The Great British Bake Off is a popular TV show that challenges amateur bakers to create various delicious treats. The show has inspired many viewers to try their hand at baking, and some of the recipes from the show have become very popular online. Here are the most searched recipes from each series of The Great British Bake Off, from scones to key lime pie.
Scones: Series 1, 2010
The first series of The Great British Bake Off aired on BBC Two in 2010, and one of the technical challenges was to make scones. Paul Hollywood, one of the judges, asked the bakers to make 12 identical scones using a recipe from Scone Palace, where the show was filmed. Scones are a classic British treat, usually served with jam and cream, and they are easy to make at home. The key to making good scones is to use cold butter and not overwork the dough.
Pork pies: Series 2, 2011
In the second series of The Great British Bake Off, the bakers faced another technical challenge from Paul Hollywood: making six identical pork pies using a hot water crust pastry. Pork pies are a traditional savoury snack, made with minced pork and jelly in a pastry case. They are often eaten cold, with pickle or mustard. To make pork pies, you need to use lard and boiling water to make the pastry, and then fill it with seasoned pork and bake it in a tin. You also need to add gelatine to the stock and pour it into the pies after they are baked.
Key lime pie: Series 3, 2012
One of the most memorable bakes from the third series of The Great British Bake Off was Ryan Chong’s key lime pie, which he made for the signature challenge in pastry week. His pie was so good that the judges called it the “best bake of all three series”. Key lime pie is a dessert that originated in Florida, made with lime juice, condensed milk and egg yolks in a biscuit base. It is usually topped with whipped cream or meringue. To make key lime pie, you need to whisk together the filling ingredients and pour them into a pre-baked crust. Then you bake it for a short time and let it chill in the fridge.
Bakewell tart: Series 4, 2013
Bakewell tart is another classic British dessert, made with shortcrust pastry, jam and frangipane (a mixture of butter, sugar, eggs and ground almonds). It is sometimes decorated with icing and cherries on top. Bakewell tart was not a technical challenge in the fourth series of The Great British Bake Off, but two of the bakers, Kimberly and Ruby, used Bakewell flavours in their traybakes for the signature challenge in cake week. They both impressed the judges with their variations on the theme.
Babka: Series 5, 2014
Babka is a type of sweet bread that originated in Eastern Europe, made with yeast dough and filled with chocolate, cinnamon or fruit. It is usually twisted or braided before baking, creating a beautiful pattern inside. Babka was one of the technical challenges in the fifth series of The Great British Bake Off, set by Paul Hollywood. He asked the bakers to make two chocolate babkas using his recipe. Babka is not very difficult to make, but it requires some patience and skill to shape and proof the dough.
