Who likes cakes, breads, and pastries? A pinch of British drama? Then you may want to tune into the Great British Baking Show . The show presents typically 12 new amateur bakers from Great Britain, who take on three challenges  (show stopper, technical, signature challenge) for two of Britain’s top bakers (Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith). Set in the British countryside during the summer in a “tent”.

The charm of the host with their corny jokes tie in perfectly with the drama of the kitchen. Bakers freaking out about oven temperatures and rising times. A few iconic meltdowns spells a recipe for hit television show. Now the most recent welcomed a few new faces and said goodbye to some much loved hosts. I think Prue has truly made her mark as a fair and hard judge that could be as charming as Mary Berry, the great British baking icon who left the show to pursue other endeavors. The people I miss the most are Mel and Sue. They are a hard combo to beat and it truly seemed like they made the show a home for themselves. The newest hosts, Sandi and Noel, have yet to make the same mark as Mel and Sue, but it is the first season of the pair hosting and should improve by the next season was the first time jitters disappear.

The show fascinates me because of the different classic British recipes that I have never heard of here in America. For example, a pavlova is a dessert that I never come across in my hometown bakeries. It is a dessert made with soft crisp meringue and  seasonal fruit that is sweet without being overly sweet. Also, I am gob smacked by the creation of the amateur bakers that memorized methods and recipes so that they can create masterpiece that belong on magazines and patisseries. The imagination of these hopeful bakers allow them to push the fold on what a recipe could be which makes the creations when successful more magnificent. For me, my recipes come from the back of a baking box or with the guided assistance of a cookbook. I have no recipe memorized and I am still on kitchen supervision by my family (my oven at my place is too temperamental so I borrow my family’s oven when I can) after my last baking fiasco, which involved a cornbread that never cooked after 3 hours.

Now the show doesn’t answer the question of how to create a particular recipe but it will show you how one can do their own spin on classic recipes. However, if you do possibly want to recreate some of the recipes then you may want to check out the Great British Baking Show Masterclass or by looking up one of the shows many cookbooks. I haven’t tried any of the recipes but I have a few earmarked for my next baking weekend when I can borrow my family nice spacious oven compared to  my dinky tiny oven I share with my roommates.

Tune in and drool over all the sweet creations. Just don’t forget to tell me what your favorite season is or what your favorite cooking show is.

Photo Credit: https://www.delish.com/food-news/g22852777/great-british-baking-show-netflix-season-5/