Our favourite contestant on the show this year opens up about his Jewish family and making challah – but there are still some secrets he won’t share
December 23, 2021 09:55
He's the German contestant on The Great British Bake Off who wowed us with his Jewish wife’s traditional recipes.
Now in an exclusive interview with the JC, Juergen Krauss has opened up to reveal a few of his kitchen secrets – including his recipe for challah – and what happened during his sensational run on the show.
But the one thing he won’t divulge is the full truth about his famous Passover Pavlova. He chuckled: “Everyone who is even remotely Jewish has been asking for the recipe. And while I am unable to disclose it, I am able to offer a tip about how I made it.
“I love Passover food, it is special and ceremonial. I wanted to include these special Jewish tastes in the Pavlova and so I used charoset, which was based on a recipe I found on the internet — look for ‘Whole Orange Sephardic Charoset’.”
The Pavlova and accompanying kosher wine caught the attention of Jewish presenter Matt Lucas during recording.
Mr Krauss said: “From that moment our relationship changed with him making slightly different jokes and using references that were more relatable to me when he spoke.”
Mr Krauss, 56 is not Jewish (he was an altar boy in Germany) but his wife Sofia is a member of Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue.
He goes to shul with her and their son Benjamin and is a fan of Jewish food, saying certain dishes remind him of childhood favourites.
He first developed his love of cooking while spending time in the kitchen with his mother as he grew up in the Black Forest region of Germany.
Marrying into a Jewish family has helped to nurture his passion for baking. He said: “When I came to the UK, I realised that the British bread was not quite what I was used to and enjoyed back in Germany so I started making my own.
“When my mother-in-law was ill a few years ago and lost her appetite, she would still enjoy challah so I started baking challah for her — and still make it on Fridays.”
He added: “Making bread is magic. The dough comes alive, takes different shapes and sizes and I feel that a special relationship is formed with the bread during its creation.”
He loves Jewish viewers’ appreciation of his creations.
He said: “They all loved seeing me and clearly spotted the Jewish influences in my baking.”
He added: “Getting to know about Judaism through Sofia’s family and Benjamin’s barmitzvah, I feel very welcome in the Jewish community.
“The encouragement to ask questions embedded in Jewish tradition and not to take anything for granted has actually changed my outlook on life. I find this approach very interesting.”
His unexpected semi-final exit was the subject of more than 100 complaints to Ofcom.
Mr Krauss said the worst part was having to console his friends’ children upset by his departure.
Displaying the good humour that made him such a viewer favourite as he looks back to the shock moment he was knocked out, he said: “I went to Bake Off without any expectations and it was a surprise to go as far as I did.
“I am still surprised to have so many fans and followers on social media. I took some risks with my baking during the filming — some worked and some didn’t — but I am very happy with my performance.”
He is back at work as a software engineer, but his new social media identity on Twitter and Instagram as @juergenthebread suggests he is far from done with his recently acquired status as one of Britain’s best-loved bakers.
He says appearing on the programme had “certainly changed my and my family’s life”.
The whole experience was a family affair, “starting with my wife Sofia and her friend who convinced me to apply to take part.
“And then Sofia and Benjamin, our son, helping as tasters, critiquing and discussing ideas for recipes and on how to present myself on the programme.”
Clearly in demand after Bake Off , he is “far busier than before with new opportunities, offers and possible book writing. But I am pacing myself and trying to find some space for family time and to practice playing music.”
A talent for the trombone is another string to his bow.
Ingredients
Bread Flour 400g
Sugar 40g
Salt 8g
Yeast (Instant) 4g
Egg Yolk (3 yolks) 56g
Vegetable Oil 20g
Water 180g
Egg for glazing
Put all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.
Put all wet ingredients in a bowl and mix.
Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and mix.
Once the dough holds together, turn it out onto your work surface and knead until it loses a bit of its stickiness. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for 90 minutes to 2 hours, with two stretch-and-folds after 20 minutes and 40 minutes.
Stretch-and-fold helps to organise the gluten. Slide your wet fingers carefully between dough and bowl opposite you, then grab the dough, pull it gently and fold it back towards you onto itself and press down a bit. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and do the same again. Repeat twice more. You will have stretched/folded the dough four times, a bit like an envelope is folded. (If unsure, try with a piece of paper first.)
Once the dough has proofed (it should be well expanded, and when you poke it with a wet finger it should close the hole only slowly) shape to your liking.
Put the shaped challah on a lined baking tray and let proof, covered for another 60 to 90 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 160C fan, 175C convection.
Beat the egg for glazing. Ten minutes before the challah goes in the oven, brush it with egg and leave it uncovered. Right before it goes in, brush it again with egg.
Bake it for 30 minutes, turning it halfway through so that all sides bake equally.