Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode Title: How to 'Celebrate' with Paul Hollywood
Date: September 29, 2025
Guest: Paul Hollywood, judge on The Great British Baking Show
Host: Alison Stewart, WNYC

Episode Overview

This episode of All Of It centers on the enduring cultural power of baking as both tradition and celebration, through a lively conversation with Paul Hollywood—renowned judge on The Great British Baking Show and author of Celebrate: Joyful Baking All Year Round. The discussion explores the connections between food, family, memory, and festivity, structured around Hollywood’s new cookbook, which organizes recipes and reflections by the seasons. Listeners also call in with a range of baking questions, making for an interactive and deeply practical hour.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Baking as Celebration and Family Tradition

• Paul’s Culinary Background: Hollywood shares how family is at the heart of his approach. His father (a baker) focused on savory baking and breads, while his mother specialized in cakes and pastries, shaping his broad skill set.

  “Because it started with the family, I think it's where it's remained really. ...baking again. And obviously now I get asked a lot to do cakes for people…” (03:11)

• Growing Up in a Bakery: Rather than spending his nights out, a young Hollywood gravitated to early bakery mornings, anchoring friendships and family connections in the ritual of sharing baked goods.

2. The Great British Baking Show: Origins and Legacy

• Cautious Beginnings: Hollywood recounts the uncertain start of GBBO, with original co-hosts doubting it would run past a single season.

  “I remember having a talk to Sue and I said, what do you think? She goes, 'I can't see it going to a second series.' ...We peaked at 22 and a half million people.” (03:17–03:49)

• Cultural Phenomenon: The show's astronomical ratings highlight Britain's love for baking—and celebrations.

3. On Cakes and Chocolate: The Art and Science

• Significance of Cake:

  “A celebration isn't a proper celebration without a cake.” – Alison Stewart (03:54)
  Hollywood agrees, promoting his signature chocolate cake, which he ties to career milestones and personal nostalgia.

• Chocolate Cake Secrets:

  • American chocolate cakes often use oil, producing a moist, open crumb.
  • Key tip:

    “Not enough good quality chocolate. That's the secret.” – Paul Hollywood (05:39–06:03)

  • He stresses using high-cocoa chocolate and balancing ganache versus buttercream.

• Marbling Technique:
  Hollywood cautions against over-mixing batters for marble cakes.

  “What you want is distinctive colors in a sponge...a nice gentle sweep—done. Leave it.” (06:17–06:45)

4. Fall Baking: Comfort and Connection

• Autumn Flavors:
  Apples and toffee dominate Hollywood’s imagination for fall recipes, with a nod to American traditions like Thanksgiving—which he views as “alien” but endearing.
• Hygge & Baking:

  “That's what a good cake or any baking does in the fall. It's Hygge. It's the comfort, it's the blanket, it's the warmth of being around people you love and eating great food.” (08:13)

• Donuts:
  Hollywood admits his weakness for donuts, humorously confessing to demolishing a hotel-provided box the night prior.

5. Baking Advice: Answers to Listener Questions

Notable call-ins and Hollywood’s actionable responses:

• Simple Holiday Cookie?
  Go for a chocolate chip cookie; underbake it for chewiness.

  “You want that goo when you break it…” (09:54–10:19)

• Why Such a Citrus Fan?

  “If you're going to put a flavor in, put it in and make it dance on the palate.” (10:30–10:57)

• What is Wheat Sheaf?
  A decorative bread made for UK harvest festivals, requiring patience but teaching dough skills.
  Mouse decoration anecdote: “It’s a cutesy thing...I had to cut miniature bits of sultana…” (11:36–11:48)

• Top Bread-Baking Tip:

  “It's all about the water content in a loaf. ...If it's too dry, it's too dense and it's too cake-like, so you want to open it up a little bit more.” (12:52–13:29)

• Sugar Choices:
  Baker’s sugar, icing sugar, superfine—generally interchangeable, but start with less. Hollywood prefers less sugar overall, often subbing in honey for flavor and cutting sweetness—especially compared to American recipes.

  “I try and cut down the sugars a little bit in my bread. In most of my bread, I don’t put any sugar at all.” (14:39–15:17)

6. Winter Baking and Mince Pies

• Mince Pie Tradition:
  Short, rich pastry enveloping spiced dried fruit—often with a splash of cognac—served with tea.

  “From the oven. I start making them beginning in December for Christmas. I normally bang off about 50, 100 of them...” (17:10–17:29)

• Handshake Criteria:

  "Perfection...Something that's different, something that's special, something actually that looks...very professional." (17:44–18:12)

• Troubleshooting Doughs:
  For pizza or baguette doughs with clumps, mix thoroughly and sieve flour for uniformity.

  “If that's the case, sieve your flour and it should be fine.” (19:35–19:43)

• Best Recipe for Beginners:
  Try “quick fix” bakes like scones or pita—something rewarding within 45 minutes.

  “Do something that's gonna get a quick fix. So you make something, give it to someone, they go, wow, that's amazing.” (19:51–20:11)

7. Around the World: Macarons, Bread Types, and Cultural Bakes

• Macarons:
  Focus on the consistency and resting time, rather than hard-to-find ingredients like inverted sugar.

  “It's all to do with the dropping consistency and the resting time. That's the critical thing.” (21:25–21:32)

• US vs. UK Pies:
  Hollywood admires the fun and inventive pie shapes in America and appreciates the local twists (like pecan pie).

8. Spring & Summer Baking

• Custard Tarts:
  One of the first things he baked as a child, made with nutmeg and no blind-baking step.

• Pastry Fats – Modern vs. Wartime:
  Hollywood’s innovation is swapping traditional lard for butter to boost flavor, while learning from “old-school” methods about texture.

• Summer:
  The season for berries, color, and celebrating fresh fruit.
  Highlight: “Hot dog” bake—where the sausage and condiments are wrapped in bread and baked together.

9. Mixing by Hand vs. Mixer

• Certain doughs (like ciabatta) are best with a mixer, but Hollywood encourages hands-on baking for everything possible:

  “You get a feel; it sticks in your mind, and you never forget the texture. That's what it's all about.” (25:57–26:11)

• Authentic Banh Mi Baguette Tips:

  • Use a wet dough, let it ferment cold overnight, bake with steam for a crisp crust and open crumb.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Cake:

  “Life's too short to eat candy. You need to have good quality...chocolate.” – Paul Hollywood (04:24)

• On Handshake Criteria:

  “Something that looks...very professional. That's my criteria, really.” – Paul Hollywood (17:44)

• On Baking and Culture:

  “It's the comfort, it's the blanket, it's the warmth of being around people you love and eating great food.” – Paul Hollywood (08:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening / Paul’s family and origins: 01:15–03:11
• GBBO beginnings: 03:17–03:49
• On chocolate cake: 04:24–06:03
• Marbling advice: 06:03–06:45
• Hygge and fall baking: 07:16–08:32
• Cookies & holiday baking: 09:46–10:19
• Citrus flavors: 10:19–10:57
• Bread advice: 12:22–13:29
• On sugar: 13:46–15:17
• Mince pies & winter: 16:14–17:29
• GBBO handshake criteria: 17:34–18:12
• Pizza dough troubleshooting: 18:20–19:43
• Beginner recipe advice: 19:51–20:11
• Macaron troubleshooting: 20:18–21:32
• US vs. UK pies: 21:32–23:00
• Custard tarts & pastry: 23:00–24:58
• Mixing by hand vs. mixer: 25:08–26:11
• Banh mi baguettes: 26:16–27:29
• Summer baking & "hot dog" bake: 27:29–28:23

Conclusion

This episode is a cozy, insightful guide to baking and celebration, blending Paul Hollywood’s expert tips, cultural musings, and rye humor with audience curiosity. For fans new and old, it’s a reminder that baking—much like culture itself—is about sharing, memory, and the joy of creating something to savor together.

To hear more, pick up Paul Hollywood’s book or catch him at Symphony Space.