The Great British Baking Show Season 3 (Bake Off)

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

Series three expands to ten episodes, moving from cakes and bread through tarts, desserts, pies, puddings, sweet dough, biscuits, patisserie, and a three-round final. This guide preserves the documented Signature, Technical, and Showstopper briefs and adds one original home-kitchen adaptation inspired by each episode's Technical challenge.

1. Episode 1 · Cakes

   Cakes

   Aug 14, 2012

   Cake week starts upside down, turns to rum-soaked individual yeasted cakes, and ends with large cakes concealing a design inside each slice.

   • Signature

     Fruit upside-down cake

     Bake a fruit-filled upside-down cake in two hours, choosing the fruit and flavour profile.

   • Technical

     Four rum babas

     Make four rum babas from Paul Hollywood's recipe in three hours, finishing them with cream and sliced fruit.

   • Showstopper

     Hidden-design cake

     Create a cake that reveals a concealed design when sliced, within five hours.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

2. Episode 2 · Bread

   Bread

   Aug 21, 2012

   Bread week compares leavened and unleavened flatbreads, tests an eight-strand plait, and finishes with equal batches of sweet and savoury bagels.

   • Signature

     12 flatbreads: six leavened and six unleavened

     In two and a half hours, make 12 flatbreads split evenly between yeast-leavened and unleavened versions.

   • Technical

     Eight-strand plaited loaf

     Use Paul Hollywood's recipe to shape and bake an eight-strand plaited loaf in two hours.

   • Showstopper

     24 bagels: 12 sweet and 12 savoury

     Make 24 bagels in four hours, divided into 12 sweet and 12 savoury examples.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

3. Episode 3 · Tarts

   Tarts

   Aug 28, 2012

   The tart challenges range from an inverted tarte Tatin to a woven treacle tart and a large fruit tart polished for a shop-window display.

   • Signature

     Sweet or savoury tarte Tatin

     Complete a classic sweet or savoury tarte Tatin in two and a half hours.

   • Technical

     Treacle tart with woven lattice

     Bake Mary Berry's treacle tart in two hours, including a woven pastry lattice across the top.

   • Showstopper

     Designer fruit tart

     Create a large fruit tart suitable for a window display in three hours.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

4. Episode 4 · Desserts

   Desserts

   Sep 4, 2012

   Dessert week removes wheat flour from the opening torte, demands carefully unmoulded creme caramels, and builds height through four layers of meringue.

   • Signature

     Wheat-flour-free torte

     Bake a torte more than 20 cm across without conventional wheat flour in three hours.

   • Technical

     Creme caramel

     Prepare Mary Berry's creme caramel in two hours and 45 minutes, setting a smooth custard over liquid caramel.

   • Showstopper

     Four-layer meringue dessert

     Construct a dessert containing four distinct meringue layers.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

5. Episode 5 · Pies

   Pies

   Sep 11, 2012

   Pie week wraps savoury fillings in Wellington pastry, shapes hot-water crust by hand, and turns to a family-sized American-style sweet pie.

   • Signature

     Wellington

     Bake a Wellington at least 20 cm long and completely enclosed in pastry within three hours.

   • Technical

     Hand-raised pie

     Make a hot-water-crust pie around a moulding dolly in two hours and 15 minutes; leave it overnight to set before judging.

   • Showstopper

     Family-sized American pie

     Bake a family-sized sweet American-style pie in three and a half hours.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

6. Episode 6 · Puddings

   Puddings

   Sep 18, 2012

   Pudding week begins with two flavours of individual sponge pudding, revisits Queen of Puddings, and stretches pastry into one large sweet or savoury strudel.

   • Signature

     12 sponge puddings in two flavours

     In two hours, make six sponge puddings in each of two flavours, pairing the flavours with different accompaniments.

   • Technical

     Queen of Puddings

     Reproduce Mary Berry's Queen of Puddings, layering breadcrumb custard, jam, and meringue.

   • Showstopper

     Large strudel

     Make one large strudel with a sweet or savoury filling in three and a half hours.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

7. Episode 7 · Sweet dough

   Sweet Dough

   Sep 25, 2012

   Enriched dough drives all three rounds: uniform sweet buns, evenly filled jam doughnuts, and a celebratory loaf allowed an overnight proof.

   • Signature

     24 enriched sweet buns

     Bake 24 equally sized and evenly baked yeast-enriched buns in three hours.

   • Technical

     10 jam doughnuts

     Make 10 jam doughnuts from Paul Hollywood's recipe in two and a half hours, matching their size, colour, shape, and jam distribution.

   • Showstopper

     Celebratory enriched-dough loaf

     Create a celebratory loaf from enriched dough, with the option to proof the dough overnight after beginning it on the first day.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

8. Episode 8 · Biscuits

   Biscuits

   Oct 2, 2012

   The bakers seek snap in savoury crackers, engineer chocolate-coated teacakes in a hot tent, and construct gingerbread architecture that is explicitly not a house.

   • Signature

     48 crackers or crispbreads

     Make 48 thin, evenly baked crackers or crispbreads that snap cleanly, within two hours.

   • Technical

     Six chocolate teacakes

     Use Paul Hollywood's recipe to make six biscuit-based, marshmallow-filled chocolate teacakes in two hours.

   • Showstopper

     Gingerbread structure

     Build a gingerbread structure other than a gingerbread house in four hours.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

9. Episode 9 · Patisserie

   Patisserie (Semifinal)

   Oct 9, 2012

   The semifinal emphasizes miniature precision before a layered strawberry Fraisier and a final choux gateau assembled at showstopper scale.

   • Signature

     36 petits fours in three types

     Make three kinds of one-bite petits fours, 12 of each, with an exact and refined finish.

   • Technical

     Fraisier cake

     Complete Mary Berry's Fraisier cake in two and a half hours, arranging strawberries around a layered sponge-and-cream interior.

   • Showstopper

     Choux pastry gateau

     Create a gateau whose principal structure is made from choux pastry.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

10. Episode 10 · Final

    Final

    Oct 16, 2012

    The final combines a savoury pithivier, 25 uniformly iced fondant fancies, and a chiffon cake expressing a personal highlight from 2012.

    • Signature

      Savoury pithivier

      Bake a savoury pithivier in two and a half hours.

    • Technical

      25 fondant fancies

      Produce 25 neatly layered and uniformly coated fondant fancies in two and a half hours.

    • Showstopper

      2012 personal-highlights chiffon cake

      In four hours, make a chiffon cake themed around the baker's personal highlights of 2012 for service at the summer fete.

    Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

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

Orange Rum Babas

Small yeasted cakes soaked with orange-rum syrup and topped with vanilla cream.

Time

53 min

Makes

6 babas

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 200 g strong white bread flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 25 g caster sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs
• 70 ml lukewarm milk
• 75 g unsalted butter, softened
• 150 g caster sugar
• 200 ml water
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 60 ml dark rum
• 150 ml double cream

Method

1. Mix the flour, yeast, first sugar amount, salt, eggs, and milk into a sticky dough. Beat in the butter gradually until glossy.
2. Divide among six well-buttered baba moulds, filling each halfway. Cover and rise until the dough nears the rims.
3. Heat the oven to 190 C, or 170 C fan, and bake for 16 to 18 minutes. Turn out onto a rack.
4. Boil the remaining sugar, water, orange zest, and juice for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the rum.
5. Soak the warm babas in warm syrup, turning until heavy with syrup. Cool and serve with softly whipped cream.

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

For an alcohol-free version, replace the rum with more orange juice.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 2

Four-Strand Plaited Loaf

A home-scaled white plait that develops the shaping logic of the eight-strand Technical without requiring an oversized loaf.

Time

1 hr 2 min

Makes

One loaf, about 12 slices

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 500 g strong white bread flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 10 g fine salt
• 25 g unsalted butter, softened
• 320 ml lukewarm water
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing

Method

1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt, butter, and water into a dough, then knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth.
2. Cover and rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled. Deflate gently and divide into four equal pieces.
3. Roll each piece into a 40 cm rope. Join the ropes at one end, then repeatedly move the outer right rope over two strands and back under one until plaited.
4. Pinch both ends underneath, cover, and proof for 40 minutes. Heat the oven to 210 C, or 190 C fan.
5. Brush with egg and bake for 30 to 32 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding underneath.

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

This four-strand version is inspired by the documented eight-strand Technical and is deliberately simplified for home shaping.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 3

Lemon Treacle Tart

A crisp shortcrust tart filled with golden syrup, breadcrumbs, and lemon under a simple woven lattice.

Time

1 hr 22 min

Makes

One 23 cm tart, serving 8

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 300 g plain flour
• 150 g cold unsalted butter
• 40 g icing sugar
• 1 large egg
• 400 g golden syrup
• 150 g fresh white breadcrumbs
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons double cream

Method

1. Rub the butter into the flour and icing sugar, add the egg, and bring together with a little cold water if needed. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 190 C, or 170 C fan. Roll two thirds of the pastry into a 23 cm tart pan and chill again.
3. Warm the syrup, then stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, juice, and cream. Leave for 5 minutes and spread in the shell.
4. Roll the remaining pastry, cut even strips, and weave them over the filling. Trim and seal the edges.
5. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the filling is set with a slight wobble. Cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

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

Fresh breadcrumbs absorb the syrup more evenly than dried crumbs.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 4

Vanilla Creme Caramels

Silky baked custards with a clear amber caramel that releases as a sauce when unmoulded.

Time

1 hr

Makes

6 individual custards

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 140 g caster sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons water
• 500 ml whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160 C, or 140 C fan. Set six 150 ml ramekins in a deep roasting pan.
2. Cook 80 g sugar with the water without stirring until amber. Divide immediately among the ramekins.
3. Warm the milk and vanilla. Whisk the eggs, yolks, and remaining sugar gently, then whisk in the warm milk and strain.
4. Divide the custard among the ramekins. Add hot water to the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up their sides.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until just set. Chill at least 4 hours, loosen the edges, and invert onto plates.

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

Avoid boiling the milk or whisking in excess air, both of which can roughen the custard.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 5

Hand-Raised Chicken Pie

A compact hot-water-crust pie shaped around a jar and filled with seasoned chicken and bacon.

Time

2 hrs

Makes

One 15 cm pie, serving 6

Level

Hard

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 450 g boneless chicken thigh, diced
• 150 g smoked bacon, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 400 g plain flour
• 150 g lard
• 170 ml water
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Mix the chicken, bacon, thyme, and pepper and keep chilled. Wrap the outside of a straight-sided 12 cm jar in baking paper.
2. Bring the lard, water, and salt just to a boil and stir into the flour. Reserve one quarter, then shape the warm remaining dough around the wrapped jar.
3. When firm enough to hold, lift out the jar and paper. Pack in the filling, add a lid from the reserved dough, and crimp securely.
4. Chill for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 190 C, or 170 C fan, brush with egg, and cut a steam hole.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, reduce to 170 C, or 150 C fan, and bake for about 40 minutes more, until the center reaches 74 C. Cool fully before slicing.

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

Use a jar with straight sides and no inward lip so it can be removed cleanly.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 6

Raspberry Queen of Puddings

A soft breadcrumb custard layered with raspberry jam and crowned by a lightly browned meringue.

Time

1 hr 7 min

Makes

One 1.5 litre pudding, serving 6

Level

Easy

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 500 ml whole milk
• 40 g unsalted butter
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 100 g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 140 g caster sugar, divided
• 150 g raspberry jam

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170 C, or 150 C fan, and butter a 1.5 litre baking dish.
2. Warm the milk, butter, and lemon zest. Pour over the breadcrumbs and leave for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk the yolks with 40 g sugar and stir into the crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes, until just set.
4. Warm the jam and spread it gently over the pudding. Whisk the whites to soft peaks, gradually add the remaining sugar, and whisk until glossy.
5. Spoon the meringue over the jam and bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until crisp and lightly golden.

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

Spread the jam with the back of a warm spoon to avoid tearing the custard layer.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 7

Raspberry Jam Doughnuts

Light yeast-raised doughnuts fried until evenly golden and filled after cooking for reliable jam distribution.

Time

55 min

Makes

10 doughnuts

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 400 g strong white bread flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 50 g caster sugar, plus extra for coating
• 6 g fine salt
• 2 large eggs
• 150 ml lukewarm milk
• 60 g unsalted butter, softened
• Neutral oil, for frying
• 180 g seedless raspberry jam

Method

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, eggs, and milk into a dough. Knead in the butter gradually, then continue until smooth and elastic.
2. Cover and rise until doubled, about 75 minutes. Divide into 10 equal balls and place on lightly oiled paper squares.
3. Cover and proof for 35 to 45 minutes, until puffy. Heat 6 cm of oil to 170 C.
4. Fry in batches for about 2 minutes per side. Drain briefly, then roll in caster sugar while warm.
5. Cool until just warm. Make a hole in each side and pipe in the jam until each doughnut feels evenly weighted.

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

Maintain 165 to 175 C oil so the centers cook before the outsides darken.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 8

Marshmallow Chocolate Teacakes

Crisp biscuit rounds topped with vanilla marshmallow and enclosed in dark chocolate.

Time

1 hr 2 min

Makes

8 teacakes

Level

Hard

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 120 g plain flour
• 25 g cocoa powder
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 250 g dark chocolate
• 2 large egg whites
• 120 g caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Rub the butter into the flour and cocoa, mix in the first sugar amount and yolk, and form a dough. Chill for 20 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 180 C, or 160 C fan. Roll to 4 mm, cut eight 6 cm rounds, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.
3. Melt and temper the chocolate, then brush two coats inside eight silicone dome moulds. Leave some chocolate for sealing.
4. Whisk the whites to soft peaks. Heat the remaining sugar and syrup with 2 tablespoons water to 116 C, pour into the whites while whisking, and beat until thick; add vanilla.
5. Pipe marshmallow into the shells, add a biscuit, and seal with chocolate. Chill briefly, then unmould carefully.

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

Use pasteurized egg whites if serving anyone vulnerable to foodborne illness.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 9

Strawberry Fraisier Cake

Two thin sponge layers enclose vanilla pastry cream and a visible border of fresh strawberries.

Time

1 hr 28 min

Makes

One 20 cm cake, serving 10

Level

Hard

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 120 g caster sugar
• 120 g plain flour
• 30 g unsalted butter, melted
• 400 ml whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 egg yolks
• 80 g caster sugar
• 35 g cornflour
• 150 g unsalted butter, softened
• 500 g strawberries

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190 C, or 170 C fan. Whisk the whole eggs and first sugar amount until very thick, fold in the flour and melted butter, and bake in a lined 20 cm pan for 16 to 18 minutes.
2. Warm the milk and vanilla. Whisk the yolks, remaining sugar, and cornflour, add the milk, then cook until thick. Cool to room temperature and beat in the softened butter.
3. Split the cooled sponge into two layers. Place one in a 20 cm cake ring lined with acetate.
4. Halve enough strawberries to line the ring cut-side outward. Pipe cream between and over them, fill the center with more strawberries and cream, and add the second sponge.
5. Chill for at least 4 hours before removing the ring and acetate. Decorate with the remaining berries.

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

Choose similarly sized strawberries for an even border.

Open the full recipe →

Inspired by Episode 10

Lemon Fondant Fancies

Small lemon sponge cubes topped with marzipan and coated in a pourable fondant-style icing.

Time

1 hr 24 min

Makes

16 fancies

Level

Hard

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 175 g unsalted butter, softened
• 175 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 175 g self-raising flour
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 3 tablespoons lemon curd
• 150 g marzipan
• 500 g fondant icing sugar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 C, or 160 C fan. Line a 20 cm square pan. Beat the butter and sugar until light, add the eggs, then fold in the flour and zest.
2. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes. Cool, trim level, spread with lemon curd, and top with rolled marzipan.
3. Chill for 30 minutes, then cut into 16 equal squares. Set them on a rack over a tray.
4. Mix the fondant icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a thick but flowing coating.
5. Spoon icing over each cake to cover the top and sides. Recoat any bare patches and leave to set.

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

Chilling before cutting reduces crumbs in the icing.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. bbc.co.uk, 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 3, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

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