Patisserie The Great British Bake Off


Patisserie

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OK, so, what do you get if you cross four remaining bakers,

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three devilishly difficult challenges,

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two very demanding judges, and one large white tent.

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-Big holes all over Australia!

-No, Sue.

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It's the semifinals of The Great British Bake Off.

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-Of course it is. I told you that.

-Knock knock.

-Who's there?

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-Paul Hollywood.

-Hello.

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Last week...

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Oh, I'm not ready!

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..it was a biscuit-based quarter-final.

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John rediscovered his early promise.

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I think it's a magnificent construction.

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-Brendan...

-The male will have a cockscomb.

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..did what he does best.

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It's a bit much for me, to be honest.

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-Danny...

-Ah!

-..clung on.

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-You stay there.

-And, for the first time...

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-That caramel's just rubbish.

-'..one of James's ambitious experiments...'

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-Oh, Sue.

-What have you done darling?

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'..didn't go to plan.'

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This is a total disaster.

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But, it was Cathryn...

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Honestly, I've completely lost it.

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..whose bake off had to end.

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I am not surprised. A little bit heart-broken.

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'Tonight...'

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Semi-final, mate.

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'..the remaining four head across the Channel...'

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-Bonjour, hello.

-Bonjour.

-Bonjour.

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..to reach miniature signature bake perfection...

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The flavour's there, the texture's there, but the look is terrible.

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..achieve flawless technical brilliance...

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That's a nice cake, that, Mary.

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My creme pat's has got cellulite, at the moment.

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..and create show-stopping...

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Oh, my God!

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..choux pastry gateau.

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Go right through how you're constructing this.

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I don't know.

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-But whose prayers will be answered?

-Come on!

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And whose bake off...

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I think, another 30 seconds.

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..won't go the distance.

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The person who will not be joining us next week

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for The Great British Bake Off final is...

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I don't know what the hell I can do, then, cos it's just not working.

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Of course, Sue, it is French week.

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-So, so why are you doing Hungarian accent?

-I don't know.

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I don't know, either!

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-Zut alors!

-I don't care.

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-BRENDAN:

-This is going to be quite a stressful day,

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but, it's the stepping stone towards the final,

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and that's what I've wanted, right from the start.

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-JOHN:

-To think that the final is just one step away,

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I feel absolutely sick with nerves.

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I've got butterflies in my stomach, and I'm choked, up here.

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-DANNY:

-It's been awfully stressful, at times.

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It's been emotionally all over the place.

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-JAMES:

-The atmosphere is a little different.

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The atmosphere's a little bit more tense.

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Everyone's a little bit more withdrawn.

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Welcome, boulanger et boulangere.

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Today, what we'd like you to do, is to prepare the classic

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after-dinner French treat, petits fours.

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You can do meringues, choux pastry, biscuit.

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Anything you like, but three types, and we need 12 of each.

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-On your marks.

-Get set.

-And good luck, and bake.

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Petits four literally means small oven, and gets its name

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from the coal-fired brick ovens of 18th century France.

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Expensive to run, no heat was wasted,

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so very high temperatures,

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le grand four, was used to bake large cakes.

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And, as the ovens cooled, the lower heat,

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le petits fours, was used to cook

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delicate after-dinner cakes, tarts,

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macaroons, meringues and patisserie.

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Petits fours are tricky to make.

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First of all, you're wanting something really rather small.

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A true petit four is one mouthful.

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Don't forget, a petit four is eaten after your meal.

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This is at the time when you're sitting there, going...

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and you've got your coffee, and you look down,

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and they deliver another plate of delights.

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It has to be small, they have to be exquisite, and at this level,

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they have to be perfect.

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All the bakers must demonstrate a different baking

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discipline on each of their three varieties of petits fours.

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-BRENDAN:

-What I'm striving for, in order to qualify for a final place,

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which has been my ambition from the start, is absolute uniformity,

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great flavours and contrasts,

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and really exciting to the eyes.

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So, I suppose that suggests I've got

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some perfectionist tendencies, and I do.

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It can make me a bit difficult to live with,

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because I won't compromise, in that sense.

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Brendan's making coffee meringues filled with hazelnut cream,

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miniature apricots and pistachio sponge cakes, known as friands,

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and choux pastry cygnets.

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Hang on, hang on. By cygnet, do you mean a small swan?

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-As in a small swan.

-So, you make a little swan? Wow!

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And I just thought, to give it some kick,

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I would put in some freshly made lime curd,

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before the Chantilly goes on.

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Will they be sitting on a blue buttercream sea?

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With fish bobbing up, marzipan fish!

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Well, they'll provides a great contrast, I think, to the friands,

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and the meringues.

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It all sounds very technical, to me,

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but you're totally able to cope with that.

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-Thank you, Mary.

-And I bet you they'll all match in size.

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Three bakers have chosen to make macaroons,

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by gently folding sugar and ground almonds into stiff egg white.

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But, one of them is taking this French classic

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down a less traditional path.

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Just making some chilli sugar.

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I've got a whole chilli in here,

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not sure how wise that was.

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James is making fresh lemon and rhubarb tarts,

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hazelnut biscuit and chocolate brownie towers,

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and his chilli sugar will top his lime and raspberry macaroons.

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Just think, the chilli, lime, in a macaroon.

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-Have you had that flavour combination before, Paul?

-No.

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-Have you not?

-No.

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-You surprise me.

-Was it new to you?

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It was, when I discovered it.

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Paul is silent, that's a worry.

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I'm just thinking, the time they've got,

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it's quite tricky to come up with a decent macaroon.

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Good luck to you, James.

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All the petits fours must look identical.

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And, with no case or tin to contain them,

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the macaroons have to be piped with total accuracy.

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-JAMES:

-I feel under a lot of time pressure today, so it's hard to tell

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if that's because I'm feeling more competitive, or what.

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Tapping removes any air bubbles which could balloon in the oven,

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and ruin the macaroons' appearance.

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For a shiny top, the batter needs to rest,

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so a smooth skin forms.

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You've just got to leave them in the air, so that,

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when you just very gently put your finger on them,

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they feel touch dry.

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You can't, sort of, stick your finger in,

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cos that will ruin the structure of them.

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Along with her blackberry and peppermint macaroons,

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Danny's making miniature raspberry financiers,

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and langues de chat.

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What is a langues de chat?

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Literally, langues de chat is cat's tongue,

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supposed to be a cat's tongue, licking a bowl of milk.

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Whether they do or not, when they're done, we'll see!

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Langues de chat.

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I like them, but the kind you get in biscuits at Christmas,

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are usually a bit hard, and disappointing.

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So, that's why I'm dipping these in chocolate.

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-You're looking very French, Danny, with the stripy T-shirt.

-Yeah.

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Like myself.

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-It's very good.

-Trying.

-Channel your French, channel your French.

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-Absolutely. Channel my inner French.

-Yeah.

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Bakers, if this was the Tour de France, you'd be in the, oh,

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I'd say, the Dordogne area.

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You're halfway through. You've got one-and-a-half hours to go.

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It's all about time management, this. They've got to finish on time.

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If you're creating a pastry tart, you've got to chill that down,

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making a macaroon, you've got to rest that for at least an hour.

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Whichever direction they choose to go, it takes time,

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and they will have to multitask, probably for the first time,

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on several different things.

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-JAMES:

-I made a wee list,

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of the time allotments for each thing that I'm doing.

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And that's totally gone out the window.

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I've got pastry cracking here, it's not going well.

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-DANNY:

-What I've done is I've actually chosen three things where

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I know I can cook them all at the same temperature.

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When it comes to sponge-based petits fours,

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only one baker is attempting

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France's famous shell-shaped classic.

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I'm just doing the Madeleines in this tin,

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just for the original shape.

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But, what I'll do, is I'll drizzle a sticky lemon syrup on top of them,

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and then roll them in caster sugar, so they look bejewelled.

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-Bejewelled.

-Bejewelled.

-I love that.

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They're quite difficult, it's the Genoese sponge method.

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It's the foaming method. So, it's in the flavour, though, isn't it?

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John's lemon Madeleines will be accompanied by

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white chocolate and raspberry tartlets,

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and dark chocolate and cherry macaroons.

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-JOHN:

-Anything could go wrong with this bake.

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I mean, every single element is tricky.

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I want this to be my life, you know what I mean?

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I just want to be able to bake. It's important for me to do well.

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Especially with patisserie, because I want to go to Cordon Bleu,

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and I want to learn, do the Grand Diplome in patisserie.

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So, it's important that I do well, because, otherwise,

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I'll never have a cat in hell's chance of getting there.

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Fab four, you've got an hour to go. An hour left on this.

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Come on! This is taking too long.

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-Bonjour! Allo!

-Bonjour.

-Bonjour. How are you? Ca va.

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-Oui, ca va tres bien, Madame.

-Good.

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You've gone for some sort of ornithological patisserie, here.

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-So, you've got a swan with forewings and neck.

-Would you like to do one?

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I'd love to do one.

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-There you go.

-This is...

-You just put in the elongated bit just about... No.

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-SUE LAUGHS

-You're like all the teachers. "Do that, do that. But no! Like that!"

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-Let me demonstrate. Look, if you hold it here, it'll be firmer.

-Yes.

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-And go in like so.

-And gouge into the actual choux?

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-Into the choux, and there you go.

-Right. Right, OK.

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Just tuck it in. There you go, perfect!

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That was deeply therapeutic. I feel calm. That was lovely!

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With a place in the final at stake, one baker is about to commit

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a potentially disastrous patisserie faux pas.

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Never ever do this.

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Normally any water, if it gets into chocolate,

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will cause it to separate and, coagulate and go all horrible.

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You'll see the magic happening in a minute.

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To create a filling for his hazelnut biscuit and chocolate brownie towers,

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James's latest experiment is to melt chocolate in water

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and cool it rapidly over ice while whisking.

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This makes the water droplets smaller,

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forming a smooth emulsion with the chocolate,

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creating a pure chocolate mousse without the need to add cream or egg white.

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Perfect.

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Bakers, you've got 30 minutes left on the petits fours challenge.

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-30 minutes left.

-Where am I? Right.

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-GRUNTS IN FRUSTRATION

-It's not very many minutes to go.

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-TIMER BEEPS

-Oh, no!

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I think another 30 seconds.

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-Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! A lot of shaking. You all right?

-Yeah, yeah.

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I'm always like this.

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It's rustic!

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-Hang on, I've lost a Madeleine.

-HE GASPS

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I left it in the tin, and it's deflated in the tin.

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But I'll hide that, and no one will tell Paul and Mary about that, will they?

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OK, semifinalists,

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you have five minutes left on your French creations.

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This red mucus...

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Bakers, come on in, your time is up.

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Step away from your goods. Thank you.

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What we do like is originality.

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And I have never heard of that.

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They look so pretty with their little chilli topping.

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Macaroons are chewy.

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The chilli is there, but it's not overpowering at all.

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Let's have the tartlets.

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The pastry is a very, very thin layer. All very crispy.

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The interior's lovely, the flavours are good, the pastry tastes good.

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For me, they are too big. Half size, petits fours.

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That's afternoon tea.

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This is a hazelnut biscuit, a chocolate mousse, topped with a brownie.

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The brownie is excellent, the biscuit is good, and the mousse is excellent. It's quite sharp.

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You're very, very good on your flavours.

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-I like the size of these two. These could be a bit big.

-Right.

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I do like the blackberry.

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I think the peppermint is hot, it's got a bit of heat to it,

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which I don't necessarily agree works with the blackberry.

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It's a shame.

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-Nice, even bake.

-Basil works well.

-Yeah.

-I like the look of that.

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It looks tempting.

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Mmm! Beautifully crisp.

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-Full of flavour. The chocolate goes well.

-I don't like the foot.

-Yeah.

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You need to have more of a clean edge when you're putting your chocolate on.

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The sizes of these are probably a bit too big.

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And also, it somehow or other should have a better appearance.

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It's just a slab on the plate.

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-The flavour's there.

-Flavour's great.

-Texture's there.

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But the look is terrible.

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Not much of a shine on the top.

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I think I would have liked a lighter chocolate in the middle.

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That's exactly what I was going to say.

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It's like having a piece of great chocolate cake, but you can only have a little bite.

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-Yeah.

-Which is why, if you'd made that even smaller,

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and just popped it in with a lighter chocolate, would have been perfect.

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OK, let's carry on now with the raspberry tartlets.

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I like the sharpness of the raspberry.

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I like the white chocolate.

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But it doesn't really excite me when I eat it.

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That texture between the raspberry and the chocolate... Oh, dear.

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-It just doesn't...

-That mucus? Yeah.

-You hit this sharpness, and then you get this...

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Oh, the textures are all wrong.

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They look so tempting and so beautiful,

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I feel as though I'm in Paris.

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Good, consistent size. They look very pretty.

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They are beautifully baked,

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and you get the real flavour of the nuts coming through,

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and the pistachio is soft and squidgy. It is a sheer joy to eat.

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-Thank you.

-Wow!

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-Aren't they pretty?

-The flavour of the lime comes through beautifully, as well,

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that little bit of sharpness to marry up with the sweet.

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The actual core size of it is proper petit four case size,

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-and what you done is made them very elaborate.

-Embellished.

-Yes.

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This is the coffee meringue with the hazelnut cream.

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The flavour is absolutely lovely.

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-Just the right amount of coffee, just the right amount of nut.

-Very Parisian.

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-Petits fours? You've come the closest to the size.

-Thank you.

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What I'm really, really pleased about was to hear the compliment around how Parisian they looked.

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I couldn't have imagined it going better, really.

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It was never going to be completely perfect,

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but you can't get a tray of petits fours completely perfect,

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even for patissiers, they are quite hard to do.

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I don't think I did too well at all, there, to be honest.

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But you've done now, there's nothing I can do to change that.

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If I let that deter me from doing well in the next two rounds, you know, I'm out of here.

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So, bakers, you know what comes next - the afeared Technical Challenge.

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As per usual, this one is judged blind,

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so, Mary, Paul, would you like to hoof off to the marquee d'amour!

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Bakers, I can now reveal to you that we are going to be asking you, please,

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to bake the famous celebration cake,

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which is of course French, and it's called a fraisier.

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"Frasier," in British.

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Now, this has got to be visually stunning, OK?

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It's all about the layers of sponge, strawberry and creme patissiere.

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It's the semifinal,

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so Mary and Paul will be requiring nothing short of perfection.

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-So, on your marks...

-Get set...

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BOTH: Bake!

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The bakers have the same ingredients, the same recipe

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and the same problem.

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Bare. The instructions are bare, this week. Really bare.

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"Make a Genoese sponge." That's all it says on how to make a cake.

0:19:110:19:15

"Make the creme pat."

0:19:150:19:17

I know what one should look like, but I don't actually know

0:19:170:19:20

if I can do it, so let's see.

0:19:200:19:22

Mary, the fraisier cake, I think it's a fantastic technical challenge.

0:19:250:19:28

Can you tell us a little bit about it?

0:19:280:19:30

First of all, you've got to meet a Genoese sponge.

0:19:300:19:33

Now, a Genoese is tricky, as we all know.

0:19:330:19:36

You must have the butter just at the right temperature.

0:19:360:19:38

Too hot, and you lose all the volume. The filling is creme patissiere.

0:19:380:19:42

It's got to hold its shape. If it's too warm, it will just ooze out.

0:19:420:19:46

The whole result is beautiful.

0:19:460:19:50

-It looks great, it really does.

-Well, isn't that absolutely scrummy?

0:19:500:19:55

That's a nice cake, that, Mary.

0:19:550:19:57

Well, it starts with make a Genoese sponge

0:19:580:20:00

and I think I know how to make up a Genoese sponge.

0:20:000:20:03

Genoese sponge is the little black dress of the patisserie world -

0:20:040:20:08

a simple, elegant cake that gets its panache

0:20:080:20:10

from the accessories of flavourings, fillings and toppings which adorn it.

0:20:100:20:15

There is no leavening agent.

0:20:170:20:19

Instead, whole eggs are whisked with sugar over warm water

0:20:190:20:22

to produce light, airy texture.

0:20:220:20:25

Done correctly, they will expand four times the original volume.

0:20:250:20:28

-JOHN:

-Start again with this. I had it too hot and it's cooked the eggs.

0:20:300:20:33

I am flustered. It's just to know that I am in the worst position

0:20:360:20:40

to start this round off with. It's just a bit gutting.

0:20:400:20:43

I'm trying not to let that get to me but it's difficult.

0:20:430:20:45

-DANNY:

-You want to try and do the minimum amount of mixing with a Genoese.

0:20:510:20:55

Because once you've gone to all the trouble of putting the air in,

0:20:550:20:59

the last thing you want to do is ruin it by knocking all the air out.

0:20:590:21:03

You add the flour and then you add in the melted butter.

0:21:030:21:06

It gives you a different texture.

0:21:060:21:07

Once the butter is added, the cake must be baked

0:21:070:21:10

immediately before the foamy batter starts to deflate.

0:21:100:21:13

As our final few bakers pop their creations into the oven,

0:21:150:21:18

they take for granted the fact that technology

0:21:180:21:20

can bring their creations to life.

0:21:200:21:22

It seems beautifully apt that this week, on French week,

0:21:220:21:25

we are celebrating Alexis Soyer who allowed us

0:21:250:21:29

to bring the art of fine baking into the home.

0:21:290:21:32

Alexis Soyer was born in France in 1810

0:21:330:21:36

and displayed culinary prowess from a young age,

0:21:360:21:39

becoming chief cook aged just 16.

0:21:390:21:42

A flamboyant and ambitious character, he travelled

0:21:420:21:44

to London, becoming head chef at the exclusive Reform Club

0:21:440:21:47

where he set about attracting Victorian cooking methods

0:21:470:21:50

into the future.

0:21:500:21:52

Soyer was given carte blanche, here at the Reform Club,

0:21:520:21:55

to create the most modern, technically sophisticated kitchens

0:21:550:21:59

in the entire world

0:21:590:22:00

and he took full advantage of this.

0:22:000:22:02

Pall Mall was the first street in Britain to have

0:22:020:22:06

a regular supply of gas and so he harnessed this

0:22:060:22:09

to install an entire row of gas stoves.

0:22:090:22:12

Ever the showman, Soyer opened his Reform Club kitchens

0:22:120:22:16

to an astonished public, previously suspicious of gas cooking.

0:22:160:22:20

It became the second biggest tourist attraction in London

0:22:200:22:23

after Madame Tussaud's and, buoyed by the success,

0:22:230:22:26

Soyer organised a spectacular new gastronomic exhibition -

0:22:260:22:30

the Universal Symposium Of All Nations.

0:22:300:22:33

Soyer used to the symposium to promote the use of gas.

0:22:330:22:38

Every day he roasted an entire ox by gas

0:22:380:22:41

so everybody could watch this and he had rows of gas stoves that people

0:22:410:22:46

could see the 600 roasts a day that the symposium had to produce

0:22:460:22:50

being roasted in front of their eyes.

0:22:500:22:52

Before this time, people had been really quite frightened of gas

0:22:520:22:55

and he wanted the domestic user

0:22:550:22:57

to understand that gas wasn't dangerous.

0:22:570:23:00

In fact, quite the opposite. It was the most amazing boon

0:23:000:23:03

and could really benefit them in their home environment.

0:23:030:23:06

Soyer's variable temperature gas stove proved to be

0:23:060:23:09

a revelation for the domestic baker and allowed people to experiment

0:23:090:23:12

and become more ambitious with their home bakes.

0:23:120:23:16

Soyer is really the grandfather of the oven in your house.

0:23:160:23:20

The old coal-fired ranges were blunt instruments but Soyer's

0:23:200:23:24

gas temperature controlled ovens were precision tools.

0:23:240:23:29

They had a pilot light on them so you didn't need to open

0:23:290:23:31

the door to check the temperature so your cakes were safe from sinking.

0:23:310:23:35

The gas oven transforms home baking

0:23:350:23:37

because, instead of just sticking something in at a temperature

0:23:370:23:41

that wouldn't change and then pulling it out again,

0:23:410:23:43

you can change the temperature, you can cook things

0:23:430:23:46

at a very low heat, you can make elaborate pastries and meringues.

0:23:460:23:50

Things that would really have been beyond the repertoire of any

0:23:500:23:53

domestic cook in the days when you had to cook on coal.

0:23:530:23:57

Soyer's oven's were too expensive for working-class Victorians

0:23:570:24:00

but he didn't forget those less fortunate,

0:24:000:24:03

publishing cookery books for the poor and setting up

0:24:030:24:06

soup kitchens to help those starving in the Irish potato famine.

0:24:060:24:09

Soyer's longest-lasting legacy, though, is what he did for the Army.

0:24:090:24:14

During the Crimean War, he invented a kind of stove -

0:24:140:24:17

essentially a camping stove -

0:24:170:24:18

and that meant that two men could cook for 600 people.

0:24:180:24:23

An army marches on its stomach.

0:24:230:24:25

He made sure that they could march in that way.

0:24:250:24:27

And those reforms in the Army stayed in place until the 1980s.

0:24:270:24:31

Since his death in 1858,

0:24:310:24:34

the memory of Soyer's groundbreaking achievements has faded over time.

0:24:340:24:39

But the legacy this dandy Frenchman leaves us

0:24:390:24:41

still stands in our kitchens today.

0:24:410:24:43

OK, bakers, you've got one hour on your fraisier.

0:24:500:24:52

One hour to go on your fraisier.

0:24:520:24:54

Yeah, seems an OK size for the size of the cake.

0:24:580:25:02

It's maybe a wee bit short.

0:25:020:25:05

To create the top and bottom of their finished cake,

0:25:090:25:13

the delicate sponge must be perfectly cut in two.

0:25:130:25:16

Unequal layers will ruin the fraisier's appearance.

0:25:200:25:24

And should the sponge break, the top won't be flat

0:25:270:25:30

and the creme patissiere could seep out through the bottom

0:25:300:25:33

before it's fully set.

0:25:330:25:35

The creme patissiere filling in a fraisier requires

0:25:390:25:42

an unfamiliar addition

0:25:420:25:43

to ensure it's thick enough to support the structure of the cake.

0:25:430:25:47

I've never worked with cornflour in a creme pat before

0:25:480:25:52

so I don't really know how it should be

0:25:520:25:54

other than it's quite lumpy and it doesn't appear to be thickening up.

0:25:540:25:57

Which is slightly worrying me.

0:25:590:26:01

Cornflour only cooks and thickens around boiling point

0:26:010:26:05

and the margin for error is tiny.

0:26:050:26:07

Not cooked enough and it will be runny, causing the cake to collapse.

0:26:070:26:11

Overcooked, it loses its vital silky cream texture.

0:26:110:26:14

-JAMES:

-Never used such a thick creme pat before, ever.

0:26:160:26:19

My creme pat's got cellulite at the moment. It's just...

0:26:200:26:25

It'll be all right.

0:26:250:26:27

Adding the butter is going to make it homogenise and then when it sets

0:26:270:26:32

and cools it will become much more pipeable and therefore cutable.

0:26:320:26:36

If you don't want a skin to form on creme pat, the trick is

0:26:360:26:39

to chuck on a little bit of icing sugar.

0:26:390:26:41

If the wind doesn't blow it away then that'll stop the skin forming.

0:26:420:26:45

While the creme patissiere sets in the fridge,

0:26:450:26:48

the bakers start to assemble the cake.

0:26:480:26:51

First, the tin is lined with acetate.

0:26:510:26:54

This is the first sponge we've asked people to bake

0:26:540:26:56

that actually has its own built-in rain mac.

0:26:560:26:59

We need to do this to make it look pretty somehow.

0:26:590:27:02

If it isn't flush with the edge of the tin,

0:27:020:27:04

the edge of the fraisier won't be smooth.

0:27:040:27:08

-Goodness. I've got no idea how to do this.

-How's Danny doing?

0:27:080:27:11

Danny's on good form. Is she?

0:27:110:27:14

She'll have a good morning and she'll be fine. She'll do this properly.

0:27:140:27:18

I can't do it.

0:27:180:27:20

I think John's a bit stressed.

0:27:220:27:24

How is that rain mac coming on? All right?

0:27:240:27:27

-I can't do it.

-You'll be all right.

0:27:270:27:30

I hate this feeling of, "I may as well give up now."

0:27:300:27:34

But I'm not going to because, you know,

0:27:340:27:36

every bake is another chance to turn it all around, isn't it?

0:27:360:27:39

-He's been in the drop a few times.

-I know.

0:27:390:27:42

Hm. Semi-final, mate.

0:27:450:27:47

30 minutes, bakers. 30 minutes left.

0:27:540:27:57

You could hear a penny drop.

0:28:020:28:06

Each cake needs to be topped with a layer of marzipan before adding

0:28:130:28:16

the final piped chocolate decoration.

0:28:160:28:19

Don't know the best way of doing it, actually.

0:28:190:28:22

This is, I think, the most technically difficult

0:28:310:28:35

technical so far.

0:28:350:28:37

I've read through the recipe

0:28:370:28:39

and I can't quite visualise it which isn't really a good sign.

0:28:390:28:44

It seems to be heavily based on presentation which makes me fear.

0:28:440:28:47

The chocolate is just setting on me already.

0:28:500:28:52

I should have put it in a bit sooner.

0:28:520:28:55

I was cooling it down to get it to the right temp

0:28:550:28:57

but I think I might have over-cooled it.

0:28:570:29:00

Which is just sod's law, isn't it, you know?

0:29:000:29:02

Oh, hello. That looks really professional.

0:29:020:29:06

Amazeballs.

0:29:060:29:09

OK, bakers, just five minutes

0:29:110:29:13

before we go and get Paul and Mary from their dungeon.

0:29:130:29:16

Just five minutes.

0:29:160:29:17

The moment of truth. Oh!

0:29:190:29:22

Oh, Brendan.

0:29:230:29:26

Might have to go back in the fridge.

0:29:280:29:30

That looks good. It looks amazing.

0:29:300:29:32

This is the unveiling of the century.

0:29:320:29:35

Oh, it's beautiful. Isn't it, Sue?

0:29:370:29:40

Tres bon.

0:29:400:29:41

Looks blooming scrum-diddly-umptious.

0:29:430:29:45

Oh, God above. Just look at that.

0:30:000:30:03

It looks hideous.

0:30:090:30:12

It's just not setting.

0:30:140:30:16

It's just not setting. It's just a disaster.

0:30:170:30:21

OK, bakers.

0:30:210:30:23

Dix,

0:30:230:30:24

neuf,

0:30:240:30:26

huit,

0:30:260:30:28

sept,

0:30:280:30:30

six,

0:30:300:30:32

cinq,

0:30:320:30:33

quatre,

0:30:330:30:35

trois,

0:30:350:30:37

deux,

0:30:370:30:39

un.

0:30:390:30:40

Boulange c'est fini.

0:30:400:30:42

That was a tough challenge, wasn't it?

0:30:550:30:58

One or two of them look pretty good. We'll start with this one, Mary?

0:30:580:31:03

-If we have a look down the middle of this.

-It looks a good Genoese.

0:31:030:31:07

Even distribution of the strawberries,

0:31:070:31:09

the creme patissiere looks firm.

0:31:090:31:11

-Holding well.

-Yes.

0:31:130:31:16

The Genoese looks beautifully even.

0:31:170:31:21

-It's quite a nice one, that one.

-Very nice presentation.

0:31:230:31:26

That ticks the boxes, as they say.

0:31:260:31:29

Now, this one's had some issues with the creme pat.

0:31:290:31:32

Just take a slice out of here.

0:31:320:31:33

And the volume from the Genoese isn't as good as it should be.

0:31:380:31:41

No, it's dense, isn't it?

0:31:410:31:43

Oh dear.

0:31:430:31:45

Do we need a spoon with this rather than a slice?

0:31:450:31:48

This has got serious problems with the creme pat.

0:31:480:31:50

Serious problems with the creme pat.

0:31:500:31:53

-The sponge looks light though, doesn't it?

-Sponge looks beautiful.

0:31:530:31:58

Very lemony.

0:31:590:32:01

-Good Genoese that.

-But the creme patissiere is not thick enough.

0:32:010:32:07

-That's a shame because it actually tastes OK.

-Tastes beautiful.

0:32:070:32:10

Finally, this looks pretty good.

0:32:120:32:15

A nice layer of Genoese,

0:32:150:32:17

well arranged strawberries,

0:32:170:32:20

creme patissiere pushed right in with the strawberries.

0:32:200:32:22

That's good.

0:32:260:32:28

You've got a bit of zing from the lemon.

0:32:280:32:31

Creme pat is good, sponge is good and you've managed to come up

0:32:310:32:34

with something that certainly resembles a fraisier cake.

0:32:340:32:37

But whose fraisier has failed and whose will get full marks?

0:32:400:32:44

That one and that one.

0:32:460:32:48

OK, we've made our decision

0:32:500:32:54

and the person in fourth place is this one.

0:32:540:32:57

Danny, there was a problem with the creme pat, which I think you already knew.

0:32:580:33:02

So, on to the person that is third.

0:33:020:33:05

Little bit soft, just lost its shape, pushed the strawberries out.

0:33:060:33:12

Otherwise, lovely flavour.

0:33:120:33:14

And in second place is this one. It's not bad at all.

0:33:140:33:17

But you look at the two, we have to sort of pick between the two of them

0:33:170:33:21

and that one had more of a rise in the sponge. But it was a good cake. Well done.

0:33:210:33:25

-And there we have number one, James.

-Well done, James.

0:33:250:33:30

Well done.

0:33:300:33:32

Well done. It was a very, very difficult challenge.

0:33:320:33:36

That was a really, really tough two-and-a-half hours.

0:33:380:33:42

It was a killer technical. But I did it. They liked it.

0:33:420:33:46

Just the sponge wasn't just as good as James. That wily minx!

0:33:460:33:51

Actually that cake is brilliant. I would totally make that cake again.

0:33:510:33:54

One of the few technicals I really enjoyed actually.

0:33:540:33:58

I think I feel frustrated, more than anything.

0:33:580:34:00

Not angry, not upset, just kind of like, "Oh, you stupid girl!"

0:34:000:34:05

Erm... You make mistakes. You make mistakes. I've made two here.

0:34:050:34:11

It's frustrating, it's annoying, but I just have to put that

0:34:110:34:15

out of my head now and concentrate on tomorrow.

0:34:150:34:18

Just the Showstopper Challenge remains.

0:34:340:34:37

The last chance for the bakers to prove they have what it takes to be in the final.

0:34:370:34:42

Brendan's done rather well.

0:34:420:34:44

His petit fours were outstanding, really.

0:34:440:34:46

You looked at it and you thought, "He's arrived."

0:34:460:34:48

And James has done quite well.

0:34:480:34:52

Who do you think the rain cloud of rejection is hanging over this week?

0:34:520:34:56

At the moment, I think you're looking at John and Danny.

0:34:560:34:59

Danny, yesterday afternoon, had a bit of a disaster

0:34:590:35:02

because her cake sort of fell apart.

0:35:020:35:05

This is a real dangerous time to do that.

0:35:050:35:07

If it happened two weeks ago, fair enough, but you don't do it in the semi-final.

0:35:070:35:12

Having said that, I thought John's petit fours were poor.

0:35:120:35:16

This is the last challenge which stands between you

0:35:180:35:23

and a place in the Great British Bake Off Final.

0:35:230:35:26

What we need you to create is a perfect choux pastry gateau.

0:35:260:35:31

-I wish you all the very best of luck. On your marks...

-Get set...

-Bake.

0:35:310:35:36

Choux pastry forms the basis of many French classics,

0:35:370:35:43

including profiteroles and eclairs.

0:35:430:35:45

It's a cross between a batter and a dough and it's cooked twice.

0:35:450:35:49

First over a low heat on the hob, then in the oven.

0:35:490:35:53

It's that magic that happens when you put it in the oven,

0:35:530:35:55

you go from a very hot mix into as piping bag, onto a tray

0:35:550:35:59

and into an oven and that heat that's transferred into the oven,

0:35:590:36:02

that blast of heat, pumps the air in and explodes the egg.

0:36:020:36:06

That's how you get those irregular shape balls in a great choux pastry.

0:36:060:36:12

They can do exactly what they like,

0:36:120:36:13

but it's got to be mainly choux pastry.

0:36:130:36:16

This is the last chance to get into the final.

0:36:160:36:19

It's got to be something really spectacular

0:36:190:36:22

and all the flavours have to complement each other.

0:36:220:36:27

Danni, Brendan and John are opting to make the Gateau St Honore,

0:36:290:36:33

a puff pastry base with a top ring of choux pastry,

0:36:330:36:36

garnished with cream puffs and filled with a Chiboust cream.

0:36:360:36:40

Danny's adding rosewater, raspberry and lychees to hers.

0:36:400:36:44

Lychees, very difficult to achieve a flavour.

0:36:440:36:47

-Your raspberry will come through, I would imagine.

-Yeah. It's more to support the rose really.

0:36:470:36:53

I think it kind of lightens it up a bit and adds to the flavour.

0:36:530:36:56

Seems to me it's got an original twist and that's what we like.

0:36:560:37:00

-I think it's going to work. Let's hope so.

-OK. Thank you.

0:37:000:37:05

I think everyone's going to feel the pressure,

0:37:050:37:08

but I think me personally, obviously, I'm in a precarious position.

0:37:080:37:11

So I need to tread carefully today.

0:37:110:37:14

John's chance of staying in the competition now rests

0:37:140:37:16

on creating a perfect Gateau St Honore.

0:37:160:37:19

He's using his favourite fruit

0:37:190:37:21

to create a distinctive flavour for the filling.

0:37:210:37:24

I'm interested in your passion fruit curd.

0:37:240:37:27

-Has it got lemons in as well as passion fruit?

-No.

0:37:270:37:30

Pure passion fruit. Do you keep the seeds in it?

0:37:300:37:33

No, I blitz it completely in the processor and then sieve it

0:37:330:37:36

really well and just use the pulp, which has been liquidized.

0:37:360:37:40

No seeds. Obviously, that would just be too gritty. I wouldn't want that.

0:37:400:37:45

-You feeling the pressure today?

-Yeah!

0:37:450:37:48

I'm actually really scared today.

0:37:480:37:50

But it's important to me, so I'm going to calmly do what I can.

0:37:500:37:54

-Very best of luck, John.

-Good luck.

-I need it. Thank you.

0:37:540:37:58

Less is more is my new motto. I've kept the flavouring to a minimum.

0:37:580:38:02

I think it's one of the great established classics

0:38:020:38:06

of the French patisserie and in my view, it doesn't need any help.

0:38:060:38:12

But to personalise it, I'm adding a little kirsch to the French custard.

0:38:120:38:15

And just a little bit of chocolate on the edge.

0:38:150:38:18

But I'm not going to do anything more than that

0:38:180:38:21

because I think it stands alone and I think it's an impertinence

0:38:210:38:24

to tinker with something that's so well established.

0:38:240:38:27

Perfecting a choux is a true baker's art.

0:38:280:38:31

There's no set recipe for the amount of egg to add.

0:38:310:38:34

The slightest difference in the size of eggs used can dramatically

0:38:340:38:38

alter its texture.

0:38:380:38:40

I've added two eggs, I need to add four.

0:38:400:38:43

It still feels a little bit wet.

0:38:430:38:45

The bakers need to watch for the exact moment

0:38:450:38:48

they create a mixture that will pipe and hold its shape.

0:38:480:38:52

A fraction too much egg and their choux will become sloppy

0:38:520:38:55

and won't rise in the oven.

0:38:550:38:57

I'll use this recipe and I'll add five eggs

0:38:570:39:00

and that won't be enough, I'll need to add a sixth,

0:39:000:39:03

but you can easily go overboard with that sixth egg.

0:39:030:39:06

I don't know what the hell I can do cos it's just not working.

0:39:070:39:10

Typically, James is making something a little bit different.

0:39:130:39:17

A Paris-Brest, traditionally a circular gateau

0:39:170:39:20

filled with a praline cream.

0:39:200:39:23

Everyone else has gone for a Gateau St Honore.

0:39:230:39:26

And it's a much more ambitious thing, a much more testing thing, theirs,

0:39:260:39:30

so hopefully they don't mark me down for being a bit too simple.

0:39:300:39:35

The Paris-Brest was created in 1891 to commemorate

0:39:350:39:39

the 1,200km cycle race.

0:39:390:39:41

Although the gateau is usually in the shape of bike wheel,

0:39:410:39:44

James is planning to go further.

0:39:440:39:47

Go right through how you're constructing this.

0:39:470:39:50

I don't know.

0:39:500:39:52

This is a semi-final, James, of the Great British Bake Off.

0:39:540:39:57

I don't quite get the hang of this.

0:39:570:40:00

Turn it upside down, put some wheels on it.

0:40:000:40:03

This is just a concept, so far.

0:40:030:40:05

I may just have a traditional Paris-Brest.

0:40:050:40:07

I like the Tour de France idea, I think it's cool.

0:40:070:40:10

-HE LAUGHS

-It's going to be a showstopper, if you pull this off.

0:40:100:40:13

Or, if it fails, just say it's a unicycle.

0:40:130:40:15

-Yes!

-And where are the fillings going?

0:40:150:40:18

Again, I'm not quite sure.

0:40:180:40:21

If I do it as a traditional one...

0:40:210:40:23

HE LAUGHS

0:40:230:40:25

I love it...

0:40:250:40:26

Now you're just getting cheeky!

0:40:260:40:28

This is bare-faced cheek!

0:40:280:40:31

You know your basics of what you'll do,

0:40:310:40:33

-you're just not quite sure...

-SUE MOUTHS

0:40:330:40:35

-..How the parts...

-Yes!

-..Will come together.

-Exactly.

0:40:350:40:37

I'd like to see a bike.

0:40:370:40:39

I would like to see the whole thing.

0:40:390:40:41

The impact of it would be pretty good.

0:40:410:40:42

I hope you do it all right,

0:40:420:40:44

-and I hope you do it some justice, as well.

-Thank you, Paul.

0:40:440:40:47

It's interesting that three of them have chosen Gateau Saint Honore.

0:40:530:40:57

An absolute classic.

0:40:570:40:58

But all but Brendan are doing variations of that.

0:40:580:41:01

And the Paris-Brest? We'll just have to see.

0:41:010:41:03

My problem is...

0:41:050:41:08

when you look at James saying, "I don't really know, I'll just wing it"...

0:41:080:41:12

if that is the case, and he puts up

0:41:120:41:14

a mess in front of us,

0:41:140:41:17

I'm not going to be best pleased.

0:41:170:41:19

Your bicycle has created

0:41:190:41:22

a frisson of excitement. What the hell is that?!

0:41:220:41:26

That's a handlebar.

0:41:260:41:27

Oh, OK. It's like a ram's horn.

0:41:270:41:29

Check it out in the oven. Look how big it's got.

0:41:290:41:31

Surprise, surprise(!)

0:41:310:41:33

Oh, my God! The beast...

0:41:330:41:36

-SHE LAUGHS

-The flavours will be awesome, though.

0:41:360:41:38

I don't think you should worry.

0:41:380:41:40

If it looks a bit gacky, just don't do it.

0:41:400:41:42

If the worst comes to the worst, you have a couple of perfect breasts.

0:41:420:41:45

Oui.

0:41:450:41:47

Ca c'est OK.

0:41:470:41:48

For Brendan, Danny and John, small choux buns form the centrepiece of their showstopper bakes.

0:41:500:41:55

Any peaks in the paste will burn before the choux is fully cooked,

0:41:550:41:59

so should be flattened down with a damp finger.

0:41:590:42:02

The choux is first cooked at a high temperature,

0:42:020:42:05

forcing the water into steam to make the pastry expand,

0:42:050:42:08

and then, on a lower heat, to allow it to crisp.

0:42:080:42:11

It will be an anxious half hour before the bakers know if they've judged the consistency right.

0:42:140:42:20

Now, three out of four of our bakers

0:42:200:42:23

are producing their own versions of the Saint Honore cake...

0:42:230:42:26

which was inspired by the patron saint of baking.

0:42:260:42:30

A Frenchman with a penchant for baking miracles.

0:42:300:42:34

You sort of gaze at these beautiful pastry works of art.

0:42:360:42:39

It seems inconceivable you'd need a baking miracle to create them.

0:42:390:42:42

But, if you were in need of divine intervention,

0:42:420:42:44

simply send up a prayer to Saint Honore,

0:42:440:42:46

the patron saint of bakers.

0:42:460:42:48

-Merci.

-Au revoir.

0:42:480:42:50

Saint Honore's holy association with baking began when he was made

0:42:500:42:54

bishop of the French town of Amiens in the sixth century.

0:42:540:42:58

Why he's connected to bakers is a really interesting issue.

0:42:580:43:02

His old nanny was breaking bread,

0:43:020:43:05

and she was told,

0:43:050:43:07

"Honore is to become bishop,"

0:43:070:43:09

and she said, "Nonsense". No way would he agree,

0:43:090:43:12

She took the peel she was using

0:43:120:43:15

to put the breads into the oven,

0:43:150:43:16

and she said, "I'll believe it,

0:43:160:43:18

"if this peel sprouts flowers."

0:43:180:43:21

Which, of course, it miraculously does.

0:43:210:43:23

Flowers, and indeed, blackberry fruits, as well.

0:43:230:43:25

Over the centuries, Saint Honore became a much-worshipped figure.

0:43:250:43:30

His bones prayed to in times of drought to encourage a good harvest,

0:43:300:43:33

and, in 1202, a rich baker built a chapel to honour him

0:43:330:43:38

on a street in Paris that became known as Rue Saint Honore.

0:43:380:43:41

Bakers did very well in that period, because Paris is the capital.

0:43:410:43:45

With not only the royal palace, but all the aristocrats

0:43:450:43:48

who come to be in court and spend time in Paris.

0:43:480:43:50

There's tremendous demand, not only for bread,

0:43:500:43:53

but, of course, for fine cakes and patisserie, as well.

0:43:530:43:56

So that street become the hub - the area where shop after shop

0:43:560:44:00

of bakers and fine cake makers find their home.

0:44:000:44:03

One such patissier with a shop on Rue Saint Honore in the 1840s

0:44:030:44:08

was the enigmatic chef, Chiboust,

0:44:080:44:11

and when it came to naming a cake after Saint Honore,

0:44:110:44:13

he chose one decadent and complex enough to truly show off the baker's artistry.

0:44:130:44:18

This mouth-watering tribute,

0:44:180:44:21

this offering to the patron saint of pastry

0:44:210:44:23

is still available in all good patisseries.

0:44:230:44:27

Mr Chiboust sounds like

0:44:270:44:29

a Gallic superhero. What's the difference he brought to this cake?

0:44:290:44:33

He wanted to make a new cream,

0:44:330:44:35

something very different from what they were doing at the time.

0:44:350:44:38

Finished the big, eccentric French patisserie - you know,

0:44:380:44:42

the tall, long, uneatable cake.

0:44:420:44:45

So he created this Cream Chiboust,

0:44:450:44:48

same like the name - like his name...

0:44:480:44:50

with egg white and sugar.

0:44:500:44:52

An Italian meringue, as we call it.

0:44:520:44:54

He mixed it with the creme patissier

0:44:540:44:56

to make something very fluffy, something very light.

0:44:560:44:59

Something you could eat all the way through the cake.

0:44:590:45:02

Is there anything particular in the way it's decorated

0:45:020:45:05

that makes this a Saint Honore?

0:45:050:45:06

-Definitely. Piping is one of them.

-Right.

0:45:060:45:10

You need that special nozzle. The V-shaped nozzle.

0:45:100:45:13

Basically, it gives a kind of a flowery effect.

0:45:130:45:16

A leafy effect.

0:45:160:45:17

-Right.

-Very traditional for Saint Honore.

0:45:170:45:19

-It must be that shape.

-That's the Chiboust classic, right.

0:45:190:45:22

Watch me make a right pig's ear of that.

0:45:220:45:25

I need to pray to the patron saint of steady hands.

0:45:250:45:29

Saint Judder.

0:45:290:45:30

-Shall I start here?

-Yes.

0:45:300:45:32

Remember, the tip of the nozzle must be always right.

0:45:320:45:36

A little bit sideways.

0:45:360:45:38

That's right. You must face that little point.

0:45:380:45:40

Oh, dear! I've made a right mess of that.

0:45:400:45:45

It takes time and discipline.

0:45:450:45:46

I've brought shame on your country.

0:45:460:45:48

That's OK. I will finish it off.

0:45:480:45:50

-Thank you. Now you're just showing off, Eric.

-A little bit.

0:45:500:45:53

Yeah, a little bit.

0:45:530:45:55

For Anglo-French relationships, it's good I let him take over.

0:45:550:45:58

-Entente Cordiale.

-Oui!

0:45:580:45:59

Chiboust's traditional Saint Honore would simply have been flavoured with rose water or violet,

0:45:590:46:04

but a modern flourish is to garnish the cake with fresh fruits and berries.

0:46:040:46:07

So, the Honore - a rich, indulgent delight

0:46:070:46:11

that's worthy of the patron saint of baking, after whom it's named.

0:46:110:46:14

If your croquembouche is staring to sag,

0:46:140:46:16

why not send up a prayer for divine intervention?

0:46:160:46:19

maybe a baking miracle could be yours.

0:46:190:46:22

That is lovely!

0:46:220:46:24

Bakers, you're halfway through. One-and-a-half hours to go.

0:46:310:46:34

The choux should have tripled in size to form perfectly puffy, rounded buns.

0:46:340:46:39

Happy with those?

0:46:390:46:42

They should have risen more in a round, rather than a flat.

0:46:420:46:46

You all right, James?

0:46:460:46:48

-Breathe.

-Don't be nice - I'll start crying.

0:46:480:46:50

It's all right. Has something actually...gone...wrong?

0:46:500:46:54

Yeah, the choux buns aren't as they should be.

0:46:540:46:57

They haven't risen.

0:46:570:46:59

There's nothing I can do.

0:46:590:47:01

Everything's gone to pot.

0:47:010:47:02

Which just...

0:47:040:47:07

They shouldn't look so...deformed.

0:47:090:47:13

This is semi-finalitis, mate.

0:47:130:47:15

-Just calm down a bit. Yeah?

-Yeah.

0:47:150:47:18

-It's all right, you'll be fine.

-Thanks for that, Mel.

0:47:180:47:22

It's not collapsed, which is good.

0:47:220:47:24

It's a nice, dark colour, which is good.

0:47:240:47:26

Happy.

0:47:260:47:28

As their choux cools, the bakers need to move on their fillings.

0:47:280:47:33

None of them are making the traditional Saint Honore Chiboust cream.

0:47:330:47:38

I'm making creme patisserie, which is like revisiting the scene of a crime, after yesterday!

0:47:380:47:42

SHE LAUGHS

0:47:420:47:44

I want to get it right, and that's important to me,

0:47:440:47:47

because I know I can make this, and I can make this really well.

0:47:470:47:50

James is planning a decadent inner tube -

0:47:530:47:55

an Italian meringue with a rich coffee buttercream,

0:47:550:47:59

but he's decided to make a topping for his filling.

0:47:590:48:02

This is ground-up, caramelised hazelnuts,

0:48:020:48:06

with a shot of espresso in it.

0:48:060:48:08

They are the most adorned wheels in history.

0:48:090:48:12

Bespoke spokes.

0:48:120:48:14

HE LAUGHS

0:48:140:48:15

-Have you tried to put on the frame yet?

-No.

-Right.

0:48:150:48:18

-I'm not going to touch that.

-Yes, you better not touch those.

0:48:180:48:21

I sense that would not be a good idea.

0:48:210:48:24

'Once the choux buns for the Saint Honore are filled,

0:48:240:48:27

'they're caramelised and bound to the pastry.'

0:48:270:48:31

It's like a Scud missile going off, isn't it?

0:48:310:48:36

Bakers! Time for a hot choux shuffle,

0:48:360:48:39

cos you've just got ten minutes left.

0:48:390:48:41

That's it - that's this bake over and done with.

0:49:550:49:57

Step away. James, get off the bicycle. Off!

0:49:570:50:00

Mm-hm!

0:50:020:50:04

For one of these bakers, it will be the last time they face the judges.

0:50:150:50:20

OK, Brendan - you're up to the offering to Saint Honore.

0:50:200:50:24

It certainly looks different. It looks striking,

0:50:290:50:32

with the chocolate on top. Quite unusual.

0:50:320:50:34

You have a good rise in the pastry there.

0:50:340:50:37

Done an exceptional job on the display of it.

0:50:370:50:39

I think it looks really good.

0:50:390:50:41

Quite a tough crunch through the top of the bun.

0:50:440:50:48

But the flavours go well together.

0:50:480:50:51

It's a beautiful thing. Brendan, you've done it again.

0:50:510:50:54

Your theme-ing and decoration has always been one of your strong points.

0:50:540:50:57

You've got a lovely crust on the bottom - you have beautiful colour.

0:50:570:51:00

But, overall...

0:51:000:51:02

you've done well.

0:51:020:51:03

-Well done.

-Well done, Brendan.

0:51:030:51:06

Danny, if you'd like to bring your choux gateau up, thank you.

0:51:080:51:11

I think it looks quite effective. It's decorated well.

0:51:150:51:17

I thought you were brave picking rose...

0:51:170:51:20

Yeah.

0:51:200:51:21

..cos it can overwhelm.

0:51:210:51:23

Pop that back on there.

0:51:250:51:28

It's very full of rose water.

0:51:290:51:31

You've got it in the cream and in the custard.

0:51:310:51:35

Rose water just sweeps over the whole thing.

0:51:350:51:38

The actual bake of it is good. It has a great base.

0:51:380:51:41

But that flavour...

0:51:410:51:42

-Mm.

-..Has let you down.

-OK.

0:51:420:51:45

SHE LAUGHS

0:51:450:51:47

James, do you want to pedal on over here?

0:51:500:51:53

THEY LAUGH

0:51:590:52:00

I think it's really unusual.

0:52:000:52:04

And, certainly, you've been inventive.

0:52:040:52:06

-Let's have a look.

-It's about to sustain a puncture.

0:52:060:52:09

Right.

0:52:110:52:14

That is absolutely lovely.

0:52:160:52:18

You've got the toffee, the creme patissiere, nuts, caramel...

0:52:180:52:22

It's absolutely delicious, isn't it?

0:52:220:52:23

-All the way through.

-Lovely.

-You get a little bit of everything.

0:52:230:52:27

-I think you could have got a lot more volume...

-OK.

0:52:270:52:29

..from your choux pastry. You can see where it's starting.

0:52:290:52:32

It hasn't gone to its full explosion,

0:52:320:52:34

which is a shame, but the flavours are good.

0:52:340:52:36

The idea is excellent,

0:52:360:52:38

-but I was expecting more balloon...

-OK.

0:52:380:52:40

-..from the choux pastry.

-Thank you.

0:52:400:52:43

-It's the nicest bike I've ever eaten.

-Thank you, Sue.

-Thank you.

0:52:430:52:46

John, if you'd like to bring up your French delight...

0:52:520:52:55

I think it looks the part.

0:52:590:53:01

It looks special. I like the way you've given it

0:53:010:53:03

the height with the hearts.

0:53:030:53:05

Tricky to get off the paper.

0:53:050:53:07

It looks very neat, very professional.

0:53:070:53:11

The fruit round the outside and the piping inside looks good.

0:53:110:53:14

I must say, that is a lovely flavour.

0:53:210:53:24

The passion fruit works really well,

0:53:240:53:26

and you have a nice crisp to that base.

0:53:260:53:29

It's a good choux pastry.

0:53:290:53:30

It's thin, it's crispy. It's full.

0:53:300:53:34

-I think you've done well.

-That means a lot, thank you.

0:53:340:53:39

I'm really pleased at how well that went.

0:53:450:53:48

Don't necessarily know if it's saved me.

0:53:480:53:50

I think it's still very, very dangerous.

0:53:500:53:52

I've had a few very poor weeks.

0:53:520:53:54

It's a shame they picked up on flavours,

0:53:540:53:56

cos that's generally what I've tended to do... well.

0:53:560:53:59

But, erm...

0:53:590:54:01

it really is just one of those things.

0:54:010:54:04

For me, this is probably it now.

0:54:040:54:07

I feel certainly I've done enough to go through to the final,

0:54:070:54:10

which has been my ambition and aim, right from the very start.

0:54:100:54:13

The whole winging-it strategy...

0:54:130:54:15

paid off this time.

0:54:150:54:17

Wow!

0:54:170:54:20

HE LAUGHS

0:54:200:54:22

I didn't expect it.

0:54:220:54:24

Paul and Mary must now decide who will go to the final as Star Baker,

0:54:240:54:29

and who won't be going at all.

0:54:290:54:31

So who might be in line for Star Baker this week, then?

0:54:310:54:35

I put James up there.

0:54:350:54:37

Obviously came first in the Technical Challenge,

0:54:370:54:40

and some of his petits fours were pretty tasty.

0:54:400:54:42

Again, Brendan seems to pull the stops out each day.

0:54:420:54:46

The unstoppable Brendanator.

0:54:460:54:48

Going into this, John and Danny were both in trouble...

0:54:480:54:51

The bake from Danny was all right. I think it was slightly overdone.

0:54:510:54:54

That rose water was the killer in that.

0:54:540:54:57

Lychee was going to lose every single time

0:54:570:55:00

against the rose water, because it is so strong.

0:55:000:55:02

Didn't John raise his game, and come up?

0:55:020:55:06

I think he had such a lovely finish.

0:55:060:55:08

Tricky to do, those hearts in caramel. Lovely flavours, too.

0:55:080:55:11

I agree with Mary. The taste of that was the best one, for me, of the day.

0:55:110:55:15

But he hasn't been on top form.

0:55:150:55:18

His petits fours weren't good.

0:55:180:55:20

Clumsy.

0:55:200:55:22

So, you've still two people in contention for the drop?

0:55:220:55:24

Yeah, I think there's still two.

0:55:240:55:26

Well, Paul and Mary, as always...

0:55:260:55:28

the task falls on you to decide. Good luck.

0:55:280:55:31

BIRDS COO

0:55:340:55:36

Bakers, long, tough weekend

0:55:520:55:53

but you have surpassed yourselves. The standard gets higher and higher.

0:55:530:55:56

This week, we are awarding Star Baker...

0:55:560:56:00

and we are awarding it to someone who's shown they can produce

0:56:000:56:04

spicy macaroons, very, very perky fraisier,

0:56:040:56:08

but more importantly than all of this,

0:56:080:56:10

the world's most delicious handlebar.

0:56:100:56:13

Congratulations, James.

0:56:130:56:15

THEY APPLAUD

0:56:150:56:18

Now, all four of you know how the Bake Off works.

0:56:180:56:22

This is the semi-final.

0:56:220:56:24

We can only take three of you with us into next week's final.

0:56:240:56:29

I'm afraid the person who will not be joining us next week

0:56:290:56:33

for the Great British Bake Off Final is...

0:56:330:56:37

..Danny.

0:56:450:56:46

-Sorry to see you go, Danny.

-It's absolutely fine. I knew it.

0:56:490:56:53

-MARY:

-How sad it was that Danny left.

0:56:540:56:57

She did some excellent baking en route, but on this day,

0:56:570:57:00

the semi-final, it didn't quite work out for her.

0:57:000:57:03

This has pushed me

0:57:030:57:05

as far as anything can push me and it's been a good experience.

0:57:050:57:10

One of the nicest things about Bake Off for me is the number

0:57:100:57:14

of people around me who have really taken pleasure from my success.

0:57:140:57:18

I now know how much the people around me value me

0:57:180:57:21

and I think that's pretty cool.

0:57:210:57:23

I'm proud of the fact that I managed to steer my ship through this

0:57:260:57:31

very strange environment to get to the final.

0:57:310:57:35

I don't know how I feel right now. But it seems that went rather well.

0:57:350:57:41

-'Hello.'

-Hiya, Mum. It's only me.

-'Hi, darling.'

0:57:450:57:48

-You've got a little big boy who's in the final!

-'Oh, my God!'

0:57:480:57:52

Next time, it's the final.

0:57:520:57:56

-They've got this one chance.

-Every aspect of baking will be tested...

0:57:560:57:59

-Nerves are going to play a huge part in this.

-This might be one step...

0:57:590:58:03

-a little bit too far.

-..with signature pastry perfection.

0:58:030:58:06

You've got a bit of a soggy bottom.

0:58:060:58:08

The most intricate technical challenge ever devised.

0:58:080:58:11

The rest won't be as messy.

0:58:110:58:13

-And the showstopper...

-It goes down to the last challenge.

0:58:130:58:16

This is so tense! '..fit for a British summer fete.'

0:58:160:58:19

It's rich, it's absolutely lovely.

0:58:190:58:22

But after two final days of baking...

0:58:220:58:25

Sorry about this.

0:58:250:58:26

..only one will be crowned the winner...

0:58:260:58:30

He let us down.

0:58:300:58:32

'..of the Great British Bake Off.' The winner is...

0:58:320:58:35

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0:58:520:58:57

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