Great British Bake Off 2018 episode 8: The biggest talking points from Danish Week

Rahul cracked under pressure, while everyone (except Ruby) had a good cry

Great British Bake Off 2018 Trailer

The Great British Bake Off had quite the dramatic quarter-finals.

There were just five contestants – Ruby, Briony, Rahul, Kim-Joy and Manon – left to tackle Danish Week, inspired by host Sandi Toksvig’s heritage. And, despite the assumption the bakers would have an easier time of things after last episode's Vegan Week, this week's Scandi-themed challenges proved just as monumental a task to tackle.

The spread of delightfully named treats – smørrebrød, Æbleskiver, and kagekone – saw some bakers struggling to capture the Viking spirit, with a surprise reveal of who's headed home leaving some viewers scratching their heads.

Now that, hopefully, the remaining bakers have had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief, we look back at all the biggest talking points from the episode.

Manon was betrayed by her own Frenchness

It was Manon who was ejected from the tent this week, which fans have found a rather controversial decision. She has remained a fairly strong, consistent baker so far, but it appears judge Paul Hollywood had no time for any foolishness during Danish Week. That proved a problem when Manon not once, but twice, managed to bake a French food instead of a Danish food.

First off, her Signature Challenge attempt at rye bread was too pale and lacked enough seeds, essentially making it a French loaf. Meanwhile, for the Showstopper Challenge, her kagekone actually featured a pain au chocolat and not a Danish.

Rahul cracks under the pressure

Rahul has spent the entire series dripping with negativity, but almost always managed to whip out something successful to impress the judges with. During Danish Week, it looks as if his luck has run dry. Not only was he a swearing, frustrated mess – with butter leaking out of his pastries left, right, and centre – but none of his bakes turned out successful.

His rye bread was far too heavy, his Æbleskiver balls had "serious issues", while his pastries were burnt. He at one point even admitted: I don’t deserve to be here anymore. I just need to be kicked out." However, he survived the elimination: which means either he'll get booted off next week, or he'll turn out the perfect underdog and win the whole competition.

Ruby makes a nifty recovery after last week's disaster

After last week's cake-collapsing disaster, Ruby not only stayed cool, but managed to walk away as Star Baker. Her kagekone was "absolutely sweet" and her smørrebrød, one with asparagus and another with a tandoori flavour, were a hit. Both challenges managed to make up for the fact she cheated on Æbleskiver and added her flavour after.

Everybody cried (except Ruby)

It's been a tough week for our contestants and they're clearly feeling the pressure, in the way that actually made this episode a little bit of a tough watch. The only baker who didn't break down seemed to be Ruby, whose sense of humour about the situation and eager support for the rest of the contestants might prove to be the right attitude needed to take her all the way to the top.

We found out the Danish like to make cakes of people, then cut their heads off

The kagekone is a birthday cake that's meant to be designed to look like someone you know. You then cut the head off and everyone screams. Well, it's certainly a way to pass the time.

Catch-up below with the rest of the events of this week's The Great British Bake Off (please allow a moment for the liveblog to load).

The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 every Tuesday 8pm

[16 October 2018 14:51 · clarisse.loughrey]

Hello and welcome to our liveblog for this evening's episode of the Great British Bake Off! 

[16 October 2018 16:00 · clarisse.loughrey]

  ↵But first, you can take a moment to catch up on all the events of pastry week here:

[16 October 2018 17:00 · clarisse.loughrey]

Expect plenty of viking-themed jokes as this week is Danish Week! 

[16 October 2018 18:00 · clarisse.loughrey]

Will we ever recover from the news Prue Leith doesn't actually like baking all that much? 

[16 October 2018 19:00 · clarisse.loughrey]

Conspiracy theories about last week's dramatic cake-collapse have already started circulating...  

[16 October 2018 20:01 · clarisse.loughrey]

Welcome to The Great British Bake Off! A quick recap: last week was Vegan Week, which caused an inordinate amount of stress for our bakers. Kim-Joy, however, triumphed thanks to her foxy bake, while Jon was sent home. 

[16 October 2018 20:04 · clarisse.loughrey]

And this week is Danish Week, all in order to celebrate host Sandi Toksvig's own heritage. Kim-Joy is hoping for some Scandi drama. And, to note, all the contestants are wearing Hawaiian shirts in tribute to Jon. As Noel comments: "It looks like a Beach Boys convention."

[16 October 2018 20:06 · clarisse.loughrey]

So, the Signature Challenge is sm...rrrblergh? Advance apologies, I don't speak a word of Danish. However, what they're making is a kind of open-faced sandwich on rye bread, which sounds positively delicious.

[16 October 2018 20:11 · clarisse.loughrey]

 Briony is joining the Kim-Joy train and has created some animals for her smørrebrød (I've caught on now). Although Kim-Joy is also on the Kim-Joy train and is adding bumblebees to hers. 

[16 October 2018 20:24 · clarisse.loughrey]

Judgement time: Ruby has created a "celebration of rye", Manon accidentally made a French loaf not a Danish one (mon dieu!), Kim-Joy is "nearly there" with her rye, Briony has been outed for her doorstop slices, while Rahul's has turned out "a bit of a mess"... and a "not entirely edible" from Paul.