The Great British Bake Off series 12
The twelfth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 21 September 2021. It is presented by Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas, and judged by returning judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The bakers were announced on 14 September 2021.
The series was won by Giuseppe Dell'Anno, with Chigs Parmar and Crystelle Pereira finishing as the runners-up. Dell'Anno is the first Italian winner of the programme.
Results summary
'''Colour key:'''Episodes
'''Colour key:'''Episode 1: Cake
For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked with making 12 decorative mini rolls in 2 hours. The technical challenge, set by Prue, required the bakers to make a malt loaf served with homemade butter in 2 hours. In the showstopper challenge, the bakers were given 4 hours to create an anti-gravity illusion cake, representing a precious memory.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Amanda | 'Cherry Soldier' Mini Rolls | 12th | Elderflower & Lemon Surf Explosion | |
| Chigs | Strawberries & Cream Mini Rolls | 11th | 'Where it all Began' | |
| Crystelle | 'Chai and Chai Again' Mini Rolls | 8th | 'Bouq-cake' of Flowers | |
| Freya | Vegan Lemon & Raspberry Mini Rolls | 2nd | 'Flower Potty' | |
| George | Chocolate & Hazelnut Mini Rolls | 3rd | Greek Table | |
| Giuseppe | Easter Mini Rolls | 10th | 'Jack and The Beanstalk' | |
| Jairzeno | Lime & Passion Fruit Mini Rolls | 9th | 'Kick the Can' Cake | |
| Jürgen | Schwarzwald Mini Rolls | 6th | 'Night Time Reading' | |
| Lizzie | Zoo Mini Rolls | 4th | Nana's Peaches & Cream | |
| Maggie | 'Knit & Natter' Mini Rolls | 1st | Ice-cream Cornet | |
| Rochica | Colin Rolls | 7th | Apple Cake | |
| Tom | Black Forest Mini Rolls | 5th | Classically Spectacular Showstopper |
Episode 2: Biscuits
For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked with making 24 identical brandy snaps in 2 hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, required the bakers to make 12 sandwiched jammy biscuits, consisting of two baked biscuits, jam, and buttercream, in 1 hour and 45 minutes. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers needed to create a three-dimensional biscuit replica of a favorite childhood toy and needed to have an interactive element with it in 4 hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Amanda | 'Open Sesame' Brandy Snaps | 4th | Carousel Rocking Horse | |
| Chigs | 'Espresso Martini' Brandy Snaps | 7th | Snooker Table | |
| Crystelle | 'Apple of My P-eye' Brandy Snaps | 10th | Vanity Playset | |
| Freya | 'Brandy Snapuccinos' | 3rd | 'Winnie' | |
| George | Cypriot Brandy Snaps | 8th | 'Paul & Prue Airlines' | |
| Giuseppe | Gianduja Snaps | 2nd | Reversi Board Game | |
| Jairzeno | Chocolate, Passion Fruit & Pineapple Brandy Snaps | 9th | Tall Ship | |
| Jürgen | 'A Cup of Chai' Brandy Snaps | 1st | 'Grandpa's Windmill' | |
| Lizzie | Fast-Food Apple Pie Brandy Snaps | 6th | 'Paint a Truck' | |
| Maggie | Blackcurrant Brandy Snaps | 5th | Beach Playset | |
| Rochica | Coffee Brandy Snaps | 11th | Gingerbread Pinball Game |
Episode 3: Bread
The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making a focaccia in 2 hours and 45 minutes. The technical challenge, set by Paul, tasked the bakers with making 15 olive and cheese ciabatta breadsticks, served with a tzatziki dip, in 2 hours. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were asked to create a three-dimensional themed display using milk bread in hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Amanda | 'Chasing Grainbows' Focaccia | 3rd | 'I Just FISH We Had More Time' | |
| Chigs | Spanish Cheesy Meaty Focaccia | 6th | Honey Milk Bread Picnic Basket | |
| Crystelle | Feta & Grape Focaccia with Fennel & Walnut | 9th | 'Bready' for Sunday Roast | |
| Freya | Mexican Fajita Focaccia | 4th | 'Under the Sea' Milk Bread Display | |
| George | Greek Inspired Focaccia | 7th | 'The Very Hungry Koala' | |
| Giuseppe | 1st | 'Your Five-a-Day' | ||
| Jürgen | 'Kipper-caccia' Focaccia | 5th | 'The Baby' | |
| Lizzie | 'Final Furlong' Focaccia | 2nd | Pig Banquet | |
| Maggie | Classic Focaccia | 8th | 'Things You'd Find in a Rock Pool' | |
| Rochica | Roast Garlic Focaccia with Tomato, Feta & Pesto | 10th | Birdcage |
Episode 4: Desserts
The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making a beautifully decorated pavlova in 2 hours and 45 minutes. For the technical challenge, set by Prue, asked the bakers to make 4 individual sticky toffee puddings, served with sticky toffee sauce, 2 tuile triangles, and a creme anglaise. The bakers had 90 minutes. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were given the enormous task of making a celebratory joconde imprimé dessert, composed of a highly decorated joconde sponge wrapped around at least 2 elements, in hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Amanda | 'Chocolate Pav-Love' | 8th | 'Adam's Temptation' Imprimé Dessert | |
| Chigs | 3rd | Black Forest Imprimé Dessert | ||
| Crystelle | 'Kiwi Lime Pie' Pam-lova | 5th | 'Una Piña Colada, Por Favor' | |
| Freya | Peach Melba Vegan Pavlova | 6th | Chocolate & Orange Imprimé Dessert | |
| George | Lemon Curd & Biscuit Cream Pavlova | 7th | Peanut Butter & Chocolate Imprimé Dessert | |
| Giuseppe | 'Every Day at the Beach' Pavlova | 4th | Red Fruit & Pistachio Imprimé Dessert | |
| Jürgen | 'Passover Pavlova' | 1st | 'Passtyme with Good Companye' | |
| Lizzie | Easter Pavlova | 2nd | Liverpool Skyline Imprimé Dessert | |
| Maggie | Traditional Pavlova | 9th | Paris Skyline Imprimé Dessert |
Episode 5: German
The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making 2 types of 12 German biscuits, which needed to be dipped, coated, or decorated, in 2 hours and 15 minutes. For the technical challenge, Prue asked the bakers to make a Prinzregententorte, consisting of eight thin layers of genoises sponge sandwiched with chocolate cream, coated with a shiny chocolate ganache, decorated with rosettes and tempered chocolate crowns, in 2 hours and 45 minutes. The showstopper gave the bakers hours to produce a yeast-leavened cake. The cakes must be at least two-tiered and inspired by the yeasted cakes popular in Germany.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Amanda | Spritzgebäck & Glühweinplätzchen | 8th | Rum. Plum & Raisin Cake | |
| Chigs | Marzipan Hausfreunde & Almond Mandelhörnchen | 2nd | Lemon & Mixed Peel Cake | |
| Crystelle | Chocolate Engelsaugen & Pistachio Heidesand | 7th | Bavarian Brioche | |
| Freya | Lebkuchen & Zimtsterne | 5th | Upside-down Cake | |
| George | Cherry Marzipan Biscuits & Aniseed Springerle | 6th | Chocolate & Tahini Anniversary Cake | |
| Giuseppe | Bethmännchen & Italian Linzer Augen | 1st | Amarena Cherry Cake | |
| Jürgen | 4th | Beer Soaked Cake | ||
| Lizzie | Mandelhörnchen & Cheeky Boys | 3rd | Bavarian Fairy Tale |
Episode 6: Pastry
For the signature, the bakers were tasked with making 2 batches of glazed or iced chouxnuts: 6 filled and 6 not filled, to be done in 2 hours. For the technical challenge, Paul required the bakers to make a large baklava. They were asked to layer filo pastry with a pistachio and walnut filling, and cut into a star design, in 2 hours and 45 minutes. For the showstopper, the bakers were given the intricate task of making a terrine pie, in hours. The pies needed to have an ornated pastry decoration on the outside and a neat pattern or design when cut open.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Amanda | Sweet & Savoury Chouxnuts | 5th | 'Fancy Terrine Pie' | |
| Chigs | 'Oo La La Chouxnuts' | 3rd | 'Leicester Pork Pie' | |
| Crystelle | Mango Maracujá & Miso Caramel Chouxnuts | 2nd | ||
| George | Classic Chouxnuts | 6th | 'Christmas Dinner' | |
| Giuseppe | Bellissima Chouxnuts | 4th | 'Laura's Terrine Pie' | |
| Jürgen | 'Exotic Flavour & 70's Colour' | 1st | 'Lunch in Freiburg' | |
| Lizzie | Caramel & Floral Chouxnuts | 7th | 'Neptune Pie' |
Episode 7: Caramel
For the first signature challenge, the bakers were required to produce a sharing-sized decorative caramel tart in hours. The technical challenge was set by Paul where the bakers were tasked to make 10 caramel biscuit bars in hour. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were required to make a caramel-flavored dessert with a sugar-work dome or sphere in hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Chigs | Chocolate, Coconut & Ginger Caramel Tart | 3rd | 'Caramel Mistake' | |
| Crystelle | Apple, Pecan & Miso Caramel Tart | 4th | 'Grandad Greg's Cactus Garden' | |
| George | Caramel Custard & Banana Tart | 6th | Salted Caramel Almond & Hazelnut Dacquoise | |
| Giuseppe | Apricot & Hazelnut Caramel Tart | 1st | Salted Caramel & Praline Dessert | |
| Jürgen | Triple Nut Caramel Delight | 2nd | 'Caramel Contrasts' | |
| Lizzie | 'My Tart Will Go On' | 5th | 'Roses Really Smell Like Caramel' |
Episode 8: Free-from (Quarterfinals)
For the signature bake, the bakers were given the challenge of baking 8 dairy-free ice cream sandwiches in 3 hours The technical challenge was to make 8 identical vegan sausage rolls accompanied by a sticky red onion chutney in 2 hours. In the showstopper, the bakers needed to make a gluten-free celebration cake with at least two tiers. They were given 4 hours for the bake.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Chigs | Mum's Tropical Delight | 1st | Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake | |
| Crystelle | Tahini and Miso Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches | 5th | 'My Nana's Cascading Dress' Gluten-Free Cake | |
| Giuseppe | Ginger and Orange Ice Cream Sandwich | 2nd | Gluten-Free Black Forest Cake | |
| Jürgen | 'Meet My Favourites' | 4th | Ultimate Gluten-Free Birthday Cake | |
| Lizzie | Best Thing About Walks | 3rd | Gluten-Free ‘Extraordinary' Cake |
Episode 9: Pâtisserie (Semifinals)
In the semifinal signature challenge, the bakers were tasked to make eight pâtisserie-style layered slices in 3 hours. For the technical bake, set by Prue, the bakers are tasked in making a Sablé Breton Tart, consisting of a sablé breton pastry base, topped with raspberry confiture, piped with pistachio crème mousseline, filled with fresh berries and topped with glided meringue kisses and chocolate curls, all in two hours and forty-five minutes. A themed banquet display consisting of a crafted edible centrepiece surrounded by least twelve individual entremets desserts was set as the showstopper. The bakers were given five hours.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Chigs | 4th | 'The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree' | ||
| Crystelle | 3rd | 'Tropical Wedding' Entremets | ||
| Giuseppe | 2nd | 'Leaning Tower of Pisa' | ||
| Jürgen | Murder at the Opera | 1st | 'Torii Gate in the Sea' |
Episode 10: Final
The finalists were set the task of making a carrot cake in two hours and fifteen minutes for the signature challenge. For the final technical challenge, set by Paul, the bakers were given two hours and thirty minutes to create twelve Belgian buns filled with sultanas and lemon curd, with only two instructions given. For the ultimate showstopper challenge, the bakers were tasked to make a Mad Hatter tea party display with sweet and savory afternoon tea treats, showcasing at least four different baking disciplines in hours. The judges expect to see the madness feel of Alice in Wonderland in the bakes.| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Chigs | 'Take Two' | 2nd | Party Treats | |
| Crystelle | Pistachio, Cardamom & Orange Carrot Cake | 1st | Crazy Tea Party | |
| Giuseppe | 'Torta Camilla' | 3rd | 'What Is the Hatter with Me' |
Specials
Two specials were commissioned for the festive season:''The Great Christmas Bake Off''
The Great Christmas Bake Off featured It's a Sin's Olly Alexander, Nathaniel Curtis, Lydia West and Shaun Dooley.The signature challenge required the bakers to make a Christmas Dinner's leftovers pie, in two hours, it can be made with any type of pastry, but the fillings must be made with leftovers from the baker's favorite Christmas Dinner. Prue's technical challenge tasked the bakers with making a chocolate Yule Log, in one hour and fifteen minutes. The bakers were given 3 hours to make a Christmas Tree out of biscuit or meringue for the showstopper challenge.
| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Lydia | Tom Yum Turkey Christmas Pie | 4th | Lemon Sablé Biscuit Christmas Tree | |
| Nathaniel | 1st | Orange & Cinnamon Christmas Tree | ||
| Olly | 3rd | Meringue Christmas Tree | ||
| Shaun | Turkey & Ham Leftover Pie | 2nd | Pistachio Meringue Christmas Tree |
''The Great New Year Bake Off''
The Great New Year Bake Off features Jon Jenkins and Kim-Joy Hewlett from Series 9, along with Rowan Williams and Hermine Dossou from Series 11.For the signature challenge, the bakers were asked to create twelve buns, suitable for a New Year's day Breakfast, the buns can be any flavor or shape, but must be yeasted and feature a topping of the baker's choice, three hours are given. Paul's technical challenge required the bakers to make a New Years Eve cake inspired by the traditional Greek Vasilopita, consisting of a perfectly baked lemon mahleb and mastika sponge and decorated with water icing, lemon curd and crystallized citrus peel in one hour and thirty minutes. A shadow box winter scene with a frame, to all be created with at least three different biscuits in four hours is the showstopper.
| Baker | Signature | Technical | Showstopper | Result |
| Hermine | 3rd | 'Festive Outdoors' Shadow Box | ||
| Jon | 'Bacon & Eggs' Pecan & Maple Buns | 4th | 'Our Dream Wedding Scene' Shadow Box | |
| Kim-Joy | Sticky Pecan Breakfast Buns | 1st | Cosy Winter Scene Shadow Box | |
| Rowan | 'Fried Egg' Breakfast Buns | 2nd | Winter Dream Shadow box |
Ratings
Bake Off launched with 5.7 million viewers and a 30.8% share—its lowest overnight rating since its move to Channel 4 in 2017—down 1.3 million in 2020. However, it was the show's biggest ever launch episode on Channel 4 in terms of younger viewers, securing 61.9% of all young viewers watching TV at the time of broadcast.| Episode no. | Airdate | 7-day viewers | 28-day viewers | Channel 4 weekly ranking | Weekly ranking all channels |
| 1 | 9.57 | 10.18 | 1 | 3 | |
| 2 | 8.98 | 9.64 | 1 | 2 | |
| 3 | 8.69 | 9.39 | 1 | 2 | |
| 4 | 8.75 | 9.13 | 1 | 2 | |
| 5 | 8.71 | 9.27 | 1 | 3 | |
| 6 | 9.15 | 9.57 | 1 | 2 | |
| 7 | 9.05 | 9.50 | 1 | 2 | |
| 8 | 9.05 | 9.49 | 1 | 3 | |
| 9 | 9.39 | 9.61 | 1 | 3 | |
| 10 | 9.61 | 9.73 | 1 | 3 |