The Great British Bake Off Season 16 Episode 6: What happened during the Pastry Week's Signature Challenge?

The Great British Bake Off Season 16 Episode 6 aired on October 7, 2025, featuring Pastry Week.

For week 6's Signature Challenge, bakers were tasked with making a savory pastry plait. It was supposed to be "crisp, flaky, and laminated." With different flavors and fillings, bakers chose unique designs for plaiting.

Later, when the judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith tasted them, they shared their opinions about texture, plaiting, and filling. The seven remaining bakers who participated in the challenge were Iain, Toby, Lesley, Jasmine, Tom, Nataliia, and Aaron.

---

The Great British Bake Off Season 16 Episode 6: Bakers showed off their plaiting skills during the Pastry Week's Signature Challenge

The Great British Bake Off hosts revealed the Signature Challenge for Week 6. It was to make a savory pastry plait.

Sharing more about the challenge, show hosts said:

"The judges are looking for crisp, flaky, laminated pastry with a beautiful, delicious savory filling inside, of your choice. As the name implies, your pastry should form a plaited design."

For the challenge, bakers had two and a half hours. As the bakers started their preparations, judges opened up about the challenge.

"It's pastry week. It's which I think is one of the most important weeks we have, because, frankly, if you can't make a pastry, you're not much of a baker," shared Prue Leith.

Fellow The Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood shared that they wanted bakers to cut through flaky and buttery layers of "gorgeous savory fillings" inside. He also noted that the challenge was all about the plaiting technique. It should look neat, precise, and beautiful, while it would taste incredible. Prue Leith added that the pastries should have "good, strong and well seasoned" fillings.

Around half-time, bakers started assembling their pastries and their fillings. Soon, as the bakers started plaiting, judges watched closely.

"The judges will be expecting to see perfectly neat and consistent braiding. Any over-stretching of the strands could cause the pastry to shrink and tear in the oven," stated the narrator.

With half an hour left, everyone's pastries went into the oven. Soon, they got their savory pastries ready, and it was time for the judges to taste them.

Bakers' prepared dishes were:

1. Iain's Iris Stew-Sage Roll Savoury Plait,
2. Toby's Sivell Place Savoury Plait,
3. Lesley's Dad's favorite Savoury Plait,
4. Jasmine's Aunt Pom's Sausage Roll Savoury Plait,
5. Tom's Hong Kong Sausage Roll Savoury Plait,
6. Nataliia's Kyiv in a Crust Savoury Plait,
7. Aaron's Jamaican Beef Platty Savoury Plait.

Lesley was the first one. Judges loved the outer look and the fillings of her pastry. Prue Leith told her that the gooseberry layer was a "genius."

Tom's pastry had a tear, which the judges pointed out.

"The flavor's lovely. And I think the texture's good," said Prue Leith.

However, The Great British Bake Off judge Paul felt it was underbaked. Judges praised Jasmin's pastry and complimented her on the outer looks and the flavors.

Judges liked Nataliia's pastry's flavors, but also told her that it was underbaked. Toby's dish also received praise and some remarks from the judges. The next baker was Iain. Paul Hollywood told him that the flavor was lost and needed more punch.

Judge Paul Hollywood noted that Aaron's Jamaican Beef Platty Savoury Plait had fantastic plaiting. Prue said that it tasted delicious, while Paul said it was lovely and beautiful.

---

Fans can know more about The Great British Bake Off Season 16 Episode 6 by streaming it on Netflix.