Masterchef (2010–…): Season 10, Episode 14 - Let Them Eat Cake - full transcript
In under 75 minutes, the contestants must replicate a cake for the judges.
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Gordon: Previously
on "MasterChef"...
Not only do you have to make
us an amazing bread dish,
- you have to make us two.
- Oh!
- Gordon: Come on, guys.
One of these talented home
cooks is going home tonight.
O-M-G.
- Wow.
There's no soup in your soup.
Gordon: The person leaving the
MasterChef kitchen is Sam.
- Tonight...
- Oh, my God.
sweet week kicks off with
an immunity challenge...
Give me the diabetes.
- ...that's no cakewalk.
- Aarón: Pick a cake,
then perfectly
replicate that cake.
Piece of cake, right?
And there's just one
spot up on the balcony
up for grabs.
Someone will also be eliminated.
I'm here to show you
that I belong here.
- Whoa!
- Why?
Because it's the
hardest thing, Chef.
- Gordon: Ten
minutes, guys, yes?
- Look.
- There's something wrong.
It's a bad wrong.
Yeah, uh...
it looks like a hamburger.
- Oh!
- Whoo!
- Noah: Here we go!
- Cake!
- Oh, how pretty.
- Oh, my God.
Wow.
Welcome, guys. Come
on down, please.
- Renee: Like, yay, cake!
- Oh, those some fancy cakes.
Who doesn't get like, you know,
a fat kid in a candy store
feeling when they see cake?
Fred, you should be the
happiest boy in town.
This is literally, like, everything
I could ever dream of right now.
Give me the diabetes.
Fred: I'm pretty ecstatic.
The judges keep calling
me dessert king,
but I haven't earned
my crown yet.
So, this is a chance
for me to prove
that I am as good of a baker
that I'm proclaiming
myself to be.
Welcome, everybody,
to sweet week.
- You are the final 12 home cooks left
- Yes!
- in this competition.
- Whoo!
This is season ten
of "MasterChef,"
our season of giant
tables of cake.
- Damn. - Noah, come on, you
must've eaten lots of cakes
- to get that tall.
- Yes, Chef.
- I love all of these cakes, clearly.
- Renee.
- Yes.
- Give us an insight with mom and dad
and the celebration with cake.
Christmas, Thanksgiving,
birthdays, Fourth of July--
they always knew I was around
because there was
always a swoosh.
- Stop it. Always?
- Yes. Yeah.
Tonight is all
about celebration.
And only one of you
is gonna celebrate
if you win immunity on
this daunting challenge.
Oh.
Unfortunately, someone
will also be eliminated.
Jamie: What in the
world is going on?
I mean, this is getting real,
and I'm nervous as hell.
Aarón: The rules
are simple, guys.
You come up here and
you pick a cake.
Then you have to perfectly
replicate that cake.
Piece of cake, right?
At the bottom of every
candle is a number,
and that will be the order in
which you choose your cake.
- All of you, please,
come up and grab a candle.
Wow.
Please, please, please.
I'm number two.
Wuta: Damn, I got number ten!
I may get one of
these harder cakes,
and I don't know if I have
those type of skills.
- Dorian, a good position?
Yes!
I am so excited. I
pulled number one.
But at the same time,
me coming in as a baker, I
feel a lot of pressure.
If I don't deliver, I know
that I'll probably go home.
Tonight, please be very
smart with what you choose.
Go for an easy cake, we may
not be that impressed.
Go for one of the harder cakes,
you may bite off more
than you can chew.
Upside-down cake,
pretty simple, right?
My grandma could do
that in her sleep.
On the other side,
the Gâteau Opéra,
that will show huge
determination.
- It's very difficult.
- Very big risk.
Dorian, please, what cake
are you gonna select?
Um...
...um, I'm gonna go with
the Champagne cake.
Wow.
- Sarah.
- I have no idea.
- Wow, berry cake. Good girl.
- I like it, Sarah.
Head back to your
station, please.
- Micah, let's go.
- Coconut cake.
German chocolate cake.
Ooh, the Victoria.
- Bri.
- Carrot cake.
Gordon: Carrot cake.
- Noah.
- Opera cake.
Whoa! Man.
- Black forest.
- Gordon: Wow!
- Subha.
- Upside-down pineapple.
- I love fruit,
- Subha! - so I'll go
for the pineapple.
The easiest one.
- Wuta.
- Hummingbird cake.
- Okay, ladies.
- Thank you, God.
- What cake you going for?
- Um, so, you know,
I think I'm gonna take
the devil's food.
Cheesecake!
Absolutely amazing.
Good choices.
I'm looking at this opera cake.
It's singing to me. It's
singing like Pavarotti.
Noah, are you okay?
Yes, Chef, I'm perfectly fine.
I just lost my mind
and having a heart attack, but
other than that, I'm perfect.
Gâteau Opéra is not
normally selected
unless you're a five-year
top pâtisserie chef.
I'm here to rock and roll.
This cake is going to be
the most challenging thing
that I've done in
this competition
because I've never even tasted
this daggum cake before,
so we'll see what happens.
Incredible.
Oh, my God, what did I do?
This is the biggest baking
challenge we've ever had.
You'll have 75 minutes
to taste your cake, then
replicate your cake.
Not only will it have
to taste the same,
but it'll look the same
as those beautiful
cakes in front of you.
- Understood?
- All: Yes, Chef.
Your 75 minutes start now.
Let's go, guys.
Oh, my God.
I taste this cake,
and my heart drops
because this is no simple
buttercream frosting.
This is a meringue buttercream.
It's very technical,
and I'm feeling like
I'm out the gate
having just shot one
of my toes off.
Oh, it's four layers.
Gordon: This is the most
difficult finesse challenge
in the history of
this competition.
What better barometer to see
where these cooks are at
- than baking cakes.
- Yes.
Joe: Look at Nick. He's
literally taken that cake,
broken it down layer by layer
and tasting every aspect of it.
- Smart.
- Baking isn't something I do all the time,
but I think I have a good sense
of, you know, flavor profiles.
This is a chance to
fight for immunity,
so I have no room for error.
Tonight, my choice would
be the Gâteau Opéra.
It's a very difficult
cake to replicate
because it's all about creating
those perfect intricate layers.
And that's why I've got
so much respect for Noah
because I just love that
he is ballsy enough
to turn around and say,
"I'm going for it.
I'm not taking the easy route."
It's nut up or shut up time.
All right, so, Renee,
what are we doing here?
I'm tasting the
texture of the cake.
It's not a dense cheesecake
like I'm used to,
'cause I make
cheesecakes at home.
So you should have
this in the bag.
It's a little bit
different than mine.
So that's why I have to replicate yours.
I can't do mine.
- Be open-minded. Don't get stuck
in your ways. - Yeah. Yeah.
And everyone knows how important
that graham cracker crust is.
Because it's so simple, there's
really nowhere to hide, Renee.
- Yes.
- Leave your home game at home,
- Yes. - and bring your
MasterChef game today.
Fred: I picked a German
chocolate cake today
because I like the caramelized
pecan coconut filling.
I want to do my best
with this challenge.
They keep calling
me dessert king.
I wanna prove to them that that
title is something I do deserve.
The worst thing that
can happen to me today
is that I get sent
home on a dessert.
So, I'm definitely focused
and I'm trying my best.
- Dorian, Dorian.
- Yes, Chef.
- First pick of the night.
- First pick of the night.
Went straight for the
champagne cake. Why?
My mom passed two years
ago of breast cancer.
And pink was always my favorite
color, but after my mom passed away,
it just took on a different
meaning for me and my family.
- Sure.
- So, it's beautiful just like she was,
and I just wanna be able
to do the cake justice.
Mm-hmm. Top ten around the corner.
We're nearly halfway there.
- Yep. I do.
- Do you ever get homesick?
I miss my boys, but I
definitely miss my daughter.
I've never been away from
her since she's been born.
- Really? How old is she now? Wow.
- She's five.
So, I wanna be a really
good example for her.
You are a great example.
Chef, you're about
to make me cry.
- No, come on.
- I can't cry on the pink cake.
You're one brave lady.
- Yeah. Thank you.
- Good luck.
When elimination is on the
line as well as immunity,
I wanna show the judges something
that I'm not comfortable with.
I mean, other people
are doing cheesecake
and pineapple upside-down cake.
They definitely took
the easy road out,
but for me, this is
just another challenge
to really show my skills.
Guys, gotta get those cakes in
the next couple of minutes.
As soon as you can.
Aarón: They should be in
there rocking and rolling.
Let's go, Subha.
Gordon: Look at Bri. She's
got the carrot cake.
First one to get her cake in the
oven in the first ten minutes.
So that's a lot of weight
off her shoulders.
- Good job.
- Let's get our cakes in there, guys.
Gordon: Come on, Sarah,
you gotta get it in.
It's gotta go in.
- Quick as you can.
- Aarón: Let's go.
Crap.
Renee: This cheesecake
needs to be perfect,
but the crust is too
tall for my cheesecake.
I am worried,
'cause someone will be
going home tonight.
So I make a very tough decision.
I am starting over.
I know this is a risk.
It's gonna get really
down to the wire,
but I hope to God I
can pull this off.
Aarón: Let's get our
cakes in there, guys.
They should be in there
rocking and rolling.
If it's not perfect the first
time, redo it and make it again.
- You're starting over again? Why?
- Yeah.
'Cause my crust is ( bleep ) up.
- You got time to do it again?
- Yeah, I have time.
If there's one thing
that you cannot afford
- to screw up tonight, it's a cheesecake.
- Yes.
Time's not your
friend right now.
- You gotta get it in in five minutes.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Wow.
- If I mess up a cheesecake,
I just might as well pack
my bags and just go home
without even having the judges
tell me I need to go home.
It's crunch time.
- Noah, how are you feeling?
- Yes, Chef. I'm feeling great.
My cake's in the oven. I'm about
to start the buttercream.
- Right.
- Get the butter and the chocolate.
Tonight, all those
choices, why Gâteau Opéra?
Because I wanna really show
you that I'm here to win.
That ganache at the end?
Super smooth.
It needs to be like
this sheet of ice.
- Yes, Chef. Yes, Chef.
- Move your ass.
- Here I go. Yes, Chef.
- Focus, let's go.
Guys, just under
40 minutes to go.
Keep an eye on the temperature.
Right, you should be getting
that frosting together now.
There's no dark chocolate.
Now, tonight everyone's
cooking for immunity.
But, sadly, somebody
is going home.
- Ironic double jeopardy.
- Absolutely.
- Do you know where the food coloring is?
- I don't know.
But we don't normally throw
this kind of challenge in
until the top eight, top five.
Gordon: So, tonight, it's huge.
Joe: If Dorian nails
this champagne cake,
she firmly cements herself
as one of the front-runners
- in this competition.
- Yeah. Yeah.
Aarón: Fred has the
highest to fall,
- 'cause he is so touted as a cake maker.
- Now, Wuta,
the hummingbird cake.
That's a tough one.
The finish on the frosting,
it needs to be super
smooth all the way around.
I don't have a lot of
experience baking,
but I'm pretty happy
about this cake.
The most difficult
part is making sure
that the design stays
as neat as it is.
So, I'm going to have to
make sure I have enough time
to set myself up for success.
I make cake a lot.
I made my own wedding cake,
and it was chocolate
on chocolate cake.
So, I really hope I'm not
the one going home tonight.
That would be really
embarrassing for me.
I'm just gonna work
on this ganache,
and then it's just
the decorating,
so I'm feeling pretty good.
Gordon: Come on, speed up.
Work tidy.
Ooh, this takes a
lot of arm work.
Sarah's doing that berry cake.
So, she's got an Italian
meringue frosting.
One of the most difficult
frostings on the planet,
'cause you have to hand whisk
that sugar and those egg whites.
She got a tough job.
37 minutes left. I still have
a lot to do in this cook.
I need to get this right, I
need all my frosting done,
and I need to get my cakes out.
Guys, gotta get those cakes
out of the oven now.
Aarón: You're there. Come on.
These are still not done.
Big disappointment for me,
Bri and the carrot cake.
I think it's too easy for her. She
should've picked something more difficult.
And she's very decorative, so I didn't
expect her to go down that route.
A big surprise.
Joe: Nice job.
Bri: I'm looking at my oven
and I'm looking up at the clock
and I am nervous that I
might be in trouble.
Gordon: Come on, Sarah.
Get them in the fridge.
It will be 13 minutes
and 30 seconds,
I have to take the cake out.
- How's it going, Shari?
- Doing good.
How are you doing, Nick?
Compared to the
competition out there,
my baking skill is not, you
know, up to that level.
So, I got the pineapple
upside-down cake.
My cake has no icing.
I just hope that the
judges don't think
that I'm taking
the easy way out.
45 minutes gone,
30 minutes to go.
Aarón: Let's go.
It smells so good.
- Aarón: Nick, what do we got going on?
- Hey, Chef.
This is a difficult,
difficult cake
because there's really
not much to it.
No. No, I have to
get it perfect.
Are you gonna make your own jam?
- I am.
- Yeah.
I am making my own
strawberry jam.
This is about that beautiful
balance of cream and jam
and how airy this
sponge cake is, okay?
Nick: I'm a little nervous.
The Victoria sponge cake, to me,
isn't something that's
super easy to make,
but I'm gonna try to nail it.
Just trying to figure this out.
I just wanna taste
this opera cake.
You know what this cake
tastes like to me, Noah?
- What, what, sir?
- Difficulty.
Yes. Yes, Chef.
It definitely is.
- It's good stuff.
- Come on.
Noah: Making that ganache
is the hardest part
involved in this cook.
There is no room for screw up.
It has to be perfect.
Just trying to smooth it out.
Now, Noah, I am so
concerned for him.
The big secret behind
any Gâteau Opéra
is the final layer of ganache.
What is the jeopardy of ganache?
The ganache is about the sheen.
It's about the temperature.
Set it and forget it.
If the butter breaks or
you melt it too much,
- your ganache is finished.
- Yeah, it's gone.
It'll separate and split.
( bleep ). Look.
Noah's just burnt his ganache.
- What in the hell?
Cannot believe that
freaking chocolate.
Are you kidding me? It's
just hard as a rock.
- His ganache, it seized up.
- He has to start again?
- Start--
- Oh, my God.
- That is the finishing--
- With 23 minutes?
- Yeah.
- I hope this is not Noah's
- last aria at the opera.
- I hope not.
This is life or death
kind of ( bleep ) here.
This is a mess.
Look, Noah's just
burnt his ganache.
Joe: He has to start again?
- Start--
- Oh, my God.
- With 23 minutes?
- Yeah.
Gordon: Noah could be in
deep trouble here, guys.
Okay, so it's 16 ounces,
so I need a pound.
- Noah, you gotta speed up now.
- Yes, Chef. Heard, Chef.
Yeah, behind.
20 minutes to go.
You've got to start thinking
about assembling the cake.
Oh, my God.
Eh, it's an ugly cake,
but I'm covering it in frosting,
so I really don't care.
Jamie: I know that
my Achilles' heel
is baking and decorating
a daggone cake.
I'm a stone-cold killer.
I don't-- finesse is
not really my thing
when it comes to these hands.
Like I've been
saying from day one,
it's a cake that's gonna get
me sent home. I know it.
I'm looking up at the clock,
and I have to just get those
cakes out of the oven, asap.
Ooh! Oh, my God, I
almost just dropped it.
- Come on, let's go, Bri.
- Coming through. Renee, behind.
Coming through! Coming through!
Bri: The best case scenario
for me with this cake
is that it cools
off really quickly
and I have enough time
to ice it properly.
Otherwise, I'm
getting eliminated.
( sighs ) Okay.
Look at Micah. Micah's
already started assembling.
Joe: Micah's ahead of the
pack on the cake challenge.
Gordon: He is ahead of the pack.
Joe: Who would
have thought that?
Micah: As an artist,
I'm definitely well within
my wheelhouse within baking.
I've been a painter before.
I've done pallet paintings.
It's very, very similar.
Look at Dorian
assembling as well.
Sadly, her mother passed two
years ago, breast cancer,
so she's cooking from the heart.
But more importantly, she
is absolutely in that zone.
Look at Sarah. Sarah's
running behind.
- Sarah, please speed up.
- Yes, Chef.
Sarah: The frosting
is taking forever.
I definitely bit off way
more than I can chew.
Racing against the clock.
Aarón: Let's go, Sarah.
You can do it.
Just trying to figure this out.
I think it looks like crap.
This is a problem.
- Aarón: Let's go. You gotta start
to work this, mijo. - Yes, Chef.
You're under 15 minutes.
Get going, okay, Noah?
That's upsetting.
Man, this is tough.
Where are our cake bases?
I'm gonna put this one on there
and then I'm gonna
turn it back out.
- Be careful, let's go.
- Yeah.
- Yes, Chef. Yes.
- I'm here for you. I'm waiting.
- Oh. Want me to turn it?
- Whip the damn thing.
Let's go.
Gently.
Good boy.
- That looks beautiful.
- Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Fred: Coming into this
competition as a baker,
I'm trying my best
to go and make sure
that I can replicate this cake
exactly like how I'm seeing it.
My ultimate dream is to go and open
my own bakery with my parents,
so I have to just keep pushing
until I can get to that goal.
- How you feeling, Sarah?
- I'm feeling a little rushed,
but I'm gonna start
getting these assembled.
Are yours not cooled off yet?
Mine's frosted. It's in there.
Mine's still kinda warm.
Ten minutes, guys, yes?
Bri, you gotta get
moving, honey.
I know. They're just--
they're a little warm still.
Just remember that they're gonna
continue to set, though, honey.
So do you think I should go ahead and ice?
Is it safe?
How long is it gonna take you to
achieve that level of detail?
- About ten minutes.
- Aarón: Yeah, do it. Do it.
Renee: I am so glad that I
did the second cheesecake.
It looks way better than
the first one I did.
I believe it's pretty close
to the original cake,
but we shall wait and see.
Nick, seriously, hurry up.
- Bri.
- Yes, Chef.
- You have to hurry up.
- I know.
- Where's your big spatula?
- Right here.
Use the big one first.
Two minutes to go.
I'd just focus on
decorating it now.
- Nearly there, okay? Head up, okay.
- Yes, Chef.
Don't you dare
start sinking now.
Noah: I'm worried
there's not enough time
- to make the chocolate top.
- Let's go. Finishing touches.
Gordon: Speed up with that, yes?
Listen to me.
It needs to be like
this sheet of ice.
- Okay? Good luck. Hurry up.
- Yes, Chef.
90 seconds left, everyone.
Sarah: It's not cooling
down fast enough.
The frosting is melting.
Oh, it's oozing.
This is melting.
I didn't come here to
go home on a cake.
- One minute left.
- Excuse me, excuse me.
- Bri: I need a plate.
- Fred: Here, here.
Plate, plate. You're
gonna get a plate?
Got a plate. Go, go, go.
Go, go, go.
Noah: The most important step
is to freeze blast my cake,
but I know I'm not gonna
have enough time.
Mother of God.
The ring has got
to come off, Noah.
This is gonna be a disaster.
- It doesn't matter.
- It's going to pull apart
because the ganache is
going to stick to it
because it needs to
be blast chilled.
It's gonna ruin it.
Judges: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- Joe: Hands up.
- Aarón and Gordon: Hands in the air.
Well done. Well done.
- That looks sexy, bro.
- Dorian!
- Wow, Dorian, that looks really good.
- We flexin'.
We flexin' today.
That was the smartest damn thing
I could have ever thought of.
I'm feeling very
great right now.
( bleep ) unbelievable.
Well, I would've had
the top perfect.
I should've just made it-- I
should've made it earlier.
Shoot, I'm scared. They're
gonna rate me so bad.
Sarah: It looks terrible.
Right, now for the most
important part, the tasting.
Tonight, there's only
one coveted spot
of immunity up for grabs.
Someone will also be eliminated.
The first cake we'd
like to examine--
Fred, thank you.
Fred: There's a lot
riding on this.
Not only for my stake
in the competition,
but my reputation as
the pastry person.
I want the judges to
know this is my passion.
Gordon: Describe
the cake, please.
So I have German chocolate
cake for you guys,
with caramelized coconut
and pecan filling.
You came here as a
talented baker,
struggled with a few of the savory
challenges, but tonight you nailed it.
All that chocolate
work in 75 minutes.
- Beautiful.
- Thank you.
It looks very accurate
to the actual cake.
- Mmm.
- Hmm. Looks nice.
Visually, it looks great.
A little bit top heavy
in terms of some
of the layering.
Look, the flavor is there.
It's rich.
I think you were very excessive
with the amount of
that coconut mixture,
because that's really
overpowering right now.
But it is so well-executed
that it's making me overlook the
amount of the coconut mixture.
You underappreciate
yourself way too much.
- Okay. Mm-hmm.
- Have more confidence.
You know what I say about
your German chocolate cake?
Oh, what, Joe?
Das guten.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- Good job, Fred.
- Good job. Well done.
- Good job.
Good job. Good job.
I think that I might not deserve
the dessert king crown,
but I might deserve the
dessert prince crown.
Next up, Noah, please. Let's go.
Walking up to the judges,
the top looks like
hammered hell,
and it's elimination.
If I don't do well,
I'm going home.
I just hope that I
nailed the flavors.
Describe your... cake.
So what we have today,
gentlemen, is an opera cake
with a shiny chocolate
ganache over the top.
We were gobsmacked when you
chose the Gâteau Opéra. Why?
Because any time that you three
identify the toughest challenge
is what I'm gonna go after.
But at the cost of your
presence in this competition,
- you're willing to do that?
- Yes, Chef.
Visually, it doesn't
look that good.
That ganache could've
been a lot softer.
- Yes, Chef.
- Gordon: Yeah?
Yeah, I think you suffered
from over-ambition.
Hopefully the flavor will
circumvent its aesthetic.
Opera cake, it has to
have that perfect blend
of chocolate, coffee, liqueur,
with that golden
cake to sop it up.
- Tell me about the ganache.
- I messed up the first one,
so I had to re-go
on the ganache,
but I believe the flavors are
really gonna be there this time.
A Gâteau Opéra is about thin,
delicate, million-dollar slice.
Well, the layers are definitely
there, let's get that right.
It's bitter, sweet,
and creamy all at the same time,
which is the flavors
that I'm looking for.
I'm just having a hard time
getting myself around
the aesthetic.
Gordon: Tremendous courage.
You chose the most
difficult one.
The flavor is 100% Gâteau
Opéra, but it's ugly.
- Thank you.
- Thank y'all.
Noah: That was literally
the most difficult thing
I've ever done in my life.
So, am I worried
about going home?
Absolutely.
Next up, Nick.
Nick: It's not the prettiest
thing I've ever made.
Baking isn't something
I do all the time,
so I'm hoping that the
flavors are there.
- All right.
- What do you have here, Nick?
I have the Victoria sponge cake
with buttercream frosting,
- and then a homemade strawberry jam.
- Aarón: Yeah, uh,
it doesn't have that finesse
that I'm looking for.
- It looks like a hamburger almost.
- Yeah, pretty bad.
Gordon: No frosting,
no real jeopardy.
It's a sort of
easygoing, simple cake.
Up until tonight,
we've held you in that
top tier bracket,
and I think you put
yourself down.
Should we taste?
So, if you can just
come here a little bit
and just bend down there. The
actual sponge is crispy.
- Nick: Yeah. Okay.
- Gordon: That's crisp.
- Ay-yi-yi.
- Crispy cake?
Gordon: Victoria sponge is not
supposed to be crispy, Nick.
Yeah.
The inside looks light and
fluffy, which is nice.
The jam is-- is beautiful.
It's really adding a--
a beautiful relief
to some of the
density of the cake.
I'm more frustrated
in you, personally,
'cause I think you can
do better than that.
- I do, too. Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you.
Hearing comments like these
is certainly disappointing.
You know, I gave
it my best shot,
and I really hope
I'm not going home.
Next up is Bri.
Looking at my cake, I'm
embarrassed and horrified.
But I'm reassured in the fact
that I know my cakes are
at least perfectly cooked.
Okay, Bri, what did
you make for us?
I made a carrot cake
with a cream cheese
frosting and pecans.
Was the decision not to frost the
outside of the cake a strategy?
- What happened with that?
- I honestly ran out of time
and I kind of ran out
of icing as well.
The example that we
asked you to replicate
had nowhere near the
height yours has got.
You filled those tins
way excessively.
Yeah, I mean, just
aesthetically,
the garnishes look off and
they're kind of sloppy.
They look like Play-Doh
that my kid uses, you know?
If there's one thing a carrot
cake needs, it's what?
Bri: Carrots?
Both: Frosting.
Frosting.
Gordon: Let's be honest,
it doesn't taste that good.
Aarón: It's off balance.
- It's just crying for frosting.
- Joe: Worse than that.
The cake itself is so dense,
it tastes like a pudding.
Sorry.
- Gordon: Thank you, Bri.
- Okay. Thank you.
- It tastes weird, doesn't it?
- Yeah.
Aarón: Next up...
can we see Miss Renee's
cheesecake, please?
Renee: Redoing the second cheesecake
was 100% that smartest thing
that I've done being in
"MasterChef" so far.
It's delicate, it's beautiful,
and it was well worth
the crunch time.
You may have played it safe,
but aesthetically,
it looks beautiful.
- Shall we?
- Sure.
Gordon: Did you make that glaze?
Yes, I did.
- What is that?
- Yeah.
Just touch that.
It's all grainy.
It's not crust. It's like dust.
Gordon: Dear, oh, dear.
Gordon: Dear, oh, dear.
Just touch that.
It's all grainy.
It's not crust. It's like dust.
When it's that grainy like
that, what does that mean?
There wasn't enough butter.
Insufficient butter.
Did you rush this?
Yes, because it was
my second one.
Mmm.
The actual cheesecake filling?
Good.
Um, the composition of it...
- Horrible. - ...it's
slightly all over the place.
It's totally evident that
you had to fast-track it.
Joe: I have nothing
good to say about this.
It's sweet cream cheese on cookie
crumbs as far as I'm concerned.
- Okay.
- Why did you,
at this stage of
the competition,
choose a cheesecake?
Why'd you go down
that easy road?
I wasn't thinking it was easy.
I wanted to show you guys something
really pretty and elegant.
Please don't get upset. I
just know how good you are,
and I, Renee, want to
see more from you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Renee.
- Gordon: Damn.
- Joe: Cookie crumbs.
Subha, please bring
up your cake.
Subha: This might look
like an easy cake,
but my cake looks better than
the cake Gordon gave me,
and the caramelization
is awesome.
- What do we have here?
- We have an upside-down pineapple cake
- caramelized to the top.
- So, what spoke to you about this cake?
Why did you choose it?
My baking skills are
not at the top level
compared to the
competition, so--
Let's remember, season ten,
we're expecting the
best from everybody.
So this kind of precursor of,
"Well, I'm not a great baker,"
let's end with that now.
This cake is the
kind of cake I like.
It's simple, well-executed cake.
- It's not highly skilled, Joe, I'm sorry.
- No, I like--
I think it's delicious. I
think in its simplicity--
Two different things
going on here.
It's simple, it's delicious.
But behind you?
Boy, there's some big
risk-takers there tonight.
- Yes, Chef.
- There's no success without risk.
- Gordon: Thank you, Subha.
- Aarón: Thank you.
- No piping skills.
- Aarón: No fondant.
Nah. No, no, no.
This individual
didn't play it safe.
Make your way down, Jamie.
This competition is a marathon.
We've been working at it
week in and week out.
- Tough night.
- Yes, sir.
We've been learning how
to be a better chef
- and how to be a better baker.
- Ooh.
You chose a Black Forest gâteau.
Let's be honest, it
doesn't look the best.
But when you dig in, you
wanna go back for more.
I never even tasted
this cake before, so--
You've got my respect for
just having the guts
to attempt something
that difficult.
- Thank you so much.
- Good job, Jamie.
- Thank you, guys.
- Great job, Jamie.
- Miss Shari, please. - Wuta: These
challenges are getting tougher.
- Ooh, very nice.
- And some of them play
to people's strengths
more than others.
The chocolate-work and the composition
of the cake is beautiful.
It looks super professional.
You should be very, very happy.
- Thank you, Chef.
- We're not all really skilled bakers,
but the next
MasterChef is somebody
who's going to actually push
themselves to be better.
Gordon: That's not your average
cake baked by a young pot washer.
Sponge is cooked beautifully.
You may be 19, but
you're not a fluke.
- Thank you.
- I'm living proof
that if you push yourself,
the sky's the limit.
This right here is
straight up delicious,
and I'm gonna miss this
like a fat kid misses cake.
Joe: Good job, Wuta.
Next up, please, Dorian,
make your way down.
- Thank you.
- Let's go, Dorian.
Dorian: This
challenge was tough,
but it represents something
close to my heart-- my mom.
So, I'm really excited
about hearing
what they have to say about it.
Young lady, describe
the cake, please.
It's a pink champagne cake
with chocolate shavings on top.
The icing and the cake is
infused with pink champagne.
Uh, question, is this
the one you made
or did you swap it out for mine?
- I made that one.
- I'm without words.
You are a living testament
to what we're trying to get
accomplished in this competition.
Tackling your fears,
taking instruction,
- and then putting yourself on a
beautiful cake like this. - Thank you.
Visually, it's breathtaking.
Please, please, please,
please, please.
- Wow.
- That's awesome, Dorian.
Whoa.
Gordon: It cuts like butter,
and the sponge is light.
The aesthetic
matches the flavor.
The buttercream is so
luscious and beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Overall, excellent.
I've never seen a
cake put together
as well as that in 75 minutes.
You've done yourself proud.
- Thank you.
- Fred: Good job, Dorian!
- Gordon: Amazing.
- Go ahead, Dorian!
My mom would be so proud of me.
She would expect
for me to do well.
The buttercream is just insane.
I'm not gonna give up
in this competition
until I get the trophy.
- Thank you.
- You're good.
Next cake we'd like
to try is Sarah.
- Let's go, Sarah!
- Sarah: My cake compared to the original,
it looks like an
eight-year-old constructed it.
I feel awful right now,
and I'm so upset at the
choice that I made.
Tell us what you made.
I made a berry layer cake
with Swiss meringue
buttercream frosting
and fresh berries on top.
Visually, it looks a mess.
But you chose one of the
most difficult cakes
to replicate tonight.
I either completely flopped
or made a good decision.
Well, Sarah, just to remind
you, you had the second pick.
So, you make a bed,
you sleep in it.
Gordon: What was the most difficult
part for you this evening?
Definitely the frosting.
I had to make three
different batches.
Oh, Sarah.
So, visually, there's an
amalgamation of layers
that have bled into one another.
Uh, it tastes a lot
better than it looks.
I gotta say, it's
redolent with berries.
It's just a shame it's not
aesthetically pleasing.
There's three, possibly
four individuals behind you
who went nowhere near frosting.
You attempted the most difficult
frosting on the planet.
That's where my respect
goes out to you.
Thank you, Chef.
Sometimes your true
grit and determination
could take you down.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Noah: Good job, Sarah.
- Ay-yi-yi.
I'm crushed. I bit off a little
bit more than I could chew.
I feel like I made
a huge mistake.
I'm just not ready to go home.
Joe: Thank you very much.
We need a moment to
discuss these cakes.
Gordon: There are a few people
tonight that really fell flat,
- but amazing highlights tonight.
- Yeah, I mean,
- Shari's for sure. Dorian.
- Extraordinary stuff.
- Micah. Very good.
- Micah, Wuta.
- What about Fred?
Here's the thing, if you're
gonna play it safe tonight,
- you need to wow us with something unique.
- It's about impressing us
and showing us that
you are evolving.
And also, we're gonna
reward taking risks.
- Joe: Of course. - Gordon: And I
expected more from Nick, Bri, and Sarah.
- All right, we got it?
- Yeah.
Gordon: All of you,
we just witnessed
the most extraordinary
75 minutes
of intense bakery,
and the stakes tonight
are even higher.
Not only is somebody gonna
be gaining immunity,
but somebody also has
cooked for their last time.
Let's start with the
good news first.
There was one amazing cake
that stood above
their competition.
Not only will this home
cook win immunity,
but because it's season ten,
they are gonna be
the lucky recipient
of $5,000 worth
of Breville countertop
appliances,
- from food processor to mixers.
- Oh, my God.
- Wow.
- Just like the ones we use here
in the MasterChef kitchen.
That winning cake belongs to...
Congratulations...
Dorian!
- Let's go.
- Well done, Dorian.
Gordon: Guess who's gonna be
baking when they get home?
- Thank you so much.
- Noah: Great job, Dorian.
I got immunity finally!
- Thank you so much.
- Noah: Great job, Dorian.
- Go ahead, Dorian!
- Gordon: Head up the stairs.
On top of that, it puts
me in the top ten.
Wow. Come on, how you feeling?
I'm overwhelmed.
It means a lot to me.
I was really missing my mom,
and to see that pink
cake meant a lot to me.
My mom was my very best friend.
We watched the show
together all the time.
- Oh, my God.
- And here I am,
it's almost like she
made it happen for me.
Congratulations. All of you, give
her a round of applause, please.
- Amazing.
- Go ahead, Miss Dorian!
- Thank you. - She is now safe
from elimination this week.
Now, for the grim news.
Some of you took huge risks
with very challenging cakes,
but some of you went
with an easy route.
Tonight, unfortunately, one
of you are going home.
Bri, Nick, Renee,
make your way down to the front.
Being in the bottom three
for the second week in
a row really sucks.
To go home on this
pathetic carrot cake
would just be horrible.
Tonight, I don't think any of
you played to your strengths.
Nick, the cake was a mess.
Slightly overcooked
on the outside,
but the jam was delicious.
Renee, the choice
was an easy one.
The filling was good.
The base was terrible.
Bri, you took a
delicious carrot cake
and turned it into
a carrot pudding.
It was dense with
insufficient frosting.
Nick, we expect more from you,
and I know you expect
more from yourself.
Nick...
...head back to your station.
- Attaboy, Nick.
- Nick: I feel super relieved,
but to be a good cook, you
have to be well-rounded,
and it's gonna take some work.
So, I'm gonna have to focus on
the sweeter side of things,
if I want to be the
next MasterChef.
Bri, Renee, tough call tonight.
Joe, Aarón, and I agree that...
Bri, your cake tonight...
...was not the worst.
Head back to your station.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Good girl. Good girl.
- Wowzers.
- Oh, good girl.
Thank you.
Oh, my gosh.
It's okay, Bri. Chin up.
Chin up.
Renee, from a judge's point of
view, we're here to push you.
You backed off, and
I don't know why,
because you're a
bloody good cook.
- Thank you.
- Come here.
Renee: I'm disappointed
to be leaving.
I'm not brokenhearted, though,
because I'm proud of myself.
I'm in the top freaking 12, man.
And winners keep on fighting.
They don't pity party
over themselves.
You get back on
that freaking horse
and you ride it when
it bucks you off.
- Bye, y'all.
Mwah!
Get some rest. Good night.
---
Gordon: Previously
on "MasterChef"...
Not only do you have to make
us an amazing bread dish,
- you have to make us two.
- Oh!
- Gordon: Come on, guys.
One of these talented home
cooks is going home tonight.
O-M-G.
- Wow.
There's no soup in your soup.
Gordon: The person leaving the
MasterChef kitchen is Sam.
- Tonight...
- Oh, my God.
sweet week kicks off with
an immunity challenge...
Give me the diabetes.
- ...that's no cakewalk.
- Aarón: Pick a cake,
then perfectly
replicate that cake.
Piece of cake, right?
And there's just one
spot up on the balcony
up for grabs.
Someone will also be eliminated.
I'm here to show you
that I belong here.
- Whoa!
- Why?
Because it's the
hardest thing, Chef.
- Gordon: Ten
minutes, guys, yes?
- Look.
- There's something wrong.
It's a bad wrong.
Yeah, uh...
it looks like a hamburger.
- Oh!
- Whoo!
- Noah: Here we go!
- Cake!
- Oh, how pretty.
- Oh, my God.
Wow.
Welcome, guys. Come
on down, please.
- Renee: Like, yay, cake!
- Oh, those some fancy cakes.
Who doesn't get like, you know,
a fat kid in a candy store
feeling when they see cake?
Fred, you should be the
happiest boy in town.
This is literally, like, everything
I could ever dream of right now.
Give me the diabetes.
Fred: I'm pretty ecstatic.
The judges keep calling
me dessert king,
but I haven't earned
my crown yet.
So, this is a chance
for me to prove
that I am as good of a baker
that I'm proclaiming
myself to be.
Welcome, everybody,
to sweet week.
- You are the final 12 home cooks left
- Yes!
- in this competition.
- Whoo!
This is season ten
of "MasterChef,"
our season of giant
tables of cake.
- Damn. - Noah, come on, you
must've eaten lots of cakes
- to get that tall.
- Yes, Chef.
- I love all of these cakes, clearly.
- Renee.
- Yes.
- Give us an insight with mom and dad
and the celebration with cake.
Christmas, Thanksgiving,
birthdays, Fourth of July--
they always knew I was around
because there was
always a swoosh.
- Stop it. Always?
- Yes. Yeah.
Tonight is all
about celebration.
And only one of you
is gonna celebrate
if you win immunity on
this daunting challenge.
Oh.
Unfortunately, someone
will also be eliminated.
Jamie: What in the
world is going on?
I mean, this is getting real,
and I'm nervous as hell.
Aarón: The rules
are simple, guys.
You come up here and
you pick a cake.
Then you have to perfectly
replicate that cake.
Piece of cake, right?
At the bottom of every
candle is a number,
and that will be the order in
which you choose your cake.
- All of you, please,
come up and grab a candle.
Wow.
Please, please, please.
I'm number two.
Wuta: Damn, I got number ten!
I may get one of
these harder cakes,
and I don't know if I have
those type of skills.
- Dorian, a good position?
Yes!
I am so excited. I
pulled number one.
But at the same time,
me coming in as a baker, I
feel a lot of pressure.
If I don't deliver, I know
that I'll probably go home.
Tonight, please be very
smart with what you choose.
Go for an easy cake, we may
not be that impressed.
Go for one of the harder cakes,
you may bite off more
than you can chew.
Upside-down cake,
pretty simple, right?
My grandma could do
that in her sleep.
On the other side,
the Gâteau Opéra,
that will show huge
determination.
- It's very difficult.
- Very big risk.
Dorian, please, what cake
are you gonna select?
Um...
...um, I'm gonna go with
the Champagne cake.
Wow.
- Sarah.
- I have no idea.
- Wow, berry cake. Good girl.
- I like it, Sarah.
Head back to your
station, please.
- Micah, let's go.
- Coconut cake.
German chocolate cake.
Ooh, the Victoria.
- Bri.
- Carrot cake.
Gordon: Carrot cake.
- Noah.
- Opera cake.
Whoa! Man.
- Black forest.
- Gordon: Wow!
- Subha.
- Upside-down pineapple.
- I love fruit,
- Subha! - so I'll go
for the pineapple.
The easiest one.
- Wuta.
- Hummingbird cake.
- Okay, ladies.
- Thank you, God.
- What cake you going for?
- Um, so, you know,
I think I'm gonna take
the devil's food.
Cheesecake!
Absolutely amazing.
Good choices.
I'm looking at this opera cake.
It's singing to me. It's
singing like Pavarotti.
Noah, are you okay?
Yes, Chef, I'm perfectly fine.
I just lost my mind
and having a heart attack, but
other than that, I'm perfect.
Gâteau Opéra is not
normally selected
unless you're a five-year
top pâtisserie chef.
I'm here to rock and roll.
This cake is going to be
the most challenging thing
that I've done in
this competition
because I've never even tasted
this daggum cake before,
so we'll see what happens.
Incredible.
Oh, my God, what did I do?
This is the biggest baking
challenge we've ever had.
You'll have 75 minutes
to taste your cake, then
replicate your cake.
Not only will it have
to taste the same,
but it'll look the same
as those beautiful
cakes in front of you.
- Understood?
- All: Yes, Chef.
Your 75 minutes start now.
Let's go, guys.
Oh, my God.
I taste this cake,
and my heart drops
because this is no simple
buttercream frosting.
This is a meringue buttercream.
It's very technical,
and I'm feeling like
I'm out the gate
having just shot one
of my toes off.
Oh, it's four layers.
Gordon: This is the most
difficult finesse challenge
in the history of
this competition.
What better barometer to see
where these cooks are at
- than baking cakes.
- Yes.
Joe: Look at Nick. He's
literally taken that cake,
broken it down layer by layer
and tasting every aspect of it.
- Smart.
- Baking isn't something I do all the time,
but I think I have a good sense
of, you know, flavor profiles.
This is a chance to
fight for immunity,
so I have no room for error.
Tonight, my choice would
be the Gâteau Opéra.
It's a very difficult
cake to replicate
because it's all about creating
those perfect intricate layers.
And that's why I've got
so much respect for Noah
because I just love that
he is ballsy enough
to turn around and say,
"I'm going for it.
I'm not taking the easy route."
It's nut up or shut up time.
All right, so, Renee,
what are we doing here?
I'm tasting the
texture of the cake.
It's not a dense cheesecake
like I'm used to,
'cause I make
cheesecakes at home.
So you should have
this in the bag.
It's a little bit
different than mine.
So that's why I have to replicate yours.
I can't do mine.
- Be open-minded. Don't get stuck
in your ways. - Yeah. Yeah.
And everyone knows how important
that graham cracker crust is.
Because it's so simple, there's
really nowhere to hide, Renee.
- Yes.
- Leave your home game at home,
- Yes. - and bring your
MasterChef game today.
Fred: I picked a German
chocolate cake today
because I like the caramelized
pecan coconut filling.
I want to do my best
with this challenge.
They keep calling
me dessert king.
I wanna prove to them that that
title is something I do deserve.
The worst thing that
can happen to me today
is that I get sent
home on a dessert.
So, I'm definitely focused
and I'm trying my best.
- Dorian, Dorian.
- Yes, Chef.
- First pick of the night.
- First pick of the night.
Went straight for the
champagne cake. Why?
My mom passed two years
ago of breast cancer.
And pink was always my favorite
color, but after my mom passed away,
it just took on a different
meaning for me and my family.
- Sure.
- So, it's beautiful just like she was,
and I just wanna be able
to do the cake justice.
Mm-hmm. Top ten around the corner.
We're nearly halfway there.
- Yep. I do.
- Do you ever get homesick?
I miss my boys, but I
definitely miss my daughter.
I've never been away from
her since she's been born.
- Really? How old is she now? Wow.
- She's five.
So, I wanna be a really
good example for her.
You are a great example.
Chef, you're about
to make me cry.
- No, come on.
- I can't cry on the pink cake.
You're one brave lady.
- Yeah. Thank you.
- Good luck.
When elimination is on the
line as well as immunity,
I wanna show the judges something
that I'm not comfortable with.
I mean, other people
are doing cheesecake
and pineapple upside-down cake.
They definitely took
the easy road out,
but for me, this is
just another challenge
to really show my skills.
Guys, gotta get those cakes in
the next couple of minutes.
As soon as you can.
Aarón: They should be in
there rocking and rolling.
Let's go, Subha.
Gordon: Look at Bri. She's
got the carrot cake.
First one to get her cake in the
oven in the first ten minutes.
So that's a lot of weight
off her shoulders.
- Good job.
- Let's get our cakes in there, guys.
Gordon: Come on, Sarah,
you gotta get it in.
It's gotta go in.
- Quick as you can.
- Aarón: Let's go.
Crap.
Renee: This cheesecake
needs to be perfect,
but the crust is too
tall for my cheesecake.
I am worried,
'cause someone will be
going home tonight.
So I make a very tough decision.
I am starting over.
I know this is a risk.
It's gonna get really
down to the wire,
but I hope to God I
can pull this off.
Aarón: Let's get our
cakes in there, guys.
They should be in there
rocking and rolling.
If it's not perfect the first
time, redo it and make it again.
- You're starting over again? Why?
- Yeah.
'Cause my crust is ( bleep ) up.
- You got time to do it again?
- Yeah, I have time.
If there's one thing
that you cannot afford
- to screw up tonight, it's a cheesecake.
- Yes.
Time's not your
friend right now.
- You gotta get it in in five minutes.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Wow.
- If I mess up a cheesecake,
I just might as well pack
my bags and just go home
without even having the judges
tell me I need to go home.
It's crunch time.
- Noah, how are you feeling?
- Yes, Chef. I'm feeling great.
My cake's in the oven. I'm about
to start the buttercream.
- Right.
- Get the butter and the chocolate.
Tonight, all those
choices, why Gâteau Opéra?
Because I wanna really show
you that I'm here to win.
That ganache at the end?
Super smooth.
It needs to be like
this sheet of ice.
- Yes, Chef. Yes, Chef.
- Move your ass.
- Here I go. Yes, Chef.
- Focus, let's go.
Guys, just under
40 minutes to go.
Keep an eye on the temperature.
Right, you should be getting
that frosting together now.
There's no dark chocolate.
Now, tonight everyone's
cooking for immunity.
But, sadly, somebody
is going home.
- Ironic double jeopardy.
- Absolutely.
- Do you know where the food coloring is?
- I don't know.
But we don't normally throw
this kind of challenge in
until the top eight, top five.
Gordon: So, tonight, it's huge.
Joe: If Dorian nails
this champagne cake,
she firmly cements herself
as one of the front-runners
- in this competition.
- Yeah. Yeah.
Aarón: Fred has the
highest to fall,
- 'cause he is so touted as a cake maker.
- Now, Wuta,
the hummingbird cake.
That's a tough one.
The finish on the frosting,
it needs to be super
smooth all the way around.
I don't have a lot of
experience baking,
but I'm pretty happy
about this cake.
The most difficult
part is making sure
that the design stays
as neat as it is.
So, I'm going to have to
make sure I have enough time
to set myself up for success.
I make cake a lot.
I made my own wedding cake,
and it was chocolate
on chocolate cake.
So, I really hope I'm not
the one going home tonight.
That would be really
embarrassing for me.
I'm just gonna work
on this ganache,
and then it's just
the decorating,
so I'm feeling pretty good.
Gordon: Come on, speed up.
Work tidy.
Ooh, this takes a
lot of arm work.
Sarah's doing that berry cake.
So, she's got an Italian
meringue frosting.
One of the most difficult
frostings on the planet,
'cause you have to hand whisk
that sugar and those egg whites.
She got a tough job.
37 minutes left. I still have
a lot to do in this cook.
I need to get this right, I
need all my frosting done,
and I need to get my cakes out.
Guys, gotta get those cakes
out of the oven now.
Aarón: You're there. Come on.
These are still not done.
Big disappointment for me,
Bri and the carrot cake.
I think it's too easy for her. She
should've picked something more difficult.
And she's very decorative, so I didn't
expect her to go down that route.
A big surprise.
Joe: Nice job.
Bri: I'm looking at my oven
and I'm looking up at the clock
and I am nervous that I
might be in trouble.
Gordon: Come on, Sarah.
Get them in the fridge.
It will be 13 minutes
and 30 seconds,
I have to take the cake out.
- How's it going, Shari?
- Doing good.
How are you doing, Nick?
Compared to the
competition out there,
my baking skill is not, you
know, up to that level.
So, I got the pineapple
upside-down cake.
My cake has no icing.
I just hope that the
judges don't think
that I'm taking
the easy way out.
45 minutes gone,
30 minutes to go.
Aarón: Let's go.
It smells so good.
- Aarón: Nick, what do we got going on?
- Hey, Chef.
This is a difficult,
difficult cake
because there's really
not much to it.
No. No, I have to
get it perfect.
Are you gonna make your own jam?
- I am.
- Yeah.
I am making my own
strawberry jam.
This is about that beautiful
balance of cream and jam
and how airy this
sponge cake is, okay?
Nick: I'm a little nervous.
The Victoria sponge cake, to me,
isn't something that's
super easy to make,
but I'm gonna try to nail it.
Just trying to figure this out.
I just wanna taste
this opera cake.
You know what this cake
tastes like to me, Noah?
- What, what, sir?
- Difficulty.
Yes. Yes, Chef.
It definitely is.
- It's good stuff.
- Come on.
Noah: Making that ganache
is the hardest part
involved in this cook.
There is no room for screw up.
It has to be perfect.
Just trying to smooth it out.
Now, Noah, I am so
concerned for him.
The big secret behind
any Gâteau Opéra
is the final layer of ganache.
What is the jeopardy of ganache?
The ganache is about the sheen.
It's about the temperature.
Set it and forget it.
If the butter breaks or
you melt it too much,
- your ganache is finished.
- Yeah, it's gone.
It'll separate and split.
( bleep ). Look.
Noah's just burnt his ganache.
- What in the hell?
Cannot believe that
freaking chocolate.
Are you kidding me? It's
just hard as a rock.
- His ganache, it seized up.
- He has to start again?
- Start--
- Oh, my God.
- That is the finishing--
- With 23 minutes?
- Yeah.
- I hope this is not Noah's
- last aria at the opera.
- I hope not.
This is life or death
kind of ( bleep ) here.
This is a mess.
Look, Noah's just
burnt his ganache.
Joe: He has to start again?
- Start--
- Oh, my God.
- With 23 minutes?
- Yeah.
Gordon: Noah could be in
deep trouble here, guys.
Okay, so it's 16 ounces,
so I need a pound.
- Noah, you gotta speed up now.
- Yes, Chef. Heard, Chef.
Yeah, behind.
20 minutes to go.
You've got to start thinking
about assembling the cake.
Oh, my God.
Eh, it's an ugly cake,
but I'm covering it in frosting,
so I really don't care.
Jamie: I know that
my Achilles' heel
is baking and decorating
a daggone cake.
I'm a stone-cold killer.
I don't-- finesse is
not really my thing
when it comes to these hands.
Like I've been
saying from day one,
it's a cake that's gonna get
me sent home. I know it.
I'm looking up at the clock,
and I have to just get those
cakes out of the oven, asap.
Ooh! Oh, my God, I
almost just dropped it.
- Come on, let's go, Bri.
- Coming through. Renee, behind.
Coming through! Coming through!
Bri: The best case scenario
for me with this cake
is that it cools
off really quickly
and I have enough time
to ice it properly.
Otherwise, I'm
getting eliminated.
( sighs ) Okay.
Look at Micah. Micah's
already started assembling.
Joe: Micah's ahead of the
pack on the cake challenge.
Gordon: He is ahead of the pack.
Joe: Who would
have thought that?
Micah: As an artist,
I'm definitely well within
my wheelhouse within baking.
I've been a painter before.
I've done pallet paintings.
It's very, very similar.
Look at Dorian
assembling as well.
Sadly, her mother passed two
years ago, breast cancer,
so she's cooking from the heart.
But more importantly, she
is absolutely in that zone.
Look at Sarah. Sarah's
running behind.
- Sarah, please speed up.
- Yes, Chef.
Sarah: The frosting
is taking forever.
I definitely bit off way
more than I can chew.
Racing against the clock.
Aarón: Let's go, Sarah.
You can do it.
Just trying to figure this out.
I think it looks like crap.
This is a problem.
- Aarón: Let's go. You gotta start
to work this, mijo. - Yes, Chef.
You're under 15 minutes.
Get going, okay, Noah?
That's upsetting.
Man, this is tough.
Where are our cake bases?
I'm gonna put this one on there
and then I'm gonna
turn it back out.
- Be careful, let's go.
- Yeah.
- Yes, Chef. Yes.
- I'm here for you. I'm waiting.
- Oh. Want me to turn it?
- Whip the damn thing.
Let's go.
Gently.
Good boy.
- That looks beautiful.
- Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Fred: Coming into this
competition as a baker,
I'm trying my best
to go and make sure
that I can replicate this cake
exactly like how I'm seeing it.
My ultimate dream is to go and open
my own bakery with my parents,
so I have to just keep pushing
until I can get to that goal.
- How you feeling, Sarah?
- I'm feeling a little rushed,
but I'm gonna start
getting these assembled.
Are yours not cooled off yet?
Mine's frosted. It's in there.
Mine's still kinda warm.
Ten minutes, guys, yes?
Bri, you gotta get
moving, honey.
I know. They're just--
they're a little warm still.
Just remember that they're gonna
continue to set, though, honey.
So do you think I should go ahead and ice?
Is it safe?
How long is it gonna take you to
achieve that level of detail?
- About ten minutes.
- Aarón: Yeah, do it. Do it.
Renee: I am so glad that I
did the second cheesecake.
It looks way better than
the first one I did.
I believe it's pretty close
to the original cake,
but we shall wait and see.
Nick, seriously, hurry up.
- Bri.
- Yes, Chef.
- You have to hurry up.
- I know.
- Where's your big spatula?
- Right here.
Use the big one first.
Two minutes to go.
I'd just focus on
decorating it now.
- Nearly there, okay? Head up, okay.
- Yes, Chef.
Don't you dare
start sinking now.
Noah: I'm worried
there's not enough time
- to make the chocolate top.
- Let's go. Finishing touches.
Gordon: Speed up with that, yes?
Listen to me.
It needs to be like
this sheet of ice.
- Okay? Good luck. Hurry up.
- Yes, Chef.
90 seconds left, everyone.
Sarah: It's not cooling
down fast enough.
The frosting is melting.
Oh, it's oozing.
This is melting.
I didn't come here to
go home on a cake.
- One minute left.
- Excuse me, excuse me.
- Bri: I need a plate.
- Fred: Here, here.
Plate, plate. You're
gonna get a plate?
Got a plate. Go, go, go.
Go, go, go.
Noah: The most important step
is to freeze blast my cake,
but I know I'm not gonna
have enough time.
Mother of God.
The ring has got
to come off, Noah.
This is gonna be a disaster.
- It doesn't matter.
- It's going to pull apart
because the ganache is
going to stick to it
because it needs to
be blast chilled.
It's gonna ruin it.
Judges: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- Joe: Hands up.
- Aarón and Gordon: Hands in the air.
Well done. Well done.
- That looks sexy, bro.
- Dorian!
- Wow, Dorian, that looks really good.
- We flexin'.
We flexin' today.
That was the smartest damn thing
I could have ever thought of.
I'm feeling very
great right now.
( bleep ) unbelievable.
Well, I would've had
the top perfect.
I should've just made it-- I
should've made it earlier.
Shoot, I'm scared. They're
gonna rate me so bad.
Sarah: It looks terrible.
Right, now for the most
important part, the tasting.
Tonight, there's only
one coveted spot
of immunity up for grabs.
Someone will also be eliminated.
The first cake we'd
like to examine--
Fred, thank you.
Fred: There's a lot
riding on this.
Not only for my stake
in the competition,
but my reputation as
the pastry person.
I want the judges to
know this is my passion.
Gordon: Describe
the cake, please.
So I have German chocolate
cake for you guys,
with caramelized coconut
and pecan filling.
You came here as a
talented baker,
struggled with a few of the savory
challenges, but tonight you nailed it.
All that chocolate
work in 75 minutes.
- Beautiful.
- Thank you.
It looks very accurate
to the actual cake.
- Mmm.
- Hmm. Looks nice.
Visually, it looks great.
A little bit top heavy
in terms of some
of the layering.
Look, the flavor is there.
It's rich.
I think you were very excessive
with the amount of
that coconut mixture,
because that's really
overpowering right now.
But it is so well-executed
that it's making me overlook the
amount of the coconut mixture.
You underappreciate
yourself way too much.
- Okay. Mm-hmm.
- Have more confidence.
You know what I say about
your German chocolate cake?
Oh, what, Joe?
Das guten.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- Good job, Fred.
- Good job. Well done.
- Good job.
Good job. Good job.
I think that I might not deserve
the dessert king crown,
but I might deserve the
dessert prince crown.
Next up, Noah, please. Let's go.
Walking up to the judges,
the top looks like
hammered hell,
and it's elimination.
If I don't do well,
I'm going home.
I just hope that I
nailed the flavors.
Describe your... cake.
So what we have today,
gentlemen, is an opera cake
with a shiny chocolate
ganache over the top.
We were gobsmacked when you
chose the Gâteau Opéra. Why?
Because any time that you three
identify the toughest challenge
is what I'm gonna go after.
But at the cost of your
presence in this competition,
- you're willing to do that?
- Yes, Chef.
Visually, it doesn't
look that good.
That ganache could've
been a lot softer.
- Yes, Chef.
- Gordon: Yeah?
Yeah, I think you suffered
from over-ambition.
Hopefully the flavor will
circumvent its aesthetic.
Opera cake, it has to
have that perfect blend
of chocolate, coffee, liqueur,
with that golden
cake to sop it up.
- Tell me about the ganache.
- I messed up the first one,
so I had to re-go
on the ganache,
but I believe the flavors are
really gonna be there this time.
A Gâteau Opéra is about thin,
delicate, million-dollar slice.
Well, the layers are definitely
there, let's get that right.
It's bitter, sweet,
and creamy all at the same time,
which is the flavors
that I'm looking for.
I'm just having a hard time
getting myself around
the aesthetic.
Gordon: Tremendous courage.
You chose the most
difficult one.
The flavor is 100% Gâteau
Opéra, but it's ugly.
- Thank you.
- Thank y'all.
Noah: That was literally
the most difficult thing
I've ever done in my life.
So, am I worried
about going home?
Absolutely.
Next up, Nick.
Nick: It's not the prettiest
thing I've ever made.
Baking isn't something
I do all the time,
so I'm hoping that the
flavors are there.
- All right.
- What do you have here, Nick?
I have the Victoria sponge cake
with buttercream frosting,
- and then a homemade strawberry jam.
- Aarón: Yeah, uh,
it doesn't have that finesse
that I'm looking for.
- It looks like a hamburger almost.
- Yeah, pretty bad.
Gordon: No frosting,
no real jeopardy.
It's a sort of
easygoing, simple cake.
Up until tonight,
we've held you in that
top tier bracket,
and I think you put
yourself down.
Should we taste?
So, if you can just
come here a little bit
and just bend down there. The
actual sponge is crispy.
- Nick: Yeah. Okay.
- Gordon: That's crisp.
- Ay-yi-yi.
- Crispy cake?
Gordon: Victoria sponge is not
supposed to be crispy, Nick.
Yeah.
The inside looks light and
fluffy, which is nice.
The jam is-- is beautiful.
It's really adding a--
a beautiful relief
to some of the
density of the cake.
I'm more frustrated
in you, personally,
'cause I think you can
do better than that.
- I do, too. Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you.
Hearing comments like these
is certainly disappointing.
You know, I gave
it my best shot,
and I really hope
I'm not going home.
Next up is Bri.
Looking at my cake, I'm
embarrassed and horrified.
But I'm reassured in the fact
that I know my cakes are
at least perfectly cooked.
Okay, Bri, what did
you make for us?
I made a carrot cake
with a cream cheese
frosting and pecans.
Was the decision not to frost the
outside of the cake a strategy?
- What happened with that?
- I honestly ran out of time
and I kind of ran out
of icing as well.
The example that we
asked you to replicate
had nowhere near the
height yours has got.
You filled those tins
way excessively.
Yeah, I mean, just
aesthetically,
the garnishes look off and
they're kind of sloppy.
They look like Play-Doh
that my kid uses, you know?
If there's one thing a carrot
cake needs, it's what?
Bri: Carrots?
Both: Frosting.
Frosting.
Gordon: Let's be honest,
it doesn't taste that good.
Aarón: It's off balance.
- It's just crying for frosting.
- Joe: Worse than that.
The cake itself is so dense,
it tastes like a pudding.
Sorry.
- Gordon: Thank you, Bri.
- Okay. Thank you.
- It tastes weird, doesn't it?
- Yeah.
Aarón: Next up...
can we see Miss Renee's
cheesecake, please?
Renee: Redoing the second cheesecake
was 100% that smartest thing
that I've done being in
"MasterChef" so far.
It's delicate, it's beautiful,
and it was well worth
the crunch time.
You may have played it safe,
but aesthetically,
it looks beautiful.
- Shall we?
- Sure.
Gordon: Did you make that glaze?
Yes, I did.
- What is that?
- Yeah.
Just touch that.
It's all grainy.
It's not crust. It's like dust.
Gordon: Dear, oh, dear.
Gordon: Dear, oh, dear.
Just touch that.
It's all grainy.
It's not crust. It's like dust.
When it's that grainy like
that, what does that mean?
There wasn't enough butter.
Insufficient butter.
Did you rush this?
Yes, because it was
my second one.
Mmm.
The actual cheesecake filling?
Good.
Um, the composition of it...
- Horrible. - ...it's
slightly all over the place.
It's totally evident that
you had to fast-track it.
Joe: I have nothing
good to say about this.
It's sweet cream cheese on cookie
crumbs as far as I'm concerned.
- Okay.
- Why did you,
at this stage of
the competition,
choose a cheesecake?
Why'd you go down
that easy road?
I wasn't thinking it was easy.
I wanted to show you guys something
really pretty and elegant.
Please don't get upset. I
just know how good you are,
and I, Renee, want to
see more from you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Renee.
- Gordon: Damn.
- Joe: Cookie crumbs.
Subha, please bring
up your cake.
Subha: This might look
like an easy cake,
but my cake looks better than
the cake Gordon gave me,
and the caramelization
is awesome.
- What do we have here?
- We have an upside-down pineapple cake
- caramelized to the top.
- So, what spoke to you about this cake?
Why did you choose it?
My baking skills are
not at the top level
compared to the
competition, so--
Let's remember, season ten,
we're expecting the
best from everybody.
So this kind of precursor of,
"Well, I'm not a great baker,"
let's end with that now.
This cake is the
kind of cake I like.
It's simple, well-executed cake.
- It's not highly skilled, Joe, I'm sorry.
- No, I like--
I think it's delicious. I
think in its simplicity--
Two different things
going on here.
It's simple, it's delicious.
But behind you?
Boy, there's some big
risk-takers there tonight.
- Yes, Chef.
- There's no success without risk.
- Gordon: Thank you, Subha.
- Aarón: Thank you.
- No piping skills.
- Aarón: No fondant.
Nah. No, no, no.
This individual
didn't play it safe.
Make your way down, Jamie.
This competition is a marathon.
We've been working at it
week in and week out.
- Tough night.
- Yes, sir.
We've been learning how
to be a better chef
- and how to be a better baker.
- Ooh.
You chose a Black Forest gâteau.
Let's be honest, it
doesn't look the best.
But when you dig in, you
wanna go back for more.
I never even tasted
this cake before, so--
You've got my respect for
just having the guts
to attempt something
that difficult.
- Thank you so much.
- Good job, Jamie.
- Thank you, guys.
- Great job, Jamie.
- Miss Shari, please. - Wuta: These
challenges are getting tougher.
- Ooh, very nice.
- And some of them play
to people's strengths
more than others.
The chocolate-work and the composition
of the cake is beautiful.
It looks super professional.
You should be very, very happy.
- Thank you, Chef.
- We're not all really skilled bakers,
but the next
MasterChef is somebody
who's going to actually push
themselves to be better.
Gordon: That's not your average
cake baked by a young pot washer.
Sponge is cooked beautifully.
You may be 19, but
you're not a fluke.
- Thank you.
- I'm living proof
that if you push yourself,
the sky's the limit.
This right here is
straight up delicious,
and I'm gonna miss this
like a fat kid misses cake.
Joe: Good job, Wuta.
Next up, please, Dorian,
make your way down.
- Thank you.
- Let's go, Dorian.
Dorian: This
challenge was tough,
but it represents something
close to my heart-- my mom.
So, I'm really excited
about hearing
what they have to say about it.
Young lady, describe
the cake, please.
It's a pink champagne cake
with chocolate shavings on top.
The icing and the cake is
infused with pink champagne.
Uh, question, is this
the one you made
or did you swap it out for mine?
- I made that one.
- I'm without words.
You are a living testament
to what we're trying to get
accomplished in this competition.
Tackling your fears,
taking instruction,
- and then putting yourself on a
beautiful cake like this. - Thank you.
Visually, it's breathtaking.
Please, please, please,
please, please.
- Wow.
- That's awesome, Dorian.
Whoa.
Gordon: It cuts like butter,
and the sponge is light.
The aesthetic
matches the flavor.
The buttercream is so
luscious and beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Overall, excellent.
I've never seen a
cake put together
as well as that in 75 minutes.
You've done yourself proud.
- Thank you.
- Fred: Good job, Dorian!
- Gordon: Amazing.
- Go ahead, Dorian!
My mom would be so proud of me.
She would expect
for me to do well.
The buttercream is just insane.
I'm not gonna give up
in this competition
until I get the trophy.
- Thank you.
- You're good.
Next cake we'd like
to try is Sarah.
- Let's go, Sarah!
- Sarah: My cake compared to the original,
it looks like an
eight-year-old constructed it.
I feel awful right now,
and I'm so upset at the
choice that I made.
Tell us what you made.
I made a berry layer cake
with Swiss meringue
buttercream frosting
and fresh berries on top.
Visually, it looks a mess.
But you chose one of the
most difficult cakes
to replicate tonight.
I either completely flopped
or made a good decision.
Well, Sarah, just to remind
you, you had the second pick.
So, you make a bed,
you sleep in it.
Gordon: What was the most difficult
part for you this evening?
Definitely the frosting.
I had to make three
different batches.
Oh, Sarah.
So, visually, there's an
amalgamation of layers
that have bled into one another.
Uh, it tastes a lot
better than it looks.
I gotta say, it's
redolent with berries.
It's just a shame it's not
aesthetically pleasing.
There's three, possibly
four individuals behind you
who went nowhere near frosting.
You attempted the most difficult
frosting on the planet.
That's where my respect
goes out to you.
Thank you, Chef.
Sometimes your true
grit and determination
could take you down.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Noah: Good job, Sarah.
- Ay-yi-yi.
I'm crushed. I bit off a little
bit more than I could chew.
I feel like I made
a huge mistake.
I'm just not ready to go home.
Joe: Thank you very much.
We need a moment to
discuss these cakes.
Gordon: There are a few people
tonight that really fell flat,
- but amazing highlights tonight.
- Yeah, I mean,
- Shari's for sure. Dorian.
- Extraordinary stuff.
- Micah. Very good.
- Micah, Wuta.
- What about Fred?
Here's the thing, if you're
gonna play it safe tonight,
- you need to wow us with something unique.
- It's about impressing us
and showing us that
you are evolving.
And also, we're gonna
reward taking risks.
- Joe: Of course. - Gordon: And I
expected more from Nick, Bri, and Sarah.
- All right, we got it?
- Yeah.
Gordon: All of you,
we just witnessed
the most extraordinary
75 minutes
of intense bakery,
and the stakes tonight
are even higher.
Not only is somebody gonna
be gaining immunity,
but somebody also has
cooked for their last time.
Let's start with the
good news first.
There was one amazing cake
that stood above
their competition.
Not only will this home
cook win immunity,
but because it's season ten,
they are gonna be
the lucky recipient
of $5,000 worth
of Breville countertop
appliances,
- from food processor to mixers.
- Oh, my God.
- Wow.
- Just like the ones we use here
in the MasterChef kitchen.
That winning cake belongs to...
Congratulations...
Dorian!
- Let's go.
- Well done, Dorian.
Gordon: Guess who's gonna be
baking when they get home?
- Thank you so much.
- Noah: Great job, Dorian.
I got immunity finally!
- Thank you so much.
- Noah: Great job, Dorian.
- Go ahead, Dorian!
- Gordon: Head up the stairs.
On top of that, it puts
me in the top ten.
Wow. Come on, how you feeling?
I'm overwhelmed.
It means a lot to me.
I was really missing my mom,
and to see that pink
cake meant a lot to me.
My mom was my very best friend.
We watched the show
together all the time.
- Oh, my God.
- And here I am,
it's almost like she
made it happen for me.
Congratulations. All of you, give
her a round of applause, please.
- Amazing.
- Go ahead, Miss Dorian!
- Thank you. - She is now safe
from elimination this week.
Now, for the grim news.
Some of you took huge risks
with very challenging cakes,
but some of you went
with an easy route.
Tonight, unfortunately, one
of you are going home.
Bri, Nick, Renee,
make your way down to the front.
Being in the bottom three
for the second week in
a row really sucks.
To go home on this
pathetic carrot cake
would just be horrible.
Tonight, I don't think any of
you played to your strengths.
Nick, the cake was a mess.
Slightly overcooked
on the outside,
but the jam was delicious.
Renee, the choice
was an easy one.
The filling was good.
The base was terrible.
Bri, you took a
delicious carrot cake
and turned it into
a carrot pudding.
It was dense with
insufficient frosting.
Nick, we expect more from you,
and I know you expect
more from yourself.
Nick...
...head back to your station.
- Attaboy, Nick.
- Nick: I feel super relieved,
but to be a good cook, you
have to be well-rounded,
and it's gonna take some work.
So, I'm gonna have to focus on
the sweeter side of things,
if I want to be the
next MasterChef.
Bri, Renee, tough call tonight.
Joe, Aarón, and I agree that...
Bri, your cake tonight...
...was not the worst.
Head back to your station.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Good girl. Good girl.
- Wowzers.
- Oh, good girl.
Thank you.
Oh, my gosh.
It's okay, Bri. Chin up.
Chin up.
Renee, from a judge's point of
view, we're here to push you.
You backed off, and
I don't know why,
because you're a
bloody good cook.
- Thank you.
- Come here.
Renee: I'm disappointed
to be leaving.
I'm not brokenhearted, though,
because I'm proud of myself.
I'm in the top freaking 12, man.
And winners keep on fighting.
They don't pity party
over themselves.
You get back on
that freaking horse
and you ride it when
it bucks you off.
- Bye, y'all.
Mwah!
Get some rest. Good night.