S04.E03: Desserts

[Athena]

It's round three, and the heat in the kitchen is already too much for some, as the remaining 11 bakers get ready to deal with desserts.

Mary and Paul are upping the ante. Having survived cake and bread, this is the first week we see the bakers having to multi-task across several different baking skills at the same time; a signature trifle combining biscuit, cake, jelly or custard in perfectly distinct layers; a technically difficult task of making floating islands, which result in various forms of unrecognisable landmass by the end of the bake and a showstopper that pulls out all the stops, getting the bakers to juggle 24 petit fours that the judges might finally deem acceptable. They are taking no prisoners, and for the first time ever, there's a baking burglary in the Bake Off tent and it becomes a crime scene.

Mel explores the origins of the trifle and discovers how it was transformed in the Georgian era from an elitist dessert for the aristocracy to a dish that was accessible to the masses.

[Zahdii]

The episode is up online:  http://video.pbs.org/video/2365541702/

[Zahdii]

I don't understand how Deborah couldn't have realized she was using Howard's custard in her trifle.  Howard's custard was perfect, while hers was a sloppy mess.  Although she seemed truly remorseful, I just can't believe it was an accident.

 

Howard was so much nicer about it than I would have been.  (I'd have pouted and maybe gone to the bathroom for a quick rant and a cry.)  But I think the incident upset him more than he let on, as he seemed to stumble through the rest of the episode.  I hope he's recovered by next week.

 

Two bakers sent home!  It was pretty obvious who they were going to be.  The Star Baker was a bit more difficult to peg in advance, as a couple of them did well.

[Mondrianyone]

I can't imagine what advantage she'd gain by stealing his custard on purpose.  (And I can't believe I just typed that sentence.  There'll always be an England.)  It was inevitable that the truth would come out, and when it did, her trifle would be judged on the basis that it wasn't all her work.  I think some people just get really nervous, in ways it's hard for us to identify with if we're not under that kind of pressure, and do mindless things.  But I agree that Howard was a million times nicer about it than I would've been if I were in his shoes.

[GaT]

No surprise about who went home, as soon as they said 2 were going home, I knew it was Mark & Deborah. Those floating islands looked horrible. even the "good" ones. They all looked liked undercooked egg yolk omelets to me. I thought the trifles & petit fours looked good though.

 

I'm really enjoying the little historical backstory things that Mel & Sue do that they show after the show. They didn't show them on PBS last season.

Edited September 21, 2015 by GaT

[Irlandesa]

I agree that those floating isles seemed strange.  Nothing about those textures appealed to me.

 

I don't think Deborah intended to use the wrong custard.  She would have been exposed.  But I do think Howard was irritated and he had every right to be.  Even though the judges took into account the custard he actually made, there's just something about a well put together dessert that Deborah's custard ruined.

[NYCFree]

I usually make a trifle as my Christmas dessert when I host Christmas dinner. I am definitely in the jam not jelly (jello) camp. It's really the first time I could even begin to compete in a single round for this show. On further reflection, scratch that as I buy the cake or ladyfingers rather than make them myself. But I do make the custard and whipped cream and assemble the layers beautifully if I do say so myself.

Howard reminds me of "Mr. Bean" so much it's distracting.

I am also glad they include the little extra history bit this time around.

I tried floating islands once as the description sounds great. I found the texture really off putting, like ice cream that had melted and refrozen.

[Quilt Fairy]

I thought it was really cute when they showed "Deborah's Trifle with Howard's Custard' and the "Howard's Trifle with Deborah's Custard" on the screen. This show does have a nice sense of humor.

 

Mel and Sue don't bother me any more. I guess I got used to them after last season, when I thought they were all kinds of annoying.

[emma675]

Those floating islands looked so bland to me. I like creme anglaise, I like meringue, and I like spun sugar, but altogether? Nope. 

 

I thought the majority of the trifles looked sloppy--isn't one of the main points supposed to be distinct layers that you can see through the bowl? Most of the ones I saw were running together or messy. 

 

And for some reason, Francie (or Francine?) bugged me last night. I'm a little tired of her over the top, twee presentations (the match book from last week, the record from last night). Which probably means she'll win.

[Rinaldo]

Those floating islands looked so bland to me. I like creme anglaise, I like meringue, and I like spun sugar, but altogether? Nope.

That's one of those moments (Queen of Puddings was another) that makes me, clueless Yank that I am, want to snarl at Paul, "You get snotty and dismissive about American desserts (especially pies) for their cloying sweetness and lack of contrast, and then you fall all over yourself about this?"

And for some reason, Francie (or Francine?) ...

Frances.

Edited September 21, 2015 by Rinaldo

[plurie]

The only prior mention of "Floating Islands" that I've encountered is in the Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn movie classic, "Desk Set" when Hepburn's character makes this for dessert when Tracy ends up at her apartment after a rain storm. I always assumed that no one made them anymore.

[Qoass]

I remember Julia Child making them on TV but hers looked more like floating icebergs.

[shandy]

Floating Islands make me think of a 1950s dinner party, probably with green jello salad somewhere in the mix.

 

Howard's plaintive 'oh nooo" made me laugh so hard, and Deb racing around for him like a demented serf was comical. I really didn't like the look of any of the little cakes but I had no idea White Stilton Cheese was a thing. 

 

I know a few women like Frances, with their hipster craft projects, so I don't find her too irritating, although can see why she could annoy. 

 

Ruby studies at the College where I spent a semester, so I'm firmly on her team, although strange knitwear! 

[jenh526]

I can't think of English trifle anymore without remembering this episode of Friends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G08pqAaJi5k

 

I want to try everything they make on this show (eat, not make). Still thinking about that Spanisch Windtorte thing they made last week. Have to say, the variety of desserts is opening my mind quite a bit - I've had petit fours but floating islands - nope.

 

Thought Beca's (? the one from Wales) petit fours looked the best. I loved those teeny-tiny macarons.

[goodbyeglittergirl]

I am the odd woman out, but I've never had those floating island things and I thought the looked delicious. I spent that part of the episode wondering if I could successfully make those to try them or if I would probably give myself salmonella. I think salmonella is probably likely.

[DeLurker]

I agree that those floating isles seemed strange.  Nothing about those textures appealed to me.

I've never heard of them prior to watching this ep.  But nothing about it appeals so they won't be on my bucket list.

 

Why do they insist Paul and Mary leave before they announce the technical bake so they don't hear anything, but then they go sit at the table and sample a perfect representation of what the bake is?

 

Howard's plaintive 'oh nooo" made me laugh so hard, and Deb racing around for him like a demented serf was comical. I really didn't like the look of any of the little cakes but I had no idea White Stilton Cheese was a thing. 

A perfect description! She really did feel terrible and he handled it with so much grace.

 

My love for Glenn grows each week.

[Rinaldo]

I remember Julia Child making them on TV but hers looked more like floating icebergs.

She made them on one of her JC and Company series. And in the tie-in book, she said that hers were smaller than the traditional version, which would be molded in a soufflé dish and served in one huge piece sitting in the crème anglaise -- she broke hers into chunks. I wonder if this is one of the dishes that really means something substantially different on the two sides of the Atlantic.

 

Why do they insist Paul and Mary leave before they announce the technical bake so they don't hear anything, but then they go sit at the table and sample a perfect representation of what the bake is?

My supposition has always been that it's not so Paul and Mary don't hear anything (as you say, they know what the challenge is, and in fact one of them has set it), but so that they don't see anything -- no telltale reactions or facial expressions that might tell them which bakers have and haven't made it before, and thereby compromise the anonymity with which it will all later be judged.

[gina64]

And for some reason, Francie (or Francine?) bugged me last night. I'm a little tired of her over the top, twee presentations (the match book from last week, the record from last night). Which probably means she'll win.

 

Agreed. We call her Pinterest Lady in my house.

 

The Floating Islands round was a trainwreck! We watched with hands over our faces, lol. Love this show!

[FoundTime]

Those floating islands looked so bland to me. I like creme anglaise, I like meringue, and I like spun sugar, but altogether? Nope. 

 

I thought the majority of the trifles looked sloppy--isn't one of the main points supposed to be distinct layers that you can see through the bowl? Most of the ones I saw were running together or messy. 

 

And for some reason, Francie (or Francine?) bugged me last night. I'm a little tired of her over the top, twee presentations (the match book from last week, the record from last night). Which probably means she'll win.

What further worries me about Frances's supplementary art projects is that the judges seem to love them. I'm kind of over them myself.

 

The floating islands thing was weird. It seemed like it would be overpoweringly sweet (and I have a major sweet tooth, so that's saying a lot). Also agree about the presentation being a bit bland/monochromatic.

 

I was squeeing at whoever made the Millionaire's Shortbread (with apricot jam) for one of the petit-fours. I fell in love with Millionaire's Shortbread when I went to Scotland a few years ago and now regularly make it at home. (It's actually really easy.) It was also interesting to me that a petit-four could have a cookie (sorry, biscuit) base. I only knew about the cake-based kind.

[chessiegal]

Ina Garten made Floating Islands on her show. She uses melted vanilla Haagen Dazs ice cream for the creme anglaise, which I've read people criticize her for doing, but I've seen Jacque Pepin do the same thing, so that short cut works for me.

[Zahdii]

The only prior mention of "Floating Islands" that I've encountered is in the Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn movie classic, "Desk Set" when Hepburn's character makes this for dessert when Tracy ends up at her apartment after a rain storm. I always assumed that no one made them anymore.

 

One of my favorite movies of all time!  I still hope to find it on DVD some day.

 

OK, back to the baking...

[LittleIggy]

When they showed that clip of Deborah at home, I thought those photos were of her with her son and grandson, not her husband and son! Christine reminds me of Penelope Wilton (Cousin Isobel from DA). Those floating islands don't look like something I would want to eat.

[Annetteboardman]

I made floating islands for a dinner party once.  I like meringue and custard so it made me happy.  I added Grand Marnier to the custard so we all were very happy by the end.  I didn't poach them in milk but I don't remember how I cooked them (as I did cook them) -- it was almost 25 years ago.  They were quite light in spite of the custard, as I recall.

[Rinaldo]

I found Julia Child's recipe for Floating Island (in Julia Child & Company). She says that

 

• The French way of making it is to bake the meringue in a cylindrical baking dish (like a soufflé mold) and present it in a single "Australia-sized" piece, sitting on a platter of custard sauce
• Her own variation is to cut the meringue into several "Greenland-sized" wedges or chunks, arranging them on the sauce (and sprinkling with a crunchy topping of some kind) -- Annetteboardman, she likes to flavor the sauce with rum or bourbon
• "The American form" is smaller ovals poached in milk (and no booze) -- what we saw on TGBBO

 

So if she was accurate in the book, the British and American interpretations of the dish are identical, and it's the French one (which she presumably learned in the course of her French training) that bakes it in one big piece. (Very likely nobody besides me cares about the distinction, but I was surprised by what I saw on the show and wanted to get the differences straight for myself.)

[DeLurker]

Thanks for the rationale behind why Paul and Mary would be asked to leave during the technical bake - it makes perfect sense when viewed not through the US cooking shows filter of manufactured (and artificial) drama lens.

[BooksRule]

I've just started to watch this show and plan to set my DVR to catch future episodes.  I love the lack of drama (or toned-down drama, like the 'great custard caper').

 

I have heard of Floating Island, but have never tried one.  I've read about them in old novels and always considered the recipe to be one that no one cooks/bakes anymore (kind of like Baked Alaska.  I've never had that either).  I love trifle (any flavor), but I've never made one myself (which I need to do, since I have a perfectly good trifle dish that I've never used except to make banana pudding in once or twice.  Any maybe a layered salad). 

 

Howard reminds me of "Mr. Bean" so much it's distracting

 

Thank you!  I was just trying to figure out where I knew him from.

Edited September 22, 2015 by BooksRule

[larapu2000]

I just adore these people.  Especially Glen!  I love that he embraces his massive dessert reputation.  

 

I want to know more about this millionaire's shortbread.  It looked delicious.  And now I'm inspired to make petit fours for my next cocktail party.

[Quilt Fairy]

Is anyone else getting ads for diabetes dessert recipes? Targeted advertising can be so ironic.

 

I want to try everything they make on this show (eat, not make). Still thinking about that Spanisch Windtorte thing they made last week.

Well, nobody expects the Spanisch Windtorte!

[Jesse]

Ina Garten made Floating Islands on her show. She uses melted vanilla Haagen Dazs ice cream for the creme anglaise, which I've read people criticize her for doing, but I've seen Jacque Pepin do the same thing, so that short cut works for me.

It just seems silly because you've got the yolks leftover from making meringues, and what else are you going to do with them? 

[CMH1981]

 

Howard reminds me of "Mr. Bean" so much it's distracting

 

He reminds me of Alan "Severus Snape" Rickman.  I think it's the nose.

 

I do think the custard mix-up threw Howard off his game.

 

That "floating islands" dessert looked like poached eggs to me as well.

[Zahdii]

The next episode is up:

 

Season 2, Episode 4: Pies and Tarts

 

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365571191/

[Josette]

Floating Islands are also known as oeufs à la neige or snow eggs.  Alton Brown has a recipe for them.

[stillshimpy]

I absolutely adore trifle and still make it regularly to this day. I'm not trying to be funny or anything. It was the dessert my mother -- who is a Scot -- made for Christmas. Rocks freaking hardcore, people, but I'm confused as to why people think it would be so sweet? The custard isn't sweet like vanilla pudding, it's not a particularly killingly sweet custard. Never had jelly, and only a very thin layer of raspberry jam spread in-between the lady fingers....the rest was fresh fruit (strawberries or peaches) and the ladyfingers were usually sprinkled with sherry or Maderia wine.

It's far closer to a Tiramisu with fruit than I think what came across on the TV. Just like the mascarpone custard in tiramisu isn't "make your teeth fall out" sweet, the custard is closer to that. It's not like vanilla pudding or something.

Anyway, It's a huge favorite when I make and I always just tell people it's like Scottish Tiramisu ....and they seem to get that :-)

I've also had floating islands but I've only ever had the meringues baked, vs. poached and....can't say I was a fan. I like custard chilled, just in general....and whereas a creme anglaise can be really nice over a bread pudding, it just made for a "this is what we will eat in the old folks home" feel for me.

Great episode though. I thought Howard tried his very best to be very kind about the mistake.

I want to know more about this millionaire's shortbread.

My Scottish grandmother would make that and THAT? Was "oh my god, this is WAY too sweet for me". It's really not difficult to make though, truly and it makes a fun dessert if you're just having coffee with a biscuit as a dessert :)

[editorgrrl]

I absolutely adore trifle and still make it regularly to this day. I'm not trying to be funny or anything. It was the dessert my mother—who is a Scot—made for Christmas. Rocks freaking hardcore, people, but I'm confused as to why people think it would be so sweet?

Every trifle I've had in the US involved instant pudding and Cool Whip, a fluffy nondairy dessert topping that comes frozen in a tub. Like this recipe, with brownies & Oreo cookies: http://www.frugalfanatic.com/oreo-trifle-recipe/ It even says you can add caramel sauce or hot fudge!

The only thing the trifles I've eaten had in common with those on the show is the footed glass serving dish. And I had no idea trifle could have jelly (aka Jell-O). For some reason, that sounds even stranger to me than serving jelly with ice cream.

[stillshimpy]

Every trifle I've had in the US involved instant pudding and Cool Whip, a fluffy nondairy dessert topping that comes frozen in a tub. Like this recipe, with brownies & Oreo cookies: http://www.frugalfan...-trifle-recipe/It even says you can add caramel sauce or hot fudge!

 

Aha!  Well, you haven't had trifle yet then :-)  A lot of people use Bird's custard mix, by the way.   Nowhere near as killingly sweet and....I apologize on behalf of all things trifle for that....thing....they are trying to pass off as a trifle recipe.  

 

Oh holy moly.  That's....gross, really.  

Edited October 11, 2015 by stillshimpy

[Aquarius]

A man I worked with, who was from Australia, would always bring a trifle to any company potluck we had.  No instant pudding, no Cool Whip.  His had berries soaked in fortified wine, proper custard, real whipped cream.  I think some sort of sponge cake.  Absolutely addictive.  We would always ask in advance of any potluck, "Is Keith bringing a trifle?"  Ahh.  It's been years and I still miss that trifle.  :-)

[BoogieBurns]

I'm watching on Netflix. Right now, I still love Ruby, but Kimberly may be my favourite. I am happy when those two are happy. Not sure why. I like everyone else just one step below the others. 

[Oldernowiser]

If I had a sip every time Paul said, “melts in the mouth” this episode, I would have been passed out by the Showstopper.

Now that I finally understand that Netflix is running these backwards in time, I have two peeves. First, in this season, they’re pronounced  “ladyfingers” by everyone. There was some later season where everyone, particularly Paul, was mincing on about “ladies’ fingers” as the plural form. Why?

Ditto macaroon, which later became “macarON.” 

Yes, I am that petty. But it’s because GBBO is the only thing that is both predictable and soothing in this hellscape world and I need consistency, dammit.