Join or Sign In
Sign in to customize your TV listings
By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
The Great British Baking Show Season 4 Episodes
Season 4 Episode Guide
16 Episodes 2013 - 2013
Episode 1
Cake
57 mins
The baker's dozen contestants inhabiting the tent this season are introduced to the competition and the wrath and praise of Mary and Paul with three challenges on baking cakes, with the first announcement that because there is one more than the usual at the start, two may be eliminated in any given week without notice. Their first challenge, the signature, is for each to put their own spin on the classic sandwich cake, Mary and Paul wanting to gauge baking skills in this seemingly basic first test. While this first challenge in and of itself doesn't lead to an eliminated contestant, it isn't without its casualties in the number of bloody digits from accidental cuts. What the judges ask for in the first nerve wracking technical challenge is for each baker to make Mary's recipe for cream topped and curd drizzled angel food cake. One contestant ends up channeling a season 3 baker in not a good way. For the showstopper, the bakers each are asked to make a chocolate cake, the only stipulation being that the decorations must contain at least two different types of chocolate. And as it is the showstopper, it necessarily must look elaborately as good as it tastes. In addition, Sue learns about the Lancashire tradition of promenading which led, in the courtship ritual, to girls baking courting cakes - a type of sandwich cake - to impress potential suitors.
Episode 2
Bread
59 mins
The bakers this week are dealing with Paul's obsession, namely breads. They are each to make three dozen yeast raised bread sticks, the only stipulation, beyond the characteristic crisp texture, being the mandatory length of at least 25cms apiece. The uncharted territory of not knowing what it will be takes the bakers each into making eight identical English muffins, with the characteristic chew and irregular crumb structure what Mary and Paul will be looking for. In relation, Mel learns of the muffin man, a street seller during the Industrial Revolution of the newly developed portable bakery item of what we now know as the English muffin. And for the final challenge of the weekend - the showstopper - the bakers will each be making a decorative loaf, which requires them to know how yeast dough reacts when manipulated into different shapes.
Episode 3
Desserts
59 mins
From last week's manhandling of yeast doughs, the bakers now move onto the more delicate art of making desserts. For the signature challenge, they are each asked to make their favorite trifle, with what Mary and Paul wanting to see being defined layers of whatever they decide to incorporate. Mary and Paul are using this challenge to see if the bakers can multi-task in the kitchen as they have to make all the component parts simultaneously. In addition, Mel learns about the transformation the now humble trifle made from what was originally a dessert of the aristocracy during Georgian times, and the addition of what most now would consider the unappetizing jelly made from calves feet. For the technical challenge, the bakers will be staying with the cream and custard theme in making îles flottantes - translated as floating islands - six poached meringues in a sea of crème Anglaise, while also needing to accessorize with a spun sugar topping. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers will be making twenty-four petit fours, twelve biscuit based and twelve sponge based. And for the second week in a row, one specific baker, i.e. the same baker as last week, is the victim of an issue not of his own doing, while the Bake Off has a first, namely of baker "theft".
Episode 4
Pies and Tarts
59 mins
What no one in the tent wants to see this weekend is a soggy bottom, which means it must be pies and tarts week. What the bakers are asked for in the signature challenge is to each make a double crust fruit pie, the main stipulation being that the pastry must hold together when the pie is cut. With the soggy bottom, the bakers have to be wary about fruit choice in its inherent liquid emitted when baking. They each are then asked to make twelve traditional English custard tarts for the technical challenge, the challenge being to cook the pastry through while not overcooking the custard which would like to be cooked at a much more gentle heat. In addition, Sue learns about the history of the custard tart in Britain, and how it is documented in the nation's oldest living cookbook. The showstopper challenge takes them into what for most would have been uncharted territory in needing to make their own filo pastry for a filo pastry pie of their choice. The naming of Star Baker and the contestant whose competition has come to its end may come down to those soggy bottoms or lack thereof.
Episode 5
Biscuits and Traybakes
59 mins
At the official halfway point of this season's competition, the remaining eight bakers are dealing with all things biscuits and traybakes. For the signature challenge, each baker will be making a traybake of their choice, all the component parts needing to be made from scratch, and it needing to be served in individual portions which should be identical to Mary and Paul's judgmental eyes. In addition, Mel learns about one of the least known British traybakes, the Tottenham cake, and its connection to the Quakers and subsequent connection to the football club of the same name. In what Mel and Sue describe as the most delicate technical challenge ever, the bakers are asked not only to make tuiles, but to make them to decorative specifications, including shape. And for the showstopper challenge, each baker is tasked with making a biscuit tower, the only stipulation being that the tower needs to stand at least 30cm in height.
Episode 6
Sweet Dough
59 mins
In this, sweet dough week, each of the remaining seven contestants have to make a yeast risen tea loaf for the signature challenge. As most tea loaves used enriched dough, the bakers have to be concerned about adequately proofing the dough within their allotted time. Sue learns about one such tea loaf, the bara brith, which evokes Welsh national pride, and its Argentinean cousin, the torta negra. They are each asked to make one of Paul's recipes for the technical challenge: an apricot couronne. And in an unusual twist, the bakers are given a head start to allow their doughs to proof overnight before a four hour following day to complete and bake the showstoppers: two different types of sweet buns.
Episode 7
Pastry
59 mins
In it being pastry week, the bakers will once again do their best to avoid the dreaded soggy bottom. For the signature challenge, that soggy bottom will not be an issue - they needing to contend with an unwanted stodgy texture - as they are each asked to make a classic suet pudding, something that most probably would not have made in it having gone out of culinary fashion. The flavors, style, shape and method of cooking are all up to the bakers. While suet is an old fashioned ingredient for puddings, Sue learns about how suet has bound the culture of the citizens of the Scottish Isle of Mull through the making and eating of clootie dumplings. For the technical challenge, they are each asked to make eight religieuses, a French choux pastry confection meant to invoke the image of nuns. And for the final challenge of the weekend, the showstopper, they are each asked to make twelve each of three different types of puff pastry confection, one type needing to be filled, another type needing to be iced, and the third type decorated in any manner they choose. One baker breaks the puff pastry making rules, with only the end product proving if the gamble paid off.
Episode 8
Quarter Final
58 mins
In what is an all female quarter-finals, the five women left standing have to deal with diet-restrictive bakes which requires the use of alternative ingredients. The signature challenge has the bakers making a bread loaf using an alternative type of flour or one that uses what is considered a grandfather grain, which basically means they can use any type of flour except wheat flour. They will have to find something to replace the gluten in wheat flour that gives bread its structure. One decides to take a risk and go completely gluten-free, while another decides to fill her loaf before proofing which could inhibit its rise. In what at the time was using an alternative flour, Sue learns of the development of the national loaf during WWII in the need to feed the country in a non wasteful way, leading to milling of wheat to include the germ and bran not previously added to wheat flour. In what is definitely a gluten-free technical challenge, the bakers are each to make a hazelnut dacquoise. And they are going dairy-free for the showstopper in each being asked to make a three-dimensional vegetable-based novelty cake, which means no cow's milk or butter among other such restricted ingredients.
Episode 9
French Week
59 mins
It's the semi-finals, and the four remaining bakers are heading proverbially across the channel as it's French week. For the signature challenge, the bakers are each asked to make three different types of savory canapés, twelve each of a choux, a pastry, and a type the bakers' choice. For the technical challenge, they are each asked to make a Charlotte Royale, which by it's very nature has to be presented beautifully. They are given overnight for the custard based bavarois that fills the Charlotte to set before it will be judged by Mary and Paul. And for the showstopper, each baker is asked to put her personal spin on the classic opera cake, the things Mary and Paul looking for in defining it as an opera cake being the distinctive layers and the clean exposed sides. As such, Mel heads to Paris to learn about the history of the opera cake and how the cake design melds to the experience of attending an actual opera. After these three challenges, Mary and Paul will make their decision who of the four will receive the heartbreaking news of not making it into next week's finale.
Episode 10
Class of 2012
59 mins
Ten of the twelve from the Great British Bake-Off class of 2012 reconvene with the Bake-Off camera following their competition to reminisce about their time on the show. They talk about: their first day in the tent and sizing up the competition; the overall atmosphere in the tent, especially in being able to see what what the competition is doing; life away from the tent in-between the tent weekends; the situation when John was unable to finish a weekend and the decision not to send anyone home that week; the feeling of being judged by professionals, and about Mary and Paul individually as judges; the effect of Mel and Sue on the tent's environment in relation to the competition; their personal favorites among their culinary creations in the tent, and conversely the agony of baking failures; and the camaraderie despite the competition, the special friendships that developed largely out of common experiences outside the tent, and thus the feelings when someone was eliminated. The three finalists talk about the significance of it being an all male affair, and the sensations they felt when the winner was announced. And for those to who it applies, they also speak about their professional culinary experiences since being in the competition.
Episode 11
The Final
59 mins
The last three bakers standing in the all-female final are Frances Quinn, Ruby Tandoh, and Kimberley Wilson. Their third to last challenge, their final signature, is each to make a savory picnic pie in three hours. The judges are expecting it to be highly decorated, including having an intricate design in the interior when sliced. The pie must also use short crust pastry as the base, and be presented out of the tin as it is for a picnic. The judges admit they issued this challenge for the finals in wanting to see some redemption by the bakers for what was a less than stellar Pastry (2013) earlier in the competition. Their penultimate challenge, their final technical, is to make six savory and six sweet pretzels in two and a half hours. And their final challenge of the competition, their final showstopper, is each to make what is probably the most celebrated of celebratory cakes, a three tiered wedding cake in six hours. After these three challenges, Paul and Mary will make their decision and Mel and Sue will announce the winner of the Great British Bake Off season 4 in front of the finalists, their family and friends, plus a few familiar faces who know the pressures of the tent.
Episode 12
Masterclass 1
58 mins
Over the ten weeks this season, Mary and Paul issued thirty challenges to the contestants - ten signatures, ten technicals, and ten showstoppers - some resulting in success, some in failure, and some which showed them new baking techniques from these amateur bakers which they will incorporate into their own skill set. But in this first of four masterclasses for season 4, they will demonstrate how to make four of their favorite recipes from weeks 1 and 2, cakes and breads. Mary makes a spiced citrus sandwich cake filled with orange buttercream, and an angel food cake with lemon and passion fruit curd, Paul makes olive-filled bread sticks, and English muffins, while they both give their take on week 1's showstopper of a chocolate cake. As an extra, Mary shows how to make two-tone piped icing rosettes.
Episode 13
Masterclass 2
58 mins
Over the ten weeks this season, Mary and Paul issued thirty challenges to the contestants - ten signatures, ten technicals, and ten showstoppers - some resulting in success, some in failure, and some which showed them new baking techniques from these amateur bakers which they will incorporate into their own skill set. But in this second of four masterclasses for season 4, they will demonstrate how to make five of their favorite recipes from weeks 3 and 4, desserts and pies/tarts. Mary makes her favorite all-time recipe, a tipsy trifle with sherry-soaked Swiss roll sponges, the French classic îles flottantes (translated into floating islands), and an apricot and marzipan pie, while Paul makes custard tarts, and spanikopita fit for a dinner centerpiece. As an extra, Paul shows how to avoid a soggy-bottomed pie or tart.
Episode 14
Masterclass 3
58 mins
Judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood cook more of the challenges that they previously assigned to contestants during the competition, including ginger-spiced traybake, tea loaf, apricot couronne, and more.
Episode 15
Masterclass 4
58 mins
Judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood cook more of the challenges that they previously assigned to contestants during the competition, including Sussex pond pudding, wheat-free loaf, pretzels, and more.
Episode 16
Christmas Special
59 mins
Paul and Mary make Christmas classics, including stolen, a gingerbread house and streusel.