The Great British Bake Off: the ninth baker leaves the tent

18 November 2020

In Tuesday’s night’s episode of The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4, Peter was named Star Baker for the second time, and Hermine, was the ninth baker to leave the tent. 

 It was the Bake Off semi-final and a testing episode for the bakers’ skills in patisserie, as time was running out who would stay in the big white tent.   There was a booze-soaked signature packed full of flavour, a technical where they had to impress the judges with their pastry horns. And finally, in the showstopper, the bakers demonstrated finesse and precision on both a small and large scale; creating a cube made entirely from delicate, smaller cube shaped cakes. 

Although she made it to the semi-finals sadly she wasn’t going to make it to the Final, however hard she tried, it was not to be Hermine’s week.   She says here:   ‘It should have been my finest hour on patisserie week as that is my forte,  but it was not to be,  it was heart breaking to leave at the semi final.  

‘For me it wasn’t about winning or getting Star Baker, I was more thrilled about getting positive comments from the judges, these are the things that made my experience in the tent magical.  I bake from the heart and I want people to enjoy my food rather than taking the accolades.

‘But it’s been a pleasure, I believe everything has a reason and it was the right time for me to go.     When I go home and reflect there will be a lot of happy memories, a lot of proud moments.  I will take a lot of good things away from this.

‘Winning Star Baker in two successive weeks was amazing, and I will treasure that, and it means a lot to me to come this far in the series.   In Episode 8, Prue said I was an amazing baker and Paul said my Japanese Poppy Cake could have come straight out of a Parisian bakery, I will take both of those comments!

‘In the first challenge of a crème filled Apricot Baba au Rhum, I wasn’t happy with my first attempt so I tried again.  Prue thought they were elegant and modern and Paul liked the flavours, although he said they were underproved, but Noel gave me a handshake. In the Technical, Paul said my Horns of Plenty were overbaked but had good flavours.

‘For my Showstopper of a Cube Cake, I did step into the unknown.  I changed my recipe at the very last minute.  So I did gamble on my favourite flavours of cherry and chocolate; and coffee and  praline, but there were too many elements to  juggle, and I couldn’t keep up.  Even with my large doses of Kirsch that I hoped would appeal to Paul and Prue, I knew it was over for me.

‘I got a handshake from Paul and also Noel – I was so chuffed to get one from each of them.  And when Matt called Prue’s appreciation of my bake a Pruegasm, what more could I ask for?  I have very happy memories of my time in the tent.

‘Living in the bubble with my son Stephen was amazing, he definitely had the best summer of his life.  I could focus on baking and practising, probably more than I could do at home.  I did worry that I wasn’t giving him my full attention but he had a great time, and Paul gave him a ride in his car. Stephen left him a parking ticket on his car window for bad parking, and said the penalty was a ride in his car.  Paul came to look for him and paid the penalty!   It was such a nice thing to do.

‘Noel asked me about what I loved about France, and I said the food, the wine, and he asked what about the family?   And I said oh yes, but I had put them last, I hope they forgive me.  When you are put on the spot in front of the cameras you don’t know what you are going to say.

‘I find laughing is a good way of breaking the tension, you can’t cry you just have to laugh. I didn’t realise how much I do laugh until I saw myself on TV, I am even laughing about it now.

‘My philosophy on baking and life is that you can be as creative as you want in baking, and don’t worry about what you can’t control in life.  I have a serious day job as an accountant, but you can also have a fun side, you can be both.  You have to trust the universe and it will take care of you, what will be will be and just enjoy your life and love it.

‘In 80s week I won the Technical with my custard doughnuts….  I was born in 1981 so I have limited knowledge pretty much of the 80s, and it was a week I didn’t think I would do that well so I was delightfully surprised.  After the first challenge I felt like I was going home and then it turned for me and everything seemed to work out so well.  I really enjoyed that week, and having a laugh with Matt and Noel and the judges candid comments.  Paul even took one of my quiches for his lunch, and that was a special moment.  That said it all for me.

‘Prue is such a lovely person, and my son Stephen walked her two dogs - he loves dogs so that was an extra treat for him.  Prue left him a lovely thank you note when we left the tent.

‘I felt that my late dad was looking over me and I really felt that he was also looking after me, and helped me get to the semi final.  I wanted to do this in memory of him, and I think he would have been proud of me.

‘The Bakers were such a tight group and to get to the semi final was something I didn’t expect to happen!  I will be watching the Final with great interest as it’s the only episode I won’t know what went on in the tent.  All three Finalists have the potential to win, and I am sure it will be a very close competition.

‘GBBO has probably changed my life more than I think it has. I am yet to find out how.  It has surely changed my life in ways that I am yet to appreciate.

‘I bake from the heart. The sky is the limit and the possibilities are endless. I believe there are infinite possibilities for us if we are open to receiving.   So, anything could be next for me who knows, let’s wait and see.

Hermine will join Jo Brand and Tom Allen on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Friday 20 November Channel 4 at 8.00 pm. 

 

Hermine, 39, London

Accountant

Hermine was born and raised in Benin, West Africa, and moved to London in 2001 to pursue further education. Growing up, she used to love helping her mum bake for big family gatherings, and then at the age of eight decided to go about it on her own. She bought the ingredients for a Savarin cake and threw herself into the challenge. She has never looked back! The French influence in Benin has instilled in Hermine a love of high-end pâtissérie – she enjoys baking intricate millefeuille, éclairs and entremets. She is also a dab hand at sourdough – so much so that her nine-year-old son now refuses to eat any other bread! A notorious feeder with an infectious laugh, she’s creative at heart and loves cooking marmalades and jams to give as gifts, making beautiful labels as well as delicious fillings for the jars.

 

Pictures:  Duncan Webb at C4.      

Issued by shelagh@shelaghpymm.co.uk; and amanda@consolepr.co.uk

A Love Production for Channel 4.

 

 

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Have you got what it takes to bake in the tent?   We’re looking for the next batch of bakers for the twelfth series of The Great British Bake Off. If you or someone you know is a talented home baker then apply now at www.applyforbakeoff.co.uk or call 0207 067 4837 for an application form. 

Closing date for applications is 23.59 on Sunday 6th December 2020.     GOOD LUCK!

 

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