The Great British Baking Show S.11 – Chocolate Week

The Great British Baking Show is providing the biscuits... but Katie and Jake are flying without Kimberly this week and they are bringing ALL the tea! Ok, maybe not ALL the tea, but some past secret professional cookie experience that may come in handy when looking at this week's bakes. There are some strong emotions in the tent surrounding complicated biscuit mosaics and a tiny technical that is deceptively difficult. There are also strong emotions in the podcast as one particularly annoying American gets a little too intense about lack of cream of tartar in the "American style Cookie" signature challenge. You will just have to listen to find out her thoughts...THEIR thoughts...dang it. On Your Mark... Get Set.... A DATE WITH THE BAKE!

A DATE WITH THE BAKE is back! Kimberly, Katie and Jake are fanning their cupcakes and fangirling over the 12 new bakers (and Nigella Lawson!) in the tent. In this episode its back to basics with cake week and these bakers aren't going to miss a chance to stand out from the pack! And with a showstopper that is all about them, which self portrait confection will leave the judges wanting to know more? And please stay tuned to the end of the episode for the totally blind picking of the teams! On Your Mark...Get Set... A DATE WITH THE BAKE!

The Great British bakers of Series 11 have switched off their ovens, wiped down their work stations and hung up their aprons as the tempered chocolate sets on another season. Matty walks away the unlikely champion and forgets a very important proposal in all the excitement! Its been a season full of (ooooh) controversial decisions from Paul and Prue, but also comedic gold with the fabulous Alison Hammond joining Noel as the co-Hostess cupcake with the mostest!  As for Kimberly, Katie and Jake: after all the lardy cakes are rightly tossed into the bin forever and the dusting sugar has settled… they just happy for their teams and wish them all well deserved success moving forward in their confectionary journeys! Tiers and Cheers to another great season  and on your mark… GET SET…A DATE WITH THE BAAAAAAAAAKE!

Only four distinguished bakers enter the Bake-Off tent this week to participate in the persnickety Patisserie themed SEMI-FINAL! Jake and Katie have two bakers on their respective teams and Kimberly has left the chat this week to protest. (Just kidding! She will be back for the Final). And while some bakers are able to display their immense pastry skills to their full effect, a few are a little rough and ready when it comes to the fiddly fancies. And the final insult occurs as EVERYONE’s favorite baker is given the Paul Hollywood desert boot out of the tent. Mistakes were made, a travesty has occurred and we are expecting outrage from the British public and the American anglophiles who enjoy this delightful franchise. So get your tissues ready and ON YOUR MARK…GET SET…A DATE WITH THE BAKE!

In the final weeks, bakers in the Great British Baking Show tent are tasked with a new set of bakes that fail to leave most in a “Party” mood. Especially when one of the challenges is Paul Hollywood’s all time, absolute, hands down, undisputed, most FAVORITE treat of all time. Oh, and of course, like McDonalds he has made “millions” of the savory snack. Meanwhile, Kimberly has lost another member of her team, Katie is concerned with the trajectory of her remaining bakers and Jake appears to have been destined to win since the lucky mixing bowl created team Bake and Destroy. But, it can all turnovers in the upcoming semi-finals so temper that excitement for now and On Your Mark…Get Set…A DATE WITH THE BAKE!

The teams are really thinning out in the Bake Off tent. But a thin consistency is not a bad thing as the name of the game this week is syrups, caramels and air light meringues. Dessert Week always presents certain challenges for the bakers and for Kimberly, Katie and Jake as well who are forced to watch a favorite baker make their untimely exit. Prue and Paul’s judging appears to be at odds with K,K & J and it’s tough to gauge who exactly will be emerging from this competition clutching the cake plate of glory. So get those stodgy pudds down ‘ya and ON YOUR MARK…GET SET…A DATE WITH THE BAKE!

It’s a Date with the Bake 2 for 1 special! Double the episodes means double the star bakers, but TRIPLE the bakers making their sad exit from the yummiest tent in England. Pastry Week is a classic and a must for showing the bakers’ skills with a flakey crust. However, the Great British Baking Show has a long history of choosing more problematic themes for the bakes of the week. And Botanical Week may not feel controversial, but it certainly evoked a reaction from Kimberly, Katie and Jake. Most of whom agree that this theme can leaf and never come back again. This double stacked episode means you have enough time to chill a floating island or proof a big cob loaf, so get those tins greased and ON YOUR MARK… GET SET… A DATE WITH THE BAKE!

It’s chocolate as far as the eye can see in the Bake Off tent! Some peoples ultimate dream, but for our bakers the finicky sweet can be a huge problem. Striving for the right consistency, taste, shine – it’s enough to melt a few nerves! Jake has to watch one of his bakers truffles off the the sick bay for some of the challenges. And while the teams remain unchanged for this week… the bittersweet aftertaste is fast approaching as TWO bakers will bid adieu next week! It’s gonna be a cocoa finish so On your mark… Get set…. A DATE WITH THE BAKE!

Bread dread, anyone? While Kimberly, Katie and Jake are loafing around, the ten remaining bakers are sweating their dough balls off in the Bake Off tent during the much anticipated BREAD WEEK! And as if they kneaded more stress, starchy Paul Hollywood is ever watching over these bakes in particular. And while most bakers are able to Prueve themselves as carb connoisseurs, there are a few who fall to the bottom of the basket. A beloved favorite forager is in trouble and Katie and Jake are in sour(dough) spirits about it. But another tent favorite is consistently rising to the top! Enough with the Plait-itudes … on your mark… get set… A DATE WITH THE BAKE!  

Week two in the Bake Off tent and the eleven bakers are out to prove who is the smartest of smart cookies! Kimberly, Jake and Katie root on their teams in the biscuit showdown. And while one early favorite is the custard creme of the crop, there is another favorite who crumbles under the pressure of Paul Hollywood’s icing, or rather, icey stare. Who will be getting the cookie cut? Put away that piping bag and find out with A DATE WITH THE BAKE!