I can’t believe we are at the Finals already of season 5 of The Great Canadian Baking Show. Time is flying by and the three that has made it the finals are Aimee, Steve and Vincent as I predicted way back, with confidence, during Bread Week. My prediction as to who wins it all before I start this recap is: Aimee.

Signature Bake

The Bake: Multi-layer mousse tart

The Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes.

What I would bake: A Neapolitan Mousse tart. A chocolate pie dough crust with a vanilla bean mousse and a strawberry gelee.

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts:

Not so sure about the flavour combinations in Aimee’s but liking Vincent’s and Steve’s tarts.

• Aimee: Sweet Pea Garden Tart made with pistachio and strawberry soil and sweet pea and mint mousse. Kyla noted the crust was a bit thin but likes the combination of strawberry and pea. Bruno called it exquisite.
• Steve: Lime in the Coconut Mousse tart made with mango gelee, pineapple curd and lime coconut mousse. Kyla likes that she can see all three layers and she likes the key lime. Bruno called the mango jelly too firm.
• Vincent: Mojito Madness Mousse Tart made with rum and lime mousse and ginger beer gelee. Bruno said his tart is well baked but Kyla noted that she can’t taste the rum. However, Kyla liked the ginger beer gelee.

All three had a bit of struggles but if I had to say who came out ahead of the signature, I would say Aimee.

Technical Bake

The Bake: 10 delizie al limone

The Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes.

How I would have fared: I have never heard of this let alone know how to spell it. I had to Google how to spell it. I think I would fail. I am not that good at making the individual components of this thing except for maybe the sponge. Also, I probably won’t make this as I am not a big fan of lemon desserts.

How the bakers did:

1. Steve
2. Vincent
3. Aimee

After the technical, Aimee needs to have an epic fail not to win the season 5 cake plate.

Showstopper

The Bake: Baking Journey Cake 

The Time: 4 hours and 30 minutes

What I would bake: My baking journey started when I was 7 years old. So I want to incorporate one of the first things that I baked into a chocolate chip cookie cake and then my high school days where I advanced my baking and do a banana bread cake to all baking I learned during the pandemic like a cinnamon cake with blackberry jam. 

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts:

I think Steve and I were on the same baking journey as I would do something similar. But I do find the flavours of Aimee’s and Vincent’s intriguing.

• Aimee: Turtle Extravaganza. The cake are a spice cake with plum compote and a chocolate cake with a berry compote. The decorations are a cherry meringue cookie and lychee turtle gummies. Bruno noted the spice cake was a bit dry but liked the plum compote and the berry compote. Bruno also liked the cherry meringue.
• 

  Vincent: Winner of Season 5

  Steve: Dessert Tower. The cake is made with a chocolate chip cookie base, an orange curd chocolate cake, an Earl Grey cake with Berry Jam and topped with a Mille Feuille. Kyla called the mille feuille a bit dense but Bruno liked the flavour. Bruno wanted more of the filling in the Earl Grey cake and like the mousse of the other cake. Kyla noted that the chocolate chip cookie was a bit raw.
• Vincent: Journey to Elegance. The cakes are a pineapple basil yellow cake and a pineapple pecan banana cake topped with a creme caramel. Kyla like the creme caramel and the cake is supporting all the flavours. For the banana cake, Bruno liked the combination of flavours. 

Hmm. I still think it is Aimee but it could very well be Vincent.

The Winner: Vincent

Quick Thoughts: I am happy to be wrong in my predictions. Vincent is a well deserved winner and he was one of the people that I was cheering for since the season started. Here is hoping for a season 6 and 7 so I can apply for the latter. Next week is the holiday special and looking forward to seeing the festive bakes.