S04.E08: Quarter Final

[Athena]

It is the quarter final and there are just five bakers left. In the last seven weeks they have been tested on normal cakes, breads, pastries, pies and puddings so the judges are upping the ante. This week's challenges test them on how they cope working with unconventional flours and unusual desserts which push their creativity to the max.

 

For the signature challenge, the bakers must make a loaf using non-traditional wheat flours, encouraged instead to use the rarer flours such as spelt, rye, potato or tapioca flours. Whilst the bakers get busy with their loaves, the programme explores the history of the National Loaf. This culinary creation was borne out of necessity during World War Two, when the Ministry of Food developed a flour to make imports go further and keep the nation healthy in times of rationing.

 

The technical round sees the bakers challenged to each make a dacquoise, made with three layers of fragile coiled meringue, sandwiched with coffee custard and topped with hazelnut praline, a dessert which also happens to be gluten free. For their final challenge, the bakers must push themselves out of their comfort zone to create showstopping novelty vegetable cakes - which must also be dairy free.

[editorgrrl]

This episode made me think of Howard. He did a gluten-free cake with rice flour and xanthan gum, and his bear was way cuter than Beca's mice.

Edited October 25, 2015 by editorgrrl

[Jodithgrace]

Once again Ruby preempts the judges by declaring her loaf underproofed and underbaked. That fact that she was right, in no way excuses her. Leave it to the judges, Ruby! I do like her, though and am happy she made star baker, even if her "allotment" looked a bit sad, compared to professional cakes. But considering it was her first effort at decorating, I say well done! 

Kimberly was right behind her, and her 3D cake was adorable. So it could go either way as we reach the finals. Hopefully neither will self-destruct.

Sad that Christine had to go. At this point is it sad to see anybody go. But her meringues were bad, and her guitar cake flavorless. 

I was intrigued by the little essay on "The National Loaf." The funny thing is that whole wheat and multigrain bread is very popular now, but I can imagine it was a shock after being used to only white bread.

[shandy]

The business end of competitive reality often ceases to be fun and, wow, I'm just slayed. Something weird was happening. Nothing went right for sweet Christine. Mary and Paul were seriously sour faced. Ruby broke that thick glass bowl. They all looked bruised standing around by the water bottles.

 

Ruby's vegetable patch n shack looked a mess, but as Mary isn't a fan of store bought fondant (hello the other bakers) I knew they were going to zoom her score through the roof and they did. Personally I loved Kimberly's toadstool house. 

 

Thank goodness the 5 women's love for each other shone through at the end, or this episode would have played out for me in a very minor key indeed. 

[KittyS]

Ugh! I'm sick of Ruby. Her cake looked hideous, yet they were barely critical. I agree that flavor should come first, but attractiveness should be highly valued in a showstopper. I thought the toadstool house was fantastic. The technical challenge looked delicious, but I've always been partial to hazelnuts. Hoping everyone performs better next week.

[sara217]

Once again Ruby preempts the judges by declaring her loaf underproofed and underbaked.

This time it looked like a reaction after the bread was sliced open and presented. That the judges already saw what was wrong, and she was just saying it out loud. I was annoyed by her in previous episodes, but this didn't bother me.

If I ever get a stand mixer, it'll have a metal bowl.

Kimberley's cake was cute, like a smurf house.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I was amused by the contestants singing "I'm Coming Out" given

a certain contestant's use of that song in her "coming out" tweets earlier this year.

[Quilt Fairy]

I'm shocked they sent Christine home. I thought for sure it would be Frances or Beca.

[GaT]

I’ve never heard of spelt flour, is that a British thing? I was surprised that nobody made a rye bread.

 

The technical bake thing looked delicious, I would have eaten any of them

 

All that fondant for the show stopper, yikes. Fondant doesn’t taste that good to begin with, fondant on vegetable cake sounds awful to me, though it sounded like everybody’s cakes were kind of tasteless this week.

 

Paul was very tan, I wonder where he was during the week?

[Rickster]

I’ve never heard of spelt flour, is that a British thing? I was surprised that nobody made a rye bread.

 

Spelt is not specifically a British thing, but its popularity is pretty recent and tied a lot to the gluten free craze, also with people who just like to bake with unusual flours. You can find it in places like Whole Foods and organic food sections of stores. Bob's Red Mill is a widely available brand.

[Frost]

I keep getting stuck on a 'quarter final' episode that has five competitors!  I suppose it's more that there are only three episodes rather than the number of competitors, but it keeps throwing me off.  This means three compete in the final then?

 

I am not a fan of fondant or vegetable cakes so this episode did not make me hungry!  My bathroom scale thanks you.  In fact, I think of 'vegetable cake' as an oxymoron.  Carrot cake is the least objectionable but without a thick cream cheese frosting?  No way!  I realize that other tastes may vary :-) 

 

Part of me is glad Frances is being defiant in not changing her style but another part wants to ask her if the phrase 'style over substance' is sinking in AT ALL.  Unfortunately, at this point I don't think Paul and Mary are giving her any points for her creativity and seem to be actively looking for ways to discount her flavors.

[Qoass]

GIven that Ruby's bread in the first round was underproofed and her allotment cake looked like it had been foreclosed upon, I don't agree with her winning star baker this week over Kimberley.  Then again, I couldn't taste any of it (no great loss this week) so what do I know?

 

That said, I laughed loud and hard when Paul commented that the cheese board cake was too simple and Mel and Sue exchanged a "SERIOUSLY?!?!?" look on the side.

[Jesse]

In the first round, I think Ruby's shortfall was in execution, where Kimberly's was in concept, which I think they would think is worse. 

[larapu2000]

I'm okay with Kimberly never winning star baker as long as she wins it all over that sop Ruby.  If I were Paul and Mary, I'd tell her to shut it every time she came up to be judged just to avoid hearing her whole "I'm so awful and terrible, oh, but it's delicious, you say?"  I don't doubt that there is some authenticity there, but it's fucking painful to listen to.

 

While I appreciate that she made all of the components on her showstopper, the unintentional resemblance to a Dickens era poorhouse with a Great Depression era garden was totally unfortunate.  It may have tasted great, but it looked like shit.

 

Becca's focaccia sounded so delicious I looked up the recipe.  I think I might try it out.

 

I think it was Christine's time to go.  She's solid, but I don't remember a real "wow" moment from her.  But I'd totally be down to having some of her baked goodies over a cuppa and gossip.

[DeLurker]

I was amused by the contestants singing "I'm Coming Out" given

a certain contestant's use of that song in her "coming out" tweets earlier this year.

I didn't know about the item in the spoiler tag, but Beca (I think it was her) was so dang cute doing that!

 

Christine's guitar cake looked incredible to me, so was disappointed that the cake itself was underwhelming.  Not a fan of fondant and avoid it like the plague, but I'd be willing to give marshmallow fondant a try.

[Qoass]

 

It may have tasted great, but it looked like shit.

 

 

And this, young readers, is an appropriate use for the word "literally".

[little black cloud]

I kept waiting for Paul to break out a plumb line and school Ruby in building techniques, but, nope, the dangerous lurch in her cottage went completely unremarked. (I also expected the judges to take Christine to task for not really running with the 3D aspect of the challenge -- although her cake was beautifully decorated, it had no vertical element.)

 

I thought it was a little harsh that they harped on Frances about style over substance in this challenge specifically. No one's cake tasted very good, and the challenge was pretty much all ABOUT style.

[Pallida]

Christine carving her cake was far more impressive than Kimberley's molded cake. In fact, Kimbereley is the only one who didn't really carve to shape at all. I did generally like the decorating of the toadstool (other than the fondant work on the edge of the cap), but the 3d element was "store bought." She also likely didn't come up with the general design as there are plenty of examples of toadstool cakes made from giant cupcake tins from before the show aired. I know all the bakers ae pulling inspiration and recipes from online, and I'm perfectly fine with that. I simply point these details out for why I don't mind that she wasn't star baker.

Ruby said her bread was under baked and under proved after Paul asked what was wrong with it, but she also made negative comments before he asked.

[meep.meep]

I kept waiting for Paul to break out a plumb line and school Ruby in building techniques, but, nope, the dangerous lurch in her cottage went completely unremarked. (I also expected the judges to take Christine to task for not really running with the 3D aspect of the challenge -- although her cake was beautifully decorated, it had no vertical element.)

 

I thought it was a little harsh that they harped on Frances about style over substance in this challenge specifically. No one's cake tasted very good, and the challenge was pretty much all ABOUT style.

Ruby's cake house looked like it was built on a hill!

Christine's was a 3D rendering of a guitar.  She just chose a flat object.

I thought they objected to Frances for using real flower pots - not everything was edible.  If Donatella Arpaia judged this, she would have broken a tooth!

 

So, pumpkin bread, if made with no dairy or eggs, would have been OK for this?  

[chessiegal]

I am puzzled by Ruby's glass mixing bowl breaking. Those bowls are thick and sturdy. I'm thinking it must have had a defect because she didn't appear to be doing anything that would cause that. KitchenAid must be appalled.

[Rinaldo]

Maybe a quick extreme temperature change? Still most bowls these days are built to withstand that too.

[Zahdii]

This episode is up:

 

Season 2, Episode 8: Quarterfinal

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365541726/

[chessiegal]

Maybe a quick extreme temperature change? Still most bowls these days are built to withstand that too.

Did she do a temp change? I've erased the episode. I'm guessing defect. It happens.

[Brattinella]

I am really sick to death of Ruby's self-deprecating bullcrap.  I just want them to say "Shut UP, Ruby!"

 

That cheese and mouse cake was gorgeous, so was the toadstool cake.

 

Kimberley has a most beautiful smile.

[LittleIggy]

Yeah, Ruby's shed and veggie plot was sad looking. Beside the shack looking about to fall over, the whole thing was so dark and drab.

As a Louisianian by birth, I was glad to hear Mary and Paul pronounce praline correctly -- "prawleen." Hearing "prayleen" sets my teeth on edge! :-)

The first I heard of spelt is when I bought Cheerios + Ancient Grains (very good). It has spelt, quinoa, and kamut wheat.

A "pair of Paul's budgie stuffers"? Is that what I think it means?

[editorgrrl]

Pair of budgie smugglers = banana hammock (for example, Speedo brand men's sport briefs).

[Bad Example]

I am really sick to death of Ruby's self-deprecating bullcrap.  I just want them to say "Shut UP, Ruby!"

 

That cheese and mouse cake was gorgeous, so was the toadstool cake.

 

Kimberley has a most beautiful smile.

 

As tired as I am of Ruby's schtick, I'm almost used to it and it bothers me less than it used to.  What I am NOT over is the way the judges treat her:  SO gently, almost speaking in low voices as if they're afraid she's going to have a nervous breakdown in front of them.  She seems handled with kid gloves and coddled and treated as if she is a Very Special Flower.  Everyone else gets a straight critique.  Ruby gets soothed.  I can't believe that no one said her showstopper looked like crap... but then, if they had, they couldn't give her the Star Baker she needed so she could buck up, could they?  

And I might have a leeeeetle girl crush on Kimberley because of that smile.  She's just adorable.  

[DeLurker]

And I might have a leeeeetle girl crush on Kimberley because of that smile.  She's just adorable.  

Your not alone.  I like her overall attitude and disposition too.

[AllAboutMBTV]

 

I am puzzled by Ruby's glass mixing bowl breaking. Those bowls are thick and sturdy. I'm thinking it must have had a defect because she didn't appear to be doing anything that would cause that. KitchenAid must be appalled.

On a rewatch last night, I think she'd just banged a spatula on the rim to knock the batter off the spatula, and the bowl broke. (Tough to tell from the editing/camera angle, though.) But that shouldn't have been enough to break one of those heavy Kitchen Aid bowls. I wonder if she had to start that step over again so as not to have any possible glass shards in the batter, but the show went blithely on.

 

I have to say, even with all the good TV that's on now, this is the show I look forward to the most every week. I hope PBS shows another season right away, either the recent S6 or S1-3. Pleeeeze? With brandied cherries on top?

[DiegoBurger]

I am loving this season and I am not ashamed to admit I get a little verkempt as each baker gets sent off, especially now. I am hoping Kimberly wins. I want to eat everything she bakes and I think she is the most ambitious with flavors. I watch lots of cooking shows and cooking competitions but none make me so hungry or want to cook or bake so much. 

[FoundTime]

Spelt is not specifically a British thing, but its popularity is pretty recent and tied a lot to the gluten free craze, also with people who just like to bake with unusual flours. You can find it in places like Whole Foods and organic food sections of stores. Bob's Red Mill is a widely available brand.

Several years ago, a bunch of friends and I would get together once a month for dinner and a movie at someone's home, and one of them was on a wheat-free diet (before it became trendy). Back then the main way to accommodate that was to get a spelt-based product. Whole Foods was the only place that had them. How the times have changed. 

[LittleIggy]

Pair of budgie smugglers = banana hammock (for example, Speedo brand men's sport briefs).

That's what I thought! ;-)

[becauseIsaidso]

I have zero proficiency as either a cook or baker, but I do SO love this show....and I am quite happy with the remaining bakers....I have, I must admit, a special spot for both Kimberly and Ruby and now that there are only 4, especially now, I am really enjoying the comraderie of these contestants, and the feeling of real care and support among them....I'll be there to the end and I can't wait to see who wins it all! Trust the Brits to come up with such a lovely show...

[Quilt Fairy]

Christine carving her cake was far more impressive than Kimberley's molded cake. In fact, Kimbereley is the only one who didn't really carve to shape at all. I did generally like the decorating of the toadstool (other than the fondant work on the edge of the cap), but the 3d element was "store bought." She also likely didn't come up with the general design as there are plenty of examples of toadstool cakes made from giant cupcake tins from before the show aired. I know all the bakers ae pulling inspiration and recipes from online, and I'm perfectly fine with that. I simply point these details out for why I don't mind that she wasn't star baker.

My point of view is just the opposite. I don't see what's creative about baking a flat cake and using a template to cut it into a shape. I was much more impressed with Kimberley's. And I couldn't believe them saying the cheeseboard was too simple!

 

On a rewatch last night, I think she'd just banged a spatula on the rim to knock the batter off the spatula, and the bowl broke. (Tough to tell from the editing/camera angle, though.) But that shouldn't have been enough to break one of those heavy Kitchen Aid bowls. I wonder if she had to start that step over again so as not to have any possible glass shards in the batter, but the show went blithely on.

 

I have to say, even with all the good TV that's on now, this is the show I look forward to the most every week. I hope PBS shows another season right away, either the recent S6 or S1-3. Pleeeeze? With brandied cherries on top?

I believe PBS is scheduled to show S6 starting in January.

[Pallida]

Quilt Fairy, can you elaborate on what you liked about Kimberley's? The creativity of setting up a whole scene perhaps? The aesthetics were definitely cute. I just don't think she had to use technical skills for it (and borrowed someone else's idea for the broad image).

I completely agree that Beca's cheese tray wasn't simple. I was quite impressed by how she painted the wood grain.

[adhoc]

Well, thanks for ruining the episode for me, Ruby. I rolled my eyes when you won the Technical Challenge. I groaned when you won Star Baker. I'm not spoiled--if Ruby wins Season 4, I'll be heartily annoyed. 

 

I also suspect the editing fairies have not done her any favors. (Maybe they found her as annoying as I do and ran with it.)

 

Gingham?

Check.

Yes, that's right!

Edited October 29, 2015 by adhoc

[Mondrianyone]

Gingham?

Check.

Yes, that's right!

 

That really made me laugh!  Just the quickness of it and how if you blinked, you missed the joke.

 

Sue and Mel were a teeny bit annoying to me at first, but they've both completely grown on me now, and I think that what they bring to the show is priceless.  Not to mention that you need to be extraordinarily well read and well educated to be as funny as they are in just the way that they are.  I may be in the wrong thread on this, but the gingham joke (and I'm about to do my whole kitchen floor in a gingham pattern, so I really appreciated that) forced me to acknowledge how much I love these two.

[KLovestoShop]

What do bakers see in fondant?  Yes, you can do a lot more with it, but for me, I don't like the fact that ungloved hands are handling that stuff so much, it makes me queazy.  I've seen the guys on Cake Boss just throwing fondant around, mushing it all up and handling it with their bare hands, and I just think that there's no way I would put fondant in my mouth.  Give me a big hunk of buttercream any day.   

[Qoass]

You're so right.  I made a cake with fondant that looked amazing but I told the recipient not to eat it.

[Rinaldo]

I don't disagree about fondant. But on the issue of hands... I think one either has to never eat out (a possible decision) or make one's peace with the idea that cooks' or bakers' hands have repeatedly touched the food one is about to eat. No avoiding it; even if they wear gloves, in an instant the surface of the gloves has itself come in contact with everything. I remember Julia Child used to recite the notion of a chef's "impeccably clean hands" like a magic charm, and one either accepts that chefs are living by it or not.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Rinaldo

[GaT]

What do bakers see in fondant?  Yes, you can do a lot more with it, but for me, I don't like the fact that ungloved hands are handling that stuff so much, it makes me queazy.  I've seen the guys on Cake Boss just throwing fondant around, mushing it all up and handling it with their bare hands, and I just think that there's no way I would put fondant in my mouth.  Give me a big hunk of buttercream any day.   

This is why I don't eat at Subway anymore, every time I went they would pick up a piece of each topping & ask if I wanted it. No, what I want is for you to stop touching all the food. It's gross.

[QuelleC]

I finally got to watch this in rerun so I'm late.  It's unbelievable how in the end they had to bump up Ruby by saying her roof and chocolate work were great.  That thing looked awful and the cake looked very dense.  Paul and Mary complain about a perfect bake with "no flavor" yet say nothing about that wet mess which looked very unevenly risen and domed? The garden decorations were crap but I give her credit for making everything herself. I don't care enough to look into it but Ruby has the luxury of studying philosophy which isn't a decision made lightly these days.  She could also walk off the set and be a model anytime she wants.  I suspect she's pretty privileged so her lack of confidence is confusing.  Although she was right about her showstopper. After her bowl broke she was shown remixing, I'm pretty sure.

 

Then for Mary and Paul to call the "cheese" cake and guitar simple "and they'd better taste great"?  So sad about Christine but her baking has declined.  I wish Frances would have gone as much as her cake was cute.  Kimberly's looked all fondant and the idea was not very original.  Count me on on hating the fondant.  It looks like that modeling clay you can form into fake food and bake hard for kitchen magnets or whatever.

 

I'm not the tidiest and not too much of a germophobe except for meat but hands on food make me prefer much simpler food. Everytime I watch someone on tv baking bread I wait for the disgusting comment "my hands feel so clean after I knead". I was watching a few episodes of Ramsay's UK Kitchen Nighmares and several times he made a point of demonstrating mixing salad without putting your hands into it. 

 

I have to say though, I've started baking more since watching this show. 

Edited October 31, 2015 by QuelleC

[Brookside]

I like Ruby and her shed made me smile.  She may not have wanted it to have been lopsided, but it reminded me of real ramshackle sheds on real allotments.

[Rinaldo]

Apparently Ruby can be a real savant with flavors -- unexpected combinations that really work. And that, of course, is what we can't evaluate when we watch.

[Sandiscot]

 

Spelt is not specifically a British thing, but its popularity is pretty recent and tied a lot to the gluten free craze,

 

Spelt is not gluten free. It's not wheat gluten, but people who have to avoid gluten can't eat it.

 

 

This is why I don't eat at Subway anymore, every time I went they would pick up a piece of each topping & ask if I wanted it. No, what I want is for you to stop touching all the food. It's gross.

 

At every Subway I've been to, they wear gloves. Maybe that's just a California thing.

[chessiegal]

Spelt is not gluten free. It's not wheat gluten, but people who have to avoid gluten can't eat it.

 

 

At every Subway I've been to, they wear gloves. Maybe that's just a California thing.

Me too. Never been to a Subway where they didn't wear gloves. At Whole Foods, not only do they wear gloves, they change them with each new customer.

[Zahdii]

The next episode is up:

 

Season 2, Episode 9: French Week

 

The all-female semifinalists have just three French bakes between them and the finals.

 

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365541736/

[Fireball]

I've been watching this season on Netflix; I haven't commented until now because it felt weird to when all the comments are from 2015. However, I feel the need to vent my annoyance over the Ruby favoritism. I really don't understand why Mary and Paul never give her any kind of criticism.  Yes she's younger then the other bakers, but she's going to University where one gets their work criticized. Each week I'm hoping Ruby will screw up so bad that the judges have no choice but to send her home.

On ‎10‎/‎27‎/‎2015 at 7:06 AM, Bad Example said:

 What I am NOT over is the way the judges treat her:  SO gently, almost speaking in low voices as if they're afraid she's going to have a nervous breakdown in front of them.  She seems handled with kid gloves and coddled and treated as if she is a Very Special Flower.  Everyone else gets a straight critique.  Ruby gets soothed.  I can't believe that no one said her showstopper looked like crap... but then, if they had, they couldn't give her the Star Baker she needed so she could buck up, could they?   

I too am sick to death of the judges coddling Ruby! If any of the other bakers had presented that cake to them they would have been extremely hard on them for such a mess. The cake did not look good at all! Oh but it's Ruby so everything is great and wonderful and a negative thing is never uttered to her.

On ‎10‎/‎28‎/‎2015 at 6:27 PM, adhoc said:

Well, thanks for ruining the episode for me, Ruby. I rolled my eyes when you won the Technical Challenge. I groaned when you won Star Baker. I'm not spoiled--if Ruby wins Season 4, I'll be heartily annoyed. 

I was seriously annoyed that once again Ruby got Star Baker. Her things might taste good, but imo most of her stuff is messy. Her downer attitude and the judges obvious love for her have really lessened my enjoyment of the season. I keep hoping this will be the week Ruby goes home which means she'll probably win the whole thing.

On ‎10‎/‎31‎/‎2015 at 3:14 PM, QuelleC said:

I finally got to watch this in rerun so I'm late.  It's unbelievable how in the end they had to bump up Ruby by saying her roof and chocolate work were great.  That thing looked awful and the cake looked very dense.  Paul and Mary complain about a perfect bake with "no flavor" yet say nothing about that wet mess which looked very unevenly risen and domed? The garden decorations were crap but I give her credit for making everything herself.

Then for Mary and Paul to call the "cheese" cake and guitar simple "and they'd better taste great"?  So sad about Christine but her baking has declined. 

I thought the roof and chocolate looked messy myself.  I also thought the garden looked like crap exactly what were they growing twigs? The whole thing looked amateurish and really didn't deserve star baker. I really didn't understand why Mary and Paul thought the cheese cake and guitar were simple. They looked fantastic. Imo Ruby's cake was the one they should have been saying "it better taste great"

Edited August 27, 2017 by Fireball

[cherrypj]

I can't believe how hard Paul and Mary are on Frances. She's my definite favorite. I can bake--my stuff tastes great--but I haven't a single decorative bone. So I like that best about her: she's so creative. (I can't judge taste, you see, but I can see the decorations.)

[Neko]

Good lord, this is the first episode that has actually OFFENDED me.  I can't believe such a cheery, benign type of show made me angry, but it did!  And it's all because of that sad-sack, Ruby. 

Seriously, WHAT was that atrocity she presented to the judges?  A leaning shed that looked like it was made of dogshit, and the saddest gravel "vegetable garden" you've ever seen?  Maybe it tasted good, but it was a 3D cake challenge!  How the cake looked mattered!  The fact that something so shitty and amateurish earned Ruby star baker was ridiculous!  I was waiting for Paul and Mary to give *some* kind of critique, but nope, sweet little Ruby is like an egg, she needs to be coddled.  Give me a goddamn break.

Aside from this single episode, Ruby's whole personality is grating, to me.  There is something very calculating about the way she hangs her head and hunches her shoulders and acts like she is the worst of the bunch; even the way she complimented Frances on her cake before launching into the reasons why her cake sucked seemed suspect, to me.  I think this is probably a technique she's learned early on in order to get compliments, but it's made her completely insufferable, as a result.  I know this season aired a few years ago, and that Ruby was very young at the time, but Martha was even younger, and she rocked it!  Hopefully, Ruby has gained some confidence.  Good god.

Okay, rant over, lol.

ETA: Ruby was 21?  They acted like she was a child!  Unbelievable. :P

Edited February 20, 2018 by Sweet Summer Child