The Great British Bake Off (series 9)

Episode 1: Biscuits

Breaking with tradition, this year the series kicked off with Biscuits week. For the first challenge of the series, the bakers were tasked to bake 24 regional biscuits that needed to be all identical, and said something about them and a place in the British Isles. For the first technical challenge of this series, they are tasked to make one of Paul's childhood favourites - Wagon Wheels. Finally, for the showstopper, the bakers had to create a spectacular 3D biscuit self-portrait that needed to be constructed with layers of biscuits and judged while placed upright on an easel stand.^[23]

Episode 2: Cake

For their signature bakes, the bakers were required to create a traybake sliced into 16 identical pieces. The technical challenge was set by Prue, which featured a cake with an unusual ingredient: Le gâteau vert, which was one of French painter Claude Monet's favourite birthday treats. The cake featured a pistachio genoise sponge sandwiched by a pistachio Crème au Beurre and covered by a green fondant coloured by spinach. For the showstopper, the bakers were required to create a technically demanding chocolate collar cake, featuring at least two tiers.

Episode 3: Bread

For their signature bakes, the bakers were required to create a British classic: 12 Chelsea buns. For their technical challenge, using Paul's recipe, the bakers were tasked to make a batch of 8 non-yeasted garlic naan breads, brushed with garlic ghee and topped with coriander, in only one hour. Finally, for their 5-hour showstopper, the bakers were tasked to create a three-tiered Korovai, which will be elaborately decorated for their chosen celebratory occasion. Most of the bakers had chosen the traditional wedding theme.

Episode 4: Desserts

At the start of this episode, it was announced that Terry was not able to compete this week due to illness. But, with the agreement of all, he would be allowed to come back to the competition the following week. For their signature bakes, the bakers were required to create a meringue roulade. For their technical challenge, using Prue's recipe, the bakers were tasked to produce a raspberry blancmange served with 12 Langues de Chat biscuits. For their showstoppers, the bakers were tasked to create a spectacular melting chocolate ball dessert: a chocolate sphere which would be melted away with a hot sauce, revealing the dessert hidden inside. After the three challenges, Briony and Karen were the two bakers left at the bottom. However, nobody was eliminated this week, as the judges deemed it would be unfair to send anyone home with Terry's absence. However, this meant two bakers would be eliminated the following week.

Episode 5: Spice

For the signature challenge in the first ever Spice week, the bakers were tasked to bake a ginger cake. For the technical challenge, using Paul's recipe, the bakers must create a batch of 12 Ma'amoul, an ancient pastry from the Middle East that none of the bakers had heard of. In the batch, 6 of the ma'amoul must be filled with walnuts and shaped with a mould, and the other 6 must be filled with a date paste and decorated by pinching the dough with ma'amoul tongs. For their showstoppers, the bakers were tasked to create a beautiful, gravity-defying spiced biscuit chandelier. Prue was unwell during the showstoppers round, and as a result, Paul was left as the solo judge.

Episode 6: Pastry

For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked to make 12 samosas, in which 6 must be savoury and the other 6 must be sweet. The samosas must also be served with a dip to complement them. The technical challenge was set by Prue, and the bakers were required to make 6 Puits d'amour, meaning "well of love". For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were tasked to create a shaped banquet pie that would be beautifully decorated enough to act as a centrepiece at a Tudor's banquet.

Episode 7: Vegan

For the first ever Vegan Week in Bake Off, the remaining six bakers were required to make eight savoury vegan tartlets of two different fillings using shortcrust pastry that contained no butter or eggs. For the technical challenge, using Prue's recipe, the bakers were tasked to make a vegan tropical fruit pavlova using aquafaba in place of egg whites to create the meringue. For the showstopper, the bakers were tasked to create a beautiful vegan celebratory cake.

Episode 8: Danish