0:00:02 > 0:00:05We've been baking for seven weeks now,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07in our search to find Britain's finest amateur baker.
0:00:07 > 0:00:12Our handpicked 12 have beaten, whisked, folded and, frankly, often wept,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14and now we're down to our final three.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Will they rise under the heat of the judges' criticism,
0:00:17 > 0:00:19or wilt like eggless sponges?
0:00:19 > 0:00:24Well, it's all to play for and they will have to be at their very best if they want to emerge victorious.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30It's the last week of the bake off and finalists Holly, Jo and Mary-Anne
0:00:30 > 0:00:34face the three most gruelling challenges yet.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Pinch me, because I'm at the final!
0:00:36 > 0:00:40I'd be kidding myself if I didn't say that I really do want to win.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42There's no more next week. This is it.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44At the end of these two days...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46This is where it all goes wrong.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47..one of these bakers...
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Oh, good God!
0:00:50 > 0:00:52I think nerves are a really, really big issue.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56..Will be crowned the Great British Bake Off Champion 2011.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59This actually has no flavour.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01It's a classic! One of the best I've tasted.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03In the final, you've managed to crack it.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Everything they've baked will be served up
0:01:06 > 0:01:09in a special street party where the winner will be revealed.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13And I am beyond measure delighted to announce
0:01:13 > 0:01:16that the winner is...
0:01:38 > 0:01:43Over the last seven weeks, the bakers have taken on everything
0:01:43 > 0:01:46from biscuits, tarts, pies and pastries to cakes.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Only the best three have made it through to the final.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Jo's impressed the judges with her fantastic flavours
0:01:54 > 0:01:56and consistency over the weeks.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00- Nice flavours.- Lovely thin pastry there.- Sublime.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05To be the finalist of the Great British Bake Off is a real big feat.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08It'd be like having all your Christmases and birthdays in one,
0:02:08 > 0:02:10to win this. It would be really amazing.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14Holly has proved to be a master of meticulous presentation.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Thanks to her constant practise, she's scored highly most weeks.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20I think they look stunning.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22It's delicious, absolutely delicious.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Thank you.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Every week I've wanted to go to the next week - it's a competition,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30you wouldn't do it unless you wanted to keep going,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33and I'm in the finals, so I am happy!
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Mary-Anne has earned her place in the final with her technical knowledge
0:02:36 > 0:02:39and constant desire to experiment.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43- I adore the way it looks.- Thank you. - It tastes absolutely divine.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45I want me to win!
0:02:45 > 0:02:48We'll have none of this sort of shy, retiring wallflower -
0:02:48 > 0:02:51it's the final, there's no point being here unless you want to win.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Good morning, bakers,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and a hearty welcome to the final of The Great British Bake Off.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03To be crowned champion,
0:03:03 > 0:03:08you are going to need to bake like you have never baked before.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11You're going to start off, of course, with your signature bake,
0:03:11 > 0:03:17and we're asking you today, please, to make 12 millefeuille.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Each slice should contain three layers of pastry,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23and two of filling.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Now, you can fill it with a flavouring of your choice,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29and you can also decorate it in any manner you see fit.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Go mad, freestyle, but remember it's the final,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34so nothing too off-piste.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36OK, you've got 2.5 hours.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39- On your marks, get set...- Bake!
0:03:44 > 0:03:47This is the bake off final, these people are the cream of the crop.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50We expect them to rise to the occasion.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53It's all about pushing the boundaries.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Now we've got to see absolute perfection.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58They've really got to prove themselves,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02and I'm afraid we're going to be very, very tough.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07A millefeuille is a tower of three pastry layers sandwiched with cream.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10It can be made with either rough puff or flaky pastry.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Mary-Anne and Jo are working with rough puff,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16where small chunks of butter are added to the mixture.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20I haven't impressed with pastry in the competition so far,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23and I haven't made rough puff pastry since I was at school.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Holly is making flaky pastry
0:04:25 > 0:04:29by delicately dotting small pieces of butter onto her rolled-out dough.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32I'm doing a real shortcut which doesn't involve
0:04:32 > 0:04:35anywhere near as much resting as you probably should do,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38but, you know, we don't have the time.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40So, it's rough puff?
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Rough puff.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43For her signature bake, Jo has spent weeks
0:04:43 > 0:04:47perfecting a raspberry and blueberry millefeuille
0:04:47 > 0:04:49with an orange zest-infused cream filling.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Visually, it's got to look good.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56- You know me, I like my pretty colours.- You've thought about this.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58It's the final, so I think you're pushing the boat out.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02At home, you do a new recipe and you don't think anything of it,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06- but here, your nerves kick in a little bit.- How many times have you made it at home, Jo?
0:05:06 > 0:05:11- Not more than ten, but quite a few times. - She sleeps by the oven!
0:05:11 > 0:05:14- Yeah, I can imagine.- She does, she curls up, sleeps by the oven.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18I got married when I was 17, then we had our three sons.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21And then, literally, I've been a mum and a wife since then.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Then the bake off came along,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28and it's the first thing that I've ever done totally for me.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31She's never really been able to shine.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35She's never been able to do something for herself - she's always just been our mum.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37She's always been there, cooked our dinners.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40- You've had a bacon sandwich already. - Now she's showing what she can do.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44- So, what have you got to do in the final?- That cream slice,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47they're called millefeuille, or something, and I've got to do those.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51She's a lot more confident than she was when she first started,
0:05:51 > 0:05:53and she'll tell herself she can win.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56I rate the achievement of being in the final to be a massive,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58massive thing in my life.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Obviously, my most proudest achievement is my three boys,
0:06:02 > 0:06:03but it is fantastic.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Jo's going for the raspberry coulis.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Some lovely flavours there, you seem to be quite pleased with those.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Basic flavours, but we're looking for the big three -
0:06:15 > 0:06:19presentation, flavour, and then a good lamination in that puff itself.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22All of them, they are very limited for time.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23We've rushed them.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25After all, this is the final.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Getting those crisp layers visible on the outside
0:06:28 > 0:06:31is the main thing to go for,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34so that's what we're going for.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Mary-Anne is filling hers with a ginger cream rippled with homemade lemon curd,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41and topping them with traditional icing.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43I'm going to puree some of the stem ginger
0:06:43 > 0:06:45and fold that through.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Then I'll make a lemon curd and fold that through, so it's like a ripple.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52And on the top you're going to do feathering?
0:06:52 > 0:06:56I'm going to melt some fondant, and then do lines of yellow icing,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59and then with a toothpick, just feather it,
0:06:59 > 0:07:00so it has a nice pattern.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02- Nice and subtle.- Yes.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04You make me very happy, Mary-Anne!
0:07:04 > 0:07:06Mary Anne regularly bakes with her daughter.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09The bake off has given her the chance to showcase her knowledge
0:07:09 > 0:07:13and expand her already massive repertoire.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16When I told people I'd actually got through to the final
0:07:16 > 0:07:19they were really supportive and said, "We knew you could do it."
0:07:19 > 0:07:21I've got cards and messages.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24My husband's really pleased for me as he knows it means a lot to me.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28It sounds corny, but just being in the final is really good,
0:07:28 > 0:07:32and if anything else comes of that, it'll just be the cherry on the top.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Mary-Anne's competitive with herself as much as with anybody else,
0:07:36 > 0:07:38so on a scale of one to ten she'd be an 11.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41To get to the final, and to win it,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45she would feel really proud of herself, and I feel really proud for her as well.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47My daughter knows I'm in a competition
0:07:47 > 0:07:49and she's been saying that she misses me.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52I've told her that it all comes down to this weekend.
0:07:52 > 0:07:57My dream scenario would be to finish in half the time and sit on my chair with a cup of coffee,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59watching the other two flap around.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03I don't think that's going to happen but you never know!
0:08:03 > 0:08:09Mary-Anne, she's making the lemon and ginger millefeuille.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13We know that some of her things have turned out on the rustic side.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17She's promised to go dainty again, so that's a good thing.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20It's not a lot of time to make 12 millefeuille, so I'm worried,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23but I'm not as worried as I was on Friday
0:08:23 > 0:08:26when I had a meltdown in my kitchen, and ended up crying.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Holly's millefeuille is layers of flaky pastry
0:08:29 > 0:08:33sandwiched with fresh cream, caramel, and her special ingredient.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Quite different. I've never heard of banana liqueur, have you?
0:08:37 > 0:08:39- Have you heard of it? - Yeah, I have.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41- Quite hard to get hold of.- Yes.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45I've had it in Florence Station in Italy. Yes, it was a long night.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46- European!- Yeah.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49I notice that you've put vinegar into your pastry.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53I sometimes use lemon juice, but not vinegar, because of the flavour.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57I don't think you get it through. Because of the volume of pastry,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59it's two teaspoons in there - it's not a lot.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02- I've got used to doing it. - It's for the breakdown -
0:09:02 > 0:09:06to get the crumb - it starts to break down the gluten in the flour
0:09:06 > 0:09:09- because it's an acid.- Oh, OK. - That's the only reason behind it.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11- Don't have a breakdown, though. - I won't.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16Holly manages to juggle caring for her two young boys
0:09:16 > 0:09:19with hours of obsessive baking practise.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Practise makes perfect. I've never been able to wing it at anything.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Holly doesn't do things by halves.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29She fully committed to the bake off when she entered.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Yeah, she has been practising an awful lot.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34She does her homework, she'll read the books,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36I know that she's read Mary's bible.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Holly will keep doing something until she gets it right,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43even if it means she doesn't get any sleep.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46She'll just keep going - she's like the Duracell bunny.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50'It's about creativity and about perfectionism, you know.'
0:09:50 > 0:09:52It's just got to look so appetising,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56and I think this is really precise stuff.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58I'm actually more frightened than people think.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04So Mary, Holly's millefeuille?
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Yes, Holly has added vinegar to her pastry.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Now we had a problem when Mary-Anne added it into the pastry,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15- she was a bit heavy-handed, we could taste it in the final result.- Yes.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- We'll wait and see, won't we? - There's no room for error at this stage.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25I'm a little bit stressed to be truthful.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27The oven's cut off!
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Oh, good God!
0:10:38 > 0:10:42OK, we're halfway through. Halfway through.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Why is my hand shaking?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52No, I'm going to have to do those again now.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57I was too busy watching something else and I burnt my hazelnuts
0:10:57 > 0:11:01cos I've got so many things on the go that I sort of,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04you've only got to not watch something for a minute and then it goes!
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Time's a real problem today. It's a nightmare,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10this is not something you try and attempt as an amateur.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12I'm sure a professional could,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14but we're not professionals.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18These are still a bit warm for icing. I'm dithering.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Just five minutes in the freezer, I think,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22cos I don't want to...
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Argh do...can't, can't decide!
0:11:27 > 0:11:29I'm not happy with how they look
0:11:29 > 0:11:30so I'm going to do a praline,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34blend it up to put over the top cos I think it'll look much nicer,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37but obviously I'm never really made praline before.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41Praline is a combination of nuts and caramelised sugar that is then crumbled or ground
0:11:41 > 0:11:43to make a crunchy topping,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46making the caramel is not as straightforward as it seems.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49I think that's the way to do it.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51I've never made it before.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54To prevent caramel from crystallising it must not be stirred.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Oh, plonker!
0:11:57 > 0:11:59There's so much going on all at once
0:11:59 > 0:12:02and it's a real big juggling act, this is.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Yeah it's quite difficult to keep everything going.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It's going to be really heavy going for this hour.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11I think nerves are a really, really big issue.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14The most difficult part is getting the pastry right,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17because this is the decoration. Yes, it needs to look pretty,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20but if the pastry's not right it'll taste awful.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Too dark.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27I'm going to save some nuts and I'm going to do it again, just in case,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31because I don't actually know if that's too burnt or not.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34There's a new caramel being made every 30 seconds.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Yeah, my nerves are very, very fraught.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03That's half an hour left, bakers,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06just half an hour remaining, thank you.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16No, it's all going!
0:13:16 > 0:13:20It's 15 minutes remaining on this challenge, bakers.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21No way!
0:13:29 > 0:13:34It's obviously all about balance and, you know, they're so delicate
0:13:34 > 0:13:38that you have to be really careful as you're piping in because,
0:13:38 > 0:13:42yeah, it's really, it's going to be quite tricky, I think.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Three minutes remaining, bakers. Three minutes on this challenge.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00Oh, raspberries.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09OK, that's time up for the most multi-layered,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11this millefeuille of stress is over.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14So, cakes to the end of the benches, please.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42Considering the time I literally didn't think I was going to get them all done,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44so, yeah, I'm pleased with how they look.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The great piping disaster of 2011.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Its got the yellow decoration but no feathering,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52so I was a bit disappointed.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54I'm quite pleased I got them finished in the time,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56I had one minute to spare.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59At least I finished them, and they look OK.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Never has pastry been so scrutinised.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15It's quite tough puff pastry.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25I can't taste the vinegar, I was looking for it.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27You know, we've got to seek perfection here.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29No, I know.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30It's quite tough.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33- Right.- Normally with a knife you'd go through it, it'll crack.
0:15:33 > 0:15:34Yeah, right.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38- What you've done is essentially kneaded the puff...- Right. - It's built up the gluten.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41You could have overdone it, but the flavours are lovely.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44I really like the flavours, the neatness, the bake's good.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48I think the ratio of filling and pastry is not quite right.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52I think the pastry should have been rolled out more thinly,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55but the whole finish is absolutely beautiful, it tastes wonderful.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Well done, Holly.
0:15:57 > 0:15:58Thank you.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20They look sort of friendly and homely.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Ended up having to make a praline
0:16:25 > 0:16:27which I've never actually made before,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31so I sort of, was a bit rushed doing that.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37They taste really, really good and your pastry,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40I love the buttery flavour coming through.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43It would be not nearly as nice without the praline, would it?
0:16:43 > 0:16:44No, excellent mistake!
0:16:44 > 0:16:47It crumbles, actually, and it cracks which is nice.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Take more care on your piping with the cream.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Appearance-wise, it does need some work.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56- Well done.- Thank you.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Bit of a problem with the bake on some of these?
0:17:10 > 0:17:14- I think they could have done with a couple of minutes more.- Yeah.
0:17:14 > 0:17:19There. It's just not baked long enough.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Now you've done feathering on the top?
0:17:21 > 0:17:25I tried to, we had a bit of a disaster, the piping bag burst.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- It was pure bad luck that, wasn't it, Mary-Anne?- Yeah.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I like the filling a lot.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34Good.
0:17:34 > 0:17:35Why do I like it?
0:17:35 > 0:17:37It is on the sharp side,
0:17:37 > 0:17:41but cos the fondant is very sweet on the top, very sweet,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45and there's an awful lot of it, the two complement each other deliciously.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46I don't like the filling.
0:17:46 > 0:17:47Oh.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49For me it's too bitter.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53For a millefeuille it should be, for me, sweeter and creamier.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58The pastry is under-baked and that spoils it for me.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Yeah.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06That's the way things go.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08I mean I can't, I don't want to dwell on it
0:18:08 > 0:18:11because I don't want it to affect how I do in the technical bake,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14so I appreciate that there are lessons learnt,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16should have maybe had the oven higher,
0:18:16 > 0:18:18but can't go back, so onward and upward.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22The judges are scrutinising them a lot more than at the start,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26they're literally getting down at eye level, checking everything, and so they should do,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29at this stage they kind of want to get it right.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31I feel quite positive going into the next round.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34I don't think I had too much of a bad round really,
0:18:34 > 0:18:38considering, you know, I really was under pressure with the praline.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43I feel happy and I'm excited about the next challenge cos I actually quite like the technical bakes.
0:18:43 > 0:18:44I like a surprise.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51The time has come for the bakers
0:18:51 > 0:18:55to take on their final technical challenge.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58With everything to play for, their performance will be critical
0:18:58 > 0:19:02if they want to stand a chance of being crowned bake off champion.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08OK, ladies,
0:19:08 > 0:19:09it's time to take cover now,
0:19:09 > 0:19:14it is the much-feared surprise technical challenge.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18As you all know by now this is judged blind,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21so Mary and Paul, please vacate the tent area.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Off they go.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27So our technical challenge today is our hardest yet.
0:19:27 > 0:19:28Of course, it's the final.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32It is the sachertorte.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Now this Austrian speciality is no mean feat.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39You've got a really dense torte on top,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42you need to get a nice, shiny slick of chocolate ganache,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and also, if that wasn't hard enough,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48the recipe details we've given you are deliberate sparse and basic.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50They're also in Austrian.
0:19:50 > 0:19:51- Yeah.- No they're not!
0:19:51 > 0:19:56You've got two hours and 40 minutes to complete this challenge, ladies.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59We know you're up to the task, all that remains to say is...
0:19:59 > 0:20:00on your marks,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02- get set...- Bake!
0:20:06 > 0:20:10I don't know what I'm doing, so it's not very good in the final is it really?
0:20:10 > 0:20:14It'll be quite a hard challenge and I haven't actually made one of these before,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17but I've made ganache and I have made a torte before,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19so we'll see how it goes.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I haven't made a sachertorte before, but I've seen a picture,
0:20:22 > 0:20:23how hard could it be?
0:20:25 > 0:20:27So Paul, this is the sachertorte.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I think it's a great technical challenge. Yeah.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35They've been given the ingredients from start to finish,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37but not what to do with them.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Baking-wise we've given them no instructions,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42not even how to line the tin or whatever,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46we presented them with a tin so they have to line that carefully,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49and we've given them a rough baking time.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54The first challenge is to melt the chocolate correctly.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00I usually melt chocolate in the microwave because
0:21:00 > 0:21:01over water is slower.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05To be honest I don't really know if there's a perfect way of doing it, but I do know
0:21:05 > 0:21:09one - it has to be melted, and two - never add really, really super hot chocolate
0:21:09 > 0:21:13to creamed butter and sugar, because if you do it melts the butter.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Made the mistake of walking away,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21and so have to start again now,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23but I've got a stopwatch
0:21:23 > 0:21:26so I'm going to be checking it every 30 seconds this time, so...
0:21:26 > 0:21:29hopefully we won't have a repeat of that.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36The next stage is to combine the egg yolks with the chocolate.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39I always try and add eggs in bit by bit otherwise it can curdle,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43but, you know, I don't know if it's right or not,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46but this is the way I'd do it at home, so...
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Next the bakers whisk and mix the egg whites.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54The trick is to keep them moist and flexible, so that along with the trapped air
0:21:54 > 0:21:58they can help the cake to rise whilst keeping it light in texture.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02The whole trick with this is to obviously get a really good,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05see that's a really good stiff beat but if you over-whisk this,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07it always says in the books it looks dry.
0:22:10 > 0:22:11What they should do
0:22:11 > 0:22:14is put about a third of the whisked egg whites in
0:22:14 > 0:22:16and stir that in.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19I'm just going to stir these in rather vigorously
0:22:19 > 0:22:22to loosen the mixture up.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26If they don't do it gently, they'll be losing volume all the time.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Well, you just have to do these cutting motions,
0:22:29 > 0:22:31you don't want to lose the air.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35I was going to say the only rising agent is the egg whites itself,
0:22:35 > 0:22:40so they really do have to be careful folding in that last bit of egg white.
0:22:40 > 0:22:45And they've got to do it until it's all one pale chocolate colour,
0:22:45 > 0:22:49and if there are any flecks of egg white when we come to judge it,
0:22:49 > 0:22:53we'll see those and it will give a rather rough finish.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00It has to have a really flat top because you've obviously got to ice it
0:23:00 > 0:23:02then write on it, so you don't want peaks.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05That's about as flat as I can get it so that's going to go in now.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11I'm just checking I put the flour in! I have!
0:23:21 > 0:23:24There is just an hour left on the clock.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36I'm going to go with that.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42It's a bit cracked but some tortes have a bit of cracking on the top.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Oh, good God!
0:23:50 > 0:23:54It's sunk a tiny bit since it came out of the oven,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56which means it won't have a completely flat top.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59The ganache presumably is there to hide the multitude of ills?
0:23:59 > 0:24:00That's what I hope.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05The bakers are instructed to use apricot jam
0:24:05 > 0:24:07as a barrier between the cake and the icing,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11which should help achieve a smooth, glossy finish.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15I could use the jam as a way of covering up.
0:24:16 > 0:24:21Breaking up a little bit, so I'm trying to glue it all down.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Next is the tricky topping... the ganache.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Now this is a fairly key stage, isn't it?
0:24:29 > 0:24:31It is, this is where it all goes wrong.
0:24:31 > 0:24:32You're meant to heat the cream
0:24:32 > 0:24:36and then melt the chocolate in the cream.
0:24:36 > 0:24:37So...
0:24:37 > 0:24:39that's how it should work.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40Famous last words!
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Ganache is a glaze made of chocolate and cream.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48It should have a silky-like texture, so that when poured on to the cake
0:24:48 > 0:24:51it forms a perfectly flat and uniform layer.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54See, this is the problem with my cake, is that
0:24:54 > 0:24:57it has a little dip in the middle so we get a big pool of ganache.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59As an eater I don't think that's a problem,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02I think that's great, you get a massive bite of chocolate.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06I'm happy with that but I think Mary would say, "You've messed with my recipe."
0:25:06 > 0:25:09The traditional finish to a sachertorte
0:25:09 > 0:25:12is the perfect icing of the word "sacher",
0:25:12 > 0:25:15piped in milk chocolate on the top.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18I'm feeling positively nauseous.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21All you need to do is write six letters on a piece of the cake.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22Yes.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23You can do it.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Yes.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27What you don't want is have a moment where you misspell.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Yeah. My daughter's called Sasha.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Well, you could misspell it
0:25:31 > 0:25:33and you could say that it's an ode,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35it's an ode to your daughter.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Bakers, you've got 15 minutes left.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Oh, that is lovely.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Oh, God, look at that!
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I think it's one of those things where you just do it.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05You just have to do it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07I'm going to stand back and let you go for it.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26GASPS
0:26:26 > 0:26:28You, you...
0:26:30 > 0:26:32That's not...
0:26:34 > 0:26:35That's your fault!
0:26:35 > 0:26:38But it's no my fault! That's what you're feeling.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40I'll do a swirl underneath, they'll never notice.
0:26:40 > 0:26:41Do you know what?
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I think that's beautiful, you just leave it as it is.
0:26:44 > 0:26:45Good for you.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Ladies, you've got three minutes, three minutes.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Right...
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Oh, I'm so rubbish at writing.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45That's it.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Done.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Not great, child-like
0:27:50 > 0:27:52but my handwriting is rubbish!
0:27:55 > 0:27:57Well done, ladies.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00The last technical challenge of the bake off is over.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19It's time to bring out Paul and Mary so that the judging can commence.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21As usual for the technical bake
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Mary and Paul don't know whose cake is whose.
0:28:24 > 0:28:30I think we have a problem with the spelling on that one, don't we?
0:28:30 > 0:28:33- It's written in Austrian.- Oh, right. - Oh, well that explains all.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Old-fashioned Austrian.
0:28:35 > 0:28:36- Shall we start from this side? - Yeah.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40The ganache could have been a bit thick but it has the right consistency,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43and that cake looks pretty well done as well, doesn't it?
0:28:43 > 0:28:45The cake looks very good.
0:28:45 > 0:28:46Mmm...
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Getting the apricot through, which is good.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52I think it's a nice cake, that one.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56- It's a nice cake, a little over-decorated.- Yeah, it is.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Now this one, its got the nice ganache on this one.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10Know what? I think that could have done with a bit longer bake.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14There's a little mound at the very bottom here that isn't quite baked.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18It's got more of a high mirror finish which is what you're looking for a sacher,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21but there are bits of egg white floating through the mixture
0:29:21 > 0:29:25and that's because it wasn't mixed in properly in the bowl.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29That dips there, see?
0:29:29 > 0:29:31There's a little ridge round the outside.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38These two could both have done with just a little more,
0:29:38 > 0:29:39five more minutes.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47Well, we've had a jolly good taste and a jolly good look,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50and in third place it's this one here.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Some of the egg white isn't mixed in really well,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56it has a lovely shiny finish,
0:29:56 > 0:29:57but it dips
0:29:57 > 0:30:01and we've got a ridge round here,
0:30:01 > 0:30:02but a lovely shiny icing.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05In second place is this one.
0:30:07 > 0:30:08Holly.
0:30:08 > 0:30:09Overall it was a nice cake,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12the dip was the problem with that one, but well done.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15So obviously guess who's number one!
0:30:15 > 0:30:19Well done. The cake of this one was the best.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21A little over-decorated
0:30:21 > 0:30:23but we're in for the taste
0:30:23 > 0:30:26and that's why you came first.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30Basically everyone's bakes were good but mine
0:30:30 > 0:30:32was obviously slightly better,
0:30:32 > 0:30:33so, yeah, it was excellent.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37I thought mine looked OK, and I thought the handwriting looked OK,
0:30:37 > 0:30:42so that was like where I think I excelled, not with the cake though!
0:30:42 > 0:30:43I am really pleased for Jo
0:30:43 > 0:30:48because she doesn't understand how good she is as a baker,
0:30:48 > 0:30:50and it's nice for her to get recognition.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53I still think anyone could win it.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09It's the final day in this year's search for Britain's best amateur baker.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13Today is the finale and they've got to do their very best
0:31:13 > 0:31:15and they've got to impress us.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Yesterday Holly impressed with her banoffee-inspired millefeuille,
0:31:19 > 0:31:22and Jo came first in the sachertorte challenge,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26whilst Mary-Anne's bakes were both undercooked.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29I think Holly and Jo are fairly level,
0:31:29 > 0:31:31so it's Mary-Anne that's in the precarious position,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34she really has to make something extremely special.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38You know Mary-Anne is capable of going to great heights,
0:31:38 > 0:31:41technically she is really brilliant.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44This challenge marks the end of many weeks of competitive baking,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48after which their efforts will be served to family and friends
0:31:48 > 0:31:51at the Great British Bake Off street party.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54It's going to become a pressure cooker for four hours,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58and it's the one that really drives for it, and wants to win, will win.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03Today it's up to them. May the very best one win.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14Bakers, good morning, it's grand final day
0:32:14 > 0:32:16this is your last showstopper challenge,
0:32:16 > 0:32:18so what we'd like you to do
0:32:18 > 0:32:21is to create a selection of contemporary petits fours.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24Now ladies, the judges would like you please to present
0:32:24 > 0:32:29three types of petit four, the first should include meringue,
0:32:29 > 0:32:31the second sweet pastry,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33and the third should be sponge-based.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36They're not just looking for technical brilliance,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40they're also looking for a really stunning visual presentation,
0:32:40 > 0:32:42and they've given you a theme as well,
0:32:42 > 0:32:44because it's the grand final,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46which is British summertime.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50And these will all be served at the bake off summer street party
0:32:50 > 0:32:54and, most importantly, after four hours of baking
0:32:54 > 0:33:00one of you will be crowned 2011's Great British Bake Off champion.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02With that in mind, on your marks,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04get set...
0:33:04 > 0:33:05Bake.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Today they will be judged on their technical ability,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12consistency of their bakes, delicious complementary flavours
0:33:12 > 0:33:15and an original impressive summertime presentation.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19Presentation is the key to this challenge,
0:33:19 > 0:33:22but they must keep to the very best flavours,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24so it's looking good and tasting good.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29It's a bit worrying being this close,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32I've been feeling nauseous since yesterday,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35haven't had any breakfast, but I have caffeine so it's not all bad,
0:33:35 > 0:33:37I'll just have to concentrate on what I'm doing,
0:33:37 > 0:33:42and make sure that it's finesse is the watchword and not rustic.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47Obviously the dream scenario would be to win, but you know what?
0:33:47 > 0:33:51If I can do well and produce good things then that would be really good also.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54It is really exciting, really exciting.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56- What are you going to do? - I've gone for things
0:33:56 > 0:33:58that mean summer to me, one being Wimbledon,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02and then I'm using the great British seaside as my inspiration,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04because I love going to the seaside.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Holly is making strawberry and cream mousse meringues,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10gooseberry and elderflower Bakewell tarts
0:34:10 > 0:34:12and a Neapolitan ice cream sponges.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16- Can you cope with all these things, will you be OK for time? - There's a lot to do.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18Mmm.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20But I have timed it and I can do it.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22Did you sleep, are you worried today?
0:34:22 > 0:34:26Yesterday I was probably the most relaxed I've ever been, strangely.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29I thought that would carry on today, but last night in bed my heart was racing.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33I was thinking, "Stop it, why are you doing this to yourself?"
0:34:33 > 0:34:35But you can't control your body, can you?
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Obviously the nerves are there but I've tried to keep them down.
0:34:38 > 0:34:44I'm just making my Victoria sandwich mixture, just an all-in-one method.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Jo is making mini Victoria sandwiches,
0:34:47 > 0:34:51white chocolate and raspberry pistachio meringues
0:34:51 > 0:34:52and mini banoffee pies.
0:34:52 > 0:34:58I like the idea of this, I mean, it is a very British dish, the Victoria sponge certainly.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03About three hours from potentially being crowned the winner
0:35:03 > 0:35:05of this competition, how do you feel about that,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08how does the prospect of winning feel?
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Really, really unbelievable.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13I can't even think that far, it makes me really nervous,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16so I need to just focus on this and block that out.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19If you think about it you might go into giggly Jo and giggly Jo might...
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- Heart attack not-breathing Jo! - Don't want that!
0:35:21 > 0:35:27After my piping disasters yesterday, I'm showing no fear
0:35:27 > 0:35:30and I'm doing piping in everything today,
0:35:30 > 0:35:34just, I'm even going to pipe pastry, pipe fruit, pipe everything!
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Mary-Anne is making summer fruit tarts,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39strawberry and rhubarb cheesecakes
0:35:39 > 0:35:42and blackcurrant meringues filled with everlasting syllabub.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47This sounds spectacular, it really does.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51Some flavours which are fantastic, I'd like to see how the elderflower works as well.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53- You could win. - I could.- How do you feel?
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Apprehensive,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58I'm scared of winning, I think.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00- Scared of winning? Why scared of winning?- I don't know,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04you'll be a winner then and everyone will be looking at you! And I'm so shy.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08- They'll be looking at you anyway! - Your name will ring for ever.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14So let's start with Mary-Anne.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16My only issue with Mary-Anne is sometimes
0:36:16 > 0:36:20the ideas are great, the flavours sound great,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22but she'll just fall at that last hurdle
0:36:22 > 0:36:25when the overall appearance just doesn't hit the mark.
0:36:25 > 0:36:26There's always a sense with her
0:36:26 > 0:36:30they could turn out to be less petit four and more enorme four
0:36:30 > 0:36:34because she does tend to create sort of quite vast spectacles.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37- Yeah.- Now what excites me about Holly's menu is the, the Napolitano.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40She's got her beautiful little meringue,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43she's got the little pastry,
0:36:43 > 0:36:48but her layered Neapolitan ice cream could be too big.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50Jo is doing a banoffee pie inspired tartlet,
0:36:50 > 0:36:55so she's got the sweet crust, caramel she's glazing on the bottom, then this banana mousse.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57I think that's very, very clever.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59I like the idea of the caramel.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02That banana mousse on the top,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04oh, I'm really looking forward to that one.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Do you know they started today
0:37:06 > 0:37:10all on an even keel, more or less,
0:37:10 > 0:37:14and so they've got an awful lot to play for,
0:37:14 > 0:37:16and they could rise or they could drop.
0:37:16 > 0:37:17How's it going?
0:37:17 > 0:37:20It's going OK. We're all up against it.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24- Yeah.- The time pressure, the finesse that's required and...
0:37:24 > 0:37:28- Yeah.- ..the amount of different things you're having to do.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39The bakers put their meringues in the oven first
0:37:39 > 0:37:43as they will need to be cooked for two hours at a very low heat.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47The aim is to slowly evaporate most of the water but not before
0:37:47 > 0:37:51it's dissolved the sugar to leave a crispy, sweet structure.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Well, it's more drying than cooking,
0:37:53 > 0:37:55and you don't want them to brown at all,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57just want them to dry out.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00With three hours to go,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04Holly is moving on to rolling out the all-butter vanilla pastry
0:38:04 > 0:38:06for her Bakewell tarts.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10When I first started doing this competition I really, really liked pastry,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12so my theory on pastry was thick was good.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14I now know thick is bad, so...
0:38:14 > 0:38:17I have learnt a lot!
0:38:18 > 0:38:22I'm just going to try and make sure that the edges are all really tidy
0:38:22 > 0:38:25because the last time we made mini tarts I got marked down
0:38:25 > 0:38:27because my edges weren't particularly tidy.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34I chose them initially cos I thought they're nice and deep,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37you can get some good taste of the creme patissiere inside,
0:38:37 > 0:38:42but now I'm thinking, "Oh, they're deep, they might stick,
0:38:42 > 0:38:44"they might not want to come out,"
0:38:44 > 0:38:46so they've got a liberal coating of cooking spray,
0:38:46 > 0:38:50so I'm trying not to press the pastry too hard into the flutes.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Lady finalists, we are halfway through your last ever show,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10off she goes, show stopper challenge.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13You've had two hours, you've got two hours to go.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15Mary-Anne has a novel method for achieving
0:39:15 > 0:39:19the stripy surround sponge for her mini cheesecakes.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22First she spreads out a sheet of red joconde-decor paste.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28Now we take an adhesive scraper from your local DIY shop...
0:39:29 > 0:39:32This is made from red food colouring, egg whites,
0:39:32 > 0:39:34icing sugar, butter and flour.
0:39:41 > 0:39:46Now I'm going to put this in the freezer so it can freeze up.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Like a strawberry facial!
0:39:54 > 0:39:56I'm going to put the cake batter over the top
0:39:56 > 0:39:58and bake that.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04The guests are waiting to try the bakers' petits fours.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06Among them, a few familiar faces.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09For me it would be between
0:40:09 > 0:40:10Mary-Anne and Jo,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13but I think Jo might just tip the scales.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15I think the person to win is Holly. I've had my money on her.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18I'm sure they're all worthy winners.
0:40:27 > 0:40:33I'm basically assembling my Neapolitan ice cream squares.
0:40:33 > 0:40:34Look at that!
0:40:36 > 0:40:41That is like a beautiful hotel luxury mattress.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50Look at that. It's the first pinstripe sponge I've seen.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53You seem very quiet, is that focus?
0:40:53 > 0:40:57- Blind panic, actually.- You go into yourself when you blind panic?
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Well, normally I'm panicking by myself in the kitchen, but...
0:41:00 > 0:41:04- Yes, on this programme we like to have panic in full view.- Yes.
0:41:07 > 0:41:13OK, bakers, that's just half an hour remaining before judgement.
0:41:17 > 0:41:22The chocolate is to form a barrier between the sort of creamy syllabub
0:41:22 > 0:41:30and the dry meringue, and hopefully keep the meringue nice and crisp.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Just, just there, oh, stay.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55Talking to myself again, Sue.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58This has been a consistent feature.
0:41:58 > 0:41:59Yes.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01A lot of chitter chatter. There's a lot of...
0:42:01 > 0:42:04That's what happens when there's boys in the house and men,
0:42:04 > 0:42:08they just tend to ignore you, so I talk to myself and the dog.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Mary-Anne, Jo, Holly, you've got ten minutes left.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30This is the culmination of eight busy weeks.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Get the passion out on the plates and await the judges.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49Holly, in order to talk to you I'll have to be fairly mobile,
0:42:49 > 0:42:53cos I've noticed as well as creating these extraordinary petits fours,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- you've pretty much run a marathon... - Yeah.- ..over the last 20 minutes.
0:42:56 > 0:42:57I think I have.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00I'm just going to have to get the bowl.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03Over here!
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Let's get fit with Holly!
0:43:07 > 0:43:10I can't keep up and I haven't made petits fours.
0:43:16 > 0:43:22Ladies, you've got three minutes for this, your final ever show stopper challenge.
0:43:22 > 0:43:23(Oh, three minutes.)
0:43:53 > 0:43:56OK, bakers, that's it, that's time up,
0:43:56 > 0:43:59your bake off experience is over, you've done everything you can,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02move your stuff to the end of your benches. Well done.
0:44:02 > 0:44:05You all right, Mary-Anne?
0:44:08 > 0:44:10Bomb site!
0:44:37 > 0:44:42That is without question the most full on, intensive,
0:44:42 > 0:44:47non-stop start to finish four hours of my life!
0:44:47 > 0:44:50I'm pleased I went with what I did, actually.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53I think I've shown enough skill, I've made jam.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55Made a mousse.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59Made Italian meringue butter cream.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02Made brandy snaps. Made a ganache.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04You know, really gone for it.
0:45:04 > 0:45:08I do today believe in my bakes, I really do, actually.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10I feel like I've really produced good stuff today.
0:45:10 > 0:45:15I really hope they don't think I've gone over the top with my cake stand,
0:45:15 > 0:45:18be disappointed if they're too mean!
0:45:27 > 0:45:28So bakers,
0:45:28 > 0:45:30well done.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32You've completed your final show stoppers,
0:45:32 > 0:45:35so it's time for the final judgement.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38Holly, you're up first.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44Holly has made strawberry and cream mousse meringues,
0:45:44 > 0:45:47gooseberry and elderflower Bakewell tarts
0:45:47 > 0:45:50and Neapolitan ice cream sponges.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52That's a nice idea, it is a really nice idea, Holly.
0:45:54 > 0:45:55The meringue is very good.
0:45:59 > 0:46:00It's amazing.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06It's got a nice chewiness to it. You know, that's delicious.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10It melts really well, flavours and textures are good, the size is good.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13Can we just turn that one upside down?
0:46:13 > 0:46:14- Which one, this one?- That one.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16Yes, beautifully evenly baked.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26That's good, the pastry is beautifully baked.
0:46:26 > 0:46:27Have you got a jam layer?
0:46:27 > 0:46:30I made gooseberry and elderflower jam.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32- And on top of that you've got a frangipane?- Yes.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34Your frangipane has been lost.
0:46:34 > 0:46:36Has it?
0:46:36 > 0:46:37All you can taste is the jam.
0:46:37 > 0:46:42So that moves us on to the ice cream which is the Neapolitan style sponge.
0:46:42 > 0:46:43It's a nice idea.
0:46:43 > 0:46:47I think it's a nice idea but I think it's really too big,
0:46:47 > 0:46:50and I think that you've shown us lots of skills,
0:46:50 > 0:46:53I love seeing that brandy snap, but it's totally lost,
0:46:53 > 0:46:56you wouldn't recognise it has a brandy snap.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07I find that a little disappointing.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09It's a bit dry.
0:47:09 > 0:47:10- Is it?- Yeah.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12If they were thinner, same amount of filling,
0:47:12 > 0:47:17same amount of icing, would have been a lot better.
0:47:17 > 0:47:19This actually has no flavour.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21That's my biggest issue I think.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24It's been overwhelmed by the butter cream on the top.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28It's a lovely display, it's very original, you've thought it all out.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30- Well done, Holly.- Thank you.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32Well done, Holly.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35Jo has made mini Victoria sandwiches,
0:47:35 > 0:47:37white chocolate and raspberry pistachio meringues
0:47:37 > 0:47:40and mini banoffee pies.
0:47:40 > 0:47:42Jo, what a lovely way to present cakes
0:47:42 > 0:47:44for perhaps summer in the garden.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46Don't those look inviting?
0:47:46 > 0:47:50You're a good girl, you've got them all the right balance.
0:47:50 > 0:47:52They match, don't they?
0:47:52 > 0:47:54They do, because you've got the extra height,
0:47:54 > 0:47:57what you've done is you've shrunk the size,
0:47:57 > 0:48:00so overall the balance is the same.
0:48:00 > 0:48:01Display, absolutely fantastic,
0:48:01 > 0:48:05that would be seen in any five-star hotel in their afternoon tea area for sure.
0:48:10 > 0:48:12Mmm.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14It's a nice light bake, that gentle flavour
0:48:14 > 0:48:16of the fruit, it doesn't kick you in the teeth.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20Vitoria sponge is an absolute classic,
0:48:20 > 0:48:23which is one of the best that I've tasted,
0:48:23 > 0:48:25and it's rather nice to have it that size.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28If I just move on to this meringue.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37That really works, it dances on your tongue.
0:48:37 > 0:48:41Those raspberries, once you break through the meringue
0:48:41 > 0:48:44it hits your tongue, ding a ling a ling,
0:48:44 > 0:48:46and sets off everything. That's amazing.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49The meringue is cooked for the right time.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51It's still got that nice chewiness to it,
0:48:51 > 0:48:54and it's a nice surprise to find
0:48:54 > 0:48:57decent-sized pieces of pistachio in it.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00Yeah. Now the one actually I'm looking forward to is this one,
0:49:00 > 0:49:02which is the banoffee-style tart.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04It's a good bake.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07You needed to work the dough a bit more so it's more stable.
0:49:11 > 0:49:12Oh!
0:49:13 > 0:49:14That's good, that.
0:49:14 > 0:49:15That is superb.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17They're very, very short
0:49:17 > 0:49:21and you would have to serve those a bit chilled.
0:49:21 > 0:49:23It's very, very soft and quite difficult to eat.
0:49:23 > 0:49:25Yeah, I totally agree
0:49:25 > 0:49:27but that's the only criticism of those three.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29- Thank you so much. - Well done, Jo.- Thank you.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33Mary-Anne has made strawberry and rhubarb cheesecakes,
0:49:33 > 0:49:36summer fruit tarts
0:49:36 > 0:49:39and blackcurrant meringues filled with everlasting syllabub.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43Well, they certainly look "pick your own",
0:49:43 > 0:49:46covered in beautiful English fruits.
0:49:46 > 0:49:50But they look amazing, I love the idea of the fruits on the top of each one.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53Shall we try this one first?
0:49:59 > 0:50:01- That's delicious.- Thank you.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05It's not too sweet either. It's creamy and not too sweet.
0:50:05 > 0:50:06It's a perfect home bake.
0:50:06 > 0:50:07Thank you very much.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09It's a bit of a hotel bake.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12Well, do you know, we can do good things at home,
0:50:12 > 0:50:16and then we come to this very nice, beautiful little tart.
0:50:18 > 0:50:23- The pastry is actually rather thick. - Yeah.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26Just too much pastry, isn't it?
0:50:26 > 0:50:28- It hasn't worked.- No.
0:50:28 > 0:50:30That's a bit of a shame that, actually.
0:50:30 > 0:50:31And the creme patissiere,
0:50:31 > 0:50:34I could have done with a bit more vanilla in it.
0:50:34 > 0:50:35Mmm. Shall we try this one?
0:50:35 > 0:50:40Mary-Anne, I like the way you didn't use food colouring,
0:50:40 > 0:50:42you used freeze-dried blackcurrant powder
0:50:42 > 0:50:45which has given it a lovely colour.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50What's in that syllabub?
0:50:50 > 0:50:53It's a sweet dessert wine and brandy.
0:50:53 > 0:50:55It's too alcoholic.
0:50:55 > 0:50:58You need to burn that off before you use it inside of cream.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02It's destroyed any flavour that you wanted to achieve in that.
0:51:02 > 0:51:04It's a huge disappointment to me.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07I think it's absolutely lovely,
0:51:07 > 0:51:09and the pure alcohol is doing me a lot of good!
0:51:09 > 0:51:11I think that's really lovely.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15I couldn't disagree more strongly with Mary in my life,
0:51:15 > 0:51:18because I think the interior of that is revolting to me.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20I just don't get it at all.
0:51:20 > 0:51:22I'll have a bit more to disagree again.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24Easy Mary, remember what the doctor said!
0:51:24 > 0:51:29But the whole presentation is absolutely stunning.
0:51:29 > 0:51:30- Well done.- Thank you.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33Thank you, well done.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36As Paul and Mary deliberate,
0:51:36 > 0:51:40our finalists take their bakes to share with past bakers, family and friends
0:51:40 > 0:51:42at the Great British Bake off street party.
0:51:42 > 0:51:43Excuse me, Mr Hollywood,
0:51:43 > 0:51:45"revolting" for a syllabub?
0:51:45 > 0:51:48And he said that you couldn't have that amount of alcohol in it.
0:51:48 > 0:51:52It's a 500-year-old recipe and I don't think a revolting recipe
0:51:52 > 0:51:54would last that long if it was revolting.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56I would hope they're going to look at yesterday
0:51:56 > 0:51:58and also look at every week, you know,
0:51:58 > 0:52:01that would be the right thing to do, but I don't know.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05I just had no nerves at all today, I just, honestly and truly
0:52:05 > 0:52:08thoroughly enjoyed every single moment of it.
0:52:09 > 0:52:14Now it's fair to say we've got three really worthy finalists, but going into this final challenge,
0:52:14 > 0:52:17Mary-Anne needed to do something extraordinary.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19Everything in the right proportion
0:52:19 > 0:52:22but the flavours weren't quite there.
0:52:22 > 0:52:24And you have said to her pretty much every bake off,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27"make it dainty, make it dainty", and she did.
0:52:27 > 0:52:28She did, she nailed it.
0:52:28 > 0:52:29She came up with the goods.
0:52:29 > 0:52:34- Unfortunately she lacked that finesse to finish it off with the flavour as well.- Yeah.
0:52:34 > 0:52:35She's a rough diamond.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37She's very good at what she does,
0:52:37 > 0:52:40she just needs honing down and we'd have a fantastic baker.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44Yesterday we were in a situation where both Holly and Jo
0:52:44 > 0:52:46were pretty much neck and neck.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50Yeah, for me, when I look at Holly I see technically the ability,
0:52:50 > 0:52:54she is so precise, for instance,
0:52:54 > 0:52:58you only have to look at that meringue nest to realise she's done the peaks,
0:52:58 > 0:53:00every one of those would be perfect.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04When you look at macaroons, if you remember, she did the lollipops...
0:53:04 > 0:53:05Yeah.
0:53:05 > 0:53:06The lines round the lollipops,
0:53:06 > 0:53:09the display was so good.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12We come to the tart, and that little tart was fine.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17The flavouring of the elderflower and the gooseberries, you know,
0:53:17 > 0:53:21all very summertime which is what we were after,
0:53:21 > 0:53:23but it absolutely drowned
0:53:23 > 0:53:24the flavour of the almonds,
0:53:24 > 0:53:26and it just didn't really work.
0:53:27 > 0:53:32And then we come to Jo who hasn't always been particularly meticulous,
0:53:32 > 0:53:35but what she sometimes lacks in the consistency of the aesthetic
0:53:35 > 0:53:37she makes up for in these big flavours.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39The meringue was great,
0:53:39 > 0:53:41the raspberry inside, the freeze-dried raspberry,
0:53:41 > 0:53:46when you hit that, the dryness of the raspberry in the meringue hasn't hit the moisture yet,
0:53:46 > 0:53:49so as soon as it hits your tongue, bam, bam, bam, bam,
0:53:49 > 0:53:51leaping up and down, beautiful flavours.
0:53:51 > 0:53:57She has been rather simple with her recipes.
0:53:57 > 0:53:58She's not been too elaborate.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01She's a really good home baker
0:54:01 > 0:54:04who has advanced through every single session.
0:54:04 > 0:54:08- Yeah.- Where she falls down is technically she follows some recipes
0:54:08 > 0:54:11and falls down at the last minute, and that includes profiteroles,
0:54:11 > 0:54:13that includes some cakes she's...
0:54:13 > 0:54:16- It wasn't her recipe, it was the actual structure!- The tower, yeah!
0:54:16 > 0:54:18Her flavours are always good,
0:54:18 > 0:54:21what she lacks in sometimes is that little bit
0:54:21 > 0:54:24of technical expertise and precision to actually come through with it,
0:54:24 > 0:54:28whereas when you look at Holly she's been technically very good,
0:54:28 > 0:54:30although sometimes she lacks that depth of flavour.
0:54:30 > 0:54:31Yeah.
0:54:31 > 0:54:36So between them you've gotta choose which particular skill you're going to go for.
0:54:36 > 0:54:37I wouldn't want to be you.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41I think very, very little separates them and I think,
0:54:41 > 0:54:44the pair of you need to deliberate and look at the signature bakes,
0:54:44 > 0:54:46the technical bakes, the show stoppers
0:54:46 > 0:54:48and to come up with a worthy champion.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50It is going to be extremely difficult.
0:54:50 > 0:54:55After a long discussion, and taking into account eight weeks of baking,
0:54:55 > 0:54:57Mary and Paul were in total agreement
0:54:57 > 0:55:00over who should be crowned the Great British Bake Off champion.
0:55:02 > 0:55:07Each of our finalists has beaten thousands of other amateur bakers to be here,
0:55:07 > 0:55:09baked for over 60 hours in the marquee,
0:55:09 > 0:55:12produced hundreds of pastries, biscuits and cakes,
0:55:12 > 0:55:15and now finally one of them will be crowned
0:55:15 > 0:55:17the Great British Bake Off champion.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21Welcome to this, the final
0:55:21 > 0:55:24of the Great British Bake Off 2011,
0:55:24 > 0:55:29and can I start by asking our three lovely finalists
0:55:29 > 0:55:33to take their walk of honour up to their places.
0:55:33 > 0:55:34The finalists!
0:55:34 > 0:55:36Holly, Jo and Mary-Anne.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38Who-hoo! Yay!
0:55:42 > 0:55:44Ladies and gentlemen, family, friends
0:55:44 > 0:55:47and our 12 beloved bakers past and present,
0:55:47 > 0:55:51I'm delighted to say that Paul and Mary have finally
0:55:51 > 0:55:53reached a verdict,
0:55:53 > 0:55:58and I am utterly beyond measure delighted to announce
0:55:58 > 0:56:00that the winner
0:56:00 > 0:56:06of the 2011 Great British Bake Off
0:56:06 > 0:56:08is...
0:56:14 > 0:56:15Jo!
0:56:22 > 0:56:23I knew it!
0:56:33 > 0:56:35Well done.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41- It couldn't have happened to a nicer person.- Thank you.
0:56:41 > 0:56:47Jo's an excellent winner. She produces beautiful food, beautiful looking, beautiful tasting,
0:56:47 > 0:56:50and hopefully she will start to get the hint she is a very good baker.
0:56:50 > 0:56:55It's been fun and it's been hard work in equal measures,
0:56:55 > 0:56:59and I'm so glad that I wrote on that application form and that I...
0:56:59 > 0:57:01You know, I so nearly didn't.
0:57:01 > 0:57:02Jo out of everyone
0:57:02 > 0:57:04had the furthest to go,
0:57:04 > 0:57:07her progression in the whole bake off has just been superb,
0:57:07 > 0:57:09and when it came to the final,
0:57:09 > 0:57:15the flavour of that banana mousse, it was just unbelievable.
0:57:15 > 0:57:17Technical ability, and the precision,
0:57:17 > 0:57:20and the flavour all thrown in. Fantastic.
0:57:20 > 0:57:25She got better and better and she made the three bakes,
0:57:25 > 0:57:28they all looked so pretty and polished,
0:57:28 > 0:57:33but the most important thing of all, each one tasted absolutely superb.
0:57:33 > 0:57:36She has achieved great heights, the winner,
0:57:36 > 0:57:38I hope she's chuffed to bits.
0:57:41 > 0:57:47Oh! Mmm. I feel really, really emotional at the moment.
0:57:49 > 0:57:52I really, just feel totally overwhelmed.
0:57:52 > 0:57:54Total delight.
0:57:56 > 0:58:01I do feel really proud, really, really proud of myself.
0:58:06 > 0:58:07You did it!
0:58:33 > 0:58:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd