The Great British Bake-Off returns tonight TOMORROW on Channel 4 at 8pm.

This can mean only one thing.

Frilly Keane has got her ‘pinny’ on.

Frilly writes:

8pm Tomorrow we’ll be tuning inta the tent to try and suss out 12 new bakers  . Hardly a spoiler but you can expect the same gender break-out as before; 6 boys 6 girls competing and watching their ovens, 1 male judge, 1 female judge, 1 female presenter and Noel Fielding.

I’m hardly alone in noticing the lead up this year has been very quiet and steady, but I suppose that was to be expected since Bake Off in now in its second term with Channel 4 and any anxiety or doubts were all settled, and sugar dusted last season, and the only fluctuation with presenters and judges to fret about might be Noel’s latest girth; I suspect he enjoyed the filming a bit too much.

But shur’ that could happen to the best ov’us.

Any noise out there ahead of this season tended to circulate around the bakers, and there being some chatter about the producers going old school with a number of this year’s shortlist not having any Social Media profile ahead of entering the tent tonight; this was a criticism in previously with Selasi and his already established insta carryon being a particular target of the soggy bottom conspiracy tins.

Not for me since I don’t follow him, and he was one of my favourite bakers in the tent. OK he was never going to be a winner, but he was great telly; and he is the one baker I’d love to see back in the mixer with Sandi and Noel.

Something also for this season that is Social Media related, the personal accounts have been handed over to the producers’ PR people to run for the duration so they can ‘leakproof’ the tent; although I don’t believe that could ever be possible.

One thing that did stand out, to me anyway, in the ramp-ups over August is that the producers were particularly emphatic about the rules; no baker must have a formal confectionary qualification or training awarded within the last 10 years.

And no baker can have earned most of their income from baking. That tells me that they must have taken a bitta’ve stick over Steven and personally I’m glad they did, because this is all about what we can do from our own kitchens.

That last bit it worth mentioning as there are a few contestants you’ll meet tonight who are stay-at-homes; and in equal quota split, one boy one girl.

One thing I’ll comment on as a Bake-Offender since season 1, the cloning from season 2 onwards has been immaculate; Signatures, Technicals and Showstoppers remain untouched, and the old reliables are still there, Cake week, Biscuit week, Bread week etc. While the unimpeachable

Judging has persisted; it remains all about the bake, save for the odd week of dissent with the Hollywood, but shur’ that’s what we’re here for.

So as with every other season, the benchmarks remain intact. Bread Week is the marquee event and the [Paul] Hollywood handshake will still be the central tent pole.

In the meantime here’s some handy tips for some of us, and lingo translators for the rest ah’ ye.

Before I go and set the timer on the telly; a Tyrone girl, not Shayna, will be among, the bakers tomorrow, and watch out for the fussy ‘tash.

Your time starts now; BAKE!

Frilly Keane can be followed on Twitter: @frillykeane

Pic: Channel4

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35 thoughts on “And We’re Bake”

    1. Janet, I ate my avatar

      anyone who bakes with cups as a measure needs more help than this show could provide

          2. millie st murderlark

            I’m mad for the aul homemade granola these days. I’ve yet to come across a shop bought one that isn’t sickeningly sweet.

          4. millie st murderlark

            Not with some dried cranberries and raisins, some fresh berries and a nice drop of yogurt.

            It’s probably my favourite breakfast.

          6. Lilly

            You’re wading into Domestic Godess territory there Millie! It sounds good though. No doubt there’s roasting oats and drizzling honey involved.

          7. millie st murderlark

            I know. I sound like an awful twat.

            I’m not exactly a drizzling and faffing kind of lady. I’m more of a lash the porridge into a bowl with some seeds and nuts with some maple syrup and the like, bake for 45 mins and hope for the best. Usually to mixed results.

            This week’s batch is only middling.

          8. Hans Zeuthof

            The key to good homemade granola is your oven temperature. Your ingredients and maple syrup are fine. Just keep the oven at 150. Granola goes in for 25 minutes. Take it out for a bit of a stir. Back in for 15 minutes. Keeping it low at 150 will give you a perfect granola. Trust me!
            (Now back to my perfect granola!)

  7. Starina

    numbers ranging between one and nine should be written out; numbers from 10 and above can be written numerically.

    2. millie st murderlark

      Depends on the filling really.

      Crème pat, jam, chocolate ganache, a nice bavarois, lemon curd – or go wild and have lime curd – maybe even a coulis…

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