The Great British Baking Show Season 1 (Bake Off)

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The first series follows six weeks of classic British baking, beginning with cakes and moving through biscuits, bread, puddings, pastry, and a final afternoon tea. This guide records the challenge briefs and pairs each episode with an original home-kitchen recipe inspired by its technical challenge or final brief.

1. Episode 1 · Cakes

   Cakes

   Aug 17, 2010

   The opening episode tests the essentials of cake baking, from a personal signature cake to a precise Victoria sandwich and an ambitious chocolate centerpiece.

   • Signature

     Signature cake

     Bake any cake in three hours, with the judges looking for an even bake, a level rise, and a moist crumb.

   • Technical

     Victoria sandwich

     Reproduce a Victoria sandwich from Mary Berry's recipe, relying on careful mixing, even sponge layers, and a neat finish.

   • Showstopper

     Chocolate celebration cake

     Create a polished chocolate celebration cake that combines sound execution with an original design and personal flair.

   Make our home version →Episode source

2. Episode 2 · Biscuits

   Biscuits

   Aug 24, 2010

   Biscuit week moves from expressive cookies to a tightly timed batch of scones, then expands into three distinct branches of petit four work.

   • Signature

     Personality biscuits

     Make signature biscuits that express the baker's personality within a two-hour time limit.

   • Technical

     Scones

     Bake scones from Paul Hollywood's recipe in one hour, aiming for a light interior and an even rise.

   • Showstopper

     Three varieties of petit fours

     Produce meringues, choux pastry, and macarons as three different petit fours within four hours.

   Make our home version →Episode source

3. Episode 3 · Bread

   Bread

   Aug 31, 2010

   Bread week progresses from a signature loaf to a traditional round cob before finishing with a large assortment of sweet and savory rolls.

   • Signature

     Signature bread loaf

     Prepare a signature loaf in three and a half hours, demonstrating confident dough handling and a well-baked crumb.

   • Technical

     Traditional round cob loaf

     Bake a traditional round cob from Paul Hollywood's recipe within two and a half hours.

   • Showstopper

     Sweet and savory rolls

     Make 12 sweet rolls and 12 savory rolls in six hours, using three flavors in each group.

   Make our home version →Episode source

4. Episode 4 · Puddings

   Puddings

   Sep 7, 2010

   The pudding episode balances comforting baked or steamed desserts with delicate lemon souffles and a demanding trio spanning crumble, bread, and suet puddings.

   • Signature

     Classic steamed or baked pudding

     Bake a personal version of a classic steamed or baked pudding in two and a half hours.

   • Technical

     Four mini hot lemon souffles

     Use Mary Berry's recipe to make four miniature lemon souffles in 40 minutes, with bakers starting at staggered times.

   • Showstopper

     Three different puddings

     Complete a crumble pudding, a bread pudding, and a suet pudding within five hours.

   Make our home version →Episode source

5. Episode 5 · Pastry

   Pastry

   Sep 14, 2010

   Pastry week starts with a full savory pie, turns to four traditional pasties under technical conditions, and closes with coordinated platters of savory canapes and sweet tartlets.

   • Signature

     Savory pie

     Bake a savory pie in two and a half hours, managing both the filling and the pastry within the same brief.

   • Technical

     Four Cornish pasties

     Produce four Cornish pasties in 90 minutes, with a sturdy pastry shell and the filling enclosed by a secure crimp.

   • Showstopper

     Pastry platters

     Present two pastry platters containing savory canapes and sweet tartlets after five hours of baking.

   Make our home version →Episode source

6. Episode 6 · Afternoon tea

   Tea Party (Final)

   Sep 21, 2010

   The final is decided across two recorded rounds: a precise collection of miniature cakes followed by a full afternoon-tea spread prepared for 40 guests.

   • Signature

     24 professional miniature cakes

     Bake 24 miniature cakes to a professional standard within two and a half hours.

   • Showstopper

     Afternoon tea for 40 guests

     In five hours, make 24 miniature tarts, 24 scones, 24 choux buns, and 24 brown-and-white bread finger sandwiches for a garden tea party.

   Make our home version →Episode source

Inspired by the briefs

Bake it at home

These are original Baking Show Guide adaptations for a home kitchen. They are inspired by the challenge briefs, not the contestants' recipes or an official recipe from the show.

Inspired by Episode 1

Classic Victoria Sandwich

Two tender vanilla sponge layers filled with raspberry jam and softly whipped cream for a reliable celebration of the episode's first technical bake.

Time

49 min

Makes

One 20 cm cake, serving 8

Level

Easy

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 200 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the pans
• 200 g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 200 g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 150 g seedless raspberry jam
• 150 ml double cream, cold
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 C, or 160 C fan. Grease two 20 cm round cake pans and line their bases with baking paper.
2. Beat the butter and caster sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and noticeably fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the measured flour if the mixture begins to split, then mix in the vanilla.
3. Sift in the remaining flour and baking powder. Fold gently until only a few flour streaks remain, then fold in the milk.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and level the tops. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until golden, springy in the center, and pulling slightly from the sides.
5. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn the cakes onto a rack, remove the paper, and cool completely.
6. Whip the cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks. Spread the jam over one cake, add the cream in an even layer, and place the second cake on top. Dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.

This is a Baking Show Guide adaptation, not a contestant recipe or an official show recipe.

Weigh the filled cake pans if you want layers of identical depth.

For a more traditional room-temperature filling, omit the cream and increase the jam to 200 g.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 2

Quick Classic Scones

Tall, tender scones with crisp tops and soft centers, designed to come together quickly without overworking the dough.

Time

29 min

Makes

8 scones

Level

Easy

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 300 g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 75 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 40 g caster sugar
• 180 ml whole milk, plus up to 1 tablespoon more if needed
• 1 large egg, beaten, for glazing

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220 C, or 200 C fan, and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in the sugar.
3. Make a well and pour in the milk. Mix with a table knife just until a shaggy dough forms, adding the extra milk only if dry flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Fold it over itself twice, then pat it to 3 cm thick without kneading.
5. Cut 8 rounds with a 6 cm cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Place them close together on the sheet and brush only the tops with beaten egg.
6. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until well risen and golden. Transfer to a rack and serve warm.

This is a Baking Show Guide adaptation, not a contestant recipe or an official show recipe.

A clean downward cut helps the sides rise evenly; twisting the cutter can seal the edges.

Serve on the day of baking, or freeze once cool and reheat briefly in a low oven.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 3

Everyday Round Cob

A straightforward white cob with a deeply browned crust, a resilient crumb, and a shape that holds without a loaf pan.

Time

1 hr 3 min

Makes

One large loaf, about 10 slices

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 500 g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7 g instant yeast
• 10 g fine salt
• 20 g unsalted butter, softened
• 325 ml lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for the bowl

Method

1. Combine the flour and yeast in a large bowl, then stir in the salt on the opposite side of the bowl. Add the butter and most of the water.
2. Mix with one hand, adding the remaining water as needed, until no dry flour remains and the dough is soft but not soupy.
3. Knead on a lightly oiled surface for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and able to stretch thin without tearing immediately.
4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, until at least doubled in size.
5. Press out the large air pockets. Draw the edges into the center, turn the dough seam-side down, and drag it against the work surface to form a tight round. Set it on a baking-paper-lined sheet.
6. Cover loosely and proof for 40 to 50 minutes, until the loaf has expanded and a light fingertip press returns slowly. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 220 C, or 200 C fan.
7. Dust the loaf with flour and slash a cross about 1 cm deep across the top. Bake for 15 minutes, reduce the oven to 200 C, or 180 C fan, and bake for another 20 to 23 minutes.
8. Cool completely on a rack before slicing; the base should sound hollow when tapped.

This is a Baking Show Guide adaptation, not a contestant recipe or an official show recipe.

Rising times are approximate; use the dough's volume and response to a fingertip press as the primary guides.

Letting the loaf cool fully prevents the crumb from becoming gummy when sliced.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 4

Mini Lemon Souffles

Four bright individual souffles with crisp sugared edges and a softly set lemon center, scaled for an ordinary home oven.

Time

38 min

Makes

4 individual souffles

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 15 g unsalted butter, softened, for the ramekins
• 70 g caster sugar, divided, plus extra for coating
• 20 g unsalted butter
• 20 g plain flour
• 150 ml whole milk
• Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Icing sugar, for serving

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 C, or 180 C fan, with a baking sheet heating on the middle rack. Brush four 175 ml ramekins with the softened butter using upward strokes, coat the insides with caster sugar, and tap out the excess.
2. Melt the 20 g butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the milk. Cook until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to hold whisk marks.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 20 g of the measured sugar. Cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time.
4. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Add the remaining 50 g sugar gradually and continue beating to glossy medium peaks.
5. Stir one-quarter of the whites into the lemon base to loosen it. Fold in the rest in two additions, stopping as soon as no large white streaks remain.
6. Divide the mixture among the ramekins. Level the tops, run a clean fingertip around each inner rim, and set the ramekins on the hot baking sheet.
7. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes without opening the door, until risen and golden but still slightly trembling in the center. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

This is a Baking Show Guide adaptation, not a contestant recipe or an official show recipe.

Prepare the ramekins before mixing the whites so the finished batter can go straight into the oven.

Souffles naturally settle after baking, so bring them to the table as soon as they are dusted.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 5

Cornish-Style Beef Pasties

Four generous hand pies filled with finely diced beef and root vegetables, wrapped in a robust homemade pastry and crimped along the edge.

Time

1 hr 35 min

Makes

4 large pasties

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 400 g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
• 100 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 100 g lard or vegetable shortening, cold and cubed
• 150 to 170 ml ice-cold water
• 300 g beef skirt or chuck, cut into 1 cm dice
• 250 g baking potato, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice
• 150 g swede, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice
• 100 g onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 20 g unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 large egg, beaten, for glazing

Method

1. Mix the flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Rub in the butter and lard until the mixture contains small flakes and pea-sized pieces, then add enough cold water to form a firm dough.
2. Knead the dough briefly until cohesive, flatten it into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 200 C, or 180 C fan, and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Toss the beef, potato, swede, and onion with the remaining salt and the pepper.
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a circle about 22 cm across, using a plate as a trimming guide if desired.
5. Divide the filling across one half of each circle, leaving a 2 cm border. Place a piece of butter on each mound. Brush the edges lightly with water, fold the dough over, and press firmly to seal.
6. Crimp each sealed edge by folding and pinching small sections in sequence. Transfer the pasties to the sheet, brush with beaten egg, and cut a small steam hole in each top.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180 C, or 160 C fan, and bake for 28 to 30 minutes more, until deeply golden and the vegetables are tender when tested through a steam hole.
8. Rest for 10 minutes before serving so the filling can finish steaming and the juices can settle.

This is a Baking Show Guide adaptation, not a contestant recipe or an official show recipe.

The name Cornish-style signals a home adaptation rather than a claim to the protected traditional specification.

Keep the meat and vegetables in small, even dice so the raw filling cooks through at the same rate.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 6

Afternoon-Tea Lemon Scones

Small, fragrant lemon scones sized for an afternoon-tea spread and sturdy enough to split for curd and cream.

Time

31 min

Makes

12 small scones

Level

Easy

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 350 g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 75 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 50 g caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 190 ml whole milk, plus up to 1 tablespoon more if needed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon milk, for glazing
• Lemon curd and clotted cream, for serving

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220 C, or 200 C fan, and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Rub the sugar and lemon zest together between your fingertips until fragrant, then stir them into the flour mixture.
4. Combine the milk and vanilla. Pour them into the dry ingredients and mix gently with a table knife to make a soft dough, adding the extra milk only if needed.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, fold it twice, and pat it to 3 cm thick. Cut 12 rounds with a 5 cm cutter, gathering the scraps gently for the final rounds.
6. Arrange the scones close together on the sheet. Brush the tops with the egg glaze without letting it run down the sides.
7. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until risen and golden. Cool for 10 minutes, then split and serve with lemon curd and clotted cream.

This is a Baking Show Guide adaptation, not a contestant recipe or an official show recipe.

The smaller cutter gives a tea-table portion; use a 6 cm cutter for 8 larger scones and add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake.

For the cleanest rise, handle the dough lightly and avoid twisting the cutter.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. en.wikipedia.org.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

See every Great British Baking Showwinner, season by season →

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 1, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org.