It’s time to go “cocoa loco!”
Its semifinals week onThe Great British Baking Show.
With just four bakers remaining, the tension in the tent is as thick as curdled custard.
Credit: PBS
You shouldnt be its the most stressful episode yet.
So to quote Sue, Lets get the semis on.
In the interest of health and safety, your drinking-game word for this episode willnotbe chocolate.
Lets go with rise and shine instead.
We kick off chocolate week with a tart a chocolate tart, of course.
Heres the brief: The pastry can be any kind the bakers like as long as its chocolate-flavored.
Sounds simple, but its got to be immaculate, Mary says.
Its going to be the most terrifying, traumatic chocolate-infused situation ever, I can just tell.
Time-challenged Tamal is going for the minimalist approach to avoid his usual woes.
Oh, you thought that was all?
Guys, this is Flora.
Hes finishing it with a mirror glaze on top.
It will be covered in chocolate ganache and decorated with truffles dusted in peanut powder.
Tamal and Flora are eyeing each other, one wishing theyd done more, the other less.
Its tart-tasting time for Mary and Paul.
Ians looks so good, its hard to watch Paul cut into it.
Hes disappointed: Youre king of flavors and I think you missed a trick there.
Ian looks so crestfallen, I feel bad I ever got mad at him for always winning.
Paul ends up loving it: After shaking Nadiyas hand, he offers her a Spot on.
Its the usual for Flora.
Floras left feeling envious of Nadiyas handshake.
Not to fear, Flora, the technical challenge is next.
NEXT: The scariest Technical Challenge yet
On second thought, maybe she should be afraid.
The other bakers are banished from the tent, leaving Flora all alone.
Its not quite as sinister as it sounds, though.
Theres just a slight twist this week, lovely viewers!
The bakers start times for the Technical Challenge will be staggered.
Its chocolate souffles a.k.a.
every bakers worst nightmare.)
This may be the most stressful 10-minute segment of a TV show ever.
Were talkingBreaking Badlevels of anxious viewing.
The semifinalists have one hour and 15 minutes to make the souffle.
It should be well-risen and level on top, and softer in the middle.
Mary knows how hard it is to make, and thats exactly what she intended.
This is the semifinal, people!
Ians souffle doesnt have much rise, which means he over-folded the meringue mix.
Sadly, this is just not Nadiyas challenge.
It looked horrible, Nadiya says from her bench.
Tamal drops his off and throws up his hands in defeat.
His height is good, but its split on top and there are some of those ghastly white flecks.
His texture is beautifully light, but not light enough to lift him to the top spot.
He takes second to Flora, whos won a Technical Challenge for the first time.
The semifinal Showstopper is a chocolate centerpiece.
I wish Paul Not Hollywood were still here to make another jungle animal, this time out of chocolate.
NEXT: Which baker will melt away before the final?
Tamal decides to make a bell tower.
Hes using white chocolate to adorn the walls.
Flora is constructing a cocoa carousel.
Itll have hexagonal chocolate-pecan shortbread for the center and a roof of chocolate and puffed rice.
Shes made her own mold; Paul thinks it looks more like a dog than a horse.
Nadiya is interpreting the brief in a different way.
Shes focusing on a sculptural element with biscuits demoted to a supporting role.
Shes making a chocolate peacock(!)
Itll be covered in an edible blue-glucose molding chocolate.
Ian is diving into a chocolate well.
His first attempt took him four days, so hes hoping to improve on that time.
As always, Tamal is running short on time.
Nadiyas regretting her decision to incorporate 500 feathers, and Ians now forgotten how to make shortbread.
(What happened to him on his way to the tent this week?)
Floras an hour behind where she wanted to be and her piping is paying the price.
She enlists Sue to help keep her carousel walls in place.
Theres so much tension, its almost ruining chocolate for me.
Tamals masterpiece is first to be judged.
It looks impressive…from a distance.
His piping isnt precise and his overall attention to detail is lacking.
But hey, he got a good bake on the shortbread.
Well, well, well.
Ians is a masterpiece of a centerpiece.
He gets full marks for originality and the well is actually functioning.
(Good one, Paul!)
His biscuits are delicious, but overall the judges feel he needed more piping around the outside.
Paul doesnt think Tamal did enough work in the time allotted.
But he made a well!
I dont get it.
Paul likes what shes done, but its wonky and theres no glossy shine to her chocolate.
Its a very flat finish, says Mary.
They can taste the rising agent too much.
Paul saws into it to discover her puffed rice didnt bind together.
Ultimately, its very impressive to look at, but it doesnt taste as good as it looks.
Nadiyas centerpiece really defines what a Showstopper should be.
Its a thing of beauty, really too pretty to eat.
The attention to detail really showcases her skills.
Thats enough to give Nadiya the title of Star Baker for another week.
Its the end of the road for Flora.
I feel so honored and privileged to have got this far, she says with a few tears.
Ian is crying his eyes out.
Dont weep, you big softy, Flora chides.
Its a shame for the lovely lass; she just always went one decorative twirl too far.
Join me next week for the final tented showdown.
