Honestly, you settle down to watch six lovely people baking in a tent and, before you know it, you’re caught up in some weird (albeit food-related) game about social class and general snobbery. Alison gets it started with a dig at Paul; saying he’d call this week ‘pudding’ instead of ‘dessert.’ (In my book, they’re both acceptable, whilst the royal family allegedly prefers the former.) Paul responds by getting sniffy about tinned peaches. But more of that later, as the offending fruit first needs a more edible container, as demonstrated in the signature bake of eight meringue nests.

Whilst most bakers pipe their meringue into a recognisable nest shape, Gill and Illiyin both take an unusual approach – hollowing out the centres from their baked mounds. However, Dylan’s technique is even more unconventional. Baking a thin layer of meringue in dome-shaped silicone moulds, he carefully releases the fragile shells and coats them in chocolate, before filling with coconut bavarois and passion fruit. Topped with cubes of rum-soaked Genoise, Prue deems them ‘original and delicious’ whilst Paul decides ‘they look spectacular’ and are worthy of a handshake.

Illiyin has to make do with a prank handshake, as piña colada fan Paul congratulates her on a good choice of flavours before even tasting them. Tangy lime gel and pineapple curd cut through the coconut meringue’s sweetness, and chunks of pineapple are caramelised in non-alcoholic rum. Prue says the taste is ‘so good,’ but their appearance is not so tasteful, as Paul says, ‘they could have been much, much neater.’ Illiyin is even more blunt, describing them as looking ‘like arse.’

‘So clean,’ is Prue’s assessment of Gill’s pristine creations inspired by a peach Melba. Artistically decorated with peach roses and vibrant drizzles of raspberry coulis, this is the bit where Paul is disappointingly disapproving of the use of tinned peaches in her crémeux. ‘I think he’s forgotten where his roots are,’ quips Gill.

Fast becoming Prue’s compliment of choice, ‘absolutely exquisite’ is her observation on Christiaan’s prettily pink rosewater meringues with cherry jam, walnut praline, Chantilly cream and a cheeky maraschino cherry. Famed flower flavour-phobic Paul thinks there’s ‘too much rose.’

And ‘absolutely exquisite’ returns as Prue admires Sumayah’s meticulously crafted nests that feature toasted rice powder and cardamom in the meringue, apricots poached in honey and tarragon, walnut praline and pomegranate cream. However, the judges are divided on the flavours. Prue says they’re ‘fantastic,’ but Paul thinks the taste is ‘more savoury’ and has ‘lost its way.’

Taking inspiration from her aunt’s recipe for marzipan plums, Georgie reworks the ingredients into almond flavoured meringue, amaretto cream and plum compote, adding mascarpone and candied orange for good measure. ‘Original flavours,’ says Prue. Aunty Meryl’s copyright application is officially rejected.

Giggles are pretty much guaranteed for the technical challenge of a spotted dick. With at least ninety minutes steaming time, the bakers are given a couple of extra tasks to keep them busy – making a welcome accompaniment of crème anglaise and a golden syrup that’s traditionally more at home on a treacle sponge.

Dylan is initially perplexed by the need for string, whilst Christiaan engages in some creative macramé to craft a handy handle. Gill misses her husband (or, more specifically his finger) to help her tie a knot. Realising she’s missing something too, Sumayah retrieves her mixture from its pudding basin and belatedly adds sugar. Subsequently under-steamed, her sloppy serving scrapes in at sixth place. Dylan, meanwhile, proves he’s not only mastered the string but the pudding too.

On to the showstopper and it’s a tiramisu-inspired centrepiece that must feature three stalwarts of the classic dessert – coffee, mascarpone and sponge ladyfingers. Half-Italian Georgie goes with a family recipe, to which she adds a layer of hazelnut praline and decorates with chocolate roses and a chocolate collar. Paul loves it and Prue decides that in the future ‘tiramisu should be this.’

Also making minor adjustments, Dylan adds cured egg yolks to the mascarpone, peanuts to the ladyfingers and amaretto to the coffee soak, but it’s his concrete-effect chocolate box that really gives it the edge. ‘Every element is beautifully made,’ says Paul, admiringly, and Prue adds it’s ‘not too sweet – you could eat a lot.’

Wholly relying on the tastebuds of her husband Steve, coffee-hating Gill has not actually sampled any of the bake herself. She holds her breath as the judges cut into her Charlotte Russe style cake with espresso buttercream and coconut mascarpone mousse. ‘Delicious,’ says Paul, and Prue agrees it’s ‘wonderful.’ A grateful Gill concludes, ‘I’m going to have to admit Steve’s not quite as wrong as he usually is.’

‘It is amazing!’ says Paul of Christiaan’s super stylish tiramisu, inspired by the postmodernist designs of Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis Group. I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best-looking bakes ever seen on the show. Thankfully, the combination of pistachio mousse, rosewater-roasted strawberries and razor-sharp stripes of dark and white chocolate taste good too. ‘Very delicious,’ coos Prue.

Opting for a more ‘informal’ finish, Illiyin’s ‘jewellery box’ consists of layers of non-alcoholic amaretto cherries, mascarpone cream, coffee-soaked sponge and a biscuit base, encased in an exuberantly dribbled chocolate collar. Paul loves the hit of tartness from the cherries and Prue concludes it’s ‘a little triumph.’

‘Beautifully done,’ is Prue’s verdict on Sumayah’s colourful batik-style joconde sponge collar, but the flavours inside cause her to wince. ‘A bit of a shock,’ she declares as she tastes a layer of coffee lemon curd, deciding the whole thing is ‘work in progress’ and Paul agrees ‘it needs more polishing.’

Sadly, Sumayah doesn’t get the chance to progress or polish any further as she is the one to leave and Dylan becomes only the fourth baker in fifteen years to achieve the hat trick of a signature handshake, top in the technical and overall Star Baker. I had Sumayah down as a finalist, but what do I know? My judgement is as flawed as my taste in fruit – there’s a can of mandarin segments in my kitchen cupboard.

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