S07.E09: Patisserie Week

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

It is the Bake Off semi-final, and it is Patisserie Week, with just four bakers remaining. In the signature challenge, the bakers are once again butter-bashing and folding their pastry to achieve perfect lamination for a difficult French pastry.

In the technical challenge, Paul has set the bar high. He is testing the bakers' patisserie prowess with a yeast-based cake that has a fruity top and delicate chocolate work.

The showstopper is the bakers' last chance to prove they have what it takes to make it to the final, with a multiple mini-cake bake. The timings are crucial to achieve the high-end finish the judges are looking for.

Which of the bakers will impress Mary and Paul enough to earn their place in next week's final, and who will be leaving the tent?

[tenativelyyours]

Even if it was patisserie, this is definitely the time Selasi really needs to shine because if the gap between him and the other in the bottom is not big enough I think he'll leave the tent having never won star baker and had too many flirtations with elimination.

However I do have my hopes that he might really rein in his size issues because he really has one of the best eyes for decoration and presentation overall.  The signature this past week shows he has a really perfect touch in knowing exactly how much in terms of decoration and with the chance to demonstrate that in whatever showstopper they have, it really is the one strength he has over the over the other three.  Jane has been more consistent in some ways in that area, but her worst has been worse than Selasi's imo.  Candice always bites off too much and Andrew has been a bit spotty in presentation enough that it makes me wonder if the timing of this challenge might work well to Selasi's favor.

Of course visions of him putting forth cinder block sized petit fours  also comes to mind.

[Occasional Hope]

Selasi was the right one to go, sad though it is to lose him.  His bakes this week were just a little bit sloppy compared to the others.  But I will remember his gorgeous flower icing.

Jaffa cakes earlier in the season and now fondant fancies: has someone on the production side been spending too much time in the Mr Kipling section of their chosen supermarket?

I didn't know palmiers came in savoury versions.

[dwarmed]

Loved Andrew's glee club of fondant fancies. With bow ties, natch. 

Sue is totally going to sell those Selasi-mopping tissues on ebay. 

[Catri]

I was not as sad to see Selasi go as I should have been.  Honestly, I would not have been especially sad to see any of them go, which is not normal for me at the semifinal point in the series.  I don't know if it's because of the drama outside the tent, or perhaps this cast is less charismatic, or the bakes are less inspiring, or some combination of the three, but I'm just not as invested in the show this year.  I really want to be loving this last series of Bake Off as we know it, but I'm not.  Is it just me?

[Ceindreadh]

Selasi lost me when he said he didn't sieve his flour. Who does that? It's sort of a basic step in baking. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I knew that I would be sad no matter who left, but I was guessing it would be Selasi.

On a shallow note, I loved Candice's red dress. Her blue cheese, walnut, and red onion chutney palmiers looked burnt because the onions were so dark. Paul said it was a pastry, not a palmier but was it because of the shape? Her mushroom, bacon, and parmesan heart palmiers were noticeably thick so I was worried they might not be cooked enough. Loved her birdcage presentation.

Jane's pesto, pine nut, and sundried tomato flower palmiers looked soft, floppy, mushy, and underbaked. Her goat cheese, ham, and olive palmiers looked a little better/firmer/more baked.

When Andrew decided to make a new batch of dough, I was worried that hiss palmiers wouldn't finish baking in time but they all looked firm, golden brown, crispy, and flaky.. I loved the little drawers he used for his presentation. His roasted red pepper and goat cheese palmiers looked great. I loved the inspiration for his rosemary, thyme, and sage treble clef palmiers.

Selasi's salmon, spinach and mushroom palmiers sounded worrisome to me because salmon is a bit chunky as a filling. Loved the butterfly shape of his sundried tomato, onion, pepper, poppyseed, and parmesan palmiers. It's too bad that the pastry was undercooked, but he just ran out of time.

The savarin challenge was interesting because it showed how differently everyone thinks (Jane treating it like an enriched dough recipe, some people using dough hooks, etc). Everyone remarked on how hot it was so I'm glad that Paul said he was going to overlook all the melting cream. It was interesting to see how each baker interpreted how to decorate with fruit.

Love hearing who's a dipper and who's a pourer for the showstopper!

Oh, Jane. All of her petits fours were so lumpy on the sides. Making them smooth is one of the key things! I loved the color of her pink pistachio and raspberry hearts. She said that her lemon curd ones were green but they looked sky blue on my screen.

Loved Andrew's continued musical theme this week. The sheet music and bowties were so cute. I also loved his symphony presentation. His vanilla and raspberry fancies were the weaker of the two visually because you could see some of the raspberry through the white.. His chocolate and coffee fancies looked a little better so I think it was just the slightly darker color on the outside and the similar colored filling on the inside that camouflaged his problem better.

Candice's chocolate praline fancies were pretty. I loved the surprise in her cherry bakewell fancies.

Although I believe that taste is the most important part of food, I agree with that saying about how you eat with your eyes first (and in a competition like this, of course it needs to look nice), so I loved that Selasi colored his cakes. I would have gone even brighter with the colors because I'm that kind of girl. I'd rather see a fuchsia sponge than a bubblegum colored cake. Loved the green sponge in his lime and ginger fancies and the little butterflies on top. His pink velvet and raspberry prosecco petits fours were sweet looking both inside and out, but unfortunately Paul thought they were too sweet. Heh, at least he was smart enough to listen when Mary told him you should always sift your flour, even though that meant starting over.

I think they were hard pressed to choose a star baker this week because no one really wowed them with the showstopper. Everyone had some kind of issue. I'm sad to see Selasi go, but I'm excited for the big finale next week!

 

Edited October 20, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[PepperMonkey]

Selasi, noooooooooooooooooo!

Okay, who am I kidding? Knew it would be him, because how could it not be? He had 3 not so great rounds. I will miss in the tent.

I'm not that excited about this final three, especially compared to other series. I firmly believe it's between Candice and Andrew, and as much as I like Candice, I'm really pulling for Andrew. He's shown growth - I know, I know, that's not a criteria - and he seems to put so much time and thought in. I think it comes more naturally for Candice.

My only disappointment will be if Candice AND Andrew crash and burn and Jane takes the day. Like Jane but her petit fours were terrible looking. Well, another disappointment: next week's final will be the last incarnation of this show, ever.

[jenrising]

I figured Selasi would leave this week, and it was the right choice, much as I'll miss him in the final. 

I guess I'm all in for Candice to win, but really no one is setting me on fire. 

[PaulaO]

I knew it would be Selasi because he hadn't won star baker.   Jane's petit fours were terribly lumpy under the fondant but I do predict she will win.  She has been the most consistent.  I will miss Candice's lipstick.  It's so pretty!  I could not understand what Mary was saying to Selasi about his flour.  I thought she said "turn the flour" but it was sift.  Maybe I need close captioning.

[Kostgard]

I knew Selasi was a goner too - it's felt to me for a while now that he's been kinda hanging on by his fingernails. I was surprised last week when Benjamina went before him. I thought that order would be reversed. 

I enjoyed Andrew's total surprise at winner Star Baker. I was a bit surprised myself - I thought it would go to Candice. But that's also why I kinda like we that go into the final without a really clear front-runner. All of them have the ability to turn out something fantastic, and all of them have the ability to make a bunch of small mistakes that keep them from doing well. My gut says Candice (she seems to really nail the favor pretty consistently even when she makes other mistakes), but if she makes mistakes then Jane could slip in there if she performs cleanly, but then again, if Andrew is on point he could slide into the lead too. 

Edited October 20, 2016 by Kostgard

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I noticed there were a lot of bakers dropping their palmier trays. I know that Mel and Sue wouldn't grease the tray edges just for laughs so I assumed it was nerves on everyone's parts. But I loved that as soon as Selasi dropped his, Candice ran over to help him. 

[withanaich]

Quote

Honestly, I would not have been especially sad to see any of them go, which is not normal for me at the semifinal point in the series.  I don't know if it's because of the drama outside the tent, or perhaps this cast is less charismatic, or the bakes are less inspiring, or some combination of the three, but I'm just not as invested in the show this year.  I really want to be loving this last series of Bake Off as we know it, but I'm not.  Is it just me?

I wouldn't say they're less charismatic, but maybe they're just not as talented? My husband doesn't think this batch of bakers -- even the ones who made it to the finale -- would have made it this far in previous years. Or maybe it's just that none of the eliminations this year have been a surprise, so it doesn't seem as exciting? It's bittersweet, because you know they're about to change things up (if not ruin them completely), and it would've been nice for the show to "go out" on a bang.

Jane clearly has the most experience out of the remaining bakers, but some things she is just not good at (at least she knows it, though). Her icing looked diseased. I'm kind of rooting for Candice to win, if only because I find her excessive planning (she had actual notes about what shade of lipstick to wear!) adorable. If she doesn't try to do way too much, she has a real chance of winning.

[Qoass]

This episode appeared on my beloved TiVo overnight. DId my local station jump the gun? Naturally, I have to work late tonight so I'll have to live with just knowing it's there for the watching.

[Kohola3]

Awww, Selasi.  It was written in the stars but you will be missed.  So adorable and I bet he doesn't lose his cool in a hurricane.  I have enjoyed watching him for his personality more than baking.

[truther]

On 10/20/2016 at 5:35 PM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I noticed there were a lot of bakers dropping their palmier trays. I know that Mel and Sue wouldn't grease the tray edges just for laughs so I assumed it was nerves on everyone's parts. But I loved that as soon as Selasi dropped his, Candice ran over to help him. 

There seemed to be a very different edit this episode -- lots of playful interactions between the contestants and extra stuff between the contestants and the judges.  It was good.  You could really tell that these particular people had gotten used to being around each other.  Also loved Jane's comment about how since the tent ovens bake slower than her oven at home, she'd think she'd have bothered to remember that by now.  

My money's on Candice, though I think any of them can win.  But Candice, even when she has an off day, always seems to show some real skill.  She's the only one who never really screws anything up.  

[Mama No Life]

I don't remember ever seeing Mary and Paul sit and watch them bake before, though that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I just haven't noticed.

Fondant is so tricky...the better it pours the less it covers.  Ack.

I want Jane to win but I'm okay with Andrew also.  Candice is talented, yes, so I'll suck it up and be content if she wins. She just bugs me.  She seems to have such an....affect?  I don't know.  Can't pinpoint it but it's there.

Selasi should have never made it further than Benjamina, so this week was no shock.

[Primetimer]

And we do mean 'melt'; that's a hot tent not even Selasi's icy expression can cool off.

View the full article

[GaT]

On 10/20/2016 at 0:39 AM, Catri said:

I was not as sad to see Selasi go as I should have been.  Honestly, I would not have been especially sad to see any of them go, which is not normal for me at the semifinal point in the series.  I don't know if it's because of the drama outside the tent, or perhaps this cast is less charismatic, or the bakes are less inspiring, or some combination of the three, but I'm just not as invested in the show this year.  I really want to be loving this last series of Bake Off as we know it, but I'm not.  Is it just me?

What drama outside of the tent?

On 10/20/2016 at 6:57 AM, PepperMonkey said:

I'm not that excited about this final three, especially compared to other series.

 

On 10/24/2016 at 9:54 AM, withanaich said:

I wouldn't say they're less charismatic, but maybe they're just not as talented? My husband doesn't think this batch of bakers -- even the ones who made it to the finale -- would have made it this far in previous years. Or maybe it's just that none of the eliminations this year have been a surprise, so it doesn't seem as exciting? It's bittersweet, because you know they're about to change things up (if not ruin them completely), and it would've been nice for the show to "go out" on a bang.

 

I'm glad to see that other people felt the same as me, because I'm kind of disappointed with the contestants this season, it just doesn't feel the same. 

I thought it was obvious that Selasi was going home, so no surprise, & I was happy to see Andrew get Star Baker because I'm rooting for him.

I couldn't believe how messy everyone's station was when they were making the fondant fancies (one of the most stupid dessert names I have ever heard of), the stuff was all over the place.

[J-Man]

What's the difference between a fondant fancy and a petit four?

[Kohola3]

5 hours ago, J-Man said:

What's the difference between a fondant fancy and a petit four?

I think they are the same.  Just the Brit name for them.

[dleighg]

If I were going to try to get the syrup all through the cake, I might have poked it with a skewer before taking it out of the pan and pouring some on top. I'm surprised everyone was just brushing. Also at least one of them made a whole lot of those little labels, just in case I guess!

[dleighg]

Are there two different kinds of fondant? I always thought fondant was that pliable stuff that you form around things.

[Rinaldo]

2 hours ago, dleighg said:

Are there two different kinds of fondant? I always thought fondant was that pliable stuff that you form around things.

I wondered about this myself. It turns out the answer is Yes, there is both rolled fondant and poured fondant.

9 hours ago, J-Man said:

What's the difference between a fondant fancy and a petit four?

This disparity of nomenclature came up in previous seasons. It turns out that the British use "petit four" more generally, to mean any of a variety of bite-sized sweet creations, whereas in the US we use that name exclusively (I think?) for the cube-shaped iced cakes that we saw here under the name "fondant fancies" (a term unknown in the US except when we watch shows like this).

[Mabinogia]

14 hours ago, Mama No Life said:

She just bugs me.  She seems to have such an....affect?  I don't know.  Can't pinpoint it but it's there.

I was thinking about it this episode because every time she was praised or put on top I understood why, what she did was good and all, but I just wanted it to stop. I hate her (in a watching a reality show way, not IRL) and I think I figured out why. She's just not charming. Selasi wasn't the best baker and it was his time to go but I will miss him because he was just so charming and that smile! OMG. And he had an understated humor to her. Andrew is adorable. He looks at every challenge with his engineers eye and gets so flustered and he's just so adorable! Jane is hilarious. I just love her humor. Candace, she's just never made me smile at something funny she's said or had a cute moment with others. I just don't feel like she's enjoying herself.

What I love about this show is not the amazing bakes they do but the comradery between the bakers. Selasi and Benajmina's interactions along with Jane's humor are the only redeeming things about this season for me. But Candace, for me, drags it all down. She's just no fun.

I always find it very telling, when someone is asked to leave, how everyone reacts. Selasi was obviously very loved there. I can see why. He was just a great big teddy bear of coolness. And you could see in his face he knew it was going to be him and he was okay with it. Andrew's shock at being star baker was very sweet. I get it, because he felt he didn't do that great, but honestly, this episode none of them did very well. I'm just glad it wasn't Candace...again. (all of her faces and overly styled presentations probably wouldn't bother me so much if I actually liked her personality at all because Andrew's davinci last week and his stack of drawers this week don't bother me at all, but I find him utterly charming and enjoy watching him bake.)

[EyewatchTV211]

37 minutes ago, Rinaldo said:

This disparity of nomenclature came up in previous seasons. It turns out that the British use "petit four" more generally, to mean any of a variety of bite-sized sweet creations, whereas in the US we use that name exclusively (I think?) for the cube-shaped iced cakes that we saw here under the name "fondant fancies" (a term unknown in the US except when we watch shows like this).

Considering that petit four is French, how do they define it?

[meep.meep]

Even his bromance with Paul couldn't save Selasi.  My daughter and I were LOLing when every woman on the show was interviewed at the end about how sad they were to see him go.  The real reason why PBS ran the finale right after, eh?

[SirOsisOfLiver]

Mel: "Where did you get the orange juice"

Candice: "From the orange?"

One of my favourite moments of the season.  I didn't have any problem with Candace, but men and women seem to watch TV differently.

:)

Edited August 5, 2017 by SirOsisOfLiver
Correcting the spelling of Candice.

[dubbel zout]

On 10/20/2016 at 7:24 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Paul said it was a pastry, not a palmier but was it because of the shape?

I think it was because there was so much filling; he didn't like that the onions had oozed out the way they did. 

On 10/20/2016 at 4:29 PM, Kostgard said:

I enjoyed Andrew's total surprise at winner Star Baker. I was a bit surprised myself - I thought it would go to Candice.

Same here, but I think because he won the Savarin technical, that put him ahead.

I don't see how it could have been anyone but Selasi who had to leave. He had three rather disastrous bakes this week, alas for him. Everyone was so flirty with him, it cracked me up.

[Mabinogia]

I am always amazed by the amount of butter used when they do the layers. OMG that is a LOT of butter!!!! Every time they do a puffed pastry I am shocked by the amount of butter.

I wish they had shown the making of that perfect Savarin because not a single baker was able to get the bottom ribbed bit and I'm wondering how it is achieved. Their Savarin's rose, but the mostly rose towards the center while the edges stayed below the edge of the pan.

I also love Jane acknowledging that she knows the ovens in the tent don't bake as quickly as her home oven and chastising herself for knowing it but not really knowing it when it matters. lol I love Jane. She really grew on me during the show. I just think she's got a great humor and a good balance of being a competitor but also just having great fun being there. I kind of want a spin off where her and Andrew open a bake shop together. Which reminds me of one of my favorite moments when I think it was Mel, said that Andrew was obsessed with Jane and Andrew looks up at them with a little glint in his eye amused by it all.

This group really did end up having great fun with each other. That's what I like best about this show. Oh, and Sue wiping down Selasi and then pocketing the sweaty tissue. Call me Sue, I'll make you an offer on that. lol

[SophiaD]

I'm a woman and Candice is my favorite baker.  By an order of magnitude.  I've been rooting for her to win the whole thing since the season started. I just like her quirkiness, her great sense of style, and how she keeps quietly, politely going, "Yeah, I know," when Paul and Mary warn her that she's being really ambitious, and then following up with an awesome bake.  I also like that she freaks occasionally and gets upset and uses that as an incentive to get better.

[wonderwoman]

2 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

wish they had shown the making of that perfect Savarin because not a single baker was able to get the bottom ribbed bit and I'm wondering how it is achieved. Their Savarin's rose, but the mostly rose towards the center while the edges stayed below the edge of the pan.

It has to do with sufficient rising time. Problem is there's no way the bakers can control precisely how long it will take for a yeast dough to rise fully. Sometime it's a matter of only a few minutes, but with the time constraint, they have to get into the oven to  bake completely. The fact that none of the savarins were fully formed may indicate that the conditions in the tent -- temp, humidity -- meant the dough needed more time to rise than the deadline allowed.. 

[Mondrianyone]

Those savarins were really beautiful, but they were nothing like what I was expecting.  When I got enthralled by Julia Child a bazillion years ago, I started making all kinds of French things, and I made a savarin recipe from her cookbook (I think).  The pan was a simple ring with a rounded, not flat, bottom.  I still have it.  And there was no cream, no chocolate plaque, no piles of fruit.  Just a sweetened yeasted dough soaked with what I remember as a rum syrup.  It was delicious, but a totally different animal visually.  I wonder if this is the Brits branching off a basic French recipe or if this version is just another French variation.

[Florinaldo]

On 2017-08-05 at 0:41 PM, VMepicgrl said:

Considering that petit four is French, how do they define it?

There are , as far as I know, three kinds of petits fours in classical French pastry. Glacé (glazed with fondant or a small glazed tartlet for example), salé (savoury) and sec (dry, like macarons). Mignardises (small versions of éclairs or mousses) are also included in the petits fours category by many.

On 2016-10-20 at 4:29 PM, Kostgard said:

I enjoyed Andrew's total surprise at winner Star Baker. I was a bit surprised myself - I thought it would go to Candice.

I think that what won it for him was his consistency this week. He made smart choices and executed them very well, with the recurring theme of music (except in the Savarin), without big failures. MB's comment to him that the made a good choice in keeping his fancies relatively simple was telling I believe, and it may have been intended as much for him, as also a message to Candice about overdoing it.

On 2017-08-05 at 8:16 PM, Mondrianyone said:

Those savarins were really beautiful, but they were nothing like what I was expecting.  When I got enthralled by Julia Child a bazillion years ago, I started making all kinds of French things, and I made a savarin recipe from her cookbook (I think).  The pan was a simple ring with a rounded, not flat, bottom.  I still have it.  And there was no cream, no chocolate plaque, no piles of fruit.  Just a sweetened yeasted dough soaked with what I remember as a rum syrup.  It was delicious, but a totally different animal visually.  I wonder if this is the Brits branching off a basic French recipe or if this version is just another French variation.

I agree that Savarins are most often simpler in France and closer to Julia Child's version that what we were shown in this episode, although there are many variations and I suppose different orthodoxies from one region to another, or from one bakery to the other one across the street even.

The humble baba au rhum is a form of Savarin.

Edited August 7, 2017 by Florinaldo

[Sew Sumi]

24 minutes ago, Mondrianyone said:

Those savarins were really beautiful, but they were nothing like what I was expecting.  When I got enthralled by Julia Child a bazillion years ago, I started making all kinds of French things, and I made a savarin recipe from her cookbook (I think).  The pan was a simple ring with a rounded, not flat, bottom.  I still have it.  And there was no cream, no chocolate plaque, no piles of fruit.  Just a sweetened yeasted dough soaked with what I remember as a rum syrup.  It was delicious, but a totally different animal visually.  I wonder if this is the Brits branching off a basic French recipe or if this version is just another French variation.

I looked up Julia's savarin recipe. It is indeed served with fruits and whipped cream, and her syrup is infused with kirsch, which can also be used to infuse the fruit. As noted, hers is baked in a plain ring mold and served puffed side DOWN. No "Savarin" tags. That was just excessive. 

There was great detail given as to how to apply the syrup that I'm sure the bakers did not receive. She talked about poking holes (gasp!), dousing it generously, and letting it rest for half an hour, but basting it with the syrup as it rested. 

I'm interested in trying this one, since the cake can actually be baked ahead and brought back to "tepid" to complete the syrup step. By the time the whipped cream and fruit is applied, it would be back to room temp. 

Oh, Julia. 

[Mondrianyone]

Quote

I looked up Julia's savarin recipe. It is indeed served with fruits and whipped cream, and her syrup is infused with kirsch, which can also be used to infuse the fruit. As noted, hers is baked in a plain ring mold and served puffed side DOWN. No "Savarin" tags. That was just excessive.

Not the version I made!  I slavishly follow recipes, especially the first time I make something and especially in the baking realm.  The recipe I used called for no froufrou.  That's why I was so surprised by the GBBO version.  It wouldn't be unusual for Julia to have had more than one variation over the years, in more than one book and over the course of several TV series.

[Sew Sumi]

I admit, I got this recipe from Mastering v.1. She may have made the mold more elaborate and scaled back fruit over the years? That said, I think I like kirsch better than rum for the syrup. I missed what booze the bakers had to use in their bakes. Did anyone catch that?

[MisterGlass]

I just heard Paul say 'liqueur.'

56 minutes ago, Florinaldo said:

The humble baba au rhum is a form of Savarin.

Thank you!  Savarin is knew to me, so having baba au rhum as a reference gives me a much better idea of what it's like.

23 hours ago, Mama No Life said:

She just bugs me.  She seems to have such an....affect?  I don't know.  Can't pinpoint it but it's there.

Initially she came off as arrogant to me, but the more I watch the more I think that when she's nervous she's a bit cold and reticent.  I have a similar reaction when I'm put on the spot.  There are moments when she's more comfortable and then she seems friendly.

[Sew Sumi]

Julia also referenced the baba recipe which she detailed a few pages prior, actually saying to USE it for the dough/sponge in the savarin. 

[Rinaldo]

A later Julia Child savarin recipe is in Julia Child & More Company, as part of her Summer Dinner menu. (Chicken livers in aspic to start, followed by salmon with hollandaise, new potatoes, and for dessert savarin au rhum et aux fruits exotiques. We can all throw that together on a moment's notice, right?)

She describes the connection with the baba, explains the name's derivation from the gastronome Brillat-Savarin, and mentions that the traditional decoration is whipped cream and crystalized fruit. But for this menu she prefers fresh tropical fruit: mango, papaya, kiwi, plus black grapes.

[chaifan]

Wow - what a difference a crumb coat makes.  I have only used crumb coats a few times when frosting cakes, but based on the appearance of Jane's showstopper I really realize what it does and I'll probably do it more from now on.  It's a shame - I think if she did the crumb coat she could have won the showstopper.  Did she say why she didn't?

I'm sorry to see Selasi go because he was such a joy to watch, but with a few exceptions his bakes weren't at the level of the remaining 3.  I think if Benjamina had made it to the final 4 it would have been a much more difficult decision as to who would go home. 

[Kohola3]

22 minutes ago, chaifan said:

Did she say why she didn't?

Ran out of time.

[Florinaldo]

2 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

I admit, I got this recipe from Mastering v.1. She may have made the mold more elaborate and scaled back fruit over the years? That said, I think I like kirsch better than rum for the syrup. I missed what booze the bakers had to use in their bakes. Did anyone catch that?

I heard "orange liqueur", unspecified but probably Grand Marnier from the look of it. Or perhaps amber Curaçao.

All cakes I have tasted in the Savarin family have some alcohol or boozy syrup poured over them, or are bathed in it.  There may be abstemious versions out there though, just as they vary from the most simple garnishings (some Chantilly) to a mountain of fruit slices and wedges as in this episode.

6 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

The complaint on every cake was that the syrup didn't hit the middle with one slight exception, forget whose it was that slightly succeeded.

One trick is of course to use a thin skewer to prick holes in a cake before you pour flavoured liquid over it, which helps it penetrate all the way down. But that may be considered bad form or heresy in the case of a Savarin, even though the holes would be hidden by all of the garnishes they were required to put on.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Florinaldo

[Sew Sumi]

From Paul and Mary's critiques, it sounded like they wanted those cakes bathed in the booze. The complaint on every cake was that the syrup didn't hit the middle with one slight exception, forget whose it was that slightly succeeded.

[GaT]

15 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

Candace, she's just never made me smile at something funny she's said or had a cute moment with others. I just don't feel like she's enjoying herself.

What I love about this show is not the amazing bakes they do but the comradery between the bakers. Selasi and Benajmina's interactions along with Jane's humor are the only redeeming things about this season for me. But Candace, for me, drags it all down. She's just no fun.

It's the way she purses her lips all the time, it looks like she disapproves of everything.

[Jesse]

I think most of that is trying to hide her teeth, I've decided. 

[Jodithgrace]

I make Sweet Palmiers every Christmas, only I used frozen puff pastry. They only have sugar as a filling, but are very popular. I've never seen savory ones.

I had a cookbook that gave extensive direction on making the kind of petit fours the bakers made this week. Actually, the cakes are first brushed with a layer of sieved apricot jam even before the buttercream, which really gets rid of any crumbs. All of that is much too time consuming for the purpose of this show, though since as Mary pointed out, ideally the cakes are made the day before. I was always dying to make that recipe, though the fiddly bits would probably have driven me to distraction. 

So I guess this means we don't get to see Selasi baking in the finals in a dress. I suspected he might not make it when I heard about his dream. He was charming, and I was sad to see him go. I will be happy for any of the rest to win, though my secret favorite is Andrew. Not so secret now, I guess. 

[dubbel zout]

55 minutes ago, Jodithgrace said:

All of that is much too time consuming for the purpose of this show, though since as Mary pointed out, ideally the cakes are made the day before.

I think it was Andrew who said he could have used the three hours for decoration alone.

Did anyone else feel like this season had less-complicated challenges in general? I don't know if was the challenges themselves or that the bakers weren't as talented as in the past. I remember in at least two past challenges that took more than one day.

I don't care if the filling is savory or sweet as long as the pastry is baked through. I LOVE puff pastry. One of these days I'm going to make it from scratch just so I can say I did it. I used to think it was so complicated, but after watching it made on various GBBO episodes, I think it's something you can't slap together, that's all.

[Irlandesa]

On 8/4/2017 at 11:57 PM, GaT said:

What drama outside of the tent?

I think they were referring to the fact that the BBC lost the GBBO.  The negotiations and the loss all happened while the show was airing in the UK.

On 8/5/2017 at 3:18 PM, dubbel zout said:

I think it was because there was so much filling; he didn't like that the onions had oozed out the way they did.

I think the filling was part of it but also the thickness. 

[illdoc]

21 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I think it was Andrew who said he could have used the three hours for decoration alone

I think it was Jane who said "If you spent 5 minutes per piece, that's 3 hours", which is why she was only putting the frosting on the top (which is why she had "bumps" (crumbs) on the sides).