Iconic Moments of The Great British Bake-Off
Oh, The Great British Bake-Off
It is safe to say that after the insane twists and turns of this year, we were utterly thrilled by the return of our favourite baking show! The Great British Bake Off brought with it the utterly wholesome combination of; twelve new contestants, some brilliant bakes, and some even better mishaps! Season 11 is set to conclude tonight with the final three bakers battling it out for that coveted top title.
What better way to end the series than to look back on some of our favourite bake-off moments across the seasons!
Bin-gate!
We may as well start with the most obvious (and possibly most iconic) moment in Bake-Off history. When contestant Diana accidentally removed Iain’s ice-cream from the freezer, Iain’s creation and his hopes were dashed (err… melted!). The flair of dramatically tipping the melted mess into the bin really was the icing on the cake of this iconic moment!
Custard-gate!
Exhilarating though bin-gate was, it is vital that we also remember its predecessor; custard-gate! Oh yes, in season 4 contestant Deborah accidentally removed the wrong custard from the fridge and used her fellow baker’s creation instead. By the time the mistake was realised Deborah had already used the stolen ingredient in her trifle leaving Howard to make do with a combination of leftovers and Kate’s original attempt.
Squashed by Sue!
This was not the end of Howard’s misfortunes either! Presenters Mel and Sue were known for their consoling comfort and witty words of wisdom. Unfortunately, Sue’s chatter distracted her from her actions and she accidentally squashed Howard’s hopes and his muffins when she leant her elbow directly into his technical bake!
Mel’s mix-up!
It’s only fair to give Mel her share of the moments too! While discussing a bake, Mel sprayed some liquid in her mouth believing it to be Nancy’s special ingredient, masala. Unfortunately, for the curious presenter, Mel was left grimacing when she received a mouthful of olive oil instead!
Adieu dough!
Some avid bake-off fans may recognise the older seasons by the dark green carpet of the tent. Season three contestant Cathryn will best remember the green carpet for its unfortunate clash with her dough! While attempting to copy the example set by Paul Hollywood regarding how to expertly knead dough, Cathryn’s overzealous attempts sent her strudel soaring! The dough was quickly retrieved from the floor but unfortunately the ingredients now included the rather unappealing elements of fluff and emerald carpet.
A roaring success!
There are an abundance of iconic Bake-Off moments involving disasters and mishaps but there are also plenty of successful celebrations. One of these is Pauls’ infamous Lion. This formidable structure representing the king of the jungle was created entirely out of a variety of breads. I am not typically the kind of delicate individual who believes things look “too good to eat” but even I had to make an exception for Paul’s lion bread!
Sugar and spice and all things … salty!
In fairness mixing up the sugar and salt is an understandable and forgivable mistake. Unless you are in the Bake-Off tent that is! It was a bitter start to the series for season 3 contestant John when he made this grave error between his ingredients in his very first technical challenge. Thankfully, this turned out to be only a minor blip for John and he ultimately won the season.
Fondant failure!
The look of a disappointed Mary Berry is surely one that Enwezor must still have nightmares about! Biscuit week in season 5 required the contestants to create a 3D scene out of biscuits. High hopes and structures were brought back to earth when Enwezor admitted to using shop-bought fondant to create his rocket. This confession tipped the scales against him and he was eliminated that same week.
Celebrity Bake Off!
While there are a multitude of wholesome moments of joy in the original GBBO, a spoonful of the celebrity version is the perfect medicine for a dull day. Think collapsing cakes (and youtubers!) combined with the comedic (and catastrophic!) creations of celebs. From a Christmas special involving the cast of Derry Girls to Alison Hammond and Alan Carr, this is the perfect pick-me-up! Even better, it is all for a good cause too!