The Great Canadian Baking Show (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Cake Week - full transcript
In this the first week - cake week - the judges want to see what the contestants are all about in the three challenges issued. The signature challenge is to make twenty-four cupcakes, ...
Thousands of
Canadians applied,
but only 10 were
chosen for a spot
in the Great Canadian
Baking Tent.
When I saw the tent,
I just got a grin that hurts.
I cannot believe
that this is a thing
that's really happening.
I'm so excited to get
into the tent and start baking.
Over
the next 8 weeks,
they'll face challenge
after challenge.
I've had many
baking dreams lately.
Not all of them good.
Borderline nightmares.
Cookies,
cakes, breads, tarts,
and recipes that will
push them to the limit.
That doesn't
make any sense.
Oh my God,
what do I do?
I kind of
complicated things for myself.
But it's fine.
I'll get it done.
Their creations
will be judged by
the two renowned pastry chefs:
Bruno Feldeisen...
It's fudgy, moist...
That's very good.
...and
Rochelle Adonis.
Oh!
I think it's
a fantastic cake.
I would work on your
palette knife skills.
The judges are
incredibly intimidating.
They've probably tasted some of
the best baking in the world.
I can't just
throw sprinkles on it!
They're gonna know!
Two baking
enthusiasts will also be
along to help encourage.
Yours truly, Julia Chan...
Woo!
...and my
sweet friend, Dan Levy.
You've got such a
golden crust on this.
Thank you.
Each week, someone
will earn the title of "Star
Baker".
And someone will be asked to
leave.
Oh, God!
Ten amateur bakers,
one coveted title.
Today's my day.
Who will be
the first to win...
I just put
mine in the oven.
...The Great
Canadian Baking Show?
I like to, uh,
keep a well-ordered kitchen.
Clean, tidy;
everything in its place.
The historic EP Taylor
Estate in North Toronto
is home to the
Canadian Film Centre...
and the Great
Canadian Baking Tent.
Inside, the bakers are going
to face three challenges
over the next two days.
Hello, bakers,
and welcome to the first
ever season of The Great
Canadian Baking Show.
And our first
ever cake week.
Very exciting.
And now it's time to introduce
you to the two people
who will get to eat
your cake and judge it too:
Bruno Feldeisen
and Rochelle Adonis.
Welcome.
Hi.
So let's get started.
Your first signature
challenge is... cupcakes.
Uh-oh.
Bruno and Rochelle would
like you to make two dozen,
and like all
signature challenges,
they would like you
to use a recipe from home
that tells us something
about who you are.
You're going to
have two hours
to make Bruno and Rochelle
24 beautifully decorated
cupcakes in two delightfully
different flavours.
Do we get
to say the thing?
We get to say the thing.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
Where's
our tea towels?
Oh God,
we just started
and I've already
made a giant mess.
I'm going to
try and figure out
how to turn on this stove.
We found 10 of
Canada's best home bakers,
and I'm hoping today
they wow me.
First thing,
open some beer.
Cupcakes are gonna
tell us who these bakers are.
Let's give
yourself some space,
'cause that's when
you make mistakes.
And stop shaking
would be good.
I want to see
a lot of creativity.
Burst of flavours.
I prefer to
use real vanilla beans
whenever possible
when I'm baking.
The people I'm baking for
are worth it, you know?
There is nothing more
disappointing than a boring,
simple cupcake.
I'm now introducing
all of the dry ingredients
to each other.
You've gotta make
sure that, you know,
before you put it in,
everybody's met everybody else.
So the baking powder's
met all the flour,
and the salt's met all the--
everybody else.
Since retiring from
her career as an animator,
Jude has had more time
at her home in Victoria
to tackle her two loves,
gardening and baking.
She's hoping to make
a good first impression
with her Breakfast Banana Maple
and Saskatoon Berry cupcakes.
Whee!
I don't think anybody
ever measures vanilla.
Do they really?
Just "slop-slop."
Hi, Terri.
Hi.
Tell us
what you're making.
Um, I actually
am making, sort of,
my childhood favourite,
which is cotton candy.
And hopefully, uh, I might
even be able to make
some real cotton candy
to go on top is the plan.
That's not the only
sweet favourite Terri makes
for her family of five in
Sherwood Park, Alberta.
She's sticking
to family favourites
with her Cotton Candy and Carrot
Pineapple and Cinnamon cupcakes.
And you think
pineapple and cinnamon
goes well together?
I love it together.
I love caramelized pineapple,
but any time I caramelize it
I always give it
a sprinkle of cinnamon.
And, uh, what kind of
sugar are you gonna use
to caramelize the pineapple?
Um, I'm gonna use
just some granulated sugar
when I do it,
with some butter in a pan.
Just white?
Yeah.
Welcome to 20 Questions
with Bruno!
I know,
questioning everything!
It's great, yeah.
A basic cupcake
sponge starts with butter,
sugar, eggs, and flour,
but some bakers are adding
unconventional ingredients
to their batter.
Perfect.
I'm sort of a beer nerd.
You know, my biggest
pet peeve with cupcakes
is when the cake doesn't
taste like anything,
when you're just, like,
eating the icing.
But I want my cake
to taste like something,
so it's an interesting
experience.
It's not just, you know,
like...
Corey, a human
rights lawyer in Toronto,
took up baking three years ago
to relieve stress from his job.
His partner
Keith has approved
his Chocolate Beer
and Maple Whiskey Cupcakes.
Oh, look, someone
left some beer here.
That's nice.
Take the edge off?
Corey isn't
the only baker attempting
a boozy batter.
Hello, James.
Tell us what
you're making for us today.
So, this one that
I'm working on now is, uh,
Ginger Stout cupcake.
Nothing wrong with that!
Stout...
You're clearly from the UK?
I don't how
you could tell
from my perfect
Canadian accent.
A physics
professor in Richmond, BC,
James hopes his science
background helps him
master the bold flavours
in his Ginger Stout
and Apple Oatmeal cupcakes.
Ah, that's too much.
Too much, too much.
Batter everywhere.
Cupcake liners
must be properly filled
if bakers hope to achieve
a uniform size and shape.
Okay.
Oh my goodness.
Normally I use
an ice cream scoop,
but I don't have one
so I'm winging it.
At home in
High River, Alberta,
Linda makes lots of cakes
for her husband, kids,
and eight grandchildren!
Her Nanaimo Bar
and Lemon Cupcakes
are their favourite treats.
Ready to
go in the oven.
Just making sure I got
enough in each one of them.
Then I'm gonna pray just
a little bit 'cause I'm scared.
Okay.
Go and cook, my babies!
Completely
missed my cocoa powder.
It's okay.
It's all right.
All is not lost.
Okay, here we go.
How's it going?
No, how is it going?
Not good.
Not good?
Not good, why?
I had little
mistake on the first batch.
A little behind,
so I'm just trying to
make up for lost time.
When he's not baking
with his 6-year-old twins,
Julian works as
a contractor in Halifax.
Today he's
constructing Birch Cupcakes
with a candied bacon topping,
and Chocolate Cream
Liqueur cupcakes.
This is
definitely different
than stress on the work site.
On a scale of 1 to "Do
you want us to leave you alone?"
I'm thinking we're at a 10.
Ah, you're more
like 15 right now.
15!
45 minutes,
my friends!
Two dozen cupcakes
in 45 minutes.
One baker has
decided to do things
in a different order.
Actually I'm
making the ganache first,
so that they cool.
Right away after I'll
make the cupcakes itself.
Pierre
from Cantley, Quebec,
is a true renaissance man:
he's a baker,
a busy dentist,
and a retired musician.
He's baking
Dark Chocolate Raspberry
and Pistachio
White Chocolate cupcakes.
The cupcakes
is piece of cake.
I'm going to cook them
in 20 minutes.
Yeah, I'm
coming out of the oven.
I don't know where
they're going
but they're coming
out of the oven.
Oh, yeah.
See, that's what
happens when you work
with a different-sized muffin
tin and use the same recipe.
That's what icing is for;
to cover up all those mistakes.
That's perfect.
Yay!
Thank you, cake Gods.
That one
needs a bit more time.
Just like checking
the oil in your car,
if it comes out
really dirty like this,
it means they're
not baked yet.
You need more time.
Sinclair
is an optometrist
who lives in
London, Ontario,
with his wife
and two children.
He's aiming
for his Whiskey Cream
and Mojito cupcakes
to pack a little punch.
I'm doing
little flavour injectors,
so these are going
in my mojito cupcakes
so they'll give them
a real blast of mojito flavour.
The chocolate.
These are going
to start cooling off
and I can start icing them
as soon as I can.
Graphic designer
Sabrina is the youngest
baker in the tent.
She's been baking for
her big Montreal family
since she was a little girl.
And she's
hoping to do them proud
with her Tiramisu and
Cookies and Cream cupcakes.
You wanna try some?
Sure.
Is that a-- am I allowed?
I think so, go ahead.
Woo...
Some cookies and cream.
Woo!
A nice
pink rose colour to...
to compliment the
chocolate cupcakes.
Vandana!
Hello.
Tell us
what you're doing.
I'm making a Chocolate
Rose Flavoured cupcake.
The rose flavour...
The rose flavour!
...it's a bit tricky.
It is challenging.
It is, so you
know it's a...
it's a very difficult
flavour to master.
Yes.
Okay, I'll keep it subtle.
I'll keep it subtle.
Science Centre
director Vandana
grew up in Regina and
her Indian and Prairie roots
often inspire her baking.
For her
first challenge,
she's tackling a Chocolate
Cupcake with Rose Icing
and a Coconut
Key Lime Cupcake.
Steady hands.
We'll see how it goes.
Oh, I'm
panicking, and...
Don't panic.
I still have to
make cotton candy,
which I've never done, so...
That's okay.
I...
I can make cotton candy
with you.
Okay!
Well, I'm
piping the cream now.
Hi, Pierre.
Hey!
How's it going?
Well, my cream
separated, so, um...
Has it?
I wouldn't know.
Yeah, this one here.
This one turned into butter.
That's the white ganache.
Are we fixing that?
Or are we just...
Did we seem...
Gone.
Gone, moving on.
Yes.
Clean slate.
Bakers, we
have five minutes.
You're drooling.
I'm drooling.
It's embarrassing.
Oh my God,
what do I do?
We can do this, we can do this,
we can do it!
A salvage job here.
What are we
doing over here?
You're trimming the edges.
I trimmed the edges
on the ones that have
the sailboats because
they're just, like, sad.
Everything's
looking good.
Oh, thank you.
I have faith in you.
That's important.
All right.
Oh, cool, cool,
cool, cool...
Looks like
I'm doing pretty well.
Boom.
Stand up,
little bicycle.
This is your big moment.
They kind of
don't look too great.
There's nothing
I can do about it.
Oh!
All right,
bakers, time is up.
Step away from your bakes.
Congratulations!
Yes!
Gorgeous.
Uh, yeah, no, no.
And your cupcakes
are beautiful too.
The Bakers will now
have their creations judged
for the very first time.
That's a
beautiful presentation.
Thank you very much.
This
is your tiramisu.
Tiramisu.
The topping,
it's magnificent.
Overall, it's beautiful.
The
cookies & cream,
I can tell straight
away what it is.
It... it even
looks moist inside.
I like it.
Well done.
Rose and chocolate.
Well done on the ratio
of the rose to chocolate.
I really like the flavour.
Coconut lime...
A bit more key lime.
Yeah, I used
a little bit, but maybe I...
You should
have put a lot more.
Okay.
Thank you.
I clearly
can see that this is
a Nanaimo Bar cupcake.
The flavour is great.
Well done.
Beer, whiskey...
There is this uh, manly,
"Let's go on the
weekend somewhere
"and have a good time."
That's what I like about it.
That's
a hit of whiskey.
Mm-hm.
You could
light my breath!
Uh, toppings,
it's a bit of a miss.
One of the ganache
didn't hold properly
and it separated.
The only flavour
I have is sweetness, sugar.
Innovative
presentation.
I like that
they're in a glass.
The concept works.
The flavours need
to be amped up.
Okay, okay.
Those are stunning!
Thank you.
Oh, the top
is so soft.
It's a meringue.
Knowing that
you had some challenges
during the preparation...
I did.
I got to say, you know,
you really came back
and really impressed us
with those cupcakes.
Thank you.
I can see a story.
The sky, the water...
I can see that
your cupcakes are--
you've had to trim them.
I didn't get the flavour
of the maple syrup.
I think I forgot
the maple syrup.
I like the
very simple decoration.
It's got a lovely texture.
It's very good.
You're using fresh ginger.
You know what you're doing.
I love
your creativity.
I like what you did
with the cotton candy.
Thank you.
That's... lovely!
It does taste
like cotton candy.
You've taken me
right back to the circus
when I was a kid.
Well done.
You can be proud
of what you did.
Oh...
I'm happy, see?
I'm happy.
I don't make cupcakes.
I never make cupcakes.
I don't particularly
like cupcakes,
so I think,
all that considered,
I think I did okay,
actually.
What can we do, eh?
This is baking!
Hello, bakers.
Now, I'd like you to grab
your favourite baking spoon,
hold it tight
and brace yourselves
because this is your very
first technical challenge.
You will all be
baking the same thing,
using the same ingredients,
and you will all be
working off a recipe
you have never seen before.
Now, Bruno and Rochelle
will be judging this blind,
so no offence,
Bruno and Rochelle,
but you're no longer
welcome here.
She's right.
Um, but first,
any words of advice
for our wonderful bakers?
Read the
recipe carefully.
Semi-helpful.
Thank you so much!
Ciao.
Bye, guys.
Bye, judges.
Okay, bakers,
the judges would like
you to make
a Battenberg cake.
A what?
This British
classic of sponge,
jam, and marzipan is well-known
for its very distinct
checkerboard pattern.
Now, you will be making
a cherry and pistachio
Battenberg cake.
You have one hour,
45 minutes.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
Battenberg cake?
I'm Italian, so this is
really not in my...
in anything that I know.
I've eaten lots of
Battenberg cakes in my life,
never actually made one.
What...?
That doesn't make any sense.
The Battenberg
recipe the bakers are tackling
has been hand-picked
by Rochelle.
A Battenberg cake...
Why?
There's no
hiding mistakes here.
The ends of the
cake are exposed,
so straight away we're gonna
see the checkered pattern.
We've got beautiful symmetry.
You need precision.
It's so easy to cut.
You don't need to fight it.
It's so smooth.
The cake itself crumbles
very nicely in the mouth,
and I just love this
pistachio flavour.
And I
love the cherry.
It's gonna test
a lot of the bakers.
It's tricky.
No doubt about it.
I'm okay with
the Battenberg cake,
but I think I need two pans.
Only one baking pan
has been provided
for the two distinctly
flavoured sponges.
13, 14, 15.
Bakers have been
given all the necessary
ingredients, but key
details have been omitted
from Rochelle's recipe.
They're not
so much instructions
as, like, attempts
to confuse me.
They'll need to use
their skill and intuition
to fill in the blanks.
This is very French.
Yes.
It's a blanc.
It has to become
white and fluffy.
Battenberg cake's
like bit of geometry.
Everything's gotta be,
like, angular.
It's, like, it's engineering.
The recipe doesn't say
how much cherry extract to do,
so I'm really just
doing this by feel.
Smells like cherry.
Smells like cherry,
I think!
Now we're gonna
do the pistachio paste,
and it's sort of this
gross green colour,
but it actually
tastes really good.
I'm gonna smooth
it out a bit better,
but we're close.
We're close.
"Bake until done."
Ah-ha!
That's the tricky
thing, right?
They don't tell you
how long to bake it.
Be my friend.
Thank you.
I'm guessing
I'm gonna start
with like 15 minutes.
Put on 25,
we'll come back to you.
Now we just wait.
Wait until,
uh, the cake's...
Do you have
another skill?
Could you sing for us,
or... what?
I play guitar.
Do you have a guitar?
Yeah?
Yeah, sure.
Well, I know that
for next time.
Okay.
Now we get a guitar.
All right.
We have to do something
while we wait.
Bakers, you have
one hour remaining.
One hour remaining.
No.
That isn't done at all.
Hopefully I didn't wreck it.
Cook, cake, cook.
Cook, cake, cook.
Good.
Finally.
It's crucial that
the cakes have time to cool
before being assembled
and decorated.
I'm feeling
not too bad about this...
...she said, confidently.
So what are
we doing now?
Um, I'm just trying
to get some jam heated up.
Yes.
Um, this is one of
the fillings, I'm assuming.
Cherry jam
will act as an adhesive
to hold together the four
equal pieces of sponge.
Strain all
the solids out of this
so we get a nice, smooth jam.
Bakers, you
have 30 minutes.
You have 30 minutes to go,
and hopefully
between now and then
I'll think up a half
decent Battenberg pun.
You do know that
there's a second page, right?
No.
Okay, there we go.
Thanks,
you're the best.
There's that, okay?
You're the best.
I just tried my first
Battenberg cake weeks ago.
How are you with precision?
Oh...
Yes.
If I work at it and
that's what I'm doing...
I really don't know what
I'm doing with the assembly.
It wasn't the
physical baking...
I don't know how
to assemble this.
I'll make two green...
and two pink.
Awesome.
My pistachio cake
is a little under-cooked,
so I'm hoping I can
take enough of it off
that I can give them
only the good bits.
I wanna lose that bit...
I wanna lose that bit.
This might be a small
Battenberg cake.
Oh my gosh.
It's very, very, very fluffy.
Just the weight of the knife
is enough to crumble the cake.
What a
waste of cake, eh?
Look at all that.
Okay, we are gonna
clean you up,
and we are going
to jam you up now.
Sandwich the two pairs
of sponges together
like a checkerboard.
I get it.
Okay!
Well, I thought, like,
it went on top of each other...
Like, it would be
a really tall cake.
Oh, shoot.
That doesn't look so good.
No, that looks awesome.
Okay, I'm happy... I got it.
A checkerboard.
I'm gonna have
stripes, aren't I?
If I cut it now and flip it,
I might be able
to save my mistake.
I am just
trying to get this
into the right
size and shape.
The marzipan
must be rolled thinly
and bonded to the outside
of the cake with more jam.
This is not how
one is supposed to roll.
Uh, I've
had better builds.
This is when I call in a
really good taper and painter.
A smooth layer
of blush pink fondant
finishes the cake.
Ooh, that's much better.
Much better.
Still a little bit of
a gap in there and stuff,
but it's much
cleaner on the edge.
I just wanna really
tidy it up as much as I can.
Ah, well I saw
that some of these--
that Vandana and Pierre
had cut open their, uh,
their Battenberg cakes, that
you could see the checkerboard.
Oh, that was smart.
Bakers, no pressure,
but there is a minute left.
That is, 60 seconds.
Cover that up
with those pistachios.
He he.
Just put
it all on there.
One more
decoration for luck,
and we'll call it a day.
I'm almost done.
Whoa, these cherries are just
falling all over the place.
I don't know.
All right, bakers,
time is up.
Step away from
the Battenbergs.
Bakers, please bring
your beautiful creations
up to the gingham altar and
place them behind your photo.
Judges, meet
your Battenbergs.
Enjoy.
Thank you.
Thank you, bakers.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Okay...
Wow.
Number one.
Marzipan looks
the right thickness.
We have the checkers
with the jam.
The texture of
the cake is perfect.
Excellent.
Well done.
Cake number two.
The ends
are covered.
It doesn't
tell you how nicely
the cake is made inside.
Could have been a bit
stronger in pistachio.
Oh!
Here we go.
We get extra Battenberg.
Oh!
I like the effort here to
create more than just four.
Nice subtle hint of cherry.
I like it.
The pink on the top
is nice and light.
Mm-hm.
Can you see
any jam there?
No.
They forgot
to put the jam.
So this looks like
petite Battenberg.
The colour is
quite a lot stronger
than I would have liked.
Very beautiful
cherry flavour.
The colour is perfect.
It's just too bad
that the end is not cut.
The pattern,
it looks well-glued.
Even distribution of jam.
The marzipan is
awfully thick.
We have two layers
of fondant on this side.
Stating the obvious,
this cake doesn't
have exposed ends.
Uh oh...
The jam hasn't held
everything in place.
The ratio of marzipan to
fondant is quite ideal.
Cake is a bit too dry.
This looks
like a half-en-berg cake.
A side here that's unexposed,
and we have
the exposed side here.
The jam has been used
to nicely glue it together.
Very buttery.
It's a very good sponge.
Bruno and Rochelle
will now reveal their overall
assessment by ranking the
cakes from bottom to top.
So number 10;
who did this one?
Sinclair, a little less
time on the decoration,
a little more time
on the foundations.
In number 9th place?
This cake.
Pierre.
Too heavy on the fondant.
In 8th
place is Julian.
Terri is 7th.
Sabrina, 6th.
James, 5th.
Jude, 4th.
And Linda is in 3rd place.
Number 2, this cake.
Corey, well done.
Good job.
Saw some trouble
with the wrapping,
but the inside
was very delicious.
And that
leaves number one.
One.
Vandana!
Congratulations.
I'm shocked...
that I got first, yeah.
I've never made
a Battenberg before.
I'm going to bed happy.
It's Day 2
of Cake Week.
Today's showstopper challenge
gives the bakers
one more chance
to wow the judges
before they decide
who wins star baker
and who must leave the tent.
I messed up.
Turn the page.
A new beginning.
I definitely
feel like I'm at risk
for being sent home.
My head is probably
a little higher than
all the other
little heads and, uh,
the judges may be looking
to take it off.
Hello, bakers
and welcome to your
very first
showstopper challenge.
And let me tell you,
this one really takes the cake.
The chocolate layer cake,
to be exact.
The judges are
expecting a next-level
chocolate layer cake.
A magnificent,
mouth-watering masterpiece
with at least two layers,
and containing at least two
different kinds of chocolate.
You have four hours.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
We are doing
a chocolate layer cake
to highlight their skills.
We need a lot of complexity
for the cake to wow me.
I've made a mess.
There's really
no better test for a baker.
I am so excited to see
what our bakers come up with
for their
chocolate showstoppers.
Fingers crossed.
The showstopper
challenge is an opportunity
for the bakers to impress
with no holds barred creativity.
I love this cake,
but it's kind of
a bit of a weird thing to do.
You make it straight
in the pan, no bowl.
Right at the end you put
in some white vinegar,
chuck it in the oven,
and it rises beautifully.
James' chocolate
masterpiece will be
in the shape of
a record player,
covered with
a wood-grain fondant
and topped with
a mirror glaze turntable.
I wanna spend some
time on the all the
little fiddly decorations
that take ages,
so keep the cake
simple and good.
Pierre has
a different strategy.
He's putting maximum
effort into his cake's base.
This is going
to be around the cake.
It's a very French technique.
Pierre's
chocolate cake will be soaked
with an Earl Grey syrup
and layered with mousse,
then wrapped
in another cake:
a jaconde sponge.
This is the jaconde.
It's going to, uh,
make the, uh,
the side walls of the cake.
I'm not making ganache today,
I promise!
Hi, Terri!
Hi!
Are you going
to wow us today?
I hope so.
I think so.
I mean, I've got one
component right at the end
that terrifies me.
Terri's
garden-themed pistachio,
raspberry, and
chocolate showstopper
will be finished
with intricate
chocolate work.
Is there some kind of
theme overall for the cake?
There is.
I'm gonna sort of make,
um, it like the garden,
and then my three butterflies,
one's for each daughter.
I like to think
the garden's my family
and the butterflies are them.
Beautiful.
Yeah, I know I'm cheesy,
but I really--
I can't help it.
I'm a sentimental.
Just want to get
all the air bubbles out.
It'll have an uneven bake
if you don't get
all the air bubbles out.
Plus, it's just
something I'm used to.
Bigger to the back...
Smaller to the front.
Tiered cakes can
be tricky because bake times
will vary for the
different-sized layers.
Doing the
little one on the top.
The bakers will
need to keep a close eye
on the oven while tackling
their other elements.
This is, um,
my chocolate filling.
Okay... and I'm
just trying to wait.
A lot of whisking until
it starts to thicken,
so I'm just gonna
keep whisking away.
Vandana's tiered
triple chocolate hazelnut cake
features layers with white
and dark chocolate fillings.
Vandana,
how are we doing?
Good, good.
Chocolate everywhere.
Can I have some?
Absolutely.
Can I just have
a little pinky full?
Here we go.
Try it out.
What do you think?
Chocolate?
Yes!
Yay for chocolate!
Yes!
Hello!
I think my pastry cream
finally decided to thicken.
Tastes great, but...
Smells incredible.
It smells, like,
very autumnal over here.
Yes.
Is that a pumpkin?
Yes.
Oh, that's lovely.
My own pumpkin
from my own, uh...
Your own?
Yes.
From your
own pumpkin patch?
Yes.
Jude's chocolate
ginger and pumpkin cream
layer cake will be
topped with
molded chocolate
garden gnomes.
One is
holding his pumpkin,
because there's pumpkin in it.
Right.
One is just
laying back,
because I'm retired now, right?
Chilling.
Yeah, yeah.
And the other one is reaching
over the edge for a flower,
because even if
you're retired,
you're still trying to
do things and stuff so...
You do things,
as... which evidenced
by your presence here
at this competition.
Being here, yeah.
It's very clean
workstation you have here.
It's an ex...
We're excellently clean.
This is clean for me.
This floor is like
a Jackson Pollock painting.
Yeah.
It is.
Like, I'm thinking wearing white
was maybe a mistake today.
I'm thinking wearing
white around you
was maybe a mistake today.
All right, everyone,
we are officially halfway
through the bake.
You have
two hours left.
Break the egg
in the bowl.
Oh, yeah.
You're making cakes
for us too, are ya?
There's gonna be
enough cakes to feed an army.
Okay, great!
Hello, Corey.
How are you?
I'm well.
How are you?
I'm great.
So your cake is
called "Milk n' Cookies."
My cake is called
Milk n' Cookies,
and I'm using my mum's
chocolate chip recipe.
Corey's dramatic
showstopper alternates layers
of cake and cookies,
and boasts 4 different
kinds of chocolate.
I'm using white
chocolate, dark chocolate,
milk chocolate,
and blonde chocolate,
and so I think that
you're going to appreciate
how they work with each other.
Stop shaking.
Why are you shaking?
While
their cakes cool,
bakers dive into
the complex decorations
that will make
their cakes stand out.
I'm gonna be making
some chocolate tools.
So you're
gonna fill these?
These are molds of tools.
Right.
You can tell I
don't use tools a lot.
Um, that I know
is a wrench.
Julian's Concrete
Block Builder's cake
will be topped with
a chocolate sail
and sit upon
fondant floorboards.
It looks like
an ice cream cone.
An ice cream cone.
I'm going for a melted
ice cream cone look for my cake.
This looks amazing.
Thank you.
Sabrina's
Chocolate, Pecan,
and Caramel showstopper
will stand tall
with two quadruple-layered
tiers.
And what are these for?
This is to
keep everything in place
'cause this sucker's
not going anywhere.
The judges will be
expecting bakers to present
a straight, sturdy cake
with even layers.
Hoping it
won't topple over.
It's kind of
a little nerve-wracking
when you're working with
chocolate buttercreams and stuff
'cause it really doesn't
take much to start sliding.
To achieve
clean, uniform icing,
a crumb coat is essential.
This base layer seals the cake
and eliminates stray crumbs.
I'm putting
my crumb layer on,
but I'm debating
in my head right now
if I should stick it in the
freezer so it sets up faster...
which I think I'm gonna do,
'cause I really want
this to set up quick
so I can get the clean layer on
'cause I need that on
before I can start
my chocolate collar.
I wanna get the
sides and top of the cake
as smooth as possible.
Mm-hm.
Uh, so that I
can apply a neat effect,
a galaxy mirror glaze.
So I'm doing... it's sort of
like a space cake.
Sinclair's dark
chocolate galactic showstopper
will be adorned with
chocolate truffle asteroids.
So, next step
is the hard...
well, the nerve-wracking part,
'cause if the mirror glaze
doesn't work,
if this element's too hot
or this element's too hot,
the whole thing just fails.
The mirror glaze's
shiny finish is achieved
by adding gelatine
to a mixture of water,
sugar, and condensed milk.
There's more bubbles
on it than I'd like.
Why is it
called mirror glaze?
'Cause you can see
your face in it.
I love that.
Yeah!
I can check my hair
right in the top of the cake!
Linda's
mirror glaze will cover
a chocolate raspberry cake
with white chocolate accents.
Agh...
It's not working.
Aah...
It's just...
It's just running off.
It doesn't wanna
stick to the mousse.
I'll get the collar
done right now,
put the collar on it, and...
it'll be what it'll be.
Linda's not the
only one having difficulty.
Aw, you're kiddin' me.
Pick a swear word.
Go on, pick one.
Ugh, in my brain, this looks
so much better than this.
Only five minutes until
your showstoppers must stop.
Yeah, the
mousse didn't set.
Look at me.
I've got pumpkins.
Well, let's
just get it off.
Hey, Jude, are
you in a position
I can hand you
this paper, though?
Yes, I can.
Just you hold that.
I got it.
You're awesome, Jude.
Thank you.
Come on.
There we go.
One minute left.
It's kind of
got a little tilt.
Oh, God!
Five!
Four!
Three!
Two!
One!
Time is up!
Step away
from your bakes.
Oh, one more!
This marks the end of
your showstopper challenge.
It's done,
it's done, it's done.
That's what I said.
High five.
High five.
Yeah, my cake
fell apart.
That's the way it is.
Okay...
I am pleased.
It's judgment
time for the chocolate
layer cake showstoppers.
Uh, Julian, if you
wouldn't mind bringing
your builder's cake
up to the front.
It's got that rough
texture that cement has.
It's not a silky smooth
buttercream, nor is cement.
It's supposed
to be imperfect.
I love it.
Everything is edible,
including the tools?
Yeah.
It's
five storeys high.
Well done.
It's fudgy, moist...
It's a good chocolate cake.
Pierre...
Obviously
we have an accident.
The mousse starting to escape.
The mousse collapsed.
The jaconde
looks very nice.
This part way too thick.
So there is an imbalance
on the design of the cake.
Flavour is
everything right now.
The Earl Grey
is so subtle and lovely.
That mousse
lacks structure.
I like the
visual effect of it.
Thank you.
It's very chocolaty
but then the cookie flavour
comes through very well.
And you've used all
of the chocolate really well.
A little bit messy.
I would work on your
palette knife skills.
It's lovely.
Don't decapitate
the gnome, but go for it.
I'm not gonna,
I'm not gonna...
Oh, it's lovely and soft.
You've got three really
even layers there.
Your pastry
cream is very good.
You can taste the pumpkin.
I would have put more inside.
I think this works.
Well done.
Oh, thank you.
Looks like
a space odyssey.
Look at the shine.
Your mirror
glaze has worked.
The cake is a bit gooey,
but not in a bad way.
Obviously,
it's not perfect.
The mirror glaze
really would have shone
had you first laid
the foundation
with a really solid
crumb or skim coat.
I think it's delicious.
It is slightly
on the dry side,
but the flavour is
very good, very strong.
I think
it's a dainty cake.
I think it's very Victorian
inspired in its shape
and its presentation.
Thank you, Vandana.
Thank you.
Look at
these butterflies.
These represent your
three daughters.
Yeah, so I
tried to make each one
just a little different.
They're so pretty.
You won me over
with raspberry and chocolate.
Great combination.
Good job.
Well done, Terri.
Thank you.
Your daughters
would be proud.
Thank you.
I'm facing the music.
The mirror glaze
is a lot more impressive
than the sides of the cake.
The cake
looks nice and moist.
I would have liked to see
the layer a bit more even.
It's very smooth
and not too sweet,
and at the end you
can taste the mascarpone.
This cake,
it fills me with delight.
But a bit of Leaning Tower
of Pisa about it.
Very appealing.
It's very playful.
The cake doesn't--
isn't particularly chocolaty.
It's like a really
brown butter cake.
Okay, thanks.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Now Rochelle
and Bruno must decide
who will leave the tent
and who will be Canada's
first ever star baker.
Chocolate cake
is such a great way
to show us what you got...
and they did!
So tell us,
who is in the running
for star baker now?
Julian's
cake looked great.
It tasted great.
I like his story
behind his cupcake.
I like the story
about his final cake.
There
was also Sabrina.
I think
Sabrina is consistent.
She has a lot skills.
You can tell she...
she's confident when she bakes.
When I think about Terri,
I think about passion.
She has this ability to carry
her emotions through her baking.
Her signature
challenge was great,
but this, this was amazing.
She's a good baker, no doubt.
So this is
the hard part...
who struggled today?
I love him,
but James.
I actually really loved
the taste of his cake,
but the record concept
he failed to execute.
Pierre for me has
a love of French pastries,
and I feel that he does not
have the skills to execute.
You guys have a
very tough decision ahead.
That's true.
All right, bakers,
I have the honour
of naming our very
first star baker.
Now, that baker has proven
that they can not only
bake with skill
but also with heart.
Terri, congratulations,
you are our first star baker.
Thank you!
Unfortunately, I have
the very unhappy task
of telling you who will
be leaving us today...
and that person is...
Pierre.
No, no...
Come on, up you come.
I'm gonna join in.
Sorry, ...
It was
a great experience!
Everybody is
just unbelievable.
The bakers are
just phenomenal.
It has been such a
fabulous experience.
Thank you, Pierre.
I appreciate
everything.
Everything from
the first moment.
So excellent
to have you.
Thank you, everyone.
Merci.
I'm hoping that
he will continue to bake,
because I can see it brings
him so much pleasure.
I'll keep
the spirit of the tent
all in my life as a souvenir.
I scraped through,
but my main objective was just,
don't be the first one out.
And I succeeded in that,
so here we go.
You know, Terri,
you could taste her passion
through her baking.
You know, she wants to
make her family proud.
I am the first
star baker ever.
That's... wow.
Really great.
So great.
I came here
to show my girls
that you can put your fear aside
and you can take that risk
and you can succeed,
and that's what I did,
and I hope it inspires them.
I really do.
Next time...
Cook, bread, cook.
It's bread week!
It's soft
like a baby's bottom.
Bakers tackle
flavourful focaccia delights...
Still a little
paler than I like,
but I think it'll be fine.
...technically
parfait bagels...
Please don't let me
have screwed this up.
...and splendid,
sweet bread showstoppers.
It's just
like braiding hair.
Who will
be named star baker?
You've got such
a golden crust on this.
Thank you.
And who will be
asked to leave the tent?
I do not want to
go home on bread week.
Canadians applied,
but only 10 were
chosen for a spot
in the Great Canadian
Baking Tent.
When I saw the tent,
I just got a grin that hurts.
I cannot believe
that this is a thing
that's really happening.
I'm so excited to get
into the tent and start baking.
Over
the next 8 weeks,
they'll face challenge
after challenge.
I've had many
baking dreams lately.
Not all of them good.
Borderline nightmares.
Cookies,
cakes, breads, tarts,
and recipes that will
push them to the limit.
That doesn't
make any sense.
Oh my God,
what do I do?
I kind of
complicated things for myself.
But it's fine.
I'll get it done.
Their creations
will be judged by
the two renowned pastry chefs:
Bruno Feldeisen...
It's fudgy, moist...
That's very good.
...and
Rochelle Adonis.
Oh!
I think it's
a fantastic cake.
I would work on your
palette knife skills.
The judges are
incredibly intimidating.
They've probably tasted some of
the best baking in the world.
I can't just
throw sprinkles on it!
They're gonna know!
Two baking
enthusiasts will also be
along to help encourage.
Yours truly, Julia Chan...
Woo!
...and my
sweet friend, Dan Levy.
You've got such a
golden crust on this.
Thank you.
Each week, someone
will earn the title of "Star
Baker".
And someone will be asked to
leave.
Oh, God!
Ten amateur bakers,
one coveted title.
Today's my day.
Who will be
the first to win...
I just put
mine in the oven.
...The Great
Canadian Baking Show?
I like to, uh,
keep a well-ordered kitchen.
Clean, tidy;
everything in its place.
The historic EP Taylor
Estate in North Toronto
is home to the
Canadian Film Centre...
and the Great
Canadian Baking Tent.
Inside, the bakers are going
to face three challenges
over the next two days.
Hello, bakers,
and welcome to the first
ever season of The Great
Canadian Baking Show.
And our first
ever cake week.
Very exciting.
And now it's time to introduce
you to the two people
who will get to eat
your cake and judge it too:
Bruno Feldeisen
and Rochelle Adonis.
Welcome.
Hi.
So let's get started.
Your first signature
challenge is... cupcakes.
Uh-oh.
Bruno and Rochelle would
like you to make two dozen,
and like all
signature challenges,
they would like you
to use a recipe from home
that tells us something
about who you are.
You're going to
have two hours
to make Bruno and Rochelle
24 beautifully decorated
cupcakes in two delightfully
different flavours.
Do we get
to say the thing?
We get to say the thing.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
Where's
our tea towels?
Oh God,
we just started
and I've already
made a giant mess.
I'm going to
try and figure out
how to turn on this stove.
We found 10 of
Canada's best home bakers,
and I'm hoping today
they wow me.
First thing,
open some beer.
Cupcakes are gonna
tell us who these bakers are.
Let's give
yourself some space,
'cause that's when
you make mistakes.
And stop shaking
would be good.
I want to see
a lot of creativity.
Burst of flavours.
I prefer to
use real vanilla beans
whenever possible
when I'm baking.
The people I'm baking for
are worth it, you know?
There is nothing more
disappointing than a boring,
simple cupcake.
I'm now introducing
all of the dry ingredients
to each other.
You've gotta make
sure that, you know,
before you put it in,
everybody's met everybody else.
So the baking powder's
met all the flour,
and the salt's met all the--
everybody else.
Since retiring from
her career as an animator,
Jude has had more time
at her home in Victoria
to tackle her two loves,
gardening and baking.
She's hoping to make
a good first impression
with her Breakfast Banana Maple
and Saskatoon Berry cupcakes.
Whee!
I don't think anybody
ever measures vanilla.
Do they really?
Just "slop-slop."
Hi, Terri.
Hi.
Tell us
what you're making.
Um, I actually
am making, sort of,
my childhood favourite,
which is cotton candy.
And hopefully, uh, I might
even be able to make
some real cotton candy
to go on top is the plan.
That's not the only
sweet favourite Terri makes
for her family of five in
Sherwood Park, Alberta.
She's sticking
to family favourites
with her Cotton Candy and Carrot
Pineapple and Cinnamon cupcakes.
And you think
pineapple and cinnamon
goes well together?
I love it together.
I love caramelized pineapple,
but any time I caramelize it
I always give it
a sprinkle of cinnamon.
And, uh, what kind of
sugar are you gonna use
to caramelize the pineapple?
Um, I'm gonna use
just some granulated sugar
when I do it,
with some butter in a pan.
Just white?
Yeah.
Welcome to 20 Questions
with Bruno!
I know,
questioning everything!
It's great, yeah.
A basic cupcake
sponge starts with butter,
sugar, eggs, and flour,
but some bakers are adding
unconventional ingredients
to their batter.
Perfect.
I'm sort of a beer nerd.
You know, my biggest
pet peeve with cupcakes
is when the cake doesn't
taste like anything,
when you're just, like,
eating the icing.
But I want my cake
to taste like something,
so it's an interesting
experience.
It's not just, you know,
like...
Corey, a human
rights lawyer in Toronto,
took up baking three years ago
to relieve stress from his job.
His partner
Keith has approved
his Chocolate Beer
and Maple Whiskey Cupcakes.
Oh, look, someone
left some beer here.
That's nice.
Take the edge off?
Corey isn't
the only baker attempting
a boozy batter.
Hello, James.
Tell us what
you're making for us today.
So, this one that
I'm working on now is, uh,
Ginger Stout cupcake.
Nothing wrong with that!
Stout...
You're clearly from the UK?
I don't how
you could tell
from my perfect
Canadian accent.
A physics
professor in Richmond, BC,
James hopes his science
background helps him
master the bold flavours
in his Ginger Stout
and Apple Oatmeal cupcakes.
Ah, that's too much.
Too much, too much.
Batter everywhere.
Cupcake liners
must be properly filled
if bakers hope to achieve
a uniform size and shape.
Okay.
Oh my goodness.
Normally I use
an ice cream scoop,
but I don't have one
so I'm winging it.
At home in
High River, Alberta,
Linda makes lots of cakes
for her husband, kids,
and eight grandchildren!
Her Nanaimo Bar
and Lemon Cupcakes
are their favourite treats.
Ready to
go in the oven.
Just making sure I got
enough in each one of them.
Then I'm gonna pray just
a little bit 'cause I'm scared.
Okay.
Go and cook, my babies!
Completely
missed my cocoa powder.
It's okay.
It's all right.
All is not lost.
Okay, here we go.
How's it going?
No, how is it going?
Not good.
Not good?
Not good, why?
I had little
mistake on the first batch.
A little behind,
so I'm just trying to
make up for lost time.
When he's not baking
with his 6-year-old twins,
Julian works as
a contractor in Halifax.
Today he's
constructing Birch Cupcakes
with a candied bacon topping,
and Chocolate Cream
Liqueur cupcakes.
This is
definitely different
than stress on the work site.
On a scale of 1 to "Do
you want us to leave you alone?"
I'm thinking we're at a 10.
Ah, you're more
like 15 right now.
15!
45 minutes,
my friends!
Two dozen cupcakes
in 45 minutes.
One baker has
decided to do things
in a different order.
Actually I'm
making the ganache first,
so that they cool.
Right away after I'll
make the cupcakes itself.
Pierre
from Cantley, Quebec,
is a true renaissance man:
he's a baker,
a busy dentist,
and a retired musician.
He's baking
Dark Chocolate Raspberry
and Pistachio
White Chocolate cupcakes.
The cupcakes
is piece of cake.
I'm going to cook them
in 20 minutes.
Yeah, I'm
coming out of the oven.
I don't know where
they're going
but they're coming
out of the oven.
Oh, yeah.
See, that's what
happens when you work
with a different-sized muffin
tin and use the same recipe.
That's what icing is for;
to cover up all those mistakes.
That's perfect.
Yay!
Thank you, cake Gods.
That one
needs a bit more time.
Just like checking
the oil in your car,
if it comes out
really dirty like this,
it means they're
not baked yet.
You need more time.
Sinclair
is an optometrist
who lives in
London, Ontario,
with his wife
and two children.
He's aiming
for his Whiskey Cream
and Mojito cupcakes
to pack a little punch.
I'm doing
little flavour injectors,
so these are going
in my mojito cupcakes
so they'll give them
a real blast of mojito flavour.
The chocolate.
These are going
to start cooling off
and I can start icing them
as soon as I can.
Graphic designer
Sabrina is the youngest
baker in the tent.
She's been baking for
her big Montreal family
since she was a little girl.
And she's
hoping to do them proud
with her Tiramisu and
Cookies and Cream cupcakes.
You wanna try some?
Sure.
Is that a-- am I allowed?
I think so, go ahead.
Woo...
Some cookies and cream.
Woo!
A nice
pink rose colour to...
to compliment the
chocolate cupcakes.
Vandana!
Hello.
Tell us
what you're doing.
I'm making a Chocolate
Rose Flavoured cupcake.
The rose flavour...
The rose flavour!
...it's a bit tricky.
It is challenging.
It is, so you
know it's a...
it's a very difficult
flavour to master.
Yes.
Okay, I'll keep it subtle.
I'll keep it subtle.
Science Centre
director Vandana
grew up in Regina and
her Indian and Prairie roots
often inspire her baking.
For her
first challenge,
she's tackling a Chocolate
Cupcake with Rose Icing
and a Coconut
Key Lime Cupcake.
Steady hands.
We'll see how it goes.
Oh, I'm
panicking, and...
Don't panic.
I still have to
make cotton candy,
which I've never done, so...
That's okay.
I...
I can make cotton candy
with you.
Okay!
Well, I'm
piping the cream now.
Hi, Pierre.
Hey!
How's it going?
Well, my cream
separated, so, um...
Has it?
I wouldn't know.
Yeah, this one here.
This one turned into butter.
That's the white ganache.
Are we fixing that?
Or are we just...
Did we seem...
Gone.
Gone, moving on.
Yes.
Clean slate.
Bakers, we
have five minutes.
You're drooling.
I'm drooling.
It's embarrassing.
Oh my God,
what do I do?
We can do this, we can do this,
we can do it!
A salvage job here.
What are we
doing over here?
You're trimming the edges.
I trimmed the edges
on the ones that have
the sailboats because
they're just, like, sad.
Everything's
looking good.
Oh, thank you.
I have faith in you.
That's important.
All right.
Oh, cool, cool,
cool, cool...
Looks like
I'm doing pretty well.
Boom.
Stand up,
little bicycle.
This is your big moment.
They kind of
don't look too great.
There's nothing
I can do about it.
Oh!
All right,
bakers, time is up.
Step away from your bakes.
Congratulations!
Yes!
Gorgeous.
Uh, yeah, no, no.
And your cupcakes
are beautiful too.
The Bakers will now
have their creations judged
for the very first time.
That's a
beautiful presentation.
Thank you very much.
This
is your tiramisu.
Tiramisu.
The topping,
it's magnificent.
Overall, it's beautiful.
The
cookies & cream,
I can tell straight
away what it is.
It... it even
looks moist inside.
I like it.
Well done.
Rose and chocolate.
Well done on the ratio
of the rose to chocolate.
I really like the flavour.
Coconut lime...
A bit more key lime.
Yeah, I used
a little bit, but maybe I...
You should
have put a lot more.
Okay.
Thank you.
I clearly
can see that this is
a Nanaimo Bar cupcake.
The flavour is great.
Well done.
Beer, whiskey...
There is this uh, manly,
"Let's go on the
weekend somewhere
"and have a good time."
That's what I like about it.
That's
a hit of whiskey.
Mm-hm.
You could
light my breath!
Uh, toppings,
it's a bit of a miss.
One of the ganache
didn't hold properly
and it separated.
The only flavour
I have is sweetness, sugar.
Innovative
presentation.
I like that
they're in a glass.
The concept works.
The flavours need
to be amped up.
Okay, okay.
Those are stunning!
Thank you.
Oh, the top
is so soft.
It's a meringue.
Knowing that
you had some challenges
during the preparation...
I did.
I got to say, you know,
you really came back
and really impressed us
with those cupcakes.
Thank you.
I can see a story.
The sky, the water...
I can see that
your cupcakes are--
you've had to trim them.
I didn't get the flavour
of the maple syrup.
I think I forgot
the maple syrup.
I like the
very simple decoration.
It's got a lovely texture.
It's very good.
You're using fresh ginger.
You know what you're doing.
I love
your creativity.
I like what you did
with the cotton candy.
Thank you.
That's... lovely!
It does taste
like cotton candy.
You've taken me
right back to the circus
when I was a kid.
Well done.
You can be proud
of what you did.
Oh...
I'm happy, see?
I'm happy.
I don't make cupcakes.
I never make cupcakes.
I don't particularly
like cupcakes,
so I think,
all that considered,
I think I did okay,
actually.
What can we do, eh?
This is baking!
Hello, bakers.
Now, I'd like you to grab
your favourite baking spoon,
hold it tight
and brace yourselves
because this is your very
first technical challenge.
You will all be
baking the same thing,
using the same ingredients,
and you will all be
working off a recipe
you have never seen before.
Now, Bruno and Rochelle
will be judging this blind,
so no offence,
Bruno and Rochelle,
but you're no longer
welcome here.
She's right.
Um, but first,
any words of advice
for our wonderful bakers?
Read the
recipe carefully.
Semi-helpful.
Thank you so much!
Ciao.
Bye, guys.
Bye, judges.
Okay, bakers,
the judges would like
you to make
a Battenberg cake.
A what?
This British
classic of sponge,
jam, and marzipan is well-known
for its very distinct
checkerboard pattern.
Now, you will be making
a cherry and pistachio
Battenberg cake.
You have one hour,
45 minutes.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
Battenberg cake?
I'm Italian, so this is
really not in my...
in anything that I know.
I've eaten lots of
Battenberg cakes in my life,
never actually made one.
What...?
That doesn't make any sense.
The Battenberg
recipe the bakers are tackling
has been hand-picked
by Rochelle.
A Battenberg cake...
Why?
There's no
hiding mistakes here.
The ends of the
cake are exposed,
so straight away we're gonna
see the checkered pattern.
We've got beautiful symmetry.
You need precision.
It's so easy to cut.
You don't need to fight it.
It's so smooth.
The cake itself crumbles
very nicely in the mouth,
and I just love this
pistachio flavour.
And I
love the cherry.
It's gonna test
a lot of the bakers.
It's tricky.
No doubt about it.
I'm okay with
the Battenberg cake,
but I think I need two pans.
Only one baking pan
has been provided
for the two distinctly
flavoured sponges.
13, 14, 15.
Bakers have been
given all the necessary
ingredients, but key
details have been omitted
from Rochelle's recipe.
They're not
so much instructions
as, like, attempts
to confuse me.
They'll need to use
their skill and intuition
to fill in the blanks.
This is very French.
Yes.
It's a blanc.
It has to become
white and fluffy.
Battenberg cake's
like bit of geometry.
Everything's gotta be,
like, angular.
It's, like, it's engineering.
The recipe doesn't say
how much cherry extract to do,
so I'm really just
doing this by feel.
Smells like cherry.
Smells like cherry,
I think!
Now we're gonna
do the pistachio paste,
and it's sort of this
gross green colour,
but it actually
tastes really good.
I'm gonna smooth
it out a bit better,
but we're close.
We're close.
"Bake until done."
Ah-ha!
That's the tricky
thing, right?
They don't tell you
how long to bake it.
Be my friend.
Thank you.
I'm guessing
I'm gonna start
with like 15 minutes.
Put on 25,
we'll come back to you.
Now we just wait.
Wait until,
uh, the cake's...
Do you have
another skill?
Could you sing for us,
or... what?
I play guitar.
Do you have a guitar?
Yeah?
Yeah, sure.
Well, I know that
for next time.
Okay.
Now we get a guitar.
All right.
We have to do something
while we wait.
Bakers, you have
one hour remaining.
One hour remaining.
No.
That isn't done at all.
Hopefully I didn't wreck it.
Cook, cake, cook.
Cook, cake, cook.
Good.
Finally.
It's crucial that
the cakes have time to cool
before being assembled
and decorated.
I'm feeling
not too bad about this...
...she said, confidently.
So what are
we doing now?
Um, I'm just trying
to get some jam heated up.
Yes.
Um, this is one of
the fillings, I'm assuming.
Cherry jam
will act as an adhesive
to hold together the four
equal pieces of sponge.
Strain all
the solids out of this
so we get a nice, smooth jam.
Bakers, you
have 30 minutes.
You have 30 minutes to go,
and hopefully
between now and then
I'll think up a half
decent Battenberg pun.
You do know that
there's a second page, right?
No.
Okay, there we go.
Thanks,
you're the best.
There's that, okay?
You're the best.
I just tried my first
Battenberg cake weeks ago.
How are you with precision?
Oh...
Yes.
If I work at it and
that's what I'm doing...
I really don't know what
I'm doing with the assembly.
It wasn't the
physical baking...
I don't know how
to assemble this.
I'll make two green...
and two pink.
Awesome.
My pistachio cake
is a little under-cooked,
so I'm hoping I can
take enough of it off
that I can give them
only the good bits.
I wanna lose that bit...
I wanna lose that bit.
This might be a small
Battenberg cake.
Oh my gosh.
It's very, very, very fluffy.
Just the weight of the knife
is enough to crumble the cake.
What a
waste of cake, eh?
Look at all that.
Okay, we are gonna
clean you up,
and we are going
to jam you up now.
Sandwich the two pairs
of sponges together
like a checkerboard.
I get it.
Okay!
Well, I thought, like,
it went on top of each other...
Like, it would be
a really tall cake.
Oh, shoot.
That doesn't look so good.
No, that looks awesome.
Okay, I'm happy... I got it.
A checkerboard.
I'm gonna have
stripes, aren't I?
If I cut it now and flip it,
I might be able
to save my mistake.
I am just
trying to get this
into the right
size and shape.
The marzipan
must be rolled thinly
and bonded to the outside
of the cake with more jam.
This is not how
one is supposed to roll.
Uh, I've
had better builds.
This is when I call in a
really good taper and painter.
A smooth layer
of blush pink fondant
finishes the cake.
Ooh, that's much better.
Much better.
Still a little bit of
a gap in there and stuff,
but it's much
cleaner on the edge.
I just wanna really
tidy it up as much as I can.
Ah, well I saw
that some of these--
that Vandana and Pierre
had cut open their, uh,
their Battenberg cakes, that
you could see the checkerboard.
Oh, that was smart.
Bakers, no pressure,
but there is a minute left.
That is, 60 seconds.
Cover that up
with those pistachios.
He he.
Just put
it all on there.
One more
decoration for luck,
and we'll call it a day.
I'm almost done.
Whoa, these cherries are just
falling all over the place.
I don't know.
All right, bakers,
time is up.
Step away from
the Battenbergs.
Bakers, please bring
your beautiful creations
up to the gingham altar and
place them behind your photo.
Judges, meet
your Battenbergs.
Enjoy.
Thank you.
Thank you, bakers.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Okay...
Wow.
Number one.
Marzipan looks
the right thickness.
We have the checkers
with the jam.
The texture of
the cake is perfect.
Excellent.
Well done.
Cake number two.
The ends
are covered.
It doesn't
tell you how nicely
the cake is made inside.
Could have been a bit
stronger in pistachio.
Oh!
Here we go.
We get extra Battenberg.
Oh!
I like the effort here to
create more than just four.
Nice subtle hint of cherry.
I like it.
The pink on the top
is nice and light.
Mm-hm.
Can you see
any jam there?
No.
They forgot
to put the jam.
So this looks like
petite Battenberg.
The colour is
quite a lot stronger
than I would have liked.
Very beautiful
cherry flavour.
The colour is perfect.
It's just too bad
that the end is not cut.
The pattern,
it looks well-glued.
Even distribution of jam.
The marzipan is
awfully thick.
We have two layers
of fondant on this side.
Stating the obvious,
this cake doesn't
have exposed ends.
Uh oh...
The jam hasn't held
everything in place.
The ratio of marzipan to
fondant is quite ideal.
Cake is a bit too dry.
This looks
like a half-en-berg cake.
A side here that's unexposed,
and we have
the exposed side here.
The jam has been used
to nicely glue it together.
Very buttery.
It's a very good sponge.
Bruno and Rochelle
will now reveal their overall
assessment by ranking the
cakes from bottom to top.
So number 10;
who did this one?
Sinclair, a little less
time on the decoration,
a little more time
on the foundations.
In number 9th place?
This cake.
Pierre.
Too heavy on the fondant.
In 8th
place is Julian.
Terri is 7th.
Sabrina, 6th.
James, 5th.
Jude, 4th.
And Linda is in 3rd place.
Number 2, this cake.
Corey, well done.
Good job.
Saw some trouble
with the wrapping,
but the inside
was very delicious.
And that
leaves number one.
One.
Vandana!
Congratulations.
I'm shocked...
that I got first, yeah.
I've never made
a Battenberg before.
I'm going to bed happy.
It's Day 2
of Cake Week.
Today's showstopper challenge
gives the bakers
one more chance
to wow the judges
before they decide
who wins star baker
and who must leave the tent.
I messed up.
Turn the page.
A new beginning.
I definitely
feel like I'm at risk
for being sent home.
My head is probably
a little higher than
all the other
little heads and, uh,
the judges may be looking
to take it off.
Hello, bakers
and welcome to your
very first
showstopper challenge.
And let me tell you,
this one really takes the cake.
The chocolate layer cake,
to be exact.
The judges are
expecting a next-level
chocolate layer cake.
A magnificent,
mouth-watering masterpiece
with at least two layers,
and containing at least two
different kinds of chocolate.
You have four hours.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
We are doing
a chocolate layer cake
to highlight their skills.
We need a lot of complexity
for the cake to wow me.
I've made a mess.
There's really
no better test for a baker.
I am so excited to see
what our bakers come up with
for their
chocolate showstoppers.
Fingers crossed.
The showstopper
challenge is an opportunity
for the bakers to impress
with no holds barred creativity.
I love this cake,
but it's kind of
a bit of a weird thing to do.
You make it straight
in the pan, no bowl.
Right at the end you put
in some white vinegar,
chuck it in the oven,
and it rises beautifully.
James' chocolate
masterpiece will be
in the shape of
a record player,
covered with
a wood-grain fondant
and topped with
a mirror glaze turntable.
I wanna spend some
time on the all the
little fiddly decorations
that take ages,
so keep the cake
simple and good.
Pierre has
a different strategy.
He's putting maximum
effort into his cake's base.
This is going
to be around the cake.
It's a very French technique.
Pierre's
chocolate cake will be soaked
with an Earl Grey syrup
and layered with mousse,
then wrapped
in another cake:
a jaconde sponge.
This is the jaconde.
It's going to, uh,
make the, uh,
the side walls of the cake.
I'm not making ganache today,
I promise!
Hi, Terri!
Hi!
Are you going
to wow us today?
I hope so.
I think so.
I mean, I've got one
component right at the end
that terrifies me.
Terri's
garden-themed pistachio,
raspberry, and
chocolate showstopper
will be finished
with intricate
chocolate work.
Is there some kind of
theme overall for the cake?
There is.
I'm gonna sort of make,
um, it like the garden,
and then my three butterflies,
one's for each daughter.
I like to think
the garden's my family
and the butterflies are them.
Beautiful.
Yeah, I know I'm cheesy,
but I really--
I can't help it.
I'm a sentimental.
Just want to get
all the air bubbles out.
It'll have an uneven bake
if you don't get
all the air bubbles out.
Plus, it's just
something I'm used to.
Bigger to the back...
Smaller to the front.
Tiered cakes can
be tricky because bake times
will vary for the
different-sized layers.
Doing the
little one on the top.
The bakers will
need to keep a close eye
on the oven while tackling
their other elements.
This is, um,
my chocolate filling.
Okay... and I'm
just trying to wait.
A lot of whisking until
it starts to thicken,
so I'm just gonna
keep whisking away.
Vandana's tiered
triple chocolate hazelnut cake
features layers with white
and dark chocolate fillings.
Vandana,
how are we doing?
Good, good.
Chocolate everywhere.
Can I have some?
Absolutely.
Can I just have
a little pinky full?
Here we go.
Try it out.
What do you think?
Chocolate?
Yes!
Yay for chocolate!
Yes!
Hello!
I think my pastry cream
finally decided to thicken.
Tastes great, but...
Smells incredible.
It smells, like,
very autumnal over here.
Yes.
Is that a pumpkin?
Yes.
Oh, that's lovely.
My own pumpkin
from my own, uh...
Your own?
Yes.
From your
own pumpkin patch?
Yes.
Jude's chocolate
ginger and pumpkin cream
layer cake will be
topped with
molded chocolate
garden gnomes.
One is
holding his pumpkin,
because there's pumpkin in it.
Right.
One is just
laying back,
because I'm retired now, right?
Chilling.
Yeah, yeah.
And the other one is reaching
over the edge for a flower,
because even if
you're retired,
you're still trying to
do things and stuff so...
You do things,
as... which evidenced
by your presence here
at this competition.
Being here, yeah.
It's very clean
workstation you have here.
It's an ex...
We're excellently clean.
This is clean for me.
This floor is like
a Jackson Pollock painting.
Yeah.
It is.
Like, I'm thinking wearing white
was maybe a mistake today.
I'm thinking wearing
white around you
was maybe a mistake today.
All right, everyone,
we are officially halfway
through the bake.
You have
two hours left.
Break the egg
in the bowl.
Oh, yeah.
You're making cakes
for us too, are ya?
There's gonna be
enough cakes to feed an army.
Okay, great!
Hello, Corey.
How are you?
I'm well.
How are you?
I'm great.
So your cake is
called "Milk n' Cookies."
My cake is called
Milk n' Cookies,
and I'm using my mum's
chocolate chip recipe.
Corey's dramatic
showstopper alternates layers
of cake and cookies,
and boasts 4 different
kinds of chocolate.
I'm using white
chocolate, dark chocolate,
milk chocolate,
and blonde chocolate,
and so I think that
you're going to appreciate
how they work with each other.
Stop shaking.
Why are you shaking?
While
their cakes cool,
bakers dive into
the complex decorations
that will make
their cakes stand out.
I'm gonna be making
some chocolate tools.
So you're
gonna fill these?
These are molds of tools.
Right.
You can tell I
don't use tools a lot.
Um, that I know
is a wrench.
Julian's Concrete
Block Builder's cake
will be topped with
a chocolate sail
and sit upon
fondant floorboards.
It looks like
an ice cream cone.
An ice cream cone.
I'm going for a melted
ice cream cone look for my cake.
This looks amazing.
Thank you.
Sabrina's
Chocolate, Pecan,
and Caramel showstopper
will stand tall
with two quadruple-layered
tiers.
And what are these for?
This is to
keep everything in place
'cause this sucker's
not going anywhere.
The judges will be
expecting bakers to present
a straight, sturdy cake
with even layers.
Hoping it
won't topple over.
It's kind of
a little nerve-wracking
when you're working with
chocolate buttercreams and stuff
'cause it really doesn't
take much to start sliding.
To achieve
clean, uniform icing,
a crumb coat is essential.
This base layer seals the cake
and eliminates stray crumbs.
I'm putting
my crumb layer on,
but I'm debating
in my head right now
if I should stick it in the
freezer so it sets up faster...
which I think I'm gonna do,
'cause I really want
this to set up quick
so I can get the clean layer on
'cause I need that on
before I can start
my chocolate collar.
I wanna get the
sides and top of the cake
as smooth as possible.
Mm-hm.
Uh, so that I
can apply a neat effect,
a galaxy mirror glaze.
So I'm doing... it's sort of
like a space cake.
Sinclair's dark
chocolate galactic showstopper
will be adorned with
chocolate truffle asteroids.
So, next step
is the hard...
well, the nerve-wracking part,
'cause if the mirror glaze
doesn't work,
if this element's too hot
or this element's too hot,
the whole thing just fails.
The mirror glaze's
shiny finish is achieved
by adding gelatine
to a mixture of water,
sugar, and condensed milk.
There's more bubbles
on it than I'd like.
Why is it
called mirror glaze?
'Cause you can see
your face in it.
I love that.
Yeah!
I can check my hair
right in the top of the cake!
Linda's
mirror glaze will cover
a chocolate raspberry cake
with white chocolate accents.
Agh...
It's not working.
Aah...
It's just...
It's just running off.
It doesn't wanna
stick to the mousse.
I'll get the collar
done right now,
put the collar on it, and...
it'll be what it'll be.
Linda's not the
only one having difficulty.
Aw, you're kiddin' me.
Pick a swear word.
Go on, pick one.
Ugh, in my brain, this looks
so much better than this.
Only five minutes until
your showstoppers must stop.
Yeah, the
mousse didn't set.
Look at me.
I've got pumpkins.
Well, let's
just get it off.
Hey, Jude, are
you in a position
I can hand you
this paper, though?
Yes, I can.
Just you hold that.
I got it.
You're awesome, Jude.
Thank you.
Come on.
There we go.
One minute left.
It's kind of
got a little tilt.
Oh, God!
Five!
Four!
Three!
Two!
One!
Time is up!
Step away
from your bakes.
Oh, one more!
This marks the end of
your showstopper challenge.
It's done,
it's done, it's done.
That's what I said.
High five.
High five.
Yeah, my cake
fell apart.
That's the way it is.
Okay...
I am pleased.
It's judgment
time for the chocolate
layer cake showstoppers.
Uh, Julian, if you
wouldn't mind bringing
your builder's cake
up to the front.
It's got that rough
texture that cement has.
It's not a silky smooth
buttercream, nor is cement.
It's supposed
to be imperfect.
I love it.
Everything is edible,
including the tools?
Yeah.
It's
five storeys high.
Well done.
It's fudgy, moist...
It's a good chocolate cake.
Pierre...
Obviously
we have an accident.
The mousse starting to escape.
The mousse collapsed.
The jaconde
looks very nice.
This part way too thick.
So there is an imbalance
on the design of the cake.
Flavour is
everything right now.
The Earl Grey
is so subtle and lovely.
That mousse
lacks structure.
I like the
visual effect of it.
Thank you.
It's very chocolaty
but then the cookie flavour
comes through very well.
And you've used all
of the chocolate really well.
A little bit messy.
I would work on your
palette knife skills.
It's lovely.
Don't decapitate
the gnome, but go for it.
I'm not gonna,
I'm not gonna...
Oh, it's lovely and soft.
You've got three really
even layers there.
Your pastry
cream is very good.
You can taste the pumpkin.
I would have put more inside.
I think this works.
Well done.
Oh, thank you.
Looks like
a space odyssey.
Look at the shine.
Your mirror
glaze has worked.
The cake is a bit gooey,
but not in a bad way.
Obviously,
it's not perfect.
The mirror glaze
really would have shone
had you first laid
the foundation
with a really solid
crumb or skim coat.
I think it's delicious.
It is slightly
on the dry side,
but the flavour is
very good, very strong.
I think
it's a dainty cake.
I think it's very Victorian
inspired in its shape
and its presentation.
Thank you, Vandana.
Thank you.
Look at
these butterflies.
These represent your
three daughters.
Yeah, so I
tried to make each one
just a little different.
They're so pretty.
You won me over
with raspberry and chocolate.
Great combination.
Good job.
Well done, Terri.
Thank you.
Your daughters
would be proud.
Thank you.
I'm facing the music.
The mirror glaze
is a lot more impressive
than the sides of the cake.
The cake
looks nice and moist.
I would have liked to see
the layer a bit more even.
It's very smooth
and not too sweet,
and at the end you
can taste the mascarpone.
This cake,
it fills me with delight.
But a bit of Leaning Tower
of Pisa about it.
Very appealing.
It's very playful.
The cake doesn't--
isn't particularly chocolaty.
It's like a really
brown butter cake.
Okay, thanks.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Now Rochelle
and Bruno must decide
who will leave the tent
and who will be Canada's
first ever star baker.
Chocolate cake
is such a great way
to show us what you got...
and they did!
So tell us,
who is in the running
for star baker now?
Julian's
cake looked great.
It tasted great.
I like his story
behind his cupcake.
I like the story
about his final cake.
There
was also Sabrina.
I think
Sabrina is consistent.
She has a lot skills.
You can tell she...
she's confident when she bakes.
When I think about Terri,
I think about passion.
She has this ability to carry
her emotions through her baking.
Her signature
challenge was great,
but this, this was amazing.
She's a good baker, no doubt.
So this is
the hard part...
who struggled today?
I love him,
but James.
I actually really loved
the taste of his cake,
but the record concept
he failed to execute.
Pierre for me has
a love of French pastries,
and I feel that he does not
have the skills to execute.
You guys have a
very tough decision ahead.
That's true.
All right, bakers,
I have the honour
of naming our very
first star baker.
Now, that baker has proven
that they can not only
bake with skill
but also with heart.
Terri, congratulations,
you are our first star baker.
Thank you!
Unfortunately, I have
the very unhappy task
of telling you who will
be leaving us today...
and that person is...
Pierre.
No, no...
Come on, up you come.
I'm gonna join in.
Sorry, ...
It was
a great experience!
Everybody is
just unbelievable.
The bakers are
just phenomenal.
It has been such a
fabulous experience.
Thank you, Pierre.
I appreciate
everything.
Everything from
the first moment.
So excellent
to have you.
Thank you, everyone.
Merci.
I'm hoping that
he will continue to bake,
because I can see it brings
him so much pleasure.
I'll keep
the spirit of the tent
all in my life as a souvenir.
I scraped through,
but my main objective was just,
don't be the first one out.
And I succeeded in that,
so here we go.
You know, Terri,
you could taste her passion
through her baking.
You know, she wants to
make her family proud.
I am the first
star baker ever.
That's... wow.
Really great.
So great.
I came here
to show my girls
that you can put your fear aside
and you can take that risk
and you can succeed,
and that's what I did,
and I hope it inspires them.
I really do.
Next time...
Cook, bread, cook.
It's bread week!
It's soft
like a baby's bottom.
Bakers tackle
flavourful focaccia delights...
Still a little
paler than I like,
but I think it'll be fine.
...technically
parfait bagels...
Please don't let me
have screwed this up.
...and splendid,
sweet bread showstoppers.
It's just
like braiding hair.
Who will
be named star baker?
You've got such
a golden crust on this.
Thank you.
And who will be
asked to leave the tent?
I do not want to
go home on bread week.