After I lived in Britain as a university scholar, my pals and I had weekly dessert potlucks the place we gathered to look at new episodes of The Nice British Bake Off (referred to as The Nice British Baking Present within the US). As we crowded round a small laptop computer display, we tucked into slices of banoffee pie, spoonfuls of trifle, and tiny little cream puffs. We chuckled and groaned as contestants dropped their desserts on the ground or offered pies with soggy bottoms to the judges. On the finish of the night, all of us mused on what we’d bake subsequent week—and whether or not any of us had the chops to compete on the present.
Although I now not reside within the UK, I nonetheless enthusiastically welcome every new episode of The Nice British Baking Present by whipping up an assortment of baked items for myself and, sometimes, my neighbors. To have fun the arrival of the present’s twelfth season, we put collectively an inventory of enjoyable bakes—together with tender shortbread and an ethereal genoise sponge—that you could make from the consolation of your individual residence. So get your mixer out, have your spatula on the prepared, and preheat these ovens. Prepared…set…bake!
