Brilliant at brioche? In loaf with baking? A whizz with a whisk? If so, you might have the chops to join us in the tent of dreams for Series 10 of The Great British Bake Off.
The hunt is on to find Britain’s best amateur bread-kneaders, cake-makers and jelly-setters, and it just might be you.
We looked back on this year’s bakers to figure out what it takes to make it in the tent.
Ready to dough? Head to applyforbakeoff.co.uk to start your application now. Applications close at 23:59pm on Sunday 6th January 2019.
You’re serious about baking
When it’s someone’s birthday, everyone looks to you for the cake. Your friends call you up to ask for advice on their sloppy meringues. You’ve seriously considered having a proving drawer installed at home. No number of culinary setbacks or soggy bottoms can put you off. Being eliminated didn’t hold Antony back: “Each week while the show has been airing I have made a bake, and I will continue to bake along with the show each week. The smile doesn’t go away, it just gets bigger!”
You want to learn new things…
… and not just about baking. Sandi and Noel can be relied on to break the tension with a well-timed distraction. Rahul came back from a Showstopper with a little help from his friends: “Sandi kissed me on the forehead and that helped calm me down. I used to call her Aunty Sandi and I loved Noel’s sense of humour although I didn’t always get what he was talking about. But I now know who Luke Skywalker is and what a fist bump is.”
You’re no quitter
There may be forgotten ovens, wobbly cake tiers and exploding glassware, but the important thing is to turn that pain into pain (au chocolat). Karen said of her time in the tent: “I made a lot of silly mistakes but I kept smiling through them. When you are in that kind of situation you just keep going.”
You can take the rough-puff with the smooth
Up to now, your family may have been your only critics, but in the tent Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood will taste everything you bake, and they won’t hold back. These judges know their macaroons from their macarons, and are there to knead you into the best baker you can possibly be.
As Briony explained: “Getting praise from Paul and Prue is just the best feeling in the world – you feel like you are floating as it’s such an achievement, but obviously when you get the negative comments it’s a bit of a punch in the gut, although 99% of the time I have to say I agreed with their comments. They are fair and honest and they know what they are talking about.”
You have space for new best friends
When we asked the bakers their favourite part of being on Bake Off, the bakers all agreed: each other! Hanging out each weekend with people as passionate as you about baking forges friendships quicker than you can say “crème pâtissière”.
Briony had nothing but praise for her fellow bakers: “You really do make friends for life with the bakers, as the experience is so unique. It’s an unbreakable bond that isn’t going to go away. I will treasure every moment of my time in the tent.”
Sound familiar? If you dough you’ve got what it bakes to prove yourself in the tent, apply for Series 10 of The Great British Bake Off now. Applications close at 23:59pm on Sunday 6th January 2019.