The perfect pavlova. A macadamia, aniseed myrtle and bush honey trifle. Bread sculptures baked into the shape of Australian mammals.
These are among the delights contestants are tasked with creating on the new season of The Great Australian Bake Off, which returns to screens on Thursday after a three-year absence. Bake Off is a global reality phenomenon that began in the UK and has since been adapted by 35 countries worldwide, travelling everywhere from Kenya to Morocco and Brazil. The format has remained more or less consistent around the world; what makes each version unique is the quirks of the local cuisine. Here in Australia, that means dishes created using native ingredients, classics ripped from the pages of the Australian Women’s Weekly Cake Book and, of course, the quest for the optimised pav.
