PBS’ fourth season of The Great British Baking Show (really series 7) has come to an end, but which baker won the overall competition?
Mel and Sue welcomed us back to The Great British Baking Show with not a funny scene but brief voiceovers to explain how the season had gone so far for the three bakers in the final: Candice, Andrew, and Jane. After all, it was the final … they had to save the jokes for calming the bakers down. Sue also revealed that the final does have a theme: royalty.
In the spirit thereof, the signature challenge asked for a three-layered and substantial meringue crown in three hours. Andrew actually said the words “crack watch” for his meringue.
GBBO7. The Final
Photos must be credited Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions
Credit: Courtesy of Tom Graham via PBS press room
Signature challenge results:
"Andrew: Crunchy Caramel Cassis Crown. Mid-tier. A slightly lopsided crown, and Mary knocked his praline for piling too much sweetness on top.Candice: Queen Victoria’s Mango and Strawberry Crown. High-tier. Four tiers, and that meringue held up to Paul’s knife, and then he shook her hand.Jane: Red, White and Blue Meringue Crown. High-tier. Mary enjoyed the peach flavor, and then Paul shook her hand and dubbed it “three layers of heaven.”"
But all the smiles faded when they reached the technical challenge: Mary’s Victoria sandwich in 90 minutes. The directions?
"“1. Make a Victoria Sandwich using two 20cm tins, filled with raspberry jam and buttercream then dust with caster sugar. [sic]”"
Our preview noted that we knew the bakers would not have any directions, but it was funny all the same to watch the bakers try to decide how to cope with all of their ingredients (and which method to use: “creamy” or “all-in-one”).
Technical challenge results:
"3rd: Jane. Ended up with an oversized cake, and Mary didn’t like the jam.2nd: Candice. Some small missteps — no seeds in her jam, not Mary’s desired “light golden” color, “grainy” buttercream per Paul.1st: Andrew. Better color, and Paul dubbed it “a good Victoria sandwich.”"
The technical thus defeated, it was time for a sizable showstopper: “a picnic fit for Her Majesty.” Each baker had to make 12 each of the following: mini quiches, savory scones, puff pastry sausage rolls, and fruit and custard tarts. Their centerpiece? A “chocolate celebration cake.” With five hours to do it all, the bakers had lots of timers going (and Andrew literally had a spreadsheet).
Jane’s chocolate cake from the Great British Baking Show. Credit: Courtesy of Monika Frise (via PBS press room)
"Jane: Family Favourites Feast. 1. Sausage rolls were a bit underbaked; the quiches came out well; her scones were missing the squash flavor; her fruit tarts earned Mary’s praise; the cake was missing her promised collar, but Paul dubbed it “great chocolate cake.”"
ANDREW – Custard Tarts from the Great British Baking Show. Credit: Courtesy of Monika Frise (via PBS pressroom)
"Andrew: Family and Friends’ Favourites Picnic. Sausage rolls were also underdone to where Mary didn’t eat it; his scones lacked flavor; Paul thought his quiche pastry overworked and the fruit tart had a wet bottom; but the chocolate cake had Paul smiling again."
CANDICE – Candice’s A Picnic for Pearly Kings and Queens from The Great British Baking Show. Credit: Courtesy of Monika Frise (via PBS press room)
"Candice: Picnic for Pearly Kings and Queens. Had the cutest sausage rolls and no raw dough; Mary said she had “a good quiche”; scones were missing cheese flavor; the fruit tarts had “good custard”, although “a bit overbaked” for Mary; the chocolate cake had Paul actually using the word “lovely.”"
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The judges had a lot of praise for all three bakers as they broke it down for Sue and Mel. However, Candice ended up taking the title. Paul called her an “all-or-nothing” baker, but she gave it her all in that showstopper, and, as the bakers themselves noted ahead of the challenge, it really came down to that.
Those sausage rolls probably did it. How cute were they?