EntertainmentMary Berryuktvgreat british bake off

'Great British Bake Off' Episode 2 Review: Biscuits

TV REVIEW: Great British Bake Off - Taking The Biscuit
Caroline Frost

This week, biscuits. 36 to be exact, followed by 18 florentines, and big old biscuit-scape to finish.

Not just any old digestives, mind you, but ones lovingly furnished with everything from paprika to olives, via chives, rosemary and fennel. What happened to good old ginger nuts?

All except Norman, who didn't have anything going on in there, except flour, butter and lard. Surely that's too simple, I hear you cry. Not so much. They were perfect.

Open Image Modal

Norman's first batch was impressive in its simplicity

It's hard to spot a winner in these early weeks, although a few favourites - Richard, Nancy, Chetna - are starting to sneak ahead. But Enwezor had to find his way out of the tent after his Space Adventure Moon Scene biscuit-scape failed to impress and, shock horror, he had to admit his fondue wasn't homemade.

Open Image Modal

The biscuit round meant lots of audible, happy crunching from Paul and Mary

If we thought Nancy was going to have trouble following up last week's guillotine, she outdid herself this week with some sort of device that even pun-tastic Sue Perkins could only call an Iron Maiden… nope, me neither, except it seemed to make Nancy's biscuits uniformly round. Is Nancy technically cheating with all this gadgetry? It just seems a bit high-tech, compared with everyone else's efforts.

Open Image Modal

Enwezor had to go after his Space Adventure Moon Scene failed to impress

This week's bonus ball... if teenage Martha wasn't adorable enough, we got to see her dog Alfie, all curls and wagging tail. This young lady is obviously destined to have her own magazine. And domestic empire, just like that other Martha. While I'd like to see Norman given a government department. The ministry of plain, simple speaking, and baking.

Who do you think is destined to be this year's Star Baker? Choose from this lot...

The Great British Bake Off 2014
The Great British Bake Off(01 of46)
Open Image Modal
Kate, 41, From SussexKate lives in Brighton with her five-year-old daughter. Last year, she baked 15 Christmas cakes and prides herself on rarely using recipes or weighing ingredients. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(02 of46)
Open Image Modal
Iain, 31, From London Iain, originally from Belfast, is inspired by his passion for travel. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(03 of46)
Open Image Modal
Enwezor, 39 From HampshireEnwezor taught himself to bake in the last 3 years. Born in North London, he now lives in Portsmouth with his wife and four children. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(04 of46)
Open Image Modal
Martha, 17, From BerkshireMartha is the Bake Off's youngest ever contestant.She's currently studying for A-Levels and hopes to become a Food Scientist. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(05 of46)
Open Image Modal
Norman, 66, From ScotlandNorman joined the Merchant Navy at the age of 19, bit his father and brother were bakers. He's hoping to bring back traditional Scottish recipes. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(06 of46)
Open Image Modal
Richard, 38 From London Richard made his own wedding cake - in the shape of the Millenium Falcon from 'Star Wars'. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(07 of46)
Open Image Modal
Luis, 42, From Cheshire Luis describes himself as an "inventive baker" and uses honey from his own bees in his creations. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(08 of46)
Open Image Modal
Nancy, 60, From North Lancashire She grow vegetables, rears guinea fowl and "grows her own turkeys for Christmas" in her garden. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(09 of46)
Open Image Modal
Jordan, 32, From Nottingham IT manager Jordan calls himself a "nerdy baker".He has been baking for the last three years. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(10 of46)
Open Image Modal
Chetna, 35, From Kent Chetna was born in India and moved to the UK with her husband in 2003.She combines her mother's traditional recipes and flavours with British baking styles. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(11 of46)
Open Image Modal
Diana, 69, From ShropshireDiana joined the WI at the age of 12 and became a WI judge when she was 20 years old. Watch Out, Mary! (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(12 of46)
Open Image Modal
Claire, 31, From Cheshire Claire has been baking she was 11 and her mother and grandmother are both wedding cake decorators. (credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(13 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(14 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(15 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(16 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(17 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(18 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(19 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(20 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(21 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(22 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(23 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(24 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(25 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(26 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(27 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(28 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(29 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(30 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(31 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(32 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(33 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(34 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(35 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(36 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(37 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(38 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(39 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(40 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(41 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(42 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(43 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(44 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(45 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)
The Great British Bake Off(46 of46)
Open Image Modal
(credit:BBC/Love)

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK | FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip