The second series of The Great British Bake Off started 16 August 2011 with twelve amateur bakers. Unlike series one, the competition was held in a single location – the grounds of Valentines Mansion, a 17th-century mansion house in Redbridge. In addition to their on-screen presenting, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins also took over the narration, which had been done by Stephen Noonan for the previous series. Series two also introduced the "star baker" award for the most impressive performer each week.
Three and a half thousand people applied for the competition, and twelve were selected. Each episode was filmed over two fourteen-hour days. The competition was won by Jo Wheatley.
Bakers ContestantAgeHometownOccupationFinishPlace Keith Batsford 31 Arlesey House husband Episode 112th Simon Blackwell 31 Norfolk Rugby Coach Episode 211th Ian Vallance 40 DunstableFundraiser for English Heritage Episode 39th (tie) Urvashi Roe 40 Enfield Head of Marketing Ben Frazer 31 Northampton Graphic Designer Episode 48th Jason White 19 Croydon Civil Engineering Student Episode 56th (tie) Robert Billington 25 London Photographer Yasmin Limbert 43 West Kirby ChildminderEpisode 65th Janet Basu 63 Formby Teacher of Modern Languages Episode 74th Holly Bell 31 Leicester Advertising executive Episode 8Runner-up Mary-Anne Boermans 45 Kidderminster Housewife 41 Ongar Housewife 1st
Results summary + Elimination chartBaker12345678Jo LOW SAFE SAFE SAFE SB WINNER HollySB SAFE SAFE SB SAFE LOW SAFE SAFE LOW Janet SAFE SAFE LOW SAFE SB OUT Yasmin SAFE SAFE SB LOW LOW OUT Jason SAFE SB SAFE SB OUT Robert LOW LOW LOW SAFE OUT Ben SAFE SAFE SAFE OUT Ian SAFE OUT Urvashi SAFE SAFE OUT Simon LOW OUT KeithOUT There was no Star Baker this week, as Paul and Mary felt it wouldn't be right to single out one baker when the results were incredibly close.
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Episodes
Episode 1: Cakes For their first challenge, the bakers were asked to bake 24 cupcakes in 2 hours. They were allowed to make two different types of cupcakes. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a Coffee and Walnut Battenburg cake using Mary Berry's recipe in 2 hours. The cake needed to have the perfect sponge which held its form (perfect symmetry), distinguish flavours, and a smooth exterior. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake a chocolate tiered celebration cake with elaborate, multi-layer design in 5 hours.
BakerSignature(24 Cupcakes)Technical(Coffee and Walnut Battenberg)Showstopper(Chocolate Tiered Cake)ResultBen Rhubarb and Custard CupcakesAfter Dinner Cupcakes 2nd Vanilla Sponge with White Chocolate and Raspberry Buttercream Holly Cherry Bakewell Inspired CupcakesGinger Cupcakes with Fig Truffle 1st Novelty Farm Cake Ian Apple and Cinnamon Cupcakes 10th UNKNOWN Janet Raspberry and Cream Cupcakes 8th Chocolate Marble Cake with Dark and White Chocolate Truffles Jason Lemon Meringue CupcakesApple and Cinnamon Cupcakes 6th UNKNOWN Jo Chocolate and Orange CupcakesOrange and Cardamom Cupcakes 11th Chocolate and Strawberry Cake Keith Earl Grey Cupcakes 12th Chocolate and Sour Cream Cake Mary-Anne Banoffee Cupcakes 4th Chocolate and Raspberry Opera Cake Robert Blackberry and Vanilla Cupcakes with Liquorice Frosting 3rd Genoise Layered Mousse Cake with Chocolate Ganache Simon Guinness and Chocolate Cupcakes 9th Two-Tiered Chocolate Courgette Cake Urvashi Cherry Blossom CupcakesJapanese Lime Cupcakes 7th Orange Blossom Celebration Cake Yasmin Cardamom and Pomegranate CupcakesLemon Meringue Cupcakes 5th Three Tier Passion Cake
Episode 2: Tarts For the signature bake, the bakers were asked to bake a savoury quiche in 2 hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a Tarte au Citron using Mary Berry's recipe in hours. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake 24 mini sweet tartlets of two different flavour combinations.
BakerSignature(Savoury Quiche)Technical(Tarte au Citron)Showstopper(24 Miniature Sweet Tarts)Result Ben Chorizo, Pepper and Gruyere Quiche 1st Lemon Meringue Tarts Holly Pesto Quiche 4th Milk Chocolate and Pistachio TartsTrifle Tarts Ian Stilton, Spinach and New Potato Quichewith Paprika and Walnut Pastry 2nd UNKNOWN Janet Quiche Printanière 8th Red Fruit TartsChocolate and Cherry Tarts Jason Salmon and Pak Choi Quiche 3rd Mint Chocolate TartsBlueberry Bakewell Tarts Jo Caramelised Onion, Gruyere and Thyme Quiche 10th Raspberry and Mascarpone Tarts with Lemon and Almond PastryHoney and Almond Tarts with Sweetcrust Mary-Anne Roasted Cauliflower, Cheese andCaramelised Onion Quiche 9th Butterscotch Brulée Tarts in Pecan PastryApple Rose Tarts Robert Smoked Bacon and Kale Quiche 5th Chocolate, Fennel and Ginger TartsCreme Patisserie and Poached Pear Tarts in Almond Pastry Simon Smoked Haddock and Watercress Quiche 11th Passion Fruit and Ricotta TartsSalted Chocolate, Stem Ginger and Mascarpone Cream Tarts Urvashi Crab, Coriander and Coconut Quiche 7th Strawberry and Basil TartsElderflower and Honeycomb Tarts Yasmin Smoked Haddock and Watercress Quiche 6th Chocolate and Orange Tarts in Cinnamon-Orange PastryBlueberry and Hazelnut Tarts in Hazelnut Pastry
Episode 3: Bread For their signature bake, the bakers were asked to bake a free form flavored loaf (not using a tin) in hours. The technical challenge gave the bakers hours to bake a Focaccia, using Paul Hollywood's recipe. The showstopper required the bakers to produce a 2 part display: a basket made of bread, then filled with 24 rolls, 12 sweet and 12 savory, in 5 hours.
BakerSignature(Free Form Loaf)Technical(Focaccia)Showstopper(12 sweet and 12 savoury rolls)Result Ben Walnut, Raisin and Rosemary Loaf 3rd UNKNOWN Holly Picnic Loaf 6th Stilton and Walnut Rolls Ian Courgette, Caerphilly Cheese and Thyme Loaf 10th Walnut and Raisin RollsCracked Wheat Logs Janet Zupfe Loaf with Gruyère Cheese 8th Apple and Walnut Granary Rolls Red Onion Cottage Rolls Jason Cheese and Onion Tear and Share Loaf 7th UNKNOWN Jo Stromboli Flavoured with Mozarella, Ham, and Picante Pepper 1st Spiced Orange RollsPumpkin Seed Rolls Mary-Anne Ploughman's Loaf 5th Herb and Walnut BreadsChocolate and Chilli Buns Robert Rye and Coriander Seed Loaf 4th Blueberry Brioche RollsLemon and Poppy Seed Rolls Urvashi Salt and Peppercorn Loaf 9th Chilli and Halloumi RollsLemon and Coriander Mini Loaves Yasmin Egyptian Dukkah Loaf with Mixed Spices 2nd Pesto BreadSweet Coconut Rolls In this episode, two bakers were eliminated rather than one baker.
Episode 4: Biscuits For the signature bake, the bakers were given hours to make 12 biscuits of their choice; the biscuits should not be too soft, too hard or too crumbly. The technical challenge gave the bakers hours to bake 24 brandy snaps. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to produce a macaron display, consisting of 120 macarons (60 pairs) in 3 different flavors; they had 5 hours to complete it.
BakerSignature(12 Biscuits)Technical(24 Brandy Snaps) Showstopper(Macarons)Result Ben Stem Ginger Nuts 5th Chocolate and Almond MacaronsPine Nut MacaronsPistachio Macarons Holly Strawberry and Custard Melts 3rd 'Chocolate bars of my youth'(Caramel Macarons, Mint Chocolate Macarons and Chocolate Orange Macarons) Janet Christmas Marzipan Biscuits 4th Raspberry MacaronsBlackcurrant MacaronsAlmond Macarons Jason Lebkuchen 1st Mocktail Macarons(Mojito, Cranberry Cooler, and Piña Colada) Jo Lavender Biscuits 8th Blueberry MacaronsCoconut MacaronsStrawberry Macarons Mary-Anne Melting Moments 2nd Blackcurrant and Mint MacaronsGooseberry and Elderflower MacaronsHazelnut Macarons Robert Chocolate and Ginger Oat Biscuits 7th Strawberry and Lime MacaronsLemon MacaronsChocolate and Cardamom Macarons Yasmin Chocolate Chip and Pistachio Biscotti 6th Chocolate and Lime MacaronsCoffee and Walnut MacaronsPineapple and Coconut Macarons
Episode 5: Pies The signature challenge asked the bakers to produce a hearty family pie using either a rough puff or flaky pastry, in hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a batch of 6 miniature pork pies (using a hot water crust pastry) in hours, using Paul Hollywood's recipe. It was a 2-day bake challenge — to give the filling time to set overnight the pies were judged the next day. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake a meringue pie — a fruit and/or custard pie topped with meringue — in hours.
BakerSignature(Family Pie)Technical(6 Miniature Pork Pie)Showstopper(Meringue Pie)Result Holly Stilton, Potato and Caramelised Onion Pie 4th Lime Meringue Pie Janet Chicken and Chestnut Pie 1st Rhubarb Meringue Pie Jason Brown Down Chicken Pie 7th Plum Meringue Pie Jo Salmon and Asparagus Pie 6th Apple and Raspberry Meringue Pie Mary-Anne Chicken and Bacon Pie 2nd Midnight Meringue Pie Robert Chicken and Mushroom Pie 3rd Rhubarb & Custard Meringue Pie Yasmin Family Fish Pie 5th Peach and Raspberry Meringue Pie Once again, in this episode, two bakers were eliminated instead of one baker.
Episode 6: Desserts (Quarterfinals) For their signature bake, the quarterfinalists were tasked to produce a cheesecake in 21⁄2 hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a chocolate roulade in hours using Mary Berry's recipe. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to create a Croquembouche-inspired bake in 5 hours.
BakerSignature(Baked Cheesecake)Technical(Chocolate Roulade)Showstopper(Croquembouche)Result Holly Father Christmas' Baked Cheesecake 3rd Hansel and Gretel's Croquembouche Janet Rhubarb and Ginger Baked Cheesecake 5th Orange and Nougatine Croquembouche Jo Rum and Raisin Baked Cheesecake 1st Limoncello and White Chocolate Croquembouche Mary-Anne Tutti Frutti Curd Baked Cheesecake 4th Orange and Praline Croquembouche with Cardamom Caramel Yasmin Baked Amaretto Cheesecake 2nd Rose Croquembouche
Episode 7: Pâtisserie (Semi-final) For the signature bake, the semi-finalists were given 2 hours to bake a layered mousse cake, with the judges seeking a light sponge and a rich mousse. In the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake 12 identical Iced Fingers to be filled with cream and jam, using Paul Hollywood's recipe. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to produce a selection of three different pastries using the same laminated pastry dough — which must be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside — for all three.
BakerSignature(Layered Mousse Cake)Technical(12 Iced Fingers)Showstopper(3 Different Types of Pastries or Croissants)Result Holly White Chocolate, Hazelnut and Raspberry Génoise Mousse Cake 1st Apricot, Macadamia and White Chocolate PinwheelsAlmond CroissantsApple, Raisin and Cinnamon Plaits Janet Chocolate Amaretto Mousse Cake 4th Pain Aux RaisinPlain CroissantPain Au Chocolat Jo Raspberry & Strawberry Mousse Cake 3rd Pain Aux RaisinChocolate TwistsBanana and Raisin Pastries Mary-Anne Chocolate and Orange Mousse Cake 2nd Raspberry Rose DanishesPraline SpiralsAlsatian Plaited Danishes
Episode 8: Final For their final signature bake, the finalists were asked to bake 12 mille-feuille in hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a sachertorte in 2 hours and 40 minutes. For their final showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake 3 different types of petits fours: meringue, sweet pastry, and sponge-based, on the theme of British Summertime, within 4 hours.
BakerSignature(12 Mille-Feuille)Technical(Sachertorte)Showstopper(Petits Fours)Result Holly Banoffee Inspired Mille Feuille 2nd Strawberry and Cream Meringue NestGooseberry and Elderflower 'Bakewell' TartsNeapolitan Ice-Cream Sandwich Jo Raspberry and Blueberry Mille Feuille 1st Mini Victoria SandwichesRaspberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio Mini MeringuesMini Banoffee Pie with Banana Mousse Mary-Anne Lemon and Ginger Mille Feuille 3rd Fruit Tarts with Elderflower CustardStrawberry and Rhubarb CheesecakesBlack Fruit Meringue with Everlasting Syllabub
Extras and special episodes