The Great Canadian Baking Show - Season 1 Episode 2

It's bread week, bread of the yeast variety. For the signature challenge, the bakers are required to make foccacia in two and half hours. The primary qualities the judges will be looking for are a crisp bottom, signature dimples on a crunchy, salty top, and a fluffy center with signature air pockets. The pitfall that the bakers may fall into is transforming a foccacia into a thick crust pizza by using too many toppings. The technical challenge, staying in Canada, is for the bakers to make one dozen Montréal styled bagels, six poppy seed and six sesame seed, in two hours ten minutes. The Montréal variety differs from its New York counterpart primarily by being boiled in honey flavored water to give it a subtle sweet outer flavor which also assists in browning when baked. The bakers have to be careful about how much honey to use which will affect flavor and browning. And for the showstopper, they will be making a sweet filled bread centerpiece in four hours. The bakers have to ensure that there is a good ratio of filling to dough and that the filling both does not compromise the texture of the dough and is well sealed as to not ooze out while baking. They also have to be mindful of baking times for any differing sized components that will comprise their showstopper.