The Great British Bake Off, Season 10 Episode 1: My Thoughts

I haven’t posted in a while, have I? Now I’ve graduated, I’m free to Tweet and Instagram to my hearts content. Other than reading, writing, job hunting and preparing for a girl’s holiday, I want to spend the time I have before I become an “actual adult” (I.e a human with a full time job) going back to what I love, including blogging.

What better way to return to blogging by starting my blogs on The Great British Bake Off 2019?

People who know me, or know this blog, will know that the return of the competitive baking show is one of the highlights of my year. I can bake, blog and bore you all with my thoughts.

Last night, the tenth series kicked off and it was full of fun, fruit and the fab thirteen.

DISCLAIMER: SPOILERS FOR THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF, SERIES TEN EPISODE ONE, AHEAD!

The bakers

(I got Jamie in the annual Bake Off sweep with my friends and, honestly, seeing him on screen for the first time I am actually rooting for him).

Unlike last year, I didn’t do the usual browsing every single bit of information I could find about the contestants so- for the first time- I went into watching completely blind.

The line-up got a lot of stick but, on first impression, I like them. Helena seems really spooky and cool, Henry was really fun and (of course) Jamie is great, too.

I also loved Michael and, despite the fact I know I can bake, realistically I think I would be just like him in the tent. Frantic, apologetic and cutting most of my fingers off.

The challenges

The tenth series began with Cake Week, and the Signature Challenge. In this challenge, the bakers were tasked with making fruitcake. There was a fat less fruitcake, a Welsh fruit cake and an Easter inspired cake amongst others.

Already, one of the bakes snapped under pressure, one of the bakers nearly removed all of his fingers and all of the bakers made fruitcake (for me) less boring.

The next challenge was, as the name suggests, pretty technical. The bakers were asked to make angel slices, something which I’m accustomed to coming in a pink covered packet in packs of two (anyone else?), and they proved difficult. Some were badly textured, others messy and a few had too few layers. Jamie came in last place, Steph in third, Rosie second and Henry was first.

The final challenge, the Showstopper, saw the bakers craft their dream birthday cake. There were lots of fairies, a few snakes and a bookish birthday cake on offer. I screamed at Phil’s rocket cake (because, well, it looked very dodgy) and I loved the sweet shop Alice created.

Cakes were crumbly, too rough or too sweet. Honestly, they were much better than your standard birthday cake from the shops.

The result

When it came to the nail biting reveal, Michelle became the first baker to win Star Baker- which meant there was the inevitable adorable (and teary) phone call home.

I was on the edge of my seat for the next reveal as, apart from last year, I haven’t been lucky in the Bake Off sweep. By the skin of his teeth, fellow twin baker Jamie managed to stay another day, meaning Dan and any hope I could make a bun pun was over.

I’m not really sure who’s standing out. It’s early days and the bakers rise (hah.) to the challenge as the weeks go on. Next week, it’s Biscuit Week. Who will fall short(bread) of the prize? Who will go from rags to Rich (Teas)?

Find out next week and stay tuned for my thoughts.