For season 7, The Great Canadian Baking Show is shaking things up by moving up “Bread Week” by a week. Usually, week 2 is Cookies Week so I am surprised that it is happening so soon. 

I made the prediction that last week that Heather, Kathy and Loïc would be in the final and that my dark horses were Niv and Candice. Let’s see if my front runners stay front runners or if new bakers will emerge that might go far.

Signature Bake

The Bake: Corn Bread with a homemade condiment

The Time: One hour and 45 minutes

What I would bake: A blueberry-lemon cornbread. I made something like this quite a while ago and gave it to my Bard on the Beach volunteers to try and all of them just loved it. I would add maybe an orange marmalade. 

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts:

Everyone went savory. My mind did go savory at first but then switched to sweet. So it is interesting that everyone went savory. The one that sounds the most delicious to me is Candice/

• Andrew: Make Your Mark Cornbread made with bacon and chive cream cheese and crispy jalapenos. Both like the flavours but Kyla wished the cheese was softer.
• Camila: Cornbread con Chili canned corn, Swiss cheese, dry chili and served with garlic and sun-dried tomato butter. Kyla liked the sweetness of the cornbread.
• Candice: Chicken Dinner Cornbread made with fried chicken skins, honey butter and a green pepper jelly glaze. Bruno said it was perfectly baked and Kyla liked the jelly.
• Heather: Three Sisters Cornbread made with pumpkin puree, pea puree, nasturtiums and smoky cheddar cheese. Bruno thought the cornbread was dry but worked if you put the pea puree on it.
• Kathy: Ode to Mexican Street Corn pepper filled cornbread with candied jalapenos, crema drizzle and Cojita butter. Kyla wanted more vibrancy instead. Bruno wanted better execution on Kathy’s vision.
• Loïc: Drunk and Corny Cornbread made with Mirasol peppers and beer cheese sauce. Bruno called it lush but noted some cornbread was uncooked. Kyla liked the beer cheese sauce.
• Niv: Persian Cornbread made with barberries, saffron and turmeric chicken and served with Mast-o-Khiar. Bruno noted the top wasn’t cooked but the flavour was there.
• Rainier: Mediterranean Cornbread made with Lebanese olives and served with a fig feta dip. Kyla said it needed more in time in the oven but like the dip.
• Sydney: Seaside Cornbread on the Cob made with PEI cheddar, scallop ceviche, charred corn and lime butter. Bruno called the presentation playful. Kyla said there was too much that you couldn’t enjoy one thing.

Technical Bake

The Bake: Rosca de Reyes

The Time: 2 hours

How I would have fared: I’ve never heard of this and it looks a bit challenging especially with the candied fruit. I think I might either be somewhere in the middle or near the bottom.

How the bakers did:

1. 

   Andrew 
2. Rainier
3. Niv
4. Candice
5. Loïc
6. Sydney
7. Kathy
8. Heather
9. Camila

Showstopper

The Bake:

Tower of buns (24 individual buns with two different fillings)

The Time: 4 hours

What I would bake:

12 of my steamed buns would panda shaped steamed buns with BBQ pork fillings (inspired by the JBO technical bake). The other would be a red panda shaped steamed buns with red bean and coconut filling. I would probably attempt to make the red panda look like the one in Turning Red and the panda look like the one from Kung Fu Panda.

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts:  

Kathy’s buns sound amazing and so does Sydney’s.

• Andrew: Anniversary Tower made with spicy steamed buns and mincemeat bolo bao. Bruno looked the filling on the spicy bun and wanted more
• Camila: Advent Tower made with BBQ pork pandabono and sesame roscone. Bruno liked the BBQ pork one. Kyla liked the contrast of the black sesame paste and said beautifully done.
• Candice: Candice’s Tanzanian Picnic made with samosa milk bun and veggie stuffed naan. Kyla enjoyed the samosa one. Bruno said the naan was beautifully baked and the flavour delicious
• Heather: Bumble Buns and Bun-shroom Tower made with mushroom buns and honey dill chicken rye bun. Bruno said the honey dough lacked salt. Kyla wanted more rosemary in the mushroom.
• Kathy: Flower Tower made with poppyseed matcha buns and pierogi buns. Kyla is brought to tears because it tasted like her mom’s. 
• Loïc: Tree of a Nun Dance made lychee maritozzi and mango and duck manapua. Kyla liked the mango bun and the combination with duck. Bruno liked the lychee flavour.
• Niv: Monkeying Around the Banana Tree made with coconut monkey bread and banana cream maritozzi. Bruno said the coconut one was quite dense. Kyla said the maritizzi could have been baked longer. 
• Rainier: Bridal Shower Tower made with Lebanese milk bun and Muhamarra Acma. Bruno liked the milk bun and Kyla liked the ratio of the filling. The pink bun, Bruno liked the tartness of the pomegranate.
• Sydney: Surf and Turf Tower made with blackberry brioche and oyster mushroom buns. Bruno said the brioche was tasty but not enough filling. The oyster one was too dry and Kyla said it had too much salt that it distracted the filling on the inside. 

Up for Star Baker: Camila, Candice, and Kathy

In danger of going home: Sydney, Rainier and Andrew

Star Baker: Camila

Going Home: Sydney

Quick Thoughts: One thing I liked in this episode is seeing other bakers help each other. After binging three season of Junior Bake Off where all the kids just helped each other, it was nice seeing the adults doing the same. 

Heather faltered a bit but I am still going say she is going to be in the final but Camila had a strong week and I can see her being a dark horse too. Next to go is either Rainier or Andrew. I am interested to know what the challenges are for Cookie week as it is always my favourite week.