Welcome to the World of Great British Bake Off's Technical Challenges!
If you've ever watched the Great British Bake Off and felt a bit confused by the technical challenge, you're not alone. With unique and often obscure terms like "Dampfnudel" and "Vasilopita," it can be overwhelming to keep up with the lingo of the baking world. But fear not, we're here to help!
We'll be breaking down some of the most confusing technical bakes from the show, explaining what they mean and where they originated. Whether you're an aspiring baker or simply a fan, sit back, grab a slice of something nice, and get ready to learn all about these challenging bakes.
Pithivier: A French Enclosed Pie
- Origin: France
- Challenge: Season 3, Week 10 (Signature Challenge)
- Description: A round, enclosed pie that can be savory or sweet.
In the final of season three, the three remaining contestants were tasked with making a savory pithivier for their last Signature Challenge. A pithivier is a classic French pie made from two equally sized discs of puff pastry, which are stuffed with a filling and baked. It's recognized by the signature hump in the middle and its traditional decoration of spiraling lines from the top and scalloped edges.
This pie is named after the French town of Pithiviers, where it's said to have originated. On the show, contestants Brendan, James, and the series winner John made versions with potato and pepper, chorizo and red pepper, and Italian sausage and roasted vegetables, respectively. While often savory, a pithivier is also a popular sweet dessert, with common fillings including apricots and almonds.
Queen of Puddings: A Classic British Dessert
- Origin: Britain
- Challenge: Season 3, Week 6 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A hot, layered dessert.
In Week 6 of Season 3, Mary Berry set the contestants a technical challenge to make a Queen of Puddings. This traditional British dessert consists of three distinct layers. The bottom layer is a baked breadcrumb and milk custard. The middle layer is a fruity jam, usually raspberry or blackcurrant. The top layer is a decorative meringue, piped in little peaks, which is baked until golden. Recipes similar to the Queen of Puddings can be found as far back as the 17th century, but the modern version is generally considered a postwar British recipe.
Fraisier Cake: The Strawberry Cake
- Origin: France
- Challenge: Season 3, Week 9 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A sweet, cold strawberry cake.
For the Week 9 technical challenge in Season 3, contestants were asked to make a Fraisier Cake. The name comes from the French word for strawberry, "fraise." This beautiful cake is traditionally made with a Génoise sponge, which is cut in half and soaked in an alcohol syrup, such as kirsch. The Génoise sponge is an Italian cake named after Genoa that doesn't use a chemical leavening agent; instead, it relies on suspended air from the mixing process to create a lighter, flatter sponge.
The cake is then filled with a thick layer of crème pâtissière and decorated with sliced strawberries pushed into the sides. The top is finished with another disc of sponge, a thin layer of marzipan, and more fresh strawberries.
Sachertorte: The Viennese Chocolate Cake
- Origin: Austria
- Challenge: Season 2, Week 8 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A cold chocolate cake.
In the final of Season 2, Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry challenged the contestants to create a Sachertorte. This famous Austrian chocolate cake was invented in 1832 by a young apprentice chef named Franz Sacher for Prince Metternich of Vienna. Sacher created a rich chocolate cake filled with apricot jam and covered with a smooth, shiny layer of dark chocolate icing. The cake became an instant success and is now a beloved symbol of Viennese cuisine.
Chiffon Cake: The Airy Sponge
- Origin: USA (1920s)
- Challenge: Season 3, Week 10 (Showstopper Challenge)
- Description: A light and fluffy sponge cake.
The chiffon cake is a light and fluffy cake made with oil, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and flavorings. Its delicate, airy texture comes from a unique method that incorporates both egg yolks and whipped egg whites. This cake was invented by Harry Baker, a California-based insurance salesman and hobby baker, in the 1920s. After perfecting the recipe for years, he eventually sold it to General Mills in 1947, who then introduced it to the public via a Betty Crocker cookbook.
Floating Islands (Île Flottante): A Classic French Dessert
- Origin: France (17th or 18th Century)
- Challenge: Season 4, Week 3 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A meringue dessert served on a bed of custard.
Floating Islands, or île flottante in French, is a classic dessert that consists of poached meringues floating on a bed of crème anglaise (custard). The meringue is often flavored with vanilla or almond and garnished with caramel or toasted nuts. The dessert is believed to have originated in France and was particularly popular in the 19th century at grand banquets.
Croquembouche: The Tower of Choux Pastry
- Origin: France (18th Century)
- Challenge: Season 2, Week 6 (Showstopper Challenge)
- Description: A tower of cream-filled profiteroles.
The croquembouche is a stunning French dessert made of a tower of cream-filled profiteroles (small pastries made from choux pastry). The tower is held together with caramelized sugar and often decorated with spun sugar or other edible decorations. The name comes from the French words "croquant" (crunchy) and "bouche" (mouth), referring to the crunchy texture of the caramel. This impressive dessert is said to have been created by the famous French pastry chef Antoine Carême and is a challenging but beautiful showstopper often served at weddings and special occasions.
Apricot Couronne: A Crown-Shaped Sweet Bread
- Origin: France
- Challenge: Season 4, Week 6 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A crown-shaped sweet bread or pastry.
Apricot Couronne, which translates to "apricot crown" in French, is a sweet bread or pastry shaped into a ring. It's made with a rich, buttery dough flavored with almond extract and studded with dried apricots. The dough is rolled out, filled with almond paste and apricot jam, and then shaped into a crown before being baked until golden brown. It is believed to have originated in the Alsace region of France and is a popular breakfast or brunch pastry.
Charlotte Royale: A Rolled Sponge Cake Dessert
- Origin: France (Late 19th Century)
- Challenge: Season 4, Week 9 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A rolled sponge cake dessert.
The Charlotte Royale is a French dessert made with sponge cake or ladyfingers that are lined with jam and filled with a rich Bavarian cream (a mixture of pastry cream and whipped cream). The entire dessert is then rolled into a spiral and chilled until it sets. It's often decorated with whipped cream and fruit and served cold.
Religieuses: A Nun-Shaped Pastry
- Origin: France (19th Century)
- Challenge: Season 4, Week 7 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: Two choux pastry buns, one larger than the other, filled with pastry cream.
Religieuses, which translates to "little nuns" in French, are a type of French pastry that consists of two choux pastry buns, one larger than the other. They are filled with flavored pastry cream, coated with a glaze, and decorated with buttercream to resemble a nun's habit. Created in 19th-century Paris by a chef named Frascati, the dessert was named after the nuns who would visit his shop.
Hazelnut Dacquoise: Meringue and Hazelnuts
- Origin: France (1950s)
- Challenge: Season 4, Week 8 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A layered meringue and hazelnut dessert.
The Hazelnut Dacquoise is a French dessert made of layers of meringue and hazelnuts, often with a layer of buttercream or ganache in between. The meringue layers are made from egg whites, sugar, and ground hazelnuts, and are baked until crispy. The dessert is attributed to influential pastry chef Gaston Lenôtre and is named after the town of Dax in southwestern France.
Yeast-Leavened Cakes (Kugelhopf): A Central European Tradition
- Origin: Central Europe
- Challenge: Season 5, Week 6 (Signature Challenge)
- Description: A sweet cake made with yeast.
A yeast-leavened cake, often known as Kugelhopf, is a sweet cake made using yeast as a leavening agent. It has a light, airy texture and is typically flavored with ingredients like vanilla or lemon zest, and often includes dried fruits. The cake is a traditional holiday dessert in Central European regions like Austria and Germany and is often baked in a special turban-shaped Bundt pan.
Viennoiserie: The Laminated Pastries
- Origin: Vienna, Austria (introduced to France in the 18th Century)
- Challenge: Season 5, Week 10 (Signature Challenge)
- Description: A category of French pastries made with laminated dough.
Viennoiserie is a category of French pastries that originated in Vienna. The term "Viennoiserie" means "of Vienna" in French. These pastries are made from a laminated dough, created by folding butter into the dough multiple times to create characteristic flaky layers. Common examples include croissants, pain au chocolat, and danishes. The croissant, in particular, is said to have been created in Vienna to celebrate the defeat of the Ottoman Turks in 1683, with its crescent shape representing the crescent on the Turkish flag.
Prinsesstårta: The Swedish Princess Cake
- Origin: Sweden (Early 20th Century)
- Challenge: Season 5, Week 6 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A layered sponge cake with pastry cream, whipped cream, and a green marzipan top.
Prinsesstårta, or Princess Cake, is a traditional Swedish cake with layers of sponge cake, pastry cream, and whipped cream. The entire cake is then topped with a layer of bright green marzipan and decorated with a pink marzipan rose. It was created in the early 20th century by a home economics teacher named Jenny Åkerström and was named for the three Swedish princesses she taught.
Kouign-Amann: The Butter Cake
- Origin: Brittany, France (19th Century)
- Challenge: Season 5, Week 7 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A round, multi-layered pastry with a crispy, caramelized exterior.
Kouign-amann is a traditional Breton pastry, with its name translating to "butter cake" in the Breton language. It's made from a laminated dough, similar to croissants, but with a generous amount of added sugar and salt. The layers of dough and butter create a tender, buttery interior and a crispy, caramelized exterior when baked. It's believed to have been invented by a baker named Yves-René Scordia in the 19th century in the town of Douarnenez.
Povitica: The Croatian Sweet Bread
- Origin: Croatia
- Challenge: Season 5, Week 8 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A yeast bread rolled with a sweet filling.
Povitica is a traditional sweet bread from Croatia. The name comes from the Croatian word "poviti," meaning "to wrap," which refers to the way the dough is rolled out, spread with a sweet filling (typically ground walnuts, sugar, and spices), and then rolled up into a loaf. Povitica is a staple of Croatian cuisine and is often enjoyed during holidays.
Schichttorte: The German Layer Cake
- Origin: Germany/Austria (18th Century)
- Challenge: Season 5, Week 9 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A German "tree cake" with many thin, broiled layers.
Schichttorte, or "tree cake," is a traditional German layer cake made up of many thin layers of sponge cake. Each layer is individually caramelized under a broiler or with a kitchen torch before the next layer is added. This process creates a unique striped pattern when the cake is sliced. It's a time-consuming and labor-intensive dessert, often reserved for special occasions.
Dobos Torte: The Hungarian Layer Cake
- Origin: Hungary (1885)
- Challenge: Season 5, Week 6 (Showstopper)
- Description: A multi-layered sponge cake with chocolate buttercream and a caramel top.
The Dobos Torte is a famous Hungarian dessert created by József C. Dobos in 1885. It consists of six to eight thin layers of sponge cake with a rich chocolate buttercream filling between each layer. The cake is known for its glossy caramel top layer, which is sliced into symmetrical portions. It was a favorite of the aristocracy and quickly became popular throughout Europe.
Pièce Montée: The French Wedding Cake
- Origin: France (16th Century)
- Challenge: Season 5, Week 10 (Showstopper)
- Description: A tower of cream-filled profiteroles held together with caramel.
The Pièce Montée, also known as a croquembouche, is a traditional French dessert often served at weddings and special occasions. It is a tower of cream-filled profiteroles (small cream puffs) held together with caramel or sugar syrup. The name means "mounted piece" and it's a beautiful and impressive centerpiece dessert.
Arlettes: The French Pastry Crisps
- Origin: France
- Challenge: Season 6, Week 2 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: Thin and crispy puff pastry spirals.
Arlettes are a type of French pastry that are thin and crispy, similar to palmiers. They are made by rolling out puff pastry very thinly, dusting it with sugar and cinnamon, and then rolling it into a spiral. The spiral is then sliced thinly and baked until it's golden and crisp. The pastries are believed to have originated in the south of France and are a popular treat to have with coffee or tea.
Spanische Windtorte: The Austrian Meringue Cake
- Origin: Austria (18th Century)
- Challenge: Season 6, Week 4 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A tall, cylindrical meringue cake filled with whipped cream and fruit.
The Spanische Windtorte, or Austrian Spanische Windbäckerei, is a traditional Austrian dessert from the 18th century. It consists of a tall, cylindrical tower of delicate meringue layers filled with whipped cream, fresh fruit, and sometimes marzipan. This impressive dessert is traditionally served at special occasions and is a fixture of Austrian cuisine.
Flaounes: A Cypriot Easter Pastry
- Origin: Cyprus
- Challenge: Season 6, Week 6 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A savory Cypriot pastry eaten during Easter.
Flaounes is a traditional Cypriot savory pastry typically eaten during the Easter season. It's made with a dough that's filled with a mixture of cheeses like halloumi, herbs such as mint, and sometimes raisins. The filling is rolled into balls, placed on the dough, and then folded into a triangular or circular shape before being baked and brushed with egg wash and sesame seeds. Flaounes are an important part of Cypriot religious traditions and are a popular Easter treat.
Tennis Cake: A British Summer Treat
- Origin: Britain (Early 20th Century)
- Challenge: Season 6, Week 7 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A sponge cake with glacé cherries in a diamond pattern.
The Tennis Cake is a traditional British sponge cake that has been enjoyed for over a century. It's a simple lemon and currant sponge topped with a layer of icing and a pattern of glacé cherries. It gets its name because it was a popular snack to serve at tennis parties. The cherries are arranged in a diamond pattern to resemble a tennis court.
Mokatines: The French Coffee Squares
- Origin: France (Early 20th Century)
- Challenge: Season 6, Week 8 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: Rectangular sponge cakes with coffee-flavored buttercream.
Mokatines, also known as Mocha Squares, are a classic French cake that originated in the early 1900s. The name comes from the French word "moka," meaning coffee. The cake consists of layers of sponge cake filled with a coffee-flavored buttercream and often decorated with nuts. They are typically rectangular and served in small, bite-sized squares.
Charlotte Russe: A Classic French Dessert
- Origin: France (19th Century)
- Challenge: Season 6, Week 7 (Showstopper)
- Description: A mold lined with sponge cake and filled with a cream mixture.
The Charlotte Russe is a classic French dessert named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III. It's made by lining a mold with ladyfingers or sponge cake and then filling it with a mixture of whipped cream and fruit. The dessert is then chilled until the mixture has set and is served cold, often topped with additional whipped cream and fruit.
Dampfnudel: The German Steamed Dumpling
- Origin: Bavaria, Germany
- Challenge: Season 7, Week 3 (Technical Challenge)
- Description: A traditional German sweet dumpling.
Dampfnudel is a traditional German sweet dumpling from the Bavarian region. The name translates to "steam noodle" because of the way it's cooked steamed in a pot with milk and butter until it's a fluffy and tender dumpling with a caramelized bottom. It's often served with a sweet sauce or compote.
