The Great British Bake Off (series 4)

Results summary

Colour key:

     Baker got through to the next round      Baker was eliminated      Baker was one of the judges' least favourite bakers that week, but was not eliminated.      Baker was the Star Baker      Baker was one of the judges' favourite bakers that week, but did not win star baker.      Baker was the series runner-up      Baker was the series winner

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 eliminated      Star Baker      Winner

Episode 2: Bread

The bakers were asked to make in two hours 36 breadsticks, all made using yeast, of at least 25 cm (10 inches) in length, and the breadsticks should be crisp and produce a good snap. For the technical challenge, the bakers have to make eight English muffin using Paul's recipe in two and three quarter hours. For the final bake, an elaborately decorated loaf was set as the showstopper challenge to be completed in four hours.

Episode 3: Desserts

For the first challenge of the episode the bakers were asked to make a Trifle of their own choice, using Ladies Fingers, 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 a recipe of Mary Berry. 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.

In this challenge, Deborah accidentally used Howard's custard. As a result, Howard used Deborah's custard in his trifle.

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.

Episode 5: Biscuits and Traybakes

For the signature challenge, the bakers were asked to make their favorite 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.

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.

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 4 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.

Episode 8: Quarter Final

This week in the quarter final, the theme for this week were bakes that were free of something (e.g. gluten free, dairy 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 3 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

Episode 9: 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; one must be Choux, another must be Shortcrust or Rough Puff and the third can be anything of their choice. For the Technical bake, the bakers are challenged to make a Charlotte Royal; 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

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; 6 savoury with rock salt and 6 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.

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.

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 said to have supported Hollywood over rumours of his possible sacking by BBC, and the BBC later denied the rumours and said that his job is safe.

During the series, there were accusations of favouritism towards female contestants after the last man Glenn Cosby was eliminated from the show, as well as allegations 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.

Prior to the final, a rash of bets were placed on Frances Quinn to win. Bookmakers were forced to suspend the book after 90 per cent of wagers were placed on Quinn, and led to accusation that show insiders or friends who knew of the result were placing bets on the outcome. This subsequently led to many online media sources speculating Quinn had won, inadvertently leaking the result prematurely.

Post-show career

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.