Contains Spoilers for this episode, as well as Series 5 (2014)!

“This is so fun, Toby. You’re gonna really enjoy this!” – Iain, the first one to start in the staggered-start-time technical challenge, as Toby, the second, walked in

I think it goes without saying that Iain was the undisputed hero of the show’s first ever Meringue Week. Both his signature and showstopper made references to the history of the show itself: a little treat for us longtime fans. He’s clearly a huge nerd for this show, and I love it. The “lucky” rhubarb paid off, and then he went and won the technical (despite adding a truly aggressive excess of sugar to his soufflés), and then, in what was possibly the funniest thing to happen on this show since Bingate itself – Bingate: Redemption.

Was anyone else cry-laughing as Iain explained his trash-can-shaped showstopper?! As soon as I heard them explain today’s challenge – Vacherin Glacé, i.e. ice creams encased in meringue, sound familiar? – my mind went to baked Alaska, which of course made me think of Bingate, and wonder if another such fiasco would ensue. But, I’d completely forgotten that the guy who chucked his Baked Alaska in the trash back in 2014 was also named Iain and also from Belfast! (I just remembered him as an angry bearded white guy.) So this was just a hilarious coincidence, which this year’s Iain capitalized on brilliantly. I only wish that the judges had loved it more, so that the redemption would have been even more satisfying. Conveniently, though, 2025 Iain could “pass the buck” and blame the questionable flavor combo (coffee and dark chocolate) on 2014 Iain, which was again hilarious. I’m just dying to hear 2014 Iain’s response to this episode.

Iain may have been the hero this week, but Toby was the star baker – and well-deserved! Wasn’t it nice to see him win one? At first my husband and I were worried for him, because Paul seemed unenthused when Toby was explaining his plans for his signature – but then he ended up with the best signature of them all! He really did something original with the little meringue lattices on those apple tarts. I’m not that big on tropical flavors myself, so I wasn’t that interested in his mango-coconut showstopper, but the judges both loved it, and it was completely lactose-free which is pretty cool, and the meringue didn’t crack, which is quite a feat in itself; frankly, I was just glad to see him win instead of Jasmine, for once. His call home at the end was the best of the season so far, too.

I kind of got my hopes up that my favorite, Aaron, might win again. His signature was incredible, he was second in technical (one place ahead of Toby), and his showstopper was incredibly beautiful. “Ethereal,” as Paul described it. The monochromatic look was so bold, so elegant! But, I guess the judges weren’t so into the flavor combination – lemongrass, key lime, and stem ginger. It sounded refreshing, but, I guess they didn’t find it as delicious as Toby’s. Also, Aaron was the only one to merengue with Alison, which deserves a win imo.

How about Tom? Just like last week, he had me nervous, after not doing great in the signature and coming in next-to-last in technical – but then he saved himself with an amazing showstopper. Meanwhile, Jasmine was almost perfect once again, producing A+ signature and showstopper (Paul is apparently tired of giving her handshakes, lol) – but then! her soufflé in the technical was liquidy! Mark it on your calendars: this day was the day that Jasmine did a single thing wrong on Bake-Off.

Poor Lesley. From the start, I had a bad feeling that she was going to go home, when her lemon-raspberry tarts were “gloopy;” then she came in last in technical, after having to re-bake her tuiles. To her credit, though, considering how she had to churn out a second batch of meringues after botching the recipe the first time in the showstopper, she still managed to produce something very beautiful and delicious! Paul actually couldn’t stop eating her lemon-basil-strawberry “wedding cake” Vacherin. Unfortunately, the meringue was, predictably, underbaked, and because this whole episode was supposed to be about meringue, it’s fair that they dinged her for that. She was such a good sport, though. What a lovely person! As Prue pointed out, Lesley was in some ways the ideal baker: just having a good time, not trying to be cutthroat nor edgy, never getting too flustered or stressed. “Less haste, more speed,” Lesley said to herself in the signature. I’ll remember that one.

One other high point of this episode: Noel’s “fruit impressions” banter session with Jasmine. Why were his blueberry and mango so on point?! I wanted to see him do all of the fruits!

“Claggy: count: 0 (running total: 5)

“Concertina” count: 0 (running total: 1)

High point: Bingate: Redemption, obviously. This is probably the high point of the whole season so far.

Low point: Iain not getting rave reviews, tears of joy, a handshake, and Star Baker for Bingate: Redemption.

The dessert that I would most have liked to eat: Easy: Aaron’s blackcurrant-chestnut tarts in the signature. If you know me, you know I have a thing for blackcurrant. Combined with chestnut and yuzu, this sounded so different, and so fabulous. Usually Aaron’s flavors are a bit too adventurous for me, but I was so here for this one.

My official prediction for the order of eliminations from here on out: sad to say it but probably Toby, then Iain, then in the final: Aaron, Tom, and of course the winner will be Jasmine.

What are your thoughts? Leave comments!

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