'Bake Off' caramel week: 'Heart attack-inducing' challenges, a family favourite and another elimination
It’s caramel week on The Great British Bake Off - but things were anything but sweet with the tricky treat proving tense for everyone involved.
The remaining contestants were put to the test with a beautifully decorated caramel tart signature, recreating the Twix bar for the technical, before ending another day in the tent with a dessert encased in a caramel dome for the showstopper.
Read more: The 5 biggest moments from 'Bake Off' dessert week
Unfortunately, George failed to rise to the challenge, and was the latest to be sent home.
In week seven of the competition, the judges were taking no prisoners, with Giuseppe saying it best when he declared: “No doubt that the judges have ramped up a gear. It’s a sign that the competition is getting serious.”
This certainly proved to be the toughest week to date, with all the remaining competitors struggling in at least one of the challenges.
In the signature, George found himself having difficulty with the cream in his banoffee pie curdling and Jurgen’s tart casing splitting and his flavour proving too much.
Chigs also found his flavouring getting a beating after judge Prue Leith said that it was “too rich” for her, despite how neat the tart looked.
Read more: Paul Hollywood says he was 'p***ed off' with his 'Bake Off' weight gain
In the technical - which despite their efforts to avoid using the name, was creating Twix bars - Giuseppe came out on top with his 10 impressive, near-perfect caramel biscuit fingers.
“You’ll recognise this recipe and it’s pretty straight forward, so we’re expecting perfection, not excuses,” judge Paul Hollywood warned.
But that’s easier said than done, as if the caramel’s too runny, it could see the whole thing collapse. If it’s too hard, then it could prove to be a jawbreaker for the judges.
Again, George struggled, with his caramel too thick to pipe despite efforts to soften it in time. As a result, his final efforts saw Leith declare it “could take her teeth out”.
“I don’t think that could have gone any worse, I had a terrible day,” George admitted at the end of the two challenges, “I just want to produce a good showstopper. I’ll do my best.”
Thankfully, that’s exactly what he did, and George was praised for his efforts in the final challenge, with Lizzie being the contestant that faltered.
After being told repeatedly to show some ‘finesse’ Lizzie thought out of the box and instead of creating a globe, created a dessert that appeared like roses in a bowl.
But the dessert didn’t match the look, and she was penalised for it.
Crystelle also had what Noel Fielding declared a “heart attack” moment after numerous failings in the creation of a sugar globe.
Making no less than four different versions of the sugar globe, Crystelle was in full panic mode when her final successful effort was placed inside a sticky bowl, cementing it there.
As the others looked on in horror, Crystelle had to get it out without breaking it, and finished with less than a second to spare.
After all that drama, a delighted Jurgen was crowned star baker, with Hollywood ‘welcoming him back to the competition’ after a tricky few weeks.
Sadly, George was given his marching orders, and eliminated despite impressing the judges with his showstopper.
“It was really close this week. It could have been one of two people,” Matt Lucas said. “I’m afraid the person going home this week is George.”
“It’s bittersweet, as my showstopper I was proud of,” George said. “Speaking to my family they’re just so proud i’ve even got in the tent. Week seven, I’m proud with that.”
Hollywood said that it was between him and Lizzie, but George ultimately had made more mistakes going forward.
Great British Bake Off airs Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4.
WATCH: Great British Bake Off teaser trailer
