0:00:03 > 0:00:05This week on Great British Menu,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08the Northeast's former champion, Colin McGurran...
0:00:08 > 0:00:11A big mountain to climb here. I hope it pays dividends.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14..is going up against ambitious newcomer Paul Welburn...
0:00:14 > 0:00:17The scores are still quite tight. 23, 23 and 21.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20..and Michelin-starred Frances Atkins...
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I've just got my head down, matey.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25..for the chance to cook at a banquet
0:00:25 > 0:00:28commemorating the 70th anniversary of D-day
0:00:28 > 0:00:31at London's awe-inspiring St Paul's Cathedral.
0:00:34 > 0:00:39Yesterday's main course saw new chef Paul draw level with Colin
0:00:39 > 0:00:41in spectacular style.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43I'm going to give you a score...
0:00:43 > 0:00:46- of ten.- I appreciate it.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And first-timer Frances clawed back valuable points.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Best cooking from you so far this week.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53Today, it's the dessert course.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55With only two points separating the chefs,
0:00:55 > 0:00:57there's no room for error...
0:00:57 > 0:00:59BLEEP
0:00:59 > 0:01:02..and returning contender Colin's under pressure to deliver...
0:01:03 > 0:01:07..as only two chefs can go forward to cook for the judges tomorrow.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Ahh!
0:01:21 > 0:01:26This year, we're honouring the heroes who fought on D-day.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29The chefs have been tasked with creating patriotic dishes
0:01:29 > 0:01:33that show just how far British food has come since wartime.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Wow.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38They've sought inspiration from the people and animals
0:01:38 > 0:01:40who played a vital role in World War II.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44There's an awful lot of people that would not have seen
0:01:44 > 0:01:47the end of the war if it hadn't been for the pigeons.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Really?
0:01:51 > 0:01:52Judging the chefs this week
0:01:52 > 0:01:55is double-Michelin-starred heavyweight, Phil Howard.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Somebody has to go home at the end of today,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02and the truth is, I feel very strongly about all three competitors,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05but there is much more scope for catastrophe in pastry,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09so it's always quite an exciting course to judge.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12So it all comes down to the dessert course.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14Two points, you know, is nothing.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Anything can happen and I'm taking nothing for granted.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18You know, you could knock one of us out.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20I'd enjoy that.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26First up, and behind by just two points,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28is Michelin-starred Frances Atkins.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31She's used her father's first-hand experience of fighting
0:02:31 > 0:02:34on D-day to inspire her menu
0:02:34 > 0:02:37and, after a slow start, scored an impressive nine yesterday
0:02:37 > 0:02:38for her main course.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43I'm still chasing the other two, but I'd love to get through
0:02:43 > 0:02:46to the judges' chambers and I'm going to give it my best today.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- Hello, Frances, how are you? - Hello, fine, thank you.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54- We need another winner...- I know. - ..so come on...- I'll do my best.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57- ..what's the title of your dessert? - Thoughts Of Home.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00- The theme of your father has been very strong through your first three courses.- Yes.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02This is his dessert course,
0:03:02 > 0:03:07celebrating a union between France and England.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12- A Yorkshire pudding base...- OK.
0:03:12 > 0:03:17..using some ground almonds with the French ingredients from Normandy.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21- Camembert, caramelised apples...- OK.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25..walnuts and it's going to be finished in Calvados.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- So it's a sweet-savoury.- Yes.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31I haven't yet conjured up an image in my head of what this creation
0:03:31 > 0:03:32is going to look like.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36- Very simple.- OK.- So I'm hoping I might please the judge.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Good.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Frances, Thoughts of Home.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44I like the idea, I have to say.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46It's relatively simple and straightforward.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50It's a high risk strategy and she's put all her eggs into one,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52quite humble basket.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Next up is determined newcomer, Paul Welburn.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Yesterday, he scored a perfect ten,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00propelling him into joint-first place with Colin.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04But he needs another high score today to stay in the race.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07I'm taking nothing for granted. You've got to watch Frances,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10she's only two points behind.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13It's all to play for but, at the same time, I'm confident.
0:04:16 > 0:04:21Hello, Paul. How are you? You know what happens after ten, there's only one way to go now.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25- Are you a dessert man?- Yeah, I enjoy pastry but it's not my...
0:04:25 > 0:04:28- Not your forte?- No, no.- OK. What's the title of your dish?
0:04:28 > 0:04:32- Normandy Victory.- It's a link with, obviously, the Normandy beaches
0:04:32 > 0:04:34and my interpretation of a Normandy pear tart.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38It's not going to be an actual tart, it'll be slightly deconstructed.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- OK, so talk me through it then. - Obviously, some lovely pears.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43There'll be a roasted puree and then there'll be
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- some compressed pears as well.- And when you say compressed, you're just
0:04:46 > 0:04:49- talking about, you'll peel them, raw, vacuum-packed?- That's right.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- I'm going to do some salted, candied almonds.- OK.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55- I'm going to make an almond sponge. - Yep. OK.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58And then the flaked almonds will come into it with
0:04:58 > 0:05:01a very well-toasted almond ice cream.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04It's not surprising that you have drawn on that Normandy influence
0:05:04 > 0:05:06in your pud. Frances?
0:05:06 > 0:05:08- Normandy here, too.- Using the same trump card.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- Yeah, the Battle of Normandy.- Yes! - Very good.- No probs!- Very good.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Paul's dessert, a pear and almond tart.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I think all the components sit very happily together, but, ultimately,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23as soon as you start to deconstruct them and break them down,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26are you going to be able to reformat them in a way that delivers
0:05:26 > 0:05:29as much pleasure as the original format did?
0:05:29 > 0:05:31But I'm not convinced he will.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Last up is former champ, Colin McGurran.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39He's back with a point to prove and until his main course yesterday,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43had a healthy lead, when a seven saw him draw level with Paul.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46This is my third year in the competition. I've never not been
0:05:46 > 0:05:49to the judges' chamber, so the pressure is really on me now.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52It's absolutely imperative that I super-nail this dessert.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- Tell me the name of the dish, Colin. - OK. The inspiration about this dish
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- is...- Oh, hello.- .. is this. This is a Dickin Medal.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07This was awarded to something like 64 animals in the war.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Half of them were pigeons, and there was one particular pigeon
0:06:10 > 0:06:14called Gustav, and he was the first to fly back and inform everybody
0:06:14 > 0:06:15of the news of D-day.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- That's the reality, that's the truth? - Absolutely, yeah.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21So I thought it was vital to get that somewhere in my menu.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23I hope we're doing more medal-making
0:06:23 > 0:06:27- than working a pigeon into our dessert.- Yes.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31OK. Basically to create the medal, I've got a transfer that I'm going
0:06:31 > 0:06:36to then put on top of tempered chocolate, to replicate the image
0:06:36 > 0:06:39of the medal. It's going to have a little, light biscuit base
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and then the feuilletine melted chocolate
0:06:42 > 0:06:44and then jelly and a chocolate mousse.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48That's going to be served with parsnip ice cream.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Any reason for choosing a parsnip?
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Yeah, this was one of the most used vegetables in the time,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56because of their sweetness, and extracted for sugar.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58- Interesting.- The 1940s.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00- Sounds technical.- Yes, again with a lot to do.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Brave man.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08Colin's Homage To The Dickin Medal, I haven't quite bought into
0:07:08 > 0:07:11his level of confidence with this dessert.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Quite a complicated flavour profile going on in there, so I'm intrigued.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19With just a couple of points separating the chefs,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23and only two places up for grabs in the judges' chamber tomorrow,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25all three must deliver a knockout dessert.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Obviously, the scores are still quite tight. It's 23, 23 and 21.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36How do you feel?
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I've just got my head down, matey.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Michelin-starred Frances is aiming to impress
0:07:43 > 0:07:46with an apple and Camembert Yorkshire pudding dessert.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52A continuation of her soldier father's culinary journey through the war.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55And inspired by a meal he ate at a monastery in Normandy,
0:07:55 > 0:07:56shortly after D-day.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02They got to the dessert course and his host boasted to him
0:08:02 > 0:08:07that the cook had got relations in Yorkshire,
0:08:07 > 0:08:12and so the pudding became a celebration of the two unions,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15with the base being a Yorkshire pudding.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20With her Yorkshire pudding in the oven, Frances moves on to the
0:08:20 > 0:08:25French part of her dish - the apple, Camembert and walnut filling.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31- How's Frances doing?- Fine, thank you.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Talk me through the stage that you're at.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38I'm just trimming up the Camembert, then I'm going to caramelise the apples.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40And the walnuts? They're going to be, what, dipped in caramel
0:08:40 > 0:08:44- or rolled in...- Just rolled in... - ..caramelised...? OK.- Yes.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Frances' Yorkshire pudding certainly looks simple.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51It is going to be hard for her to get a top mark.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Unless it just actually turns out to be a gobsmacking thing to eat.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01I'm a Yorkshire man. I love Yorkshire puddings, but it's a risk, you know?
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Is it too simple? You know, my dish could be classed as too simple but,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07I think with my dish, it's got a little bit more of a wow factor.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Like Frances, Paul's also hoping to secure a place in the
0:09:12 > 0:09:15judges' chamber with his French tart.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20He's making a classic almond sponge with pears instead of apples.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24So, Paul, you've got quite familiar ingredients with Frances there.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Well, obviously, I'm doing a classic Normandy pear tart
0:09:27 > 0:09:29but I'm doing it with my modern interpretation.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Interesting.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34To bring his tart into the 21st century,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36he's taking the risk of deconstructing it.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42With his sponge baked, Paul is busy making pears two ways -
0:09:42 > 0:09:46an almond tuile and a toasted almond ice cream.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- Where are we at, Paul?- The sponges are cooling down now.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53- Happy with it?- Yeah. Really happy with that.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Do you think deconstruction is the way to go?
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Well, I mean, I wanted to do a Normandy pear tart.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02I didn't want to just do a tart, I wanted to do my version of it.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- In this process, I think it will work.- OK.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12The thing about deconstruction, when you bake two things together,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15the point where the two connect and there's heat and there's sugar
0:10:15 > 0:10:16and there's caramelisation,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19that's actually the most delicious part of that dessert.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22As soon as you pull it apart, what you're going to get
0:10:22 > 0:10:24is pure and simple pear
0:10:24 > 0:10:27and a piece of straightforward, one-dimensional sponge.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Sponge can only be so good.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Paul's not the only one taking a chance today.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Former champion Colin has saved the most elaborate dish
0:10:37 > 0:10:40of his highly technical menu until last.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43The pressure is on, as he's never failed to make it
0:10:43 > 0:10:45to the judges' chamber before.
0:10:45 > 0:10:46Feeling nervous, Colin?
0:10:46 > 0:10:49A little bit stressed. A big mountain to climb here,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51so I hope it pays dividends.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Colin's Homage To The Dickin Medal
0:10:55 > 0:10:58consists of four complicated layers.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01A peanut biscuit base,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04a praline feuilletine,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06chocolate mousse,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and raspberry jelly.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Colin looks like he's under a lot of pressure on this dessert.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I don't know whether he might have bitten off more than he can chew.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17This will be the peanut biscuit base.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20The feuilletine goes on top of that. The jelly goes on top of that.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23So the actual medal will be this thick.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27- OK.- And as you eat it, then obviously you're forced to have
0:11:27 > 0:11:32all the texture, a little bit at one time. Every time you take a bite, you get the same hit.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34- Still got plenty to do.- Yes.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40So, getting a clear idea of where Colin is going on his medal journey.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45And, basically, the template that he is using is probably all of 1.5cm deep.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51And I have a belief with puddings that there needs to be
0:11:51 > 0:11:55more than 1.5cm of depth
0:11:55 > 0:12:01for it to deliver the luxurious mouth-feel that he referred to.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03So, I might be wrong but that is my fear.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09With his layers done, Colin moves onto his parsnip ice cream.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13- Colin?- Yes?- The Dickin Medal - you're talking about pigeons?
0:12:13 > 0:12:17- They were awarded for bravery in the World War?- Yes.- Oh, amazing.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21The communications were vital and, of course, the pigeons were
0:12:21 > 0:12:24the ones who would fly over from Normandy back to the mainland.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Just amazing.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29It was huge, and a lot of the Germans knew this and were shooting them down.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32So we lost an awful lot. That just resonated with me
0:12:32 > 0:12:33and I thought it was very important.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36That's why there's no pigeon on the main course.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42To research his dish, Colin visited Colin Hill...
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- Good morning, Colin.- Good morning.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46..a wartime homing pigeon expert,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48with 50 pigeons himself in his back yard.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Wow, look at that. Amazing.
0:12:52 > 0:12:58250,000 pigeons were used for carrying messages in World War II.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00How exactly would they have been used?
0:13:00 > 0:13:02They were dropped by parachute.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- Attached to a parachute?- Yeah.
0:13:05 > 0:13:06- Not individually?- Yeah.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10They were in a tube, dropped behind enemy lines by the RAF
0:13:10 > 0:13:14into the hands of the resistance fighters.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18They brought so many important messages back.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22There's an awful lot of people that would not have seen
0:13:22 > 0:13:25the end of the war if it hadn't have been for the pigeons.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Really? How would the pigeon know where to go once it's been released?
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Well, they've got the built-in homing instinct.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35They want to get home to their hen bird.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- With a message on their leg?- They're not worried about the message,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41as long as they get home to their hen.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47It was Gustav, the pigeon, who first made it across the Channel
0:13:47 > 0:13:51with the all-important message that D-day had been a success.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54- That is Gustav.- Is it, really?- Yeah.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- Wow.- And a lady kissing him.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59I bet he'd be quite pleased with that.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01That is the Dickin Medal.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05"For Gallantry", "We Also Serve". Fantastic.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- I'd like to lend you this...- Wow.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10..so that you can get your dish dead right in the kitchen.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Wow, I'm really touched. Thank you very much. That's fantastic.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15I think this is so worthy
0:14:15 > 0:14:19and we completely underestimate the use of animals in warfare.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25With plating up fast approaching,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27the heat of the kitchen is too much for Colin.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31What are you doing out here, Colin?
0:14:31 > 0:14:35It's so warm in that kitchen and, of course, tempering chocolate in these
0:14:35 > 0:14:38conditions just doesn't happen. The room has to be less than 25 degrees.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42He's tempering the white chocolate on which he'll stick
0:14:42 > 0:14:44edible transfers of the Dickin Medal.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48An intricate process that should give a glossy finish,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51but only if done to very exact measures.
0:14:51 > 0:14:52I've got to do the best I can.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56- Extra pressure.- Good luck, Colin. - Thank you very much.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02If anyone needs luck today, it's Frances,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04who's two points behind the others.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07She's first to plate up and needs to deliver a knockout
0:15:07 > 0:15:09with her Thoughts Of Home dessert,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12marrying an almond Yorkshire pudding with Normandy ingredients.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Frances, you seem to be organised, almost finished, and you've got seven minutes to spare.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22I hope that extra seven minutes doesn't make you suffer.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Well, if it does, Paul, there's nothing I can do about it now.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27But the taste is good.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30She has a fantastic dish.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34If she gets a ten, and if I don't execute everything perfectly,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36you know, I could be the one who could be going home.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Frances starts her plate with caramelised walnuts
0:15:42 > 0:15:44and micro-coriander.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Her unusual Yorkshire puddings, filled with Camembert cheese,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Calvados and caramelised apples, are drizzled with extra caramel
0:15:53 > 0:15:54before being plated.
0:15:57 > 0:15:58She serves sour cream on the side.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06As always, accompanying Frances' dish is a modern version
0:16:06 > 0:16:08of one of her father's wartime letters.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12"The cook was very creative and celebrated our union
0:16:12 > 0:16:16"by making Normandy apple, Camembert, walnut and Calvados pudding,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19"the base being prepared similar to a Yorkshire pudding.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21"It made me long for you and home,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24"but it gave us all hope for a better future.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27"You are in my heart always. Tom."
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- Are you happy with your pudding?- Yes. - Let's go and taste it.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- So it's turned out how you expected it to be?- Yes.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39- OK.- It's not supposed to look polished like a French apple tart.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43It's simple and simplicity is usually successful.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47It's consistent, with the letters and the presentation.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- Very nostalgic... - Yep, exactly.- ..of the era.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52But I don't think it has the flair,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55I don't think it has the wow factor for a banquet.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59The real key part of the pudding is the base.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- You wanted something that's soft and mellow.- Yes.- OK.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06For me, obviously, you know, I'm a big fan of Yorkshire puddings.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- That's not pleasant. - It's not the best.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12The rogue ingredient in the dessert is the cheese.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14I do think it works for this dessert,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- or I wouldn't have put it in, in the first place.- OK.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22- The cheese is strange, isn't it? - Yeah, it's...- Camembert.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26- The apples, mellow enough, not too sweet?- Yes, what do you think?
0:17:26 > 0:17:27I'm not going to tell you anything...
0:17:27 > 0:17:29- Fine.- ..yet.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I don't think it's her strongest course.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Do you think you've done enough with this dessert, Frances,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40- to get you through to cook for the judges on Friday?- Yes, I do.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42How about a mark?
0:17:42 > 0:17:44- Eight.- OK.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48- I'm going to go for a five. - A five, as well.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52It's all, obviously, down to Phil
0:17:52 > 0:17:55and he certainly never gives anything away.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58So we have to look forward to being lined up
0:17:58 > 0:18:00in the headmaster's study.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06Rival Paul is plating up next, with his deconstructed pear tart.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11He begins his plate with the pear puree, infused with camomile,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15followed by broken pieces of his almond sponge,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18lightly salted candied almonds
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and slices of compressed pear.
0:18:21 > 0:18:22What's it on the wood for?
0:18:22 > 0:18:26I'm trying to recreate the, sort of, the driftwood,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30- feeling like you're part of the Normandy beach.- Yes.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34Next, Paul adds a scoop of toasted almond ice cream,
0:18:34 > 0:18:38candied almond brittle and, finally, a sprinkling of camomile syrup.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51It's all over, Paul. Will victory be yours?
0:18:51 > 0:18:53The proof's in the pudding.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57The proof is in the eating of the pudding. Come, let's go and try it.
0:19:00 > 0:19:05So, the question is, do you think, deconstructing it - does it work?
0:19:05 > 0:19:11I think so, obviously, you know, desserts are not my biggest forte, but I'm happy with this.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14I think deconstructing a classic tart is OK,
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- but I think it has to be better than the original production.- Yeah.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22- I didn't want to just copy a dish from another country.- Yep.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26So I wanted to just take the flavours and bring it back to our shores.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31- Would our veterans understand the story of this deconstructed tart? - No.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34The sponge - is this how you wanted it?
0:19:34 > 0:19:39Yeah, the sponge is a slightly moist sponge than, you know,
0:19:39 > 0:19:40- classic sponge.- Yup.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44I quite like this sponge. The compressed pear tastes of pear.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48The ice cream, are you happy that there's enough sugar in there
0:19:48 > 0:19:51to bring out the flavour of the almonds that you wanted?
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Yeah, definitely.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55I'm afraid I don't like the ice cream.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58- It's too rich and there's not enough flavour there.- Yeah.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Are you confident that you've done enough to cook for the judges tomorrow?
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- I hope so. I think so. - Let's have a score.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09- I'd score it a seven.- OK.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12A six, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got a five.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13I would have said a five.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18- How did you get on?- Dunno. Lap of the gods. We'll see.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22- It's over now. We can relax. - This man can't, though.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28Last to plate up is Colin with his intricate four-layered Dickin Medal.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30BLEEP
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Once again, the heat of the kitchen is proving too intense,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37but this time, the victim is the cones for his parsnip ice cream.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- Dear me.- Can I do anything for you at the moment?
0:20:39 > 0:20:43- I've seen you make so many cones. - I know. It's the heat.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46The mix has to be quite cool, so they start to split.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50His last batch of cones must work,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53or his parsnip ice cream element will be ruined.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Luckily for Colin, his cones appear to have come out intact.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18But he's now under pressure to assemble his dish in time.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23He's scattered raspberries and made a white chocolate ribbon
0:21:23 > 0:21:27on a glass plate, which sits above a miniature field of poppies.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Next, he finishes his medal
0:21:30 > 0:21:34with his intricate tempered white chocolate transfer.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38Hidden under a chocolate glasage are all four layers
0:21:38 > 0:21:40of peanut biscuit, raspberry jelly,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43chocolate mousse and praline feuilletine.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Colin pipes his temperamental cones with parsnip ice cream
0:21:49 > 0:21:53and finally fills jugs with hot chocolate sauce on the side.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03- There we go. A few more grey hairs there.- I was going to say.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Let's go and taste it.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12So this is just a bit of hot chocolate.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14It wants to fall through the centre.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20- Wow.- Brilliant. That's clever, isn't it?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23How many layers have we got there?
0:22:23 > 0:22:26The biscuit, the feuilletine, the jelly and the mousse. Four layers.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- Mm.- Lovely.- That's lovely.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34The ice cream, you're confident
0:22:34 > 0:22:36that it's got a genuine reason to be there?
0:22:36 > 0:22:38It's almost like a dry sweetness
0:22:38 > 0:22:41that with the raspberries I think worked quite well.
0:22:41 > 0:22:42Parsnip ice cream.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45It's a strange choice, but obviously he found a story behind it.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47And it works.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Are you confident you're going to be cooking for the duchess tomorrow?
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Of all the desserts I've seen, I think this one is the best.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55And, I think, as a brief, as a whole,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58visually, I think it ticks all the boxes.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02I think this is a really fitting end for D-day banquet.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06It's a fantastically conceived and executed dish.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09- Give it a score.- I've cooked everything how it's meant to be,
0:23:09 > 0:23:14- so therefore I'd give it a ten. - My guess is ten.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17- We've got a fight on here. - He's cracked it.- I think he's there.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19So that leaves me and you.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26- Here he comes. - What have we got here?
0:23:26 > 0:23:28A little tipple, Colin.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Well done, congratulations. Your pudding is lovely.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35- Could this be a ten on the horizon? - Could it? I don't know.- It is.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Cheers.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- Well, I'm happy with my dessert. - I'm sure you've got a ten coming.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50How do you guys feel about your desserts, then?
0:23:50 > 0:23:54- It's between myself and you, Frances.- Of course it is.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Obviously it's another one of those where it depends how Phil scores it.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10The end of a long week.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Frances, I'm going to start with you.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17With your Thoughts Of Home, Normandy apples and camembert.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22I really enjoyed your take on the brief.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25The end of your father's D-day journey.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30I wasn't convinced by the idea of mixing the ingredients that
0:24:30 > 0:24:34you had, but actually, that was the real strength of the dish in the end.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39The batter, soft, mellow.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Apples, tender and sweet.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47However, it was, in truth, just a very simple,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49modest plate of food, and it just didn't quite have
0:24:49 > 0:24:52the impact that it needed to have to get a really high mark.
0:24:54 > 0:25:00Paul, for your Normandy Victory of pear and almond,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02again, I liked the idea of the brief.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Geographical, bring it back to home, a modern interpretation.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10The almond sponge had some richness and some body to it.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14The compressed pear I thought was really effective.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18But I did however think that the almond ice cream genuinely
0:25:18 > 0:25:21needed a little bit more sugar just to bring it alive a bit.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23It was just muted flavours.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28And ultimately, the eating qualities of a stonking Normandy tart
0:25:28 > 0:25:31are better than the deconstructed version.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Colin, for your Homage To The Dickin Medal,
0:25:36 > 0:25:40with chocolate and raspberry, big call.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42You had a lot to pull off.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Yours was packed with technique.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46There's nowhere to hide in a pudding like that.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49If something doesn't work, it's obvious,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51and, you know, you know it, we're going to know it.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53The chocolate medal,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56I was worried when I saw the mould that it wasn't going to have
0:25:56 > 0:26:00enough depth to produce something that was really luxurious to eat.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03In the end, it was just deep enough.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Parsnip ice cream...
0:26:08 > 0:26:10It was quite nice, I enjoyed it.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13And I think it had its purpose on the plate.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16After all your hard work, running round,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19a couple more grey hairs, I thought you absolutely nailed it.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23So, the scores.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28With a score of ten,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30giving them the highest score across the week...
0:26:32 > 0:26:34..Colin.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37- Put me out of my misery!- BLEEP
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Congratulations. It was a cracking, accurate, highly accomplished desert.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- Thank you very much.- Well done.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50So, there's two chefs left, and sadly,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54only one can go through to cook for the judges tomorrow.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Frances, for your Thoughts Of Home...
0:27:01 > 0:27:04..I'm going to give you...
0:27:04 > 0:27:06- a six.- Thank you.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Paul...
0:27:10 > 0:27:13..for your Normandy Victory,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16I'm giving you a mark...
0:27:16 > 0:27:17of eight.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Which means, Paul,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22you'll go through tomorrow to cook with Colin for the judges.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- Commiserations, Frances.- It's fine.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29It has been a real pleasure to be on the receiving end of your food.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32As food to eat, not necessarily as the competing food in this context,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35- so thank you very much. - A pleasure, thank you.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39You two are through to the judges tomorrow. Get in there.
0:27:39 > 0:27:45Both got a ten. Two dishes that clearly are great contenders.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48- Make sure you nail them. Best of luck.- Thank you very much.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49Thank you, Chef.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Well done.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58I'm very proud to have told my father's story,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00and it's been a great experience.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Getting a ten from Philip Howard is the best feeling in the world.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05It's fantastic.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07It's been a great week so far, and I want to finish on a high.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Tomorrow, Colin and Paul will go head-to-head...
0:28:10 > 0:28:13- You come to these competitions to win.- I'll try and stop you.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16..cooking their four courses again for the judges.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Their food must be both delicious and fitting...
0:28:19 > 0:28:23- Poppies make me feel sad.- I don't think you'll feel sad for long.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27..as only one chef will emerge victorious.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31The chef going forward to represent the Northeast is...