Episode 7 Junior Bake Off

Hello and welcome to the centre of the baking universe,

the place where eggs, flour, passion,

tension and judging collide.

Oh, yes, all in the name of finding the UK's best young baker.

This is Junior Bake Off.

A fresh delivery of bakers are ready to battle it out

for a place in the semifinals.

I forgot something.

Teeth.

They'll be putting their fears aside as they step up

to their workstations.

-It's quite high up here isn't it?

-Mm.

Will it go smoothly or will the bakers crack under the pressure?

Sugar...

There are two very different challenges

lined up for today's heat.

First, it's the Technical Challenge,

where the bakers tackle tricky pastry

to produce cheese straws up to James' professional standards.

That one is perfect.

For the second terrifying challenge,

they'll be asked to create a showstopping cake

in the shape of a monster.

Only one baker will make it through to the semifinal.

But who will it be?

'I like making everything with chocolate.'

I love chocolate.

'The thing that's going to make my baking stand out is

'it's going to look the best and it is'

going to taste the best as well.

'I'm looking forward to'

going into the tent and I can't wait to start baking.

'The great thing about my flavours'

is that they really pop.

I do like to get things spot-on.

If you get the presentation good,

'it just makes everything'

perfect.

'It's really weird to be next to the Bake Off tent, to be honest.

The best-case scenario,

'I get through to the semifinal.

'The worst case - every single thing goes wrong'

and I poison the judges and they die.

SHE LAUGHS

For the first challenge, the bakers face a brand-new recipe.

They'll need to use all their skills

and experience to impress our judges.

Bakers, welcome. This is the Technical Challenge.

For this one, Mary and James would like you to make

ten cheese straws.

We'd like them to be beautifully flaky,

golden-brown and have a regular twist.

The most important thing for me is to get them all the same size,

have an even distribution of cheese and remember the salt -

-it's a really important part of it.

-It's James' recipe, OK?

So don't mess it up. He'll be judging you big time.

You've got an hour to complete this recipe.

-Have you washed your hands?

-ALL: Yes.

OK. On your marks...get set...

bake!

These are experienced bakers.

So if you want to try this at home, get an adult to help.

Quite nervous. I never imagined myself actually standing here.

It's very exciting to bake in the Bake Off tent.

It's James Martin, so I need to get the recipe right.

Today the judges have set the bar high as the bakers

will have to make rough puff pastry.

The secret of it is cubes of butter inside the pastry.

While they bake in the oven, the butter melts,

it's trapped in-between the layers of pastry which creates steam,

and that's what causes the puff in the puff pastry.

The mixture is lovely and light and flaky.

That's what we're really looking for.

They must be cooked through.

If they're undercooked, they will just go floppy.

I wonder how many of them will end up with beautiful strips,

and how many are higgledy-piggledy.

Rough puff pastry is made by mixing lumps of coal butter

and water into flour.

I've already put the butter and flour in the bowl

and now I'm adding the water gradually.

Archie's family have a strong tradition of baking.

A keen sportsman, he's bringing his competitive streak to the tent.

I do think that I've got what it takes to impress the judges today.

It's not that different from baking in my own house,

but I don't have James Martin wandering around.

-ESTHER:

-I'm hoping it'll come together

when I've put all the water in it,

and it'll be a dough but with the lumps of butter in it still.

Esther bakes several times a week

and has mastered all the classics.

Well, nearly all.

Well, I've never made them before so I'm quite scared.

I was kind of hoping it was something I'd already made,

like a Victoria sponge or something, but no such luck.

The dough is then rolled out, revealing the marbled butter effect.

And our bakers need to give it some muscle.

It's really difficult because it's really hard

and you need a lot of strength, and I'm not that strong.

Aaminah loves arts and crafts.

She's also a creative and self-taught baker.

So have you got any brothers and sisters?

-I've got two sisters and one brother.

-Do they like baking?

-No.

-They think baking is a punishment.

-Why is that?

-Because they're really bad at it.

-But they like eating it.

-Yes.

-Very naughty. Very naughty. We're going to show them, aren't we?

-Yeah.

To create the thin layers within the pastry,

the bakers fold the edges into the middle,

then fold it in half as if they're closing a book.

It's called a book turn. It must be repeated three times.

-So, that's one fold?

-Yeah.

And then you fold it like that.

This complicated method is no problem for technology whiz

Alfie, who enjoys learning about the science of baking.

So, what got you into baking in the first place, then?

Well, I just thought it was a good hobby to do, really.

I'm not a sporty...

-Yeah.

-..kind of guy.

-I do do a bit of cooking too.

-Do you?

-MasterChef cooking.

-Who's your favourite chef?

-James Martin.

Good.

The bakers must chill their pastry to stop the butter from melting,

which, again, calls for some muscle.

Or me, as it's otherwise known.

-That's the fridge. I need the freezer.

-Oh.

SHE GIGGLES

-Thank you.

-All right?

MUSIC: "Green Garden" by Laura Mvula

Which is mine? Is that mine?

Once chilled, the bakers

will need to roll out their dough one last time.

-Are you all right?

-Yes, OK.

-It's quite high up here, isn't it?

-Yeah.

You see everything through a different view.

Next, they trim their rolled out pastry into a neat square.

Now, what got you into baking?

Well, when I was about two or three, my mum taught me

how to peel a carrot.

And then I started like helping her with cakes and stuff.

I think I was just about potty-trained at that age.

Getting the pastry even

will ensure that the cheese straws bake equally,

something perfectionist Alfie is taking very seriously.

That's better.

Do you think that's too thick?

Right, guys, you've got half an hour.

HE GROANS

I'm putting the egg yolk on so the cheese

and the thyme can stick to the pastry.

Now it's cutting time.

If this goes wrong, the whole thing goes wrong.

The perfect twist is crucial.

This painstaking operation takes time and a steady hand.

I need to make ten identical. That one is perfect.

ARCHIE: You need to lift it up, then twist,

and then lift it up again, then twist.

-ALFIE:

-Press down like that.

Bakers, you have 15 minutes to complete your bake.

Quite worried.

You need to get them all the right size and, at the moment,

mine don't look too good.

Three, six, nine, ten.

There have to be ten but I made 12 because there was enough there.

So will just be in the nick of time.

I would've done it neater if I had more time but I didn't, so...

-I don't know.

-In they go. Just in time.

As they bake, the cheese straws should puff up.

I'm pretty confident that they're going to turn out good.

Oh, sugar!

One of the cheese straws has fallen down the thing.

Well, you can either leave it

-and hope that it bakes like that...

-Yeah.

..or I can try and move it and it might break.

I think we'll just have to leave it.

I'm really nervous now because the twists aren't even.

They're going to be underbaked.

OK, guys, one minute. Let's go.

-Oh, still not done.

-Oh, how are we going to do this?

We've got to save that. We've got to save it.

Oh, no, it's cracked.

I am pleased about doing some extra ones because there was two broke.

-ESTHER:

-One of them snapped.

I know I'm not and get through now.

Bakers, that's it. Your time is up. Please, step away from your bakes.

TIMER BEEPS

OK, beautiful.

Mary and James will be looking for perfectly uniform

cheese straws with delicate layers of crisp, flaky pastry.

I have to say, this was not an easy challenge.

-Archie, have you made these before?

-No.

I've made rough puff before but not cheese straws.

You got the twist that we wanted.

The colour is lovely and even. All the same size.

You've got a nice flake to the pastry as well.

They're so crisp. Just the right amount of cheese.

They are sheer perfection for me.

I've never done this before on the show before but...

Well done. Brilliant, brilliant job. Brilliant job, I have to say.

Aaminah. A little underbaked.

As I lift them up, can you see, they're soft?

There are parts of them that look lovely.

You've got lovely layers there.

The pastry in the salt content is perfect.

-So, Esther, how did it go for you?

-Quite badly.

They are a little uneven.

The ones that you've made a little bigger,

that isn't quite baked.

The secret is in the taste so I'll grab one.

You've got the right amount of cheese on there.

The seasoning's really good, so I wouldn't be disappointed.

Well done.

-Alfie, now you had problems.

-One fell off the tray.

-Is this the one that you've tried to hide?

-Yeah.

If that's all that happens, it's not the end of the world.

They're all exactly the same size.

You can see the layers that you built up in there.

Got a lovely bake to this.

-You can hear the crunch.

-It melts in your mouth.

If I was going to be picky, a little bit more salt.

But certainly, with the pastry, it's probably the best of the lot.

I can't wait to taste one, honestly. This is for lunch.

-ARCHIE:

-Two of them snapped in half, so I had ten exactly.

'It went really well.'

I think, so far,

'me and Alfie are in the lead.'

I just wish I could have done better, really.

Not all of them were the same size.

Mine were uneven. The twists weren't right.

Half the cheese fell off. 'Hopefully, with the Showstopper,'

I can just about pull it back and maybe get through.

I'm more familiar with the kitchen now

so I think I'll try my best in the second round.

With just one challenge left, there is still everything to bake for.

OK, bakers, this is your Showstopper.

It's your chance to try and claw it back.

Mary and James would like you to get your teeth into a cake

created by today's theme, which is monsters.

Now we're talking loud, scary, hairy,

hide-under-your-bed sort of monsters, OK?

We don't want to be frightened off by your ingredients,

but we do want some very interesting flavours.

We want an impressive cake on a monster scale.

You've got an hour and a half. On your marks...

get set...bake!

For this frightful finale, the bakers will be

judged on their cakes' texture, flavour and monstrous decoration.

The actual skill in this is not just in the cake itself.

They've got to get the shape that they're looking for,

so that we can naturally see that it's a monster.

When we walk in, it's got to be looking at us, almost frightening us.

All the bakers are adding flavourings to a basic sponge mix.

Nice little spoon.

And Esther is making sure the judges get

at least one of their five a day.

It's parsnip and maple syrup cake.

This big chunk of it is still not done.

Esther's parsnip and maple syrup cake is in the shape of

a lady Loch Ness monster sporting purple spots and false eyelashes.

Where does the idea of parsnips come from in a cake? Is that your idea?

No, actually, because my auntie, she has an allotment,

she grew a really big parsnip and she wanted a recipe.

She found this cake and that is where the idea came from.

Now, I've never had parsnips in a cake.

I like my parsnips with stuffing and roast chicken, to be honest.

Well, you've got to convert us, Esther. We've never had it before.

And Esther isn't the only one using vegetables.

I'm making a red velvet and beetroot cake.

I added beetroot just because it gets it a better colour.

Having grown up by the sea, Archie was inspired to shape his

red velvet beetroot cake into a terrifying sea monster.

Now, Archie, there is an extremely strong smell here.

This is seaweed.

-Don't tell me it's come all the way from Ireland?!

-Yes.

Are you expecting us to eat that with the cake?

That's just for the looks.

But you can eat it if you want.

-Do you want to try some?

-I don't actually.

-You sure?

You can have it all to yourself.

-I love this stuff.

-Oh, do you?

It is fantastic seaweed.

I'm making a lemon and lime Norfolk Broads monster cake.

I thought the flavours would stand out to the judges.

Alfie's water-dwelling monster is made from a lemon drizzle cake

coated in a lime curd and decorated with individual fondant scales.

The base is lemon drizzle cake. What shapes have you done that in?

Well, I've just done it in a circle shape and then I'm going to

use this, to cut a hole in the middle for the head.

-And you're going to make a sort of wiggly monster.

-Yeah.

-No template?

-No, no template.

-So why the Norfolk Broads?

-Well, I live in Norfolk, so...

-Yeah.

That's a good enough reason, isn't it?

-Not too many monsters on the Broads but you've found one.

-Yeah.

-How are you?

-I'm good, thank you.

Tell us about your wonderful cake.

Well, it's a chocolate and peppermint cake

and his name is Skits the monster.

Aaminah's munching monster is made from three layers of chocolate cake

with colourful peppermint buttercream

and a gaping mouth filled with sweets.

The marshmallows are going to be his teeth.

The strawberries are going to be his tongue.

He's going to be filled with rainbow-coloured fruit sweets.

And I've been making fondant spikes and little balls for his ears.

-So it's in three tins.

-Three tins.

That's sensible because you will be able to get it cooked in the time.

And strawberries. An awful lot of strawberries.

It's a tongue but what else?

That's all it is.

-That's just as well, because I know somebody has just stolen one.

-Yeah.

Just scrape this off.

-ESTHER:

-All I'm looking for in this, really,

is it will fall off the spoon like in little blobs.

The cakes must be baked as soon as possible,

so they can cool down before decorating

OK, bakers, you're halfway through this challenge.

I wanted them, when you touch them,

to spring back up and to be clean when you stick a toothpick in.

HE SIGHS

-It's underbaked.

-It does look pretty scary.

It's starting to burn on the outside

but it's still really undercooked on the inside.

So whilst the others' cakes are cooling,

Alfie's lemon cake is going back into the oven.

And hope for the best.

It's nice and red.

To make sure their cakes jump out at the judges,

the bakers start work on their attention-grabbing decorations.

I like the eyelashes, they're good, aren't they?

Did you get them off your mum?

-No.

-They're not?!

-My mum is more sensible than that.

-Archie?

-Yes.

You're the only person that's got red food colouring in here.

You're the only person that's got blue food covering in here. Look.

Sorry. A bit messy.

Can I help you with anything else?

-Can you open this?

-I can open that. Yeah, not a problem.

-There we go.

-Thank you.

-Brutal strength, that's what I'm good for.

-Yeah.

I need to make this like a sea effect,

so that's why it's not completely all rubbed in

because the sea isn't all one colour.

Yeah, good excuse, Archie.

-And that's not ready, is it?

-No.

-You've got another ten minutes.

-Ten minutes.

-I haven't got time.

Right, get yourself tidy and get yourself organised

because you got literally, I'm not joking, minutes.

MUSIC: "Skip To The Good Bit" by Rizzle Kicks

He has sweets coming out of his mouth

because he is a friendly, sweet-eating monster.

Huh, a bit like James Martin.

The eyelashes keep falling off and the icing's all crumbling.

Hopefully I can just cover that bit up just with a big spot.

-Oh, mate, that is delicious, isn't it?

-Mm.

You've got a bit, um...

-ARCHIE CHUCKLES

-That's you, that is.

Bakers, I hate to scare you, ten minutes left to go.

Looking fresh. Look at the legs on it.

-What's that? The eyeball?

-Yeah.

I won't have enough time to do the whole thing,

so I'm just going to neaten up this part.

Why don't we cut it and then get it out?

-Leave it. Leave it.

-Do you want to cut it?

-Is that undercooked?

-It's a little bit under.

Guys, you've got one minute left.

Make it happen.

Ooh...

I forgot something.

Teeth.

Stop what you're doing, your time is up!

Please, step away from your bakes.

# What's that coming over the hill?

# Is it a monster? Is it a monster?

# What's that coming over the hill?

# Is it a monster? Is it a monster?

# What's that coming over the hill?

# Is it a monster? Is it a monster? #

With a place in the semifinals at stake,

it's time for our bakers to brave the judges one last time.

Alfie, would you like to come up first?

I'm really disappointed.

I thought it would go quite well, but...

it didn't, so...

Well, it looks like a monster.

-It certainly does. And what huge eyes he's got!

-Yes.

-So, shall we taste?

-Mm, I think perhaps not the head.

I need a spoon for that bit, don't I? Should I dive into this bit?

Over here. Well, this bit is certainly cooked.

There's a good flavour of the citrus in there.

It's lovely lemony line. It's a very nice flavour.

Well done.

Hopefully it'll taste good.

Because the cakes went to plan but the decoration didn't.

We certainly know it's a lady monster, don't we,

with those flashing eyelashes?

-But I want to know what's inside.

-I'm intrigued about this

because parsnip is something

that I've never had in a cake before.

The texture is very similar to a carrot cake, really.

The maple syrup I think is lovely.

Do you know what, Esther?

When I started this, I wanted to find something new and interesting.

That really is fantastic.

It went OK except for

I got some food colouring on James Martin's trousers.

-Well, it certainly looks like a sea monster.

-It's great fun, I think.

It's certainly red, but what does it taste like?

It's a lovely flavour.

It's a little bit too close textured

because you've got the weight of the dome on the top.

-That's pushed down the one underneath.

-Yeah.

We asked you for a monster cake

and there's no doubt that that is a pretty good monster.

-You've certainly got it. Well done.

-Thank you.

I hope they don't pick up on the neatness of the icing

because I was pressed for time.

You've achieved quite a lot in one-and-a-half hours.

You had your three cakes,

they all got cooked evenly but when you iced them,

there are sort of chocolaty bits in it which could all have been

avoided if you'd put a bit of melted jam all over it before then.

But it's got quite a cheeky face.

-Is it good inside?

-You have to see.

-I have to see?

Well, you've got three very good layers of cake.

-It's nice peppermint icing.

-It's like toothpaste.

Is that good?

I don't know. Is it good?

Well, a lot of toothpaste is peppermint

and you either like it or you don't like it.

He doesn't brush his teeth much.

-It's a personal taste, isn't it?

-The cake itself is fantastic.

Well done, guys. Congratulations. You've done a fantastic job.

Go and take a little break,

We'll see you very soon.

-ESTHER:

-It's scary.

I reckon Archie, Alfie or you will get through, not me,

because my sugar paste crumbled everywhere.

With both challenges over,

the judges must make their final decision.

Let's talk about Archie.

He did it with such ease.

I think the icing skills were fantastic and I thought

the appearance of the final thing was everything we could look for.

You actually applauded him at one point.

To be able to make pastry like that, it's a tall order. He achieved it.

-I couldn't pick fault with him.

-Good stuff.

OK, let's move over to Alfie.

The two guys really pulled it out the bag this morning.

I thought he did a sterling effort in the test - it tasted fantastic.

But when it came to this afternoon, the actual cake base,

the middle was not done at all.

Um, and there was great rush at the end.

When actually the monster got in the water, it didn't look so good.

Let's move over to Aaminah.

Her cheese straws were not so good. They weren't quite done.

But she made a very good cake.

She didn't have a really good finish with her butter icing,

but she is certainly a very good cake baker.

Esther was the poorest out of the ones this morning.

And then, when it came to her cake,

under pressure, she found it difficult to get the icing smooth.

I have to say, if she had mastered that, that would

probably be the best Showstopper I've seen so far on this series.

Everything about it in terms of the flavour was there.

Unfortunately, it's time for you guys to be monsters because

you've got to get rid of three and put one through to the semifinals.

So good luck with that one.

Bakers, congratulations.

As you can see, we're all covered in food, which is always a good sign.

Of course, only one can go through to the semifinals today.

It's been a very, very tough decision.

The baker going through to the semifinals today is...

..Archie.

Well done.

I didn't expect them to call my name out

because the other people did very well as well.

Well done.

And I thought it was someone else at the start

and then I realised they were all looking at me.

Well done, Archie.

Those cheese straws were second to none.

'You can tell when chefs are working together,'

which one has got it and which one will succeed.

'And really, he did have that.'

He did brilliantly.

'My family are going to be very happy - my grannies, my mum,'

my dad, and my sister and my dog.

'I just can't wait to go to'

the semifinals.

Next time, four hopeful bakers face the tent.

The baking gets tricky with some sticky toffee pudding.

That's good.

And it's back to the future for the Showstopper Challenge.

It's the Hadron Super-Collider.

Say what?

But only one can go through.

WHO will it be?

Baking powder.

I forgot to add it.

If you fancy giving baking a go,

head to the CBBC website

and choose a Junior Bake Off recipe.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd