The baking talk heats up! With only five bakers left in the competition, and (possibly?) a Fairytale Week on the horizon, Lisa, Cristina, Steven and Vincent break down the birthday pie signature challenge, swooning over flavour choices and intricate sugar work. We debate par-baking versus raw crusts, share favorite pie plate materials, and even wander into savory pie territory...cheese, onions, caviar, and all.

This week, the bakers tackled the tricky Egyptian Lenza technical challenge, and we swap shortcuts for pomegranate prep and suggest possible alternatives for home bakers. It’s a mix of laughter, learning, and layered pastry talk: just the way Baking Scraps listeners like it. There’s plenty of friendly disagreement about whether to par-bake or risk it all, whether puff pastry should be sprinkled with a spoonful of sugar or left bare, and whether to use glass or metal pie plates - and we can’t resist a few tangents about flavor pairings that might be a little too adventurous for our own kitchens. When the technical challenge arrives, we collectively question the sanity of attempting something so complex under time pressure, and somehow end up swapping ideas for how we’d “simplify” it… which, of course, get increasingly elaborate as we talk.

Discussion of the Mille Feuille Showstopper brings out everyone’s inner pastry artist, and by the end, we celebrate the baker who won the Star Baker crown this week, reflect sadly on another departure, and hope against hope that the “Curse of the Star Baker” is not a real thing.

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This week on Baking Scraps, Dominic Ménard-Bilodeau joins Cristina and Lisa to reflect on his unforgettable run on The Great Canadian Baking Show. Fresh off his Week 5 elimination, Dominic opens up to us about the high level of talent this season, the pressure of limited practice time, and the emotional challenge of leaving just before the final stretch.

The conversation dives into everything from Pastry Week predictions to Maple Week memories (where Dominic earned his “King of Maple” title) and his creative approach to flavour in his bakes. He shares how his baking obsession began, the story behind his memorable “treasure box” audition bake, and the long-kept secret of filming under wraps (complete with an excuse that we are thrilled and delighted to find that we contributed to!).

It’s a warm, funny, and inspiring conversation that celebrates growth, creativity, and the joy of baking under pressure.

Clips and footage from The Great Canadian Baking Show © 2025 Boat Rocker’s Proper Television Inc., in association with CBC/Radio-Canada and Love Productions.

Used under fair dealing for review and commentary. Photography © Geoff George / CBC. Used for review and commentary under fair dealing.

All other content © 2025 Baking Scraps Podcast. All rights reserved.

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In this episode of Scrap Recap, we dive into Indulgence Week on The Great Canadian Baking Show, where luxury takes center stage and even the cherries glitter! We unpack all the lavish challenges, the creative flavor combinations, and all the high-stakes energy that comes with trying to make mini cheesecakes worthy of the title “indulgent.”

We also get into the week’s wild Technical Challenge, featuring the viral Dubai chocolate bar turned into a giant cookie. It’s a bake that has us talking about textures, fillings, and just how over-the-top a single cookie can be. Vincent might actually be the only person alive who hadn’t heard of the Dubai chocolate craze until now, but he’s already planning to make his own kataifi to try it out. Steven, meanwhile, wants absolutely nothing to do with that plan.

And once we get to chatting about the incredible details and thoughtfulness that went into the Showstopper (a CAKE-WRAPPED CAKE?? What is that even ABOUT?!), we can’t help but marvel at how talented these bakers are. Every episode feels tighter than the last, and at this point, it’s almost impossible to guess who might go home. Watching them create such detailed, imaginative bakes each week is inspiring, and saying goodbye never gets easier.

By the end, we’ve covered all things indulgent: sparkle, skill, and the difficulty in seeing anyone go home. It’s decadent, unpredictable, and totally Baking Scraps.

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