01x06 - Tea Party (Final)

[bunniefuu]

[Sue] We've been travelling with
our Great British Bake Off tent

up and down the length
and breadth of this country.

We started off with ten bakers, and now,
we've simmered them down to just three.

Where better to stage our Great British
Bake Off final than here at Fulham Palace,

a summer retreat for the Bishops
of London since the 12th century.

In the 19th century, these very gardens
were thrown open to the local community

for vast afternoon tea parties.

They put a big tent up on the lawn,

which is what we're doing this
weekend as we play host

to The Great British Bake Off
grand finale afternoon tea party.

[both] More cake, vicar?

[narrator] Just three bakers remain:
Ruth, Edd and Miranda.

I'm feeling sick with nerves.

I didn't sleep at all last night.

My life depends on one miniature cake.

[narrator] They'll face two
final challenges.

[Paul] What I'd like to see is that
extra bit of fire in there.

I'm really trying to
execute this perfectly.

-I don't know what I'm doing.
-Not good.

[narrator] But only one
can be crowned the ultimate victor

of the first Great British Bake Off.

I'm so disappointed,
because I have said to you so many times,

whatever you're doing,
you make them the same size.

[Mel] The winner is...

[theme music plays]

[narrator] Miranda, Edd and Ruth have
two huge challenges ahead of them

in The Great British Bake Off.

And in a final twist,
they know that after the first,

only two of them will get the chance
to bake in tomorrow's final challenge.

[Miranda] It's amazing to be in the final,

but strangely enough, now I'm
in the final, I want to win even more.

[narrator] Miranda earned her place
in the final with her instinctive skills

and remarkable gift for presentation.

[Mary] Absolutely wonderful.
Simply delicious.

The taste of that is fantastic.

[narrator] Edd has dazzled the judges
with his inventive flavours

and his ability to excel
in almost any area of baking.

-They are excellent.
-[Sue clears throat]

You've nailed that one, Edd.
You really have.

I need to make no mistakes.

I need to make sure everything I do
comes out the way I've planned it.

[narrator] And Ruth has carved out
a flawless reputation

for being a bold and efficient baker
who is unafraid to experiment.

Wow. That, you could
put in front of royalty.

[Mary] Crispy, and you've got a very
wet filling, and it's very good.

-[Paul] Very good.
-Yeah?

[Ruth] It's a life-changing
situation to be in.

I'm just gonna give it my best shot.

Bakers, welcome
to Fulham Palace here in London.

Now, we're gonna be asking you
this weekend to garner

all of your cake-mixing, bread-baking,
pie-raising, scone-fashioning,

tart-filling skills,

and roll them all together
to produce one glorious Bake Off finale.

Tomorrow, the palace lawn will be
teeming with hungry guests

waiting for you to feed them.

They will be able to sample
everything that you produce.

As ever, you are going to be judged,
and doing so will be Paul and Mary.

Mary, the Queen of Tarts,

she will be probing and dissecting
in her usual majestic fashion,

and Paul, terror of the high teas,
who will be ultimately dissecting,

and I imagine the term "crumb texture"
and "consistency" will be used.

Right, bakers,
it's time for your first challenge.

It's the Signature miniature cake bake.

For one of you, this will be
your last challenge,

because we will be asking one of you
to leave the Bake Off after this.

No pressure.

[Mel] Ready... steady...

good luck, and bake.

[narrator] The bakers have just
two-and-a-half hours

to produce 24 exquisite
and identical cakes.

They have free rein to make
any recipe they wish. Their ambition and innovation
will be scrutinised

just as much as their technical skill.

What I'd like to see is
that extra bit of fire in there. You can't just bung a cupcake
with a little chocolate drop on the top

and say, "There you go."

[narrator] All three finalists have
demonstrated their ability

to produce stunning cakes in the Bake Off.

But achieving well-balanced flavours,
even consistency,

and a light texture
is even more difficult in miniature.

[Mary] They've got to bake them evenly,
because if they're overcooked

and they are just disguising it
with the icing, we'll be watching...

-You'll tell.
-...to see that doesn't happen.

[narrator] And the decoration requires
a whole new level of precision.

[Paul] At this stage, we're looking for
something that's gonna look professional.

I'm sorry, I think we're about to cross
that the line into professionalism now.

[Ruth] It's a cake that I've made up
especially for this challenge.

I've never gone so far
as doing something so out there,

which is why I feel so proud of it,
because it's my baby, if you like.

It's the first one for my book. [laughs]

[narrator] For her Signature Bake,
Ruth has spent weeks perfecting

an unusually-flavoured cake
based on one of her favourite c*ck.

I'm making a mint,
ginger and blackberry cake.

Mint, ginger and blackberry? They'll all
fight each other, won't they?

It-- It's-- It is my invention.

And how is the ginger?
Is it a powder, or--?

No, it's grated root ginger.
It's not the major taste in there,

the ginger, but I have tried it
without the ginger,

and it's nowhere near the same.

It's tried and tested,
your family loves it?

I've tried it out
on so many of them. Um...

-[Mel] What was the response?
-They've loved it.

-[Ruth] Wahey!
-[boy 1] I got the big one!

-[boy 1] Yeah.
-[boy 2] I didn't get that one.

[narrator] For Ruth,
a married mum to three boys,

taking part in the Bake Off has provided
a chance to do something for herself.

[Ruth] I'm absolutely loving
this competition. You start to believe in yourself
a bit more,

and then you get some really good
feedback from people like Paul and Mary,

and you just think, "My God!" You know.

Paul said my lemon cake
could be served to the Queen.

Served to the Queen!

You know, so...

If I come away with nothing from it,

I'm coming away with a
massive confidence boost. Massive.

The children are so proud of me,

and you don't normally
have a chance for your children

to feel that way about you, to demonstrate
that you are doing something unbelievable,

and telling their little friends
at school,

"My mum got through to the final."

To them, it's so, so important.

[Boy] Yeah!

I think she can win it, yeah.

More than England can win the World Cup.

If I was a judge, Mummy would win.

[Ruth laughs]

I have never done a sweet recipe
with fresh grated ginger,

so it will be, to me, very interesting.
And she's always been one to experiment.

Paul said that he thought the flavours
were gonna fight with each other.

They don't fight with each other, but he
might find a fight in there. Who knows?

[Paul] It should bake quite well.

My only concern was, with those
three flavours, they're quite strong.

Blackberry's quite pungent,

but I think it could be that
ginger and mint could overwhelm anything.

[Miranda] Oh! That's the kind of thing
that wouldn't happen at home, you see.

[narrator] Miranda has decided to make
a tried-and-tested family favourite

for her Signature Bake.

It may seem that it's quite simple
compared to lots of the flavours

I can hear other people talking about,

but I think that it's about one
really lovely, summery, lemony...

Everyone usually loves lemon.

[narrator] She has a slightly different
interpretation of the brief

for an exquisite miniature cake.

She's aiming to dazzle
with the perfect cupcake.

So, it's a lemon sponge,
and it's got lemon zest in the sponge.

-[Paul] Yeah.
-And then, it's a lemon soak

over the top of that, and then I'm
keeping it very pure and simple,

so I'm doing a very lemony royal icing,
so I'll actually make that up

with lemon juice,
which doesn't really tend to go so hard.

Because it's got the lemon juice in it,
it tends to stay...

It's softer to bite into,
and hopefully, then,

not to set myself up for a fall,

hopefully, you'll get lemon
all the way through it.

Are you gonna fill it with anything,
or just as it is?

[Ruth] No, I won't fill it with anything.

I have tried taking out a little scoop
and putting lemon curd in,

but I felt that it was too much for this.

I would have liked to have seen
a little bit more going on.

I'm not trying to be funny,
but this is the final.

[Mary] What would you like to see, then?

If it was filled,
sliced and filled with something,

and then fondant was dripping down
the side, or something which is five-star,

something which screams quality.

[narrator] Miranda's been baking since
she was three years old,

and now, she's passing the tradition on
to her two children.

[whispering] What do you want to make?

D'you think so? Do you want to
make lemon ones or strawberry ones?

-Strawberry ones.
-Strawberry ones?

Okay, we've got
the strawberries there, so...

[Ruth] I think there's a really strong
connection between baking and family.

In so many ways it's about providing,
about the heart of the home, about...

For me, the kitchen is very much
the heart of where we all live and are.

It's about giving through baking
and about being together.

Put that back on there?

I think lots of memories
of my own childhood are

of the kind of food that we had,
or different things we had at parties,

or amazing birthday cakes.

I hope my children will have memories

of always having home-made
cakes and home-made biscuits,

because baking for them and making things
that are special for them

does show them that you care
that you love them

and that you want to do
the absolute best for them.

So for me, it is about
giving something back to them

and making special childhood
memories for them, as well.

[Mel] So, Miranda is doing...

-Can we call them cupcakes?
-For me, that's a child's cupcake.

Yes, it's probably gonna be moist
and great, but how much, technically,

how difficult is that to do?

[Mel] But her brief was
to produce an elegant

-cake for a tea.
-Is that a childish cake, then?

It is very difficult to make cupcakes
absolutely perfectly, the base.

If the icing is perfect

and she has got, hidden up here,
a very attractive decoration,

I will go with it.

I'm just trying to think, how good can she
make that icing to make that exceptional?

-[Mary] Let's just see.
-Okay.

[Miranda] I feel a bit demoralised that
Paul said he thought it was simplistic.

I don't think it's
a simple thing to get right.

I've done a few things where maybe
I was too bold and I took on too much,

and then I didn't
execute all of it perfectly,

so I'm trying to execute this perfectly.

Everyone's loved it who's tried it,

so if they don't love it,
I can't do any more.

[Edd] I think it is definitely tenser.
I know I'm feeling a bit more on edge,

but I think that's only
natural for the final, so...

I think maybe the nerves
have got to me more than others.

I've been home alone this week, so there's
been nothing to take my mind off it.

There's been no kids or anything
to take your mind away from that, so...

I've been stewing a bit this week.

[narrator] Edd has practiced
his Signature cakes all week

in preparation for the final.

He's hoping his choice of flavours
and topping will give him the edge.

I'm making a cinnamon and banana cake
with a caramel frosting with hazelnuts

and a banana chip on the side.

[narrator] He also has something
special planned for his decoration.

[Paul] You're putting Italian
meringue on top.

Yes, not a lot of it,
just a peak on each side,

because it's not a cupcake,
so I didn't want just loads of frosting.

-So, a little bit on the side in a peak.
-Are you gonna burn it at all?

Or just leave it white?

No, leave it on top. Well, the caramel
goes into the Italian meringue.

[Paul] Technically, all the flavours
in there are fantastic.

They should work beautifully together.

With an Italian meringue on the top,
that, to me, is an exquisite cake.

I think, when you look at what the
remit was, he's doing it there,

but working with bananas
is quite difficult,

because you think it's done, and it's not.

The starch in the banana tends to hold it
together and kid you that it's baked,

and it's not necessarily the case.

[narrator] When baking miniature cakes,

the size and type
of mould used is critical.

Ruth has opted for large drainpipe moulds.

[Ruth] I like to have
a good depth of cake,

which I couldn't get on having
it in bun cases.

They'll probably be about this big.

[narrator] Miranda is sticking with
classic cupcake cases.

[Miranda] I'm hoping I've made the
right decision, and it's going to work.

[narrator] And Edd has gone for
a modern silicone cake mould

which should turn out flawless edges.

[Edd] It's nice to be able to concentrate
on something apart from worrying.

[narrator] He's putting fresh banana
in the middle of his cakes,

which should caramelise when baked,
creating a gooey centre.

As for most cakes, oven temperature
and timing are critical.

In miniature,
the margin for error is tiny.

[narrator] One hour to go in the final
Signature Bake.

[Sue] This is a stressful situation.

You know, one fold too few
of the eggs, one whisk too many,

just slamming the oven door shut
at a crucial moment,

the slight inaccuracy
of oven temperature...

It's wide open.

I don't want to see any of them leave,

but I have to say, at this stage,
who knows?

[narrator] The judges will be looking
for every one of the finalists'

twenty-four miniature cakes
to be baked to perfection.

I'm very pleased with how those
have come out. Very pleased.

I've made a slight mistake.
I overfilled my... things,

so they've risen above where
they should've done,

so I might have to trim them a bit.

Not good.

-Edd?
-Hiya.

-Slaving over a hot stove.
-Yep.

-How are you?
-Not good.

What's happened?

Everything. They've never
stuck like this before,

so I'm not really sure what's gone wrong.

Then, I've had an issue
with my frosting for the top,

so I'm having to restart that.

[Sue] Do you think it's
because it's stressful?

Yeah, obviously,
it's all down to one cake,

and if anything goes wrong,
you feel like that's the end.

All right, well...

It tastes amazing.

Yeah, but it's meant to look amazing, too.

Just a little stressy, that's all.

Ever baked under
such stressful conditions?

No.

[narrator] At just 24 years old,

Edd has the least amount of baking
experience of the three finalists.

I make most things at least
two or three times,

and if something's not going so
well, I'll practice it an awful lot,

so there are some things that I will
repeat over and over and over again,

and you get very sick of making them.

I'm making the caramel sauce
for my frosting for the small cakes.

I've been practicing the actual recipes

that we've been needing to make
for about a week now, so...

I'm happy with the
cake recipe that I'm doing,

but it's just making it posh
and good enough for a posh afternoon tea,

so I'm mainly practicing
the presentation side of that today.

[narrator] Edd's twin brother Simon
and sister Jennifer are used to avoiding the master at work.

When he's baking in the kitchen,
he doesn't like interruptions.

-Edward's zone, nobody else's.
-Yes.

I'd never seen him lose it,
but he does get very stressed.

-[Jennifer] He goes into a good...
-[Edd] Quiet zone.

He gets very quiet when he's having
a bit of a mood in the kitchen.

[Edd] What I'll have to do is cut
the top bit off, just around the edges,

so it doesn't have that
kind of muffin top,

because it's meant to be more
uniform around the edges.

Okay, bakers, you've got


[narrator] Miranda has
developed her own technique

to ensure her cupcakes are moist.

[Miranda] Whilst they're still warm,
I'm just putting a soak,

a lemony soak over it,
like a lemon drizzle.

Just the juice of two lemons

with a tiny bit of icing sugar
just to take the acidity away.

[narrator] But the base is only
half the battle with a miniature cake.

I think the chances of Paul not liking it
are probably very high.

I think Mary'll love it.

[narrator] The choice of topping
and presentation is critical.

Ruth has created a duo of fresh mint
and fresh blackberry buttercream icing,

but that's just the beginning.

[Ruth] It is a pearl lustre spray.
Just gives it a sparkle.

It just makes them sort of extra-special.

Ruth, once again, you are cooler than
a refrigeration unit in the Antarctic.

My sort of image of you
during the Bake Off is this.

[whistling]

Because you've done
everything in three seconds,

and you're just sitting pretty.

I've always been super efficient,
and I just get on and get stuff done.

-[Sue] Did you tie these yourself?
-[Ruth] Ribbon sticks! I did.

[Sue] It's forensic, the detail, isn't it?

-It's a laser beam of beautiful precision.
-Yes!

That would take me six-and-a-half weeks.

I would go blind
and need therapy afterwards,

such would be the levels of frustration.

-It's very relaxing!
-No.

-Tying little bows.
-No.

[narrator] Edd is far from relaxed
and far from finished.

[Edd] I don't like baking
when I'm stressed at all.

He still needs to complete
his caramel-flavoured Italian meringue,

a notoriously complicated twist
on a standard meringue,

where whipped egg whites are mixed
with boiling sugar syrup.

My sugar syrup cooked too much,
so I'm a bit behind.

I think everyone bakes best
when they're happy,

because baking is something where
you're doing something that you love

and I think, if you're stressed,
that, sometimes, can show.

[narrator] The temperature of the syrup
has to be exactly 115 degrees Celsius

when mixed with
the egg whites and flavouring.

If not, it won't produce
a soft buttercream texture.

[Edd] I know that if this doesn't
go well, then that's the end of it.

I'm a bit behind now, so I just need to
speed up a bit, because I have royal icing

that needs to set a bit
before I put the decorations on.

I don't want them all sinking in.

[narrator] Miranda is making
a simple royal icing,

an icing sugar and water mix
to which she's added lemon juice.

[Miranda] I think this is
the perfect choice,

because it doesn't have butter icing on,
so it's very light and summery

and elegant.

[narrator] Will Miranda's
simple perfection be enough?

The decoration must be flawless.

She's topping each cake with sugar
daisies, roses, leaves and buttons,

which she's made
painstakingly by hand.

This is looking mighty fine.
How are you feeling about it?

Nervous, after having
had the chat with the judges.

Why, what have they said?

Paul doesn't like the idea
that they're cupcakes.

He doesn't think they're elegant enough.
I think they're jolly elegant

It's not about looking completely perfect.

I want it to look
slightly like I've made it,

not like it's come out of a factory.

If you go to a five-star hotel,
you may have exquisite things,

but maybe you don't feel
that you have that sense

of something that's been made
personally for you.

What I love is you've delivered
that incredibly emotional speech

that's brought tears to my eyes,
all the while perfectly,

perfectly icing a cupcake.

-How do you do it?
-Multitasking.

It's people like you that got women this
terrible reputation of being multitaskers!

[narrator] Edd makes a
last-minute modification

by rolling his cakes in crushed hazelnuts.

[Edd] Not my day today.

Stick.

[Edd growls]

I always worry at this point, when I'm
chilled and everyone else is manic.

I start thinking, "Have I forgotten
something?" Going over it in my mind.

[Sue] Okay, two minutes to go.

It won't affect you, Ruth.
She's been ready for an hour and a half.

A disastrous moment.

Okay, bakers. Time is up.

Um... Yes.

[Ruth] I'm very, very happy with these.

They've turned out
better than I could've imagined.

[Miranda] I think that they will say that
they are a classic Miranda small cake.

And I hope that they will love
the flavour of the lemon

and that they don't think it's too simple
and I haven't been brave enough.

[Edd] Considering I didn't
think I'd finish,

I'm happy now that I've actually finished.

But they're not nearly
as good-looking as it would've hoped.

Hopefully, the flavours are good,
because I like what I've done.

[narrator] For one of these three
finalists, this will be the last time

their baking is to be judged
by Paul and Mary.

Everything now rests on the ideas,

the consistency,
and taste of their miniature cakes.

[Ruth] They remind me of me.

-[Sue] They're you!
-What can I say? They're me.

Me in a cake, personified.

Yes, there's usually a little bit
of glitter or something on them.

[Paul] Visually they do
look very, very good.

[Mary] Do you know, I think I would
almost like it without its paper case,

and perhaps to have something sticky
and rolled in nuts, or something.

[Paul] Mm. It would stand out a bit more
if it had something on the side.

-I've got the mint.
-I've got the mint, yeah.

But I haven't got the ginger.

[Paul] I'm not getting the fruit.

You'll never get that sort of fruit
coming through against the mint.

It's a beautiful texture, it's lovely
and moist, but no need to have the ginger.

-You can't even the smell it.
-No, but without it,

I can assure you it is not the same cake.

[Paul] It wouldn't work
in a conventional afternoon tea.

-It's too big, it's too girly.
-I want them to be girly.

I think, who eats tea?

-How Y-chromosome can a cake be?
-[Paul] You wouldn't get these

-added bits on the top.
-Yeah.

-[Mel] What would it be, then?
-It would be smaller, more delicate.

[Ruth] I had the impression that Paul
was sceptical before he tasted it,

and I think he still is.

I have told them exactly
why the ginger's in there.

It's right, it is right,
and I wouldn't change it.

I really wouldn't change it.

[Mary] They look very pretty.

It is a perfect consistency.
All I've got to do is taste it.

The texture's fantastic,
the moisture's very good.

-Phew!
-It's a very good example of a perfect cupcake.

It is. It's a very good cupcake.

My issue is...

does a cupcake fall in
line with an afternoon tea?

[Miranda] I think it's very personal.
I think that Mary likes what I'm doing.

Maybe Paul hasn't always liked
my pinkier, girlier kind of things.

But yeah, you do feel like you're sending
little members of your family

out there to be judged. It's really hard,
because they're things you've created.

It looks a bit of a mess.

The idea is good.
I like this Italian meringue

sitting on the side with a little banana
as well. Very upmarket.

Okay.

The cinnamon comes through.
The banana's there. It's lovely and moist.

The taste is fantastic.
That Italian meringue is lovely.

That's the sort of thing
I was looking for,

-if you didn't over-fill your mould.
-[Edd] Yeah.

[Mary] You don't have to take
any paper off or unwrap it.

What you get is what you see.
A skilled person tackles Italian meringue.

[Paul] It's a small, exquisite cake,
which is what the remit was,

except there's been a mess up on the side.

[Edd] I wasn't having
the best time during the baking,

but for him to say, "It is
a technical thing, and it's difficult,

and you pulled it off,"
is a bit of a boost.

So, hopefully it's good enough, so...

[narrator] Miranda, Ruth
and Edd now have to wait

while the judges decide which of them
won't be going through to tomorrow.

-[Mel] Shall we start with Ruth?
-I think the overall look was fine.

The ribbon thing was a bit dodgy,

but she likes pushing the envelope,
and I love that.

But to me, it just didn't work this time.
It almost felt savoury,

and I've never seen fresh ginger
grated into a cake,

and now I know why,
because it doesn't really work

and you don't get it.
So, I was disappointed. I didn't enjoy it.

-Then we go over to Miranda's.
-Miranda.

Miranda is a good baker.
Always perfectly finished, good textures.

And today, little bit boring,
but it was perfectly ex*cuted

and I enjoyed it very, very much.

This is the finale
of a baking competition,

and for me, it was just too simple.

We've basically got
two very different styles.

We've got the maverick in Ruth,
sometimes it pays off, sometimes not.

And we've got the play-it-safe,
quintessential home baker in Miranda.

-Delicious-tasting.
-[Mel] Somewhere between the two

is the consistency, but also
the intriguing flavours of Edd.

That was different. He'd pushed
the boat out, done something different.

And the finished result
was a little bit untidy.

[Paul] He'd even put a banana
inside each one,

and that's the reason
why it blew over the top,

because the cut of banana he put in
was slightly too thick.

So, you had to look at that and say,

"I like that he was
innovative to do that."

The flavours... The Italian meringue
tasted absolutely fantastic.

I know it's tight, and I know,
especially now we're down to three…

-[groans]
-We've grown to really care

about these people and to really value

what they've churned out
in a stressful situation.

-In a way, there is so little in it.
-They are at a level pegging.

You look at Edd's and Ruth's.

It's got that finesse. Yes,
she went slightly overboard

with the bit on the top,
but the ideas is the thing.

It was the simplicity that
goes against Miranda on this.

I disagree, because I know
it's original, but the taste, to me...

It's all about, "Do I want a second one?"

And I do when it comes to Miranda's.

So, I'd like to see you fight,
you know I would.

I'd like nothing more now than some
cage fighting between Berry and Hollywood.

But sadly, these are more
civilized times, and we'll have

to do it through the medium of chat.
But we need to make a decision.

[narrator] But after three more
hours of discussion...

[Paul] For me, he ticks all the boxes.

[Mary] It doesn't look...
It doesn't fit the pattern.

...there's still no sign
of a final decision.

I don't care if you're
cooking for the family or your dog,

what I'm interested in
is the product itself.

We are amateur home bakers,

and I would be extremely proud if I had
made the tower that Miranda made.

[Miranda] We thought it'd be
half an hour, didn't we?

[Edd] I told my family, "I'll be able
to tell you at lunchtime." It's now...

past that.

[Mary] Had he had time,
he should have toasted those.

[narrator] Still unable to agree,
the judges decide to look back at how

the bakers have performed throughout
the whole six weeks of the Bake Off.

Her chocolate cake, to go back,
was absolutely stunning.

It's frightening. You're thinking,
"What on earth is going on?"

[Edd] What are they talking about, still?

[Paul] She's baked everything
that's out the box.

She's pushed the envelope.
She's done cakes I've never even heard of.

[Miranda] I've found it horribly stressful
not knowing how long it's going to take.

[Paul] The thing with Miranda,
it's same, same.

-I saw that same topping on a biscuit.
-Those biscuits were a sheer joy.

Is this not about amateur
home baking at the end of the day?

It is, but it's also
about the best amateur.

[narrator] Thousands came forward...

just ten were selected.

And after six weeks
of intense competition...

one baker is about to fall
at the final hurdle.

So the judges spent a long time
discussing and deliberating.

Pretty much five hours, let's be fair.

You know how it works.
We can't take all three of you.

And after much deliberation,
we're extremely sorry to say

that the person who will not
be joining us tomorrow will be...

Miranda.

[applause]

-[Ruth] Sorry.
-Don't be sorry!

[Sue] Well done, you. Well done.

[Mary] Today was the most
difficult day that we've had.

My thoughts were that Miranda
was coming through very nicely.

We then looked back, and Ruth came
through more strongly than Miranda.

There was nothing in it.
This is why it's taken so long.

That was such a difficult decision,
and I'm really, really sad to see her go.

They had to go back...

[Miranda] I've left on a high.

I'm really proud
of the fact that I've got here.

Mary said lovely things to me afterwards.

Mary Berry did say
that you reminded her of her.

[Paul] You're like a mini Mary.

For Mary to have said that
to me, I just feel so chuffed.

I just feel like... That's almost
as good as winning.

[Paul] Today was exceptionally difficult.

I'm sorry to see someone go,
but someone has to go.

There will be a winner tomorrow.

And who that winner is, I have
absolutely no idea at this stage.

[narrator] The final challenge
of the Bake Off has arrived.

Throughout the contest, there's been
little to separate Ruth and Edd.

[Mary] It's got that look
about it, hasn't it?

You just want to get straight into it.

[Paul] That, with a cup of tea?

-[Edd laughs]
-Fantastic.

Oh, that's good, isn't it? Mm!

Beautiful. You've done
really well, actually.

[Mary] It's got a lovely, even crust
round the outside.

[Paul] Technically excellent.

-[Mary] Lovely colour, lovely appearance.
-[Paul] It's baked perfectly.

[narrator] Today, they'll face
their toughest challenge yet,

and one of them will be crowned
the first-ever winner

of The Great British Bake Off.

[Ruth] This morning,
I'm feeling a bit apprehensive.

My stomach's all churney,
and I feel a bit daunted at the moment.

[Edd] I didn't have
an enjoyable day yesterday.

Things went wrong and I was very stressed.

[Ruth] Although Edd is very, very good,
I'm sure I'm capable of winning this,

and that's what I'm gonna
go all-out to do.

I'd like to think I do have a good chance,

but it's all down
to what happens on the day.

Bakers, it's grand finale day.

We're gonna be asking you today
to prepare and bake

the ultimate garden tea party
for this beautiful summer's afternoon.

We'd like you to make, please,


Twenty-four choux buns,


made with the bread that you'll be making.

Now, that is an awful lot
just to say, let alone bake,

so you'd better get baking.

[narrator] Ruth and Edd
have just five hours

before they serve tea to 40 guests,

including their friends and family
and a few familiar faces.

Their afternoon tea stand

must include brown and white bread
finger sandwiches,

scones, tarts and choux buns.

They can make whatever recipe they like
and bake in their own chosen order.

It's an epic challenge, designed to test
every aspect of their baking skills.

And for the first time,
they'll have to bake in quantity

whilst maintaining the highest quality.

[Sue] This is the finale.
What's the key to success?

[Mary] They've really got
to get the timing right.

They'll have made timetables.
Let's hope it's all in the right order.

[Paul] There's so many
different things going on today.

So many things could possibly go wrong.

Consistency is obviously the key,
then the size has got to be the same.

[narrator] With her bread dough
already proving,

Ruth starts on her sultana scones.

I feel like I could make scones
in my sleep. That's how many I've made.

I think scones are
a really individual thing.

Everyone's scones are very different,
rather like fingerprints.

My scones are going to be very
different-looking to Edd's scones.

[Edd] I'm always amazed
by how fast Ruth is.

I turned around and the scones
are out. I'm like, "Wow!"

We'll see. Battle of the scones, later.

These are for my scones. I'm making lemon
scones with a lemon and passionfruit curd.

What I normally do is,
because I like the texture of the pips,

I normally add in the juice
of one extra passionfruit once it's made.

[Mary] This is your invention?

-Yes.
-[Paul] So, the base of your scone

-is a plain scone?
-No, the scones are lemon as well.

There's lemon zest in the mix.

Just be careful
with the lemon in the scone.

-Okay.
-It can interfere with the scone.

The acid combating with the baking powder.

What else are you gonna be doing for us?

Chocolate and ginger tarts,
then raspberry ripple choux buns,

profiterole size, with a mix of whole
raspberries and a raspberry purée as well.

I wanted to have a mix of summery flavours
and then a bit of chocolate

to give a bit more depth to it.

[Mary] Your lemon curd is coming along
nicely. It's just beginning to thick--

-It's a bit grainy.
-[Edd] Yeah. Okay.

You can feel almost talc,
the after-effect on your tongue.

[narrator] To ensure her scones
are fit for the final,

Ruth has created a unique topping.

I am doing a sultana scone
with a sugared crust.

-Why have you gone for a sugared scone?
-I really like the taste of it.

You want extra sweetness?

I think that crisp, crunch, sweet
on the top, I think, works.

You put the sugar crust on the top,
it puffs up, spreads and cracks.

[narrator] She's also been creative
in her choice of tart.

A red pepper and cheese quiche.

Interesting that you've gone
for a savoury on an afternoon tea.

I think, perhaps, I had the men in mind.

I've kept in mind afternoon tea if I was
doing it, and I would do little quiches.

What about those choux buns?

I'm doing a choux bun with vanilla
creme patisserie and lemon curd.

And your lemon curd has got form,
let's face it.

[narrator] Four hours to go.

With Ruth's first batch
of scones in the oven,

she moves on to making
the pastry for her savoury tarts.

[Ruth] You don't want it too wet,
otherwise you'll never roll it.

But you don't want it too dry, either.
When you do it in the processor...

...you hear it change.

And you almost know
that that's enough. [narrator] It's not just her filling
that's different.

She's added cheese to her pastry,

which should result in a crumbly,
melt-in-the-mouth texture.

I tend to try and make things
look a bit more colourful.

This pastry goes golden because
of the cheese marbled through it.

[Edd] It's a sweet shortcrust pastry
with vanilla bean in it,

so it will hopefully
have a nice sweetness to it.

[narrator] Edd's also added
icing sugar to his pastry

in a bid to produce
a smooth and crisp texture

for his chocolate and ginger tarts.

I have some ginger that I'll place
in the bottom of the tarts once they're baked. Then on top of that
will be a chocolate ganache.

The chocolate's the strong flavour,
with an undercurrent of ginger.

[Paul] We've got Ruth with savoury
tarts, and Edd with sweet.

-Again--
-[Sue] How do you feel about that?

I've never heard of savoury tarts
going on an afternoon tea,

because your savoury
is coming from your sandwiches,

then you have your scone,
which is your middle ground,

and then you end up
with a huge sweet kick at the top.

[Ruth] Beautiful.

[Mary] Interesting how nothing changes.

Ruth is well-organized.

[Paul] Ruth's already done
her scones, pretty much.

[Mary] She's getting ahead,
she's keeping to plan,

and Edd, he's not going
at great speed.

[narrator] Ruth pierces the pastry,
a process known as docking,

which allows air to escape,
preventing bubbling.

And to ensure a crisp texture,
she's blind-baking the pastry cases

using foil and rice before filling them.

Here we are.
Everything's clearing off just nicely.

Don't need that, don't need that.

[narrator] The bakers have now reached
the halfway mark in their final challenge.

[Edd] My arm will be dead at the end
of this. I'll be all cramped up and stuff.

[narrator] Choux pastry needs to be made
as far in advance as possible

so it has time to dry out
before being filled.

And for once, Edd has started his first.

[Edd] My choux pastry's in the oven,
my pastry's chilling in the fridge,

and then all I've got to actually start
is my scones, so I'm not feeling too bad.

-I might re-do it.
-What's wrong with it?

-[Ruth] It's very runny. It's too runny.
-[Sue] What's the problem?

I think it's the size of the eggs,

and sometimes, you know you've got
to put four eggs into your mix,

and when you've done it, if it's
still too tight, you'd put another egg in.

And that's happened to me
at home a couple of times.

-This one, though...
-Too loose.

It feels too loose,
and I'm taking too much of a risk

putting it in the oven
when I'd rather get another pan on.

[Sue] Some weigh their eggs, don't they?
They don't go on the quantity,

-but the actual weight.
-[Ruth] They do, they do.

Disappear!

Choux pastry, take two.

I, maybe stupidly, decided
to do the whole batch at once.

[narrator] With less than
two hours remaining,

Edd has finally started making his scones.

The scones are the one thing
I worry about more,

because I didn't have
a very successful scone challenge

back in Scone in Scotland,

and I've been practicing
a lot with my scones.

[narrator] To ensure
his lemon scones rise well,

Edd's spent the week researching
new combinations of ingredients.

[Edd] I did a lot of reading,
and I kept coming across this idea

that if you use cream of tartar
and bicarb, you get a very good rise,

and so I tried it, and it was much
more successful than I would have been.

[narrator] There's just one hour
before afternoon tea is served.

[Mel] You've got under an hour, my love.
You okay timing-wise?

Yeah, it's fine, I've just got
my custard and lemon curd to do.

-Right.
-Fill my scones...

and fill my choux buns.

-[Mel] And you've got your little tarts.
-[Ruth] Yeah. Quiche are in the oven.

Let's have a quick look at these here.

[Ruth] I feel like I am
up against it, but...

I'm probably not. I'm probably just...

having a flap unnecessarily.

[narrator] Edd is topping his tarts
with ganache,

a mixture of warmed cream
and dark chocolate.

When chilled, it should
form a truffle-like texture.

Ruth has moved on to the fillings
for her choux buns...

Beautiful.

[narrator] ...a fresh lemon curd

and creme patissiere...

[Ruth] Do you know what?
I don't like that.

[narrator] ...a pale custard
made from milk, flour, egg yolks,

sugar, and vanilla bean paste.

[Ruth] It does...

This is the trouble I have,
that it goes lumpy once I've put it...

If you don't use it straight away,
it can go lumpy.

However...

[narrator] The guests have
started arriving.

Among them are some familiar faces.

All of the bakers Ruth and Edd have beaten
to make it to the final are here.

[David] Pleased that we're all
back for the final.

I think, unless you're one of the bakers,

you don't understand the intensity,
so it's lovely to see everyone.

[Jas] As the weeks have gone by,
you've seen everyone growing,

and you've seen their confidence,
including myself,

you've seen their
confidence build from week to week.

And yes, I can see that
it's been good for everyone,

even if they were only in it
for one or two weeks.

We've formed a bond. Great people.
I think great friendships.

Bakers, you've got 15 minutes
to finish my scones.

I mean, you've got 15 minutes before you
set up and present to the judges.

They're probably absolutely petrified
about what's going on right now.

Every single week I was involved,
everybody got stressed towards the end.

[David] It's so easy to make
really easy, basic mistakes

which can have
a real detrimental effect.

As I know so well.

[Mel] Okay, bakers.

Time is up.

[Ruth] At one point, I thought
I was never gonna make it there. [laughs]

At one point, I thought
it was not gonna happen.

[Edd] I think everything
I've made is good,

so I think I can go holding my head
up high, knowing that I've done well.

Through the six weeks,
I've been a strong contestant,

so I can be proud
of what I've done overall.

[Ruth] I thought that Edd would
be streets ahead of me,

I really did think he would be.

But I've come up
with some great stuff today.

I think we're on a very level playing
field, and of course, I'd love to win,

and I hardly dare hope that I might win.

[narrator] It's the final judging
of The Great British Bake Off.

Visually, they look great. There's a
lot of different colours in there.

The profiteroles have got
a nice finish on them, as well.

That looks beautifully even to me.

Come on, bread expert, what do you say?

It's bouncy, structured, a good bake.

That is sheer praise from the maestro.

Thank you!

[narrator] Ruth's bread impresses,

but how will her innovative
red pepper tart fare?

[Mary] The pastry's absolutely fine.
Beautifully brown.

I can even see the fork marks
through it.

Very thin. It tastes fantastic.

This is unusual to have
at our very special tea party.

I think it's a good addition.

[narrator] She's filled her choux buns

with creme patissiere
and fresh lemon curd.

[Mary] Don't they look beautiful?

Lovely finish.

For me, that is absolutely beautiful.

-[Paul] It's got the zing.
-Yep.

It really has got it coming through.

[narrator] Her sugared-crust
sultana scones

have been filled with jam and cream.

I love the topping, but look
at the whacking size.

I know.

I'm so disappointed,
because I have said to you so many times,

whatever you're doing,
you make them the same size.

[Paul] The texture of it looks good.

[Mary] It's a lovely texture,

but the filling and the layers
should complement each other.

There's not enough jam and cream in there.

In a normal world...

-they would pass on every front.
-Yeah.

But you're in the final.

[Mary] When I touch the bread,
it feels lovely and soft.

[Paul] It's got a lovely structure to it.

Yeah, it smells good.
It smells really good.

-[Paul] Baked well.
-[Mary] Mm!

[Paul] I think you've got a great
balance of flavour in there as well.

The salt's bang on.

[narrator] His bread succeeds,
but Edd was nervous about his scones.

-Are his lemon scones good enough?
-[Paul] You need more filling!

You either thicken up your filling
and make it big...

-There's nothing in there.
-Just not enough filling in there.

It's absolutely beautiful, the flavour,
but I need three times as much as that.

I am getting the flavour through.
And it is baked well.

[narrator] He's filled his choux buns
with raspberries and fresh cream.

[Mary] That's what I call generous,

and that's what I'm on about
with the scones.

There's lots of raspberries,
lots of cream.

I can't wait.

-Yes, yes and yes.
-Mm!

It ticks all the boxes.
Great profiterole, lovely taste.

[narrator] Edd's made his
chocolate and ginger tarts

with a vanilla bean pastry.

-[Paul] The pastry's a bit thick.
-[Mary] It is on the thick side,

but when you look at it, comparing it
with the depth of the chocolate,

on this occasion, I think it can take it.

[Paul] I think that is lovely.
It melts in the mouth.

The pastry is very crisp.

-Mm.
-It lingers as well, a lovely lingering

of ginger and chocolate blended together.
Not just one or the other, but both.

I'm in total agreement with you,
and that's pretty rare.

-[Paul sighs]
-[Sue] Wow, that's a first.

-Well done, Edd.
-Thank you.

[narrator] Ruth and Edd will now serve
their afternoon tea

while the judges
make their final decision.

-[Ruth] Can I interest you in some cakes?
-[cheering]

You see that,
you see the base there?

-Mm.
-[Paul] It's got that glossy...

[narrator] Paul and Mary
will choose the winner

based on taste,
innovation, and presentation.

[Edd] I think we both had slight issues,
but in reality, those issues were slight.

This morning when I woke up,
I was like, "I could win this today."

The chocolate tartlet with the gold leaf
is absolutely fantastic.

-[Jonathan] The scones are very good.
-[David] They're are excellent.

Large. I've got a healthy appetite,
but I'm struggling.

[Ruth] I really don't know
what my chances are.

I couldn't tell you
what those judges are thinking

and who they'll pick as the winner.
I just don't know.

[Mary] I would have liked
to see these scones

-filled with much, much more filling.
-[Paul] Oh, yeah.

And if only they were tiny
she could get away with it.

[Miranda] I've eaten a lot
of Ruth's things at the tea party,

and I thought they were fantastic.

Not that I didn't think Edd's were.
They were fantastic too.

-Yeah, true.
-Somewhere, we need fruit looking out.

This is full of fruit, but not sticking
out, telling us it's got fruit in it.

Go on, then, if you had to pick a tower,
which would you pick?

-I couldn't choose.
-[woman] This one.

You're going with that one.

-Which one?
-I can't choose.

Oh, come on!

It's got nothing to do with the bake.

-All it's got to do with...
-Is presentation.

-Is presentation.
-And what do you do when you arrive

at this wonderful tea party?

You look at everything,
and you've got to be tempted.

Oh, I enjoyed all of it, but... [laughs]

But I liked the scones. The big
scones were absolutely delicious.

The chocolate melts in your mouth,
doesn't it…

-[Jas] Really nice.
-Mum would be proud.

Mum's is just nicer.

-[producer] Mum's is nicer?
-Yeah.

[Paul] Overall, the standard's
been good, honestly.

We've got the right two.

Oh, today, the standard, I thought,
was really excellent.

But... there can be only one winner.

There is only one winner.

Welcome, everyone, to The Great
British Bake Off afternoon tea party,

and a big hello to all of our ten bakers.

All of you are here
with family and friends

to celebrate the teas created
by our finalists, Ruth and Edd.

A round of applause
as they come up, please.

-Ruth, Edd, up you come.
-[applause and cheering]

-[Mel] Come on, my loves. Come on, Ruth!
-[Mel] Come on!

[Mel] Now, the judges
have made a decision.

It's been like waiting
for a new pope to be elected.

Thankfully, the white smoke
has now emerged from the marquee.

Luckily, not from one of the ovens.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends
and family, I'm absolutely delighted

to say that we do have a winner
for The Great British Bake Off.

And I'm very happy to announce
that the winner is...

Edd.

[applause and cheering]

Well done! [laughs]

-[Mel] Well done to you, my lovely.
-[Ruth] Oh, thank you!

It was too close to call.

No, I knew it. No, I said that.

-[Mel] Well done.
-[Ruth] Thank you.

-You've done so brilliantly!
-[sobs]

[Mel] Well done!

-[Ruth] Oh, Edd!
-I'm crying!

[Edd] The only word that comes
to mind is "surreal," because it's like,

I can't have imagined this a year ago,
so it's beyond amazing, really.

I know tomorrow I'll wake up and the first
thing that will hit me is like...

"Oh, my God, that actually
did happen. It wasn't a dream."

I'm so proud of you. Well done.
What a lot of effort. No more tears.

-Well done.
-[Paul] Well done, Edd. [Mel] Tiers of plates,
but no more tears.

[Paul] You did really, really well.

He has shown us that his skills have grown
and he really is a perfectionist now,

and when you see his display
on the table, there was no doubt.

[Paul] Ruth, the flavour
of everything was fantastic.

But then you look at Edd's.
All uniform, all perfect.

But the flavour of it was great,

and the bread was fantastic,
so for me, the only real winner was Edd.

I need a hug, come on!

[Ruth] I've been really pleased
to catch Edd as we've gone along and keep up with him,
and that's been my target, is to...

just be one step behind him.

So, I could have predicted that.
Hand on heart,

I knew I would
come to second to Edd's first.

Don't let her ever give up what she does.

I mean she's come second
in the whole of the country.

[Ruth] What set me off emotionally

is Paul coming up to me and saying
how good I am, and I find...

I find that really difficult to take,

and that's what's set me off
with the tears and the emotion of it.

It's not that I've come second
and I haven't won.

It's Paul being so complimentary about...

about me. That's really tough to take.

It's been a real growth for me,
taking part in the program.

A real growth.

I think I've changed an awful lot. Um...

I've changed a great deal.

I'm a lot more confident, despite me
sitting here in tears now.

I'm a lot more confident
and proud of myself...

than I've been for years.

-Well done, well done.
-[applause]

When I think back to February
when I got the application,

someone sent it to me and I was like,
"I'm not even gonna bother."

I was gonna throw it away,
thinking I wouldn't get on.

To think that that almost happened,
it's like, "You daft idiot!" You know.

Britain's best baker. Amateur baker.

-[laughs]
-No, better than Paul!

Not.

[Mel] I've put on so much weight.

I've got a tyre of sponge,
just made of sponge,

with little hazelnuts in it
and a meringue topping.

No, I've got-- Basically,

I've got meringue hooters
and then I have a brownie belt here.

-Hold it in. It's like that.
-I'm sucking that in.

I walk like this. "What's wrong with her?"
Nothing's wrong.

I've just been doing a baking show.