I’ve spent the last year being an incredibly casual baker. Baking once a month – if that – and really just trying to reacquaint myself with baking – in a no-pressure, no-eating-disorder(ish) way. Just baking when I want, what I want and seeing if baking even needs to be a part of my life or if it was even healthy that it was a part of my life. I’ve worked with my therapist to make sure I’m not feeding my eating disorder with my baking, but rather feeding my soul with baking. I know, therapy stuff is so hokey.

Over the last 2 months, I’ve rewatched every single season of the Great British Bake off. I also watched all of Zumbo’s Just Desserts on netflix. And it’s resulted in me really wanting to bake. It started with 2 weeks of nonstop bread making and has led to a decision. I’m going to make all the Great British Bake Off technical challenge bakes.

See, I am in no way a trained baker. I’ve learned everything I can through practice, and failure, and watching, and reading. And honestly, I want to spend this next year stretching myself and learning; I want to get out of my comfort zone and make new things; I want to try all this weird British food I’d never heard of until watching this show; I want to learn!

I’ve decided to start with season 2’s technical challenges. Season 1 is both too basic and a cornish pasty. I have no intention of making the couple of bakes that involve meat, which unfortunately limits the pie I’ll be making but I can fill in that gap later.

That’s what this blog will be for the next handful of months. Me documenting my way through learning a lot about baking. And maybe complaining about some Paul Hollywood recipes (future spoilers, I have a lot to say to you Mr. Hollywood!). I can’t wait to get going on this! See below for a master list of challenges. I’ll link them up as I go:

Season 2
Week 1 – Coffee and Walnut Battenberg Cake
Week 2 – Tarte Au Citron
Week 3 – Focaccia
Week 4 – Brandy Snaps
Week 5 – Pork Pies (nah sorry)
Week 6 – Chocolate Roulade
Week 7 – Iced Fingers
Week 8 – Sachertorte

Season 3
Week 1 – Rum Baba
Week 2 –  Plaited Loaf
Week 3 – Treacle Tart
Week 4 – Crème Caramel
Week 5 – Hand-Raised Pie (nope)
Week 6 – Queen of Puddings
Week 7 – Jam Doughnut
Week 8 – Chocolate Teacakes
Week 9 – Fraiser Cake
Week 10 – Fondant Fancies

Season 4
Week 1 – Angel Food Cake
Week 2 – English Muffin
Week 3 – Floating Islands
Week 4 – Egg Custard Tarts
Week 5 – Tuiles
Week 6 – Apricot Couronne
Week 7 – Religieuses
Week 8 – Hazelnut Dacquoise
Week 9 –Charlotte Royale
Week 10 – Pretzels

Season 5
Week 1 – Cherry Cake
Week 2 – Florentines
Week 3 – Ciabatta
Week 4 – Tiramisu Cakes
Week 5 – Mini Pear Pies
Week 6 – Prinsesstarta
Week 7 – Kouign-Amann
Week 8 – Povitica
Week 9 – Schichttorte
Week 10 – Victoria Sponges, Tart au Citron and Scones

Season 6
Week 1 – Frosted Walnut Layer Cake
Week 2 – Ariettes
Week 3 – Baguettes
Week 4 – Spanische Windtorte
Week 5 –  Gluten free Pita
Week 6 – Flaounes
Week 7 – Tennis Cake
Week 8 – Mokatines
Week 9 – Chocolate Souffle
Week 10 – Millie-feuille

Season 7
Week 1 – Jaffa Cakes
Week 2 – Viennese Whirls
Week 3 – Dampfnudel
Week 4 – Lace Pancakes
Week 5 – Bakewell Tart
Week 6 – Fresh Herb Fougasse
Week 7 – Marjolaine
Week 8 – Jumble Biscuits
Week 9 – Savarin with Chantilly Cream
Week 10 – Victoria Sandwich

Season 8
Week 1 –  Chocolate Mini Rolls
Week 2 – Fortune Cookies
Week 3 – Cottage Loaf
Week 4 – Stroopwafels
Week 5 – Molten Chocolate Puddings
Week 6 – Pastéis de Nata
Week 7 – Pizza Margherita
Week 8 – Cumberland Rum Nicky
Week 9 – Les Misérables Slices
Week 10 – Ginger Biscuits