge that he is staying away.  I wonder, particularly this week, how many bakers thought, "Lock the tent!" 😉

Edited November 15, 2022 by SemiCharmedLife
typo

[iMonrey]

Quote

Didn't the show used to show us more about the bakers at home throughout the season?

Yes. They may have cut back on location filming because of Covid. 

[HyeChaps]

Cookies!  With all the delightful delicious pastries they could have asked for, the producers wanted cookies!  Crazy

[Mellowyellow]

I like Noel and Matt. Last season I thought they were mad but I feel like they've got their groove this season. They are completely nonsensical but I'll take that over malicious/b*tchy any day! *Looking at you last year's evil New Zealand hosts*

[SuprSuprElevated]

Too lazy to go back and quote individual posts, but I am in agreement with the poster who compared GBBO with Project Runway.  Good analogy.  Also agree that this patisserie challenge falls woefully short of previous seasons' examples.  Someone in production is virtually fixated on structural challenges.  Please don't let this turn into a lame iteration of the American baking competition shows (Food Network? TLC?), where they construct themed, "edible" monstrosities for some random "client" using Rice Krispy treats, dowel rods, sugar paste and fondant.  As much as I like Abdul, his SB award seemed very much a "this is the last chance to give it to him" consolation prize.  I don't even think he bought into it, based on his reaction.

I wanted to ask - has any else noticed how in several (if not all) seasons, the bakers are given a technical challenge that several appear to be clueless about, yet somehow manage to produce a bake that is very much like what is expected?  Seems to happen frequently, and I feel like this nonsensical vertical tart is another example.  All 4 bakers looked quizzically into the air when it was being described.  They will sometimes say "I've never seen one", yet manage to produce one. Things that make you go hmm.  

Edited November 14, 2022 by SuprSuprElevated

[Quilt Fairy]

21 hours ago, Gwendolyn said:

Didn't the show used to show us more about the bakers at home throughout the season? not a quick dump in the first ep and then never again?

Yes, they did!  I'm really missing that this season.  Wouldn't we have learned Syabira was a scientist before this?

[Mediocre Gatsby]

On 11/9/2022 at 11:32 AM, Lois Sandborne said:

I had to roll my eyes yet again as Paul and Prue acted like they never heard of peanuts before, and recoiled at the idea of peanut and fruit. PB&J is a thing all over the world now, okay? Just get into it. 

That was crazy, especially since Paul at least has heard of it before on the show. 

On 11/11/2022 at 9:28 AM, SnapHappy said:

With the Charlottes, she did a freakin' peanut butter & jelly.  WTF is so unusual and exotic about that shit?  .

According to Paul and Prue, it's UNHEARD OF IN THE UK

On 11/11/2022 at 2:22 PM, dleighg said:

I thought he was really grating on the bakers and trying to have "conversations" with them. I don't think they are interested. 

Same. 

On 11/11/2022 at 9:54 PM, Quilt Fairy said:

As much as I like him, Janusz was the right choice to go home.  His showstoppers for the last 4 weeks, at least, have looked childish with the most garish colors imaginable.  

Yeah Syabira mentioned that each week was a clean slate, but I felt like maybe this elimination had to do with previous failures.

11 hours ago, Lois Sandborne said:

Back in the bygone days of the Masterclass episodes, I used to think Mary and Paul were more involved in the actual example baking, but I've since become more jaded, and I'm sure now that everything is made by production staff.

Some of the Masterclass episodes used to show them baking and then eating in that same little garden that they use for the show, so I too thought that they used to bake the examples. Now I'm not so sure. 

I did think that Syabira should have gotten Matt or Noel to help her lift up her showstopper instead of taking time away from Janusz. 

I'll (of course!) watch the finale, but this is no longer must-see TV for me -- I used to watch it asap, but no more. 

[SemiCharmedLife]

I feel so disappointed to have lost Maxy last week and Janusz this week.  I truly had them pegged to be in the finale.  They did an amazing job with so many of their early bakes, but seemed to level off lately. Abdul didn't get much airtime, but he has been consistently improving during the competition.  Syabira is killing it- she has a delightful personality and I love watching her bake.  I think it is hers to win or lose.

Edited November 15, 2022 by SemiCharmedLife
typo

[Cetacean]

Sadly, while this isn't a "hate watching" situation for me, it's more like a "let's get it over with" season.  I no longer eagerly await each new episode, there is just so little to love anymore.  I like the bakers well enough although Sandro is getting on my last nerve.  But Prue and Paul can go pound sand, they are getting to be unwatchable.

[AheadofStraight]

11 hours ago, Mediocre Gatsby said:

Some of the Masterclass episodes used to show them baking and then eating in that same little garden that they use for the show, so I too thought that they used to bake the examples. Now I'm not so sure. 

No, they've never done the baking. 

[libgirl2]

While I am still enjoying it, I think the bakes are getting ridiculous. Towers? Lanterns? How about a delicious and beautiful bake, not feats of engineering? 

[Suzn]

10 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Sadly, while this isn't a "hate watching" situation for me, it's more like a "let's get it over with" season.  I no longer eagerly await each new episode, there is just so little to love anymore.  I like the bakers well enough although Sandro is getting on my last nerve.  But Prue and Paul can go pound sand, they are getting to be unwatchable.

This is largely where I am with the show.  There has been so little actual baking this season and the showstopper challenges are more about engineering than baking.  They need to step back and look at the title of the show and let that be a guide for the next season.

This completely unfair and I can't really explain it, but I don't care for Syabira.  I don't hate her or wish her ill, but there is something about her that I find off-putting. I fully expect her to win and will be very surprised if she doesn't.  I like Abdul and Sandro but was disappointed to lose Janusz and Maxy. 

Prue is alright, but she doesn't come close to offsetting how very unpleasant Paul is.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Suzn

[dleighg]

29 minutes ago, Suzn said:

This completely unfair and I can't really explain it, but I don't care for Syabira.

In addition to her skills, I like her for a personal reason: she (physically, and to an extent, personality-wise) resembles my son's GF, who I like! Her personality is bubbly (which I will say is the absolute opposite of me, my husband, and my other child!)

[jpgr]

Syabira has turned out to be the only one with wide-ranging baking skills. I was shocked that Janusz couldn't make a decent custard, and also didn't understand how to blind bake pastry. They should have had pastry week much earlier so that all the basic skills were tested.

[Backwards999]

On 11/12/2022 at 6:36 AM, Cetacean said:

For the grand finale showstopper, the bakers must build a full size working model of a Rolls Royce complete with edible leather upholstery, windows of poured sugar, and an engine made of marzipan.  They have two hours to complete the work and drive it to the front of the tent.

Of course they go crazy lol.

[Johnny Dollar]

On 11/12/2022 at 7:36 AM, Cetacean said:

For the grand finale showstopper, the bakers must build a full size working model of a Rolls Royce complete with edible leather upholstery, windows of poured sugar, and an engine made of marzipan.  They have two hours to complete the work and drive it to the front of the tent.

Amaury Guichon: “Hold my champagne.”

[ombre]

On 11/14/2022 at 7:31 AM, Cetacean said:

Sadly, while this isn't a "hate watching" situation for me, it's more like a "let's get it over with" season.  I no longer eagerly await each new episode, there is just so little to love anymore.  

In past years, I've rewatched each episode before the next one showed.  This year, enh, once suffices.  For me, the difference comes down to pacing of the season and not having anybody in the tent who seems to know more than me.  In other seasons there have been moments when bakers would get into "I'm doing this because..." or "this works because..." or "I'm utterly doomed because..." and this season there isn't as much of that.  Perhaps they have that knowledge but nobody's asked them a question that got that response.  Perhaps they're just following recipes and crossing their fingers.  It seemed like our two Scots gents had a bit more of that knowledge, but one went home early and Kevin was too useful for his zingers.  I suspect that Syabira (they're just *now* telling us about her science background?!?) also has some of that knowledge, but they're too interested in saying that they'd skeptical of her flavors, so that's all she gets to talk about.

That said, I feel like I'm in a minority of thinking that all of the non-contestants have been much more palatable this year than in past seasons.  Paul was verging on being positively supportive* at the start of the season, and Prue does seem to be going out of her way to find something nice to say about each bake.  And Noel and Matt are both doing a better job of being supportive and reading the moment and not, say, making deeply inappropriate sexual jokes about minors.**  I suspect that they've heard and tried to take to heart the criticism, but people are so used to disliking the team that it's hard to hear their attempts to improve.  Like when you hurt your ankle and suddenly anything coming within three feet of your leg sets off your nervous system in high alert.  Which rather makes me wonder if there's *any* way for the show to find its appeal again.  Perhaps with a wholesale turnover of staff.  I think one of the things that the Pottery Show-Down has done well is that the staff turns over so often that a) nobody feels bigger than the show and b) you get the sense that everybody has another gig that they'll be quite happy to back to, rather than loving being a petty monarch of the world's tiniest fiefdom.  

Anyway, I thought the technical was *excellent* (and was surprised that so many of them did do it well - that takes some decent technical writing! - and relieved when Sandro figured it out at the very end.  Janusz was lucky that he got out enough of the rice to not break the judges' teeth!  But the fact that he could get the rice out so easily showed that golly, he really was basically giving them raw dough.  I liked the showstopper - it would be a *tremendous* challenge to do structural work with something that has to be both hard and soft - but was bummed that it took up the final of patisserie week, which usually gets such fun assignments.  

And I think that's kind of the problem with this season - missed opportunities for *baking* fun.  I generally don't mind a broader definition of "baking."  I like when they give assignments like cannoli or doughnuts or other things that use a dough but not an oven.  To my mind those challenges are saying - yes, well, you know the basics, but how well do you *understand* how doughs work?  But you can only replace so many of the baking challenges with something else before you a) stop being a baking show and b) rather waste the contestants' prep time.  If you're (reasonably) taking the time to fill your head with creme pat and sables and shortcrust and all the other basics of *baking* then any time spent boning up on things outside baking is wasted time.  We've seen some glaring holes in their general knowledge (Syabira and all the elements of lemon meringue, Janusz and custard, etc), so I'm not sure these guys *did* do much work memorizing common recipe ratios, but also the expectations of a contestant's general knowledge now seem rather boundless.  Which is to say, I like the usual Patisserie Week showstoppers, was looking forward to them and... it feels like that moment when you think you've got a chocolate chip cookie, you're excited for a chocolate chip cookie, you bite into it and... oatmeal raisin.  Which would be fine if that's what you were expecting, but since your brain got hungry for chocolate chip is profoundly disappointing.  I miss the patisserie showstoppers.  I miss Bread Week.  There were things I was looking forward to and instead... oatmeal raisin.

* Relatively speaking.  ;)

**  Yes, I know.  A high bar indeed.

[Rickster]

On 11/14/2022 at 7:31 AM, Cetacean said:

Sadly, while this isn't a "hate watching" situation for me, it's more like a "let's get it over with" season.  I no longer eagerly await each new episode, there is just so little to love anymore.  I like the bakers well enough although Sandro is getting on my last nerve.  But Prue and Paul can go pound sand, they are getting to be unwatchable.

This has been true for me for the past couple of seasons, too. Each season I tune in with great enthusiasm (loved the first cake episode this season, for example), then it slowly drains away. I’m not sure if I’m just jaded with the show (which happens for me eventually with a lot of reality competition shows), or if something is fundamentally different.

[MartyQui]

I've been rewatching Top Chef Masters, and they usually have a wedding challenge where someone has to make a wedding cake.  That's a great challenge, and doable in the time limits that the bakers have (including some requirement for piped or fondant floral decoration).  Why can't we have nice things like that? (As they did in the older episodes).

[jpgr]

6 hours ago, ombre said:

In past years, I've rewatched each episode before the next one showed.  This year, enh, once suffices.  For me, the difference comes down to pacing of the season and not having anybody in the tent who seems to know more than me.  In other seasons there have been moments when bakers would get into "I'm doing this because..." or "this works because..." or "I'm utterly doomed because..." and this season there isn't as much of that.  Perhaps they have that knowledge but nobody's asked them a question that got that response.  Perhaps they're just following recipes and crossing their fingers.  It seemed like our two Scots gents had a bit more of that knowledge, but one went home early and Kevin was too useful for his zingers.  I suspect that Syabira (they're just *now* telling us about her science background?!?) also has some of that knowledge, but they're too interested in saying that they'd skeptical of her flavors, so that's all she gets to talk about.

That said, I feel like I'm in a minority of thinking that all of the non-contestants have been much more palatable this year than in past seasons.  Paul was verging on being positively supportive* at the start of the season, and Prue does seem to be going out of her way to find something nice to say about each bake.  And Noel and Matt are both doing a better job of being supportive and reading the moment and not, say, making deeply inappropriate sexual jokes about minors.**  I suspect that they've heard and tried to take to heart the criticism, but people are so used to disliking the team that it's hard to hear their attempts to improve.  Like when you hurt your ankle and suddenly anything coming within three feet of your leg sets off your nervous system in high alert.  Which rather makes me wonder if there's *any* way for the show to find its appeal again.  Perhaps with a wholesale turnover of staff.  I think one of the things that the Pottery Show-Down has done well is that the staff turns over so often that a) nobody feels bigger than the show and b) you get the sense that everybody has another gig that they'll be quite happy to back to, rather than loving being a petty monarch of the world's tiniest fiefdom.  

Anyway, I thought the technical was *excellent* (and was surprised that so many of them did do it well - that takes some decent technical writing! - and relieved when Sandro figured it out at the very end.  Janusz was lucky that he got out enough of the rice to not break the judges' teeth!  But the fact that he could get the rice out so easily showed that golly, he really was basically giving them raw dough.  I liked the showstopper - it would be a *tremendous* challenge to do structural work with something that has to be both hard and soft - but was bummed that it took up the final of patisserie week, which usually gets such fun assignments.  

And I think that's kind of the problem with this season - missed opportunities for *baking* fun.  I generally don't mind a broader definition of "baking."  I like when they give assignments like cannoli or doughnuts or other things that use a dough but not an oven.  To my mind those challenges are saying - yes, well, you know the basics, but how well do you *understand* how doughs work?  But you can only replace so many of the baking challenges with something else before you a) stop being a baking show and b) rather waste the contestants' prep time.  If you're (reasonably) taking the time to fill your head with creme pat and sables and shortcrust and all the other basics of *baking* then any time spent boning up on things outside baking is wasted time.  We've seen some glaring holes in their general knowledge (Syabira and all the elements of lemon meringue, Janusz and custard, etc), so I'm not sure these guys *did* do much work memorizing common recipe ratios, but also the expectations of a contestant's general knowledge now seem rather boundless.  Which is to say, I like the usual Patisserie Week showstoppers, was looking forward to them and... it feels like that moment when you think you've got a chocolate chip cookie, you're excited for a chocolate chip cookie, you bite into it and... oatmeal raisin.  Which would be fine if that's what you were expecting, but since your brain got hungry for chocolate chip is profoundly disappointing.  I miss the patisserie showstoppers.  I miss Bread Week.  There were things I was looking forward to and instead... oatmeal raisin.

* Relatively speaking.  ;)

**  Yes, I know.  A high bar indeed.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I agree with all of this, and I had forgotten how badly Syabira tanked the lemon meringue.

I'm rewatching earlier seasons on Roku, and there is so much explanation either in voiceover or by Paul/Mary, or by the contestants about what is difficult, why it's difficult, why they use the process they do, why Italian meringue vs French or Swiss meringue, what they expect to happen, etc. I want them to know more than I do and inspire me to try new techniques or bakes.

[festivus]

Well I'm glad to see pretty much everyone was annoyed by the PB&J thing. I was screaming at my TV,  it's a PB&J for fuck's sake! But see this is where Syabira is a genius. She's watched this show. You go girl.

I am rooting for her. She's been my fave since the first ep. 

[cynicat]

5 hours ago, festivus said:

Well I'm glad to see pretty much everyone was annoyed by the PB&J thing. I was screaming at my TV,  it's a PB&J for fuck's sake! But see this is where Syabira is a genius. She's watched this show. You go girl.

It makes me think of this commercial:  Ultimate Kitchen Chef Master

[Cetacean]

"Muddled berries" - hee!

[HurricaneVal]

I didn't mind the technical, I think it was a good way to see if/how the bakers are able to follow instructions, but it isn't a clearly identifiable "thing" that usually the technical comps are.  Usually they pick some sort of obscure and extremely regional Latvian or Macedonian pastry that is filled and folded in a particular shape.  The technical this time was just wholly made from imagination, and very much reminded me of a dessert you'd spend $25 on at a fancy restaurant because you saw it delivered to another table and went "oooooh...."  In the end, it was shortbread with chocolate mouse and raspberry jelly, plated in a unique and arresting way.  It was definitely a test of their ability to follow direction.

I did notice that the recipe was very specific, and did extend over several pages.  I would have totally called foul if it was one of those technical bakes where they get a single page with terse directions on it like "1. Make shortbread; 2. Make mousse, 3. Make jelly; 4. Assemble."

So if you followed it through, and thought logically about the materials and ingredients presented to you to use like Syabira did, it was fairly easy, with the only tricky part being the placement of the jelly.  The key was having a well set mousse and well set jelly.  Sandro kept leaping forward with assumptions of what it was, and that completely hurt him.  He caught on--and wasn't that a glorious "Eureka!" moment--but it was a near thing.

Farewell to my favorite Star Caker.  It was time.  Honestly, it was also Sandro's time too.  Both he and Janusz have been flagging the last several episodes, while Abdul and Syabira have really been surging.  I really thought Maxy would be in the finale, but man, did she have a bad week the week she went home.  I suspect this is Syabira's competition to lose.  Sandro is falling apart and even though Abdul is improving each week, he just doesn't have the foundation of flavor and creativity and decorative flair that Syabira has. 

[blackwing]

This is patisserie week, and the showstopper was these ugly biscuit towers?  I get that the showstopper is always these big tall elaborate item, but a biscuit tower just doesn't seem anything like patisserie to me.  I've only been watching this show since the season that David won over Alice, so I'm sure they've done a croquembouche before, but what is wrong with repeating a challenge from years ago?  I was not really impressed with the krakon from any of them.

I am happy that Janusz has gone home, I thought he was overrated, and didn't really like his "aw shucks twinkly smile" every time he won something.

[Leeds]

On 11/12/2022 at 8:46 PM, Gwendolyn said:

The show doesn't have to  go back to the BBC days, but they need to have a rethink and for the love of God no more cooking, this is the bake off.

What do you mean by cooking?  I don't remember any contestant ever not using an oven.

On 11/14/2022 at 8:12 AM, libgirl2 said:

While I am still enjoying it, I think the bakes are getting ridiculous. Towers? Lanterns? How about a delicious and beautiful bake, not feats of engineering? 

Bakers have been making "feats of engineering" on the show for years - remember the Poynton mine from 2014?  And more than one episode has featured a pretty significant height requirement.

[Cetacean]

30 minutes ago, Leeds said:

What do you mean by cooking?  I don't remember any contestant ever not using an oven.

Tacos. Egg rolls.

[Leeds]

27 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

Tacos. Egg rolls.

Thanks.

[TheGourmez]

I like my strategy of watching episodes after reading everyone's critiques - my expectations are set so low, I have no complaints at all! 😄 I don't think the judges are particularly harsh this season at all, and Matt and Noel seem to be working well to me. What can I say? My needs are simple. But I would like fewer vertical feats of gravity for showstoppers.

[chaifan]

On 11/21/2022 at 11:19 AM, Cetacean said:

Tacos. Egg rolls.

And, ice cream cones.