The Great British Bake Off (series 4)
The fourth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 20 August 2013. Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins again presented the show and Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood returned as judges. As with series three, the competition was held at Harptree Court in East Harptree, Somerset.
13,000 amateur bakers applied to appear on the programme, and 100 were selected for screen test, with the best 60 advancing to a three-day audition. From these, 13 contestants were chosen this year so the judges could eliminate two people whenever they wanted.
The winner of the Great British Bake Off 2013 was Frances Quinn.
Bakers
| Baker | Age | Occupation | Hometown | Links |
| Ali Imdad | 25 | Charity worker | Saltley, Birmingham | |
| Beca Lyne-Pirkis | 31 | Military Wives' Choir Singer | Aldershot, Hampshire | |
| Christine Wallace | 66 | Director of an engraving company | Didcot, Oxfordshire | |
| Deborah Manger | 51 | Dentist | Peterborough | |
| Frances Quinn | 31 | Children's Clothes Designer | Market Harborough, Leicestershire | |
| Glenn Cosby | 37 | English Teacher | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Howard Middleton | 51 | Council Worker | Sheffield | |
| Kimberley Wilson | 30 | Psychologist | London | |
| Lucy Bellamy | 38 | Horticulturist | Grimsby, Lincolnshire | |
| Mark Onley | 37 | Carpenter and Kitchen Fitter | Milton Keynes | |
| Robert Smart | 54 | Space Satellite Designer | Melbourn, Cambridgeshire | |
| Ruby Tandoh | 20 | History of Art and Philosophy Student | Southend, Essex | |
| Toby Waterworth | 30 | Web Programmer | Reading, Berkshire |
Results summary
Colour key:Episodes
Episode 1: Cakes
The bakers were given two hours to make a sandwich cake with filling of their choice for the signature challenge. For their first technical challenge, the bakers were required to bake an angel food cake using Mary Berry's recipe in two and half hours. For the showstopper, the challenge was to make a chocolate cake using at least two types of chocolate to decorate the cake. They were given four hours for this bake.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Ali | Rose and Pistachio Cake | 11th | Chocolate, Raspberry and Passion Fruit Engagement Cake |
| Beca | Grapefruit Sandwich Cake | 8th | Chocolate Cherry Indulgence |
| Christine | Strawberry, Vanilla and Rosewater Summer Basket | 3rd | Chocolate and Orange 'Fripperous' Hat Cake |
| Deborah | Pineapple Cake | 9th | 'Coffee Time' |
| Frances | Giant Jam Sandwich | 7th | Secret Squirrel Cake |
| Glenn | Strawberries and Cream Cake | 4th | Almond and Espresso Chocolate Cake |
| Howard | Passion Fruit and Coconut Cake | 6th | Black Forest Revisited |
| Kimberley | Blood Orange Cake | 10th | Chocolate, Raspberry & Basil Layer Cake |
| Lucy | Timperley Early Cake | 2nd | Thyme 'Wildwood' Cake |
| Mark | Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake | 5th | Chocolate Monster |
| Robert | Pecan and Apple Cake | 1st | Raspberry Chocolate Cake |
| Ruby | Rhubarb and Custard Sandwich Cake | 12th | Chocolate and Ginger Night Sky Cake |
| Toby | Spiced and Iced Carrot Cake | 13th | Two Tiered Chocolate Cake |
Episode 2: Bread
The bakers were asked to make, in two hours, 36 breadsticks, all made using yeast, of at least 25 cm in length, and the breadsticks should be crisp and produce a good snap. For the technical challenge, the bakers have to make eight English muffins using Paul's recipe in 2¾ hours. For the final bake, an elaborately decorated loaf was set as the showstopper challenge to be completed in four hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Ali | Italian Grissini | 9th | Sweet and Savoury Yin Yang Bread |
| Beca | Fennel and Chilli Breadsticks | 11th | Five Strand Christmas Wreath |
| Christine | Mediterranean Breadsticks with Oregano | 4th | Double Plaited Loaf |
| Deborah | Fennel & Chilli Breadsticks | 8th | Walnut Fleur Loaf |
| Frances | Giant Matchsticks | 2nd | Sailor's Knot |
| Glenn | Rosemary and Parmesan Grissini | 7th | Harvest Crown |
| Howard | Moroccan Breadsticks | 10th | Picasso Sun Bread |
| Kimberley | Nigella Seed and Parmesan Breadsticks | 1st | Peace Bread |
| Lucy | Grissini with Salt | 12th | Roasted Tomato Bread |
| Mark | Rosemary & Raisin Breadsticks | 6th | Sage and Garlic Plait |
| Robert | Twisty Rye Bread Sticks | 5th | Tribute Loaf |
| Ruby | Mexican Breadsticks | 3rd | White Chocolate and Orange Peacock Bread |
Episode 3: Desserts
For the first challenge of the episode the bakers were asked to make a trifle of their own choice, using ladyfingers, sponge or biscuit for the base and either jam or custard for the middle layer. For their second challenge, the bakers were required to bake, in an hour and a half, floating islands using Mary Berry's recipe. For the show-stopper, the bakers were set the task of making 24 petit fours, twelve biscuit based, twelve sponge based, to be finished in three hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Ali | Coconut, Raspberry and Lemon Meringue Trifle | 5th | Vanilla Latte Mini Cakes Lime & Mint Shortbread Pops |
| Beca | Orange and Ginger Trifle | 10th | Limoncello and Blueberry Bursts Millionaire Shortbread |
| Christine | Caribbean Pina Colada Trifle | 4th | Ninety-Niners Sachertorte Parcels |
| Deborah | Tropical Trifle* | 9th | Canelé Cherry and Chocolate Cakes Rose Cookies |
| Frances | Apple and Blackberry Crumble Trifle | 8th | 'Ballet Bites' Ginger Nutcrackers Sugar Plum Fairy Cakes |
| Glenn | Raspberry and Almond Trifle | 1st | Billionaire Bouchées Orange Financiers |
| Howard | Caramel and Apple Trifle* | 7th | Black Coffee and Cardamom Cakes White Stilton and Pear Biscuits |
| Kimberley | Peach, Almond and Ginger Trifle | 6th | Chocolate Pistachio Financiers Lemon Bergamot Biscuits |
| Mark | Ginger, Mango and Passion Fruit Trifle | 11th | Rose and Pistachio Macarons Chocolate and Raspberry Bites |
| Robert | Rhubarb and Orange Trifle | 2nd | Almond Friands Turón Macarons |
| Ruby | Desert Island Trifle | 3rd | Lemon Shortbread and White Chocolate Seashells Blackberry and Chocolate Layer Cakes |
In this challenge, Deborah accidentally used Howard's custard. As a result, Howard used Deborah's custard in his trifle. This switch was revealed to Paul and Mary, who appropriately judged their custards separately in their respective trifles. The incident was dubbed Custardgate by the press.
Episode 4: Pies and Tarts
For the signature challenge the bakers are asked to bake a double-crusted fruit pie with a filling of their choice. For their fourth technical challenge, the bakers were required to bake a tart that has almost a 700-year history; the egg custard tart. For the showstopper, the challenge was to make a filo pie centrepiece using the filo pastry that they had made from scratch.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Ali | Apple and Ginger Pie with a Pecan and Walnut Shortcrust Pastry | 8th | Orange, Cardamom and Date M'Hanncha |
| Beca | Mamgu's Cherry-Apple Tart | 2nd | Moroccan Vegetable Filo Feast |
| Christine | Granny Rogers' Apple, Plum & Cinnamon Country Pie | 7th | Roasted Vegetable Filo Pie with Feta Cheese |
| Frances | Peach Pie In the Sky | 1st | Cherry Tree Baklava Filo Pie |
| Glenn | Apple & Maple Syrup Pie | 9th | Spanakopita |
| Howard | Apple Pie with Sage Pastry | 5th | Fresh Fig and Feta Filo Flan |
| Kimberley | Pecan and Rosemary Caramel Apple Pie | 4th | Chicken, Bacon and Butternut Squash Pie |
| Robert | Apple and Pear Pie with Thyme | 3rd | Spanakopita with St George's Mushrooms |
| Ruby | Apple and Marzipan Pie | 6th | Rose, Almond and Raspberry Filo Pie |
Episode 5: Biscuits and Traybakes
For the signature challenge, the bakers were asked to make their favourite traybake in two hours and cut into identical pieces. Everything made as part of the traybake however needed to be made from scratch. In the technical challenge, the bakers needed to make 18 tuiles using Mary's recipe in one and a half hour. Half of the tuiles needed to be shaped in the traditional manner and piped in a concentric circles, and the other rolled up and dipped in chocolate. In the last challenge, the baker had to make a biscuit tower of at least 30 cm high, to be finished in four hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Beca | Chocolate, Cherry and Hazelnut Brownies | 5th | Tiered Macaron and Sugar Dough Biscuit Centrepiece |
| Christine | Mixed Berry and Almond Crumble Traybake | 1st | Shortbread Bavarian Clock Tower |
| Frances | Millionaire Banoffee Bonus | 3rd | Biscuit Buttons and Beads |
| Glenn | Apricot and Pistachio Tiffin | 2nd | Shortbread and Macaron Helter-Skelter |
| Howard | Breakfast Traybake | 8th | Japanese Pagoda Tea Tower |
| Kimberley | Cherry and Almond Bakewell Florentine Slice | 7th | Black and White Viennese Biscuit Stack |
| Robert | Blueberry & Orange Traybake | 4th | Dalek |
| Ruby | Blackberry and Lemon Bakewell Slice | 6th | 'Dropped Ice-Cream' Biscuit Centrepiece |
During the Showstopper round, Frances’s tower tipped over while Mel was helping her measure it.
Episode 6: Sweet Dough
In the first challenge, the bakers were required to make a sweet tea loaf using yeast, either in a tin or free form. They were given 3 hours for the task. For the technical challenge, the bakers baked an Apricot Couronne using Paul's recipe in two and three-quarter hours. For the showstopper, the bakers needed to make two different varieties of European sweet buns, 12 of each. The bakers were given 30 minutes to start in the first day so that dough may be proofed overnight, to be finished the second day in four hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Beca | Bara Brith | 6th | Chocolate and Rum-Soaked Prune Brioches Cardamom Spiced Lemon Iced Buns |
| Christine | Oxford Nutty Fruit Loaf | 4th | Schnecken Buns Vanilla Custard Skolebrød |
| Frances | Chai Tea Loaf | 2nd | Hot Cross Brioches Rhubarb and Custard Kolaches |
| Glenn | Devonshire Panettone | 5th | Almond and Apricot Brioches Sticky Caramel Kanelbullen |
| Howard | Date & Hemp Yorkshire Loaf | 7th | Peachy Buns German Baumschnecken |
| Kimberley | Chai Spiced Ginger and Date Tea Loaf | 3rd | Double Chocolate and Hazelnut Brioches Danish Kanelsnurrer |
| Ruby | Citrus Tea Loaf | 1st | Twisted Swedish Kanelbullar Saffron St. Lucia Buns |
Episode 7: Pastry
The bakers are challenged to bring the old fashioned suet pudding back up to date for the signature challenge. In the technical bake, the bakers are challenged to create eight perfect religieuse; these are choux buns that are topped with ganache and filled with crème patissiere then carefully balanced one on top of the other. In the showstopper challenge, the bakers have four hours to make three different types of puffed pastries: one must be filled, another has to be iced and the final one is of their choice.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Beca | Spring Lamb and Vegetable Suet Pudding with Redcurrant Gravy | 1st | Nectarine and Frangipane Squares Chocolate and Hazelnut Vol-au-vents Strawberries and Cream Mille-feuille |
| Christine | Spotted Dick 'With a Kick' and Vanilla Custard Ice Cream | 6th | Eccles Cakes Fresh Fruit Baskets Lemon Cream Eton Mess Mille-feuille |
| Frances | Figgy Roll-y Poly Pudding with Caramelised Walnut and Honey Ice-Cream | 5th | French Framboise Cream Horns Sheet Music Mille-feuille Bass Clef Palmiers |
| Glenn | Prune and Armagnac Pudding with Boozy Butterscotch Sauce | 3rd | Caramelised Apple and Marzipan Tartlets Chocolate Elephant Ears Passion Fruit Mille-feuille |
| Kimberley | Barberry and Apple Spotted Dick with Maple Syrup and White Chocolate Custard | 4th | Pear, Malt and Butterscotch Mille-feuille Blackberry and Lemon Verbena Crème Brûle Custard Tarts Fig, Orange and Thyme Galette |
| Ruby | Plum Jam Roly-Poly with Ginger Ice cream | 2nd | Raspberry and Passion Fruit Mille-feuille Caramelised Apple Lattice Portuguese Custard Tarts |
Episode 8: Unconventional Ingredients
This week, in the quarter final, the theme for this week were bakes that were free. In the signature challenge, the bakers are challenged to bake a loaf that does not use traditional wheat flours, instead they must use flours such as spelt, rye, potato or tapioca. The bakers are challenged in the technical bake to make a Dacquoise which consists of three layers; coiled meringue, coffee custard and a hazelnut praline top. For the showstopper, the bakers are pushed out of their comfort zones and asked to create novelty vegetable cakes which must be dairy free.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Beca | Potato, Spelt and Rosemary Focaccia | 4th | Spiced Butternut Squash and Pecan 'Cheese' Cake |
| Christine | Multi-Seeded Loaf with Pumpkin, Sesame and Sunflower Seeds | 5th | Sweet Potato Guitar with Passion Fruit Icing and Marshmallow Fondant |
| Frances | 'Chelsea Flour Show' Bun Bouquet | 3rd | Hidden Carrot Cake |
| Kimberley | Wild Garlic Pesto and Parma Ham Spelt Loaf | 2nd | Butternut Squash and Spice Cake Toadstool House |
| Ruby | Mango and Nigella Seed Spelt Cob | 1st | Carrot Cake and Pistachio Garden Plot |
Episode 9: French Pastry (Semi-final)
This week's theme was French pastry. In the signature challenge, the bakers are challenged to make three different types of savoury canapé; Choux pastry, shortcrust or rough puff, and a third of their choice. For the technical bake, the bakers are challenged to make a Charlotte Royale; made of Swiss roll surrounding a bavarois. It is set with gelatin to form a firm dome when turned out. In the showstopper challenge, the bakers are challenged to bake an iconic French patisserie, the opera cake.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Beca | Stilton and Walnut Macarons Beetroot and Salmon Choux Puffs Welsh Rarebit Tartlets | 3rd | Banoffee Opera Cake |
| Frances | Légume Canapés | 2nd | Great British Soap Opera Cake |
| Kimberley | Pea Purée Tarts Crab and Wasabi Profiteroles Steamed Buns with Barbecue Chicken | 1st | Passion Fruit and Lime Opera Cake |
| Ruby | Beetroot Jelly on Poppy Seed Biscuits Spinach, Parmesan and Egg Tartlets Choux Buns with Goat's Cheese and Caramelised Onions | 4th | Chocolate, Almond Praline and Saffron Opera Cake |
Episode 10: Final
In the signature challenge, the final three are challenged to create a picnic pie. The pie must be savoury, the fillings have to create a creative design and has to be strong enough to be served out of the tin. For the technical challenge, the bakers are challenged to make 12 perfectly shaped pretzels; six savoury with rock salt and six sweet, flavoured with poppy seeds and topped with sweet orange zest and glaze. For the final showstopper challenge of the series, the bakers are asked to bake the ultimate showpiece - a three-tiered wedding cake.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper |
| Frances | Rainbow Picnic Pie | 3rd | Midsummer Night's Dream Wedding Cake |
| Kimberley | Chicken and Pig Pie | 1st | Languages of Love Wedding Cake |
| Ruby | Picnic Basket Pie | 2nd | Raspberry, Lemon and Passion Fruit Wedding Cake |
Masterclasses
Mary and Paul take over the tent and take on the challenges that they set for the bakers, showing what they would have done had they been in the bakers shoes.Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Christmas Masterclass
Controversy
Before the series started, there was speculation Paul Hollywood would not appear in the show after his marriage broke down. Mary Berry, however, was claimed to have supported Hollywood over rumours of his possible sacking by BBC; and the BBC denied the rumours and said that his job was safe.During the series, there were accusations of Paul Hollywood's favouritism towards Ruby Tandoh, and personal attacks on Tandoh by various people including the chef Raymond Blanc. Both Paul Hollywood and Ruby Tandoh denied the accusation.
Post-show careers
Frances Quinn wrote a book, Quinntessential Baking, released on 17 August 2015.Ruby Tandoh has written a book, Crumb: The Baking Book, published on 25 September 2014. She took half a year out from the university after the show, but has returned to complete her philosophy and history of art course at University College London. She wrote a column on baking for The Guardian.
Beca Lyne-Pirkis presented a Welsh language cookery show Becws for S4C starting 11 September 2014.
Glenn Cosby left teaching, and launched his own touring stage show Bake it Big.
Ali Imdad has set up a bakery business, and become a full-time baker.
Ratings
The show achieved some of the highest ratings seen on BBC Two. According to overnight data, the final episode was seen by 9.1 million viewers at its peak, and averaging over 8 million, more than twice the number of viewers on BBC One and ITV. This episode is the highest-rated show ever on BBC2 under the ratings system first introduced in 2002, beating the previous record set by an episode of Top Gear in 2007. Series 4 had an average of viewing figure of 7.4 million.Official episode viewing figures are from BARB.
| Episode no. | Airdate | Viewers | BBC Two weekly ranking | Weekly ranking all channels |
| 1 | 6.60 | 1 | 11 | |
| 2 | 6.65 | 1 | 12 | |
| 3 | 7.17 | 1 | 13 | |
| 4 | 6.82 | 1 | 18 | |
| 5 | 6.95 | 1 | 17 | |
| 6 | 7.32 | 1 | 16 | |
| 7 | 7.76 | 1 | 13 | |
| 8 | 7.41 | 1 | 12 | |
| 9 | 7.41 | 1 | 18 | |
| 10 | 9.45 | 1 | 4 |