• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Kerry Cooks

Recipes and inspiration from the sweeter side of life

  • Home
  • Rainbow Cake
  • Recipes
    • Rainbow Cake
    • Cookies and Cookie Dough
    • Cakes
    • Bars and Brownies
    • Brunch
    • Cupcakes
    • Nutella
    • No-Bake
    • Seasonal
      • Valentine’s Day
      • Easter
      • Summer
      • Autumn
      • Halloween
      • Christmas
    • Healthy Choices
    • Savoury Recipes
  • Baking 101
    • How to’s
    • Cupcake Academy
    • Baking Essentials
    • Baking cheat sheets
  • On the Side
    • Beauty
    • Reviews
    • Blogging
    • Things I love
  • Get in Touch
    • Work with Kerry
    • Disclosure

The Great British Bake-Off Season Four Episode Nine Recap

October 15, 2013 By Kerry Cooks 4 Comments

Hello and welcome to the penultimate episode of this season’s GBBO! I can’t believe how quickly this season’s Bake Off is flying on by!

bake_2663532b

Tonight is the semi-final of this year’s series, and I predict that Beca will do home, leaving us with Frances, Kimberley and Ruby for a fantastic final next week. Let’s tune in…

First up, the contestants are given two and a half hours to produce three sets of deliciously scrumptious and of course, identical and evenly sized canapes. As ever, Ruby is doing something a little bit risky, Beca is doing something welsh, Frances is doing something creative, and Kimberley is pairing interesting international flavours with her dim sum inspired canapes.

Kimberley is up first for judging and Paul and Mary don’t so much judge her efforts as just chomp their way through them while going ‘Mmm’ and ‘Scrummy’ – very high praise again for Kimberley – I don’t think there’s any doubt she’ll be in the final and may even win…

Next to be judged is Ruby, who’s quail eggs have caused a bit of an issue – overall, her presentation isn’t quite on point but her canapes are very tasty (Sue certainly seems to be enjoying them).

Beca is third, and all three of her efforts come in for some fairly robust constructive criticism… poor Beca! She wants it so much.

Finally, Frances! She receives even more effusive praise than Kimberley and almost bursts into tears on the spot (Paul is so impressed he even shakes her hand!).

Time for the penultimate ‘challenge technique’ – this week’s is a Bezza special – a Charlotte Royale, which Sue helpfully advises the contestants looks just like a brain! I love seeing how the different contestants react to a bit of unexpected stress – Kimberley is always so laid back about everything – she really would be great as a professional chef.

Image source

Image source

Charlotte Royale – a making, and Ruby’s winging it seems to be actually backfiring for once… her jam runs out of the swiss roll and her mousse mixture looks … interesting.

Mel and Sue’s commentary is so hilarious, I hope they’re getting a big fat pay rise with the move to BBC1!

The morning after, and our contestants turn out their lovely Charlotte’s onto serving platters, Kimberley’s looks FAB, Frances’s Beca’s and Ruby’s less so (Ruby’s really less so).

Image source

Image source

The showstopping challenge this week is an Opera Cake – and I fear that Ruby’s wonderful luck up till this point in the series in definitely wearing off… Paul is questioning her idea of putting saffron into her opera cake…

All of the contestants are doing their own unique spin on an opera cake, Frances is doing hers with white chocolate and lavender, Beca is doing a banoffee version, and Kimberley is doing a lime chocolate version which sounds very extravagant and delicious… and if it pans out, truly showstopping.

 

Time for this week’s educational interlude, and Mel heads off to see a French patisserie chef to learn about the history of the Opera Cake, and attempt to pipe ‘Opera’ on a cake which turns out adorably wonky. Piping is difficult business!

It’s here – the Opera Cake day of judgement. Frances is up first for judging, and her cake is very well presented and looks great, but the flavours are a little lacking. Kimberley’s passion fruit and lime cake is next, with her chocolate ganache flavour overwhelming the fruit for an overall slightly disappointing cake.

Ruby’s attempt is up nect, and her opera cake is experiencing some landslip on one edge and is a bit untidy. The flavour however, is good.

Finally, Beca’s turn with her Banoffee Cake. She looks so nervous bless her! Sadly her Opera Cake is a bit clunky looking and doesn’t taste fantastic either. There’s no doubt who’s going home this week!

Kimberley is crowned star baker, and Beca goes home. Even though it’s the least surprising result yet, it must be so gutting to get this far and then go home right before the final.

 

  • The Bake-Off is moving to BBC1! Are you for, against, or indifferent?
  • Fancy trying your very own Charlotte Royale?
  • How the Bake-Off has changed Britain

Share the love!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Print

Filed Under: Great British Bake Off Tagged With: baking, Great British Bake Off, recap, TV

Previous Post: « Easy Homemade Halloween Sandwich Cookies
Next Post: Snaphots from my week »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Erin says

    October 16, 2013 at 6:05 pm

    I feel like they are always so soft on Ruby, because she plays the victim so well! Was sad to see Beca go home, but not surprising like you say. Bring on the final! Sue and Mel had me giggling a lot this week, they really do make it.

    Reply
    • Kerry Cooks says

      October 17, 2013 at 12:23 pm

      I think that’s it in a nutshell! I’m not sure it’ll carry her through the final though… I can’t see anyone but Kimberley winning now

      Reply
  2. Sue says

    October 15, 2013 at 9:10 pm

    I feel so sorry for Beca, especially given that as usual, Ruby’s presentation on all three tasks was awful, and yet the judges always kind of ignore that! Taste is important Judges but presentation is key. I hope no ones brain looks like Ruby’s Charlotte!
    Good luck for the final girls……especially Frances 😉

    Reply
    • Kerry Cooks says

      October 16, 2013 at 9:35 am

      I know what you mean – it does feel like Ruby has had a free pass for a whole now. I doubt she’ll win though

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Kerry!
Cookie-dough addict, rainbow cake lover, friend to cats, never met a pizza I didn't like. VERY enthusiastic human. Homebody and adventurer. Nice to meet you!

Read more about Kerry...
Kerry Line
Facebook 11,405Fans
follow
Twitter 2,369Followers
follow
Instagram 1,800Followers
follow
Pinterest 7,344Subscribers
subscribe
Post 1,118Posts
edit
Comment 8,256Comments
comment
Kerry Line
Kerry Line

A note about links

Some of the links on this site are affiliate links, which means that if you click on it and go on to buy something, I might earn a few pennies (and it will cost you the same!).
Kerry Line
Kerry Line

Footer

Work with me!

I love telling my audience about products I love! Get in touch -> Read More…

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Kerry Cooks Privacy Policy

See it here!

Get Kerry Cooks posts direct to your inbox!

Enter your email address below to get new posts by email, it's FREE!

Join 14,776 other subscribers

Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs
Foodies100

Copyright © 2022 Kerry Cooks

X
Subject:
Message: