Great British Bake Off

What a tense semifinal! Too close to call for me between Flora and Ian.

Chuffed to bits that Nadiya and Tamal made the final. Can't wait.

I would rather Ian went......very difficult that last challenge!

I couldn't make out where Nadiya was going with her peacock but when I saw the finished article, I was stunned. She deserved to be star baker, despite the failed soufflé.

Right decision I think. I feel Paul and Mary have got it in for Ian, almost as a reaction to his early successes. I thought his chocolate tart was technically brilliant and his well was amazing. Flora has been very sweet but muddles through with an emphasis on style over substance. Time to go.

I thought Ian missed the point rather in the showstopper stakes, yes his well was wonderful but hardly spectacular.

I agree with the judges' decision though - Flora's carousel looked impressive but obviously didn't taste as good as it looked!

Tonight was the first time I didn't see any of the smugness from Ian that he's become known for, but it could all be down to the editing.

annodomini I think it was deliberate that we didn't even get a glimpse of Nadia's Show Stoppers and what a masterpiece it was.

I did like hearing Mary and Paul talking about how they break down the elements of each challenge to help them decide who goes and who gets Star Baker. I think that's the first time they have spoken in detail about this.

Great show and will definitely be watching Extra Slice this week.

Win or lose, I would love to see Nadiya cooking/baking on TV in some capacity because she's got a great sense of humour and her range of facial expressions is delightful!

Tamal and Nadiya have both see sawed between disasters and excellence. That peacock was amazing. They both usually get very good flavours.

I didn't think much of Ian's well at all. Too much technology and not enough cooking.

I am sure even Mary Berry and Paul Holloway have at sometime had total disasters with stuff they have made.

I really like this program. It's far more entertaining that masterchef.

Anybody can fail a souffle!

I was just surprised that none of them had ever made a souffle.

Me too felice, they don't seem to be able to do basics, just "showstopper" stuff!

I don't think a centre piece is proof of good baker. I think the chocolate tart was more of a test. I thought that blue (sickening colour) peacock was awful.
They are all proficient bakers and its a niggly business trying to find a winner. I'm glad my sons aren't into baking- I'd never get the kitchen to myself and all that cleaning up . 10 bowls smeared with chocolate.
I took what was the City& Guilds cookery course and we got points for washing up as we went along.

Its true Mary and Paul did discuss - but probably a prepared text.
I think they know who will be the winner.

I was surprise none of them had made a souffle at least once. Paul hadn't made a Genoese either.

I do think their baking skills are well tested though. Isn't that the point of the signature bake and technical challenge rounds? Especially the technical challenge because the instructions do not have every step explained, so knowledge and skills come to the fore. The show stopper is all about showing their skills in a creative manner and Ian's show stopper was criticised for not demonstrating enough variation of skills. And as we saw with Flora's show stopper, it has to taste good, not just look good.

Although we do see contestants who finish early cleaning their workstations, I doubt the contestants normally have to clean up after themselves on the show because that would impact on the production time. The contestants probably love not having to clean up like at home! mariann I think the family bakers would need the kitchen to themselves and that includes cleaning up afterwards. You'd just have to sample the results!

Sounds exciting - I missed last week's episode, must try to find it on follow-up or whaever it's called.
Even I've made a soufflée - a smoked haddock one and it came out perfect. Too salty though.
I'd be no good at showstoppers, or pastry.

Pastry I learned from my mum. Cakes too.
But I now make variations on an eggless cake from a wartime recipe!

However, souffles I never tried either.....I don't think I dare. Too difficult.

I gather they have a washer up but it all has to be done after the show as the noise would interfere with the filming.

After 45 years of marriage, including 10 years cooking for a living, I have never made or eaten a souffle. Never seen the point of them really

Deeda that makes sense.

I don't enjoy cooking or baking, so a souffle has never been on my radar, but I can't count the number of times I have read in novels how hard it is to do a good souffle. So many times it went wrong - didn't rise, sunk or whatever, leaving the hostess wailing! Same with TV shows or films. It is just stuck in my head that a good souffle is hard to achieve.

But knowing they'd made it on to the show, perhaps they should have had a go. The other week Nadiya saw a picture of the technical challenge when she was looking through a Mary Berry cook book. I'll bet there was a souffle in there too, so maybe future contestants should check out Mary and Paul's cook books before the first show.

Ian should have gone rather than Flora. Don't mind who wins between Nadya and Tamal really. Nadya probably deserves it most as she has been star baker three times most recently. Ian peaked early methinks!

After watching Extra Slice, I agree Pamaga.

Round 1
Flora's chocolate tart wasn't a great success, but neither was Ian's.

Round 2
Flora won the technical challenge by a wide margin (can't remember the words Paul used) - even though she'd never made a souffle before either.

Round 3
The judges weren't happy with the amount of different skills Ian demonstrated in his show stopper, whilst it was the fact that the roof of Flora's wasn't all meant to be eaten that they seemed unhappy about.

I'm not a fan of Flora or Ian, but I don't understand why the judges chose Ian.

I'm glad that Nadia and Tamal are in the final too. I really, really want to eat Nadia's chocolate and peanut tart. I am salivating just thinking about it.

Nadiya has a very good grasp of ingredients and flavours. I wonder if she has some cooking or food science qualifications. I agree about the chocolate and peanut tart sounds too good to be true! and too nice to be good for you.

Just watching the highlights of last year's Bake Off. This year's has been really boring by comparison. No real characters, no drama and lacking in humour. Even Mary Berry is beginning to look as though she's had enough.

I watched the semifinals this pm - interesting, but I think the recipes etc are becoming too complicated, so it's hard to imagine making the same things yourself.
That's the main reason I watch the programme, to get cooking ideas.
I wondered too if Nadiya has some professional qualifications.
Soufflées - I once had a vegetarian cookbook which had recipes for veg. soufflées, I made them quite often in our vegetarian days.

High spot last year was when sil decided to have a go at a hand raised pork pie. Mmm!! Then he made another.
Definitely time he checked whether he still has the skill!