Bake Off 2017 winner Sophie Faldo flanked by Prue Leith (left) and Paul Hollywood
The Great British Bake Off final took place on Channel 4 last night.
Frilly Keane writes:
Of all the episodes to have a giant Ah FFS ahead of it.
While I was fortunate to un-folly all Bake-Off updates and news after oven-door gate I managed to keep meself ignorant of Prue Leith’s yeah-right accidental spoiler.
So when the GBBO’17 winner was announced I was still hoping for Kate. Yet when t’was Sophie that got the engraved Cake Stand my immediate response was that it was a boring decision by Paul and Prue. There was a distinct fed-up’ness about it.
They went with Steady as She went, rather than the plucky last burst from the outsider, and explained themselves off by saying Sophie wasn’t as experienced as the other two and had achieved so much over the 10 weeks.
But it was just too plain and easy a decision for me. Maybe if we’d known her fella was Irish I might be more exited. Or may t’was just the Honey in her Showstopper. I curdle on the mention of the stuff.
There there was Steven, who was nowhere near that finish line so maybe the Hollywood just wasn’t arsed giving it too much attention in the end. Christ he was over and back to that freezer like they were cooling rods he was checking in case of a meltdown.
Either way, I’m more interested in the Final Show and how Bake Off got on overall following its move to C4 rather than the winner.
The 1st Final back then in 2010 required a Full Tea Party that had the bakers produce everything from bread to fancies, slices, sangwiches and of course presentation, so it was a solid and thorough all-round test to separate those very first Finalists, but all three from Signature to Showstopper in the last night’s final, was collectively the best full two-day finalist trials of any Bake-Off season we’ve had.
The Mini-Loaves in the Signature were genius, and Kate well won that round. Her Curry Buns get a fancy name of Chala Breads but the skill level is set to Easy. How could you not try and give’em a lash and get Jaggery with it?
And Stephen’s Fancy Knot ones, are totally up my street because they have Cinnamon, but I definitely would need full diagrams and plenty goes to get that knot thing right; so it’s no surprise that that the skill level par is Challenging. But fair dues to him they did look the business.
The Technical was all about Confectioners Craft. It was brilliant to watch and fair play to all three. If only Kate had’a finished them all … She pretty much forfeited that round to the other two. Fine icing and finishing is a skill that I never got a chance to get any handle on. But maybe when I collect my 6-figure pension and since I‘ll still be young enough …. Ha! I’m as likely to start appearing in Porno flicks.
That Showstopper, an Entremet, was just the best final showdown for all us home-bakers, simply because we can all try one out at home ourselves, regardless of skill level and to our own recipes and tastes; you might even include all the family and guests in the different layers and finishes.
Merange, Sponge, Moouse, Jelly, Ganache Bavarois – which could easily translate as shop bought sponges, Eaton Mess, Instant Whip, jelly and custard. Seriously tho’, it could well go on and be my Christmas Day afters centrepiece using some Christmassy bakes already done anyway. (Probably not this year but definitely next year if I’m still about.)
My final thoughts go to the Season overall and its move to Channel 4. OK last night’s final didn’t reach the BBC’s 15 million the year Nadiya wiped them all out.
But two things that must be considered along with that value. Prue’s big trap, and the spread of streaming and Netflix/ Amazon etc onto the Domestic Television viewing landscapes and all our front rooms.
But give Channel 4 their due, their Great Big Gamble paid off. The only thing that really changed was the line-up, the format remained intact and didn’t even suffer from the ad-breaks. We really did get our full 60 minutes each episode.
I can’t see them changing anything about the line up, but I would love to see guest judges in on some of the segments, particularly former Bake Off finalists.
Two final thoughts for the Final Final Frill-Bake:
My tip for future success is Bread Week Champion Julia Chernogorova And I’m going to miss those singing cakes.
Frilly Keane can be followed on Twitter @frillykeane
They do it every year. Some can be brilliant all the way through, then they’ll pick someone completely different just to be different
Sophie was the only choice in the end. She was consistently good throughout.
Yeah I know
I was just hoping for a bitta’ve a surprise
Sur she was barely any craic at all
Sophie was the right choice for me. Based solely on last night she was solid right through. Kate fupped up the cookies, Stephen fupped up the show stopper. Sophie went steady, steady, excellent. The marbling in her show stopper was a sight to behold.
Methinks there could be several successful careers coming out of this series..Julia, Sophie, Stephen, Kate.
Kudos to Noel and Sandi. They brought a lovely honesty of emotion to it. Noel reigned in his crazy to just the right amount.
Thanks frilly, for all your words over the last ten weeks. I’ll miss it. Good on ya.
Ah ya oul’ dote ya
I liked the one from last year.
Frilly, before I write anything else I just wanted to say thanks a mil for the great writeups you did each week! Takes effort and I for one appreciated it!
as for the GBBO. unfortunately for me I kinda lost interest in the program halfway thru, format & circumstances….Steven’s amateur? status….the way Liam got the boot (imho a finalist at minimum, clearly I think the most inventive & talented) left a sour taste & put the nail in it for me this time, it was an inexplicable and just plain not believable decision for me…I see there’s a good ole social media barney going on around that now and maybe for once there’s a bit of a point to it
I’m hoping for a bit of a format shakeup for next year otherwise it’s curtains I think
anyways thanks again!
No thanks needed Marto
Shur you were a big part of them
With your Recipes n’stuff
So really
I should be thanking you
If I had the ability to make my own danish pastry I’d have the belly of Buddha
Ah, Scottser, we share the same dream. Except I’d sorta love it if someone would make the Danish for me ;-)
Great
Thank fupp it’s over
Does this mean amateur hour on the user provided content is finished as well?
Use your scroll finger, buddy.
I usually use my middle finger andy
Woo hoo!!
Did you demote yourself Lord
Down to Warden like
The only way is up for your beleaguered prose stylings
Ah come on Lord
You can do better than that
Did ya get knock back recently
Hence the step down to Warden
“beleaguered prose stylings” . I suppose one could say you have a gift for incoherence, if one was feeling kind.
@ The warden
Hello Frilly you see unlike some, I know my own limits, so I volunteered for an alternative role.
You knowing your limits?
I’d doubt that meself
But shur give it a go anyway
I’m only having a bit of crack with you ( and having a bit of a go as well I’m mean like that) sure you’re well able for the likes of me by the looks of it
I have to say I got a bit emosh at the end when Stephen was so gracious in defeat.
Loved Noel. Liked Loudmouth Prue. Sandi was grand.
All in all, I enjoyed it, but would never have watched a full episode without the ability to FF through the boring bits.
Setting the iced gingerbread as a technical for a final was weird. Not much baking talent involved really.
Thanks, Frillzers.
Yeah but that Technical tested their broader Confectionery and Fine Piping skills
I said that didn’t I
Cake decorating is a show all in itself tbh
Fine pipe me hewp.
You’re in rambunctious form this eve.
You been dipping into the cooking sherry again?
Yerrah, the boldness is always bubbling under the surface, Mildred. Mostly contained but it’s in there, waiting for its chance.
I couldn’t give a monkeys
Not even a bikkie?
Delighted for ya. Anything else you don’t care about? I’d love to hear about it.
OH yeah plenty.
I’d bore the ears off ye if I got going.
The great British bake off huh. Was it for this?
Jesus is there anything else on the telly you’re watching Frilly- Mean?
Get a life love…. Honestly.
Get a life, love ….. honestly…
Nice job on the write ups Frilly. I looked forward to your summing up of it each week and have to say you hit nail on the head a fair bit. I know Warden up above there is wrong about your writing though. It’s come on really well, and were really enjoyable. A nice bit of lighthearted reading to take away from some of the more serious stuff here. And it was some feat getting them out so fast after the episodes aired.
Thanks for taking the time to write them up every week :)
Actually you’re absolutely right Mildred, I’m secretly in awe of Frilly the way she just keeps going at it in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds
Like me on the dating scene back in the day.
huh hate the fake modesty ;)
Not false, sadly. I can laugh at it now…
YOU fupping slow down. I’m not posting too fupping quickly. FUPP OFF.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAnd breathe.
just so you know, andy, i definitely would have given you the ride
probably twice
Thanks for the retrospective pity shags.
May I remind you andy that these are virtual pity shags, maybe you could have charged a few bitcoin?
“insurmountable odds”
Jesus you’re pretty fulla’ yerself
How n’ever
I’d give an’ting a go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmc8bQoL-J0
You’re my heroin(e)
Didn’t watch GBBO this year, thanks to geographical location.
But enjoyed your weekly write-ups Frilly, so thank-you.
Same.
No interest in the TV part if it, but Frilly’s bits were great. Nice one, Frillz
Well no they weren’t really but here I’ll tell you what I’ll join the incestuous circle jerk as well fair play to you Frilly you’re a diamond in the rough not an accident waiting to happen I always took you for, sure with online friends like these huh…
Now that’s the spirit!
Jesus Snort
that was a mouthful
All in one breath too
You must’a been gasping
Haven’t watched it yet but will get around to it tonight (once I get that stupid Stranger Things series out of the way). I thought they were harsh on Stephen for the last couple of weeks e.g. his chocolate basket melted due to the heat in the tent but Hollywood looked at him like he just took a sh1t in his pocket. But I’ll put my hands up and say Sophie is a deserved winner. Will I learn to bake anything from this? No. My kitchen skills are akin to that cartoon :
*Looking at spaghetti packet – Step 1 – Boil Water
Me : Boil water? What am I, a chemist?
Now that sort of programme I would like to watch, watching your grappling with the sugar spoon, or figuring out how to pour milk out of the carton, get my agent on the line