The BEST episodes of The Great British Bake Off
Every episode of The Great British Bake Off ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Great British Bake Off!
Britain's best amateur bakers compete in the iconic white tent - all united in their aim to prove their baking skills and impress judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
#1 - Biscuits
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/6/2011
For the signature bake, the bakers were give 1+1⁄2 hours to make 12 biscuits of their choice; the biscuits should not be too soft, too hard or too crumbly. The technical challenge gave the bakers 1+1⁄2 hours to bake 24 brandy snaps. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to produce a macaron display, consisting of 120 macarons in 3 different flavors; they had 5 hours to complete it.
#2 - Desserts
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/20/2011
For their signature bake, the quarterfinalists were tasked to produce a cheesecake in 21⁄2 hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a chocolate roulade in 1+3⁄4 hours using Mary Berry's recipe. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to create a Croquembouche-inspired bake in 5 hours.
#3 - The Final
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/4/2011
For their final signature bake, the finalists were asked to bake 12 mille-feuille in 2+1⁄2 hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a sachertorte in 2 hours and 40 minutes. For their final showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake 3 different types of petits fours: meringue, sweet pastry, and sponge-based, on the theme of British Summertime, within 4 hours.
#4 - Cake
Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/5/2015
The 12 new bakers don their aprons and head for the iconic tent for cake week. Starting with cake week, the bakers' first signature challenge is to make a madeira cake. It's a well-loved cake, but which of our bakers will try to impress by reinventing this classic, and who will play safe in a bid to get perfect madeira with its traditional crack? With one challenge out the way, the bakers face their first technical - Mary's frosted walnut cake, a pre-war classic that is as British as they come. Light sponge sandwiched with buttercream and covered with sweet meringue, this technically challenging cake is one of Mary's favourites, and no-one wants to disappoint the queen of baking. Day Two, and the bakers have to go all out to impress with their first show-stopper, the black forest gateau. This retro classic from the 70s has it all - chocolate, cherries and cream. It's ripe for a reinvention, and these 12 bakers are ready and willing. 12 new bakers, 30 new challenges. On your marks, get set... bake!
#5 - Pies
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/13/2011
The signature challenge asked the bakers to produce a hearty family pie using either a rough puff or flaky pastry, in 2+1⁄2 hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a batch of 6 miniature pork pies (using a hot water crust pastry) in 2+1⁄2 hours, using Paul Hollywood's recipe. It was a 2-day bake challenge — to give the filling time to set overnight the pies were judged the next day. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake a meringue pie — a fruit and/or custard pie topped with meringue — in 3+1⁄2 hours.
#6 - Dessert Week
Season 10 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/1/2019
The cake layers stack up in an elegant and challenging bake. There's also a spherical celebration cake and a Technical where success lies in precise decoration.
#7 - Episode 9
Season 10 - Episode 9 - Aired 10/22/2019
It's the semi-final, and the remaining bakers are tested on their patisserie skills, with a domed Signature dish, a towering Technical and a display case Showstopper.
#8 - Festival Week
Season 10 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/8/2019
The bakers draw inspiration from around the world, including something deep fried and Italian, and a spectacular Indonesian celebration cake.
#9 - The Roaring Twenties
Season 10 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/24/2019
The challenges inspired by the roaring twenties include a slapstick Signature and a tiered Showstopper special.
#10 - Bread Week
Season 10 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/10/2019
The bakers tackle a signature bake designed to be shared; a deceptively simple summer staple in the Technical; and an ambitious Showstopper.
#11 - Spice Week
Season 9 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/25/2018
Paul and Prue set the bakers a classic teatime Signature. There's also an Arabian Technical and a fiddly Showstopper.
#12 - Dessert Week
Season 9 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/18/2018
The bakers must create a cracking meringue Signature, a wobbly Technical, and a complex chocolate Showstopper that promises to reveal all.
#13 - Patisserie
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/27/2011
For the signature bake, the semi-finalists were given 2 hours to bake a layered mousse cake, with the judges seeking a light sponge and a rich mousse. In the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake 12 identical Iced Fingers to be filled with cream and jam, using Paul Hollywood's recipe. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to produce a selection of three different pastries using the same laminated pastry dough — which must be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside — for all three.
#14 - Bread
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/30/2011
For their signature bake, the bakers were asked to bake a free form flavored loaf (not using a tin) in 3+1⁄4 hours. The technical challenge gave the bakers 3+1⁄2 hours to bake a Focaccia, using Paul Hollywood's recipe. The showstopper required the bakers to produce a 2 part display: a basket made of bread, then filled with 12 sweet and 12 savory rolls, in the space of 5 hours.
#15 - Tarts
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/23/2011
For the signature bake, the bakers were asked to bake a savoury quiche in 2 hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a Tarte au Citron using Mary Berry's recipe in 1+1⁄2 hours. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake 24 mini sweet tartlets, in two different flavour combinations.
#16 - Bread Week
Season 9 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/11/2018
The ten bakers have much to prove with a fruity teatime Signature; an international-flavoured Technical; and an ambitious Showstopper.
#17 - Dessert Week
Season 11 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/10/2020
It's Dessert Week, and the bakers tackle a miniature cheesecake signature, a 17th-century technical and a showstopping jelly art dessert cake, for a place in the semi-final.
#18 - Dessert Week
Season 13 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/11/2022
It’s Dessert Week and the bakers get all steamed up in the Signature, tackle a classic lemon meringue pie, and create a showstopping sponge cake with a hidden surprise.
#19 - Patisserie Week
Season 11 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/17/2020
It's the semi-final. The bakers' patisserie skills are tested in a booze-soaked signature, a tricky technical and a delicate showstopper showcasing their finesse and precision.
#20 - The Final
Season 11 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/24/2020
The bakers pull out all the stops in a set-custard and puff pastry signature, a choccy-nut technical and a magnificent dessert tower showstopper. Who will be crowned the winner of Bake Off 2020?
#21 - Biscuit Week
Season 12 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/2021
It's crunch time for the bakers in Biscuit Week, as they put their twist on brandy snaps, make a jammy childhood favourite and create an interactive toy made entirely from biscuit.
#22 - Bread Week
Season 12 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/5/2021
It's bread week, and the bakers have a lot to prove as they put their twist on a classic Italian focaccia, make a Greek-inspired snack, and create ambitious designs in milk bread.
#23 - Dessert Week
Season 12 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/2021
The bakers put their twist on the classic pavlova and take on a toffee technical, before creating a delicate dessert wrapped in intricately patterned sponge for a splendid showstopper.
#24 - German Week
Season 12 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/19/2021
It's a Bake Off first, as the bakers make traditional German biscuits and a torte fit for a Prince, before rising to the challenge with a showstopping tiered cake using yeast.
#25 - Pastry Week
Season 12 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/2021
It's Pastry Week and the bakers tackle choux pastry doughnuts and a tricky Turkish technical, before creating a savoury, delicately designed showstopping pastry pie packed full of flavour