12 Oven Fresh Bakers

I can't really cook with any expertise... I certainly can't bake with any finesse. I'm fat and diabetic, so I'm not really supposed to eat cakes, pies etc...so why oh why do I love 'The Great British Bake Off' so much? Well I am quite partial to the odd reality show ('Strictly Come Dancing'...'Big Brother'... 'The Great British Sewing Bee') to name three. Hey, now that I think about it, I can't dance or sew either, and my only brother is my little brother!

Let's look at the facts. Mary Berry is adorable, Paul Hollywood is gorgeous, Mel and Sue are hilarious and baking is something we all think we could do if we put our minds to it.

Episode 1 began with Swiss Rolls and it still amazes me how something they have been able to practice can go so spectacularly wrong. Case in point...Iain, who decided he should score lines in his swiss roll cake in order to get a better roll. D'oh...Had he tried this at home, he would have discovered, as happened in the tent, his swiss roll became a swiss box!

Iain

Nancy was crowned as the first star baker and Claire became the first contestant to leave the competition, after a disaster with her showstopper cakes, bless her.

Nancy

Claire

I heard later that Claire was abused on social media for being overweight. Seriously, do people have nothing better to do? The Bake Off has had contestants in all shapes and sizes including Mary-Anne who was considerably bigger than Claire, and I don't remember hearing the same story about her. I hope that's because it didn't happen and I wish it hadn't happened to Claire who, when she appeared on 'An Extra Slice' was a gorgeous, hilarious young woman whose enthusiasm for life and baking should not be dampened by these pathetic dickheads.

Mary-Anne

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WEEK 2   'Biscwits'

Yes....I know I've spelled biscuits wrong! I did it on purpose, in the style of Vinnie, the Fox's Biscuits Panda.

We're down to 11 bakers and biscuit week started with the task of making 36 crackers for cheese, fortunately there were no major disasters and we moved on to the technical challenge...florentine biscuits. Er... ok then. What the heck is a ....? Turns out to be avery tasty looking fruity thing with chocolate slathered over one side. This weeks show stopper (3D scenes) provided us with some spectacular looking creations.

Kate's 'Tea Time'

Luis' 'George v The Dragon'

Jordan's 'Monster Attack'

Chetna's 'Day On The Beach'

Richard's 'Pirates'

Richard's confection contributed to his crowning as this weeks Star Baker with Mary citing it as "Melt in the mouth" and Paul calling it "Genius".

Richard

Enwezor marked his own card by having soft biscuits and shop bought fondant and soon became the second baker to be evicted from the bake off tent.

Enwezor's 'Space Adventure Moon Scene'

Enwezor

Next week.......... Bread!

                                                                                           Tracey