S02.E01: Cake Week / S02.E02: Cookie Week

[Athena]

Quote

For their very first Signature Bake, the bakers are tasked with making bundt cakes inspired by winter flavors. Next up, a Technical Challenge of Mary Berry's recipe for apple almond cake. And lastly, The Showstopper Bake has these bakers constructing fantastical multi-tiered holiday celebration cakes.

 

Quote

In their Signature Challenge, the bakers tackle bar cookies, showcasing everything from compotes to crumbles. In the Technical, Johnny challenges the bakers with a cookie that must be baked twice – biscotti. Then, in the Showstopper Bake, the bakers build elaborate 3D Iced Cookie Scenes.

 

[Tara Ariano]

Merged into one thread since there will be one piece of editorial content covering both.

[Primetimer]

It's the return of the reality show that doesn't feel the need to cram a contrived fireworks factory down your throat.

View the full article

[MerBearHou]

Welcome back, show!  I enjoyed it very much, even though it is impossible not to compare it to the British version every single second.  I looked so closely at the appliances and equipment, the setting, the judges, the bakers -- even Mary's clothes, including her cool Hermes belt.  Ian and Nia don't bother me -- they're very dear and well-meaning -- but they are a distant second to Mel and Sue.  Not their fault -- they just are.

Not at all surprised to see the first woman eliminated (can't think of her name) -- she was just in over her head.  ETA:  her name is Nancy.  Thanks, recap!

Very sorry to see Courtney go.  What a terrific guy.  But yes, his last Showstopper was a disaster.  Loved the meaningful Memphis hometown neighborhood concept -- wish it could've turned out for him.

I'm glad the format is almost identical to the British version -- as a devotee to that show, it's comforting to see those familiarities.  I've grown to like Johnny Iuzzi and am sooooo glad there's no Paul Hollywood here.

Edited December 2, 2016 by MerBearHou

[mjc570]

I don't know if liked this or not.  It just doesn't have the charm of the British version, in my opinion, mainly because Nia and Ian are not Mel and Sue (wait - aren't they available now?) and Johnny, although a knowledgeable and articulate baker, is so scruffy I can barely bear to look at him and his awful clothes.  Please Johnnie - wash your hair, you're a handsome man.  Paul may have some personal failings, but he is charming and handsome.

I thought the contestants were fine, except for the old woman (Nancy?) who went home. Thank goodness she was the first contestant to leave, because I thought she was really annoying and out of her league. 

With respect to the cookie episode, I felt sorry for Courtney but he really did have to go.  Generally, those cookie show-stoppers were quite good, although I really liked Stephanie's - the originality, the humor, the bright colors.  I was glad to see Ashland do well, because her biscotti bake was not good. 

Much as I (and the world)  love Mary, I absolutely refuse to believe that a baker of her experience has never heard of a snicker-doodle. 

Edited December 2, 2016 by mjc570
forgot the two episodes were combined

[Constant Viewer]

Quote

28 minutes ago, mjc570 said:

Much as I (and the world)  love Mary, I absolutely refuse to believe that a baker of her experience has never heard of a snicker-doodle. 

Yeah, I thought that was pretty strange. 

[xqueenfrostine]

This is the first GBBO spin-off I've ever watched, and it really made me appreciate Mel and Sue more than I ever had before.  I didn't know how much I would miss their presence until they weren't there!  Nia and Ian aren't bad per se, but it feels like the production team told them to try to ape Mel and Sue's shtick on the show and I'm not sure that was a wise approach.  I think it would have been better to let them develop their own thing instead of serving as a pale imitation of the original.

I didn't miss Paul.

[mertensia]

This is such a nice show. No sniping. Lovely looking pastries. No judge calling people donkeys.

That reindeer and mountains gingerbread display looked awesome.

[Irlandesa]

So it might not quite be the British verion (but hey, after the show getting sold, the British version probably won't be quite like the British version any longer either).  However, I think it's leaps and bounds better than last season's versions from what I remember.  I found all the contestants pleasant in their own way.  Even Courtney, who probably had the show's most arrogant line about taking criticism poorly, didn't bother me in the slightest.  I am disappointed that we lost Courtney and Antoinette in the same episode. I thought it would have been a non-elim. 

And the talent level seems to be better on this year's version compared to last year's.  They are likely never going to be at the level of the UK version since the UK version gives its contestants a week to practice in between weeks which isn't a luxury this show has. 

I think even Nia and Ian were better this year.  So I quite liked it and found the improvements encouraging.  I think it more authentically nailed the vibe of the original better than last season did.  But Jeff Foxworthy was still the better host for the American show. 

[Mittengirl]

I didn't find Courtney's remark arrogant, but rather honest.  A lot of people don't take criticism well, but would never admit to it.

I love snickerdoodles!  Mary needs to eat a few dozen to make up for all the years she went without them.

When was this filmed?  I have a feeling that the scenes wearing winter coats were miserable for the bakers.  And when they were talking about how hot they were, I thought we were going to find out that an air conditioner had gone out or something.  That tent must be climate controlled - to some degree - I would think.

[Irlandesa]

7 minutes ago, Mittengirl said:

 A lot of people don't take criticism well, but would never admit to it.

But he followed it up with being "pretty good at everything" or something to that effect.  But otherwise I agree with you.  I said it was the most arrogant thing said on the show bt that doesn't necessarily mean it is arrogant.

[TheodoraK]

this is a strange show but i didn't watch the british version so i need to be patient. i love mary of course. and i can see the charm of it. but why are nia vardalos and her husband there???????? why is there no explanation for why they were chosen to host this or whatever they are doing? i have never cared for either of them. never found them compelling or fun or any of those good things. not trying to be mean. i just like to know what someone's expertise is. or passion or whatever that makes him/her the right fit.

on a positive note, i don't cook or bake at all so i'm in awe of what the contestants create and the suspense does kill me a bit.

[Rinaldo]

Obviously, anyone can see that this is not the original (which will not exist any more anyway), but so far it's vastly better than the American version of a year ago. The expertise of the bakers seems definitely on a much higher level than in that unfortunate version, and Ian/Nia have at least apparently been told not to try so hard to be like Mel/Sue, so they're now quite OK -- low-key and not especially funny, but not obnoxious.

The right eliminations were made. Nancy was just out of her depth. And I had high hopes for Courtney, but he had a very bad week. Going by the British show's past procedure when someone unexpectedly had to leave, they proceed as usual with eliminations if there is a clear candidate for worst-of-week -- it just means that in some future week if it's hard to make that choice (either a tie for elimination, or everybody did well), they have the possibility of a non-elimination available.

7 hours ago, mjc570 said:

Much as I (and the world)  love Mary, I absolutely refuse to believe that a baker of her experience has never heard of a snicker-doodle. 

I find it quite believable. Though as an American I know the name, I've never eaten one or (to my knowledge) seen one. It still seems like a very localized delicacy, though I understand that it's achieved a certain vogue in recent years. Mary's world as a baker seems very insular-British.

[ae2]

I thought this was pretty darn close to the original! And happy they kept it that way.

Have to agree with @xqueenfrostine above - the two hosts did their best Sue and Mel impression, so much so that I was expecting an annoying drawn out "baaake!" from them. (I missed the first episode, so maybe it happened then.) I don't mind Sue & Mel, but I'm not keen on them like many of the GBBO watchers are. I think they should have had someone filling that role that is distinctly different. Instead we got a tit for tat imitation - have some corny dialogue at the beginning, make a couple of crude but TV appropriate jokes, and stick your fingers in as much food as you can. The only thing I didn't get from them is the heartfelt contestant sympathy, which is arguably what makes S&M so good at that job.

Not much real criticism of the show, except the narration was AWFUL! It was bad, so so bad. They randomly skipped between a male and a female narrator - maybe it was Nia & Ian narrating? I couldn't figure it out, because it sounded like the narration audio was sped up and computer generated. If they told me it was Siri narrating the show I wouldn't be surprised. 

[LeapDayBaby]

Random musings:

- I haven't watched "Top Chef" in a while, so many thanks to those who posted info about Judge Johnny's background.

- Nia's sidekick Ian reminded me of the actor who played the hologrammatic doctor on "Star Trek: Voyager".

- LeapDayBoyfriend -- a fan of GBBO, as I am -- came home halfway through the cookie hour. Seeing that only Mary Berry was on board from the Queen Mother Ship and that the format (including the illustrations and music) is the same as GBBO's, he noted, "This is like finally getting to see 'Hamilton' and having the only original cast member left be the guy who plays Lafayette." Which to me is not a bad thing, because Daveed Diggs is pretty terrific. He and Mary Berry both wear spectacular jackets, too. :-D

[proserpina65]

While not as delightful as the British original, this was still quite enjoyable.  (I'll confess to dozing off before the end of Cake Week, but that was due to my crazy week, not the show.)  I could do with less background stuff on the contestants since it takes away from the potential drama of watching them stare at ovens, begging their product to bake faster - and I mean that literally - but they all seem nice and get along well.  I have to say that Jeremiah seems like the odds on favorite, but that could change; I am blown away by his skill right now.

Oh, and Mary Berry saying "snicker noodle?" was the highlight of my day.

Edited December 2, 2016 by proserpina65

[dubbel zout]

I wasn't surprised Mary Berry hadn't heard of snickerdoodles. As knowledgeable as she is, her bias (meant in a good way) is British and European baking. Snickerdoodles are very American. Mary learning about American baking (or any baking foreign to her) is one of my favorite things about the series.

2 hours ago, Rinaldo said:

The right eliminations were made. Nancy was just out of her depth. And I had high hopes for Courtney, but he had a very bad week.

I totally agree. I liked that both Johnny and Mary recognized Courtney had talent but had bad luck. It had to be deeply disappointing for him, but they made the right choice. And poor Nancy. I wonder if they include a ringer so that there's someone they can send home with no controversy.

1 hour ago, LeapDayBaby said:

Nia's sidekick Ian

Hee. Ian is Nia's husband!

The time limits in these episodes felt more reasonable to me than the ones the British contestants get. The latter seem to get the bare minimum.

What was with the tent getting so hot?

[Rinaldo]

3 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Hee. Ian is Nia's husband!

And therefore the Party of the Second Part in her real-life Big Fat Greek Wedding.

They're both perfectly pleasant company (I enjoy them when they turn up, separately or together, as guest clue givers on Celebrity Name Game), but they're not a comedic duo, nor have they ever pretended to be. (Though I've found him funny as a regular on various sitcoms for the last couple of decades.) So they're much better this year when they're just being their easygoing selves, and not cranked up in a futile attempt to imitate Mel/Sue.

[OoogleEyes]

23 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

 

What was with the tent getting so hot?

Because it was filmed in the summer! The trees were full of green leaves and they're decked out in coats and scarves. Those poor people; it was so hot last summer!

[DeLurker]

3 hours ago, ae2 said:

I don't mind Sue & Mel, but I'm not keen on them like many of the GBBO watchers are.

I was taken aback by Sue & Mel when I first started watching the GBBO, but as I got used to them I really came to find them charming.  There's a sincerity of interest and concern that they bring.

Nia and Ian are better this go-round.  I found them very forced last time.  I just realized their names have the same letters.

I agree that the overall level of these bakers is higher than what we've seen before.  The casting seems to have been geared more for baking ability than filling a character type.

[Rinaldo]

Or maybe, because it was filmed during the summer, they had a bigger pool of interested Americans who were available for an extended stay in the UK, so they could be choosier about ability.

[dubbel zout]

6 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

I just realized their names have the same letters.

Man, if that doesn't show they're each other's lobster, I don't know what does.

They are a lot better this time around.

7 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

I agree that the overall level of these bakers is higher than what we've seen before.  The casting seems to have been geared more for baking ability than filling a character type.

They also have a decent amount of diversity (geographic, ethnic, gender), and that's good, too.

[Lovecat]

29 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

Nia and Ian are better this go-round.  I found them very forced last time.  I just realized their names have the same letters.

That dawned on me suddenly while I was watching the episode, too!

And I think someone missed a grand opportunity to put a flowerpot in the middle of their Bundt cake, amiright??

[dubbel zout]

Why did Mary keep calling the Bundt cake a sponge? I always thought a sponge cake didn't use butter, and Bundt cakes do. Is it just a Britishism for cake in general?

Edited December 2, 2016 by dubbel zout

[DeLurker]

I was wondering about the location too and started poking around and found this on Auditions Free:

Casting directors for the ABC baking competition are casting amateur bakers nationwide. Those selected to be on the show will get to compete for bragging rights. Bakers cast for the show will travel to England to compete in the “Bake Off” tent and get to meet the Mary Berry who will be judging the competitors. The two shows are only seeking amateur bakers and those applying must not have worked in a professional bakery or restaurant.

Plus something in Food & Wine that said the competition will be filmed over 8 weeks.

[Irlandesa]

55 minutes ago, Rinaldo said:

Or maybe, because it was filmed during the summer, they had a bigger pool of interested Americans who were available for an extended stay in the UK, so they could be choosier about ability.

I also think it might be because of how far in advance they planned this.  IIRC, last season seemed to be put together rather quickly.  That may have affected casting.

[Rinaldo]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

Why did Mary keep calling the Bundt cake a sponge? I always thought a sponge cake didn't use butter, and Bundt cakes do. Is it just a Britishism for cake in general?

I hope someone really knowledgeable can offer details on this, but I have observed on the British show that the term "sponge" is thrown around in contexts where I wouldn't use it. Whereas to Americans a "sponge cake" is a very distinct specialized kind of cake, to the British "sponge" seems to be just a general term for cake batter.

[cardigirl]

I guess it really is filmed in England then?  I kept looking at the tent and the film of the grounds and it looked so unfamiliar I was thinking it was filmed elsewhere.

[GaT]

Crap, my DVR didn't record this. I'll have to track it down now.

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, Rinaldo said:

I have observed on the British show that the term "sponge" is thrown around in contexts where I wouldn't use it. Whereas to Americans a "sponge cake" is a very distinct specialized kind of cake, to the British "sponge" seems to be just a general term for cake batter.

I'd love there to be little pop-ups: "What Mary calls a sponge is what Americans call batter." 

[Omeletsmom]

3 hours ago, DeLurker said:

 

Nia and Ian are better this go-round.  I found them very forced last time.  I just realized their names have the same letters.

I have this fantasy where they have kids named Ina, Ani, Ain, and Nai...

I don't mind Ian and Nia.  I find the commercials annoying; it feels like they are really cutting in to the time we see the bakers, um, baking. 

Definitely like this one better than last year's edition.  The bakers still aren't quite up to the quality of the British bakers, but I'm sure the need to go to England for an extended period of time cuts down on the selection.

[chaifan]

I realize I'm in the minority here, but I am not a fan of Nia & Ian as hosts.  I was surprised to read in the comments that they are married, as they seem to have -0- chemistry to me.  Their "banter" seems rather forced and scripted.  I get that Mel & Sue could be a little annoying to some, but they seemed to connect so much better than Ian & Nia, they had better connection with the contestants, and also with Mary & Paul.  Ian & Nia aren't offensive, but they just don't bring anything to the proverbial table. 

[Raynedon]

Why did Mary keep calling the Bundt cake a sponge? I always thought a sponge cake didn't use butter, and Bundt cakes do. Is it just a Britishism for cake in general?

Yes, in the UK they refer to the cake portion of a cake as 'sponge' but in the US we call it simply, 'cake'. lol It's very confusing especially if they are baking a 'sponge cake'. I've no idea what the term for a 'sponge cake' would be in the UK, however. Maybe a sponge-sponge? LOL

Not all bundt cakes use butter, though. Now that I'm thinking about this, I'm making myself really confused. I wonder what they call a bundt cake in the UK; do they call it a bundt sponge or just a bundt or just their normal general term, a sponge?

[Athena]

In the UK, a sponge cake does have butter generally e.g. Victoria Sponge and Madeira.

The American Sponge cake is not really well known in the UK so there is not real name for it except I guess maybe "chiffon cake" which I don't remember ever hearing. What makes sponge cakes sponge is the use of eggs to give it rise. Both the classic American Sponge and Mary's traditional Victoria Sponge use a lot of eggs. The Victoria Sponge predates the American one so I think the Brits had the term on it first ;)

A bundt cake is a bundt cake in the UK.  The usage of sponge can often refer to the batter and the actual texture of the cake which is why Mary uses it when talking about the actual cake itself.

[Kromm]

I realize I'm in the minority here, but I am not a fan of Nia & Ian as hosts.  I was surprised to read in the comments that they are married, as they seem to have -0- chemistry to me.  Their "banter" seems rather forced and scripted.  I get that Mel & Sue could be a little annoying to some, but they seemed to connect so much better than Ian & Nia, they had better connection with the contestants, and also with Mary & Paul.  Ian & Nia aren't offensive, but they just don't bring anything to the proverbial table. 

I don't think you are in the minority. Last season the threads were filled with posts about how lame they were. Nice people... but bad hosts.

I haven't viewed Ep 1 of this season yet though... so maybe as people say below they're more in a groove now. Because last season? They sucked at this.

[zxy556575]

They flew everyone to England? Good grief. There are plenty of open grassy fields in the U.S. and air conditioning is available for tents. Producers of U.S. shows are not willing to film for months in order to let the contestants return home during the week, which means forced seclusion and shooting 10+ hours a day. That atmosphere is not really conducive to relaxed and friendly contestants.

[SirOsisOfLiver]

"I absolutely refuse to believe that a baker of her experience has never heard of a snicker-doodle."

They may not be as common as you think. I'm Canadian and I'd never heard of them before, so I'm not surprised that a Brit hasn't.

[theatremouse]

17 hours ago, mjc570 said:

Much as I (and the world)  love Mary, I absolutely refuse to believe that a baker of her experience has never heard of a snicker-doodle. 

 

7 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I wasn't surprised Mary Berry hadn't heard of snickerdoodles. As knowledgeable as she is, her bias (meant in a good way) is British and European baking. Snickerdoodles are very American. Mary learning about American baking (or any baking foreign to her) is one of my favorite things about the series.

Yeah, snickerdoodles are super American. This is not the best analogy, but for example, if a British person were talking to an American about Aero bars, even if that American were supposed to be very knowlegable about candy bars, if the American had never heard of it, that's not really surprising? But at the same time, if the American were familiar with Aero bars, that's certainly not unheard of either. So continuing this comparison: Mary says snicker-what?=American says what's an Aero bar?

[Rosieroo]

If you could have seen me rolling my eyes and saying to Mrs. Roo; "Enough with that" at every Mel and Sue mangled "BAKE!"  you would not have understood how sad it made me and how much I missed them every time Ian and Nia shouted it out.  They are cute and I'm warming up to them but I miss my Mel and Sue.

I appreciate how much they've tried to recreate the original and I plan to watch every episode but something is missing that I can't put my finger on.  Surely its not just the accents LOL.  

[irisheyes]

55 minutes ago, lordonia said:

They flew everyone to England? Good grief. There are plenty of open grassy fields in the U.S. and air conditioning is available for tents. Producers of U.S. shows are not willing to film for months in order to let the contestants return home during the week, which means forced seclusion and shooting 10+ hours a day. That atmosphere is not really conducive to relaxed and friendly contestants.

Mary Berry won't fly over here.  And, at 81, who can blame her?

[Sew Sumi]

Never mind. Asked and answered. :D

I watched this after Top Chef, so I was pretty beat. I am all about word games, but I totally missed Nia/Ian. D'oh! 

Edited December 3, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[Drapers4thWife]

As someone who always found Mel and Sue's antics grating, I appreciate the more lowkey Nia and Ian.

[Jesse]

21 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

So it might not quite be the British verion (but hey, after the show getting sold, the British version probably won't be quite like the British version any longer either).  However, I think it's leaps and bounds better than last season's versions from what I remember.  I found all the contestants pleasant in their own way.  Even Courtney, who probably had the show's most arrogant line about taking criticism poorly, didn't bother me in the slightest.  I am disappointed that we lost Courtney and Antoinette in the same episode. I thought it would have been a non-elim. 

And the talent level seems to be better on this year's version compared to last year's.  They are likely never going to be at the level of the UK version since the UK version gives its contestants a week to practice in between weeks which isn't a luxury this show has. 

I think even Nia and Ian were better this year.  So I quite liked it and found the improvements encouraging.  I think it more authentically nailed the vibe of the original better than last season did.  But Jeff Foxworthy was still the better host for the American show. 

Agreed on all points!

7 hours ago, Omeletsmom said:

I have this fantasy where they have kids named Ina, Ani, Ain, and Nai...

That made me laugh out loud!

[Machiabelly]

Ashlynd reminds me of someone...either someone from the British show. Or maybe Cry Pie.

[movingtargetgal]

4 hours ago, irisheyes said:

Mary Berry won't fly over here.  And, at 81, who can blame her?

It may be inconvenient for production and the contestants, however, Mary Berry is SO worth it.  

[BW Manilowe]

14 hours ago, LeapDayBaby said:

Random musings:

- I haven't watched "Top Chef" in a while, so many thanks to those who posted info about Judge Johnny's background.

- Nia's sidekick Ian reminded me of the actor who played the hologrammatic doctor on "Star Trek: Voyager".

- LeapDayBoyfriend -- a fan of GBBO, as I am -- came home halfway through the cookie hour. Seeing that only Mary Berry was on board from the Queen Mother Ship and that the format (including the illustrations and music) is the same as GBBO's, he noted, "This is like finally getting to see 'Hamilton' and having the only original cast member left be the guy who plays Lafayette." Which to me is not a bad thing, because Daveed Diggs is pretty terrific. He and Mary Berry both wear spectacular jackets, too. :-D

Nia's sidekick is also her husband, actor Ian Gomez.

[Irlandesa]

8 hours ago, Omeletsmom said:

The bakers still aren't quite up to the quality of the British bakers, but I'm sure the need to go to England for an extended period of time cuts down on the selection.

That and the practice in between weeks helps UK contestants. 

7 hours ago, chaifan said:

I realize I'm in the minority here, but I am not a fan of Nia & Ian as hosts. 

I don't know if I've seen anyone call themselves fans of the duo as hosts.  (Although I have been fans of characters they've played.) But I do think they've improved from last season.  And I liked seeing Nia help Courtney with his structure.
 

6 hours ago, SirOsisOfLiver said:

"I absolutely refuse to believe that a baker of her experience has never heard of a snicker-doodle."

They may not be as common as you think. I'm Canadian and I'd never heard of them before, so I'm not surprised that a Brit hasn't.

And as an American, I probably didn't hear of them until I was in my teens because they really weren't part of my 'cookie repertoire' growing up.  And it was probably a decade later before I actually tasted one. So even in the US there are pockets where it wasn't really a thing.

[BW Manilowe]

6 hours ago, lordonia said:

They flew everyone to England? Good grief. There are plenty of open grassy fields in the U.S. and air conditioning is available for tents. Producers of U.S. shows are not willing to film for months in order to let the contestants return home during the week, which means forced seclusion and shooting 10+ hours a day. That atmosphere is not really conducive to relaxed and friendly contestants.

I think CBS' original incarnation of the show, with Jeff Foxworthy as host, & Paul Hollywood & Marcela Valladolid (BTW, she's about to give birth to her 3rd child/1st daughter, according to a very recent article on People magazine's website; she has sons by her ex-husband & the guy she hooked up with after Paul ditched her, but I don't know if that guy's her daughter's father too) as judges, filmed their tent scenes in Atlanta (or in the Atlanta area, anyway). I think that was part of how they got Foxworthy to host (he may have also been a producer or exec producer), because they were able to film in the Atlanta area & he lives there.

[mlp]

Does anyone know where in England this was filmed?  I noticed right away that the scenery outside the tent looked different then an aerial view confirmed that they weren't in the usual location.  I'm just curious.  I also noticed they were using KitchenAid mixers instead of the British brand but they had the British ovens with the doors that slide under.

I'm delighted that they stayed as close as possible to the original version but I very much missed the mellow voice overs in a British accent.  Ian and Nia aren't terrible but they come across as actors reciting lines and trying too hard as opposed to warm and genuine.  I like Johnny but I wish he'd wash his hair and shave.  He doesn't look very appetizing.

I swear I've seen Nancy on TV somewhere before.  Maybe she's just a type but she looked very familiar to me. 

[theatremouse]

4 minutes ago, mlp said:

I swear I've seen Nancy on TV somewhere before.  Maybe she's just a type but she looked very familiar to me. 

The people I was watching with said the same thing! But (their) googling didn't turn up anything. I wonder if she was on some Food Network show or something...

I was annoyed during the 3D cookies challenge, it seemed like maybe only one of the contestants went with the "cut out/fit together" approach. I think Courtney could've had a WAY easier time with assembly if he hadn't gone 100% icing-as-glue. Gotta bake these things like puzzle pieces, people!