The Great British Baking Show – C. 13, Ep. 3 (Bread Week)

White GBBS tent in a green field behind a wooden table with a three-tier stand holding raspberry-chocolate squares, fondant fancies, and biscuits, with a teacup beside it. — *Collection 13, Episode 3—Bread Week at the tent: tea, treats, and a summer meadow*

This Week’s Challenges

Signature: 🐒 Pull‑apart monkey bread (savory)
Technical: 🍩 Glazed ring doughnuts (12)
Showstopper: 🎉 Tiered sweet bread (celebration centerpiece)

🐒 Monkey Bread — History & Where It’s Big

British Baking Show Bread Week monkey bread—caramel-glazed pull-apart ring on a white plate with a rolling pin in the background. — *Signature — monkey bread: proof well, bake until the pieces pull apart*

First, monkey bread. It traces back to Hungarian aranygaluska and arrived in the U.S. with immigrants in the late 19th–20th century. Then, America popularized a cinnamon‑butter pull‑apart version; the White House even served it in the 1980s. Today, bakers shape savory balls, glaze, and bake until the pieces pull apart cleanly.

Where it’s big: the U.S. (brunch, fairs), Hungary/Central Europe (aranygaluska lineage).

Did you know? “Monkey bread” may refer to the way people pick pieces apart—like a monkey using fingers.

Wilton Gold Premium Non-Stick Fluted Tube Pan (9.49 in) — For monkey bread, a ring pan is essential. This PFAS-free, warp-resistant pan heats evenly and releases cleanly, so your pull-apart ring comes out glossy and intact.

🍩 Ring Doughnuts — Proof, Fry, and the White Ring

British Baking Show Bread Week ring doughnuts—chocolate with sprinkles, pink with red glaze, and plain white on a pink background. — *Bread Week — ring doughnuts: clean glaze, even rise, clear white ring*

Next, ring doughnuts. They descend from Dutch oliekoek and other European fried‑dough traditions; the ring shape became a modern standard. On Bread Week, bakers prove enriched dough, cut neat rings, and fry to get a pale “white ring”—a sign of proper rise and oil temperature. Therefore, timing and proof control decide rankings.

Where it’s big: the U.S. and UK high‑street bakeries—though filled doughnuts remain common in Britain.

Did you know? Uniform rings show even expansion; erratic bubbles hint at over‑proofing or hot oil.

HULISEN Donut Cutter (3.5-inch, Stainless Steel) — Essential for perfect ring doughnuts. The soft-grip handle protects your hands, the sharp steel edge cuts cleanly, and the small biscuit cutter handles centers or mini cookies.

🎉 Tiered Sweet Bread — Celebration Traditions

Finally, the tiered sweet bread. It draws on European celebration loaves—from couronne/king‑cake families to enriched brioche‑style rings. Today, bakers stack flavored loaves (spices, citrus, nuts), add glazes, and build stable tiers with boards/dowels. As a result, structure + shine make showstoppers read from afar.

Where it’s big: Europe (Epiphany/holiday breads) and global bakery displays.

Did you know? The word couronne means “crown,” a classic shape for festive breads.

🎯 How the Bakers Fared

Clean pull‑apart, white‑ring doughnuts, and stable tiers rose to the top. Conversely, raw centers, under‑proved dough, and soft structures cost time and polish.

🌟 Star Baker & Elimination

Star Baker: Jasmine. Because she showed control across challenges and delivered a polished, flavorful showstopper.
Eliminated: Pui Man. Because she struggled in the Technical (under‑proved doughnuts) and lagged earlier, despite a better showstopper.

👉S13E1 — Cake Week: Swiss Roll, Fondant Fancies, Landscape Cake
👉S13E2 — Biscuit Week: Slice-and-Bake, Hobnobs, Time-Capsule Box

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