Great British Bake Off judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood have confessed that even they opt for ready-made puff pastry, despite setting a homemade version as a challenge on the show. The revelation came after contestants struggled with the notoriously difficult technique during the latest episode.
Viewers watched as several bakers buckled under the pressure of making 48 filled vol-au-vents from scratch. Paul Hollywood described one effort as 'hideous-looking', while another was branded 'anaemic' for being undercooked. Tamal Ray called his collapsed vol-au-vents 'hideously deformed', and Mat Riley labelled the task 'ridiculous'.
Mary Berry, 80, has previously admitted to buying ready-made pastry, saying: 'I can buy it for £2 in a packet and buy a good one. I don't want to spend hours on one thing.' Michelin-starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli also said he finds making vol-au-vents 'a nightmare' and that many chefs buy their puff pastry.
Despite the chaos, fireman Mat Riley was crowned star baker, while nurse Alvin Magallanes was sent home. The episode highlighted the difficulty of the challenge, which required three hours and 45 minutes to complete.
