S03.E02: Bread

[Athena]

Quote

From the off the atmosphere in the Bake Off tent is charged as eleven bakers attempt to make flatbread. Tempting Paul and Mary with two varieties, the bakers are under pressure to produce 24 perfect flatbreads each.

The feared technical challenge has the bakers in a twist as they attempt Paul's recipe for the notoriously difficult eight-strand plaited loaf.

Remaining in the competition rests on pulling out all the stops in the showstopper challenge. Attempting a technique new to Bake Off, the bakers endeavour to make bagels. The eleven hopefuls have to produce 12 sweet and 12 savoury bagels, which are boiled before they are baked. But who will impress and be named Star Baker and who will fail to make the grade and leave the Bake Off tent?

[GaT]

It doesn't feel like the bakers this season are quite as good as the bakers in the future seasons. The bagels were mostly just bad IMO, I kind of expect better from the bakers on this show.

[Kohola3]

3 hours ago, GaT said:

It doesn't feel like the bakers this season are quite as good as the bakers in the future seasons. 

It is a bit jarring but we're also handicapped because of the way they scramble up the episodes.  We have seen later seasons so that colors what we are expecting.  Seems like the technicals are harder that in later seasons but I may be wrong. I know for sure I wouldn't (or couldn't) make either that braided bread or the rum babas!

[Jodithgrace]

I was pleasantly surprised when this show turned up on my DVR last night. I knew all about the shake-ups and figured that TGBBS, as I knew it, was dead. However, I see that this is what my DVR lists as season three, which I had never seen, so it's all new to me and I'm delighted. Yes, the bakes are much lest sophisticated than in later seasons, but I would have eaten any of those flatbreads. 

I was amused by the bagels. In the US, there is no such thing as a sweet bagel. (I think we call that a donut! LOL) I have recipes for bagels, but have never attempted to make them.

I have, however, made a braided bread, though not with eight parts. I think that following the "knitting pattern" would be easy enough if you could find some non-toxic way to number the parts before beginning. (all I could think of was magic marker, which probably wouldn't work)  I was amazed that two bakers managed to pull it off. 

[Kohola3]

16 minutes ago, Jodithgrace said:

In the US, there is no such thing as a sweet bagel.

On the Canadian baking show I learned that there are something called Montreal bagels that are sweet.  Who knew?

 

18 minutes ago, Jodithgrace said:

I think that following the "knitting pattern" would be easy enough if you could find some non-toxic way to number the parts before beginning.

If I understand it, the strands don't retain the original number that they were when first laid out.  You just count from one side to the other so what was once #1 might be #4 after it's been crossed over.  But having never done it, I could be wrong. I'll have to look for something on YouTube!

[Kohola3]

For those adventurous souls:  

[Winter Rose]

Maybe I just didn't notice before but do the early episodes often skip some of the judging because there's so many contestants? I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't get to see the judging for all of the bagels. Bagels also seems like a strange choice for a showstopper, I'd expect them to be more of a signature. I thought the technical was a more exciting bake.

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, Winter Rose said:

Maybe I just didn't notice before but do the early episodes often skip some of the judging because there's so many contestants?

I think they have to skip some people for time in the earliest episodes, especially if there's nothing noteworthy (good or bad) about the results.

I was underwhelmed by all of the bakes, though I loved watching the bakers try to figure out the braiding. There wasn't enough variety in the flatbread bake for me—isn't focaccia be a flatbread?—and the sweet bagels were so not my thing. Make sweet rolls a bake so that I don't have to shudder (hee) thinking about blueberries and white chocolate glaze on bagels. 

[illdoc]

4 hours ago, Jodithgrace said:

In the US, there is no such thing as a sweet bagel.

Blueberry bagels would be considered "sweet".

Our local supermarket changed their recipe a few months back and no longer make real bagels--they are all those "roll bagels" (things that look like bagels but seem to be bread. Like they forgot the "poaching" part of the bagel making process).

[Mabinogia]

John and Brendan are pulling ahead as my favorites. John's braid was amazing. Some of those flat breads and bagels looked pretty good. But this season's bread showstopper pales in comparison when I remember Prison Paul's lion. I mean, just a basket of bagels? Not even like a bagel tower or something? An architectural structure out of bagels? Really, such a low, low bar this season. 

I do think it is detrimental to have seen the later seasons first because the challenges do tend to get more complex each season in an attempt to top the last show. So we are basically watching them get simpler. 

Still, love that I get one more season of this delightful show. I love seeing my beloved foursome, Paul, Mary, Mel and Sue. 

[Rinaldo]

7 hours ago, Jodithgrace said:

I think that following the "knitting pattern" would be easy enough if you could find some non-toxic way to number the parts before beginning. (all I could think of was magic marker, which probably wouldn't work)  I was amazed that two bakers managed to pull it off. 

As @Kohola3 said, and as confirmed in the video above, the strands renumber themselves after each sentence of instructions. That strand that you weave to the left "over 1" becomes the new number 1. The bakers who got it right surely did so because they've dealt with these sorts of instructions before, enough that this sort of sequence of moves is familiar, even if they haven't done exactly this one.

7 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

On the Canadian baking show I learned that there are something called Montreal bagels that are sweet.  Who knew?

Yes, it seems strange to us in the US, who consider bagels "ours" (never mind their ultimate origin). But that's what happens with foodstuffs: once they become widely known, they belong to the world for each country to adapt in the way that seems right to them. Even our modern grocery-store American bagels are considered by old-timers to be a long way from what real hand-kneaded chewy bagels "should" be.

4 hours ago, Winter Rose said:

Bagels also seems like a strange choice for a showstopper, I'd expect them to be more of a signature. I thought the technical was a more exciting bake.

They were still working out the ideal format of the show, back in Season 3. (In Season 1, the Technical wasn't even judged blind -- though they described it as such, Paul & Mary had been hanging around during the baking; that was an obvious flaw that was amended for the next season.) The mind-blowing showstoppers were mostly still to come.

[J-Man]

Cinnamon-raisin bagels are ubiquitous, and I'd certainly call them "sweet."

Side note: Is there some reason the date shown for this episode above is in 2012, but the previous episode (Cakes) is shown as 2014? When were they actually originally broadcast (in the UK)?

[ae2]

So, uh, are bagels relatively easy to make at home? I always assumed they were one of those things where you had to have the right equipment to make them perfect. But here they didn't seem so difficult.

[Athena]

30 minutes ago, J-Man said:

Side note: Is there some reason the date shown for this episode above is in 2012, but the previous episode (Cakes) is shown as 2014? When were they actually originally broadcast (in the UK)?

This is my mistake as I selected 2014 by accident and I can't change it now since I made all these threads before the current bug with episode titles.

[illdoc]

3 minutes ago, Athena said:

34 minutes ago, J-Man said:

Side note: Is there some reason the date shown for this episode above is in 2012, but the previous episode (Cakes) is shown as 2014? When were they actually originally broadcast (in the UK)?

This is my mistake as I selected 2014 by accident and I can't change it now since I made all these threads before the current bug with episode titles.

Could be worse...the "copyright date" on the PBS episodes says "2018"!

[dubbel zout]

26 minutes ago, ae2 said:

So, uh, are bagels relatively easy to make at home? I always assumed they were one of those things where you had to have the right equipment to make them perfect. But here they didn't seem so difficult.

It's time-consuming to make bagels at home—making the dough, letting it rise, shaping, boiling, baking—but it's not technically difficult. It's nice to have a decent-sized pot to boil them in so you're not doing endless batches. 

For me, it's one of those baking exercises that's fun/interesting to do once, but if you're lucky enough to be able to buy good bagels, it's not worth the time. (See also: puff pastry.) But if you want to custom flavors, it's the only way to get them.

[meep.meep]

30 minutes ago, ae2 said:

So, uh, are bagels relatively easy to make at home? I always assumed they were one of those things where you had to have the right equipment to make them perfect. But here they didn't seem so difficult.

A home baker who has experience working with yeast should be able to make bagels.  You have to boil them and then bake so it's a little complicated.  But you don't need any special equipment.

 

I have a soft spot for the older guy - Damien ?

[Kohola3]

10 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

I have a soft spot for the older guy

Me, too!  He seems like a real gentleman. But since I am old I tend to support those of a certain age anyway.

[sugarbaker design]

28 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

 

 

I have a soft spot for the older guy - Damien ?

 

16 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Me, too!  He seems like a real gentleman. But since I am old I tend to support those of a certain age anyway.

Brendan!

[Sharpie66]

Another Brendan fan here!

And sweet bagels are very much available in the US—I just had a cinnamon crunch bagel from Panera today that qualified. 

[Omeletsmom]

10 hours ago, Jodithgrace said:

I was amused by the bagels. In the US, there is no such thing as a sweet bagel. (I think we call that a donut! LOL) I have recipes for bagels, but have never attempted to make them.

 

I've seen PLENTY of sweet bagels in the US.  Cinnamon raisin, blueberry, cherry, cinnamon chip.  I've been eating them for years.

[GaT]

2 hours ago, ae2 said:

here they didn't seem so difficult.

They also didn't seem so good, I didn't see a single bagel I would call a good bagel (speaking as a native New Yorker).

[Sharpie66]

I meant to comment that, this being so early in the show’s run, that the level of Sue and Mel quirkiness is dialed way back. However, we did have a demonstration of their ability to fuck with the bakers’ output when Mel put her hand on the towel covering someone’s (Danny?) flatbread. Damnit, watch where you are touching!!

[Athena]

Bagels vary around the world. You can find varieties as far east as China and Japan. A London or an Israeli bagel does not look or taste the same as a NY or a Montreal one. Personally since I grew up on Montreal style (love that wood fire taste), I prefer it over others.

[Red Bridey]

9 hours ago, Athena said:

Bagels vary around the world. You can find varieties as far east as China and Japan. A London or an Israeli bagel does not look or taste the same as a NY or a Montreal one. Personally since I grew up on Montreal style (love that wood fire taste), I prefer it over others.

Yes!  I would kill for a hot Montreal bagel with sesame seeds right now!  That yeasty chewy taste puts "rolls with holes" completely to shame!  Also, as a purist, I do not like the idea of sweet bagels at all.  I think the dough should just be unflavored dough with a variety of toppings...poppy seeds, salt, garlic, onions, etc.  I know I will get murdered by above posters, but a cinnamon raisin bagel is anathema to me! 

Edited June 25, 2018 by Red Bridey
More thoughts

[ShelleySue]

This article explains why this is a new season in the US, but is really Season 3 in the UK.

[AllAboutMBTV]

I made bagels once -- they're not wildly difficult, but once was enough. And, yes, there are sweet bagels in the US (cinnamon-raisin, blueberry, etc.), but I've never seen them with ICING. Which is, just, no (at least to me -- and Red Bridey above).

I kinda don't mind showstoppers that aren't, well, elaborate showstoppers. While I can admire the bakers' technical skillz in producing them, it's nice to see something (like bagels) where you think, Hey, I could do that. As mentioned, I've made bagels; I would never even begin to attempt a tennis cake or a Union Jack cake.

Anyway, I'm very glad the show is back, it's in its Original Flavor and that I haven't been accidentally spoiled as to the winner, as I was during Nadia's season.

[backgroundnoise]

I knew a new season was starting on PBS 6/22 but I was expecting it to be UK Season 8.  So I was a little confused seeing Mel and Sue right off the bat, but, hey, another season with Mary, Mel and Sue?  I'LL TAKE IT!

What a wonderful show.  I've binge-watched Netflix's Season 1-4 (UK Seasons 4-7) a ridiculous number of times and have already watched both new episodes twice.  The only problem is having to store the whole season on my DVR until it shows up on Netflix! I need my fix.

Nice bunch of folks as usual.  I liked seeing all the different kinds of flatbread.  I hear "flatbread" and think of the tasteless stuff Subway uses. 

[irisheyes]

2 hours ago, backgroundnoise said:

I knew a new season was starting on PBS 6/22 but I was expecting it to be UK Season 8.  So I was a little confused seeing Mel and Sue right off the bat, but, hey, another season with Mary, Mel and Sue?  I'LL TAKE IT!

What a wonderful show.  I've binge-watched Netflix's Season 1-4 (UK Seasons 4-7) a ridiculous number of times and have already watched both new episodes twice.  The only problem is having to store the whole season on my DVR until it shows up on Netflix! I need my fix.

Nice bunch of folks as usual.  I liked seeing all the different kinds of flatbread.  I hear "flatbread" and think of the tasteless stuff Subway uses. 

If you donate $5 a month to PBS, you get access to ALL of the seasons - including all of this one.  PBS Passport is their greatest invention ever.  

[sum]

On 6/24/2018 at 12:24 AM, Winter Rose said:

Maybe I just didn't notice before but do the early episodes often skip some of the judging because there's so many contestants? I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't get to see the judging for all of the bagels. Bagels also seems like a strange choice for a showstopper, I'd expect them to be more of a signature. I thought the technical was a more exciting bake.

Maybe it's because I was binge-watching but I didn't notice until you guys pointed it out. This episode was even worse, as only seven out of eleven showstoppers made the cut. Danny and Manisha were edited out two weeks in a row and Cathryn and Sarah-Jane were also missing. At least we get to see what Cathryn, Manisha and Sarah-Jane were up to. There was about one second footage of Danny during the whole showstopper challenge/judging segment. I understand time constraints issue and the editors had to do their job. Still it feels unfair that it happened to the same contestants again and I don't believe those bakers were particularly boring.

Anyway some screenshots of their bagels.

Sarah-Jane, the savory ones in the first two, and the sweet bagels in the third picture.

Cathryn


Manisha, only the sweet bagels but each process was shown. 

And Danny...

[luvapickle]

On 6/23/2018 at 7:29 AM, Jodithgrace said:

I was pleasantly surprised when this show turned up on my DVR last night. I knew all about the shake-ups and figured that TGBBS, as I knew it, was dead. However, I see that this is what my DVR lists as season three, which I had never seen, so it's all new to me and I'm delighted. Yes, the bakes are much lest sophisticated than in later seasons, but I would have eaten any of those flatbreads. 

I was amused by the bagels. In the US, there is no such thing as a sweet bagel. (I think we call that a donut! LOL) I have recipes for bagels, but have never attempted to make them.

I have, however, made a braided bread, though not with eight parts. I think that following the "knitting pattern" would be easy enough if you could find some non-toxic way to number the parts before beginning. (all I could think of was magic marker, which probably wouldn't work)  I was amazed that two bakers managed to pull it off. 

I'm from WI we have sweet bagels, both from the commercialized bagels shops & some of the bakeries. Maybe it's just sporadic in this country.

[luvapickle]

On 6/23/2018 at 4:17 PM, illdoc said:

Could be worse...the "copyright date" on the PBS episodes says "2018"!

It say copyright because that's when PBS legally obtained the rights to that season.

[dleighg]

On 6/23/2018 at 8:29 AM, Jodithgrace said:

have, however, made a braided bread, though not with eight parts. I think that following the "knitting pattern" would be easy enough if you could find some non-toxic way to number the parts before beginning. (all I could think of was magic marker, which probably wouldn't work)  I was amazed that two bakers managed to pull it off. 

I assumed that the number was the "current" number, not the initial number. Otherwise it would be ridiculously hard to keep track of.

I thought the showstopper (just two kinds of bagels?) was much less "show-stoppery" than in later seasons.

[StrictTime]

During the bagel craze in the 1990s in our town, the local bagel shop made a snickerdoodle bagel that was hands down the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted.  The topping was cinnamon and coarse sugar and the dough was slightly sweetened and spiced and fluffy-ish.  The stuff of dreams! They had 35 different varieties of bagels a day to choose from.  Their egg bagels were amazing too! 

[dleighg]

10 minutes ago, StrictTime said:

During the bagel craze in the 1990s

Have bagels gone out of fashion? :)

Of course I live in the NYC suburbs!

[dubbel zout]

9 minutes ago, StrictTime said:

a snickerdoodle bagel...The topping was cinnamon and coarse sugar and the dough was slightly sweetened and spiced and fluffy-ish

I'm sorry, but that is not a bagel. It's a snickerdoodle sweet roll.

[Mabinogia]

44 minutes ago, StrictTime said:

During the bagel craze in the 1990s in our town, the local bagel shop made a snickerdoodle bagel that was hands down the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted.  The topping was cinnamon and coarse sugar and the dough was slightly sweetened and spiced and fluffy-ish.  The stuff of dreams! They had 35 different varieties of bagels a day to choose from.  Their egg bagels were amazing too! 

That sounds like the greatest thing ever!

[StrictTime]

33 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I'm sorry, but that is not a bagel. It's a snickerdoodle sweet roll.

Nope, it wasn’t a sweet roll consistency.  Definitely had chew.  But not as tough as most traditional bagels.

[dubbel zout]

Agree to disagree. ;-)

[Psychobunny]

Good to see there are some that agree with me about sweet “bagels”. Don’t get me wrong, Panera’s cinnamon crunch are delicious, but they are sweet rolls to me, not bagels. I think a bagel should only be topped with seeds, garlic, onions or salt. Just my opinion, but if it doesn’t go with cream cheese and lox I don’t consider it a true bagel (and yes, that does include cinnamon raisin) . Now don’t even get me started on cream cheese, which should only come in plain or veggie and should never include walnuts and honey if served on a bagel. In addition, Neufchâtel cheese is NOT light cream cheese. It is perfectly acceptable to eat but tastes completely different from cream cheese. If you are offering me cream cheese, don’t pull a bait and switch ( yes, I’m talking to you Mom).

Rant over, I’m enjoying this show. I don’t dislike anyone and I don’t mind a little insecurity. I think John is a real standout so far but I also like both the medical folks-Danny and the young guy with glasses).

[latetotheparty]

23 hours ago, Psychobunny said:

Good to see there are some that agree with me about sweet “bagels”. Don’t get me wrong, Panera’s cinnamon crunch are delicious, but they are sweet rolls to me, not bagels. I think a bagel should only be topped with seeds, garlic, onions or salt. Just my opinion, but if it doesn’t go with cream cheese and lox I don’t consider it a true bagel (and yes, that does include cinnamon raisin) . Now don’t even get me started on cream cheese, which should only come in plain or veggie and should never include walnuts and honey if served on a bagel. In addition, Neufchâtel cheese is NOT light cream cheese. It is perfectly acceptable to eat but tastes completely different from cream cheese. If you are offering me cream cheese, don’t pull a bait and switch ( yes, I’m talking to you Mom).

Rant over, I’m enjoying this show. I don’t dislike anyone and I don’t mind a little insecurity. I think John is a real standout so far but I also like both the medical folks-Danny and the young guy with glasses).

Cream cheese is sacred. That is all. 

[andromeda331]

On ‎7‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 9:04 AM, StrictTime said:

During the bagel craze in the 1990s in our town, the local bagel shop made a snickerdoodle bagel that was hands down the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted.  The topping was cinnamon and coarse sugar and the dough was slightly sweetened and spiced and fluffy-ish.  The stuff of dreams! They had 35 different varieties of bagels a day to choose from.  Their egg bagels were amazing too! 

During those years and the crazy there was a really good bagel shop just a couple doors down from where I work. They had the best bagels. Plain, cheese, they were all really good.  Freshly made. The bagel sandwiches and pizza bagels. I got to know the staff real well. But then it got bought out and replaced with crappy bagel place. I haven't been able to find anything that comes close to those bagels since. 

[GaT]

Many years ago I moved from the East coast to the West coast. I haven't had a good bagel since. Or any of the good smoked fishes. It must be something in the water.

[spaceghostess]

The Upper West Side (original location, not the hipster knockoff) H&H made the best bagels I've EVER had, hands down. My dad, who was in the Met Opera orchestra, would stop over after a show and buy a couple big big bagsful of assorted. Then he'd drive the 20 minutes or so home and we'd be gorging at 12 a.m. on so-fresh-they-were-still-warm rings of crusty/chewy deliciousness. And then my mom would slice the remaining gazillion bagels in half and try to fit them in the freezer. Good times.

My sons and I are enjoying this "classic" season. As far as this ep, there was much discussion--i.e., lecturing from me--regarding what's a bagel and what isn't. Def. agree with those for whom glazed/iced doesn't rate. Poor kids'll never get their teeth on a decent bagel where we live now (although we're lucky to live within walking distance of Sift, which is some consolation). I won't touch those weird, mutant pretenders in the supermarket. A few of the contestants produced things that looked right, at least. I'm such a snob about it, I don't even know if I trust Paul Hollywood to judge what constitutes a "real" bagel.

[NYCFree]

On 8/17/2018 at 9:51 PM, spaceghostess said:

The Upper West Side (original location, not the hipster knockoff) H&H made the best bagels I've EVER had, hands down. My dad, who was in the Met Opera orchestra, would stop over after a show and buy a couple big big bagsful of assorted. Then he'd drive the 20 minutes or so home and we'd be gorging at 12 a.m. on so-fresh-they-were-still-warm rings of crusty/chewy deliciousness. And then my mom would slice the remaining gazillion bagels in half and try to fit them in the freezer. Good times.

My sons and I are enjoying this "classic" season. As far as this ep, there was much discussion--i.e., lecturing from me--regarding what's a bagel and what isn't. Def. agree with those for whom glazed/iced doesn't rate. Poor kids'll never get their teeth on a decent bagel where we live now (although we're lucky to live within walking distance of Sift, which is some consolation). I won't touch those weird, mutant pretenders in the supermarket. A few of the contestants produced things that looked right, at least. I'm such a snob about it, I don't even know if I trust Paul Hollywood to judge what constitutes a "real" bagel.

I grew up on the Upper West Side (and lived there until I was 48). I was thinking about H&H as well. They are the platonic ideal of bagels.

I was in Europe this summer and saw an episode of the new GBBO. I was thrilled to come home and see a whole “new to me” season of the original flavor.