The first season of The Great Australian Bake Off premiered on 9 July 2013 on the Nine Network, and saw ten home bakers take part in a bake-off to test their baking skills as they battled to be crowned The Great Australian Bake Off's best amateur baker. The season consisted of 8 episodes. Each episode saw bakers put through three challenges, with each episode having its own theme or discipline. The season aired from 9 July 2013 until 27 August 2013, and saw Nancy Ho win. The season was hosted by Anna Gare and Shane Jacobson, and was judged by Dan Lepard and Kerry Vincent.
The Bakers The following is the list of the bakers that competed this season: {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- ! style="background:SkyBlue;" "color:Black;"| Baker ! style="background:SkyBlue;" "color:Black;"| Age ! style="background:SkyBlue;" "color:Black;"| Occupation ! style="background:SkyBlue;" "color:Black;"| Hometown ! style="background:SkyBlue;" "color:Black;"| Competition Status |- ! Nancy Ho | 22 || Architecture Graduate || Brisbane, Queensland || style="background:Gold;"| |- ! Jonathan Gurfinkel | 35 || I.T. Guy || Melbourne, Victoria || style="background:LimeGreen;"| |- ! Maria Vella | 45 || Workplace Trainer || Melbourne, Victoria || style="background:LimeGreen;"| |- ! Monique Bowley | 30 || Former WNBL Star || Adelaide, South Australia || style="background:OrangeRed;"| |- ! Brendan Garlick | 21 || Uni Student || Springwood, New South Wales || style="background:OrangeRed;"| |- ! Julie Bonanno | 41 || Farm Mum || Shepparton, Victoria || style="background:OrangeRed;"| |- ! Mark Bartter | 52 || Chartered Accountant || Sydney, New South Wales || style="background:OrangeRed;"| |- ! Sara-Jane Smith | 30 || School Teacher || Melbourne, Victoria || style="background:OrangeRed;"| |- ! Bliss Nixon | 23 || Trivia Host || Gold Coast, Queensland || style="background:OrangeRed;"| |- ! Steve Lovett | 28 || Boxer || Canberra, Australian Capital Territory || style="background:OrangeRed;"|
Results summary Elimination Chart Baker 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nancy SB WINNER Jonathan SB SB Runner-Up MariaSB SB Runner-Up Monique SB OUT Brendan OUT Julie SB OUT Mark OUT Sara-Jane OUT Bliss OUT SteveOUT
Colour key: Got through to the next round Awarded Star Baker Season winner One of the judges' favourite bakers that week The baker was eliminated One of the judges' least favourite bakers that week Season runner-up
Episodes The baker was eliminated Awarded Star Baker Season winner
Episode 1: Cakes For the first challenge, the bakers were required to make 24 cupcakes in two hours. The judges specified they wanted two different flavours of cupcake of which there should be 12 each. The Technical Challenge set was for a Checkerboard Cake, which was flavoured with chocolate and orange and had four layers. A Children's Party Cake was set as the Showstopper to be completed in five hours. Baker Signature(24 Cupcakes) Technical(Chocolate & Orange Checkerboard Cake) Showstopper(Children's Party Cake) Bliss White Chocolate & Passionfruit Cream CupcakesFlourless Choc Hazelnut Cupcakes 5 Princess Cake Brendan Raspberry Marshmallow CupcakesPeanut Butter Rocky Road Cupcakes 3 Flavoured Rainbow Cake Jonathan Cherry Cheesecake CupcakesBanana & Peanut Butter Cupcakes 6 3D Rocket Cake on Carved Half Moon Julie Pistachio & Rosewater CupcakesSpiced Pumpkin Cupcakes 7 Honey Hive Cake Maria Coffee, Chocolate & Hazelnut CupcakesPassionfruit Cupcakes with White Choc Ganache 2 Magical Butterfly Garden Raspberry Ripple Cake Mark Rose-Flavoured Buttercream Swirl CupcakesOrange & Grapefruit Curd Cupcakes 10 Chocolate Mud Cake with Plum Syrup Monique Vanilla & Rosewater Butterfly CakesChocolate & Lemon Curd Cupcakes 4 Pool Cake Nancy Lemon Filled Lavender CupcakesVietnamese Coffee Cupcake with Cinnamon Doughnuts 1 Ballerina Pillow Banana Cake Sara-Jane Coconut Cupcakes with Cinnamon ButtercreamSpiced Chocolate & Pear Cupcakes 8 "Very Vanilla" Rainbow Cake with Homemade Sprinkles Steve Flourless Orange, Linseed, Sunflower Seed & Almond CupcakesCoffee & Whisky Cupcakes 9 Banana Sandstone Castle Cake
Episode 2: Pies A family pie was set as the first challenge, with two and a half hours being set as the time limit. The bakers had any choice of filling - sweet or savoury - and pastry, the only brief was that the pie must have a lid. For the next challenge, a lemon meringue pie was set, with the judges hoping for a perfectly cooked pastry, a set filling and a crispy meringue. For the Showstopper Challenge, the judges wanted 12 Party Pies, 12 Sausage Rolls and 12 Pasties in four hours. Baker Signature(Family Pie) Technical(Lemon Meringue Pie) Showstopper(36 Party Pies, Sausage Rolls & Pasties) Bliss Chicken Leek & Bacon Pie 9 Beef & Bacon Party PiesPork, Apple & Fennel Sausage RollsSpicy Curry Pasties Brendan Thai Chicken Pie 2 BBQ Chicken & Cheese PiesSatay Pork Sausage RollsBeef & Bean Pasties Jonathan Garlic Prawn, Fish & Rice Pie 1 Chicken Kiev Party PiesLayered Lamb Moussaka PastiesPumpkin & Ricotta Sfogliatelle Julie Moroccan Lamb & Sweet Potato Pie 6 Salmon & Fennel Party PiesCurried Coriander Potato PastiesChicken, Bacon & Sundried Tomatoes Sausage Rolls Maria Aromatic Braised Beef Pie 5 Chicken & Apple Cider PiesSpiced Samosa PastiesChicken & Sage Sausage Rolls Mark Cheese & Onion Pie 8 Shredded Pork PiesPotato & Cauliflower EmpanadasArgentinian Beef Pampas Rolls Monique Chicken, Herb & Mushroom Pie 4 Mini Shepherd's PiesCornish PastiesClassic Sausage Rolls Nancy Lamb Shank & Potato Pie 7 Smoky Chorizo Sausage RollsPumpkin & Feta PastiesBBQ Pork & Whisky Pies Sara-Jane Rabbit, Leek & Pistachio Pie 3 Mushroom Bourguignon PiesCauliflower Cheese PastiesVegetarian Sausage Rolls
Episode 3: Biscuits For the Signature bake, 24 Aussie Assortments - classic Australian biscuits - were required of the bakers. In two and a half hours, the bakers had to make two different types of biscuit, 12 of each. 12 Brandy Snaps were set as the Technical Challenge, with the judges requesting they be 12 cm in length, and that ten be filled with cream and two be left for snapping. For the final challenge, a gingerbread structure was set, to be done in four hours. Baker Signature(24 Aussie Assortments) Technical(Brandy Snaps) Showstopper(Gingerbread Structure) Brendan Butterscotch ANZAC BiscuitsLemon Myrtle Biscuits with Lemon Butter Cream 2 Sydney Harbour Bridge at NYE Jonathan Chocolate & Caramel Oat BiscuitsChocolate Wagon Wheels 7 Giant Monster Robot Julie Macadamia, Mango & Passionfruit ShortbreadChocolate Mint Yo-Yos 1 Outdoor Dunny Maria Mango Macadamia Melting MomentsMint Marshmallow Swirl Biscuits 6 Eiffel Tower in Bloom Mark Australian Royal Mint SliceBitter Almond ANZAC Biscuits 5 High Country Hut Monique Choc Coconut MacaronsANZAC Biscuits 3 Gingerbread Church Nancy Chocolate & Raspberry Wagon WheelsEarl Grey Shortbread 4 Gingerbread Carousel Sara-Jane Cornflake Catastrophe CookiesFizzing Mandarin Creams 8 Wintry Village
Episode 4: Tarts A tarte tatin was set for the Signature Challenge, to be completed within two and a half hours. For the Technical Challenge, a Quiche Lorraine was set, which used rough puff pastry and was to be finished again within two and a half hours. For their final challenge, the bakers were tasked with creating 12 miniature sweet tarts - half fruit and half chocolate. Baker Signature(Tarte Tatin) Technical(Quiche Lorraine) Showstopper(12 Miniature Sweet Tarts) Brendan Peppered Pineapple Tarte Tatin 1 Passionfruit Cream Tarts with Toffied MacadamiasChocolate Tarts with Raspberries & Mint Jonathan Lamb Tarte Tatin 2 Chocolate Tarts with Hazelnut FrangipaneLychee Tarts with Macadamia Praline Julie Banana & Pineapple Tarte Tatin 5 Passionfruit Mango TartsPeanut Butter Chocolate Tarts Maria Jackfruit & Banana Tarte Tatin 6 White Chocolate, Mango & Raspberry TartsJaffa Tarts with Orange Liqueur Mark Apple, Raisin & Almond Tarte Tatin 4 Nectarine & Lemongrass TartletsChocolate Cream Tartlets Monique Apple Tarte Tatin 7 Strawberry Cream TartsSalted Caramel & Chocolate Tarts Nancy Rum Spiced Caramel & Pineapple Tarte Tatin 3 Chocolate Marshmallow TartsCoconut & Orange Liqueur Tarts
Episode 5: Bread In the Signature Challenge, the bakers were asked to make a loaf which was free-form (i.e - not in a tin) in two and a half hours. For the Technical, the challenge was Dan's recipe for coffee scrolls, which were filled with cinnamon and sultanas and were topped with a coffee glaze. The bakers had two and a half hours. Finally, the bakers had to make a bread basket (which did not have to necessarily be edible) and 24 rolls of two flavours for the Showstopper in four hours. Baker Signature(Free-Form Loaf) Technical(Coffee Scroll) Showstopper(Display Bread Basket + 24 Rolls) Brendan Rhubarb & Pink Lady Apple Bread 5 Pumpkin & Gorgonzola RollsPecan Buns Jonathan Cinnamon & Poppy Seed Bread 1 Sausage & Sauerkraut RollsWhisky & Chocolate Iced Rolls Julie Pumpkin Pull-Apart Loaf 4 Pecan Cinnamon RollsCarrot & Cumin Rolls Maria Spinach & Feta Cheese Bread 2 Orange & Walnut RosettesMini Pesto Parmesan Spiral Loaves Monique Spiced Fruit Cider Bread 6 Coconut Iced Sweet BunsCheesymite Scrolls Nancy Dukkah & Macadamia Plaited Loaf 3 Mexican Coffee BunsPorcini, Truffle & Rosemary Dinner Rolls
Episode 6: Desserts The bakers were first tasked with making one large baked cheesecake in two and a half hours, with the choice base (biscuit, pastry, etc.) and flavours being the baker's own. For the Technical bake, a layered pavlova torte was set as the challenge to be completed in two and a half hours. Consisting of three layers of meringue filled with whipped cream and summer fruits, the bakers were also asked to make their own strawberry sugar art. The Showstopper Challenge was a tiered celebration cake with at least two tiers. Baker Signature(Baked Cheesecake) Technical(Layered Pavlova Torte) Showstopper(Tiered Celebration Cake) Brendan White Chocolate & Brownie Cheesecake 5 Live Laugh Love 21st Birthday Cake Jonathan Cherry & Polish Cottage Cheese Cheesecake 3 Wedding Anniversary Cake Maria Honey, Orange Blossom & Rose Cheesecake 4 Red Velvet Engagement Cake Monique Lemon & Sour Cream Cheesecake with Fresh Blueberries 1 Ombre Wedding Cake Nancy Lime & Ginger Cheesecake 2 Orange Blossom Kokeshi Doll Cake
Episode 7: Pastry For the first challenge, the bakers had to make a gluten-free fruit tart in two and a half hours which would serve eight people. For the next challenge, 6 croissants were set to be completed in four hours with jam of the baker's choice. A strudel was set as the Showstopper - it should be complete in two and a half hours, with the only criteria being it should be enough to feed eight people. Baker Signature(Gluten-Free Fruit Tart) Technical(Croissants) Showstopper(Strudel) Jonathan Strawberry Crème Brûlée Tart 3 Apple, Pear & Walnut Strudel Maria Spiced Raspberry Linzer Tart 1 Spiced Fig & Apple Strudel Monique Honey, Fig & Goat's Cheese Tart 4 Apple Strudel Nancy Walnut, Gorgonzola & Pear Tart 2 Pear & Chocolate Celebration Wreath
Episode 8: Finale In the final Signature Challenge, the bakers had three and a half hours to make a large, multi-layered gâteau. In the Technical, choux pastry Religieuse were set. The bakers had to present three different flavours - chocolate, coffee and rose - and they had two and a half hours. Finally, the bakers had to make a selection of 36 petit-fours. The bakers were required to make three types - twelve of each.