The American Baking Competition is a reality competition television series that aired on CBS from May 29 to July 10, 2013. It was an adaptation of The Great British Bake Off (which aired in the United States under the title The Great British Baking Show). The series aimed to find the best amateur baker in the United States. The series was hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and judged by Marcela Valladolid and Paul Hollywood. The competition was won by Brian Emmett.
Format
The show aimed to find among its contestants the best amateur baker in the US. Ten contestants were chosen for the first season. In each episode, the amateur bakers were given three challenges: a signature, a technical challenge, and a show-stopper. The three challenges took place over two days, and the dishes made by the contestants were assessed by the judges after each challenge. At the end of the three challenges, the judges chose a Star Baker for the week, and a contestant was also eliminated. In the finale three bakers were left and a winner was chosen from the three.
Signature – a dish using their own tried and tested recipe that the amateur bakers make for their family and friends. Technical - a dessert using the same ingredients and recipe provided by the judges. The recipe given however has missing instructions and is designed to test the knowledge and skill of the bakers. The bakers are not told beforehand what the challenge might be, and the judges do not observe the bakers at work and judge the resulting dish without knowing who made them. This round is the only one where how each contestant performed is directly revealed. The contestants are given a ranking, but that ranking is not their total score for the episode. Show-stopper - a recipe designed to impress the judges.
The competition was held in one location in a specially constructed marquee. Interspersed in the show were short videos on the background of the contestants, as well as information on the history of baking and visiting various locations.
The entire season series was shot over a one-month period.
The winner of the competition received a $250,000 grand prize and a publishing contract with Simon & Schuster.
Production On October 17, 2012, CBS ordered the series under the original title Bake-Off. Since Pillsbury Company held the trademark to the name (using it for its Pillsbury Bake-Off), the show was later renamed The American Baking Competition.
CBS placed casting calls for participants on November 14, 2012. Auditions were held between December 1 and December 15, 2012. The competition took place at the Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, Georgia in March 2013.
Broadcast The first season of The American Baking Competition premiered on May 29, 2013. It aired four episodes in the Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern/9 p.m. Central timeslot. On June 26, 2013, it moved to 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central, to make way for Big Brother, and aired its three remaining episodes in that timeslot. Both of these timeslots put the series opposite Fox's MasterChef.
In 2015, ABC premiered a second U.S. version of the format, The Great Holiday Baking Show. The Christmas-themed revival ran for four episodes as part of ABC's December lineup, and featured Johnny Iuzzini joined by British judge Mary Berry. The series returned for a second season in 2016, renamed The Great American Baking Show.
Bakers
Baker Age(on show debut) Occupation(on show) Hometown Notes Brian Emmett 43 Marketing Executive Itasca, Illinois Originally from Glendale Heights, Illinois Carlo Fuda 35 Social Marketing Consultant Stamford, Connecticut Originally from Ellwood City, Pennsylvania Darlene Pawlukowsky 51 Project Manager Johns Creek, Georgia Originally from Mt. Prospect, Illinois Effie Sahihi 40 Attorney Hendersonville, Tennessee Born in Israel and raised in Winter Haven, Florida Elaine Francisco 63 Retired Claremont, California Francine Bryson 44 Homemaker Pickens, South Carolina Born in Greenville, South Carolina and raised in Wakulla, Florida. James Reddick 26 Photographer Hollywood, California Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana Jeremy Cross 35 Firefighter San Diego, California Kolette Biddle 30 Home Health Care Provider Norco, California Whitney Beery 21 College Student Lubbock, Texas Originally from Castle Rock, Colorado
Results summary + Elimination chart Baker 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Brian SB WINNER Darlene SB Runner-Up Francine SB Runner-Up Elaine SB OUT James OUT Effie OUT Kolette OUT Jeremy OUT Whitney OUT CarloOUT
Color Key:
Episodes
Episode 1: "Pies & Tarts" Episode one aired on May 29, 2013. The theme of the episode was sweet and savory pies and tarts.
For the signature bake, the bakers were given two hours to bake an American pie. On the technical bake, the bakers were required to bake a free-standing savory pie using Paul Hollywood's own recipe. The pie would be a hot water crust pastry and the bakers were given two hours. For the showstopper, the bakers needed to make 36 sweet tartlets within three hours.
Color key: Baker Signature(The All American Pie) Technical(Freestanding Savory Pie) Showstopper(36 Sweet Tartlets) Francine Peanut Butter Bacon Pie 3rd Chocolate Cherry Tartlets Brian Maple Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie 1st Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Tartlets Elaine Peach Cobbler Pie 2nd Lemon Ginger Tartlets Effie Apple, Quince, Rose pie 6th Orange-Almond-Vanilla and Ricotta Tartlets James Mile High Apple Pie 8th Ricotta and Greek Yogurt Honey Tartlets DarleneSweet Potato Pie 9th Blooming Apple Tartlets Kolette Chocolate Hazelnut Pie 5th Goat Cheese and Cherry Tartlets WhitneyLemon Meringue Pie 7th Rum Coconut Tartlets with Custard and Orange Zest Jeremy Sweet Potato Pie 4th Kiwi, Mango and Blueberry Tartlets Carlo Ricotta Easter Pie 10th Calabrese "Pite" Tartlets
Episode 2: "Cookies" Episode two aired on June 5, 2013. The theme of the episode was all kinds of cookies.
The bakers were set the challenge of baking 12 cookies in an hour and a half using their own recipe, and all the cookies baked should be presented to the judges. For the technical challenge, the bakers were required to make in two hours 18 S'mores using Marcela's recipe. For the final showstopper, the bakers were given four hours to bake 40 sandwich Macarons. They must be of two different types, have a delicate crisp shell and soft chewy center.
Baker Signature(Cookies) Technical(S'mores) Showstopper(40 Sandwich Macarons) Elaine Ginger Cookies 7th Coconut Ganache and Lemon Buttercream Macarons Jeremy "Fat Pills" 5th Strawberry and Chocolate Peanut Butter Macarons Francine "Slap-Yo-Mama" Chocolate Fudge Cookies 2nd Drunken Orange and Raspberry Ganache Macarons Effie Rosemary Cherry Meyer Lemon Cookies 1st Saffron Rose and Curry Coconut Lime Macarons Darlene Red Rose Crumbles 6th Black Sesame and Chocolate Cinnamon Macarons James Brutti ma Buoni with Hazelnut Glaze 9th Clementine and Earl Grey Macarons Kolette White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies 3rd Candied Ginger and Meyer Lemon Macarons Brian Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies 8th Coffee Cream and Mint Chocolate Macarons Whitney Soft Lemon Poppyseed Cookies 4th Mocha and Chai Macarons
Episode 3: "Cakes" Episode three aired on June 12, 2013. The theme of the episode was cake.
The bakers were set to make a One-Layer Cake in 90 minutes in the signature bake. In the technical challenge, they were given two hours and fifteen minutes to bake a Chiffon Cake with Tequila Orange Glaze using Marcela's recipe. For the showstopper, the challenge was to make a Surprise Inside Cake where, when sliced open, a surprise design is revealed. The bakers were given five hours for the challenge.
Baker Signature(One-Layer Cake) Technical(Chiffon Cake) Showstopper(Surprise Inside Cake) Elaine Coconut Pineapple Upside-Down Cake 3rd Valentine's Day Cake Francine Cherry Soda Pop Cake 1st Floating Hearts Cake Brian Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake 5th All-American Hamburger Surprise Cake Darlene Banana, Pineapple and Pecan Tiki-time Cake 4th Give a Dog a Bone Cake James Coffee Cake 2nd Underground Surprise Cake Effie Orange Cardamom Pistachio Cake 7th I Love You to the Moon and Back Cake Kolette Oatmeal Spice Cake 8th Check, Check, Check it out Cake Jeremy Cinnamon chocolate cake 6th Single layer cherpumple cake
Episode 4: "Breads" Episode four aired on June 19, 2013. The theme of the episode was bread and pastries.
For the signature bake, the bakers had three hours to make a free-form loaf of bread. The bread had to be yeast bread, and hand shaped. In the technical bake, the bakers were given one hour and 45 minutes to make eight large soft pretzels using Paul's recipe. Immediately following the technical challenge, the bakers went on to make the showstopper, which was two types of croissants, one plain and one filled. They were given two hours the first day, allowed the dough to rise overnight in the fridge, and then three hours the next day to finish the bake.
Baker Signature(Loaf of Yeast Bread) Technical(Soft Pretzels) Showstopper( 24 Croissants) Darlene Twist-and-turn Pesto Wheel 1st Plain and Apricot and Pecan-Filled Croissants Brian Onion-Braided Loaf 3rd Plain and Ham-and-Chive-Filled Croissants Francine Red Hot, Pecan, and Brown Sugar Loaf 2nd Plain and Date, Nut and Honey-Filled Croissants James Prosciutto, Capicola, and Pepperoni Loaf 7th Plain and Chocolate-Filled Croissants Elaine Old-Fashioned Potato Loaf 4th Plain and Raspberry and White Chocolate-Filled Croissants Effie Enriched Challah Bread 6th Plain and Pear-Filled Croissants Kolette German Pumpernickel 5th Plain and Almond-Filled Croissants
Episode 5: "Desserts" Episode five aired on June 26, 2013. The theme of the episode was sweet baked goods.
For the signature bake, the bakers must make 8 individual custards, either sweet like a crème brûlée, or using a more savory recipe. They had 90 minutes to finish the task. In the technical bake, the challenge was to bake a chocolate soufflé, however. As the soufflé can fall within minutes of coming out of the oven, the start time for the bakers was staggered so that each bake can be judged immediately after it was baked. The bakers were each given an hour and 45 minutes. For the final challenge, the bakers were required to produce a layered dessert featuring meringue in five hours.
Baker Signature(8 Custards) Technical(Chocolate Soufflé) Showstopper(Multi-layer Meringue Cakes) Darlene Vanilla Custards 3rd Chocolate Meringue Cake FrancineDreamsicle Custards 4th Raspberry, Lemon and Meringue Chiffon Cake Elaine Crab and Fresh Corn Custards 2nd Nutty Meringue Stack James Caramel Espresso Custards 1st Pavlova and Lemon Layer Cake with Berries Brian Jalapeño and Chorizo Custards 6th Almond Meringue Cake Effie Lime Pots de Creme 5th Hazelnut Meringue Creation
Episode 6: "Patisserie" Episode six aired on July 3, 2013. It was the semi-finals of the competition. The theme of the episode was French pastries, often called patisserie.
The tarte tatin was the signature bake. The contestants were required to complete it in two hours and fifteen minutes. For the technical bake, the bakers were required to make 4 Napoleons, using Paul Hollywood's own recipe, in two and a half hours. For the showstopper, the contestants had to make a choux tower in four and a half hours.
Baker Signature(Tarte tatin) Technical(4 Napoleons) Showstopper(Choux tower) Brian French Onion Tarte Tatin 1st Chocolate Mousse Choux Tower Darlene Apple, Pear, Cranberry Tarte Tatin 3rd Orange and Grand Marnier Cream Choux Tower Francine Peach Tarte Tatin 2nd Vanilla Cream Choux Tower Elaine Bartlett Pear Tarte Tatin 4th Chocolate Espresso Cream Choux Tower James Asian Pear Tarte Tatin 5th Chocolate and Orange Liqueur Cream Choux Tower
Episode 7: "Finale" Episode seven aired on July 10, 2013. It was the finals of the competition. The theme was patriotism, with dishes that were all related to the United States.