The Great British Bake Off: 7 most spectacular showstoppers ever
Yeah yeah, you've got your signature bake. Sure, uh-huh, there's the technical challenge. But the best bit of each week's Great British Bake Off is without doubt the Showstopper round, when the amateur bakers go large, go mental and try to wow the judges. In tribute to this week's two corkers, here's a magnificent seven memorable showstoppers...
1. Alvin's cornucopia (series 6)
Why whip up one showstopper when you can make a whole damn bakery? Alvin Magallanes's 'Horn Of Plenty' cornucopia contained balsamic onion rolls, wheatsheafs, pumpkins, cuddly toys, teasmades and quite possibly a kitchen sink. Mel Giedroyc even made "vehicle reversing" noises when she helped him carry it up to the gingham altar.
2. Frances' matchbox cake (series 4)
She clinched the title with her Midsummer Dream wedding cake in the final but the first indication of Frances Quinn's creative flair came back in week two, when she presented her ginger and chilli chocolate breadsticks as giant matches, elegantly lined up inside an edible matchbox. Got a light, love? (We know this is technically a signature challenge, but it stopped the show for us.)
3. Victoria's blackbird pie cake (series 3)
Victoria Chester got off to a storming start in week one. Asked for "a cake that reveals a hidden design when cut", she disguised hers as the pie from Sing A Song Of Sixpence. "It tells a story and anybody could guess it," grinned Mary Berry, awarding her Star Baker. But the early bird didn't catch the worm - Victoria was eliminated a fortnight later.
4. Nancy's red windmill (series 5)
She went into the final as an outside bet behind baking builder Richard Burr, but Nancy Birtwhistle ran out as champion. It was mainly thanks to her red windmill showstopper - a self-supporting pièce montée, using a special piece of drainpipe to shape its brandy snap roof and designed in tribute to the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Ooh la la.
5. Paul's lion (series 6)
Stealing the limelight in this year's Bread Week was prison governor Paul Jagger's mane attraction: a lion fashioned from three different breads. Judge Paul Hollywood said it was "exceptional... one of the best things I've seen in bread... ever!" High praise indeed. Hear it roar.
6. James' gingerbread barn (series 3)
James Norton reached the 2012 final but thought he'd blown it in the quarter-finals, when his idyllic gingerbread barn began to collapse in on itself. But he thought on his feet and changed the concept to a derelict haunted barn, complete with caramel cobwebs. Phew. Now to change out of these brown trousers...
7. Iain's baked Alaska (series 5)
Maybe a bit mean to include this notorious melted mess - but it was certainly spectacular, albeit for the wrong reasons. Bearded baker Iain Watters threw his sloppy pud in the bin and huffed out of the marquee, making front-page news and leading some viewers to blame fellow contestant Diana Beard for taking it out of the freezer. Mmm, drama.
The Great British Bake Off airs on Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One. What's your favourite showstopper ever? Let us know below!
1. Alvin's cornucopia (series 6)
© BBC
Why whip up one showstopper when you can make a whole damn bakery? Alvin Magallanes's 'Horn Of Plenty' cornucopia contained balsamic onion rolls, wheatsheafs, pumpkins, cuddly toys, teasmades and quite possibly a kitchen sink. Mel Giedroyc even made "vehicle reversing" noises when she helped him carry it up to the gingham altar.
2. Frances' matchbox cake (series 4)
© BBC
She clinched the title with her Midsummer Dream wedding cake in the final but the first indication of Frances Quinn's creative flair came back in week two, when she presented her ginger and chilli chocolate breadsticks as giant matches, elegantly lined up inside an edible matchbox. Got a light, love? (We know this is technically a signature challenge, but it stopped the show for us.)
3. Victoria's blackbird pie cake (series 3)
© BBC
Victoria Chester got off to a storming start in week one. Asked for "a cake that reveals a hidden design when cut", she disguised hers as the pie from Sing A Song Of Sixpence. "It tells a story and anybody could guess it," grinned Mary Berry, awarding her Star Baker. But the early bird didn't catch the worm - Victoria was eliminated a fortnight later.
© BBC
4. Nancy's red windmill (series 5)
© BBC
She went into the final as an outside bet behind baking builder Richard Burr, but Nancy Birtwhistle ran out as champion. It was mainly thanks to her red windmill showstopper - a self-supporting pièce montée, using a special piece of drainpipe to shape its brandy snap roof and designed in tribute to the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Ooh la la.
5. Paul's lion (series 6)
© BBC
Stealing the limelight in this year's Bread Week was prison governor Paul Jagger's mane attraction: a lion fashioned from three different breads. Judge Paul Hollywood said it was "exceptional... one of the best things I've seen in bread... ever!" High praise indeed. Hear it roar.
6. James' gingerbread barn (series 3)
© BBC
James Norton reached the 2012 final but thought he'd blown it in the quarter-finals, when his idyllic gingerbread barn began to collapse in on itself. But he thought on his feet and changed the concept to a derelict haunted barn, complete with caramel cobwebs. Phew. Now to change out of these brown trousers...
7. Iain's baked Alaska (series 5)
© BBC
Maybe a bit mean to include this notorious melted mess - but it was certainly spectacular, albeit for the wrong reasons. Bearded baker Iain Watters threw his sloppy pud in the bin and huffed out of the marquee, making front-page news and leading some viewers to blame fellow contestant Diana Beard for taking it out of the freezer. Mmm, drama.
The Great British Bake Off airs on Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One. What's your favourite showstopper ever? Let us know below!
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