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Syabira Yusoff, a Malaysian baker, clinched victory on the popular British baking show, the Great British Bake Off (GBBO) 2022.
The season 13 finale aired in the UK on Nov. 15 2022, and Yusoff beat fellow competitors Sandro Farmhouse and Abdul Rehman Sharif.
Yusoff was born in Malaysia and moved to the UK in 2013 to pursue her Ph.D. She is a cardiovascular researcher at Kings' College, London.
She only started to bake in 2017, and she decided to apply and join the series after watching an episode two years ago.
Three-time Star Baker
Yusoff said that winning the series was one of the "biggest achievements of her life", CNA reported, identifying her as a "home baker".
GBBO judge and celebrity chef Paul Hollywood praised her as an "incredible baker" who is "a bit of a risk taker with her flavours, and it has worked. Some of the flavours we have never had in the tent before and are unlikely to have again".
Yusoff was known for her bold flavours and stunning decorations. She is the first person to win three Star Bakers in the series.
Season Finale
This year's season finale's theme was "sustainability", where contestants were to use local ingredients that were produced as sustainably as possible, excluding meats.
In the Signature challenge, the finalists were tasked to create the perfect picnic, six mini cakes, six vegetarian pies and six finger sandwiches.
For the Technical challenge, Yusoff did not do as well as her Summer Pudding Bombe, a British dessert made with berries and sliced white bread layered in a deep bowl. Her dessert collapsed as the jelly and mouse failed to set.
In the Showstopper challenge, Yusoff added a little Malaysian twist by creating an edible Orangutan cake holding a forest in celebration of the planet.
Syabira's Baking Journey
In her bio on GBBO's website, Yusoff says she is "all for giving Malaysian flavour twists to British classics", which she delivered throughout the series.
Cake Week
During the Signature challenge, Yusoff made an Ondeh Ondeh-inspired sandwich cake which the judges loved.
For the Showstopper challenge, Yusoff created a replica of her childhood home out of milk tea sponge, strawberry jam and matcha buttercream.
Biscuit Week
Here, Yusoff took a risk and made savoury macarons inspired by chicken satay.
Shaped like peanuts, she filled the "dessert" with a tofu satay sauce.
Bread Week
Yusoff spiced things up for the Signature challenge with a Malaysian prawn sambal pizza topped with stinky beans and anchovies.
For the Showstopper, contestants were tasked to make a Smörgåstårta, a Swedish sandwich cake where bread is layered with creamy fillings and garnished to look like a cake.
Yusoff paid homage to Malaysia by creating a Nasi Lemak-flavoured Smörgåstårta.
She layered roasted chicken in a spicy sambal paste and sandwiched it between layers of seeded bread with coconut ginger mousse and sambal-anchovy cream with peanuts.
Pastry Week
In her Showstopper, Yusoff impressed the judges with her elaborate 2 tier structure of Jack and the Beanstalk made out of pie.
Yusoff showed off her flair with flavours by making a chicken rendang pie and potato curry puffs. Her Showstopper earned her Star Baker for that week.
Top photos from GBBO's Twitter