The Great British Bake Off Masterclass - TV review

John Whaite was the surprise winner of the 2012 series of the popular baking competition, a 'perfect slice' of chocolate cake transforming him from under dog to top dog.

It was thanks to weeks of battling and perseverance that the young law student, turned baker, triumphed.

From the off he was barely considered a serious contender, often receiving poor comments from professional judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry.

The show's poster-boy beat favourites James Morton and Brendan Lynch, charming judges with his sublime Heaven and Hell Cake.

And that should be the end of it. Shouldn't it? Thankfully no.

Paul and Mary – a more chilled out version of Gordon Ramsay and Fanny Craddock – have stepped up to the plate, so to speak, to demonstrate how they would have put some of the show's favourite recipes to the test.

Via the perfect rum baba, plaiting a loaf from eight strands of dough was dealt with, well, masterfully by Paul, a top pastry chef.

His perfect version of the plait put into context the standard that this year's competitors had to strive to achieve.

So, what may have seemed like reasonable attempts in the competition itself, now look like contenders for three points on the Generation Game.

And that was the interesting thing about last night's show. It really made you realise just how amateur some of the cooks in The Great British Bake Off were throughout the series proper. Naturally, the flashbacks focused heavily on winner John. How he managed to survive is one of life's great mysteries.

More than many of its culinary contemporaries, this show reminds me of a Haynes Manual for bakers. It delivers technical tasks boiled down to the simplest of steps in a no frills manner.

Paul and Mary's calm and concise interpretations of such favourites as treacle tart are commendable, making the whole process look oh so easy.

And ever so scrummy. It was all I could do to stop myself jumping into my car and racing off to Asda for some of Mr Kipling's quality fare. I am sure that was definitely not the production team's intention.

With gritted teeth and true determination I remained seated. Mary's crème caramel was next and executed perfectly by the celebrated home-baker.

Paul then constructed a delicate sugar basket from hot syrup, drizzled over an upturned bowl. Was it just me, or did the cooled creation break as he removed it?

Tut tut. I guess even the professionals aren't immune from the occasional breakage.

Dish of the night had to be the chicken, bacon and apricot pie, made to look so easy in its assembly. I doubt that is really the case.

As the pork pie look-alike was cut through revealing its sedimentary rock style structure, I began searching for my car keys.

"Can I have some more please Mary?" asked Paul at the end of the show – along with thousands of viewers.

It really has inspired me to have a go. Watch out colleagues – dodgy pies and breads coming your way soon.

Paul Naylor