Arts & Culture

The Great British Bake Off: The Final

29 November 202128 November 2021By
The Great British Bake Off: The Final

This is the week everyone has been waiting for. It is now time for the GBBO Final!

In the beginning, there was 12… Now there are three all hoping to be crowned the winner of the 2021 Great British Bake-off.

For the first time, the 2021 final is like no other. Each of the finalists has been awarded two Hollywood handshakes and also been awarded Star Baker two times.

Competing against traditional bakers, vegan bakers, Greek bakers, experimental bakers and Jurgenator bakers, the finalist have baked to be the best as they all stand proud as finalists in the tent for the final time.

Meet your 2021 GBBO Finalists:

Chigs:

Starting his baking journey in the pandemic, Chigs is the least experienced baker in the tent. Learning more and more each week, his quarter and semi-final bakes were one of the best within the competition. 

“Going to try and build my confidence and hope to settle my nerves a bit.”

How he started baking: A sales manager from Leicestershire, forty-year-old Chigs, is new to the baking world as he has only baked for around 18 months. Throughout the bake-off, he hoped to impress the judges with his bakes and to showcase his love for chocolate work.

His best bake: Dessert Week Technical and Showstopper.

Why does being in the final mean so much to him?

With his father sadly passing at a young age, Chigs told himself that he would take every opportunity he could, and that is why he applied for the Great British Bake-off. 

“Getting into the show was a massive thing, and getting into the final is a massive thing too”.

Crystelle: 

Crystelle has delivered some of this year’s most beautiful bakes and coupled them with some incredible flavours linking back to her family traditions. She has been a baker that has peaked at the right time by her continuous improvement over the last couple of weeks. However, she still hasn’t won a technical challenge. 

“There is defiantly no room for error.”

How she started baking: Born in London with Kenyan and Portuguese parents, Crystelle wanted to bring her unique heritage into her bakes using spices and infused flavours. 

Her best bake: Pastry Week Showstopper.

Why does being in the final mean so much to her?

Chystelle’s confidence within the competition has only grown through her family support.

With her family convincing her to apply for GBBO, a win would be for her and her family.

Giuseppe:

From the start, Giuseppe has baked with elegant precision and consistency and has impressed the judge’s week in and week out by producing stunning Italian infused bakes.

“I’m going to try and treat today like any standard baking day and hopefully try not to feel the pressure.”

How he started baking: Food-snob and Chief Engineer Giuseppe loves baking and was taught by his father, a professional chef. He loves incorporating hints of engineering precisions and Italian infusions. From a young age, Giuseppe’s father was always there to answer any of his baking questions. Wanting to be that person for his children, Giuseppe house is always filled with beautiful bakes each week.

“Baking is defiantly in my family’s DNA.”

His best bake: German Week Showstopper.

Why does being in the final mean so much to him?

Wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps, being in the final has impressed his father and his children. He is keen to carry on his baking tradition with them after the competition.

The Final Signature:

Photo by Cristina Matos-Albers on Unsplash

 

For the Final signature, the bakers were tasked to bake an exquisitely decorated carrot cake.

The sponge had to be made to compliment the flavours of the fillings and toppings.

Some may think that this is an easy bake for the last signature challenge of the series, but the judges were looking for perfection and nothing less…

“The issue with the signature in the final is that one small error and that could cost you the crown of the Great British Bake Off!” Said Hollywood.

“I’ve got an enormous number of things to think about in the two hours”, Said Giuseppe. 

“I’m not going to overthink into this because I will just freak myself out”, Said Crystelle. 

“I’m not the biggest fan of carrot cake”, Said Chigs.

Giuseppe: Mediterranean and Italian Twist Carrot Cake.

For his carrot cake, Giuseppe star ingredient is fig jam which he will fill in-between his layers of carrot flavoured sponge. To top the cake will be candied walnuts and fresh figs to keep with the Mediterranean feel.

Taking a gamble with his final signature, unlike Crystelle and Chigs, Giuseppe plans to bake one big cake and then slice it in half… Yet his filling goes back to traditions and wants to use this flavouring to bring a little bit of Italy into his bake.

Crystelle: Pistachio, Cardamom and Orange Carrot Cake.

For her richly spiced sponge, Chrystelle will be taking her carrot cake further east as she flavours her four tired carrot sponge with pistachio mascarpone and icing and pistachio praline. 

Going that extra layer further, Crystelle hopes that this will mean more flavour is impacted.

“It’s only carrot cake. What could go wrong?” Said Fielding.

Chigs: ‘Take Two’ Carrot Cake.

Trying something new, Chigs first ever carrot cake recipe will be infused with star anise and pineapple jam, all covered in cream cheese icing. 

Wanting to try something new, Chigs is hoping his pineapple jam will compliment his carrot sponge. 

It’s Judgement Time:

With the final signature challenge of this year’s GBBO over, it was now done for Leith and Hollywood to judge whether the baker’s carrot cake was up to their standards.

Up first was Crystelle and her four tired carrot cake infused with pistachio flavouring.

“I wouldn’t have made it this high. By doing that, you are only retaining the heat in more,” Said Hollywood.

“To me, it doesn’t scream carrot cake. But I love the flavour, and you can taste all the flavours,” Said Leith.

Next was Chigs with his first-ever carrot cake recipe, who got complimented straight away on the appearance of his cake.

“I particularly like the baby carrots on top,” said Leith.

“I think the pineapple jam works really well and gives it that extra sweetness. But I think your cake is too soggy,” Said Hollywood.

Finally, was Giuseppe with his ‘Torta Camilla’ carrot cake. 

“You have been affected by the heat, and that has been what has moved your cake out of place. Overall it looks really attractive,” Said Hollywood.

“It has an absolutely delicious flavour, but the sponge is too soft,” Said Leith.

The Final Technical:

Photo by Ben Stein on Unsplash

The bakers must now face their final gingham wrapped mystery.

Hollywood set this week’s technical challenge, and he wanted the bakers to make 12 Belgium buns filled with sultanas and lemon curd. 

Hollywood’s Top Tip: You will have to use your baking knowledge on this one because we have taken most of the method out. 

“Is that it…” Said Giuseppe.

“Are you taking the mick?”, Said Chigs.

“There are only two instructions on it!” Said Crystelle. 

Hollywood’s Recipe: 

1. Make Belgium Buns

2. Fill it with sultana and lemon curd

To make the final technical challenge even more challenging than those of the previous weeks, Hollywood had made the cruel decision to take out the whole method, leaving the bakers with two instructions which gave them no help at all…

“I think that is unbelievably unkind,” Said Leith.

“We have three good bakers in that tent. One of them will get it right,” Said Hollywood.

“Paul Vague wood, “Said Lucas

With these vague instructions, the bakers are left playing the guessing game at each stage of their bake, from making the dough to making the filling.

All that the bakes know is that their technical bake should be cooked at 180c. 

As the bakers placed their golden bums with silky lemon curd and sultanas in front of their photo, it was time for Leith and Hollywood to rank worst to first.

In third was Giuseppe; the judges criticised his buns for being overbaked but still awarded his neat finish. 

In second was Chigs, his buns were too high and too thick, and he needed more work on the texture of his dough.

Winning her first-ever technical challenge was Chrystelle. The judges complimented her buns for having a good colour, a uniform shape and filled with good lemon curd.

“I cannot believe I have won a technical challenge in the final. It only took me 10 weeks to get there,” Said Crystelle.

The Final Showstopper:

Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash

“We always say that it always depends on how well the showstopper goes, and in this final, it really does,” said Leith. 

For the final showstopper challenge and final bake under the tent of this year’s bake-off, the judges wanted the last three to bake an outstanding Mad Hatter’s Tea Party display. 

The judges were looking for a magical display made up of both savoury and sweet treats, shaped in Mad Hatter Style. 

To impress the judges, the baker would need to showcase four disciplines of baking skills to show they are worthy to take home to win. 

“I want to see amazing bakes with outstanding decoration. I want something that transports us into Wonderland,” Said Leith. 

Chig’s Party Treats: 

With biscuits made from chicken and mushroom pies, toadstools made from Lemon and Lime crème Patisserie, and the Cheshire Cat made from orange zest and mascarpone sponge, Chigs is in a race against time to reach Wonderland. 

Giuseppe’s ‘What is the Hatter with me’.

For his showstopper, Giuseppe is hoping to grow something much bigger as a giant tear, and share mushroom will tower over his other showstopper bakes, including a ‘Drink Me’ mango and passionfruit Panna cotta. 

Crystelle’s Crazy Tea Party: 

With her centrepiece being a focaccia clock, she complemented this with cardamom, pistachio toadstools, and chi sponge flowers. 

“I’ve just tried to incorporate all my favourite flavours into this bake,” Said Crystelle. 

This showstopper was all about time and baking consistency, and each element of the bake had to go in at the correct time for the full bake to run smoothly.

For Giuseppe, disaster struck at the wrong time as he had forgotten to turn on his oven. With a stone-cold oven at a crucial time in his showstopper bake could result in losing essential minutes he might need later on.

With each baker giving themselves several different elements, time was quickly catching up on them as they had to make sure they had stuck to their tight baking schedule and also make sure their fillings tasted the part. 

“You kids have done a bake-off,” Said Fielding.

“Completed it mate!” Said Crystelle.

With 10 signatures done, 10 technicals wrapped in gingham dread completed and 10 never done before showstoppers achieved and three finalists standing awaiting their fate.

It is now time to reveal the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2021…

“Thank you, bakers, for bringing your warmth, whit and brilliant bakes into the tent,” congratulated Lucas.

The winner of the Great British Bake-Off is… Giuseppe!!!

“There are no words…I am speechless!” Said Giuseppe.

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