The Great American Baking Show

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The first American holiday season compresses the familiar three-round format into four episodes devoted to cookies, cakes, pastry, and a final. This guide covers all twelve aired challenges from the 2015 run and includes one original home-kitchen adaptation inspired by the opening technical bake.

1. Episode 1 · Cookies

   Cookie Week

   Nov 30, 2015

   The season opens with paired cookie batches, a tightly timed brandy-snap technical, and a large gingerbread construction designed as a holiday scene.

   • Signature

     Two batches of ten cookies

     Make two distinct sets of ten cookies in two hours, with one of the two batches finished with icing.

   • Technical

     Sixteen brandy snaps

     Follow Mary Berry's brief to produce sixteen evenly baked, crisply rolled brandy snaps within one hour.

   • Showstopper

     Three-dimensional gingerbread scene

     Build a structured gingerbread display in five hours, using decorative details and additional cookies to complete the scene.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

2. Episode 2 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   Dec 7, 2015

   Holiday cake week moves from filled yule logs to a tiramisu technical before asking each baker to interpret a verse of a familiar carol in fruitcake.

   • Signature

     Yule log

     Bake a rolled sponge yule log with a sweet filling of the baker's choice in two hours.

   • Technical

     Tiramisu cake with ladyfinger crisps

     Reproduce Johnny Iuzzini's tiramisu cake, including the crisp ladyfinger component and cleanly assembled layers.

   • Showstopper

     Twelve Days of Christmas fruitcake

     Create a decorated fruitcake inspired by one verse from the song The Twelve Days of Christmas.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

3. Episode 3 · Pastry

   Pastry Week

   Dec 14, 2015

   The semifinal tests variety and construction through two holiday breakfast pastries, a Christmas fruit tart, and a freestanding choux centerpiece.

   • Signature

     Two varieties of breakfast pastry

     Prepare two different breakfast pastries, each carrying a holiday flavor chosen by the baker.

   • Technical

     Christmas fruit tart

     Make Mary Berry's Christmas fruit tart, balancing a properly baked pastry shell with the fruit filling and finish.

   • Showstopper

     Choux pastry centerpiece

     Construct a holiday centerpiece from cream puffs and other choux pastry pieces for a place in the final.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

4. Episode 4 · Final

   Final Week

   Dec 21, 2015

   The finalists bake a sauced holiday pie, shape an iced fruit bread like a candy cane, and finish with a large three-dimensional cake built around stacked presents.

   • Signature

     Holiday pie with sauce

     Bake a holiday pie and a complementary sauce in two and a half hours.

   • Technical

     Candy cane-shaped fruit bread

     Produce a fruit-filled bread formed into a candy cane and finished with a delicate icing.

   • Showstopper

     Three-dimensional presents cake

     Use five hours to build and decorate a three-dimensional cake composed as a stack of holiday presents.

   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 Brandy Snaps

Thin, lacy caramel cookies scented with orange and ginger, rolled while warm and filled with lightly sweetened cream just before serving.

Time

54 min

Makes

16 filled snaps

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 60 g unsalted butter
• 60 g light brown sugar
• 60 g golden syrup
• 60 g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Finely grated zest of 1 small orange
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 180 ml heavy cream, cold
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 C, or 160 C fan. Line two baking sheets with baking paper and lightly oil the handle of a wooden spoon for shaping.
2. Warm the butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Do not let the mixture boil.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the flour, ginger, orange zest, and lemon juice until no dry streaks remain, then cool for 5 minutes.
4. Drop four level teaspoons of batter onto one prepared sheet, spacing them at least 10 cm apart. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, until deeply golden and covered with an even network of bubbles.
5. Let the cookies stand for about 45 seconds, just until they can be lifted without tearing. Working quickly, wrap each warm cookie around the spoon handle and hold the seam underneath for a few seconds. Slide it off onto a rack. If a cookie hardens before shaping, return it to the oven for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat in batches of four until all sixteen snaps are baked and shaped. Cool completely.
7. Whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to medium peaks. Pipe the cream into both ends of each snap immediately before serving.

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

The cookies and baking sheet are hot during shaping; use a small offset spatula and work carefully.

Store unfilled snaps airtight for up to two days, then add the cream shortly before serving so they stay crisp.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. en.wikipedia.org.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 1, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org.

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The second season expands to eight episodes, beginning with holiday cakes and cookies before moving through bread, pies, chocolate, custards, patisserie, and the final. This guide records all twenty-four aired challenges and pairs Bread Week with an original home-scale stollen adaptation.

1. Episode 1 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   Dec 1, 2016

   The new bakers begin with winter Bundt cakes, Mary Berry's apple-and-almond technical, and tall holiday celebration cakes that test structure as well as decoration.

   • Signature

     Winter-themed Bundt cake

     Bake a Bundt cake in under two hours with a visible swirl or filling inside and a frosted, laced finish outside.

   • Technical

     Apple and almond cake

     Reproduce Mary Berry's apple and almond cake, with evenly arranged fruit and a properly baked almond crumb.

   • Showstopper

     Multi-tiered holiday celebration cake

     Use five hours to build a decorated, multi-tiered holiday cake that remains structurally sound.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

2. Episode 2 · Cookies

   Cookie Week

   Dec 1, 2016

   Cookie Week starts with uniform bars, turns to twice-baked biscotti with fine chocolate piping, and ends with a large iced-cookie holiday scene.

   • Signature

     Twelve bar cookies

     Make twelve bar cookies that match in size and shape while showcasing the baker's chosen flavors and layers.

   • Technical

     Biscotti

     Follow Johnny Iuzzini's brief for twice-baked biscotti finished with delicate chocolate piping.

   • Showstopper

     Three-dimensional iced-cookie scene

     Construct an iced cookie scene with a holiday theme in five hours, combining stable pieces with polished decoration.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

3. Episode 3 · Bread

   Bread Week

   Dec 8, 2016

   Bread Week moves from savory dinner rolls to a rich stollen technical and then asks the bakers to turn multiple breads into freestanding holiday centerpieces.

   • Signature

     Twelve savory yeasted dinner rolls

     Produce twelve savory dinner rolls in two hours, allowing enough proofing time for an even rise and tender crumb.

   • Technical

     Stollen

     Make a German Christmas loaf with rum-soaked fruit and nuts and a centered log of homemade marzipan in three hours.

   • Showstopper

     Three-dimensional bread centerpiece

     Create a three-dimensional holiday centerpiece from one or more breads in five hours, balancing flavor with a stable construction.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

4. Episode 4 · Pies and tarts

   Pies and Tarts Week

   Dec 15, 2016

   The remaining bakers torch meringue pies, shape a free-form pear tart without a mold, and prepare two distinct savory tartlets in party-sized quantities.

   • Signature

     Meringue pie

     Bake and torch a meringue-topped pie in two hours, with the pastry, filling, and meringue kept in proportion.

   • Technical

     Partridge in a Pear Tart

     Shape a pear-shaped, free-form tart without a mold, layering sliced pears over frangipane and adding the decorative bird in one hour and 45 minutes.

   • Showstopper

     Thirty-six savory tartlets

     Make three dozen holiday-party tartlets in four hours, divided between two flavors and two different pastry crusts.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

5. Episode 5 · Chocolate

   Chocolate Week

   Dec 22, 2016

   Chocolate Week tests controlled molten centers, two kinds of ganache in a large truffle batch, and precise layers of mousse over a baked sponge base.

   • Signature

     Twelve miniature molten chocolate cakes

     Bake twelve individual chocolate cakes in two hours, each with a liquid center that flows when cut.

   • Technical

     Twenty-five chocolate truffles

     Produce twenty-five tempered truffles using hazelnut-coffee white chocolate ganache and banana-coconut-rum ganache.

   • Showstopper

     Naked mousse cake

     Build a mousse cake on a baked sponge foundation with at least two distinct mousse flavors and finished chocolate decorations.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

6. Episode 6 · Custards and meringues

   Custard and Meringue Week

   Dec 22, 2016

   The quarterfinal combines caramel-topped custards, poached meringues in creme anglaise, and two dozen small pavlovas made in contrasting styles.

   • Signature

     Twelve creme brulees

     Make twelve flavored creme brulees in two hours, setting the custard evenly and finishing each with a crisp caramel top.

   • Technical

     Oeufs en neige

     Follow Mary Berry's brief for six poached meringues served with creme anglaise and a shaped caramel decoration.

   • Showstopper

     Twenty-four pavlovas

     Use four hours to make twenty-four small pavlovas divided between two meringue styles and two fillings.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

7. Episode 7 · Patisserie

   Patisserie Week

   Jan 5, 2017

   The semifinal narrows the field with fondant-covered petits fours, fried choux crullers, and a sharing-size mille-feuille built from the bakers' own puff pastry.

   • Signature

     Twenty-four petits fours

     Create twenty-four miniature cakes with neat fondant and icing finishes.

   • Technical

     Twelve crullers

     Make twelve fried choux-pastry crullers in under ninety minutes, aiming for uniform shape and an airy interior.

   • Showstopper

     Sharing-size mille-feuille

     Prepare a large mille-feuille from scratch, demonstrating precise puff-pastry lamination, even layers, and a clean finish.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

8. Episode 8 · Final

   Final Week

   Jan 12, 2017

   The final moves from handheld savory pastries to a checkerboard Battenberg and concludes with a winter dessert display spanning three separate pastry disciplines.

   • Signature

     Twenty-four handheld savory pastries

     Bake twenty-four handheld pastries in two hours, split between two fillings, two doughs, and two distinct shapes.

   • Technical

     Battenberg cake

     Recreate Mary Berry's Battenberg with a precise checkerboard crumb, jam between the sections, and an even marzipan covering.

   • Showstopper

     Winter celebration dessert display

     Use five hours to present three different desserts in a cohesive winter display, drawing from cakes, cookies, custards, pastries, or related disciplines.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

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 3

Cranberry Almond Stollen

A gently spiced holiday loaf packed with dried fruit and almonds, wrapped around a simple almond center and finished with butter and powdered sugar.

Time

1 hr 13 min

Makes

One large loaf, serving 10 to 12

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 100 g dried cranberries
• 75 g golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 375 g bread flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 45 g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 160 ml whole milk, lukewarm
• 1 large egg
• 85 g unsalted butter, softened
• 75 g sliced almonds, toasted and cooled
• 100 g almond flour
• 50 g powdered sugar, plus more for finishing
• 1 large egg white, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 25 g unsalted butter, melted, for finishing

Method

1. Combine the cranberries, raisins, and orange juice in a small bowl. Let them stand for 30 minutes, then drain off any liquid that has not been absorbed.
2. Mix the bread flour, yeast, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and orange zest in a large bowl. Add the milk, whole egg, and softened butter, then mix to form a soft dough.
3. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Work in the drained fruit and toasted almonds at low speed or by hand, stopping as soon as they are evenly distributed.
4. Place the dough in a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and leave to rise for 75 to 90 minutes, until visibly expanded by about half.
5. Mix the almond flour, 50 g powdered sugar, half of the egg white, and the almond extract. Add only enough of the remaining white to form a firm paste, then roll it into a 25 cm log.
6. Press the dough into a 30 by 22 cm oval. Set the almond log just off center, fold the shorter side over it, then bring the opposite side across while leaving the lower edge visible to form the traditional offset profile. Seal gently.
7. Transfer the loaf to a lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and proof for 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 190 C, or 170 C fan.
8. Bake for 35 to 38 minutes, until deeply golden and the center reaches about 93 C. Brush the hot loaf with melted butter and sift over a thick layer of powdered sugar.
9. Cool completely before slicing. Add a fresh dusting of powdered sugar just before serving.

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

The loaf is moderately fruited so it remains manageable in a home mixer and bakes through without an excessively dark crust.

Wrap the cooled loaf tightly and rest it overnight for a softer crumb and more integrated spice flavor.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. en.wikipedia.org.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 2, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org.

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The normalized third season covers only the two episodes ABC aired on December 7, 2017: Cake Week and Morning Treats Week. Four further filmed episodes were not broadcast, so their challenges are deliberately excluded from this guide even though later summaries disclosed the season's final result.

1. Episode 1 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   Dec 7, 2017

   The abbreviated season begins with lightly frosted naked cakes, individual lamingtons, and decorative holiday Swiss rolls with clearly defined spirals.

   • Signature

     Naked cake

     Bake a cake in two hours with its layers and sides intentionally left partly exposed rather than completely covered in frosting.

   • Technical

     Nine white chocolate lamingtons

     Follow Paul Hollywood's brief for nine matching lamingtons coated in white chocolate and coconut.

   • Showstopper

     Holiday Swiss roll

     Use two and a half hours to bake and decorate a holiday Swiss roll with an even spiral of filling through the sponge.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

2. Episode 2 · Morning treats

   Morning Treats Week

   Dec 7, 2017

   The second and final aired episode tests filled yeasted doughnuts, laminated savory hand pies, and a centerpiece sweet loaf with a visible internal spiral.

   • Signature

     Twelve filled yeasted doughnuts

     Bake or fry one dozen yeasted doughnuts in two and a half hours, filling them with a flavor chosen by the baker.

   • Technical

     Eight savory breakfast hand pies

     Produce eight identical savory breakfast pies with distinct flaky pastry layers and evenly portioned filling.

   • Showstopper

     Centerpiece sweet loaf

     Create a decorative sweet bread centerpiece whose cut slices reveal a clear spiral through the loaf.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

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 2

Orange Cranberry Filled Doughnuts

Soft yeasted doughnuts rolled in orange sugar and filled with a tart cranberry jam that can be made while the dough rises.

Time

1 hr 5 min

Makes

12 doughnuts

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 240 ml whole milk, lukewarm
• 7 g instant yeast
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 75 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 500 g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 8 g fine salt
• 300 g fresh or frozen cranberries
• 140 g granulated sugar, for the filling
• 120 ml orange juice
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Neutral oil, for deep-frying
• 100 g granulated sugar, for coating
• Finely grated zest of 1 additional orange

Method

1. Whisk the milk, yeast, and 50 g sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla, then stir in the flour and salt to form a soft dough.
2. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled.
3. Meanwhile, combine the cranberries, 140 g sugar, orange juice, first portion of orange zest, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and crushing the berries, until thick and jammy. Blend or press through a sieve if a smooth filling is preferred, then cool completely.
4. Roll the risen dough on a lightly floured surface to 1.5 cm thick. Cut twelve rounds with a 7 cm cutter and transfer them to individual squares of baking paper. Cover and proof for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffy.
5. Heat 7 cm of neutral oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175 C. Mix the 100 g coating sugar with the zest of the second orange in a shallow bowl.
6. Fry the doughnuts in batches for about 90 seconds per side, keeping the oil between 170 C and 180 C. Drain briefly on a rack, then roll in the orange sugar while warm.
7. Spoon the cooled cranberry filling into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pierce the side of each cooled doughnut and pipe in enough filling to make it feel noticeably heavier without splitting it.

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

Use a deep-fry thermometer and never fill the pan more than halfway with oil.

The doughnuts are best on the day they are fried; refrigerate any leftovers because of the fruit filling.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. web.archive.org, en.wikipedia.org, culturess.com.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 3, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org, tvline.com, variety.com.

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The 2018 Holiday Edition presents six themed episodes across three two-hour broadcasts. Cake, pastry, cookies, and bread lead into a semifinal and final built around custards, European cakes, gingerbread, cannoli, and a last holiday celebration cake.

1. Episode 1 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   Dec 6, 2018

   The season begins with flavored coffee cakes, a flourless chocolate technical, and eighteen individual celebration cakes requiring consistent scale and decoration.

   • Signature

     Coffee cake

     Bake a coffee cake with a distinctive flavor profile and a tender, evenly baked crumb.

   • Technical

     Flourless chocolate cake

     Reproduce the judges' flourless chocolate cake, relying on eggs and chocolate for structure without wheat flour.

   • Showstopper

     Eighteen miniature cakes

     Present eighteen matching miniature cakes with a cohesive holiday design and individually finished details.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

2. Episode 2 · Pastry

   Pastry Week

   Dec 6, 2018

   Pastry Week combines a large slab pie, the careful caramel and fruit work of tarte Tatin, and two dozen eclairs in contrasting flavors.

   • Signature

     Slab pie

     Bake a large rectangular slab pie with a crisp pastry base and a filling chosen by the baker.

   • Technical

     Tarte Tatin

     Produce an upside-down caramelized fruit tart with evenly cooked fruit and fully baked pastry.

   • Showstopper

     Twenty-four eclairs

     Make twenty-four eclairs divided between two flavors, with well-risen choux shells, fillings, and polished finishes.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

3. Episode 3 · Cookies

   Cookie Week

   Dec 13, 2018

   Cookie Week starts with rolled rugelach, shifts to delicate Florentines, and ends with a cream-filled cookie tart crowned by a dozen macarons.

   • Signature

     Twenty-four rugelach

     Bake twenty-four evenly rolled rugelach with a flavorful filling and crisp, defined layers.

   • Technical

     Twenty Florentines

     Make twenty matching Florentine cookies with a thin, lacy caramelized structure and a neat chocolate finish.

   • Showstopper

     Cookie cream tart with twelve macarons

     Construct a large cookie-based cream tart and decorate it with twelve macarons as part of the finished design.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

4. Episode 4 · Bread

   Bread Week

   Dec 13, 2018

   Bread Week tests quick savory flatbreads, a Swedish cinnamon loaf, and a freestanding holiday centerpiece assembled from shaped bread.

   • Signature

     Four flatbreads

     Make four savory flatbreads with consistent shaping and a properly baked, flavorful crumb.

   • Technical

     Kanellangd

     Recreate a Swedish braided cinnamon loaf with an even filling, defined shaping, and a well-baked center.

   • Showstopper

     Three-dimensional bread centerpiece

     Build a freestanding holiday centerpiece from bread, combining decorative shaping with sound flavor and structure.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

5. Episode 5 · Semi-final

   Semi-Final Week

   Dec 20, 2018

   The semifinal asks for individual custards, a layered Swedish princess cake, and a detailed winter gingerbread scene sturdy enough to stand as a centerpiece.

   • Signature

     Pot de creme

     Prepare individual pots de creme with a smooth set and a balanced flavor chosen by the baker.

   • Technical

     Princess cake

     Reproduce a Swedish princess cake with sponge, cream, jam, and an even marzipan covering.

   • Showstopper

     Winter gingerbread scene

     Design and assemble a three-dimensional winter scene from gingerbread with stable construction and detailed decoration.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

6. Episode 6 · Final

   Final Week

   Dec 20, 2018

   The finalists pipe and fill cannoli, tackle the many thin rings of Baumkuchen, and close the season with a personal holiday celebration cake.

   • Signature

     Twelve cannoli

     Make twelve crisp cannoli shells with a smooth filling and consistent final decoration.

   • Technical

     Baumkuchen

     Build the judges' Baumkuchen one thin baked layer at a time so the cut cake reveals even rings.

   • Showstopper

     Holiday celebration cake

     Create a polished holiday cake that demonstrates the finalist's flavor, baking, construction, and decorating skills.

   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 3

Cranberry Pistachio Rugelach

Tender cream-cheese pastry rolled with tart cranberry preserves, toasted pistachios, and a restrained layer of cinnamon sugar.

Time

59 min

Makes

24 rugelach

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 225 g unsalted butter, softened
• 225 g full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 40 g granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 280 g plain flour
• 120 g thick cranberry preserves
• 80 g shelled pistachios, toasted and finely chopped
• 45 g light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• Coarse sugar, for finishing

Method

1. Beat the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour and mix only until the dough comes together.
2. Divide the dough into three equal disks. Wrap and chill for at least 90 minutes, or up to two days.
3. Mix the pistachios, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Line two baking sheets with baking paper and heat the oven to 190 C, or 170 C fan.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk into a 25 cm circle. Spread with 40 g cranberry preserves, leaving a 1 cm border, and scatter over one-third of the pistachio mixture.
5. Cut the circle into eight wedges. Starting at the wide edge, roll each wedge toward its point and place it point-side down on a prepared sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
6. Chill the shaped rugelach for 20 minutes. Beat the egg with the water, brush the pastries lightly, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
7. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the pastry is deeply golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.

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

Use a thick preserve; a loose jam is more likely to leak and burn on the baking sheet.

The dough can be frozen in disks for one month and thawed overnight in the refrigerator.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. en.wikipedia.org, thetvdb.com.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 4, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org.

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The second Holiday Edition season contains eight normalized episodes aired in four two-hour blocks. Its twenty-four challenges cover cakes, bread, spice, desserts, pastry, cookies, advanced French work, and a final assortment of miniature desserts.

1. Episode 1 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   Dec 12, 2019

   Cake Week starts with single-layer olive oil cakes, continues with a high-rising angel food technical, and ends with layered chocolate gateaux.

   • Signature

     Single-layer olive oil cake

     Bake a single-layer olive oil cake in two hours, using the oil's character as part of a balanced flavor profile.

   • Technical

     Angel food cake

     Follow Sherry Yard's brief for an angel food cake in two and a half hours, building height and a light crumb from properly whipped egg whites.

   • Showstopper

     Three-layer chocolate gateau

     Use three and a half hours to create a three-layer chocolate gateau with chocolate icing and a finished holiday design.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

2. Episode 2 · Bread

   Bread Week

   Dec 12, 2019

   Bread Week progresses from crisp savory breadsticks to a traditional cob loaf and then a large bread sculpture inspired by The Twelve Days of Christmas.

   • Signature

     Twelve savory breadsticks

     Make one dozen savory breadsticks in one hour and 45 minutes, keeping them crisp, evenly shaped, and well flavored.

   • Technical

     Traditional cob loaf

     Reproduce Paul Hollywood's round cob loaf in two and a half hours with a taut shape, scored crust, and fully baked crumb.

   • Showstopper

     Twelve Days of Christmas bread sculpture

     Build a bread sculpture inspired by The Twelve Days of Christmas in four and a half hours, using at least two bread flavors.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

3. Episode 3 · Spice

   Spice Week

   Dec 19, 2019

   Spice Week calls for iced cinnamon rolls, jam-filled Linzer cookies, and elaborate gingerbread scenes built around the bakers' holiday ideas.

   • Signature

     Twelve cinnamon rolls

     Bake twelve cinnamon rolls in two and a half hours, finishing them with an icing or drizzle.

   • Technical

     Twelve Linzer cookies

     Make twelve matching Linzer sandwich cookies in one and a half hours with crisp cutouts and a neat jam filling.

   • Showstopper

     Holiday gingerbread scene

     Use five hours to build and decorate a three-dimensional holiday scene from gingerbread.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

4. Episode 4 · Desserts

   Dessert Week

   Dec 19, 2019

   Dessert Week tests small shell-shaped cakes, the layered custard and meringue of Queen of Puddings, and tall cheesecake displays with multiple flavors.

   • Signature

     Twenty-four madeleines

     Bake twenty-four madeleines in one hour and 45 minutes, aiming for consistent shells, defined humps, and a delicate crumb.

   • Technical

     Queen of Puddings

     Prepare Queen of Puddings in one hour and 30 minutes, combining a baked custard base, fruit layer, and browned meringue.

   • Showstopper

     Three-tier cheesecake tower

     Build a cheesecake tower of at least three tiers in four and a half hours, with two tiers in one flavor and the third in another.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

5. Episode 5 · Pastry

   Pastry Week

   Dec 26, 2019

   Pastry Week moves from a bright citrus tart to sturdy hot-water-crust pies and finishes with coordinated Napoleons and palmiers made from laminated dough.

   • Signature

     Citrus tart

     Bake a citrus tart in one hour and 45 minutes with a crisp shell and a filling that keeps the fruit flavor clear.

   • Technical

     Six hand-raised pies

     Make six freestanding hand-raised pies in two hours and 15 minutes, shaping sturdy pastry walls without conventional tins.

   • Showstopper

     Six Napoleons and twelve palmiers

     Use four and a half hours to make six layered Napoleons and twelve palmiers from well-laminated pastry.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

6. Episode 6 · Cookies

   Cookie Week

   Dec 26, 2019

   Cookie Week combines decorated winter sugar cookies, crisp almond-ginger fortune cookies, and a tall tower of delicate macarons.

   • Signature

     Eighteen winter sugar cookies

     Make eighteen decorated winter sugar cookies in two and a half hours with consistent shapes and clean finishes.

   • Technical

     Twelve almond-ginger fortune cookies

     Produce twelve almond-ginger fortune cookies in one and a half hours, shaping each thin cookie while it is still warm.

   • Showstopper

     Macaron tower

     Use four and a half hours to bake, fill, and assemble macarons into a freestanding decorative tower.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

7. Episode 7 · Semi-final

   Semi-Final Week

   Jan 2, 2020

   The semifinal tests small savory canapes, four fast-rising souffles, and the many precise sponge, cream, and glaze layers of an Opera cake.

   • Signature

     Two varieties of savory canapes

     Prepare two distinct savory canapes in three hours as a cohesive party platter.

   • Technical

     Four souffles

     Bake four matching souffles in 40 minutes, serving them promptly with an even rise and softly set center.

   • Showstopper

     Opera cake

     Use three and a half hours to build and finish a layered Opera cake with precise sponge, cream, ganache, and glaze.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

8. Episode 8 · Final

   Final Week

   Jan 2, 2020

   The last three bakers fill two dozen choux buns, assemble a strawberry Fraisier, and conclude with three different kinds of miniature dessert.

   • Signature

     Twenty-four choux buns

     Make twenty-four filled choux buns in two and a half hours with evenly risen shells and a personal flavor combination.

   • Technical

     Fraisier cake

     Reproduce a Fraisier cake in two and a half hours with visible strawberries, neat sponge layers, set cream, and a clean finish.

   • Showstopper

     Three varieties of miniature desserts

     Use three and a half hours to present three different miniature desserts as a cohesive final display.

   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

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

A moist single-layer cake with fresh orange and lemon, a fine cornmeal edge, and a simple citrus glaze that keeps the olive oil in balance.

Time

58 min

Makes

One 23 cm cake, serving 10

Level

Easy

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 180 g plain flour
• 35 g fine cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 180 g granulated sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 160 ml mild extra-virgin olive oil
• 120 ml whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 90 g powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Chopped toasted pistachios, for finishing

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175 C, or 155 C fan. Grease a 23 cm round cake pan, line the base with baking paper, and lightly flour the sides.
2. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, rub the granulated sugar with the orange and lemon zest until fragrant. Whisk in the eggs for about 90 seconds, until slightly thickened and pale.
4. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow stream, followed by the milk and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients just until the batter is smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 to 38 minutes, until the top springs back and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake onto a rack, remove the paper, and turn it upright to cool completely.
7. Whisk the powdered sugar with the orange and lemon juices to make a thick but pourable glaze. Spoon it over the cooled cake and scatter with pistachios before the glaze sets.

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

Choose an olive oil that tastes fruity rather than aggressively peppery, since its flavor remains noticeable after baking.

The unglazed cake keeps tightly wrapped at room temperature for three days.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. en.wikipedia.org, thetvdb.com.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 5, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org.

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The first Roku season runs for six episodes and eighteen challenges, moving from cookies, cakes, and bread through pastry, a dessert-focused semifinal, and a final built around nostalgic and decorative bakes.

1. Episode 1 · Cookies

   Cookie Week

   May 5, 2023

   The season opens with layered cookie bars, raspberry-pistachio macarons, and a freestanding cookie centerpiece that introduces the bakers through edible construction.

   • Signature

     Twelve identical layered cookie bars

     Make twelve matching cookie bars with distinct layers and a clean, even finish.

   • Technical

     Twelve pistachio and raspberry macarons

     Produce twelve matching macarons with pistachio and raspberry flavors, smooth shells, defined feet, and a neat filling.

   • Showstopper

     Three-dimensional cookie centerpiece

     Build a stable three-dimensional centerpiece from cookies while using flavor and decoration to express a personal idea.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

2. Episode 2 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   May 5, 2023

   Cake Week tests repeatable portions, patterned sponge work, and sculptural deception through sheet-cake slices, an inlay roll, and an optical-illusion cake.

   • Signature

     Decorated sheet cake cut into sixteen pieces

     Bake and decorate a sheet cake, then divide it into sixteen identical individual pieces.

   • Technical

     Decorated inlay roll cake

     Reproduce a rolled sponge with a decorative inlay pattern, an even spiral, and a tidy exterior.

   • Showstopper

     Sculpted optical-illusion cake

     Create a sculpted cake disguised as a recognizable non-cake object, making both the illusion and the internal cake convincing.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

3. Episode 3 · Bread

   Bread Week

   May 5, 2023

   Bread Week progresses from a filled babka to tiny burger buns and sliders before asking for a childhood story told as a large bread sculpture.

   • Signature

     Sweet filled babka loaf

     Make a sweet enriched babka with a visible twist, a flavorful filling, and a fully baked center.

   • Technical

     Twelve mini burger buns for ten sliders

     Bake twelve matching miniature burger buns and use ten of them to assemble uniform sliders.

   • Showstopper

     Childhood-story bread sculpture

     Construct a three-dimensional bread sculpture based on a story from childhood, balancing flavor, structure, and legible design.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

4. Episode 4 · Pastry

   Pastry Week

   May 5, 2023

   Pastry Week revisits handheld childhood snacks, tests fried stuffed churros, and ends with an elevated display of decorated tiered pies.

   • Signature

     Twelve identical handheld tarts

     Create twelve matching handheld tarts inspired by a favorite childhood snack, with sealed pastry and a controlled filling.

   • Technical

     Twelve identical stuffed churros

     Fry twelve evenly shaped churros and fill each one cleanly without losing the crisp exterior.

   • Showstopper

     Decorative tiered pies

     Stack and decorate multiple pies as a tiered centerpiece while keeping the pastry baked and the structure secure.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

5. Episode 5 · Semi-final

   Semi-Finals

   May 5, 2023

   The semifinal shifts toward desserts with a many-layered crepe cake, a key-lime chiffon technical, and a decorated ice-cream cake under warm-tent pressure.

   • Signature

     Mille-crepe cake

     Stack thin crepes and filling into a level mille-crepe cake with clean layers and a balanced flavor.

   • Technical

     Key lime chiffon cake

     Reproduce a light key-lime chiffon cake with an even rise, tender crumb, and sharp citrus finish.

   • Showstopper

     Ice-cream cake

     Build and decorate an ice-cream cake with distinct flavors and textures while keeping it frozen enough for a clean presentation.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

6. Episode 6 · Final

   Finals

   May 5, 2023

   The finalists elevate a nostalgic snack cake, assemble an elaborate afternoon tea, and finish by engineering a tall piece montee from multiple pastry elements.

   • Signature

     Elevated snack cake

     Reimagine a familiar packaged snack cake as a refined bake while preserving the recognizable idea.

   • Technical

     Elaborate afternoon tea

     Prepare the required assortment for an elaborate afternoon tea, coordinating several small bakes and finishes.

   • Showstopper

     Intricately designed piece montee

     Assemble an ornate freestanding piece montee that combines precise pastry work, structural stability, and a coherent final design.

   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

Raspberry Pistachio Cookie Bars

A home-friendly layered bar with a crisp pistachio shortbread base, bright raspberry filling, and a thin white-chocolate finish.

Time

59 min

Makes

16 bars

Level

Easy

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 170 g unsalted butter, softened
• 90 g granulated sugar
• 200 g plain flour
• 60 g finely ground pistachios
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 180 g seedless raspberry preserves
• 100 g white chocolate, chopped
• 25 g roasted pistachios, chopped

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175 C, or 155 C fan. Line a 20 cm square pan with baking paper, leaving enough paper to lift out the bars.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in the flour, ground pistachios, and salt until soft clumps form.
3. Press two-thirds of the dough firmly into the pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until the surface looks dry and the edges are lightly golden.
4. Spread the raspberry preserves over the warm base, leaving a 5 mm border. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the preserves.
5. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes more, until the crumbs are golden. Cool completely in the pan.
6. Melt the white chocolate gently, drizzle it over the slab, and scatter with chopped pistachios. Let the chocolate set before lifting out and cutting into sixteen bars.

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

Chill the cooled slab for 20 minutes before slicing if especially sharp layers are wanted.

The bars keep airtight at room temperature for three days.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. therokuchannel.roku.com, anchor.fm, tvmaze.com.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 6, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org.

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The second Roku season contains six episodes and eighteen challenges. Its route to the final covers cakes, cookies, bread, pastry, meringue and frozen desserts, then closes with tartlets, tropical slices, and a tiered dessert display.

1. Episode 1 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   May 24, 2024

   Cake Week begins with decorated loaf cakes, moves to miniature Battenbergs, and culminates in personalized birthday cakes built around each baker's dream celebration.

   • Signature

     Decorated loaf cake

     Elevate a loaf cake through flavor and decoration while retaining an even bake and a clean slice.

   • Technical

     Eight mini Battenberg cakes

     Make eight matching miniature Battenbergs with precise checkerboard sponge, a neat filling, and close-fitting marzipan.

   • Showstopper

     Dream birthday cake

     Create a celebratory sponge cake that represents the baker's dream birthday through ambitious flavor and decoration.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

2. Episode 2 · Cookies

   Cookie Week

   May 24, 2024

   Cookie Week pairs chocolate-coated bars with Italian sandwich cookies before requiring a sturdy three-dimensional cookie box that can hold two dozen more cookies.

   • Signature

     Twelve chocolate-covered cookie bars

     Produce twelve individual cookie bars with matching dimensions and an even chocolate coating.

   • Technical

     Eight sandwiched Italian butter cookies

     Reproduce eight identical Italian butter-cookie sandwiches with crisp definition, tidy filling, and a uniform finish.

   • Showstopper

     Three-dimensional cookie box with twenty-four cookies

     Construct an edible cookie box strong enough to contain twenty-four identical cookies without sacrificing flavor or decoration.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

3. Episode 3 · Bread

   Bread Week

   May 24, 2024

   Bread Week asks for sweet buns, hand-stretched Margherita pizzas, and an ornate tiered korovai shaped from enriched celebratory dough.

   • Signature

     Twelve identical sweet buns

     Bake twelve matching sweet buns with a consistent shape, light crumb, and clearly expressed flavor.

   • Technical

     Two hand-stretched Margherita pizzas

     Make two Margherita pizzas with hand-stretched dough, an airy rim, a fully baked base, and restrained classic toppings.

   • Showstopper

     Tiered korovai

     Build an ornate multi-tier korovai from sweet bread, using traditional decorative dough work while keeping the structure baked through.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

4. Episode 4 · Pastry

   Pastry Week

   May 24, 2024

   The quarterfinal covers savory handheld pies, an American apple-pie technical served with custard, and a botanical centerpiece made from choux pastry.

   • Signature

     Twelve savory handheld pies

     Make twelve portable savory pies with crisp pastry, a well-seasoned filling, and reliable seals.

   • Technical

     American apple pie with custard

     Bake a classic apple pie, remove it cleanly from its tin, and serve it with a smooth pouring custard.

   • Showstopper

     Botanical pate a choux centerpiece

     Use filled choux pastry and intricate nature-inspired elements to create a freestanding botanical centerpiece.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

5. Episode 5 · Semi-final

   Semifinals

   May 24, 2024

   A double-elimination semifinal combines a sweet meringue roulade, two styles of pretzel, and a multi-layered celebratory bombe dessert with a required baked element.

   • Signature

     Sweet meringue roulade

     Roll a baked meringue around a complementary filling without excessive cracking or collapse.

   • Technical

     Six sweet and six savory pretzels

     Make six cinnamon-sugar pretzels plus six sesame-and-salt pretzels, serving the savory batch with cheese dip.

   • Showstopper

     Celebratory bombe dessert

     Build a multi-layered bombe glacee with a striking interior pattern and at least one baked component.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

6. Episode 6 · Final

   Final

   May 24, 2024

   The final tests eight identical fruit tartlets, precisely layered tropical slices, and an intricately designed dessert tower that tells each baker's story.

   • Signature

     Eight identical fruit tartlets

     Present eight matching tartlets with crisp pastry, a controlled filling, and fresh fruit as a central flavor and finish.

   • Technical

     Eight tropical layered slices

     Reproduce eight identical tropical slices with distinct, even layers and cleanly cut sides.

   • Showstopper

     Intricately designed dessert tower

     Create a tiered tower of coordinated desserts that communicates a personal story while demonstrating varied baking skills.

   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

Lemon Raspberry Loaf Cake

A tender lemon loaf rippled with raspberries and finished with a sharp lemon glaze and freeze-dried berry crumbs.

Time

1 hr 15 min

Makes

One 23 x 13 cm loaf, serving 10

Level

Easy

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 200 g plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 170 g unsalted butter, softened
• 170 g granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 60 ml whole milk
• 120 g raspberries
• 100 g powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon crushed freeze-dried raspberries

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175 C, or 155 C fan. Grease and line a 23 x 13 cm loaf pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in half the flour mixture, then the milk, followed by the remaining flour.
4. Spread one-third of the batter in the pan and scatter with half the raspberries. Repeat, then cover with the remaining batter.
5. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a tester comes out without wet batter. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move to a rack.
6. Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice into a thick glaze. Spoon it over the cooled loaf and finish with freeze-dried raspberry crumbs.

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

Use frozen raspberries straight from the freezer and add five minutes to the bake if fresh berries are unavailable.

The glazed loaf keeps covered at room temperature for two days.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. therokuchannel.roku.com, player.bbc.com, anchor.fm, tvmaze.com.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 7, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org.

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The third Roku season spans six episodes and eighteen challenges. Cookies lead into cakes, bread, pastry, a dessert semifinal, and a final that combines chocolate tart, Swedish buns, and a spring landscape centerpiece.

1. Episode 1 · Cookies

   Cookie Week

   Apr 11, 2025

   Cookie Week opens the season with delicate filled tuiles, jam-and-marshmallow sandwich cookies, and a detailed cookie diorama depicting a day in each baker's life.

   • Signature

     Twenty-four filled tuiles

     Make twenty-four delicate tuiles with a consistent shape and a filling that does not soften them before judging.

   • Technical

     Sixteen jam mallow cookies

     Reproduce sixteen matching British-style biscuits layered with jam and marshmallow and finished with a neat coating.

   • Showstopper

     Day-in-the-life cookie diorama

     Construct a three-dimensional cookie scene that represents a day in the baker's life through stable pieces and edible detail.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

2. Episode 2 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   Apr 11, 2025

   Cake Week moves from fresh-fruit Bundts to a Brooklyn blackout cake and then to sculpted illusion cakes modeled on the bakers' strongest cravings.

   • Signature

     Family-size fresh-fruit Bundt cake

     Bake a large Bundt cake in which fresh fruit drives the flavor without creating a wet crumb or preventing a clean release.

   • Technical

     Brooklyn blackout cake

     Reproduce the chocolate sponge, pudding filling, frosting, and crumb coating of a rich Brooklyn blackout cake.

   • Showstopper

     Craving-inspired illusion cake

     Sculpt and decorate a cake to resemble the food or object associated with the baker's ultimate craving.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2

3. Episode 3 · Bread

   Bread Week

   Apr 11, 2025

   Bread Week pairs two soda loaves with custard-filled fried doughnuts before the bakers engineer four-legged animals entirely from bread.

   • Signature

     Two loaves of soda bread

     Produce two distinct soda-bread loaves, managing fast chemical leavening while giving each loaf a clear flavor identity.

   • Technical

     Six creme brulee doughnuts

     Fry six evenly risen doughnuts, fill them with smooth custard, and finish each with a thin caramelized sugar top.

   • Showstopper

     Four-legged animal bread sculpture

     Build a recognizable four-legged animal from bread, keeping the form stable and every substantial section properly baked.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

4. Episode 4 · Pastry

   Pastry Week

   Apr 11, 2025

   Pastry Week begins with caramelized tarte Tatin, tests miniature Paris-Brest, and ends with vertical pie centerpieces that combine engineering with a personal story.

   • Signature

     Tarte Tatin

     Bake an upside-down tarte Tatin with deeply caramelized fruit, crisp pastry, and a clean release.

   • Technical

     Four mini Paris-Brest

     Make four matching ring-shaped choux pastries with a well-risen shell and neatly piped praline cream.

   • Showstopper

     Vertical pie centerpiece

     Arrange decorated pies in a stable vertical structure whose flavors and design tell a coherent story.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

5. Episode 5 · Semi-final

   Semifinal

   Apr 11, 2025

   The semifinal demands controlled caramel custards, the many layers of an Esterhazy torte, and a clear jelly art cake that suspends decorative elements in three dimensions.

   • Signature

     Eight creme caramels

     Turn out eight smooth creme caramels with liquid caramel, a gentle wobble, and no bubbles or curdling.

   • Technical

     Esterhazy torte

     Reproduce an Esterhazy torte with thin nut-meringue layers, buttercream, and its characteristic feathered icing.

   • Showstopper

     Jelly art cake

     Create a flavored clear-jelly cake with an internally injected three-dimensional design and a clean outer finish.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2

6. Episode 6 · Final

   Grand Finale

   Apr 11, 2025

   The finalists bake a rich chocolate tart, shape Swedish cinnamon buns, and close the season with a spring landscape centerpiece combining multiple baked forms.

   • Signature

     Chocolate tart

     Make a polished chocolate tart with crisp pastry and a filling that is rich, smooth, and cleanly set.

   • Technical

     Six kanelbullar

     Reproduce six Swedish cinnamon buns with laminated-looking twists, aromatic filling, and an even proof and bake.

   • Showstopper

     Spring landscape centerpiece

     Build an edible spring landscape from coordinated baked elements, using varied flavors, textures, and structural techniques.

   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 2

Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake

A fruit-forward sour-cream Bundt with lemon zest, blueberries, and a thin blueberry-lemon glaze.

Time

1 hr 20 min

Makes

One 2.4 liter Bundt cake, serving 12

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 285 g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 200 g unsalted butter, softened
• 240 g granulated sugar
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 4 large eggs
• 180 g sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 180 g blueberries
• 120 g powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon crushed blueberries

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175 C, or 155 C fan. Grease every ridge of a 2.4 liter Bundt pan and dust it lightly with flour.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until very pale and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients just until combined. Toss the blueberries with one teaspoon of flour and fold them through the batter.
5. Spoon the batter into the pan and level it. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
6. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn onto a rack and cool completely.
7. Whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and crushed berries into a pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cake and let it set before serving.

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

A flour-and-oil baking spray helps the detailed Bundt surface release cleanly.

Pat thawed frozen blueberries dry before folding them into the batter.

Open the full recipe →

Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. therokuchannel.roku.com, anchor.fm, tvmaze.com.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 8, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org, dailyvoice.com.

Complete season breakdown

Every episode and bake

The fourth Roku season is normalized to five episodes and fifteen challenges. Cake, cookies, and bread lead directly into a patissier semifinal and a final featuring meringue bombes, entremets, and topsy-turvy cakes.

1. Episode 1 · Cakes

   Cake Week

   May 10, 2026

   Cake Week opens with upright striped layer cakes, tests molten chocolate centers, and ends with large cakes whose decoration is inspired by nature.

   • Signature

     Vertical layer cake

     Build a tall cake whose narrow sponge layers stand vertically, producing a clear striped cross-section when sliced.

   • Technical

     Four molten chocolate lava cakes

     Bake four matching individual chocolate cakes with set exteriors and hot liquid centers that release on the plate.

   • Showstopper

     Nature-inspired cake

     Create an ambitious decorated cake based on a natural subject, combining convincing detail with a fully realized flavor design.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

2. Episode 2 · Cookies

   Cookie Week

   May 17, 2026

   Cookie Week covers filled macarons, chocolate-and-vanilla pinwheels, and an interactive three-dimensional cookie replica of a childhood toy.

   • Signature

     Eighteen filled macarons

     Produce eighteen filled macarons with uniform shells, distinct feet, and a flavor combination of the baker's choice.

   • Technical

     Eight pinwheel cookies

     Make eight matching pinwheel cookies with a crisp spiral, controlled spread, and properly tempered chocolate decoration.

   • Showstopper

     Interactive childhood-toy cookie replica

     Construct a three-dimensional cookie version of a childhood toy and include an edible interactive or moving element.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

3. Episode 3 · Bread

   Bread Week

   May 24, 2026

   Bread Week begins with olive-oil-rich focaccia, twists a chocolate-orange couronne, and finishes with an edible bread basket holding two dozen rolls.

   • Signature

     Focaccia

     Bake a flavored focaccia with a well-fermented crumb, crisp base, generous olive oil, and purposeful toppings.

   • Technical

     Chocolate-orange couronne

     Shape a twisted couronne with an even chocolate-orange filling, visible layers, and a clean ring form.

   • Showstopper

     Bread basket with twelve sweet and twelve savory rolls

     Build an edible bread basket and fill it with twelve sweet plus twelve savory rolls, keeping every component distinct and baked through.

   Make our home version →Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

4. Episode 4 · Semi-final

   Patissier Week (Pastry Week / Semi-Final)

   May 31, 2026

   The semifinal calls for highly decorated custard pies, miniature Gateau Saint-Honore, and a two-tier joconde imprime display built around patterned sponge and mousse.

   • Signature

     High-design custard pie

     Create a baked custard pie with an elaborate decorative top while keeping the filling smooth and the pastry crisp.

   • Technical

     Six mini Gateau Saint-Honore

     Reproduce six miniature Gateau Saint-Honore with pastry bases, caramel-topped choux, and neatly piped cream.

   • Showstopper

     Two-tier joconde imprime

     Build a two-tier mousse centerpiece wrapped in patterned joconde imprime, with sharp layers and a stable, polished assembly.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

5. Episode 5 · Final

   Finals

   Jun 7, 2026

   The finalists bake meringue bombes, assemble raspberry-pistachio entremets, and complete the season with three-tier topsy-turvy celebration cakes.

   • Signature

     Five meringue bombes

     Make five individual baked-meringue bombes with crisp shells, complementary interiors, and a consistent finish.

   • Technical

     Six raspberry and pistachio entremets

     Reproduce six identical entremets with precise raspberry and pistachio layers, a smooth glaze, and clean presentation.

   • Showstopper

     Three-tier topsy-turvy cake

     Construct a celebratory three-tier cake with deliberately angled tiers, secure internal support, and multiple coordinated flavors.

   Episode source 1Episode source 2Episode source 3

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 3

Rosemary Tomato Focaccia

A generous sheet of olive-oil focaccia with a crisp base, airy crumb, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, and flaky salt.

Time

55 min

Makes

One 23 x 33 cm focaccia, serving 10

Level

Medium

▶View ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 500 g strong bread flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 10 g fine salt
• 400 ml lukewarm water
• 75 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 180 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
• 1 teaspoon flaky salt

Method

1. Mix the flour, yeast, fine salt, water, and 25 ml olive oil until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
2. With a wet hand, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat three more times. Cover for 20 minutes, then repeat the folds once.
3. Let the dough rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled and visibly bubbly.
4. Pour 25 ml olive oil into a 23 x 33 cm metal pan. Ease in the dough, turn it once to coat, and gently stretch it toward the corners. Cover and proof for 35 to 45 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 220 C, or 200 C fan. Oil the fingertips and press deep dimples across the dough. Add the tomatoes and rosemary, then drizzle with the remaining oil and sprinkle with flaky salt.
6. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden. Lift from the pan onto a rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

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

The high-hydration dough should remain sticky; use wet or oiled hands instead of adding flour.

Recrisp leftovers in a 190 C oven for five minutes.

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Episode guide sources

Challenge details verified 2026-07-14. therokuchannel.roku.com, anchor.fm, tvmaze.com.

Season result

The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.

Full cast

Everyone recorded for Season 9, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.

Season fact sources

en.wikipedia.org, paloaltoonline.com.