How To Nail The Bake Off, According To GBBO's Briony Williams
If you've ever watched "The Great British Bake Off," then you know that creating the perfect bakes takes a lot of time and a lot of work. The judges, especially Paul Hollywood, can be extremely critical of cakes, breads, biscuits, and pastries that aren't both technically perfect and also creative. It's a lot of pressure — never mind the fact that the contestants are being filmed the whole time, or that they're cooking in an outdoor tent that can sometimes be brutally hot and humid.
We've seen some GBBO contestants have breakdowns on camera, which just goes to show how much pressure the contestants are under. But baking at home can be stressful too, especially if you're just starting out. So how do you get to the expert level you see on TV? GBBO's Crystelle Pereira recently shared her advice on how to succeed on the show, which was, in short, to follow your passion and learn from your mistakes. Now, another GBBO contestant has shared a simple tip that anyone can incorporate into their kitchens to make learning how to bake like a pro easy.
It's all about your tools
You can't make a gorgeous oil painting with flimsy paintbrushes and a shoddy canvas. Similarly, shared past "Great British Bake Off" contestant Briony Williams, you need the right tools to produce winning bakes. Williams was a 2018 GBBO semi-finalist, and her advice is "don't give up, the only way to get better is to keep practicing." One thing that helps practice make perfect? The right tools. Williams recommends a "good set of mixing bowls." She told The Independent, "I've got one of my nan's 50-year-old Mason Cash mixing bowls," and she's still using it today.
The other essential item aspiring bakers, in or out of the infamous "Bake Off" tent, will need is an electric whisk, either a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Which? points out that those in the tent use the classic KitchenAid stand mixers. Williams also recommends investing in a good set of cake tins in different sizes, and pre-cut parchment paper rounds to put inside the pans so your finished cakes don't stick. After all, is there any moment more stressful on "Bake Off" than when a contestant goes to flip their cake out of the pan and nothing happens — or, worse, part of the cake falls out while the rest stays stuck to the tin? Practicing at home with these quality tools will help any baker improve their skills, so that when the time does come to compete on "Bake Off" — or just make a cake for someone's birthday — their bakes are worthy of a Paul Hollywood handshake.