Seemingly against all odds, the Great British Bake Off is back. We’re gearing up to meet the new batch of contestants, and we can’t wait to find out what challenges the judges will set.
Bake Off has been around for so long now though, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will have to work a little harder to find new and unusual bakes to test the home bakers.
The show typically starts off with recognisable recipes, like cookies or tray bakes, but then as the weeks wear on, things will get decidedly more difficult – especially when it comes to the technical challenges.
7 obscure bakes that have featured on Bake Off
As we prepare for another series of bread kneading, cakes that don’t rise, and star bakers, let’s take a look back at some of the more obscure bakes from previous seasons…
1. Religieuse
Religieuse is a traditional French pastry, and while it’s not exactly a common sight in the UK and Ireland, its taste will be recognisable. Similar to eclairs or profiteroles, religieuse feature two choux pastry rounds filled with crème pâtissière, often flavoured with chocolate or mocha.
2. Kouign-amann
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If you see these kouign-amanns at @alice.cph – get them! They’re rare and delicious. 🥐
Another French bake, Kouign-amann translates as ‘cake butter’ in Breton (language). So yes, a whole lot of butter is involved. A little like a caramelised croissant, bread dough is typically folded with layers of butter and sugar, before puffing up in the oven. It has a caramelised top thanks to a final sprinkling of sugar.
3. Bedfordshire clangers
This bake was the technical challenge in the ‘Forgotten Bakes’ week of series eight, so you know it’s an obscure one. Bedfordshire clangers might not win any prizes at a beauty contest – they look like a long sausage roll, entirely encased in pastry. However, inside is where things get interesting: one half of the pastry has a savoury filling, and the other half, sweet. It’s basically your main meal and dessert in one handy pastry package.
4. Maids of Honour
This bake is thought to date back to Tudor times. These little sweet pastry tarts – also known as Richmond maids of honour – are filled with a cheese curd mixture. Modern variations often add a dollop of lemon curd or raspberry jam in the middle.
5. Dampfnudel
Dampfnudel isn’t an obscure bake in the likes of Germany, Austria and France, but it’s not all that well-known here. It’s like a sweet bread roll steamed, so it’s light and fluffy. Even though dampfnudel dough is sweetened with sugar, it’s served as part of main meals as well as desserts.
6. Apricot couronne
If you wanted to jazz up your normal Christmas baking this year, look no further than a couronne. This bake is commonly made in France to celebrate the festive season. It’s an iced bread shaped like a wreath, stuffed with fruit, nuts and marzipan.
7. Prinsesstårta
This traditional Swedish cake is unusual for its green colour. Inside the cake are layers of delicate sponge and cream, with a green-coloured layer of marzipan draped over the top to give it domed look.
The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 on Tuesday, September 22.
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