The Great British Bake Off (series 6)
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The sixth series (Season 3 on PBS, or Collection 3 on Netflix in the US) of ''
The Great British Bake Off ''The Great British Bake Off'' (often abbreviated to ''Bake Off'' or ''GBBO'') is a British television baking competition, produced by Love Productions, in which a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds, att ...
'' first aired on 5 August 2015, with twelve contestants competing to be the series 6 winner.
Mel Giedroyc Melanie Clare Sophie Giedroyc (; , born 5 June 1968) is a British actress, comedian and television presenter. With Sue Perkins, she has co-hosted series including ''Light Lunch'' for Channel 4, ''The Great British Bake Off'' for the BBC and c ...
and
Sue Perkins Susan Elizabeth Perkins (born 22 September 1969) is an English actress, broadcaster, comedian, presenter and writer. Originally coming to prominence through her comedy partnership with Mel Giedroyc in ''Mel and Sue'', she has since become best ...
presented the show, and
Mary Berry Dame Mary Rosa Alleyne Hunnings (; born 24 March 1935), known professionally as Mary Berry, is an English food writer, chef, baker and television presenter. After being encouraged in domestic science classes at school, she studied catering at ...
and
Paul Hollywood Paul John Hollywood (born 1 March 1966) is an English celebrity chef and television presenter, widely known as a judge on ''The Great British Bake Off'' since 2010. Hollywood began his career at his father's bakery as a teenager and went on to ...
returned as judges. The competition was held in the ground of
Welford Park Welford may refer to: Places ;Australia * Welford National Park ;England *Welford, Berkshire **RAF Welford ** Welford Park *Welford, Northamptonshire **Welford Reservoir **Welford Road Stadium Welford Road (currently known as Mattioli Woods ...
, Berkshire for a second year. The series was won by
Nadiya Hussain Nadiya Jamir Hussain (''née'' Begum; born 25 December 1984) is a British television chef, author and television presenter. She rose to fame after winning the The Great British Bake Off (series 6), sixth series (Season 3 on PBS, or Collection ...
, with
Tamal Ray A tamale, in Spanish language, Spanish tamal, is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalization, nixtamalized maize, corn, which is steaming, steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping can either be d ...
and Ian Cumming finishing as runners-up. The sixth series was broadcast as the third season on
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
in the United States.


Bakers


Results summary

Colour key:


Episodes


Episode 1: Cakes

For the first challenge, the bakers were given two hours to make a
Madeira Cake Madeira cake is a sponge or butter cake in traditional British and Irish cookery. Origin It is sometimes mistakenly thought to originate from the Madeira Islands; however, that is not the case as it was named after Madeira wine, a Portuguese wi ...
, which was chosen as an "easy" challenge for the bakers. The cake should have a dome and a crack on top, though Mary stated the cake should not differ too far from the original. For the technical challenge, the bakers had one and three quarter hours to make Mary's recipe for a Frosted Walnut Cake, which should have three layers and a meringue coating, along with caramelised
walnut A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true ...
s. A Black Forest Gâteau was set as the final challenge. In three and a half hours, the bakers were tasked with making a cake that should be extravagant, and should "impress" Mary and Paul.


Episode 2: Biscuits

For the signature challenge, the bakers were given two hours to bake 24 identical
biscotti Biscotti (; ; en, biscuits), known also as cantucci (), are Italian almond biscuits that originated in the Tuscan city of Prato. They are twice-baked, oblong-shaped, dry, crunchy, and may be dipped in a drink, traditionally Vin Santo. Name ...
of any shape, flavour or size. In the technical challenge, they were required to make eight arlettes, which are high-end light delicate cinnamon-flavoured biscuits, in two and a half hours. For the show stopper, they were set the challenge of making 36 biscuits, to be presented in a biscuit box made of a different kind of biscuit mix. They were given four hours in this challenge.


Episode 3: Bread

In the first task, the bakers were given one and a half hour to make two
quick bread Quick bread is any bread leavened with a chemical leavening agent rather than a biological one like yeast or sourdough starter. An advantage of quick breads is their ability to be prepared quickly and reliably, without requiring the time-consumi ...
to be made free-form (i.e. not in a tin). For the second task, Paul set the bakers the challenge of baking four identical crusty
baguette A baguette (; ) is a long, thin type of bread of French origin that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, though not the shape, is defined by French law). It is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust. A baguette has a di ...
s in two and a half hours. For the final showstopper, the bakers needed to make a 3D bread sculpture in five hours, using three types of dough, and one of them should be filled. Paul received the first ever special commendation for his showstopper King of the Jungle.


Episode 4: Desserts

For the signature challenge, the bakers had 2 hours to make twelve
crème brûlée ''Crème brûlée'' or ''crème brulée'' (; ), also known as burnt cream or Trinity cream, and virtually identical to the original crema catalana, is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar ...
s. The brief specified that the custard must be set and that the bakers weren't allowed to use a blowtorch to caramelize the top. For the technical challenge, the bakers had four hours to make a Spanische Windtorte. This dessert had two types of
meringue Meringue (, ; ) is a type of dessert or candy, often associated with Swiss, French, Polish and Italian cuisines, traditionally made from whipped egg whites and sugar, and occasionally an acidic ingredient such as lemon, vinegar, or cream of ...
, Swiss and French, designed into a circular box and filled with cream and fruit. Three tiers of sweet cheesecakes were set as the showstopper. The structure must be self-standing, have unique flavors and be completed in four and one half hours.


Episode 5: Alternative Ingredients

This episode has a theme of using alternatives for ingredients usually used in baking. For the signature bake, the bakers were given the challenge of baking a cake, but without using sugar. They were given two and a half hour for the bake. For the technical bake, the challenge was to make twelve identical
gluten-free A gluten-free diet (GFD) is a nutritional plan that strictly excludes gluten, which is a mixture of proteins found in wheat (and all of its species and hybrids, such as spelt, kamut, and triticale), as well as barley, rye, and oats. The inclus ...
pita bread Pita ( or ) or pitta (British English), is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and neighboring areas. It includes the widely known version with an interior pocket, also ...
s in two hours. In the showstopper, the bakers needed to make an ice-cream roll using dairy-free ice-cream. They were given four and a half hours for the bake.


Episode 6: Pastry

For this week's signature challenge, the bakers had to make a
Frangipane Frangipane ( , ) is a sweet almond-flavored custard used in a variety of ways including cakes and such pastries as the Bakewell tart, conversation tart, Jésuite and pithivier. A French spelling from a 1674 cookbook is ''franchipane'' with t ...
tart in two hours, the brief being that it must be open-topped and use
shortcrust pastry Shortcrust pastry is a type of pastry often used for the base of a tart, quiche, pie, or (in the British English sense) flan. Shortcrust pastry can be used to make both sweet and savory pies such as apple pie, quiche, lemon meringue or chicken ...
. In the technical, the bakers had to make 12
Flaounes ''Flaouna'' ( gr, φλαούνα), ( tr, Pilavuna, Bitta), is a cheese-filled pastry from the island of Cyprus, which may include raisins or be garnished with sesame seeds. Flaounes are traditionally prepared for Easter by Orthodox Cypriots and du ...
, a cheese filled pastry made in Cyprus. They had two hours.
Vol-au-vent A ''vol-au-vent'' (pronounced , French for "windblown", to describe its lightness) is a small hollow case of puff pastry. It was formerly also called a patty case. . A ''vol-au-vent'' is typically made by cutting two circles in rolled out p ...
s were set as the Showstopper – the bakers had to make two types, all using their own
puff pastry Puff pastry, also known as ', is a flaky light pastry made from a laminated dough composed of dough (') and butter or other solid fat ('). The butter is put inside the dough (or vice versa), making a ' that is repeatedly folded and rolled out befo ...
– in three hours and forty five minutes.


Episode 7: Victorian

For the first challenge, the bakers had three hours to make a Raised Game Pie. The pie must have thin Hot water crust pastry, and must be very ornate, as most game pies from the era were. For the technical challenge, a Tennis fruit Cake was set for the bakers. The bakers were given three hours to make a
fruit cake Fruitcake (or fruit cake or fruit bread) is a cake made with candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and optionally soaked in spirits. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and decorated. Fruitcakes are typically served ...
, along with
royal icing Royal icing is a hard white icing, made from softly beaten egg whites, icing sugar (powdered sugar), and sometimes lemon or lime juice. It is used to decorate Christmas cakes, wedding cakes, gingerbread houses, cookies and many other cakes an ...
and
sugar paste Sugar paste icing is a sweet, edible sugar dough, typically made from sucrose and glucose. It is sometimes referred to as sugar gum or gum paste. Though the two are both used in cake decorating, sugar paste differs from fondant icing Fond ...
, with much
gelatine Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...
being used. A Charlotte Russe was set as the Showstopper. To be done in five and a half hours, the bake usually has ladyfingers around jelly and a sponge – with flavour and decoration being key.


Episode 8: Pâtisserie

In the first quarter-final challenge, the bakers had to make twenty-four cream horns in three and a half hours. They were asked to make twenty four
cream horn A cream horn is a pastry made with flaky or puff pastry, and whipped cream. (An alternative version, the meringue horn, is made with meringue.) The horn shape is made by winding overlapping pastry strips around a conical mould. After baking, a ...
s – twelve of each flavour, using either puff, rough puff or flaky pastry. Mary's recipe for nine Mochatines was set as the technical challenge. These were small, delicate genoise sponges, filled with a coffee
buttercream Buttercream, also referred to as butter icing or frosting, is used for either filling, coating or decorating cakes. The main ingredients are butter and some type of sugar. Buttercream is commonly flavored with vanilla. Other common flavors a ...
meant to be attractive, as if "in a
pâtisserie A () is a type of Italian, French or Belgian bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets, as well as a term for such food items. In some countries, it is a legally controlled title that may only be used by bakeries that employ a licensed ...
window". They would only have two hours.
Religieuse Religieuse is a French pastry made of two choux pastry cases, one larger than the other, filled with crème pâtissière, most commonly chocolate or mocha. Each case is covered in a ganache of the same flavor as the filling, and then joined dec ...
à l'ancienne were set as the Showstopper challenge. These would be large éclairs, stood upright with no dowelling, and decorated with buttercream. They were given four hours, though the towers were left to stand for two hours afterwards, as traditional religieuse would have been left for such time. As a result, some of the towers began to collapse or lean upon being presented to Mary and Paul.


Episode 9: Chocolate (Semi-final)

For the first challenge, the bakers had two and a half hours to make a chocolate tart. The tart had to be ornate, intricate, and full of flavour. For the technical, the bakers faced a staggered start, and were each given one hour and fifteen minutes to make a chocolate
soufflé A soufflé is a baked egg-based dish originating in France in the early eighteenth century. Combined with various other ingredients, it can be served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé is the past participle of t ...
– with Flora starting first, followed by Ian, Nadiya, then Tamal. A chocolate centrepiece was set as the showstopper. In four hours, the bakers had to create an ornate centrepiece using white chocolate in some form and including a biscuit element, the centrepiece having to be free-standing and attractive. Flora's elimination meant that she was the first baker to have finished first in the technical challenge and be eliminated the same week.


Episode 10: Final

In the final signature challenge, the bakers had to make 16
iced bun An iced bun (also known as Swiss bun or iced finger) is a bread bun with a white or pink icing sugar glaze covering the top. The dough may be enriched (made with eggs, milk, and butter) or simply an oblong bread roll. In some bakeries or recipes ...
s, of which there must be two kinds, in three hours. In the technical, the judges decided to use one of
Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
's recipes; the bakers had to bake six raspberry-flavoured
mille-feuille A (, "thousand-sheets"),The name is also written as and . also known by the names Napoleon, vanilla slice, and custard slice, is a dessert made of puff pastry layered with pastry cream. Its modern form was influenced by improvements made by Ma ...
with
fondant icing Fondant icing, also commonly referred to simply as fondant (, from the ), is an icing used to decorate or sculpt cakes and pastries. It is made from sugar, water, gelatin, vegetable fat or shortening, and glycerol. It does not have the textur ...
in two hours. The recipe involved
pastry Pastry is baked food made with a dough of flour, water and shortening (solid fats, including butter or lard) that may be savoury or sweetened. Sweetened pastries are often described as '' bakers' confectionery''. The word "pastries" suggests ma ...
– something all of the bakers had struggled with in Week Six. In the final Showstopper, the bakers were given four hours to make a classic British cake in a minimum three-layered presentation.


Masterclasses

Mary and Paul show how to bake some of their favourite recipes and technical challenges.


Episode 1


Episode 2


Episode 3


Episode 4


Christmas special


Controversies


Betting

As the show was pre-recorded, the winner of the show would have been known by those involved in the show. Bookmaker
Ladbrokes Ladbrokes Coral is a British gambling company founded in 1886. Its product offering includes sports betting, online casino, online poker, and online bingo. The business is split into two divisions, UK and International. UK operations are c ...
halted betting on the show after "a run of bets" was placed for one contestant, many at shops in the
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...
area. It was also claimed that dozens of employees of BBC as well as the production company, Love Productions, had opened gambling accounts to place bets on the eventual winner.


Spoilers

In a
BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
broadcast, judge Mary Berry accidentally revealed the eliminated contestant prior to the airing of episode three.


Contestants

Contestant Marie Campbell, who was the first Star Baker of the series, was criticised for being "semi-professional", after it emerged that she had been trained in Ecole Escoffier at the Ritz in Paris where she specialised in patisserie. A statement from the BBC said: "There are strict criteria to take part in the show and Marie met those criteria. She gained a certificate for one week’s training in Paris in 1984, more than 10 years ago. She has not worked professionally as a baker or chef."


Post-show career

Nadiya Hussain regularly appears on ''
The One Show ''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weeknights at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Jermaine Jenas, and Ronan K ...
'' on BBC1. Her own cookery show, The Chronicles of Nadiya started on 24 August 2016 on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
. Hussain writes a weekly column for ''The Times Magazine'', a part of the Saturday supplement of ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'', as well as a monthly column in '' Essentials'' magazine. Her recipes have also appeared in BBC's ''
Good Food Good Food was a cookery channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom and Ireland, latterly as part of the Discovery, Inc. network of channels. The channel originally launched on 5 November 2001 and relaunched in its final format on 22 June 2009 ...
'' magazine. Hussain was signed by UK publisher Michael Joseph, part of Penguin Random House, for her debut book ''Nadiya's Kitchen'', which is a collection of the recipes that she cooks for friends and family. Hussain has written a children's book of stories and recipes, ''Bake Me A Story'', due to be published by
Hodder Children's Books Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette. History Early history The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged 14, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publis ...
, which blends updated versions of fairytales (poor "Sleepless Beauty" just needs a nice cup of cardamom-infused hot chocolate to break her curse; resourceful Jack wins the giant over with yummy bean patties) with colourful illustrations and child-friendly recipes. She is also writing three contemporary women's fiction novels for
Harlequin Harlequin (; it, Arlecchino ; lmo, Arlechin, Bergamasque dialect, Bergamasque pronunciation ) is the best-known of the ''zanni'' or comic servant characters from the Italian language, Italian ''commedia dell'arte'', associated with the city o ...
. Tamal Ray writes a monthly column for ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''. He presented a television show on health on Channel 4 titled ''Be Your Own Doctor''. Flora Shedden studied for a year at the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
but deferred on a course on art history at the
University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...
for a year to concentrate on writing a cookbook, ''Gatherings'', published in January 2017. She wrote a column on baking for ''
The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until August 2004. Its par ...
''.


Ratings

According to the overnight ratings, the opening episode of the series 6 of ''Bake Off'' was watched by 9.3 million viewers, a rise of over 2 million from the previous year. The final was watched by an overnight audience of 13.4 million viewers peaking at 14.5, the highest overnight total of 2015. The list of ten most-watched television programmes of 2015 was also dominated by ''The Great British Bake Off'', with seven of the year's ten being episodes of The Great British Bake Off. Official episode viewing figures are from
BARB Barb or the BARBs or ''variation'' may refer to: People * Barb (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname * Barb, a term used by fans of Nicki Minaj to refer to themselves * The Barbs, a band Places * Barb, ...
.


Specials


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Great British Bake Off, The Series 6 2015 British television seasons