The Great British Bake Off, episode 3, review: Food porn at its finest despite a soggy bottom and raw dough

The bread-making skills of the Bake Off hopefuls were put to the ultimate test

Neela Debnath
Thursday 21 August 2014 10:48 BST
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'The Great British Bake Off' showcases food at its most sumptuous
'The Great British Bake Off' showcases food at its most sumptuous

Ah, we’ve arrived at bread week, Paul Hollywood’s specialty, and one of the hardest of the baked goods to get right - as we were repeatedly told.

From a soggy bottom, several instances of raw dough and some gaps, everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong – apart from burnt bread, it would seem.

The bun challenge left most of the contestants bemoaning the evils of rye dough, while the technical test of making Paul Hollywood’s ciabatta recipe felled pretty much everyone apart from Kate, whose patience paid off.

It was Kate’s week as she emerged as the new frontrunner in the competition. Having impressed the judges though, she stumbled at the final hurdle with an uncooked prosciutto, olive and coriander roll. Yum.

Jordan's cheesecake was described as a nice idea but failed in its execution

It’s still going to take a lot to beat Luis though, who continues to wow with his unique creations and impress Mary and Paul’s discerning palates. Even if his Roscón de Reyes did have a bit of a gap, it looked regal to say the least.

Meanwhile we sat on our sofas, quietly mocking the efforts of Jordon, fondly referred to as “Captain Chaos”, and his maverick offering of strawberry and raspberry cheesecake brioche. But the truth was that it didn’t look half bad. In amongst all the savoury pinwheels and tear and shares, a little sweetness didn’t go amiss.

Luis' Spanish Roscón de Reyes

Sadly it was nice idea but the proof was in the pudding – or rather brioche – when it turned out to still be raw in the middle and led to his elimination. At least Captain Chaos tried something new which couldn’t be said for Norman.

The jovial Scot who confessed to being “no Heston Blumenthal” and described pesto as “exotic”, seems to be a possible contender for the chop. He’s played it safe thus far both with flavour and aesthetic flair but it will only take him so far.

Each instalment of Bake off just gets better and better. Cakes, scones, rolls and buns all served up to us in crystal clear HD, to the point where you can practically see the steam rising off a freshly baked loaf, it’s a clear winner.

Forget about the baking revolution, The Great British Bake Off has managed to excite us into a baking-watching frenzy. All hail Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood for their quirky names, and long may this food porn fest continue.

Next week is desserts – let the salivation begin.

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