The Great Irish Bake Off (2013) s01e06 Episode Script
Episode 6
Welcome back to Clonabreany House.
It's a summer's day, and I'm freezing.
We have six bakers remaining.
And one or more of the bakers will be going home.
For this week's challenges, they will have to create flaky, puffy treats.
'Last week's challenges were all about chocolate.
The bakers faced a signature challenge.
'Aoife tasted success.
' 'But for Jarek, the baking was over.
Six now remain.
And this week, they will take on something that many professionals take years to master, pastry.
Or, as the French like to call it, patisserie.
Patisserie for me is amazingly difficult.
Even at this stage in my career.
Every day is a challenge when you are working with patisserie.
No! On choosing the right people for the final.
Oh, could I cock up any more?! 'It is week six in the search to find Ireland's best amateur baker.
Followed by a showstopper bake.
They may be amateurs, but professional standards are expected.
' So, I'm concerned going into the technical challenge today.
I think this week's technical challenge will be quite tricky and it is something I have struggled with in the past.
Bread and normal cakes are my thing rather than fancy stuff.
My worst nightmare would probably be something very intricate.
Something like mille-feuille, where you have to stack up the layers.
Hello, bakers.
Paul, do you want to tell us about this challenge? One of my favourite challenges so far.
This pastry can take a long time, you are going to need every second.
On your marks 'The bakers have identical ingredients and the same recipe.
' Mille-feuille for me, even at this point in my career, still scares me a little bit.
'Meaning "1,000 layers", mille-feuille can be made with rough puff pastry, So it's one solid one.
We're not cutting one.
It's one big one.
Challenging in every element.
From the rough puff pastry to the pastry cream, to the royal icing on top, to the feathering, to the toasting of almonds.
It is endless.
And it's going to be very important for the bakers as well, not to put too much pastry cream.
But definitely put enough.
The fruit is in the right place.
It's beautiful.
It's gorgeous.
Great flavours.
What I'm going to be looking for with this challenge The almonds have to coat the side of it.
And the way the almonds stick on is simple.
You get any excess of pastry cream and then stick your almonds on the side.
And you want to see the contrasts for that all-important rough puff pastry dough.
' There is no way it's supposed to be that wet, is it? That's very wet.
I find that the pressure in the tent is getting more and more intense.
And I am kind of the person I think I'm going to start again.
Now, 240 mls of water 'Once the dough has come together, it's then rolled into a rectangle and folded like an envelope, What happens when you put your puff pastry into the oven? The heat melts the butter inside each layer creating gases, and ultimately getting beautiful, flaky, airy pastry.
But I have made the Dutch version.
It's called tompouce.
Basically, puff pastry, pastry cream, 'For the creme patisserie pastry cream with some almost boiling milk and vanilla.
It is vital they whisk continuously to thicken the mixture and to prevent scrambling.
' Is there anything about this recipe that you are worried about? That is what I was going to say.
But you know what, after the three-mouse, and crumble, and biscuits, and cookies, and whatever else we were at last week, this is actually quite straightforward in comparison.
OK.
Good.
'At the family home in Kildare, Mainly from her mother.
I'd hate if it was something quite technical with loads of parts.
You might not necessarily have the time.
It has curdled.
Mine has curdled on me already.
Oh, no! I hadn't even had it that high.
Yeah, you really want this to get thick, but it is going to take so long to do it because there is such a high quantity of liquid in it.
It should be OK.
OK.
I say that every single time, and every single time, after, I'm just, like, 'Dammit.
Why did I say it was going to be OK?' Please thicken! Yes, please thicken.
I just I don't know.
The pastry cream is taking so long to set.
This is beginning to look better now.
Is yours ready? Yeah.
'The final step of the pastry cream is adding butter for consistency and flavour.
' That is gorgeous.
'Oonagh is passionate about music.
Her instrument of choice is the cello, but she also likes to hit all of the right notes with her baking and I'm about to attempt royal icing for the first time ever.
Now, you see How many eggs did I use here? 'Egg whites are now slowly added to the icing sugar, but the bakers must be very careful.
If the mixture is too thick, it won't spread.
Too thin, and it will slide off the cake.
' I have done royal icing for like a gingerbread house.
Because this mother of four bakes every single day.
Either for her hungry family, or her eager friends and neighbours.
' Was yours as gloopy is this? Yeah.
Bakers, you have one hour to go! One hour remaining.
'Once the pastry has been turned for the third and last time, it is then rolled out, docked with a fork, divided into three layers, and placed into the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
' Do you think you have enough time? There is less than an hour to go.
Well, I just need to throw the pastry in, and then once that cooks, it is just assembly.
OK.
So I can pipe it at that stage.
That was almost too hot to touch a minute ago.
Cold! The pastry is in the oven.
The royal icing is made, I think.
I have no idea about royal icing, but I think that's made.
I'm going to look and see how I'm going to finish it off.
They are aiming to be a star baker.
It's looking OK.
So that I can cool it before I decorate it.
Jesus, it rose up a lot, hasn't it? You get it? In the middle, it's going to just go boof.
There's nothing worse than uneven nuts.
'To the classic mille-feuille, Paul has added an unconventional twist.
Toasted almonds to the side of the cake.
' I have never seen a mille-feuille with almonds.
Any of us have a clue what he's looking for there.
Just on the edges, maybe.
I really don't know.
I was thinking of maybe putting the almonds.
How do you stick almonds to something like that though? I don't know why you're asking me.
I don't have a Scooby Doo.
How are we going to get almonds on the side? Cover it with paste? Where this week's technical challenge is to make a mille-feuille.
They are going to find the pastry difficult if they haven't practised.
I don't think that's the most difficult part.
If the pastry is still quite hot, it will be difficult to get the icing to stick to it.
How am I going to stack these? They will be massive.
There is not much finesse involved here, I have to say.
I am just trying to make a ridge all around so then I can fill it with the rest of the royal icing.
That's the plan.
But they must ensure that the cream is the right consistency to hold it all together.
' Oh, mine is pure liquid.
That's so disappointing.
It is important that they have just enough, and not too much.
By piping parallel lines of coffee icing I have never done this before.
Obviously.
(LAUGHS) Bakers, you have one minute to go.
'Now, the final touch, placing those toasted almonds on the side of the cake.
' Ah, look! It's completely running off.
(SIGHS) Bakers, time is up.
Shite.
The three hours went by like about five minutes.
But I think that technical challenge has just flattened that idea.
But hopefully they like what I have made today.
Wow! It's tall.
It is tall.
It is a little uneven, It is a bit light in colour.
The nuts are toasted.
I think it just spoils them to put them around the edge.
If you are going to do that, they would want to be very evenly spaced.
It actually looks pretty good.
The bottom two layers are a little bit undercooked.
Yeah.
Not quite enough of the pastry cream there either.
The pastry is undercooked.
Yeah, it is.
It definitely is.
Pity.
This one looks more together, doesn't it? The lines are very nice on that.
This is a very good attempt.
But again, very scarce on the pastry cream.
Again, the bottom layer and the middle one, slightly undercooked.
It is.
Just not enough pastry cream in there.
This one is quite wobbly.
It looks a lot more before you even bite into it.
You could have layered it up more thicker and made it more moist-y, more delicious looking, I think.
It is deceiving, but the pastry is not cooked.
A lovely flavour off that.
Fantastic.
But the pastry let it down.
Yeah, the three layers this time.
This one looks a bit messy.
The icing must have been very runny and thin.
Oh, yeah, for sure.
There is no distinct lines.
It is a mishmash.
You can see the pastry through it.
The pastry is not cooked again.
All the way through.
And it is just lacking pastry cream.
The pastry cream is lovely.
But it is not cooked pastry.
This looks good.
The lines are clear and very distinct.
A nice shape inside, though, isn't it? It has got enough pastry cream.
It's good.
Creamy.
Oh, what a shame.
It is beautiful pastry cream.
That is a shame.
Last one.
Looks like pillows.
Oh.
But the middle and the top one, perfect.
There is no pastry cream in there.
It is missing from that side completely.
Definitely too sweet for me.
But if it's too sweet for Paul, it's too sweet.
That was almost perfect with the pastry.
Almost.
And the top is nice.
Yeah.
Just the bottom layer.
'Without any idea which baker goes with which cake, Hello, bakers.
This is the tough part.
Whose was this one? Barbara.
Aoife.
Yep.
From the outside walking in, your mille-feuille looks fine.
It looks like a great effort.
You're in fifth place.
Thanks.
Who baked this one? 'With Stephen taking fourth place, Will is in third, But most importantly, your pastry is cooked.
A fraction more time in some cases would have made the difference.
But it has come down to the wire on this one, and today's number one is this one.
I am so surprised after that.
I was convinced I'd be number six.
It is the lowest I have come in the technical challenges.
You have to just go into the showstopper and give it your all and just hope it all works out OK.
Given the last few disasters I have had.
It has given me a little bit of a confidence boost and everyone will start from scratch again.
'Day two.
To get to next week's semi-final, in the next part of the patisserie challenge.
' It is a bit of a challenge, but I am hoping I know it is quite a big one to take on board, Yeah, I have been putting a lot of practice into this one.
That is the main goal for today.
Bakers, just when you thought the French language was safe from being mangled by me, along comes the showstopper challenge.
Which literally means a "crunch in the mouth".
Bakers, you have four hours for the showstopper challenge.
Bake! (DROPS PANS) And crash.
'Croquembouche is made from filled choux pastry buns carefully stacked into a cone shape, It is a bake that strikes fear into the hearts I have had some of my worst ever experiences as a pastry chef with a croquembouche.
And some of my best ever experiences.
It incorporates so many difficult challenges.
Interesting decoration, interesting flavours, I think all of us are feeling very nervous about the showstopper challenge today.
It is a big ask in four hours.
The bakers melt butter, sugar, and salt in lots of water, which will later release steam in the oven, I am putting Grand Marnier creme with a bit of cream into my actual choux buns or profiteroles.
Because they are citrusy and they contrast each other, You won't be going away locked from here.
'In the shape of a windmill, where his Dutch father began his baking career 48 years ago.
' Are your wheels going to turn your sails? A little motorised engine.
If I had eight hours, maybe! We'll blow, we'll blow.
No, don't, please.
I don't want it to fall over.
Until it cooks out.
' This is where my arm is going to start to fall off.
'Once the paste has cooled, the bakers add the required amount of eggs, It is supposed to drop reluctantly from the spoon.
It should be a nice clean drop rather than too runny.
'A typical croquembouche requires more than 60 buns, so the bakers will have to prepare several batches.
' Um 100, maybe.
I have made the first batch and they are in.
How many batches will you make altogether? Will be filled with an Amaretto creme patisserie, I am dipping some of my profiteroles into pistachios it is roughly about that height.
Hmm So, I'm just going to see how many I get and then aim for whatever I can.
I'm just trying not to think about yesterday really.
I did not come in the bottom two.
I came fourth, that unless you place first or second, it is really close.
It is going OK so far.
But accidents happen.
And chaos happens.
Never say never.
When I was practising this, 'Oonagh is completely stepping away from the classic shape and making a croquembouche surprise.
Filled with saffron and lemoncello flavoured profiteroles, But her first batch of choux buns failed to rise properly.
' What happened to them? I think I probably got scared of putting into much egg.
So, you're going to start again? Yeah.
You didn't open the oven door in the early stages? No.
I haven't practised the whole thing together.
I have practised the profiteroles and the creme patisserie together.
But I haven't put it all together yet, so it'll be a first.
Just It's a disaster.
I've actually given up on measuring things now because when I've measured them, they haven't worked.
And that's not right.
That's really wrong.
OK.
I need some more ingredients.
There will be a chocolate disc, That's brave.
And then another disc, free formed, another disc Um Probably about that high.
Wow.
Barbara hopes to build a strong structure.
In your head, is it? No, I did it once only, and it worked, You know when you have an idea in your head, Hopefully it'll work today.
It is so important that you build it well.
In between stacking them.
The base is the most important bit.
Hopefully I will just get off to a good start and it will work its way from there.
Oh, sh It's all right.
I have enough.
I'm OK.
What did you do? It didn't all fall out.
Ah, I'm just gonna My things will be out in two minutes.
If they are toasted enough for Mr Kelly, we will wait and see.
'Like Stephen, Marianne has gone for a classic croquembouche, with the nougatine base held together by caramel.
This is a mixture of fondant and glucose syrup.
It forms the basis of the nougatine base.
And then I'm going to add the toasted almonds.
Cos obviously this gets really hot.
To get it to stay upright.
They look great.
They do, yeah? They look great.
Thank you, Maryanne.
Actually, I think a bit of adrenaline is a good idea for something like this.
I am making some honeycomb.
All of my profiteroles will be dipped in crushed honeycomb.
Aoife is making a beehive-themed croquembouche, and adorned with little fondant bumblebees.
' Is it going to be beehive shaped? I will see.
It is quite difficult.
I will try and do the dome.
I am excited by that.
It should be good.
You're never sure if you're going to be in or out.
They just seemed to be multiplying.
Whew! It has got to be the holes, more or less.
You have done it before? I had sponge sugar all over the floor.
I imagine this tortured baker at home in the kitchen, It is 35 or 36 degrees.
It is supposed to come down to about 28.
And then be brought back up again.
'Having tempered chocolate by heating it up and cooling it down twice, Oonagh hopes her chocolate box will impress.
But all the elements are still there.
It has got the profiteroles, it has got the creme patisserie, the crack in the mouth.
I'm getting on OK despite the setback.
This looks incredible.
Thanks.
It's not even made yet.
That's a good sign.
And then I'm just using that to let it set, It is not something an amateur baker would really make.
It is just the combining of everything, and to build the tower is going to be a really big challenge.
I forgot to put on a second batch of profiteroles in all the panic of making three different loads of them.
So, I only have a half-full box, (SIGHS) and this week is all about patisserie.
And their ambitious showstopper challenge is a croquembouche.
' Oh, look at the little bees! They are so cute.
'With just 20 minutes left, the bakers know that presentation is paramount.
Time to build their structures One choux bun at a time.
' I think I would find that quite challenging, just to make sure that the structure.
And that every bun that I stick in place stays in the place I have put it.
'While most of the bakers are building by freehand, It is very important to have a support so you get a nice even structure.
Because you are building it, and if something does go wrong, and you built on top of it.
Then you don't know until you take the cone off.
I think it is less of a risk building it that way.
'It is a highly delicate bake, but Oonagh has taken an additional risk by reinventing her croquembouche in a tempered chocolate box.
' Oh, it's melting so quickly! Oh, for heaven's sake! Need a hand? And falling apart.
And it is a disaster.
It is just appalling.
Nearly there.
(CRACK) Oh, no! OK Deep breaths.
This is ridiculous.
Bakers, you have 10 minutes remaining.
There is just 10 minutes to go.
And it's just so messed up now.
It's just ridiculous.
It's completely going sideways.
The discs are heavy.
Whoa! I've never done this before.
(INHALES) Oh! Bakers, time is up.
Stop baking.
It was just insane today and I am so glad that I actually got it all down and out.
It was a bit of a disaster.
I messed up.
I may have spent too much time on my bees.
But they were so cute and I think they really added to it at the end.
It seemed a bit odd that nothing went wrong, in the structure or something and it will collapse on me.
Talk to us about the structure and how you went about it.
I went about using a cone, which came out quite OK, So the structure is still inside? There is no denying it.
Did you try and take it out? I didn't, because just with the time, I felt that it would fall apart.
I mean, looking at it, it is what it is.
A croquembouche.
It has lovely shape.
But when you tell us the structure is inside, you can't but have a good structure.
Yeah.
You have done yourself a disservice by not removing the column.
On the other hand, you have some very nice amusing elements in the decorative part of it.
Very sweet.
Ah, that's beautiful.
(LAUGHS) His sweet tooth.
Well done.
Thank you.
I think it's so cute.
I really love that.
Let's have a look.
I love your idea.
Is I'm seeing a lot of caramel, heavy caramel.
This looks like you might need a Black and Decker of some sort.
Can you take the hat off? I suppose if you would go like that.
There you go.
Now, to point out, I'm doing that like that, and there is nothing coming with me.
OK.
I am going to scoop.
You will have to eat from the actual structure.
That is beautiful.
That is really nice.
You have not only done what looks really like a croquembouche, you've created a windmill, which is very creative.
I think this has the most wonderful Christmassy look about it.
It just immediately attracts my eye.
I like the idea, what you've tried here.
It is leaning.
Yes, I know.
It is leaning.
You see, it is quite I think that's the problem with chocolate.
Well, it will be well worth it.
It becomes almost like a glue.
I think the filling is lovely.
The flavour is fantastic.
The freeze-dried raspberries bring a sort of acid flavour, cutting across, it is beautiful.
And the pastry is lovely.
For me, you haven't disappointed me, because all along, you have been very creative with your presentation, I made one for each of you.
Well, that's like a That's a Crunchie bar for me.
It's got everything.
Beautiful.
It's very This has definitely put a smile on my face, I have got to say.
Oh, good.
This is what it's all about.
It is just exactly what it's supposed to be like.
And you did that freehand? Yes, freehand.
But you maybe should use a structure.
I can see daylight through it.
That is lovely.
And you've got everything here.
The classic design as well, Ah, that's gorgeous.
Great flavour.
Beautiful.
Oonagh How was it? It was difficult.
It's almost worked for you.
Very, very brave.
But it's not a croquembouche.
Yeah, you see Not for me.
What would have been lovely here would be if this was the base and then you had the croquembouche coming up here.
Yeah.
I'm not quite such a purist about the shape as Paul is.
And it is quite hard to separate them as well.
And they have all stuck together.
I like the flavour of the filling.
There is never a question.
Your flavours, 'For some, the mille-feuille and croquembouche proved a towering achievement.
For others, a tall order.
Now, Paul and Biddy must choose who goes through to the semifinal and who leaves the baking tent today.
' The mille-feuille.
Disappointed.
The abilities and the skill level really showed in the mille-feuille technical challenge, for me.
I think at this point in the competition, none of us are safe from elimination.
Then I'm in trouble, yeah.
Bakers, you were all pushed to the limit with the patisserie challenges this week, so well done to you all.
The judges feel, though, that the people at the top are very close, But the gap is growing between the top and the bottom.
So, unfortunately, two of you will be leaving us today.
We have found our star baker.
So, our star baker this week is .
.
Stephen.
(ALL CONGRATULATE HIM) .
.
Barbara.
That's grand.
I said it.
I knew I would.
It's fine.
It's fine.
And, unfortunately, the second person to leave us this week is .
.
Aoife.
I absolutely loved my time on the Bake Off.
I think it was the best experience.
I am so glad I did it.
I loved every moment of it.
We had so much fun.
That is the bit that I'll miss.
So, that is the part I will miss.
Yes, I am so happy for star baker.
I can't believe it.
But it will be really intense next week because the four people that are in it will really go for it.
It's amazing to be through to the semi-final.
Out of the bag for next week.
It is at top level now.
This is the part of the competition.
'Next week, the Great Irish Bake Off reaches the semi-final.
' I am feeling Willy Wonka.
Oh, no! I am going in.
This cake wouldn't have any appeal to me at all.
They really need to step up their game.
By Deluxe
It's a summer's day, and I'm freezing.
We have six bakers remaining.
And one or more of the bakers will be going home.
For this week's challenges, they will have to create flaky, puffy treats.
'Last week's challenges were all about chocolate.
The bakers faced a signature challenge.
'Aoife tasted success.
' 'But for Jarek, the baking was over.
Six now remain.
And this week, they will take on something that many professionals take years to master, pastry.
Or, as the French like to call it, patisserie.
Patisserie for me is amazingly difficult.
Even at this stage in my career.
Every day is a challenge when you are working with patisserie.
No! On choosing the right people for the final.
Oh, could I cock up any more?! 'It is week six in the search to find Ireland's best amateur baker.
Followed by a showstopper bake.
They may be amateurs, but professional standards are expected.
' So, I'm concerned going into the technical challenge today.
I think this week's technical challenge will be quite tricky and it is something I have struggled with in the past.
Bread and normal cakes are my thing rather than fancy stuff.
My worst nightmare would probably be something very intricate.
Something like mille-feuille, where you have to stack up the layers.
Hello, bakers.
Paul, do you want to tell us about this challenge? One of my favourite challenges so far.
This pastry can take a long time, you are going to need every second.
On your marks 'The bakers have identical ingredients and the same recipe.
' Mille-feuille for me, even at this point in my career, still scares me a little bit.
'Meaning "1,000 layers", mille-feuille can be made with rough puff pastry, So it's one solid one.
We're not cutting one.
It's one big one.
Challenging in every element.
From the rough puff pastry to the pastry cream, to the royal icing on top, to the feathering, to the toasting of almonds.
It is endless.
And it's going to be very important for the bakers as well, not to put too much pastry cream.
But definitely put enough.
The fruit is in the right place.
It's beautiful.
It's gorgeous.
Great flavours.
What I'm going to be looking for with this challenge The almonds have to coat the side of it.
And the way the almonds stick on is simple.
You get any excess of pastry cream and then stick your almonds on the side.
And you want to see the contrasts for that all-important rough puff pastry dough.
' There is no way it's supposed to be that wet, is it? That's very wet.
I find that the pressure in the tent is getting more and more intense.
And I am kind of the person I think I'm going to start again.
Now, 240 mls of water 'Once the dough has come together, it's then rolled into a rectangle and folded like an envelope, What happens when you put your puff pastry into the oven? The heat melts the butter inside each layer creating gases, and ultimately getting beautiful, flaky, airy pastry.
But I have made the Dutch version.
It's called tompouce.
Basically, puff pastry, pastry cream, 'For the creme patisserie pastry cream with some almost boiling milk and vanilla.
It is vital they whisk continuously to thicken the mixture and to prevent scrambling.
' Is there anything about this recipe that you are worried about? That is what I was going to say.
But you know what, after the three-mouse, and crumble, and biscuits, and cookies, and whatever else we were at last week, this is actually quite straightforward in comparison.
OK.
Good.
'At the family home in Kildare, Mainly from her mother.
I'd hate if it was something quite technical with loads of parts.
You might not necessarily have the time.
It has curdled.
Mine has curdled on me already.
Oh, no! I hadn't even had it that high.
Yeah, you really want this to get thick, but it is going to take so long to do it because there is such a high quantity of liquid in it.
It should be OK.
OK.
I say that every single time, and every single time, after, I'm just, like, 'Dammit.
Why did I say it was going to be OK?' Please thicken! Yes, please thicken.
I just I don't know.
The pastry cream is taking so long to set.
This is beginning to look better now.
Is yours ready? Yeah.
'The final step of the pastry cream is adding butter for consistency and flavour.
' That is gorgeous.
'Oonagh is passionate about music.
Her instrument of choice is the cello, but she also likes to hit all of the right notes with her baking and I'm about to attempt royal icing for the first time ever.
Now, you see How many eggs did I use here? 'Egg whites are now slowly added to the icing sugar, but the bakers must be very careful.
If the mixture is too thick, it won't spread.
Too thin, and it will slide off the cake.
' I have done royal icing for like a gingerbread house.
Because this mother of four bakes every single day.
Either for her hungry family, or her eager friends and neighbours.
' Was yours as gloopy is this? Yeah.
Bakers, you have one hour to go! One hour remaining.
'Once the pastry has been turned for the third and last time, it is then rolled out, docked with a fork, divided into three layers, and placed into the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
' Do you think you have enough time? There is less than an hour to go.
Well, I just need to throw the pastry in, and then once that cooks, it is just assembly.
OK.
So I can pipe it at that stage.
That was almost too hot to touch a minute ago.
Cold! The pastry is in the oven.
The royal icing is made, I think.
I have no idea about royal icing, but I think that's made.
I'm going to look and see how I'm going to finish it off.
They are aiming to be a star baker.
It's looking OK.
So that I can cool it before I decorate it.
Jesus, it rose up a lot, hasn't it? You get it? In the middle, it's going to just go boof.
There's nothing worse than uneven nuts.
'To the classic mille-feuille, Paul has added an unconventional twist.
Toasted almonds to the side of the cake.
' I have never seen a mille-feuille with almonds.
Any of us have a clue what he's looking for there.
Just on the edges, maybe.
I really don't know.
I was thinking of maybe putting the almonds.
How do you stick almonds to something like that though? I don't know why you're asking me.
I don't have a Scooby Doo.
How are we going to get almonds on the side? Cover it with paste? Where this week's technical challenge is to make a mille-feuille.
They are going to find the pastry difficult if they haven't practised.
I don't think that's the most difficult part.
If the pastry is still quite hot, it will be difficult to get the icing to stick to it.
How am I going to stack these? They will be massive.
There is not much finesse involved here, I have to say.
I am just trying to make a ridge all around so then I can fill it with the rest of the royal icing.
That's the plan.
But they must ensure that the cream is the right consistency to hold it all together.
' Oh, mine is pure liquid.
That's so disappointing.
It is important that they have just enough, and not too much.
By piping parallel lines of coffee icing I have never done this before.
Obviously.
(LAUGHS) Bakers, you have one minute to go.
'Now, the final touch, placing those toasted almonds on the side of the cake.
' Ah, look! It's completely running off.
(SIGHS) Bakers, time is up.
Shite.
The three hours went by like about five minutes.
But I think that technical challenge has just flattened that idea.
But hopefully they like what I have made today.
Wow! It's tall.
It is tall.
It is a little uneven, It is a bit light in colour.
The nuts are toasted.
I think it just spoils them to put them around the edge.
If you are going to do that, they would want to be very evenly spaced.
It actually looks pretty good.
The bottom two layers are a little bit undercooked.
Yeah.
Not quite enough of the pastry cream there either.
The pastry is undercooked.
Yeah, it is.
It definitely is.
Pity.
This one looks more together, doesn't it? The lines are very nice on that.
This is a very good attempt.
But again, very scarce on the pastry cream.
Again, the bottom layer and the middle one, slightly undercooked.
It is.
Just not enough pastry cream in there.
This one is quite wobbly.
It looks a lot more before you even bite into it.
You could have layered it up more thicker and made it more moist-y, more delicious looking, I think.
It is deceiving, but the pastry is not cooked.
A lovely flavour off that.
Fantastic.
But the pastry let it down.
Yeah, the three layers this time.
This one looks a bit messy.
The icing must have been very runny and thin.
Oh, yeah, for sure.
There is no distinct lines.
It is a mishmash.
You can see the pastry through it.
The pastry is not cooked again.
All the way through.
And it is just lacking pastry cream.
The pastry cream is lovely.
But it is not cooked pastry.
This looks good.
The lines are clear and very distinct.
A nice shape inside, though, isn't it? It has got enough pastry cream.
It's good.
Creamy.
Oh, what a shame.
It is beautiful pastry cream.
That is a shame.
Last one.
Looks like pillows.
Oh.
But the middle and the top one, perfect.
There is no pastry cream in there.
It is missing from that side completely.
Definitely too sweet for me.
But if it's too sweet for Paul, it's too sweet.
That was almost perfect with the pastry.
Almost.
And the top is nice.
Yeah.
Just the bottom layer.
'Without any idea which baker goes with which cake, Hello, bakers.
This is the tough part.
Whose was this one? Barbara.
Aoife.
Yep.
From the outside walking in, your mille-feuille looks fine.
It looks like a great effort.
You're in fifth place.
Thanks.
Who baked this one? 'With Stephen taking fourth place, Will is in third, But most importantly, your pastry is cooked.
A fraction more time in some cases would have made the difference.
But it has come down to the wire on this one, and today's number one is this one.
I am so surprised after that.
I was convinced I'd be number six.
It is the lowest I have come in the technical challenges.
You have to just go into the showstopper and give it your all and just hope it all works out OK.
Given the last few disasters I have had.
It has given me a little bit of a confidence boost and everyone will start from scratch again.
'Day two.
To get to next week's semi-final, in the next part of the patisserie challenge.
' It is a bit of a challenge, but I am hoping I know it is quite a big one to take on board, Yeah, I have been putting a lot of practice into this one.
That is the main goal for today.
Bakers, just when you thought the French language was safe from being mangled by me, along comes the showstopper challenge.
Which literally means a "crunch in the mouth".
Bakers, you have four hours for the showstopper challenge.
Bake! (DROPS PANS) And crash.
'Croquembouche is made from filled choux pastry buns carefully stacked into a cone shape, It is a bake that strikes fear into the hearts I have had some of my worst ever experiences as a pastry chef with a croquembouche.
And some of my best ever experiences.
It incorporates so many difficult challenges.
Interesting decoration, interesting flavours, I think all of us are feeling very nervous about the showstopper challenge today.
It is a big ask in four hours.
The bakers melt butter, sugar, and salt in lots of water, which will later release steam in the oven, I am putting Grand Marnier creme with a bit of cream into my actual choux buns or profiteroles.
Because they are citrusy and they contrast each other, You won't be going away locked from here.
'In the shape of a windmill, where his Dutch father began his baking career 48 years ago.
' Are your wheels going to turn your sails? A little motorised engine.
If I had eight hours, maybe! We'll blow, we'll blow.
No, don't, please.
I don't want it to fall over.
Until it cooks out.
' This is where my arm is going to start to fall off.
'Once the paste has cooled, the bakers add the required amount of eggs, It is supposed to drop reluctantly from the spoon.
It should be a nice clean drop rather than too runny.
'A typical croquembouche requires more than 60 buns, so the bakers will have to prepare several batches.
' Um 100, maybe.
I have made the first batch and they are in.
How many batches will you make altogether? Will be filled with an Amaretto creme patisserie, I am dipping some of my profiteroles into pistachios it is roughly about that height.
Hmm So, I'm just going to see how many I get and then aim for whatever I can.
I'm just trying not to think about yesterday really.
I did not come in the bottom two.
I came fourth, that unless you place first or second, it is really close.
It is going OK so far.
But accidents happen.
And chaos happens.
Never say never.
When I was practising this, 'Oonagh is completely stepping away from the classic shape and making a croquembouche surprise.
Filled with saffron and lemoncello flavoured profiteroles, But her first batch of choux buns failed to rise properly.
' What happened to them? I think I probably got scared of putting into much egg.
So, you're going to start again? Yeah.
You didn't open the oven door in the early stages? No.
I haven't practised the whole thing together.
I have practised the profiteroles and the creme patisserie together.
But I haven't put it all together yet, so it'll be a first.
Just It's a disaster.
I've actually given up on measuring things now because when I've measured them, they haven't worked.
And that's not right.
That's really wrong.
OK.
I need some more ingredients.
There will be a chocolate disc, That's brave.
And then another disc, free formed, another disc Um Probably about that high.
Wow.
Barbara hopes to build a strong structure.
In your head, is it? No, I did it once only, and it worked, You know when you have an idea in your head, Hopefully it'll work today.
It is so important that you build it well.
In between stacking them.
The base is the most important bit.
Hopefully I will just get off to a good start and it will work its way from there.
Oh, sh It's all right.
I have enough.
I'm OK.
What did you do? It didn't all fall out.
Ah, I'm just gonna My things will be out in two minutes.
If they are toasted enough for Mr Kelly, we will wait and see.
'Like Stephen, Marianne has gone for a classic croquembouche, with the nougatine base held together by caramel.
This is a mixture of fondant and glucose syrup.
It forms the basis of the nougatine base.
And then I'm going to add the toasted almonds.
Cos obviously this gets really hot.
To get it to stay upright.
They look great.
They do, yeah? They look great.
Thank you, Maryanne.
Actually, I think a bit of adrenaline is a good idea for something like this.
I am making some honeycomb.
All of my profiteroles will be dipped in crushed honeycomb.
Aoife is making a beehive-themed croquembouche, and adorned with little fondant bumblebees.
' Is it going to be beehive shaped? I will see.
It is quite difficult.
I will try and do the dome.
I am excited by that.
It should be good.
You're never sure if you're going to be in or out.
They just seemed to be multiplying.
Whew! It has got to be the holes, more or less.
You have done it before? I had sponge sugar all over the floor.
I imagine this tortured baker at home in the kitchen, It is 35 or 36 degrees.
It is supposed to come down to about 28.
And then be brought back up again.
'Having tempered chocolate by heating it up and cooling it down twice, Oonagh hopes her chocolate box will impress.
But all the elements are still there.
It has got the profiteroles, it has got the creme patisserie, the crack in the mouth.
I'm getting on OK despite the setback.
This looks incredible.
Thanks.
It's not even made yet.
That's a good sign.
And then I'm just using that to let it set, It is not something an amateur baker would really make.
It is just the combining of everything, and to build the tower is going to be a really big challenge.
I forgot to put on a second batch of profiteroles in all the panic of making three different loads of them.
So, I only have a half-full box, (SIGHS) and this week is all about patisserie.
And their ambitious showstopper challenge is a croquembouche.
' Oh, look at the little bees! They are so cute.
'With just 20 minutes left, the bakers know that presentation is paramount.
Time to build their structures One choux bun at a time.
' I think I would find that quite challenging, just to make sure that the structure.
And that every bun that I stick in place stays in the place I have put it.
'While most of the bakers are building by freehand, It is very important to have a support so you get a nice even structure.
Because you are building it, and if something does go wrong, and you built on top of it.
Then you don't know until you take the cone off.
I think it is less of a risk building it that way.
'It is a highly delicate bake, but Oonagh has taken an additional risk by reinventing her croquembouche in a tempered chocolate box.
' Oh, it's melting so quickly! Oh, for heaven's sake! Need a hand? And falling apart.
And it is a disaster.
It is just appalling.
Nearly there.
(CRACK) Oh, no! OK Deep breaths.
This is ridiculous.
Bakers, you have 10 minutes remaining.
There is just 10 minutes to go.
And it's just so messed up now.
It's just ridiculous.
It's completely going sideways.
The discs are heavy.
Whoa! I've never done this before.
(INHALES) Oh! Bakers, time is up.
Stop baking.
It was just insane today and I am so glad that I actually got it all down and out.
It was a bit of a disaster.
I messed up.
I may have spent too much time on my bees.
But they were so cute and I think they really added to it at the end.
It seemed a bit odd that nothing went wrong, in the structure or something and it will collapse on me.
Talk to us about the structure and how you went about it.
I went about using a cone, which came out quite OK, So the structure is still inside? There is no denying it.
Did you try and take it out? I didn't, because just with the time, I felt that it would fall apart.
I mean, looking at it, it is what it is.
A croquembouche.
It has lovely shape.
But when you tell us the structure is inside, you can't but have a good structure.
Yeah.
You have done yourself a disservice by not removing the column.
On the other hand, you have some very nice amusing elements in the decorative part of it.
Very sweet.
Ah, that's beautiful.
(LAUGHS) His sweet tooth.
Well done.
Thank you.
I think it's so cute.
I really love that.
Let's have a look.
I love your idea.
Is I'm seeing a lot of caramel, heavy caramel.
This looks like you might need a Black and Decker of some sort.
Can you take the hat off? I suppose if you would go like that.
There you go.
Now, to point out, I'm doing that like that, and there is nothing coming with me.
OK.
I am going to scoop.
You will have to eat from the actual structure.
That is beautiful.
That is really nice.
You have not only done what looks really like a croquembouche, you've created a windmill, which is very creative.
I think this has the most wonderful Christmassy look about it.
It just immediately attracts my eye.
I like the idea, what you've tried here.
It is leaning.
Yes, I know.
It is leaning.
You see, it is quite I think that's the problem with chocolate.
Well, it will be well worth it.
It becomes almost like a glue.
I think the filling is lovely.
The flavour is fantastic.
The freeze-dried raspberries bring a sort of acid flavour, cutting across, it is beautiful.
And the pastry is lovely.
For me, you haven't disappointed me, because all along, you have been very creative with your presentation, I made one for each of you.
Well, that's like a That's a Crunchie bar for me.
It's got everything.
Beautiful.
It's very This has definitely put a smile on my face, I have got to say.
Oh, good.
This is what it's all about.
It is just exactly what it's supposed to be like.
And you did that freehand? Yes, freehand.
But you maybe should use a structure.
I can see daylight through it.
That is lovely.
And you've got everything here.
The classic design as well, Ah, that's gorgeous.
Great flavour.
Beautiful.
Oonagh How was it? It was difficult.
It's almost worked for you.
Very, very brave.
But it's not a croquembouche.
Yeah, you see Not for me.
What would have been lovely here would be if this was the base and then you had the croquembouche coming up here.
Yeah.
I'm not quite such a purist about the shape as Paul is.
And it is quite hard to separate them as well.
And they have all stuck together.
I like the flavour of the filling.
There is never a question.
Your flavours, 'For some, the mille-feuille and croquembouche proved a towering achievement.
For others, a tall order.
Now, Paul and Biddy must choose who goes through to the semifinal and who leaves the baking tent today.
' The mille-feuille.
Disappointed.
The abilities and the skill level really showed in the mille-feuille technical challenge, for me.
I think at this point in the competition, none of us are safe from elimination.
Then I'm in trouble, yeah.
Bakers, you were all pushed to the limit with the patisserie challenges this week, so well done to you all.
The judges feel, though, that the people at the top are very close, But the gap is growing between the top and the bottom.
So, unfortunately, two of you will be leaving us today.
We have found our star baker.
So, our star baker this week is .
.
Stephen.
(ALL CONGRATULATE HIM) .
.
Barbara.
That's grand.
I said it.
I knew I would.
It's fine.
It's fine.
And, unfortunately, the second person to leave us this week is .
.
Aoife.
I absolutely loved my time on the Bake Off.
I think it was the best experience.
I am so glad I did it.
I loved every moment of it.
We had so much fun.
That is the bit that I'll miss.
So, that is the part I will miss.
Yes, I am so happy for star baker.
I can't believe it.
But it will be really intense next week because the four people that are in it will really go for it.
It's amazing to be through to the semi-final.
Out of the bag for next week.
It is at top level now.
This is the part of the competition.
'Next week, the Great Irish Bake Off reaches the semi-final.
' I am feeling Willy Wonka.
Oh, no! I am going in.
This cake wouldn't have any appeal to me at all.
They really need to step up their game.
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