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Great British Bakeoff 2012 - Episode 4

Contestants - it's amazing how they make anything to do with BrendAn sound like a euphemism 'gluten intolerant' this week. I still think the vicars wife - Sarah Jane is lovely but if she doesn't step up the game she won't win, but maybe I can see her in the top 3.

I think Kathryn in in the running for the top 3 too, and the Scottish one with glasses. 

I don't think Stuart is long for the competition, but I think Danni or Brendan are in the running for Star baker.

It's also the first time I've heard people talk about having to beat a specific person to stay in the game.

Signature - Tortes. I'm sometimes better at these then normal cakes, but I'm not sure about potato flour, but I imagine it will bring up whatever flavour you add to it.  I like the idea of a black forest torte. Not sure on a green tea one, but I've poached pears in tea (black and green) before now and it's worked so I'm hopeful for that one.  I'm not sure on passion fruit and hazelnut mix.

I don't really work all that well with chocolate, I don't think I have the right temperament for it. I keep blaming the bowls I have to melt it in, but I suspect that isn't really the reason. 

Technical Challenge - Creme Caramel (or El Flan as its known in my house) I even have a specific El Flan mould, as seen in Volver.  I did make one once that just flopped out of shape as soon as I took the mould off it. Still tasty though. I'd love to see someone just bring out a bottle of the caramel sauce like they do in Spain. 

I would hate to do this under pressure, but I'd love to see them be presented with a baffling bit of kitchen equipment to use...

We did buy some 'caramel panna cottas' in sainsburys the other day, tasty but odd to see them packaged in such a way, when they were clearly Creme caramels

Show stoppers - layered meringue - I made one of these last year, strawberries and cream I think as the filling, like a deconstructed pavlova. I'm not a big meringue maker, I've certainly never made a fancier Italian or Swiss one. 

There's really nothing that's all that tempting about those meringue cakes, they all look a bit too much.

.....

I judged it right, bye bye Stuart and star baking for Brendan, who I would like to win now I think.

Pies next week, although it does open the whole debate on what is a pie and what is a tart....
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