This year's Bake Off is over. We look at whether the right person won plus some top tips we picked up.
During this year’s Great British Bake Off, lovefood's Matt Brady was convinced that Richard was going to be the winner.
But despite setting a record for the number of Star Baker awards, receiving more than any other contestant on the show ever, he let himself down in the final technical challenge and was beaten to the title by Nancy.
The winner
We're a little disappointed that Richard didn’t win, as his bakes have been second to none most of the time, but there were a couple of weeks where he was right at the bottom of the pack and in danger of losing his spot in the tent. So we can understand the final decision as Nancy has delivered consistency all the time.
It must have been a difficult choice to make though – all three finalists proved themselves to be very talented.
What next
Past winners (and other contestants) have published books, started successful blogs and worked in commercial kitchens – time will tell if Nancy, Luis or Richard do the same, but it seems likely that at least one of them will.
After all, the level of skill this year was extremely high, so any of the above options would be keenly welcomed by amateur bakers across the country, who might even be dreaming of entering the competition next year.
Personally, I’d love the recipe for Nancy’s windmill.
Five things we learned from Bake Off
1. Keep your cool
Anyone who’s tried to whip up a batch of macarons will know that baking can be one of the most frustrating activities on the planet when it doesn’t go right.
The worst thing you can do is to lose your cool à la Iain during the infamous “bingate” episode. If one element of your bake goes wrong (whether it’s your fault or not), you can usually salvage the rest. Even if you can’t, unless you’re entering it into a competition, don't worry about its appearance and concentrate on flavour instead.
2. Patience is a virtue
Lots of baking is a waiting game. While it can be tempting to rush things like proving, as Kate proved in bread week with her focaccia, having the bravery to wait as long as possible can pay dividends in the end.
Baking is supposed to be a relaxing pastime, but if you’re constantly clock watching then it can soon turn into a stressful experience. If you can’t bear to leave the room while you’re waiting, take a book into the kitchen with you and catch up on your reading while you wait.
3. Keep it simple
In the kitchen it’s often when you try to overcomplicate things that you’ll become unstuck, as poor Norman found out when he tried chucking about pesto and lavender. Although his bakes hadn’t set the world alight before that, his simple creations always tasted good and had a certain charm. While it’s good to experiment sometimes, don’t be tempted to throw in random flavours for the sake of trying to be “exotic”.
4. Don’t admit to cheating
Alright, does anybody actually make filo pastry at home? Even the great Mary Berry admitted that she doesn’t normally bother, but that didn’t stop her giving Enwezor the evils during biscuit week when he brazenly admitted buying shop-bought fondant.
To be a true baking god, you should be meticulously making everything by hand, or at least hiding the evidence that you haven’t if you want to keep up appearances.
5. Be realistic
If it’s your first week in the kitchen, attempting the 20-layer Schichttorte from the semi-final is probably beyond your skillset and will no doubt lead to the same kind of meltdown that saw Iain come unstuck.
Instead, stick to simple bakes while you find your feet. Even when you’ve been baking for some time manage your expectations when it comes to what you can achieve. If you’ve only got a couple of hours, a realistic recreation of the Eiffel Tower probably isn’t going to be manageable.
Do you think the right person won? What was your favourite showstopper from the series? Have you learned anything? Tell us your thoughts in the Comments box below.
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