The Final of The Great British Bake Off is fast approaching, and we can hardly wheat! As Kim-Joy pointed out in the Semi Final, this is the most closely-matched trio of GBBO finalists the show has ever seen, with all three having won Star Baker twice. It’s hard not to fall in loaf with all three bakers, so ahead of the final, we wanted to recap on each of their journeys to the top.
Project Manager Ruby was something of a late bloomer in the Bake Off tent, making it through the first weeks, in her words, “like the cat that’s got nine lives”. But from little acorns, mighty bakers grow. Ruby has won Star Baker for the last two weeks running and has been described by Paul as a ‘juggernaut of flavour’.
Ruby learned to bake at university, where she enjoyed cooking and baking for her seven housemates. Her first memories of baking, however, go much further back: she remembers helping her mum make Jalebis, an Indian sweet. Today, she likes to add a little bite to her bakes with a slosh of rum.
Ruby first won Star Baker in Danish Week. Her post-gym smørrebrød (open sandwich to you and me), were topped with a mini Mediterranean breakfast and subtly spicy tandoori chicken. But it was her Showstopper that really impressed the judges. Inspired by her sister, Ruby’s kagekone human-shaped pastry was sweet as could be – quite literally, as it was decorated with all of her sister’s favourite confectionery.
In the Semi Final, Ruby aced it again, winning Star Baker for Pâtisserie Week. Her dipped Madeleines had great flavours, and she then came first in the Technical Challenge, standing up to the fiendishly difficult Seven Veils cake. The last leg of this ‘pastry marathon’ was an exhausting Showstopper of thirty-six perfect Parisian pastries. Luckily for Ruby, she’s an actual athlete, and had a good run with her “clever” strawberry and mint millefeuille, sweet pâté sucrée and chocolate and hazelnut St. Honoré choux pastries.
Ruby has a marathon under her belt, so that may be a clue as to her stamina levels in the tent, helping her make it through nine episodes, twenty-seven challenges and one heartbreaking collapsing vegan cake. She’s nearing the finish line, but will she win gold in The Great British Bake Off final?
To see whether Ruby, Kim-Joy or Rahul will be crowned this year’s winner of The Great British Bake Off, tune in to the final on Tuesday 30th of October at 8pm on Channel 4.