Dig out your platform heels, top up your body glitter and do the Locomotion...cos it's party week! The remaining 5 bakers face a Conga line-up of three challenges that stand between them and a place in the semi-finals. Josh, Dan, Matty, Christy and Tasha are tasked with whipping up the perfect sausage roll, a cheeky caterpillar cake and a beige-is-banned buffet. So join Sarah, Howard, Dan and Jane and they discuss the hits of party food week and debate what filling is allowed inside a sausage ro...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 7Ep. 8
With only six bakers still in the running, desserts are on the menu this week. With a wobbly creme caramel signature, a steamy treacle pudding technical and an explosive meringue bombe showstopper, all the bakers are in danger of being the seventh baker to leave the tent, but only one can grab the elusive star baker title. So join Sarah, Dan, Jane and Howard as they talk desserts and reveal how long it really takes to steam a pudding! Send us your questions each week to thebakedown@bakewithalege...
Nov 08, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 7Ep. 7
Over halfway through and only seven bakers remain to take on the second ever Botanicals week. Drawing flavour inspiration from the natural world, the magnificent seven whip up spiced buns in the signature, lemon & thyme drizzle cakes in the technical and floral entremets desserts in the showstopper. Whose flowers will flourish and whose spices will leave a bad taste in the mouth? Join Sarah, Jane, Dan and Howard as they look back over botanicals week and praise the baking gods that no one ma...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 7Ep. 6
It's pastry week and the remaining nine hopeful bakers tackle a trio of tricky tasks involving three different kinds of pastry: hot water pastry picnic pies, rough puff dauphinoise pithiviers and sweet shortcrust decorative fruit pies. Who will create picture perfect pastry and which two bakers will be in hot water in a double elimination? Join Sarah, Howard, Jane and Dan as they pick apart pastry week and question if Rowan's pies were Absolutely Fabulous. Send us your questions each week to bak...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 7Ep. 5
The hottest day in the tent can only mean one thing: it's chocolate week. The remaining nine bakers faced three challenges choc-a-block with everyone's favourite treat, including a European torte signature, a white chocolate cheesecake technical, and not forgetting the chocolate box cake showstopper spectacular. Who kept their temper and who was melting under the pressure? Join Sarah, Howard, Dan and Jane as they discuss chocolate week and ask the question 'How do you caramelise white chocolate?...
Oct 19, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 7Ep. 4
The dreaded bread week is upon us, and as Paul prowls the tent, the bakers are faced with another three challenges to test their skills in week three: a cottage loaf signature, Devonshire Split technical and plaited centrepiece showstopper. Will there be any more handshakes awarded, or is everyone in deep dough? Join Sarah, Howard, Dan and Jane as they discuss Paul Hollywood's favourite week, and uncover plenty of double entendres along the way. Send us your questions each week to bakedown@bakew...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Biscuit week is upon us, and all the bakers are hoping not to snap under the pressure. The eleven remaining bakers are tasked with whipping up a marshmallow biscuit signature, a classic custard cream technical and a beautiful biscuit illusion showstopper. Who will be the next lucky contestant to win the second Star Baker title, and who's cookie has well and truly crumbled? Join Sarah, Dan, Howard and Jane as they discuss every last crumb of biscuit week and decide if a half-dipped Wagon Wheel is...
Oct 04, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 7Ep. 2
And so it begins...cake week starts off another year in the Bake Off tent as 12 new hopefuls don their aprons and whip up three new challenges for Paul, Prue, Noel and new host Alison. We had split buttercream, lopsided cake and runny ganache, as all the bakers tried to hold their nerve in Bake Off's 14th series. Join Dan, Jane, Howard and Sarah as they discuss the Vertical Roll cake signature, Chocolate Fudge cake technical and Animal Sculpture cake showstopper, and ask the all-important questi...
Sep 27, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 7Ep. 1
Hurrah! It's back again! Bake Off returns in the UK on 26th September and in the USA on 29th September and we hope we'll be your perfect accompaniment to the new series. Host of Bake With A Legend Sarah Taylor, is joined by Bake Off legends Jane Beedle, Howard Middleton and Dan Beasley Harling to assess our new dozen as we try to work out who the potential winners could be from the limited biographies and photographs that are shared ahead of the show! Send us your questions each week to bakedown...
Sep 23, 2023•1 hr
Just three bakers have made it to the 2013 Bake Off final: Kimberly, Frances and Ruby now have three final challenges to face before one of them can be crowned the winner. The tremendous trio face picnic pie signatures, perfect pretzel technicals and wonderful wedding cake showstoppers, as Paul and Mary judge their bakes one last time and announce a final star baker. Join Sarah, Howard, Dan and Jane for the final episode in the throwback to 2013 series and join them in wondering if there is a Ba...
May 03, 2023•49 min•Season 6Ep. 11
It's the semi-finals and the tent's gone all continental for French week. The bakers are set the challenges of a triple canape signature, a Charlotte Royale technical and an opera cake showstopper in the last push to reach the glorious Bake Off final. With only three spaces available, who will fall at the final hurdle and miss out on a chance to be crowned 2013's Bake Off champion. Join Sarah, Dan, Jane and Howard as they discuss all things French and wonder how much Mary Berry really hates bano...
Apr 26, 2023•57 min•Season 6Ep. 10
This week's five remaining bakers tackle Alternative Ingredients week, baking wheat-free signature loaves, a gluten-free technical dacquoise and a dairy-free vegetable showstopper cake. Who will make it to the semi-finals and get one step closer to being crowned 2013's winner, and who's vegetable cake has missed a beet? Join Sarah, Jane, Dan and Howard as they dive into Alternative Ingredients week and wonder if cauliflower does belong in cakes? The big news once again from Bake With A Legend is...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 6Ep. 9
With the quarter-finals only one week away, it's all hands to the pastry bags for this week's challenges: an old-school suet pudding signature, a toppling choux nun technical and a trio of flaky golden puff pastries, for a last show-stopping chance to enter the quarter-finals. Join Sarah, Howard, Dan and Jane as they discuss preferred pastry techniques, favourite flavour combinations and wonder just how much goat you should add to ice cream... The big news once again from Bake With A Legend is t...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 6Ep. 8
This week the magnificent seven face sweet dough week, whipping up delicious treats in the tea loaf signature, couronne technical and European bun showstopper. With the competition getting harder, the bakers will have to step up their game to try and impress the judges and win a place in the final. Join Sarah, Jane, Howard and Dan as they revisit Bake Off’s season 4, and find out what Mary Berry really thought of Howard’s cheeky tea loaf! The big news once again from Bake With A Legend is that n...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 6Ep. 7
We're halfway through the series and the remaining 8 bakers are being watched ever closer by Paul and Mary, as this week we see tray bakes in the signature, tuiles in the technical and biscuit towers in the showstopper. Only 7 can get through to next week and one step closer to the treasured Bake Off final. Join Sarah, Jane, Howard and Dan for Bake with a Legend's Series 4 Throwback Podcast as they spill the tea and discuss biscuits. The big news once again from Bake With A Legend is that not on...
Mar 29, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 6Ep. 6
With nine remaining bakers, the pressure is on to avoid the dreaded soggy bottom in Pies and Tarts week. The challenges being faced this week are: a double crusted fruit pie, egg custard tarts and a fiendish filo showstopper pie. Will their custards have the right amount of wobble? Will their fillings be flavourful? Does anyone besides Ali hate apple pie!? Join Sarah, Jane, Dan and Howard in our Season 4 throwback podcast as they discuss the pitfalls of pie week and wonder how much nutmeg is too...
Mar 22, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 6Ep. 5
It’s dessert week in the tent and Paul and Mary have set some custard-tastic challenges for the bakers this week: a trifle signature, a floating island technical and a petit four showstopper. Join Dan, Howard, Jane and Sarah for another series 4 throwback episode as they discuss the infamous Custardgate ‘scandal’ and find out where Mary Berry likes to spin her sugar. The big news once again from Bake With A Legend is that not only are we still having great fun hosting regular online baking class...
Mar 15, 2023•55 min•Season 6Ep. 4
It's week two in the tent and the bakers are put to the test baking breadsticks, English muffins and decorative loaves. Under the watchful eyes of Paul and Mary, the bakers tackle bread week as they create their signature, technical and showstopper challenges and try not to crumb-le under the pressure. Join Sarah, Howard, Dan and Jane for another episode of The Bake Down's season 4 throwback as we discover who's bake was on the rise and who was toast. The big news once again from Bake With A Leg...
Mar 08, 2023•58 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Let's start at the very beginning...cake week. 2013 saw a baker's dozen enter the tent for the first time and there was plenty of drama to go round with deflated angel food cakes, melting chocolate and lots of work for the tent paramedic! Join host Sarah and our trio of Bake Down panellists Jane Beedle, Dan Beasley-Harling and Howard Middleton to discuss the rises and falls of cake week from season four. The big news once again from Bake With A Legend is that not only are we still having great f...
Mar 03, 2023•56 min•Season 6Ep. 2
The Bake Down is back but we bring you a little something special this year: we will be heading back to 2013 and reviewing The Great British Bake Off season 4 (or season 2 in the US.) We'll be reviewing each episode, week by week, and looking back at the brilliant bakes brough to us by the class of 2013. For this introductory episode, Bake Down host Sarah will be talking to Mr Custardgate himself, Howard Middleton and discussing applications, filming in the tent and being recognised as a TV star...
Mar 01, 2023•24 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Happy New Year listeners! The first Bake Off of 2023 brings us some famous faces from seasons past: Chigs Parmar, Manon Lagreve, Anthony Amourdoux and Lottie Bedlow. The bakers are given some fantastic festive challenges to ring in the New Year: a savoury Wellington signature, a vegan Baked Alaska technical and a Buche de Noel entremets showstopper. Will they be able to relive their tent triumphs and banish their baking faux-pas of previous years? Join Dan, Howard, Jane and Sarah to beat the Jan...
Jan 02, 2023•51 min•Season 5Ep. 13
Merry Christmas everyone! The Bake Down Bunch are back with a special Christmas episode. It's time once again to induct 5 new celebrity bakers into the Bake Off tent, taking on a festive signature, technical and show-stopper to try and win the title of Christmas Star Baker 2022. This year, to mark the anniversary of Channel 4, we see entertainment icons Terry Christian, Claire Sweeney, Gaby Roslin, Miquita Oliver and Sir Tony Robinson take to their benches and attempt pastry, meringue and some r...
Dec 25, 2022•48 min•Season 5Ep. 12
***As mentioned at the start of the podcast we'd love you to join our free webinar on Saturday 26th November (9am PT / 11am CT / 12pm ET / 5pm UK.) The brilliant Dan Beasley Harling (GBBO series 9) will be teaching live from London, all the skills you need to master his delicious Pumkin Spice Whoopie Pies. Click here to sign up , it's completely free.*** It's week 10 and our intrepid three final bakers have three final bakes to complete: a picnic signature, a summery technical and a worldly show...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 11
The four remaining bakers try their hand at posh patisserie, making mini desserts, teetering tarts and a nutty showstopper spectacular. There will be wobbles, crumbles and overbaked biscuits, as Paul and Prue decide which of the Fab Four will make next week's final, and who will fall at the final hurdle. Join Jane, Howard, Dan and Sarah as they discuss the ups and downs of patisserie week and find out why circles are a difficult shape to master! We are still having great fun hosting regular onli...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Our fantastic five face pastry in the tent this week with Paul and Prue keeping their beady eyes open for laminated layers and soggy bottoms! The bakers have to tackle a puff pastry signature, a fried pastry technical and a pie scene showstopper. Who will survive to the semi-finals and who will flake and crumble under the pressure? Join Howard, Jane, Dan and Sarah as they discuss pastry week and the mystery of the disappearing spring roll... We are still having great fun hosting regular online b...
Nov 02, 2022•59 min•Season 5Ep. 9
With the quarter finals only one week away, we enter the tent with our remaining six bakers to tackle the nail-biting world of custard: a frozen custard technical, a set custard showstopper and a sea of custard in the signature, surrounding an island of poached meringue…. or fried chicken! Join Jane, Dan, Howard and Sarah as they discuss this week's wobbles ask the question: “can you ever have too much custard?” We are still having great fun hosting regular online baking classes every weekend an...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr•Season 5Ep. 8
Only seven bakers remain in the tent as we experience Bake's Off's very first Halloween week. There's frights and delights as the bakers tackle Autumnal favourites with an apple cake signature, a hanging lantern showstopper and a technical guaranteed to leave you wanting S'more. So, join the terrifying trio: Jane, Dan and Howard, and Sarah, your ghostess with the mostest, as they discuss Halloween week. We are still having great fun hosting regular online baking classes every weekend and this ye...
Oct 19, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Only 8 bakers remain in the tent as this week they tackle desserts: a steamy signature, a tart technical and moussey showstopper. It wasn't all sweetness and light though, as the bakers had to deal with stodgy puds, rubber jelly and the dreaded soggy bottom! Join Sarah, Dan, Howard and Jane as they discuss the ups and downs of dessert week and try to find out the precise nature of 'chinchilla cream'... We are still having great fun hosting regular online baking classes every weekend and this yea...
Oct 12, 2022•59 min•Season 5Ep. 6
It's week 4 in the tent and we have the first of this season's international themes: Mexican week! The 10 remaining bakers brought their favourite Central American flavours to the gingham alter, as they were asked to bake Pan Dulces, Corn Tortilla Tacos and Tres Leches Cakes. With the potential of two eliminations looming and the promise of 'star baker' only a few challenges away, it was all to play for as the bakers brought all the sweet and spicy flavours to this week's competition. Join Howar...
Oct 05, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Bread week is here, and the bakers have been kneading, proving and rising under the watchful steely blue eyes of King of Bread, Paul Hollywood. Whether it’s crispy pizzas, fluffy pan au raisin or the show stopping Smörgåstårta, the remaining bakers were ready to roll up their sleeves and roll out their doughs. We hope you enjoy our bread week episode, and we’ll leave it up to you to decide if pineapple actually does belong on pizza! We are still having great fun hosting regular online baking cla...
Sep 28, 2022•57 min•Season 5Ep. 4
