Great British Bake Off fans have been left fuming by an apparent ‘mistake’ in this week’s Iced Gem challenge.
The bakers were tasked with making 24 tiny Iced Gems, each topped with a rainbow star made from royal icing.
Paul Hollywood set the Technical Challenge, which was a ‘Taste and Bake’ test.
There was one major catch. The bakers were not given a recipe.
Instead, they had to taste several Iced Gems and work out how to recreate them based on their flavour and appearance.
Great British Bake Off sets Iced Gem challenge
Alison Hammond, who co hosts The Great British Bake Off with Noel Fielding, explained the challenge during Tuesday night’s show (September 29, 2026).
“Paul would love you to recreate that childhood classic, the Iced Gem,” she told the bakers.
Noel then revealed exactly what Paul wanted.
“Paul will be looking for 24 exquisitely baked orange shortbread biscuits topped with a rainbow coloured star of royal icing.”
The bakers lifted their gingham cloths and discovered three Iced Gems sitting on a plate. Each had a shortbread base.
Paul later explained his thinking to fellow judge Nigella Lawson.
“It’s simple enough when you break down the stages. I think they’ll know how to make a shortbread.”
But viewers were soon questioning one very important detail about the challenge.
Iced Gems were accidentally created by English biscuit makers Huntley & Palmers in the 1850s. The company was testing new machinery when the biscuits came out much smaller than usual.
Today, Iced Gems are mass produced by biscuit giant McVities. However, they do not have a shortbread base.
Fans rage at Iced Gem recipe
McVities describes Iced Gems as: “Smooth swirls of raspberry, blackcurrant and lemon flavoured icing topped on a tiny biscuit base.”
That description was enough to leave some Great British Bake Off fans questioning why Paul had asked the contestants to make something so different.
One viewer wrote on X: “Iced Gems do not have a shortbread base – it’s like a rich tea biscuit base.”
Another added: “Somebody writing that brief never ate a bag of them at a kids party.”
A third asked: “Hang on, since when was an iced gem shortbread based? I thought it was more like a rich tea biscuit.”
And a fourth raged: “Im not having this [bleep]. Iced gems were effectively a mini rich tea biscuits with rock hard icing. None of orange shortbread and royal icing [bleep].”
Someone else wrote: “#GBBO rarely watch this but ‘know your biscuit?’. Iced gems never have orange shortbread as a base.”
But there is actually an explanation for the apparent discrepancy.
The Iced Gem recipe used on Great British Bake Off comes from Paul himself. It appears he has simply given the childhood classic his own twist.
The Great British Bake Off website describes the recipe as: “Paul’s homemade iced gems pair buttery orange shortbread with crisp rosettes of rainbow-coloured royal icing as a playful twist on this nostalgic classic.
“Bright citrus flavour and vibrant colours make them perfect for parties, afternoon tea, or simply adding a cheerful touch to your weekend cuppa.”
So there we have it. The bakers were not actually recreating the familiar McVities version after all… err, okay!
- The Great British Bake Off returns at 8pm on Channel 4 on Tuesday October 6, 2026.
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