The Great British Baking Show Recap: Capsule Collection

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One of my favorite weeks always brings excitement, as the tantalizing biscuits make their anticipated appearance. This week’s event showcased another intricate engineering challenge, with a few unexpected twists and a fair share of clarity. Above all, perfectionist Tom, who remains not only my cherished companion but also flawlessly perfect in every way, truly shone.

The unique challenge isn’t typically associated with creating any cookie, as most prefer store-bought Christmas tree cookies from Pillsbury available at local stores like Piggly Wiggly instead of making slice-and-bake cookies with pictures inside. However, this task is fascinating because it involves shaping one kind of dough into various colors, making it complex yet achievable within the given timeframe. The results are immediately visible in the baked goods, allowing appreciation for the technical skill required to create a biscuit that resembles diverse items such as an orange, cupcake, Millennium Falcon (mistaken for a sailboat), a dog disguised as a cat, or a mince pie thief.

Let’s dive into today’s lesson about food terminology differences between Britain and America. In the UK, ground beef is referred to as “mince,” but a mince pie is not made from hamburger meat. Instead, it’s a traditional British Christmas treat filled with a spiced mixture of dried fruits (often including alcohol due to their historical culinary practices), and no, I’m not surprised if this seems confusing! This sweet dessert has become increasingly popular in the U.S., too.

The issue with these colored biscuits lies in their appearance during baking; it’s tough to determine when they’re done because bakers can’t visually observe the browning process. As a result, most people end up with undercooked biscuits. Leighton is among those who felt the pressure from both the challenge and the overall episode. When Alison checks in on him, she empathizes, mentioning her previous experience on this show and how stressful it can be. Leighton lightens the mood by making a reference to a well-known clip of Alison struggling to close the oven door during the celebrity edition of the show. Nothing sounds as delightful as hearing Alison Hammond laugh at her own blunders.

During her visits to Aaron, he often creates biscuits shaped like cute anime-style babies. One of them was slightly incomplete, lacking an eye. Alison creatively added bangs to this incomplete biscuit, making it resemble another creation named Noel quite closely. Shouldn’t we acknowledge Aaron’s talent and advance him to the next round for such a unique creation? Upon tasting his biscuits, the judges were impressed by both their appearance and taste. Unfortunately, no additional points were awarded for Noel.

Or, in a more concise version:

Aaron creates anime-baby shaped biscuits that impress visitors, including Alison’s unique creation, Noel. Missing an eye, she added bangs to complete it. Despite the judges loving his creations, no bonus points were given for Noel.

At the top as well, it appears that Jessika stands out with her hilariously impressive creation of bacon and egg on toast biscuits. Moreover, Tom impresses by building a replica of Hagia Sophia using biscuits, complete with intricate lines that give it a retro, 90’s ink-jet color printer look. Despite the laborious process, he pulls it off flawlessly. Tom is indeed the creator of these masterpieces, showcasing his perfection in all aspects, from beating his peers at sports to chatting with his perfect partner in their ideal kitchen. By the way, we also encounter Aaron’s handsome spouse, Anthony. One might wonder if everyone in this season is gay or if the U.K. is running low on heterosexual male bakers (other than Toby and Iain).

Down below, you’ll find Nadia with her matcha avocados, an unusual pairing that doesn’t seem to gel well together. Next to her is Toby, whose dog Becks seems more feline than canine, and Prue thinks their flavor is reminiscent of peanut butter, which she finds peculiar as it’s quite an American thing. Have they never tried a Nutter Butter? No, they haven’t because they aren’t sold in England, but they really should be! The lowest of the low is Pui Man’s companion. Correction: It’s her partner, Tom, who attempted to create ox statues for the Year of the Ox. Unfortunately, he ended up making red and yellow items that somewhat resemble a bottle of Rush poppers if you catch my drift.

The task at hand is to bake a dozen HobNobs, a biscuit commonly found in supermarkets during summer due to their air-conditioned environments. Unlike cookies, they possess a granola bar-like texture. You may remember them as the sweet sawdust treats you’d only eat if there were no other options left on the catering table apart from apples. The most popular version features chocolate on one side, while Prue has added caramel topping, a creation unique to her that isn’t found in nature but is visually stunning.

It appears that Pui Man’s adjustments to the recipe are causing the most confusion for everyone. The caramel component seems to be particularly challenging; some find it too thin, others too thick, and there’s disagreement about the right amount. The issue might stem from the fact that HobNobs don’t originally contain caramel. If bakers are expected to create a variation, they should be explicitly instructed on how to do so. Unfortunately, Pui Man seems to be struggling with remembering various aspects of the recipe. She fails to pre-cut her biscuits before baking, resulting in crumbly messes. Her caramel preparation is off, and she places the chocolate on the wrong side due to improper timing, which results in a final product that resembles less of a HobNob and more of a HobSlob. Zing indeed!

I must admit, Leighton’s appearance is less than appealing; his chocolate-hued fur seems to carry an unwanted layer of grime, reminiscent of someone who’s been in the limelight for too long. However, Nataliia and Nadia are shining brightly at the top, though they didn’t receive an outpouring of praise from the judges during their initial evaluation. For the second week running, it’s Toby and his Hobs who take the crown. Their presentation was truly Nobby, eliciting admiration from Prue and Paul. As Alison humorously notes, Toby seems to struggle with executing planned creations, but when it comes to unexpected challenges, he aces them every time.

The challenging task at hand isn’t my favorite. Bakers are required to create an edible time capsule out of biscuits instead of the usual boxes. This idea seems unusual, especially since traditional time capsules aren’t meant to be consumed and have a short lifespan in soil. Furthermore, there should be five biscuit memorabilia inside that depict aspects of time, though details about these items are often overlooked. For instance, Jessica once made an interactive biscuit sculpture of herself, which Paul Hollywood’s hands managed to break within 30 seconds.

During the baking process, Leighton consistently runs out of time and makes Alison hold a plate of half-constructed biscuit “pianos” that he’s struggling to assemble. If Alison hadn’t intervened, she likely would still be waiting for him to step aside so she could sit down. Meanwhile, Lesley, while baking cookies in memory of her dog, shared an amusing tale. It seems her dog ingested something harmful on a beach walk and started experiencing seizures. As it turned out, the culprit was a stash of marijuana, leading her to take the dog to the vet for treatment. Now she plans to “bake” him again, indicating her pet enjoys this unusual ritual.

In the judging process, several time capsules truly shine, one of them being Jasmine’s creation dedicated to the Scottish Highlands. Surprisingly, her box didn’t contain a single whiskey-flavored item. Upon opening, it revealed an array of visually appealing iced cookies adorned with chocolate and hazelnut or white chocolate and raspberry. Prue referred to it as a “stunner,” and although I only saw it on TV and didn’t taste it, I agreed with her assessment.

Typically, when someone struggles significantly in the first two tasks on the show, they offer hope with the phrase, “Perhaps the showstopper can rescue them,” but it rarely does. However, Pui Man, who is known for her gingerbread house-making skills with her children, managed to do just that. Her container replicates her favorite floating restaurant in Hong Kong. Upon revealing her creation to the judges, she humorously comments, “It sank.” It seems this was a foreshadowing comment, but Pui Man’s intricately designed and robust structure, reminiscent of a pagoda dedicated to baking deities, proved otherwise. The gingerbread tasted delightful as well, and inside were almond-flavored cookies in honor of her parents and her past as a dressmaker. This exceptional display was one of the standout moments of the season so far, effectively securing her place on the show.

Regarding the episode’s developments, there was constant mention of the Hollywood handshake, with Tom being a frequent source. Last week, discussions centered around whether he deserved it, and this week, speculations were made about his response if he received one, as well as who he would contact if he got the handshake. Tom indicated that he would reach out to his partner to ask if he was okay with things progressing further with Paul. However, I’m unsure about Paul’s feelings in this matter. Still, I consider myself worthy of a handshake, and compared to Tom, I’d say I’m less on the sausage side. Tom, you’re truly outstanding, and my DM inbox is always open for you. Why not invite your partner too? Let’s plan a trip to Paris.

Tom’s flawless cottage-style bake, reminiscent of a dollhouse rather than a cookie house, undeniably deserves a pat on the back. Over time, I’ve been vocal about my disdain for the Hollywood handshake, but it simply doesn’t belong in a standout performance like this one. When you have an exceptional showstopper, you earn the title of Star Baker, a heartwarming call home to your loved ones, and the admiration of both cast members and viewers from various nations. It would be out of place for Paul to offer a handshake in the second half of the show. If we must endure it, then let it be a Signature Bake moment, where he’s right next to the bakers, making a gesture that feels natural when acknowledging their hard work. From afar at the showstopper, let your words speak volumes and move on instead.

Tom truly earned the praise, as I mentioned earlier. His creation was a stunning replica of his Danish grandmother’s cottage, as shown in the picture he shared with the judges. It seems that Tom often reminisces about his Danish grandmother. In my case, my grandmother is more like a pastry, and I don’t frequently mention her. Prue finds the entire piece flawless, and she’s correct – from the moss on the roof to the chocolate and orange digestives, as well as the lemon cream brandy snaps shaped like a cigar, it appears incredibly professional.

Some individuals faced difficulties in their projects. Nadia attempted to create a cake-shaped box, using two triangles stacked inside each other. Unfortunately, the top of her creation collapsed, much like a leaky roof in a horror movie. Toby showcased an impressive-looking treasure chest, but Paul criticized its dry texture and suggested that it looked so dry that Toby seemed desperate enough to drink from Prue’s tears. One of Toby’s biscuits, designed to resemble a playing card, had a leakage issue, while the rest were equally poorly baked. According to Paul, the presentation was stylish but lacked substance.

In this version, I tried to maintain the original meaning while making it more reader-friendly and easy to understand.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I must confess that Leighton’s project this week fell short of the mark. His ambitious piano box, intended to house a replica of his Blue Peter Badge, just didn’t cut it. It was rough around the edges, lacking finesse and grace – Paul even went as far as calling it a bit revolting. Although I’m all for the underdogs, Leighton, who casually proclaims “Wine o’clock” without a hint of humor, seemed to be in over his head from the start. It’s better for him to take an early bow and move on, rather than struggle week after week. As for his time capsule? I think it’s safer left buried in the backyard, where it can peacefully fade into obscurity.

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2025-09-12 15:56