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
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Your support makes all the difference.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
The Technical Challenge is Æbleskiver, small little dough balls filled with apple and cinnamon, then dipped in strawberry jam.
Judgement time: Ruby's cheated with her balls, Briony's balls have just the right texture, Kim-Joy's balls don't quite match, Rahul's balls have had "serious issues", and Manon's balls are all different sizes.
From worst to best: Rahul, Manon, Ruby, Kim-Joy, Briony.
The Showstopper Challenge is the Kagekone, which is a birthday cake shaped like a person that, as Sandi explains, means everyone has to scream when the head is cut off. What this means for the Bake Off tent is that we hear some actually quite nice stories about people's relatives.
A quick prediction here: Rahul's absolutely cracked under pressure this week, it seems like he's destined to go home after having become a firm favourite to win. What happened, Rahul? Star Baker, however, might go to Ruby, who seems to have faced the least disasters this week.
Judgement time: Ruby's pastry person is "absolutely sweet", Manon has once more fallen into the danger of making a French thing instead of a Danish thing, Kim-Joy's design is impeccable (and no animals!) but undercooked, Briony's pastries have the best flavour, and Rahul's gone and burnt his.
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