This is the week that Gina has been dreading. Credited as the tent’s Chief Sparkle-iser, the rarely seen queen of clean is always busy behind the scenes, ensuring pans are restored to a mirror finish and bowls are snowy white. However, it’s no fairy tale to tackle the aftermath of the seven griefs of caramel - Lumpy, Seize-y, Burn-y, Runny, Pasty, Stringy and Crystallised. 

Paul says the ideal caramel colour is ‘almost the colour of my skin,’ but he’s unlikely to consent to a patch test for comparison.

Starting with the signature bake of twelve caramel biscuits, Mike and Gill both opt for variations on a millionaire’s shortbread theme. Decorated with freshly picked lilac flowers, Mike’s chocolate orange ones have a slightly protruding layer of caramel. ‘Just work on your bulge,’ advises Prue. Paul questions the generous sizing of Gill’s ‘northern portions’ raisin and Brazil nut version but he admits that flavour-wise, ‘as a millionaire’s shortbread, that’s a borderline billionaire’s shortbread.’

At least two bakers have based their creations on well-known chocolate biscuit bars, but, in classic Bake Off style, they’re not allowed to name their branded inspiration. ‘A Bit of a Fix’ is Andy’s shortbread, caramel, hazelnut praline and chocolate confection, which gets the thumbs up from Paul. ‘It’s a good finish and I really like the flavour,’ he says. However, Georgie’s shortbread and caramel biscuits are less intact. Topped with peanut butter nougat, some of their chocolate coating cracks on release, and Paul pulls back from a handshake because of broken fingers. Fortunately, there’s no call for a medic this week – it’s just Georgie’s slightly damaged goods that stop Paul’s digits from doing their job.

Nelly’s chocolate, walnut and salted caramel biscuits look amazing with their little amber sugar domes, but Prue decides the texture is ‘a bit stodgy for me.’ ‘Very original,’ is her verdict on Illyin’s pretty, chocolate almond Florentine shortbreads, which she deems ‘a little triumph.’

Dutch-born Christiaan is obviously well placed to deliver a perfect pronunciation of his stroopwafels (unlike Alison who mistakenly calls them ‘snoop-waffles’) and his flavours are impeccable too. Sandwiched between the classic wafers is a nut praline, spiced with urfa chilli and nigella seeds. ‘Beautiful,’ says Prue, and Paul agrees, ‘it’s a good eat.’

‘The overall look is like a UFO convention,’ says Paul of Dylan’s unconventional oat biscuits with pineapple caramel and lime cream. Prue doesn’t mind at all. ‘Oh my goodness! It’s so crumbly, and it’s delicious!’ she exclaims.

Sumayah also opts for innovation with her sesame sablé biscuits, topped with mango and lime ganache and hibiscus caramel. ‘Elegant and exotic,’ says Prue of the appearance, but the runny caramel is ‘more like a jam’ and overall ‘it’s altogether too soft.’

There’s an ‘oh God’ from Mike and a ‘bloody Hell’ from Nelly, as the bakers contemplate their three-hour technical challenge making pear tarte Tatin with caramelised walnut ice cream. 

They have some covetable bakeware and equipment to work with, which I personally find distracting. Engaging in a little distraction himself, Noel passes the time by playing cricket with a ball of spare rough puff. Bowling into Andy’s cap is harmless fun, but it’s the rolling pin batting that sends Nelly’s jug of caramel crashing to the floor. As he sheepishly cleans up the debris, Nelly patiently remakes her caramel and warns he’ll be chauffeuring her ‘in a posh car’ if she’s sent home this week.

On the colour chart of tartes, Andy’s and Gill’s are too dark, Mike’s and Nelly’s too pale, and Georgie’s is just right, as she pips Christiaan to the top spot.

It’s another marathon showstopper this week, as the bakers have four and a half hours to whip up an impressive caramel mousse cake with sugarwork decoration. Isomalt is a popular choice, though the carefully crafted objects often give little away about the contents of the cakes.

A tiara-topped creation from Illyin is revealed as vanilla sponge, caramel mousse, feuilletine and pistachio ganache. It’s judged to be ‘good’ but needing more sponge. Georgie’s rose-topped cake has no hint of rosewater, but plenty of chocolate. Salted caramel mousse and hazelnut praline complete her creation which is ‘small’ but perfectly formed. 

Bucking the unrelated decoration trend, Dylan tops his Amalfi lemon, ginger and honey caramel mousse cake with… a lemon. Featuring a zesty gel, Paul unexpectedly reveals he’s ‘happy to be punched in the face with a lemon.’

Christiaan goes for tropical flavours of lime and coconut to complement his caramel mousse cake, which is in danger of being the second topple of the week, thanks to a huge blue isomalt wave. Luckily, it proves to be well balanced, with a ‘wonderful’ lime jelly and a ‘perfect’ mousse.

Gill and Nelly are the only ones to eschew isomalt in favour of decorations that are frankly more edible. Caramel shards and honeycomb top Gill’s sticky toffee mousse cake, which, though stunning, is ‘too sweet’ for Prue. Nelly’s toffee chocolate sponge with two mousses of white chocolate and pecan caramel has a ‘very professional’ finish and a ‘satisfying and delicious’ taste.

‘Truly horrible,’ is Prue’s shocking reaction to the apple candyfloss foliage on Andy’s isomalt tree. Fortunately, the banoffee cake is ‘so good’ that her meme-worthy grimace is soon transformed into a smile.

Banoffee is back for Sumayah’s creation, but despite some beautifully colourful isomalt curls that mimic the glass art of Dale Chihuly, Prue is disappointed. ‘The textures are wrong,’ she decides, and Paul adds ‘you needed to celebrate the mousse more.’ 

Mike tries to celebrate with a bake inspired by his favourite cinema cocktail of popcorn espresso martini. He layers coffee chiffon cake with coffee caramel mousse and tops it with popcorn spikes. Sadly, the judges decide it’s ‘not really a mousse cake’ and ‘too much like tiramisu’ and Mike is subsequently dropped from the team for his ‘pick me up’ pud.

However, one baker’s loss is another one’s triumph and, after two weeks of close calls for a handshake, Georgie secures the bigger prize of Star Baker. Meanwhile, from somewhere at the back of the tent, there comes the sound of barely suppressed sobbing, as Gina realises that, although Caramel Week is officially over for another year, it’s unlikely to be the last we see of the sticky stuff.

Check back every Wednesday for Howard's weekly Bake Off recaps.