Warning: spoilers for season 10 of the Great British Bake Off ahead!
There is arguably no show filled with more ups and downs, dramatics, and crying than the Great British Bake Off; the only thing missing for it to be nominated for an Emmy in best Drama series is a gasp-worthy affair. That being said, this season has recently come to a close, finishing 10 weeks of revered Paul Hollywood handshakes, Mary Berry necklaces, and lots and lots of baked goods. No soggy bottom, lackluster flavor profile, or dry sponge could predict this year’s winner.
And so with great pleasure, I am happy to announce that none other than our dear David won season 10 of GBBO. In a shocking twist that I most definitely could not predict David, Steph, and Alice took on the final bake-off. David, having completely left his drive to substitute “healthy” alternatives into his baking started off the signature challenge with a lackluster chocolate cake. Steph’s black forest extravaganza took the cake (no pun intended) during the signature with Alice tailing behind. Personally, I thought a simple chocolate cake was a good signature challenge. It offered the contestants an opportunity to either keep their bake simple and strive for perfection or spice up a classic with a new, personal twist.
However, I did not appreciate the results of the technical challenge, six perfect Stilton Souffles. I thought that the contestants were being set up for failure, with none of them producing a product that looked either appetizing or beautifully executed. I would have preferred the judges to pick a bake that the viewers would perhaps know and add their own twist to spice it up for the contestants. I felt like the technical really had no clear winner with all of the bakers failing in one way or another.
Going into the final challenge, it was a toss-up as to who was gonna bring home a win. Cool, calm, and collected David seemed poised to succeed if only he would really step up his decorative abilities while not going overboard with his spices. Alice appeared very frazzled going into the final. I wondered if her disorganization and general crazed baking style would cause her to fail in this last test. Finally, Steph: I hedged my bets on Steph, who won multiple star bakers throughout the season and seemed steadily at the top of the competition. I just hoped that Steph could suppress her fear of failure and get through the challenge without a hitch. All three contestants finished with a lovely picnic-esque show stopper; however, it was clear that two of the bakers had not done enough in terms of flavor and style to bring home the grand prize.
Although I did not expect David to win, I am not mad about it. David deserved to win after a season full of second places. He steadily improved his skills with complex flavors and extraordinary designs throughout the competition. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this truly star baker!
PS: Henry and Michael are dating!!! Or are they? I ship it.
