Cake is always a good idea - especially ultimate chocolate cake – but, although a simple task at the outset, the bakers needed to ensure their bakes were far from bog(trotter) standard. David chose an indulgent dark chocolate cake; Alice created a pear-packed ginger flavoured chocolate sponge; and Steph went for a retro Black Forest gateau. 

For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked with elegant and exquisitely decorated domed tartlets. Targeted as traditional French pastries, the tartlets turned out to be rather more ‘mini implant’ as drink-infused jellies were encased in soft pastry. Rosie decided to gin it to win it but with harsh judging from Paul and Prue, her crème pat was more cow pat. David’s nuts were too big for Paul and Steph’s looked like boobs (although ‘nearly perfect’ according to Prue), but it was Alice who won the judges over with her gorgeous flavours and (slightly dodgy) traditional patisserie piping. 

Finally, for the showstopper, the bakers were challenged with a near impossible task… EDIBLE GLASS. Their sugar glass displays were to encase something meaningful but edible in a task that would put their precision baking to the test. Steph’s ode to her grandfather with a night at the opera was a class act, earning high praise from Prue. Alice’s showstopper was a fantastic representation of our oceans and the delicacy of the coral reef #saveourocean, earning her the Star Baker title. David and Rosie were in trouble, but it was Rosie’s ‘simplistic’ and ‘boring’ bake that lost her a place at the final. 

Tasked with a tarte tatin for the signature challenge, the bakers took to their workstations to create a super savoury bake. Good lamination and solid crusts were needed in order to wow the judges, but it was Henry’s hot damn crab tarte that stole the show. Although a treasured gift from his partner’s Bulgarian grandma, David’s nuts were too dry for Paul, whereas Rosie was the first to suffer with a soggy bottom.  

Paul threw a brick in the works for the technical round and asked the bakers to create a Moroccan pie using walker (aka brick) pastry. The tent was definitely NOT filo-ing ready for the challenge and it was heartbreak for Steph who couldn’t master the shit, woops we mean sheet, pastry. Henry and Rosie also crumbled under the pastry pressure of the Morrocan(t) tart, but when life gives you limes, what do you do? Throw them around the tent, obviously. Congratulations to David who FINALLY took the technical challenge title, who, undeterred by the white walkers of the tent, made it look easy as pie. 

It was Alice, Rosie and Henry who were in trouble going into the showstopper round where they were tasked with reaching for the pie in a vertical crust creation. Alice made a pie-house for Sandi to live in; David’s lid went overboard; and Rosie brought camemBERT the Dragon to life. But it was Steph who, once again, took the Star Baker crown.

​Commiserations for top babe Henry who said ‘pie’m outta here’ this week – we’ll miss his (s)ass
​in the tent! 

Our Cake Angels x GBBO bake this week comes from Ellie (@sieving_the_dream) who has created this fab white chocolate and raspberry tart. She’s used our Flower Power Cake Toppers and Rainbow Sprinkles to deliver a pretty pastry, perfect for any party. Read more about her on her Archangel page. 

Bring on the semi final and Patisserie Week! ​

With seasonal treats, party pastries and carnival cakes, the remaining six bakers had their work cut out to ensure they secured themselves a place in next week’s Quarter Final. 
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First came the signature challenge in which the tent was tasked with festive buns from around the world. ‘Festive’ wasn’t just capped at Christmas though, with Pru and Paul encouraging the bakers to incorporate any country of the world with any relatable festival. Many of the bakers gave their take on a classic hot cross bun and it was Steph’s spiced buns that landed her the first Hollywood Handshake of the episode. However, whilst David took inspirations from Eastern Europe with a Bulgarian Easter Kozunak plait, Henry got the ball rolling with a Swedish chocolate kardemummabullar and was rewarded with the second Hollywood Handshake of the day.... although, what he really needs to be congratulated for is telling Paul to shut up!

There was layer upon layer of pressure for the tent in this week’s showstopper challenge as they took on a the hardest test yet: a Malaysian 'Kek lapis Sarawak' – eg a grilled colourful layered cake. With Rosie high on life from her technical title and newly formed band Eggy Rubber with Noel, she was the only contestant to dare the triangle. But instead of signing deals, she ended up singeing layers and was left with a burning issue to solve. David based his colours on Prue’s necklace but had problems with his layers, leaving himself short. Henry made a stack of egg sandwiches. ​

There was plenty of chill time (although none of it done by the bakers) in the technical challenge, in which Prue tasked the tent with verines; layered desserts in a glass. However, the standard was high, with the main difficulties found at the final stages of construction – fiddly biscuit toppers are not easy with shaking hands. Congratulations to Alice who came top in the technical with ‘near perfect’ verines, but we can’t help but feel sorry for David who came second for the FOURTH time in a row! 

With Priya, Michael, Henry and Rosie all flirting with the bottom and fighting for their place, it was Priya who bombed out. Time is always the bakers greatest enemy, but for Priya it had meant the end of the road and we said a teary goodbye to our favourite chatterbox.