Two more bakers have left the tent
The Great British Bake Off 2023 has just seen the dreaded Pastry Week return — and two bakers waving goodbye to the tent.
The remaining nine bakers were put through their paces in tonight's (October 24) episode, and despite best efforts to avoid a soggy bottom, both Nicky and Rowan were eliminated.
The double exit came after a Chocolate Week twist last week. Tasha was unable to compete in the Showstopper challenge after falling ill during the Technical, and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith decided to send no one home. But that meant two bakers would leave this week.
Last night's episode started with a Signature savoury picnic pie. Matty's 'Saponakopita' offering included feta and herbs, while Dana's contained dauphinoise potatoes and both Josh and Tasha's recipes included a pork filling.
Meanwhile, Nicky suffered a kitchen malfunction as her dough began to cook her egg filling, forcing her to restart her recipe.
Elsewhere, Cristy shone in the Signature — receiving a hallowed Hollywood handshake — while Saku befell a soggy bottom and Nicky's pie turned out like a "bag of pants".
For Pastry Week's Technical challenge, the bakers had to attempt dauphinoise pithivier, a French rough puff pastry filled with dauphinoise potatoes.
Dan was forced to start over after suffering an injury that led him to bleed into his pastry — but still, he nabbed the top spot in the Technical. Nicky ended up last in the ranking, with Josh coming in eighth and Rowan not far above. Dana, meanwhile, finished in second.
The Showstopper saw the bakers challenged with making a display of decorative sweet pies, with Nicky and Saku marked by Paul and Prue as being in trouble.
Cristy's Showstopper consisted of an 'Autumnal Lattice' selection, which the judges said was "beautiful". Sadly, Paul and Prue felt Rowan, who suffered a series of mishaps, had "awful" offerings — with his pies being either under or overcooked.
In the end, co-host Allison Hammond announced that Cristy had received the title of Star Baker. Departing the tent were Nicky and Rowan, who kept their heads held high.
"You can't stay after a bag of pants," laughed Nicky, while Rowan said that "everyone's just been fab".
