S02.E07: Patisserie Week

[meep.meep]

2 hours ago, Winter Rose said:

 

I love the atmosphere of this show, it's so positive and all about the food, not about how obnoxious the contestants can be. My only little gripe was early on Nia commenting on liking the rosemary and that alerted the judges to saying they didn't taste it. I don't mind the hosts trying the food, I just don't think they should try to act like judges. Just say they like the food and stop there.

She did immediately realize what she had done and apologize.

And if they  liked the food, then we'd all complain about how stupid they were. :-)

[rose711]

I really like all 3 of these women. They seem like genuine people and they were each good bakers.

They all seem to have supportive families as well. Good for them.

They must have had some idea back home before they went to England about what they were going to bake. Jenny said her husband made the petit fours cutters for her because they ones she purchased didn't work well for her. They had to have some idea regarding some of the possible challenges.

Edited January 7, 2017 by rose711

[dubbel zout]

They know the technical and showstopper bakes ahead of time. Only the challenge is unknown until they lift the box off the ingredients and read the recipe.

If they know anything about the challenge, it's the more generic parts of it, like knowing what pâte à choux dough is, how to make puff pastry, etc.  

Edited January 7, 2017 by dubbel zout

[rose711]

  On 1/6/2017 at 0:13 AM, MerBearHou said:

I'm particularly not wild about Amanda because it always seems like she's had a makeup and hair stylist on hand before she bakes -- hair is expertly curled "just so" to hang down and her makeup and lipstick are party-ready for a close-up.  Sounds petty, I know, but it annoys me.  Johnny, Mary, Ian and Nia are fun.  

Amanda is very smug. I'm not a fan either. Pretty sure she's going to win though. 

I don't see that at all. I adore the way she gushes about her family. I think she's very pretty as well but most of all I think she's an excellent baker. I'm a fan.

[Texasmom1970]

Disclaimer, I cannot bake to save my life so i am in awe of the contestants that have been on the show. That being said I am not surprised Jenni was the one to go. I actually am surprised she was not sent home a week or two ago, seemed to me like she kind of coasted by recently.

[Rinaldo]

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

They know the technical and showstopper bakes ahead of time. Only the challenge is unknown until they lift the box off the ingredients and read the recipe. 

I know you have the right challenges in mind, but the terminology is slightly off. So in case others were made confused: they know the Signature and Showstopper (1st and 3rd) challenges in advance, it's only the Technical (2nd) challenge that they don't know till they see the ingredients and instructions.

Quote

If they know anything about the challenge, it's the more generic parts of it, like knowing what pâte à choux dough is, how to make puff pastry, etc.

Right, those are parts of their general expertise/competence that the Technical is intended to test -- whether they can make the basic baking preparations without detailed instructions.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Rinaldo

[TheNewJanBrady]

I only had DD crullers growing up but pronounced them "CRULL-er" not "CROOL-er". Which is correct? Is this like Nia's "Stalin" from the Stollen challenge?

Edited January 9, 2017 by TheNewJanBrady

[tobeannounced]

Too lazy to quote, but I agree that Amanda is probably very reserved and not so comfortable being the center of attention.

[dubbel zout]

Thanks for correcting my terminology, Rinaldo. That is what I meant.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

It's A Best-Pastry Scenario On The Great American Baking Show

You're in America now. Some basic knowledge of donut design is going to be required. STEPHANIE.

[proserpina65]

On ‎01‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 7:41 PM, DHDancer said:

Whole Foods bakery section carries all sorts of petit fours (they don't HAVE to be cube shaped).  Also the "fondant" you're all talking about is actually a simple royal icing normally: icing/powdered sugar, and a liquid, maybe some glycerin. You can also melt rollable fondant to a liquid form for pouring but it's basically still royal icing. The thing about petit fours is they are almost NEVER made with cake baked the same day: it needs to cool completely and firm up so to avoid all those crumbs we were seeing.  Like puff pastry, people normally don't make their own because they require professional equipment for best results :)

Which just tells me I would hate royal icing.  'Cause I hate fondant and always scrape it off.

[dahling]

Poured fondant and royal icing are not at all the same things.  

Royal icing is made of powdered sugar and either meringue powder or egg whites. Royal icing dries just about as hard as concrete and is great for intricate or dried decorations like flowers. It is not used to cover pastries or cakes (except sometimes fruit cakes in the UK). It has virtually no flavor besides "sweet" and most Americans would consider it unpleasant to eat due to its hardness.  

Poured fondant is made essentially of sugar, water, and corn syrup, and dries firm to the touch but not like concrete. It can also be flavored, which royal icing cannot. 

The above hyperlinks are only the first examples I found, but there are many more available in Google land. 

[Jesse]

Royal icing is what the prettiest frosted cookies are made with, generally. 

[Lamb18]

Jennie's accent is definitely upper Midwest. She sounds like people I hear almost every day (Minneapolis/St. Paul area and outstate).

[LAFR]

I finally watched the episode. For the love of God people STOP USING YOUR FINGERS to level the sugar, flour, etc! I believe the producers are on my side as they went from Johnny saying how they need to be very technical and exact and they cut away immediately to someone using their finger to level off a tablespoon of sugar. I was yelling Stop It to the TV by the end of the episode. You've got knives, spatulas, rulers and a dozen other little specialty thingies and you use your fingers. STOP!

Thank you for letting me vent.

[Eliza422]

On 1/7/2017 at 0:06 PM, Pjxf99 said:

That's funny because I see Amanda as someone who is actually kind of shy and insecure but it comes off as smug....maybe I just see her that way because I know people like that.  

God,  I'd hate to go on TV,  I don't think I could stand to read about what people thought of me! 

I've gotten that type of comment too, and it's because I'm shy and insecure and people have thought I'm stuck up!

[Johnny Dollar]

Just two random comments. First, I never knew Nia and Ian were married and that he is her real-life John Corbett (and their names are anagrams of each other). Second, I am pleasantly supplied that they did not American-ize this show too much when they developed it. I don't even remember any product placement at all.

[dleighg]

1 minute ago, Johnny Dollar said:

he is her real-life John Corbett

what does this mean? (I admit to being clueless about many pop media things)

[illdoc]

Several years ago, Nia created/starred in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (based on her real life). John Corbett played her husband in that movie.

[BW Manilowe]

19 hours ago, illdoc said:

Several years ago, Nia created/starred in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (based on her real life). John Corbett played her husband in that movie.

There was also a more recent sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. I think Nia was an Oscar nominee for writing the original, & it (& probably the sequel) was produced by Tom Hanks' wife, actress (among other titles) Rita Wilson.