Life after Great British Bake Off: Hermine

We spoke to Hermine, from season 11, about her favourite bake off memories and her French-inspired baking style

Hermine was a fan favourite contestant on last year’s season 11, and we were distraught when she was eliminated in the semi-finals. Especially as it was pâtisserie week, and that is one of her favourite things to bake!

What is your favourite memory of the Great British Bake Off?

Oh, dear! That is a difficult one to answer. There were so many. The laughter, the banter, and that feeling of being part of something special. We were a tight group brought together by our love of baking. If I must choose one, perhaps the memory that stood the most is my handshake from Paul Hollywood on bread week. Bread week of all weeks! That was special!

What have you been getting up to recently?

Life has certainly been interesting since GBBO. I am enjoying the whole new dimension that Instagram brings to baking and how it allows me to keep in touch with my ever-so-supportive fans. I have been on The Lorraine Show, showcasing a few of my recipes, and have enjoyed doing that! I generally believe in serendipity and just as I unexpectedly ended up on GBBO, who knows what the future holds? Only time can tell!

Why did you first become interested in baking?

I started baking at a young age but it wasn’t until I moved to the UK and missed most of the bakes I grew up with that I took baking a bit more seriously. Later down the line, it became a creative outlet, a way to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and a way to show kindness to myself and to those I care about.

Can you tell us a little bit about your baking style?

Food is a passion. My friends say I have a twinkle in my eyes when I am describing food.

I generally bake what I enjoy eating, and I enjoy working with fresh, in-season ingredients. I am very curious about food and will always try something new. My style of baking is influenced by French patisserie, which is what I have grown up eating, but there are also many bakes that I have picked up along the way and equally enjoy. Cheesecakes and cinnamon rolls are a couple.

Pâtisserie can be intimidating, but it is all about understanding how ingredients interact and therefore knowing how to troubleshoot when things go slightly off-plan. I hope to encourage many to trust in their skill and intuition, and come to pâtisserie knowing that even within our failures lies valuable lessons.