There's the odd soggy bottom...it must be Pastry Week in The Great British Bake Off

It’s good to have the Bake Off seemingly going ‘back to basics’ this series, the atmosphere appearing much more jovial and good-natured once again.

It almost harks back to the show’s origins on BBC Two. We even had someone (accidentally, of course) swipe another contestant’s biscuit dough from the freezer the other week without drama, recriminations or scandalised social media hashtags (we’re looking at you, #bingate).

New host Alison Hammond undoubtedly has something to do with this warm and cosy feel – it now feels like the show belongs to the bakers and their creations once again, rather than the hosts.

Not that the regulars are unimportant. Co-host Noel Fielding seemingly knew this would be a winning pairing, recalling of Hammond’s screen-test in an interview with The Observer: “I left the audition going: ‘That was pretty obvious’. Alison and I clicked immediately. We just gelled. They’re not called chemistry tests for nothing. Everyone looked at each other and we just knew.

“When Alison met Paul and Prue, that cemented it. Paul loved Alison straightaway because he likes a bit of banter and she gave him some lip.”

A point she conceded, admitting: “I’m a little bit naughty in real life… I hit it off with Dame Prue as well. It’s lovely having another woman around, and she’s so young at heart. She’s 83 but has more energy than all of us”.

This week we return to find it is Pastry Week in the (presumably delicious-smelling; seriously, someone needs to make a scented candle called ‘Bake Off Tent’) marquee this week, and that can only mean one thing: repeated mentions of the GBBO favourite phrase “soggy bottoms”.

The old soggy bottom is as much a part of Bake Off’s DNA as is the chocolate and raspberry cake (famously missing one berry) that was recreated in the opening episode of this series. It’s as familiar a phrase as the “Hollywood Handshake”, but unlike that most sought-after of accolades, the soggy bottom is to be avoided at all costs…

Those hoping to eschew such over-moist undersides as they stake their claim of being the creme-pat de la creme-pat of British baking will have to do so first by crafting perfect savoury picnic pies.

This is for the opening Signature challenge, so the bakers will have had the chance to perfect an offering that encapsulates their personality in pastry.

Then there’s a French rough-puff Technical challenge. Rough-puff is a supposedly quicker way of making puff pastry, although even the keenest of home bakers would usually be happy to resort to unrolling a pack of shop-bought rather than go to such lengths. Temperature is key here, as the butter must remain cold enough not to melt until it goes into the oven, otherwise the “puff” will fail to materialise.

Finally, there’s a decorative sweet pie Showstopper. This has to really look the part, as well as tasting good – but the lighter and tastier the pastry, the less structurally sound the pie will be when it comes to decorating. Crumbs!