The Great Irish Bake Off

yellow hen

Skid X wrote: »

Very true. The instructions left a lot to be desired.

Ali star baker? I didn't see that.

cofy

NOOOOOOOO, not Alex:(:(:(:(:(:(:(

yellow hen

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

It was so obvious that Ali was going to be star baker the way they were talking to her about it at the start.

Oooh missed that!

grey_so_what

I'm so sorry to see Alex go....he was a lovely lad with a great love for baking...

And Poppy....They are two lovely young people with a bright future ahead of them!

dee_mc

So Tracey, Ali and Shane for the final. Would've liked to see Alex make it, but he had a 'mare of a final bake. Very difficult challenge

Cathmandooo

Such a big turn around to have Ali in the final over Alex and poppy! The merged lady fingers paid off

Toto Wolfcastle

Mammy Bobblehead Panda would like to point out that Ali didn't follow the recipe perfectly. Paul has been going on about following the recipe every week and the one who doesn't is star baker.

grey_so_what

I'm putting a virtual 50p on Tracy!.....:)

I'm a divil for the betting!!!

grey_so_what

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

Mammy Bobblehead Panda would like to point out that Ali didn't follow the recipe perfectly. Paul has been going on about following the recipe every week and the one who doesn't is star baker.

I'm with Mammy on this one!....:)

leahyl

Come on Tracy!!! Def between Tracy and Shane I think

dee_mc

We're not happy about the 'conjoined fingers/star baker' conundrum in this house. Not fair for Paul to be such a stickler in some areas, and then to make barely justified or defended exceptions.

Cathmandooo

Mammy panda is right! That was a great episode, I enjoyed that. Looking forward to tomorrow although I thought last week that they said both episodes were on tonight!

cofy

Sorry to see Alex go at this stage a lovely lad with a heart as sweet as his bakes. I liked Poppy too, I hope she does well in her exams.

grey_so_what

Cathmandooo wrote: »

Mammy panda is right! That was a great episode, I enjoyed that. Looking forward to tomorrow although I thought last week that they said both episodes were on tonight!

Ditto here Cath....I was all set for a double tonight!....:o

Crumpets

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

Mammy Bobblehead Panda would like to point out that Ali didn't follow the recipe perfectly. Paul has been going on about following the recipe every week and the one who doesn't is star baker.

Mammy Bobblehead Panda makes a fair point there!!

And I thought Ali was being a bit moany and childish earlier on by pointing out that she'd never been star baker.

grey_so_what

Looking forward to tomorrow night!....

See you then folks! xxx

Midnight Sundance

I would say they made Ali star baker so they could all go into the final on an even keel.
My money is on Tracy. I can see a bright future for Alex .
Gonna be a good show tomorrow

Toto Wolfcastle

Looking forward to tomorrow now. (Once I get over Alex going home!) I hope Tracy wins. She's been the most consistent out of the finalists.

LynnGrace

Was sorry to see Alex go. Agree with the comments re not following the recipe, seemingly being set aside.

Tracy is my favourite, I hope she wins.

God I was actually on the edge of my seat there through out that!!

I'm absolutely gutted for Alex. I love him! I really think that Ali should not have been star baker, but like another poster said, it was obvious from what was said between her and Anna at the start!

Team Tracey now!!cant wait for your insight hazel!!

hazeler

Oh my gosh you guys all the comments! I love them...

So last night eh? Eeeehh? Bit of a huge shock right? I couldn't believe it andI knew it was coming and I have had a long time to process this... but seeing it last night I was still on the edge of my seat thinking ohmigod :eek: Alex can pull it off... Poppy will be grand... but alas it was not to be.

I think Alex's comments were right, at this stage it wasn't about you being a better baker than someone else, it was hoping that someone was/does worse than you on the day. And for me personally, some baker got lucky that there was worse there on the day. But then again that's the show! You win some, you lose some.

Paul's nit picking was at al all time mega high yesterday... calling Alex on his teeny weeny sugar over shake, calling Shane on the miniscule gaps in the glass trifle amazingness, calling Tracy on varying textures in her handmade freaking icecream... even though Biddy said she liked that! Paul spoke that Poppy has had consistent problems with time management... but when speaking to Alex about time efficiency, Alex laughs god no, I'm not Poppy! Because she has never had problems with time, has never struggled with time issues of any sort, in any of the episodes and it was completely wrong on him to say. She was renowned for minute by minute in the tent... Grrrrr!!

Biddy commented that she like Poppy's lady fingers, she said they were good, Pauls retorts with "there's nothing good here" and Biddy agrees immediately! Like... it's ok to have an opinion that is different to Pauls Biddy! Yeah the acetate part was a bit crap... and the clingfilm... but if she had good, why couldn't it be left in!

Shane and Tracy and Ali in the final... I personally don't think it's an even playing field.. there are very clear better bakers in that group... we'll just have to wait and see tonight who is reigned supreme!

LynnGrace

hazeler wrote: »

Paul's nit picking was at al all time mega high yesterday... calling Alex on his teeny weeny sugar over shake, calling Shane on the miniscule gaps in the glass trifle amazingness, calling Tracy on varying textures in her handmade freaking icecream... even though Biddy said she liked that!

Agreed.
That was when I felt my head melting slightly...!

ElleEm

I must have said "feck off Paul" ten times watching that episode. He is so nit picky. And Biddy's hysterical giggling... argh! The two of them have wrecked my head more and more as time has gone on. I hope there is a proper shuffle before next year's Bake Off.

j@utis

As I guessed yesterday before the show there was plenty of comments "I've never done this before" or even "I don't know how it should look like" from the contestants. It was obvious that some contestants didn't know how to use gelatin which is great for making light, refreshing deserts and gives them very pleasant texture.
I felt sorry for Alex, he looked like he was about to cry during his interview but ah well, c'est la vie! Ali's idea about joining the sponge fingers together went wrong too but at least her cake didn't fall apart on the stand. I kinda guessed that her sponge fingers end up looking like a continuous piece of sponge - she was pipping them way too close to each other. If she left a wee bigger gaps in between that just a few of them got slightly fussed together the judges would have never noticed!

Mugatuu

I turned on Late Lunch on tv3 and Alex was after making a macaroon type dish!

grey_so_what

Mugatuu wrote: »

I turned on Late Lunch on tv3 and Alex was after making a macaroon type dish!

And the three lads were on the morning program also! Shane looked a bit smug, I was trying to see who was "looking like" the winner....:o

Tracy looked very glamorous, she had a lovely new hairdo....

They were all talk about Macaroons and Afternoon Tea's.....

Mugatuu

I would have been doing the same! Was talking to one of the girls in work and a friend of hers works with Paul and they all think he's a pain in the arse! I laughed cos he's a pain on the bake off! :P

Tracey always looks well! still gutted Alex won't be in the final but considering he was cooking on late lunch he could end up doing work similar to Donal Skehan!

grey_so_what

Mugatuu wrote: »

I would have been doing the same! Was talking to one of the girls in work and a friend of hers works with Paul and they all think he's a pain in the arse! I laughed cos he's a pain on the bake off! :P

That post made me laugh too Mugatuu!....:D

dee_mc

Dule de leche brownies on their way to the oven in honour of the final... watch this space, if they're edible and/or presentable I'll post a pic later

jos28

So sorry for Alex last night but I have no doubt that young man will go places. That technical challenge was horrendously difficult and Paul was far too pedantic.
Glad to see Tracey and Shane in the final. Looking forward to tonight and I am NOT putting anything in the oven to eat while watching. Spent all week trying on gúnas for 2 weddings I have to go to and it was not a happy experience. Cakes are the last thing I need

dee_mc

jos28 wrote: »

So sorry for Alex last night but I have no doubt that young man will go places. That technical challenge was horrendously difficult and Paul was far too pedantic.
Glad to see Tracey and Shane in the final. Looking forward to tonight and I am NOT putting anything in the oven to eat while watching. Spent all week trying on gúnas for 2 weddings I have to go to and it was not a happy experience. Cakes are the last thing I need

Hey stop making me feel guilty - I've 3 weddings to go to and haven't started trying gunas yet but I'm probably in for a nasty shock!

jos28

dee_mc wrote: »

Hey stop making me feel guilty - I've 3 weddings to go to and haven't started trying gunas yet but I'm probably in for a nasty shock!

:D:D
Ah fekc it, I'll join ya ! There are some white chocolate and cranberry cookies in the tin that I made yesterday. They are crying out to be finished

Crumpets

dee_mc wrote: »

Hey stop making me feel guilty - I've 3 weddings to go to and haven't started trying gunas yet but I'm probably in for a nasty shock!

I've a wedding next week and I can hardly breathe in my gúna

I'm going cake crazy after the wedding though

dee_mc

jos28 wrote: »

:D:D
Ah fekc it, I'll join ya ! There are some white chocolate and cranberry cookies in the tin that I made yesterday. They are crying out to be finished

It would be wrong to leave them there... probably wasteful, which is practically a sin, so safer to get rid of them as quickly as possible - cleanse your conscience so to speak

cofy

dee_mc wrote: »

Dule de leche brownies on their way to the oven in honour of the final... watch this space, if they're edible and/or presentable I'll post a pic later

Hehe now I will be licking the computer screen as well as the telly, ah sure there's nothing like variety.

I'm really looking forward to tonights show.

grey_so_what

jos28 wrote: »

:D:D
Ah fekc it, I'll join ya ! There are some white chocolate and cranberry cookies in the tin that I made yesterday. They are crying out to be finished

Yis are a pair of hunga's........Stop.

I've the other half of the vino from last night if anyone is interested!!....:p

(Enjoy the weddings!! )

jos28

Vino and cookies ? - worth a try !

grey_so_what

jos28 wrote: »

Vino and cookies ? - worth a try !

Girl after my own heart jos!....:D

It's like getting the munchies before you guzzle......em, sip delicately!....;)

grey_so_what

Here we go!!...

Toto Wolfcastle

Put your shoes on, love.

grey_so_what

I thought Ali was in her feet the other day.....I can see now she has flats on....

fox_1973

It's vino and choc chip cookies for me, save me drooling at the screen!

Toto Wolfcastle

grey_so_what wrote: »

I thought Ali was in her feet the other day.....I can see now she has flats on....

You're right. Shoes shouldn't look like you are not wearing shoes though.

jos28

Not a lover of macaroons, Very difficult to get right and I think they are just too sweet

grey_so_what

Ali said on the telly this morning she had special classes on Macaroons - she had a feeling it might feature in the competition!

Butterfly25

The macaroons in front of the judges here don't look great!!

Toto Wolfcastle

The chat between the judges is so cringey.

dee_mc

Butterfly25 wrote: »

The macaroons in front of the judges here don't look great!!

Paul's yellow one was clearly undercooked - he's some spoofer, saying how perfect it was!

grey_so_what

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

The chat between the judges is so cringey.

Biddy is like the proverbial "Nodding Dog".....

cofy

Butterfly25 wrote: »

The macaroons in front of the judges here don't look great!!

I did not like the way they were presented. I thought the contestants had to present them in the shape of a rainbow