It’s down to the wire as amateur bakers Chikomborero “Chiko” Chiobvu, Mariza Mundow and Mia Steenekamp prepare to battle it out for the title of season 4 winner of BBC Lifestyle’s “The Great South African Bake Off”.
Hosted by Lesego Tlhabi and Glen Biderman-Pam, the show is judged by Siba Mtongana and Paul Hartmann.
Aside from getting bragging rights, the winner will also walk away with a Prue Leith Patisserie Diploma six-month pastry course and three-day Valrhona course in Paris.
On how the finalists plan to rise to the occasion, Pretoria-based Chiko, who is an investment and research analyst, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be here. I would be lying if I said I knew this would happen.
“This has been such a happy surprise but also a reminder to embrace my ability and the fact that I am a good baker!”
While she’s proven herself with baking cakes and breads, biscuits have not been her forte.
Chiko admitted: “The most difficult challenge was baklava. Ensuring that the pastry was super thin was a mission, but I got it done! Unfortunately, the finish let me down a little as I lost a few of my baklava pieces.”
For the final, she will be focusing on “bringing in the flavours”. And she is looking to redeem herself with the show-stopper challenge, too.
“That one is the biggest hurdle for me,” she shared.
Cape Town homemaker Mariza is in her element baking bread, cakes, tarts, cheesecakes and pies. But her kryptonite has been making macarons.
She said: “I feel so excited and nervous to be selected as a finalist, it’s a major milestone for me. My most difficult challenges have been the technical bakes as I was so nervous and the petit fours were very tricky to ice and at that point of the competition everything was so intense.”
Her strategy is to keep a cool head in the kitchen and do her level best while also “keeping within the brief”.
Last but not least, it is Mia, a design director from Johannesburg.
Relieved to have made the Top 3, she admitted: “I feel elated being selected as a finalist. There have been many ups and downs, many mistakes but also successes.
“I have worked harder than I could ever imagine and had to overcome so many challenges, and I am so grateful and proud to be here.”
Her biggest challenge on the show has been time management. And this was proven with the cake scape, bread load and baklava bakes.
On her plan for the bake-off, she revealed it will be to “lean into my strengths by being a bit unconventional, focusing on creativity, and above all having fun”.
∎ Tune in to “The Great South African Bake Off” finale on BBC Lifestyle (DStv channel 174) on Wednesday, October 11, at 8pm.