Law graduate crowned Great British Bake Off champion
Published on 23 October 12
John Whaite wins BBC competition while completing final exams
A University of Manchester student has won the final of BBC2's The Great British Bake Off. The result proved devisive among the programme's 7.2 million-strong following, as John beat 62 year-old Brendan Lynch, and 21 year-old medical student James Morton, after producing a stunning chocolate chiffon cake in the final challenge.
John, who has just finished an LLB Law degree, said the pressure of competing in the series spurred him on in his studies.
"Baking helps me academically," he told the BBC. "It gives you time to think and takes your mind off [studying] for a while."
But that's not to say it wasn't tough. "I finished one exam on a Friday and went to Bristol to film the semi-final before getting home late on Sunday in time for another exam on Monday," said John. "It meant I had to be organised and know what I needed for the exam and what I needed for baking and it helped me concentrate. I don't think I’d have got such a good grade without Bake Off."
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John plans to train as a Patissier in Paris, now that he's completed both his degree and his filming commitments, and there's a recipe book in the pipeline. You can see a collection of his recipes on his flour & eggs blog.
Why not try one of John's winning recipes, with this Great British autumn warmerFrom BBC Food Toffee Apple Upside Down CakeIngredientsFor the toffee apple toppingbutter, for greasing For the cake225g/8oz salted butter, softened For the caramel crown200g/7oz caster sugar Preparation methodGrease 23cm/9in square baking tin with butter and line it with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. For the topping, put a pan over a high heat. Add the sugar and three tablespoons of water and cook until it the sugar melts and turns amber – do not stir at any point. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the toffee into the lined baking tin, taking care to cover the base completely. Place the apple wedges in three rows on top of the toffee and sprinkle with a third of the orange zest. Add the cranberries in any gaps between the rows of apple For the cake, beat the butter, the remaining orange zest and sugar until pale and fluffy. Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda and add a tablespoon of this to the butter mix along with one egg. Mix until combined and repeat the process until all the flour and eggs have been used. Stir in the milk and a few drops of vanilla. Pour into cake tin and gently smooth with a spatula. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Using oven gloves, place a cooling rack over the tin and quickly flip over, taking care not to burn yourself on any hot caramel that may leak from the tin. Remove from the tin and set aside to cool completely. For the caramel crown, in a pan set over a high heat add the sugar and two tablespoons of water and cook until a caramel forms, never stirring. Place the base of a clean cake tin on a heatproof mat. Drizzle over spoonfuls of the caramel to make a pattern. Allow to dry, and then gently remove and place on top of the cake. |
Preparation Time30 minutes Cooking Time30 minutes to 1 hour Makes 12 slices, perfect for sharing with your flatmates!
Get more recipes from John, and the other bakers in the series, from The Great British Bake Off website. |