Welcome to the search for Britain's best young baker.
From 32 of the country's finest bakers,
four have baked their way to the finals -
Kai...
Saffron...
Kieran...
Freya.
They've baked they way through
biscuits, breads and cakes to get here
and now, over the next three shows,
they will face the ultimate challenges.
Don't do it like that, cos the icing will go...!
Oh, my...I forgot the rosemary and thyme.
It's too hard!
Between them and the title are our two judges...
Queen of cakes Mary Berry...
The baking level of our young bakers is a very high standard,
but I'm expecting even more.
..and master baker Paul Hollywood.
The final of Junior Bake Off, I expect it to be top end.
The winner will have a passion for baking, creativity and a flair.
Today, our four finalists face the pressure a professional kitchen.
- Yes, chef! - Yes, chef.
In one of London's most exclusive hotels,
they'll be expected to bake an to award-winning standard
for one of the country's top chefs...
Just leave it!
..Michel Roux Jnr.
This is tough. I want perfection!
But who will be able to stand the heat of the kitchen?
Only one finalist can be crowned Junior Bake Off Champion,
but who will it be?
Saffron from Essex...
I feel really good about being in the final,
cos I've been trying so hard.
From the very start,
Saffron impressed the judges.
She was super-speedy, finishing her bakes way before the others,
but her rushing caused problems in the heats and the semifinals.
And you were racing through it. A little bit slower.
Saffron's great technical skills sealed her place in the finals.
- You have produced a cake that is absolutely sublime. - Thank you.
Baking is what I do, and what I do means, literally, everything to me.
Kieran from York...
It's the first Junior Bake Off final.
I can't believe I'm here. I'm ecstatic.
Kieran is always in control, even when things don't go to plan.
Ooh, that was close!
Never afraid to try something new...
- What is that? - A blowtorch.
..it was his natural baking instinct that sent him through to the finals.
Very hot, but not too hot for me.
I'm a bit nervous about seeing the others.
Obviously, they're really good to get through.
I'll try my hardest and hope for the best.
Kai from the Wirral...
I'm really excited about being in the final.
I think the judges will up the ante because it's the final
and nothing's going to slip.
Kai's only been baking for a few months,
but his scientific brain means he loves to experiment.
The young Heston. You can see right here...
- What are you making? - Raspberry fool bucket and spade.
Always inventing new recipes,
Kai's imagination has got him all the way to the final.
Peanut butter in that sponge mix... Very clever.
I've never had a cake quite like that before.
I definitely believe I can win Junior Bake Off.
I've got the whole package - I've got the skill, the precision
and the most excellent baking skills around.
Freya from Newbury...
I really feel excited to be in the first-ever Junior Bake Off final.
I can't wait to get started.
Freya is the youngest finalist and she has real natural baking talent.
Looking pretty good!
Perfect!
- It's bubbly! - Yeah!
Freya had timing issues in the heats...
Time is up! That includes you.
..but in the semifinals she raised her game
and made tarts that completely wowed the judges.
That is truly inspirational. Everything is 10 out of 10.
Well done.
After Paul's comments in the semifinal, it gives me more pressure
because I need to keep it up.
The other finalists look feisty, but even though I'm the youngest,
I can blow them away.
But the time for talking is over.
It's time for the first challenge of the finals to begin.
Bakers, you're here because you've impressed the judges
with your baking talents.
But here, in the finals, it truly gets tough.
For your first challenge, we leave the Bake Off marquee
and head to a professional kitchen
in one of the country's leading hotels.
You'll be working in teams to bake a selection of pastries
to their award-winning standards, before serving to Paul and Mary,
who've invited a very special guest to help them judge -
one of the country's top chefs.
Are you ready?
- ALL: Yes! - Let's roll!
With the bakers heading to the location,
the judges are already there, and they've got high expectations.
The big difference in the final is that we're going in situ
to places which expect the best. We've left the realms of "junior" -
we're now in the realms of professional kitchens.
That in itself is pressure.
Paul and I have sought out some really difficult recipes
that show that they really can bake. We're pushing them.
And back on the bus, tension is running high.
I'm feeling really excited
to be baking in one of England's top hotels.
There's supposed to be a mystery chef there
and I want to know who it is!
I'm just buzzing about the first challenge and the final,
cos we don't know who we're cooking for or where it is.
I'm really, really nervous to see where it is and what we're doing.
I really want to meet the mystery chef!
ALL: Bake Off road trip! Bake Off road trip! Bake Off road trip!
It's a dream come true to bake in one of the top hotels in the UK.
I want to see who the secret judge is, which hotel we're going to
and what the things we're baking are.
I'm feeling nervous, happy, excited...
and really shaky at the same time!
We're right in the centre of London, so it's got to be something fancy.
I'm really looking forward to finding out what it is!
And fancy it is!
Oh, my gosh.
The surprise location is the world-famous Langham London Hotel -
A 5-star hotel used by celebrities and royals,
and it's where our finalists must take their baking to another level.
I'm Cherish.
And guiding them through it all
will be one of the best pastry chefs in the country, Cherish Finden.
To begin, Cherish is going give the finalists a masterclass
in how to make award-winning cupcakes and shortbreads
before they attempt it themselves.
I have very high expectations from the children.
It's not just making a cupcake - making the best cupcake,
that is very important for me.
Everybody can make shortbread, can have the recipe,
but making the best shortbread...
It is very important to serve my customers nothing but the best.
Part of today's challenge is about working in teams.
Freya and Kai take on Saffron and Kieran
and to impress the surprise judge,
they're going to need to pay attention.
Junior bakers, Cherish will show you
how to make a selection of her award-winning bakes.
When Cherish has finished, you have to do these yourself.
They'll follow Cherish's recipe for cupcakes and shortbread biscuits.
First up, Cherish shows the bakers how to make her delicate iced roses.
We will do three roses.
Roll into a sausage.
Cut into nine - it has to be quite even.
Put it in your hand, press it, and roll.
OK, press it down.
Not too thin, because the icing will start to fall.
You want it to look as real as possible.
This is what you want to achieve. Roll in, press it down, roll it in.
With the roses placed on top, Cherish adds the finishing touches.
OK, there we go.
It's then on to the fruit-topped cupcakes.
And just like you'd glaze your cake...
And you can see I tuck it in - I press the berry in.
To make it more interesting,
skewer the fruit and tuck them into the cake.
And there we go. That's easy, isn't it?
And finally, it's the two types of iced shortbread.
Today I'll show you something quite interesting. Apply pressure.
Keep a light touch so that the icing sits nicely on the paste.
OK? Flower cutter.
And you can see the flowers are very delicate, so I'm doing them slowly.
And just give it a swirl.
Not too thick, as you don't want too much sugar.
Not forgetting the cherry...
You need to tuck it in,
or else the icing will not stick to the cherry.
Nothing will leave my kitchen unless it's to perfection.
There are mixed feelings amongst the finalists about the challenge.
The pressure's very high,
cos we're serving for, um,
one of the top chefs in the country, so it needs to be very good.
They're expecting more from us as we're in the final,
but all you can do is try your best, so it doesn't matter.
Guys, you've seen Cherish in action. It's now your turn.
You've got two hours to complete your bake
before presenting it to Paul, Mary and their special guest.
Remember, you've got to make it count.
On your marks, get set...
bake!
These guys know their way round a kitchen.
So if you fancy baking, make sure you ask an adult.
With the title in their sights, the bakers must bake their socks off
to match Cherish's high standards and impress the mystery judge.
It's going that extra mile. It's one thing baking a basic cake,
or muffin, or biscuit, but then it's taking it to the next level,
where you decorate it to absolute perfection.
They've got to have the wow factor when we look at them,
and the wow factor when we taste them.
For the first time, the bakers are working in teams,
but how are they getting on?
I'm doing the shortbread and Keiran's doing the cupcakes.
I'm feeling quite confident, because I've made a lot of cupcakes before.
Even though it's a different recipe, it seems quite simple.
I just hope she's doing her things right.
On the other team, Freya is making cupcakes,
but Kai is rolling out the cinnamon shortbread
and he's already struggling.
- How are you getting on? - Um, all right.
- I don't want to pick the pastry up cos it might... - Yeah, yeah.
Kai's got a real problem.
His pastry's just too thin.
She wanted it 0.5cm, which is about that thick.
Remember how thick the biscuit was?
Do you remember? Is that down to nerves, do you reckon?
Um, I think I was a bit... I didn't really know what I was doing.
Cos it's a professional kitchen and things, so I didn't really know.
Knowing he's making shortbread for an award-winning chef,
Kai starts again from scratch.
It's costing him valuable time, but will it pay off?
As usual, speedy Saffron has finished her bakes first
and is miles ahead of her team-mate, Kieran.
How are you finding working in a team with Saffron?
You went up against her in the semifinals.
Well, I think it's going fine. She seems to be doing well,
but I feel there's a bit of pressure on,
because if I don't get it right, then it's letting the team down.
With time to spare, Saffron lends Kieran a helping hand.
Do you want me to spoon it in?
Yes, please. My hands are all slippy.
Scrape it against my hand, through there, then push it down.
Just push it down. Don't worry about doing that.
I don't think I'm the team leader,
cos a team doesn't have just one person in it.
It means two or three people.
- Six, there you go. - Do a couple more. - Eight, yeah?
Once Saffron has started helping, she finds it difficult to stop.
Keiran, keep reading through that. Push from the top, not the middle.
Stop. ..Go. You want to get them quite even.
Keep going... Stop.
Keep going. Put a little bit more in there.
Stop. That looks better.
Both the girls have taken charge of their teams,
but they both have very different styles.
Kai, I think this one is a little bit too thin.
I'll do them again.
Perfect. They're done.
With the teams pulling together, it's time for the bakes
to head into the huge hotel ovens.
- CHERISH: - I think they're doing very, very well.
I'm very impressed with Freya.
She's doing so well.
I'm very impressed with Saffron as well.
Saffron's full of confidence. She moves around the kitchen
as though she's a mini-chef that belongs here.
With the finalists waiting anxiously, the tension,
along with the bakes, is definitely rising.
The very special guest judge has arrived.
- PAUL: - The chef who's coming today is world renowned.
He's one of the best in his trade.
His attention to detail
is bordering on the...scary.
He's one of those chefs that's been around for a long time.
I think he's going to be quite tough.
Guys, can I have your attention for a minute?
Our special guest has just arrived.
I can reveal to you that the person that's joining Mary and Paul
is a very, very excellent chef.
One of the best in the country. And his name...
..is Michel Roux Jnr.
Hey! Hello, Mary!
The maestro himself.
Only the very best chefs are awarded a Michelin star
and Michel Roux Jnr is one of the very few in the world
to have been awarded two.
This really is a tough challenge -
not only to make beautiful, light, crumbly shortbread biscuits -
and one of my favourites -
but then to decorate them, then do the same with cupcakes.
So I'll be looking for individuality and flair on the decoration
but it'll have to be the most light and airy cupcake
and the shortest of shortbread biscuits ever!
That's what I want. I want perfection.
Yeah, compose yourself. Let's get them out. Go!
With the cakes coming out thick and fast,
time for the teams to turn their attention
to the highest standard of decorating they've ever attempted.
The biscuits have come out really well. The cupcakes too.
Everything looks very even and it looks really tasty.
I hope they mess up on all of their decorations so we win it!
Which are best?
Both teams are selecting the finest of their bakes -
only the very best will impress Michel Roux Jnr.
Which one? This one?
It doesn't really make any odds, cos they're all perfect.
As the finalists come to roll out their icing,
they realise it's much, much harder than Cherish made it look.
It's sticking.
All four of the bakers are having trouble with their icing,
so Cherish has to step in.
Bakers, remember, to work on icing,
- the table has to be clean at all times. Yes, chef? - Yes, chef!
Thank you.
I love decorating cakes and making them beautiful.
I'm hoping to do that today.
Freya is feeling confident about her decorating,
but for the first time in the competition, her partner Kai
is starting to lose his cool.
- They're too small. - Pardon? - They're too small. Look.
As Kai is cutting out his icing, he's worried that the decoration
doesn't go all the way to the edges.
Kai, it's because you're wobbling it, it makes it...
Kai, don't worry.
With no time for mistakes, Kai knows he needs to fix his icing fast.
He's going to need expert help.
Why does it go small? It doesn't go to the edges.
I suggest you do not roll the icing too thin.
I think you should redo these. It doesn't look very good, does it?
Shall we do it again?
As her team-mate tries to get his head round his icing,
Freya begins the delicate job of making the roses.
I...haven't actually made roses before,
but you have to concentrate quite a bit.
While Freya is making good progress,
on the other team, Keiran is struggling.
- How are we doing? - I think I've rolled it out a bit too thin.
Yeah. Remember what I said in the masterclass?
We must roll to a sausage. And then we cut, equally, nine pieces.
He's going to have to start again,
and it's going to take time he just doesn't have.
Guys, finish up your last touches. You've got 15 minutes left to go.
With time against them, the heat in the kitchen is rising
as the finalists work furiously to finish their decorations.
I think the competition are doing quite well,
but I think we might be doing a bit better,
because they look quite fun, inventive and creative.
Hopefully, they taste good and the judges like them.
I think he hardest part of today has been decorating it.
Having got over his icing emergency, Kai seems to be back on track.
And his team-mate Freya is making a real impression on Cherish.
I think it's really nice. Really nice. Well done, girl!
While Freya is taking her time with painstaking details...
- It's fallen off again. - You might need more icing.
..Saffron has rushed ahead,
and uses her time to help Kieran with the cupcakes.
What colour dusting do you want - white or purple?
- They're raspberries... - White? - Let's do white, yeah. - Cool.
Bakers, you've got five minutes left to go.
Wow, wow, wow!
Knowing time is running out,
Speedy Saffron is starting to get impatient.
Don't worry about that piping. It's taking too long.
It's not taking that long now, and I've got it.
Saffron and Kieran need to work together
if they want to get their bakes looking the best,
but they can't seem to agree even when they're plating up.
Don't put that in there!
No, don't. We don't want to copy them.
Then it'll look stupid, cos we've only got two of them.
There's only minutes left
and mistakes at this stage could be critical.
- One of your roses has fell off. - Where's the cherry on that one?
I did put it on.
One by one, Freya and Kai's decorations
seem to be falling apart.
Can they keep a cool head and fix them in time?
Just leave it, just leave it, just leave it!
If you mess with it more, it'll warm up and it'll fall.
It's OK if it falls.
OK, guys, listen up. Service is about to start.
Get yourself together, compose yourself.
You've got some tough judges up there.
That went really well,
because mine and Keiran's products came out really good.
I think the biscuits are like the ones Cherish made,
but I think the roses aren't as good as what she did.
I found that challenge the hardest of all the challenges so far.
But I think we pulled it off.
That challenge was just epic.
It was extremely difficult, especially towards the end,
because I wasn't happy that the cherry dropped off.
Kieran and Saffron are the first to be judged.
They need their bakes to blow away Paul, Mary
and guest judge Michel Roux Jnr
if they want to have a hope of winning the challenge.
Keiran, Saffron - can you tell us what your bakes are, please?
The lollipops and the ice creams
are shortbread with fondant and icing.
The cakes are lemon cakes with raspberry and strawberry decoration
and rose decoration.
Fantastic. Thank you very much, guys.
Kieran struggled with his decorations,
but will his cupcakes meet Michel Roux Jnr's award-winning standards?
- Visually, they look very interesting. - Stunning.
The characters really come out in this.
I love the glitter that's on top of those raspberries!
The little flowers are a little bit thick,
but when you look at the detail and process behind it, very good.
Definitely. I find that one slightly too dry.
Only marginally.
- But the piping skills... - It is quite tricky.
Very light cupcake. Very tasty.
Buttery, as well.
It's good, Very good.
Good skills.
Now it's Saffron's chocolate shortbreads.
She made them in super-quick time, but will the judges be able to tell?
To get chocolate in there, I always think is tricky.
You can overwork that so easily.
I haven't had chocolate shortbread before. Beautiful texture
and crisp all the way through.
- That is the shortest of shortbread biscuits. - Isn't it? - That really is.
I do like these pink and yellow blobs. They're a little bit garish,
- they're a little bit too bright, but not too sweet. - Yes.
Next to put their bakes at the mercy of top chef Michel Roux Jnr
are Freya and Kai.
They desperately need to wow the judges
if they are to win this task.
So, Freya and Kai, tell us all about your cakes.
Well, we've made cinnamon shortbread and lemon cupcakes.
So, thank you.
Freya spent a long time carefully preparing her decorations,
but will she impress Michel Roux Jnr with her cupcakes?
- Wow! - I actually think those are far more delicate.
They look lighter. The little rose petals are far thinner
and even the piping is a little bit better.
Yes. It's very small.
And these little dots are beautifully evenly spaced.
- I find that too dry. - A little bit dry.
But, look, the decoration is...
- It is very good. - Very good.
Finally, Kai's cinnamon shortbreads are put to the test.
He had some decorating disasters along the way,
but will his patience and perfectionism shine through?
- Mmm. - That, I could eat a lot of! - Yeah.
It's a beautiful, even bake, all the way through.
It's got a beautiful flavour. I love the texture.
Perfect texture, beautifully cooked,
and just the right amount of cinnamon.
They've both done exceedingly well.
I think it's time to bring them in.
It's decision time.
They know that being picked by Michel Roux Jnr
will massively boost their chances
of becoming Junior Bake Off Champion.
But which team's bakes did the award-winning chef rate the highest?
My word, guys, I am impressed.
You delivered the goods, all four of you. Well done.
Keiran and Saffron, I really liked your chocolate shortbread biscuits.
And I really enjoyed your cupcakes.
Kai and Freya,
I really, really enjoyed
your cinnamon-flavoured shortbread biscuits.
I found your cupcakes a little bit dry.
However, I thought the decoration was outstanding.
It showed real skill.
So...
..I think
Freya and Kai have just ever so slightly got the edge today.
APPLAUSE
Well done!
I think the bakers completed their challenge really very, very well.
The shortbread biscuits for me were the highlight. They were perfect!
Literally...perfect!
By winning the task, Freya and Kai have shown
they can meet the tough standards of a top chef,
working in a professional kitchen.
It was amazing to have my baking tasted by Michel Roux Jnr.
I felt nervous when he tasted my food,
cos I didn't know what he was going to say,
but I thought he said really nice things about it.
With two more final challenges still to face,
Saffron and Kieran now need step it up a gear
if they are to catch their rivals
in the battle for the title of Junior Bake Off Champion.
In round one, I thought it was pretty easy. Round two got harder
and now the finals... I think I have to buck up my ideas.
I feel that the other challenges will be tougher than I expect,
because I didn't expect it to be this tough today.
It's all to play for.
The next challenge is coming. They all have to rise to the occasion.
There's more to come.
I'm looking forward to it. They've got to do that little edge
to make it magnificent.
Next time, the four finalists face their most gruelling test yet.
What isn't that water in that dough?
- Is it done? - Yes. - All right, they've risen.
It's too hard!
And get the showbiz surprise...
That was absolutely beautiful!
..of their lives.
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