Episode 2 – Cake Week
It’s the second week of Bake off and it was cake week! Last nights episode really had some showstoppers and the first appearance of a Hollywood Handshake.
The signature challenge was a traybake and there were some tempting flavours and bakes. With Anthony making an “Indian bakewell tart” and Manon risking a rubbery sponge using egg whites as a raising agent, this could have been messy.
When it came down to the judging, Rahul impressed the judges with his double layed lemon traybake as it is declared elegant and tasted “beautiful” but Luke’s poppyseed and lemon cake was sloppy and tough. Manon’s risk did not go well as the sponge was tough and bland. It was Dan who pulled it out of the bag though with his black forest effort which awarded him a Hollywood Handshake.
The technical challenge next and they had to make a Genoise sponge. Karen clearly did not know what she was doing but Jon was looking very calm as it’s his favourite sponge. I don’t know which was worse, trying to make the cake or cutting it into the three layers. Judging time, Briony’s green icing was washed out and Terry’s cake was flat. Kim-Joy’s was a good effort, and Rahul’s is a great result. However, it was Jon who came out on top with good layers and a nice colour.
Finally, it is Showstopper time! Jon made a pina-colada chocolate collar cake and Ruby made a Jackson Pollack collar cake, so if it turned out to be a dripping mess, nobody would notice (what a smart idea.)
So whose Showstopper managed to survive the hottest day? Dan’s and Kim-Joy’s cake were stunning and Antony’s Sari cake was beautiful. Jon’s Hawaiian collar was amazing. Terry’s strawberry and champagne cake was boring and was missing the top of the Eiffel tower, Manon’s cake still had the acetate on and Luke’s had great taste but had collapsed. However, it was Rahul and Ruby who earned themselves a handshake. Next week is bread week and I can’t wait to see what they pull out of the bag.
Maybe during the programme, you were seeing all of those beautiful appliances. If you were wondering about the disappearing doors on the ovens and those retro type fridges, you can read more about the features appliances here.