So Nadiya, Tamal and Ian for the final, and it’s a really tough one to call. Next week’s Grand Final is going to be a corker - join me back here then, and don’t forget I’ll be liveblogging Strictly this weekend, so please come and join in.
Thank you for all your comments – I’d love to know who you think is going to win next week, so let me know in the comment box or on Twitter @heidistephens. See you next week! Hx
So Star Baker this week is...NADIYA! And going home is...FLORA! Oh what a shame - Flora is lovely, and such an incredible talent for one so young. She has a bright future ahead.
I think Nadiya has to get Star Baker this week, and Tamal should definitely go through through. It’s between Flora and Ian to go home, I’m thinking it might be Ian, but could go either way.
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And finally, Nadiya’s peacock. It’s beautiful, with a gorgeous feather tail. Paul thinks it’s a great piece of art, with lovely detailing. The flavours are good too, a big win for Nadiya.
Flora’s carousel is rather lovely, but it’s wonky and her chocolate doesn’t have the glossy shine Mary is looking for. The flavours in her biscuit are good, but the cake based need more cocoa. Good presentation, flavour not up to scratch.
Ian’s well is super-original, and Paul likes how contemporary it is. The handle falls off when Paul tries to raise the white chocolate, however. Mary loves the flavours, but Mary wanted to to see more detail and chocolate work.
It’s a functioning chocolate well, what more do you want?
So, judgement time. Tamal’s bell tower looks a bit like a cardboard spaceship, and it’s a bit messy close up - Paul’s not impressed with his attention to detail. Good bake on the shortbread, however, and a good shine on the chocolate.
Ian’s tempered chocolate is looking great, but Flora is an hour behind time. Her chocolate squares have stuck to the tray, and she’s losing her rag. Her biscuit sides have collapsed, so she asks Sue for some help. Nadiya’s peacock and Ian’s well are both looking spectacular.
One hour left – Nadiya is still making chocolate feathers, and trying not to panic. Tamal is giving himself a motivational speech. Flora is worried that her showstopper only looks OK, rather than spectacular. I experience this sensation in the mirror every morning, Flora, it comes to all of us in the end.
Flora is making a cake for the base of the carousel, and chocolate is being tempered. This involves lots of fannying around with temperature, to achieve a glossy shine. Ian has two thermometers, just to make sure. Meanwhile Nadiya is making peacock feathers out of modelling chocolate and dragees, whilst Flora is bunging a snifter of brandy into her white chocolate horses. They currently look like polar bears.
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Nadiya is making a chocolate peacock, which is sitting on a log, with cinder biscuits in a chocolate nest. It looks amazing on paper.
Ian is making a chocolate well, and he’s bought lots of his own moulds (DRINK). The water will be a chocolate and cream drink, and in theory the well should work. Of course it will, this is Ian.
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Paul is looking for detail, precision and exquisite artistry. No pressure whatsoever.
Tamal is making a 3-tier bell tower, with two different biscuit layers and lots of different types of chocolate. Flora is making a cocoa carousel, featuring a cake and biscuit and white chocolate ganache horses. She made her own horse mould, which Paul suggests looks like a dog. Harsh.
Finally, it’s time for the much-anticipated Showstopper. Our four remaining bakers have to create a spectacular 3D chocolate centrepiece – it has to look amazing, and taste incredible. It must have a biscuit element, and include white chocolate. Who has what it takes to make the final?
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Nadiya is a bit tearful. Don’t cry, Nadiya - there’s still the showstopper to go. Have a chocolately hug.
In fourth place, Nadiya’s souffle - it wasn’t folded in enough. Ian’s was in third, as it was over-mixed. Tamal is in second, and Flora’s was in first - a good rise, with a lovely texture and flavour. Good work Flora, when she stops dicking around with decorations she’s a really good cook.
Flora’s souffle is out of the oven, and is presented to the whispering judges. It’s a bit over-risen, but the inside is well baked and has a great flavour - a good result for Flora.
Ian’s doesn’t have much rise, but it has a good consistency and a lovely flavour. Nadiya’s meringue isn’t whisked in, but it tastes fine.
Can we stop with the tension-building percussion, please? Tamal’s souffle is well-risen, with a good flavour and beautifully light. Ooh, this is going to be close.
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Creme pat is being folded into egg whites, with mixed results. Ian’s is super-runny, whilst Nadiya’s looks a bit more like it. Who the hell knows, I’ve never made a souffle.
Ian has covered the oven with a tea towel, to cover up is runny souffle. Nadiya would sooner have another baby than endure souffle hell for a moment longer. If only she’d made a souffle previously.
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Nadiya’s creme pat looks like a cow pat, so she’s trying to shove it through a sieve. She and Mel are trying to work out why the baking kit contains paperclips. “For filing your soufflé?” suggests Mel. “Yes, for filing it away in the folder that says NEVER BAKE AGAIN”, says Nadiya, looking mildly unhinged. I love scary Nadiya even more than normal Nadiya, I think.
Nadiya makes a start, even though she’s never made a souffle. Nobody knows how hot the creme pat should be before they add the egg whites, or how thick it should be. Or how to make a souffle.
Tamal comes in and makes a start, like everyone else, he’s never made a souffle. Has anyone made a souffle? I’ve never made a souffle.
Do we need to start a support group? My name is Heidi Stephens, and I’ve never made a souffle.
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It needs to cook for 40-50 minutes, which means she doesn’t have much time to make it. In comes Ian, and makes a start on his souffle. His mind has gone blank, and he can’t remember how to make a creme patissiere. It’s just custard, Ian. He’s never made a souffle either.
Flora’s making her custard in a pan, while the meringue is whisking in the mixer. Ian is having a proper meltdown.
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Poor Flora, all alone in the tent. She’s never made a souffle, and hasn’t got a clue what’s she’s doing. Mary picked this recipe because it’s so hard to make - the expert version looks lovely, will be interesting to see if anyone can do it.
Technical challenge time! It’s a recipe of Mary’s this week, for a light and fluffy chocolate soufflé. But wait, what’s this? They are staggering the start time because it’s so quick (only 1hr 5) - Tamal, Ian and Nadiya have left the tent, leaving Flora on her own.
Tamal’s tart is up first - it has a simple finish, but the inside has a beautiful chocolate layer. Mary loves the contrast of textures, but Paul isn’t sure if he likes it - in the end he decides he does. Ian’s tart looks super-elegant, with a lovely mirror shine on the chocolate. The flavour is rich and tasty, but you can’t taste the bay leaves and Paul doesn’t like the salted caramel. Nadiya’s decorations look lovely, and Mary likes the flavour despite not being a peanut fan. Nadiya also gets a handshake from Paul - he loves it. Flora’s tart has lovely layers, but her passion fruit has split and her ganache hasn’t got enough shine. Her macarons are overbaked too, Paul’s not impressed.
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Decoration time - Nadiya is coating her truffles in peanut powder, Ian is making chocolate bay leaves, Flora is balancing macarons on her tart, and time’s up!
Tarts are out, and layers are being added. Tamal has nothing to do, so he’s peeking a Flora’s tart. Ian is wafting, whilst Nadiya is spreading chocolate. Flora’s topping looks a bit grainy.
There’s Flora running to the freezer (DRINK), prompting eyebrow knitting from Nadiya (DRINK).
Tamal is making praline to make a pecan brittle, whilst Ian is whipping up salt, caramel and random bay leaves.
Half way through, and Flora is popping her passion fruit custard into her tart case. Nadiya’s salted caramel and peanut layer looks glorious, I’d eat that with a big spoon. Tamal’s chocolate layer is looking a bit dense, which is why he’s adding raspberries. He’s worried that he’s not busy enough, particularly as Flora is making about “six billion different elements” to decorate her tart. There is a moral to this tale.
Ian is baking a bay-infused caramel chocolate tart, because Ian is incapable of baking anything that doesn’t involve herbs from his garden.
Nadiya’s tart includes salted caramel and peanut, and chocolate mousse, with some kind of magical nut dust. That sounds bloody lovely, count me in.
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Tamal is making a chocolate tart with a layer of crushed pecans and raspberries. He has been practicing, and is hoping for the best.
Flora’s tart includes passion fruit, dark chocolate ganache and milk chocolate mousse, with a gazillion decorations on top. Teenagers never learn.
First up it’s the signature challenge! This week our bakers have to make a chocolate tart, with chocolate-flavoured pastry, and a chocolate filling, with chocolate decorations. Chocolate sauce, anyone?
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A quick recap - Tamal is ace at flavours, but rubbish at timings. Flora keeps going off-brief, and forgetting what she’s supposed to be making. Nadiya has artistic flair and brilliant flavours, but she lacks confidence. Ian is Mr Precision, but his bakes lack excitement. Who will it be?
And we’re off! First semi joke from Sue - DRINK.
Previously on Bake Off: Patisserie Week. Our bakers tackled cream horns, Mary’s mokatines and a choux pastry tower of cream-filled happiness that was supposed to look a bit like a nun, apparently. Nadiya took Star Baker for the second time, whilst Prison Paul was sent down for failure to know how to make a Genoise sponge, and shoddy construction work on his drunk nun tower. We’ll never forget the bread lion though, Paul.
Four bakers remain, and it’s semi-final time!
In other Bake Off news, Tamal revealed in an interview with the Radio Times this week that he is currently single! But don’t all grab his stethoscope at once, ladies, it seems that gentlemen float his cream horn.
May he find his Prince Charming, ideally bearing the third best sandwich he’s ever eaten.
This week’s Bake Off Bingo – a giant airport Toblerone for any occurrence of the following:
• Flora freezer frustration
• Tamal anthropomorphising pastry
• Any home-made baking gadget from Ian
• Nadiya knitting her eyebrows into a French plait
• Any mention of a “whopping semi”
Evening all, and welcome to this week’s Bake Off liveblog! I was off on my holidays last week, so many thanks to Julia for holding the choux pastry fort. Tonight’s semi-final is all about chocolate creations – only four bakers remain and it’s anyone’s game at this point, so all quite exciting.
I’ll be up here keeping any eye on every failed fondant and gooey ganache – your wit and wisdom would, as always, be very welcome in the comment box below.
There’s only two episodes to go, so now would be a good time for all you lurkers to let us know who you think is this year’s ultimate Star Baker.
Grab a bottle of Baileys and your chocolate bar of choice (mine: Lindt dark with cocoa nibs), and I’ll see you at 8!
