The Great British Bake Off recap: The heat is on

Is it a hot day during the filming of The Great British Bake Off? Then it’s time for one of two weeks: pastry or chocolate. This time, it’s the turn of the latter, so ahead are sure to be some meltdowns of all kinds as the bakers get stuck during this week’s challenges.

Let’s bake!

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First up is a luxurious chocolate torte that has to be made without wheat flour in just two-and-a-half hours. Prue wants something dense and luxurious, and this bake is an opportunity to show off a bit. Flours that the bakers can turn to include chestnut and almond, which Paul warns could make a heavy cake, something the judges don’t want. Sure, dense and heavy seem to go in hand-in-hand, but let’s go with it.

There are a number of dangers ahead for the bakers. If they overmix their egg whites, their tortes won’t rise. Underbaked tortes will be claggy, while overbaked ones will be dry. And if every element isn’t cooled to the right temperature, then there will be saggy tortes or melted messes.

In what is the best pun of the series so far, Saku is taking the iconic Sachertorte and making a Saku-torte. She’ll use raspberry jam instead of the traditional apricot, and will write Saku on the top instead of Sacher. Ten out of ten. No notes. Tasha, twice star baker, is going for a ginger and amaretto cake. Paul says ginger with chocolate is clever, but a little bit risky. I think “clever and risky” is Tasha’s calling card.

Most of the bakers are plumping for almond flour in their tortes, although a couple do insist on making it more difficult for themselves. Josh is using ground pecans, which produce a little more oil, for his raspberry and chocolate torte, while Rowan has decided to dispense with flour altogether. He’ll instead be relying totally on egg whites for his mocha chocolate torte; this has the potential to either be utterly brilliant or a complete disaster. Also taking a risk is Nicky, who is making a chocolate, vanilla rum, and almond torte that she will place on top of a mousse layer. This is wild, and I have everything crossed that it will hold.

Surprisingly though, neither Rowan nor Nicky are the ones most in trouble this task. Dan decides to make his torte again after it bakes lopsided, while Cristy’s having a bit of a decorating nightmare because of a broken chocolate collar.

Paul and Prue expect beautiful, elaborate chocolate decorations, and they get that with some of the final bakes. Nicky is first to be judged, and she’s made what looks like her best bake yet (according to me); Paul and Prue are also suitably impressed. The chocolate is shiny, the cake on mousse thing has worked, and it’s decorated beautifully. Prue describes it as “an elegant work of art” and thinks the flavors are great. Paul says it needs a fruit in it, but Nicky has done a decent job.

Matty’s is lovely looking from the top, but the sides are a bit untidy. Paul thinks the praline and cake flavors work beautifully, and he’s done some good tempering work. Dana’s has great height, and Prue thinks the flavor is fantastic, while Josh’s is delicious but a bit pudding-like.

Cristy’s leaf molds didn’t work so she has no leaf decorations, but her torte still looks “extremely inviting,” according to Prue. However, her cake is dry, and both judges think it needs more flavor. The opposite of dry is Dan’s cake, which has a gluey texture; both judges also think the alcohol is overwhelming, and if Prue is saying that, you know way too much has been used.

Tasha’s bake isn’t, looks-wise, up to the standard of some of her previous ones, but the ginger taste is great. However, the texture isn’t on point. Saku’s Saku-torte is a little messy, and her flavors are great but it’s too gooey.

Rowan’s is very elegant, say both judges. His layers look great, and his torte taste delivers; Paul says the level of coffee is spot on and the Swiss meringue buttercream is like silk. Rowan’s completely flourless cake is a complete success.

Technical

Prue sets this week’s technical, and tells the contestants they need perseverance and patience for what is ahead: six perfectly baked individual cheesecakes. At first, this doesn’t sound complicated, but breaking it down, these cheesecakes are a nightmare: They consist of a caramelized white chocolate filling on top of an oaty biscuit base, topped with a blackcurrant jelly and white chocolate decoration.

The hardest part is the caramelized white chocolate. They’ll have to heat the chocolate in bursts in the microwave and stir in between each burst. The result should be a golden-brown melted chocolate, but that very much depends on the time everyone chooses. Everyone’s “bursts” are different lengths: Dana is going for 30 seconds, Matty thinks it’s 10 seconds, Josh is saying no more than 20 seconds, while Rowan is going for one minute 30 seconds on a medium. Unsurprisingly, Rowan completely burns his chocolate. Tasha and Dana also struggle a bit, and have to try a second time.

It’s hot in the tent, and some of the bakers look like they’re really suffering; in particular the heat is getting to Tasha, who is feeling extremely dizzy. She has to take a break from the tent to try and recover, but after a migraine the night before she isn’t well enough to finish the task. A hug from Alison goes some way to comforting her, but she needs to go and rest. Feel better soon, Tasha.

When it comes to judging time, what Prue and Paul are presented with is…varied. Josh’s cheesecakes are neat, but a little over-baked. Cristy is having a really hard week and her toppings are melted and her filling is grainy. Matty’s are nice, but have sunk in the middle. Saku’s are over-baked, and her chocolate is too caramelized. Dan’s look good, and his filling is smooth. Dana’s are a little grainy. Rowan’s look like they’ve been dropped, and his toppings are melted, but inside they’re smooth. Nicky’s bases are uneven, but her filling is alright, says Paul.

Taking last place is Saku; Paul doesn’t pull any punches, telling her that her cheesecakes looked terrible. Cristy is second to last. At the other end are Matty, who comes in second, and Dan, who’s in first. He’s redeemed himself from his terrible week last episode (at least to the judges; I’m still sad that Abbi is gone).

Saku greets her failure with a huge laugh and an optimistic “tomorrow is a new day, new bake, still old me.” Cristy, who’s also having a tough week, laughs as well. I love the attitude these two women have.

Showstopper

In the pre-showstopper judging discussion, Paul says he’s been a little underwhelmed by chocolate week, and we learn that Tasha won’t be competing today as she’s still unwell. The judges say that someone could still leave, but I’m guessing Tasha’s absence means no one will leave, and instead two contestants will go next week.

For the showstopper, the bakers are making a spectacular edible chocolate box. It needs to contain filled molded chocolates, as well as a chocolate cake. If anyone knows where the chocolate boxes containing cake as well as chocolates are sold, please let me know in the comments.

The gang has to use tempered chocolate, so heating and cooling the chocolate is crucial, if they’re to get a shiny finish. Paul wants some “chocolate magic” from the bakers who are in trouble, i.e. Saku and Cristy. Unfortunately, Saku runs into trouble fairly early on; cutting her cake open she realizes it’s not baked in the middle and has to attempt a second sponge. Matty, who has been having a good week so far, is also redoing his cake, while Rowan and Nicky soon make the decision to cut back on the number of chocolate flavors they’ll make.

There are two ways the bakers can go when it comes to making their boxes. Half go for the mold method, which will likely result in neater boxes, but can prove difficult when it comes to demolding. Sure enough, Dana has trouble getting her half spheres out for her princess carriage box, while Cristy has to cut the mold off her heart-shaped box.

The other bakes choose to make separate elements that they’ll then glue together to make their boxes. Josh’s hasn’t worked, so he’s tempering his chocolate again to try and make another box, while Rowan declares that his box—inspired by his artist grandfather—looks like his granddad has sat on it.

The judges agree when it comes to judgment time; Rowan says he’s “had a mare,” and while his cake tastes good to Prue, the whole bake is not attractive. It knocks him out of the running for star baker.

Matty’s box, on the other hand, is beautifully engineered, and although it’s not shiny enough, what’s inside is amazing; his cake is great, and Prue says she’d pay a lot of money for a box of his chocolates.

Dan’s cake is neat, says Prue, and his flavors are good, but Paul says there isn’t much baking on show. Dana’s carriage is impressive-looking (although her horses don’t have feet) and her cake is delicious, while Josh’s sponge is baked well and his chocolates are solid, but his box isn’t tempered properly.

Nicky’s box looks “amazing,” says Paul, although she’s only got three truffles, as she couldn’t get the others out of the molds properly. Her cake is really rich, which Prue enjoys, and the chocolates she does have are lovely.

Cristy’s heart-shaped box, inspired by her husband (awwwww) looks amazing, and it’s really different to everyone else’s bakes. Her cake is “very chocolatey” says Prue, but the texture isn’t great. Her chocolates are good, though, and I think she has done enough to be out of the danger zone this week (not that I think anyone is going home).

Saku has also done just enough, I think. Her box is structurally sound, even if it’s not shiny, and while her cake is a little dry, Paul thinks the flavor is beautiful. Her chocolates are decent, but perhaps she should have done just one flavor instead of three.

In the judging discussion, Prue and Paul love Matty and Nicky’s creations; these two have been working steadily away the past few weeks and waiting for their turn in the spotlight, which has finally come.

Star baker goes to…Matty! We’ve really seen Matty improving week after week, and this is so well deserved.

Going home is…no one, as previously predicted. I always like a week where no one leaves, and this has been a tough week emotionally and physically for the bakers, so I’m glad for them.

Next up: pastry week, in which two people will have to be sent home.

Stray observations

• The unseen heroes of the Bake Off tent are the cleaners, who have a task on their hands every week getting through the numerous bowls, pots, and pans the bakers use. This week, though, is worse than ever. There is melted chocolate everywhere, and everyone involved in cleaning deserves at least a week off after and a big bonus.
• Alison was really doling out the comfort hugs this week. As well as Tasha, she was also there for Saku, who had a teary moment. Alison’s hugs seem like they’re a soothing balm.
• It took me until the end of the episode to forgive Dan for staying instead of Abbi (even though that’s the judges’ fault, not his), and it was because he helped Saku to demold her chocolates. Good man.