The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
Two of our bakers are missing! Rebs and Abdul are ill but the show must go on.
You can watch The Great British Bake Off 2022 on Channel 4
Signature - 2 Sharing sized Pizzas (2 hours)
I have mixed feelings about choosing pizza as a Signature challenge. On the one hand it seems too basic and on the other Bake Off needs to stay relevant for the wider audience. Pizza is mainly defined by its topping so I don’t rate this as a bread challenge. It’s really about flavour combinations. The majority of viewers rarely bake but maybe this will inspire them to try.
Paul’s tip, in case you missed it, was that pizza dough is slightly wetter than normal (bread dough).
Both judges are looking for good strong flavours but not too many fillings. Pineapple is acceptable, apparently. I can hear my Italian neighbours screaming. I wonder if they’re watching this. They might just be screaming. They’re Italian.
The first slap down goes to James, who is using 14% spelt flour. I’m assuming he means spelt with 14% protein, which is very high but similar to strong white (wheat) flour. Paul doesn’t seem to think it’s a good idea.
This year we are again treated to a slightly different kneading technique. Last year you might remember Jurgen slapping the dough on the table very noisily. Four of this years bakers are using a yoga method to push the dough diagonally. It makes a change from cat kneading.
On to another top tip – you can use a shower cap to cover the bowl when the dough is rising. I’m pretty sure Nigella told us that a couple of years ago but it’s still a good idea.
The flavour combos are, erm, unconventional.
“Who ordered the Sambal & stinky bean?”
“…and the Full English Pizza?”
Carole is pushing the boundaries this week .. with her west country bumpkin routine. She’s making a cheese and cheese pizza (Gruyere and Rebluchon)
And in case you’re not already in love with Sandro, his pizzas are shaped like love-hearts.
Hmm, looks like they’re rolling the dough out on polenta. Ooh, next top tip – you can remove the excess oil by dabbing with some paper towel. (me: “why?”)
Hmm, I guess from that huge cloud which blew out of the oven that someone found a steam assist setting … but why would you use that with pizza?
The judging is as peculiar as the pizzas.
“Good base on it (Syabira), crispy”
“Your dough (Kevin) looks a bit dead”
Technical - Pain au raisin (2 hours 45 minutes)
TBH I thought this was an overnight recipe so I’m surprised at the time limit. I guess I have something to learn here.
“Should you activate the yeast or chill it?” Well, given the time limit the answer is a bit obvious.
Maxy demonstrates another different kneading technique, which I think of as Italian because it’s a pasta kneading method. You pin down the edge of the dough with one hand and stretch it out with the other.
Sandro shows off his muscles
“The butter is torn under the pastry”. This is a very familiar problem for anyone who makes puff pastry. It’s a sign that the butter is too cold.
What do we want? “Lamination for the nation”
Crème Pât – is what normal people call custard! Dawn’s advice is to “treat it with absolute contempt”, which Kevin does… to his cost. His very thin custard weeps out during the bake.
I’m impressed with how these turned out, despite the variation in size. I might give this a go. Let’s have a look at the recipe…
Show-stopper - Smörgåstårta (4 hours 30 minutes)
Smorgestorte/smargertarte/smorgers-daughter/smaller tortoise
I tried to make notes while I was watching but genuinely it didn’t grab me. So here is what I wrote:
This is just a big sandwich made to look like a cake.
“Using an ancient wheat that my son grows” – Oh p-lease!
Coriander – yuck!
Fish and chip butty
Syabira has some interesting flavours and keeps the Malaysian theme. Its a lot more appealing than people contriving something new
Milk bread. Didn’t we have that last year?
The learning opportunity is with making mayo. It’s surprisingly easy to do.
“You need the fats of the oil to emulsify with the fats of the egg yolks” – erm no, actually. You need lecithin in the egg yolk to emulsify with the oil.
Oh! Maxy has built a compost heap!
Have you noticed how friendly Sandro and Janusz are with each other? “Lets do this babe” – “This hand has been ‘specially moisturised”
Siyabira has created a nasty lemon smaller tortoise and thrown dice on top.
Round Up
Not one of my favourite episodes, although I am tempted to try pain-aux-raisins. Star baker was not a surprise, and nor was the decision about the baker to leave the tent. Once again we’ve seen Sandro, Janusz and Syabira up at the top and Kevin, Carole and James near the bottom. I love Syabira’s authentic Malaysian flavours, assuming that’s what they are. I’m increasingly irritated by James’ laugh.
Spoilers below...
Janusz picked up a second star, which already puts him in the running to be a finalist. In Series 9, Episode 3 Terry was ill and nobody left the tent that week. So, it wasn’t a surprise that nobody left this week. S9E04 saw 2 bakers evicted so we can expect a double elimination next week.
