The Great British Bake Off – Episode 4: Pies and Tarts Review

Week 4 was Pie and Tarts. The preview from last week showed Howard, Mel and Sue trying to move his filo pie. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as tense as Beca and Glenn made it out to be, but entertaining nonetheless.

Star Baker: Kimberley (finally!)

Eliminated: Ali

Potential for winners: Kimberley, Ruby, Beca

Best showstopper bake of the week: Kimberley’s Chicken, Bacon and Butternut Squash Pie

I am being quite harsh on one contestant this week for not awarding them my showstopper bake of the week award and that is Frances. I admit I fell for her squirrel charm in Week 1, but it is getting to the serious part of the competition, and burning one of your breadsticks for effect (which may have been the bad one) is not acceptable in my eye. I agree with Paul about style over substance and I mentioned last week that she may start to slip.

Kimberley has been consistent, and her performance in bread week moves her up to Winner’s Row. Ruby’s solid showstopper performance keeps her in Winner’s Row, and I admit a soft spot for Beca, and Glenn – how great was their high five in the preview! She came second in the technical and has been performing well. However she may need to start moving up.

Rob’s “Piethagoras” significantly underwhelmed this week. I think he is pushing too far in his showstoppers. I would like him to do a normal bake for once so we can truly see his baking potential. Unfortunately, pastry was Ali’s demise this week. Despite pulling off a 2 metre long M’Hanncha, his eighth place technical egg custard tarts (of which he made just 6) and his loathe of fruit pies eliminated him from the competition.

Next week is biscuits and traybakes, and signature traybakes, tricky technical tuiles and showstopping biscuit towers are on the menu. Is it just me but do Mel and Sue have something about them that make bakes go wrong? Mel measures a tower and it suddenly collapses – destiny?!

See some of my Pies and Tarts here: