Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 8 Episode 5, which features a school pudding signature, a molten chocolate pudding technical challenge, and a trifle terrine showstopper. The custard for Kate’s “Mr Darcy's Steamy Lake Scene' Steamed School Pudding is “embarrassing,” Julia is baffled by British puddings, and Yan reveals her modus operandi: “if you’re going to serve a cake, send it phallic.” andrea’s first bajillion attempts at trifle terrine fail miserably, but they prevail. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 8 Episode 4, which features a millionaire’s shortbread signature, a stroopwafel technical challenge, and a sugarwork-y caramel cake showstopper. Liam makes a Tetris-themed salted caramel peanut butter millionaire’s shortbread, somehow no one in the tent has gotten stoned and eaten stroopwafels in the Netherlands, and Yan bakes an entire jungle around a river of caramel. andrea goes their own way with a mystery bake this week. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 8 Episode 3, which features a teacake (the bread roll-ish kind!) signature, a cottage loaf technical challenge, and a multicoloured bread sculpture showstopper. Tempting the bread gods, Flo says she is unworried about this week. Not everyone fingers their cottage loaves properly, and Julia creates a very evocative-looking snail. andrea attempts the showstopper, baking a bunch of beets. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 8 Episode 2, which features a sandwich cookie signature, a fortune cookie technical challenge, and a biscuit board game showstopper. Chris puts chia seeds in his cookies, Sophie’s lemoncino and yuzu biscuits win over the judges, and andrea and Kim need to figure out how to set aside their biases against overly gimmicky showstoppers. andrea bakes a cardamom icebox cookie sandwich with strawberry rhubarb ginger jam using produce from their allotment—sorry, garden. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 8 Episode 1, Cake Week, which features new hosts and a new judge. The bakers tackle a fresh fruit challenge, a chocolate mini roll technical challenge, and an illusion cake showstopper. James makes a raw rhubarb mud cake, Peter puts five teaspoons of baking powder into his cake (!!) and Yan’s illusion cake applies science to make an amazing ramen bowl. andrea bakes two strawberry cakes, one modern and one traditional, to visually serve up to Kim. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
To take a break before watching season 8 of Great British Bake Off, Kim and andrea recap a show they did not expect to enjoy as much as they did — Is It Cake? Season 1, Episode 2, “Phony Fashion.” The bakers get eight hours to bake a hyper-realistic shoe, clutch, and bucket hat. Too much fondant features. Kim eats Samyang fire chicken ramen because andrea cannot. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea—and Emily!—recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 10, the Finale, which features a viennoiserie signature, a set of mini classic British bakes technical challenge, and a pièce montée showstopper. Nancy and Richard somehow both end up making windmills for their pièce montée, and a show favourite chooses the worst possible timing to have an off weekend. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 9, Pâtisserie, which features a baklava signature, a Schichttorte technical challenge, and an entremet showstopper. Richard makes mouth-watering baklava, Luis’s Schichttorte hits the spot, and Mary calls Chetna’s entremets “bulbous.” andrea attempts something they never thought they’d try: gluten-free phyllo dough. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 8, Advanced Dough, which features an enriched fruit loaf signature, a Povitica technical challenge, and a doughnut showstopper. Luis makes a black forest cherry tree with brandy-soaked sugar cubes, Chetna gets a leg up in the technical challenge, and neither Kim nor andrea can pronounce “maraschino cherries.” andrea attempts Boston cream doughnuts! Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 6, which features a yeasted cake signature, a Prinsesstårta technical challenge, and a Dobos torte showstopper. Kate likes the constructive criticism she receives on her Babka-influenced yeasted cake, Nancy’s cake looks like a themed holiday party from the ’70s, and Chetna gets inventive with caramel and grapes. andrea uses their brand-new bundt pan to bake a boozy Paul Hollywood orange savarin. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 5, which features a custard pie signature, a poached pear technical challenge, and self-supported three-tier pie showstopper. Richard’s pear looks like it accidentally lost its bandage dress after a night of hard partying, Martha cries about her pie, and Nancy’s custard design looks like a collab with a Brazilian street artist. andrea attempts a mango curd tart made purrfect with cat head-shaped fruit pieces. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 3, which features a self-saucing pudding signature, a tiramisu technical challenge, and a baked Alaska showstopper. In what is perhaps Bake Off’s most infamous episode… many normal things happen, including Martha nailing the technical challenge. But it’s also the season’s hottest day in the tent, and some meltdowns occur. andrea attempts Richard’s tiramisu baked Alaska — including both coffee and Kahlua, it’s the perfect dessert for children!* *It is not the the perfect dessert for children. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 3, which features a rye bread roll signature, a ciabatta technical challenge, and a filled loaf showstopper. Jordan’s cheesecake brioche turns to mush, Chetna’s onion and pine nut buns are delicious but flat, and Martha’s filled loaf opens to reveal a smelly fondue à l’Epoisses. andrea bakes a relatively successful caramelized onion, chard and gruyere stromboli, and a bonus pizza stromboli that gets a little too excitable in the oven. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 2, which features a savoury biscuit signature, a florentine technical challenge, and a 3D biscuit scene showstopper. Norman’s wife will need to eat her words (and Norman’s biscuits), Enwezor stamps out his Florentines (gasp!), and Kate has a clever technique for her tea time scene. andrea gluten-frees a spoof of Lesley Stowe’s Raincoast Crisps. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 5 Episode 1, which features 12 oven-fresh bakers tackling a swiss roll signature, a classic cherry cake technical challenge, and a showstopper featuring 36 miniature British cakes. Ian’s swiss roll scoring technique falls flat, Jordan’s cherries disappear, and Martha makes some gorgeous lemon and thyme drizzle cakes with mascarpone cream. andrea attempts Nancy’s swiss roll and needs to make a last-minute substitution after a minor disaster. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
To take a break between watching seasons 4 and 5 of Great British Bake Off, Kim and andrea recap what is perhaps the opposite of GBBO — Nailed It, Season 6 Episode 2, “Paranormal Pastries.” Jack McBrayer (of 30 Rock fame) guest stars, and… appears to not know how to crack an egg. Things go downhill from there! Kim taste-tests milkshake IPAs and sour beers for andrea, who can't drink them because they contain gluten, and Kim and andrea steadfastly do not dream of tasting anything baked or decorated on Nailed It. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea—and Danielle!—recap Great British Bake Off Series 4 Episode 10, the Finale, which features a picnic pie signature, a pretzel technical challenge, and three-tiered wedding cake showstopper. Kimberley’s meaty picnic pie falls apart, Ruby feels like she’s on the verge of a baking abyss, and Frances makes a Midsummer Night’s Dream Wedding Cake to rival Stanley Tucci’s Puck. Find Danielle on Twitter or Instagram as @DanielleMohlman, or on DanielleMohlman.com! Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 4 Episode 8, alternative ingredients week, which features a wheat-free loaf signature, a hazelnut dacquoise technical challenge, and a dairy-free vegetable cake showstopper. Francis nukes some chocolate and Ruby’s technical looks better than Mary Berry’s. The judges are super harsh this week! andrea first bakes a free-form Nutella brioche, then bakes a slow-roasted tomato and kale pesto brioche in a nine-inch cake pan, to test out a theory. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 4 Episode 7, pastry week, which features a suet pudding signature, a religieuses technical challenge, and a puff pastry canapé showstopper. Glenn’s reverse puff pastry doesn’t go over well, Kimberley brings a whole plant to the showstopper, and Christine helpfully describes Eccles cakes as “fly pies.” andrea tries for a punny bake: Arnold Palmiers, palmier cookies with lemon-tea filling. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!
Kim and andrea recap Great British Bake Off Series 4 Episode 6, sweet dough week, which features a tea loaf signature, an apricot couronne technical challenge, and a European buns showstopper. Beca makes Bara Brith, Ruby makes some delicious-looking saffron buns while being roasted for her self-talk, Howard’s gorgeous peach buns are sadly lacking in flavour. andrea tries their hand at the technical but runs into some yeast-related troubles. Follow us on Twitter at @roughpuffs! Find us on Instagram @theroughpuffs!