It's a timed competition technique. You're so right about the potential pitfalls, but we don't know what the temperature setting is (is there something akin to the triple point that's a magic temperature for rapidly cooling baked goods?) and that will have a great effect on outcome, whether the steam turns to ice crystals or escapes, etc. Additionally, if there's an evaporator, like most modern coolers have, that could have an effect. Let's face it, cake is not something one wishes to eat warm out of the oven, and IME, few breads are better that way, though some are. My fruit pies never taste as good if they don't cool completely first, and then are usually better chilled or reheated. But the contestants are not given time to cool their goods, and have to decorate, assemble, etc., which can't be done hot out of the oven, I'm sure the judges are experienced enough to tell the difference between poor execution and rushed for competion execution. And the items may not stay in the freezer long enough to suffer greatly.

I've noticed a lot of people IRL wrap their goods before they've fully steamed out. Ugh! But then some people, along the lines of those who prefer mixes with weird crap in them to homemade, some are accustomed to wet inside, and like gummy and slightly fallen. I'm sure the goods on baking contests fare better in the freezers!

I have done this myself once due to a time crunch. I used to work for a difficult employer who ran a b and b and treated all employees like lowly minions. She was hosting a group who owned and worked at a fairly posh restaurant in the city, and they were dining in house one evening, celebrating a birthday. With three hours' notice she told me they were expecting a celebration cake, and would I provide it?

I ended up baking the cake, then slicing it into thin layers and cooling it in my freezer in order to cool it quickly enough to fill, frost and decorate it in time. It can't have had too much of an effect on taste/texture as the restaurant folks (including chefs) were very pleased with it.

She pulled quite a few stunts like this and eventually I decided that, as good as the money was, it wasn't worth the aggravation. When I handed in my notice to move on to another job, she asked if I knew of anyone who might replace me. My first thought was, "I don't know anyone I dislike that much!" 😂

They use freezers instead of blast chillers? That seems kind of weird for a baking show.

Ay-yi-yi! are they metal pans? I would think that would make the pans warp.

I have seen a brownie recipe that says to do just that - apparently contributes to the fudgy texture.

Metal mostly, silicone and glass too. Any and everything. No one else has noticed this on the Great British Baking Show?

I've seen them use the freezers all the time and I wondered about it as well.

I’m in awe of what can be produced in a compressed amount of time on GBBS.

I was a baker for years and believed that proper timing is one of the most crucial deatails for success. A multi-part dessert (cake layers, fillings, frosting) is ideally produced over more than one day.

when customers asked if the birthday cake or cheesecake had been baked on that very day i would readily answer no because that isnt the best way to work. But yes the breads, muffins, cookies, scones, and croissants were baked today.

We sometimes needed to rush a projects and then would certainly utilize a walk in freezer and often an ice bath to rapidly chill a mousse or ganache.

Finished plain cake freezes as well as bread does, if wrapped right, etc. I know some bakeries keep finished basic cake layers in the freezer for the people who want a special order day of. Not sure how they thaw them, though it should only take a few hours, I suppose.

Not on GBBS/GBBO, which I haven't been watching since it moved to Netflix, thinking I can save them for when I get sick (hasn't happened with pandemic precautions. Hah! I may never hug an overenthusiastic friend again!), but on other cake decorating competitions on TV, the bakers often can bring cake with them, or are given cake, as well as other basic foundations like rice cereal treats, so they can spend their competition time sculpting and decorating rather than cooling.

I don't think GBBS/GBBO has a blast chiller, at least to the point I last saw it. It was Smeg fridges. I think it's all home appliances. The bakers are experienced amateurs, not pros. There is at least one home blast chiller on the market, but very very expensive.

Finished plain cake freezes as well as bread does, if wrapped right, etc.

Yes, of course i am well aware of that, but that strikes me as an entirely different matter. Taking a cake pan directly from the oven and putting in the freezer is the part I do not get.

They do not show the brand of the refrigerator/freezers, or anything for that matter. But it is an ordinary fridge.

under normal conditions i’d be concerned that a hot cake going from oven to freezer in its pan would get soggy. but what do they have—- something nutty like 4 hours to get a showpiece done? i know they practice their own tecipes and designs but you’d need to dose me heavily with anti-anxiety medication the night before.

I had a (later) funny story about a wedding cake that ’flew’ in my car while i was driving it. when i pulled over to assess the damage i was shaking so much i could hardly stand still. thank dog for flowers and ribbons. i think the mishap was caused by the sin of pride :)(

Apologies, Mtnrdredux, I know you know that. I was just thinking out what strategies help that too hot to frost thing. ;)

The candy colored fridges they had originally (can't say about now) looked exactly like Smeg, though I can't say for sure if I saw a badge.

I would never put a hot glass pan in a freezer, so I can't imagine anyone doing that, but am not sure why using a freezer like they do for a quick cool-down would be any different to the product than a blast chiller. Altho the chiller blows cold air over the product to reduce ice crystals (as I understand it), these items aren't being frozen, just chilled. Seems no different than setting something outside in a cold climate to cool quickly, which people have done for generations. I'm no scientist but it seems the process (for the food chilling) would be exactly the same, just faster because the transfer of heat to colder air would be quicker.
There is so much plastic being used in appliances these days, I'd be more worried about damaging the freezer. All my fridge shelves are glass and I always worry about putting a hot pan in the fridge to cool off quickly, so am sure to add a towel, but still makes me nervous.

Don't think anyone's suggesting you do that at home.

I would not --- i gotta believe you would get condensation. Just find it quite remarkable, given that there is always such a big fuss on that show about "crumb" and texture, evenness, air pockets etc etc. I don't know how you could make superlative baked goods doing this.

Lindac, this is another mind-boggling post. Why would you be baking a cake in a hot tent with a freezer handy? I know you Americans are adventurous people but.....??? LOL When camping I'd opt for going to the baker's.

Presumably linda is referring back to the TV programme which is filmed in a marquee to evoke a British village fete or flower show which would usually include a baking competion.

Yes, the Great British Baking Show - it's outdoors in a large tent with limited equipment, but they do each have a small refer with freezer above.

Louise here. As the wife of a former refrigeration mechanic, he would kill me (just an expression) if I ever did that. Apparently, it is really really bad for the appliance. Not that in this instnace the bakers wouldnt need to worry about that.

I guess that's why the chef shows have speciality Blast Freezers.

Keep in mint the British Baking show as has been said is on a time table....they are not freezing the baked goods just colling them off more quickly than they would just sitting and waiting to cool.