'The Great British Baking Show' Series 3 Episode 3: Bread Week

In this installment of our Great British Baking Show recaps, we follow our ten intrepid contestants as they try to “prove” their expertise in the creation of yeasty, crusty foodstuffs. But first let’s review how eleven became ten in last week’s biscuit bonanza.

Travel photographer Ian was declared Star Baker on the strength of his orange and almond biscotti (with the secret weapon of rosemary from his garden); a third place finish in the arlette technical challenge; and his charming architectural shortbread creation filled with festive pink macarons.  Self-proclaimed silly Marie from Scotland, on the other hand, played it too safe with her flavors and designs and alas had an oven malfunction during the technical round. She went from Star Baker one week to being gently banished from the tent the next.

This week brought three trials in delicous bread making. Viewers were also treated to plenty of witty banter from presenting pair Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc including their humorous posh opening that predicted lashings of harsh judgement from Paul and Mary and a life-size statue of the Taj Mahal made out of cheese straws.

In this episode’s signature round the bakers were given one and a half hours to make two loaves of free-form quick bread. The technical challenge was set by the man-gorilla that is Paul Hollywood who asked them to produce four identical crusty baguettes (with very little guidance) to be presented at the gingham alter in two and a half hours. The marathon showstopper this week required our competitors to be not only bakers but artists too as they created a 3-D bread sculpture in five hours. The bread sculpture had to include three types of dough with one of the breads containing a sweet or savoury filling.