In The Great South African Bake Off tent, 12 amateur bakers have taken part in 27 challenges over nine weeks, trying to whisk, roll and bake their way to glory creating delicious treats such as decadent and elaborate chocolates cakes through to retro swiss rolls. But there can only be one winner.
Zola Nene and Tjaart Walraven have crowned Bianca Breytenbach as South Africa's best amateur baker in the latest SA series, which is a spinoff of the hit BBC Lifestyle show.
She entered the finale alongside Johannesburg resident Desmond Solomon a construction and HR consultant and Simmi Ramnarian a receptionist from Durban.
Bianca, a 30-year old Social Worker from Cape Town, proved and piped her way to Star Baker with a leopard print tipsie tert inspired opera cake that stunned the judges in both its look and its taste in the Signature Bake challenge.
Then following the Technical Challenge of making the choux pastry based Paris Brest Cake, it was with her final bake that Bianca really set herself apart as this year’s winner. Her ‘scrummy’, according to Tjaart, dark chocolate, coffee and hazelnut occasion cake simply was a showstopper, finished off with a melting chocolate ball, the stunning cake had both judges reaching for more with big smiles of enjoyment.
On being crowned this year’s winner, Bianca said, "I am simply blown away by this. I can’t believe I have won as you can see from my reaction on being announced the winner by Anne.
" The Great South African Bake Off has been an amazing experience full of excitement and I am very grateful! This year all of my fellow bakers were just fantastic and I am so proud of all of us- there we some tough times but we made it through! I know that I have made some friends for life in the tent!
“I am celebrating my win with another milestone in January as I am getting married. It really is going to be moving from one delicious whirlwind to another. Being able to experience two such highs really has made me the happiest person.”
Judge Tjaart Walraven on Bianca being named this year’s winner said, “What a year this has been in the Bake Off tent. We really have seen some standout bakes and some that are perhaps better left forgotten like the custard slices.
"Bianca really proved her credentials as a fantastic baker as the weeks went on and really is a deserved winner. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching her grow in confidence and skill in the kitchen and know she will continue to get even better as a baker. Congratulations Bianca, you have been simply divine.”
New judge for series three, Zola Nene said, “Bianca is certainly a worthy winner and has produced some very memorable bakes this series. Even though the clock has not always been her best friend, she has continuously persevered and delivered some great looking bakes, throughout the series.
"I am thrilled to have seen her grow as a baker, week after week, and congratulate her for being crowed the winner. Well done Bianca, you really are a Star Baker!”