So, this week has brought us, far too quickly, to the semi-final of this year’s GBBO.
Unbelievably, we’ve seen Noel’s favourite lovely Lottie, Linda and Sura all leave the tent. Who could ever forget Rowan and his bizarre creations? The two Marks are now just a distant memory, and (almost) everyone’s forgotten, back in week 2, how Sura accidentally knocked Dave’s coconut macaroons flying to the floor – because a fly was flitting around her bakes.
Who could have foreseen that dense Dave would end up in the final? And that heavenly Hermine, who clearly swanned through the entire GBBO process – until this week’s disaster, would be ousted the week before the final? Sacrebleu! (a word of advice for future contestants – don’t rest on your laurels and under no circumstances change your recipe the day before the show).
Personally, I think it’s lovely to see Laura still hanging on for dear life. Because let’s be honest, she’s the one, that here in the real world, we can all relate to. Proper home bakers make a mess, their apron’s do not stay clean, and they don’t have a tidy workstation. But they usually do end up with cakes that taste pretty good (ok – acceptable) and look like utter kak. Laura’s cube cakes this week looked like a pile of poop, but Paul said they tasted divine.
Perfect Peter is obviously going to win this year, unless Laura can pull something fabulous out of the bag and manage to create a triumph at the eleventh hour, which not only tastes exquisite, but looks it too. In my humble opinion, Dave is an unlikely candidate for the ‘Bake off Crown’ as he’s had too many near misses with his odd flavour combinations, that only a man would come up with. Although, I must freely admit, his chocolate covered cube cakes this week did look like a chocoholic’s idea of heaven.
Still, my money’s on Perfect Pete as the favourite to become this year’s winner. He’s rarely put a foot out of place, his flavours are always spot on, and his presentation and attention to detail is first class. This week’s cube challenge really looked magnificent and professional – like something you’d buy in a fancy French patisserie. His likeable baby-face charm and quirky outbursts – rinky dink, baboom etc, have all endeared him to us. And he managed to remain completely unfazed by Noel’s continual outrageous attempt to make him laugh.
So, this time next week it’ll all be over for another year. Us GBBO addicts will have to wait for another 12 months for our annual fix. In the meantime, roll on next Tuesday. I’ll be there willing Laura on.
P.S. How on earth do they manage to keep it a secret for months who’s won?!