Great British Bake Off 2018 episode 9 semi-final: The biggest talking points from Patisserie Week

Briony crashed out after confusing her sugar with her salt

The Great British Bake Off semi final: Briony crashes out after mixing up her sugar and salt

We reached The Great British Bake Off‘s semi-final this week, but Briony made a mistake that would have been unforgivable in week one, accidentally confusing her sugar with her salt.

The rookie error cost her a place in the final, which will now be a battle between Kim-Joy, Rahul and frontrunner Ruby.

It was Patisserie Week in episode 9, which saw the contestants thrown off balance by some tricky glazes and decorations. Here are the main talking points from the episode:

Ruby stages a comeback

Bookies’ favourite Ruby was slow out the blocks this week, her Madeleines being described as a “bit of a mess” by Paul Hollywood and leaving her trailing the quartet of contestants after the first ad break.

She recovered, however, with the best – or at least most passable – torta sette, which placed her first in the blind taste test on the technical bakes. She then compounded this with an impressive array of Parisian patisserie works in the Showstopper round, going on to win Star Baker.

Ruby looks tough to beat in the final now, a task that likely rests on the quivering shoulders of Rahul.

Rahul is unimpressed with Paul’s puns

This week’s Madeleine round was all about getting the perfect “hump” on the cakes, a dome that forms during baking.

Rahul struggled with this, with Paul suggesting he’d in fact “got the hump”. “Can I ask you something,” Rahul later said to the camera crew, puzzled. “Why are people laughing about hump?” Bless him.

Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding in a battle of the gaudy shirts

Noel’s loud shirts have become expected, nay, demanded in Bake Off by this point, and tonight saw him an eye-popping, psychedelic, asymmetrically printed purple number.

Sandi gave him a run for his money however, sporting a rather special two-tone shirt covered in gleaming fish.

(BBC (BBC)

“It tastes a bit.... salty,” Prue concluded of one of Briony’s patisserie works. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I mixed up the sugar with the salt, after the day I’ve had,” Briony joked.

During the judge’s deliberations however, Paul said that he thinks this is exactly what happened.

The Showstopper was a bit of a disaster all round for Briony, who also ran out of time to fill one of her items, so she had essentially just served pastry on a plate.

Next week, the final. Catch-up below with the rest of the events of this week’s GBBO as they happened (please allow a moment for the liveblog to load).

Patisserie Week follows, in order from the start of the series, Biscuit Week, Cake Week, Bread Week, Dessert Week, Spice Week, Pastry Week, Vegan Week and Danish Week.

The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 on Tuesday nights at 8pm.

[23 October 2018 15:51 · Christopher Hooton]

[23 October 2018 15:52 · Christopher Hooton]

[23 October 2018 18:50 · Christopher Hooton]

A little over an hour to go until the semi-final. While you wait, please consume this very important piece of content:

[23 October 2018 19:54 · Christopher Hooton]

Five minutes to go. I've just eaten Jaffa Cakes for dinner, so that's where my baking skills are at.

[23 October 2018 19:55 · Christopher Hooton]

How cruel that Manon had to leave just before the French-themed week (and after she accidentally baked a French loaf instead of a Danish one).

[23 October 2018 20:04 · Christopher Hooton]

First up, madeleines, a "deceptively difficult" cake according to Paul.

[23 October 2018 20:05 · Christopher Hooton]

Rahul is worried, as he permanently is. The ultimate Showstopper would be if he baked a sense of self-confidence.

[23 October 2018 20:07 · Christopher Hooton]

Not sure how long Noel can keep outdoing himself with these shirts.

[23 October 2018 20:11 · Christopher Hooton]

Espresso martini AND mojito madeleines sounds like it could be a bit much. Then again I can barely make a good mojito and it mostly involves just smashing things.

[23 October 2018 20:12 · Christopher Hooton]

All this talk of humps and lumps – I'm half expecting Fergie and Taboo to enter the tent.