From Batter Week to Pastry Week on The Great British Bake Off

For the very first time, Batter Week was the theme of last week’s episode of the hugely popular TV contest ‘The Great British Bake Off’.

In the show, which aired last Wednesday (September 14) on BBC1 at 8pm, co-judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood set three challenges to test the nine remaining bakers on some store cupboard classics.

The signature challenge was a British favourite: a uniform bake across the batch and a savoury filling. The technical challenge required a steady hand to master its intricacies, and finally there was a show-stopper where the ovens were off and the fryers were out, as the bakers were challenged to do their versions of a Spanish classic.

In episode five (of 11) this Wednesday (September 21), the eight remaining bakers of series seven face Pastry Week, with three challenges to test them on three very different types of pastry.

The signature challenge is a breakfast Danish. In the technical challenge, Mary gives the contestants limited time and instructions to bake a classic British tart.

Finally there is a bite-size showstopper, described as ‘a fine pastry which notoriously difficult to make and even trickier to bake’.

Plus, co-presenter Mel Giedroyc takes a shift at a London Turkish bakery making baklava, and discovers the history of this dessert, that hails from the palaces of Sultans.

L-r: co-presenter Sue Perkins, co-judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, co-presenter Mel Giedroyc