The Great Canadian Baking Show (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Dessert Week - full transcript
Look at this view.
Are you thinking
what I'm thinking?
Ah...
You mean, whether or not
the reification of desire
affects our understanding
of mortality in this
post-biological future,
and what role, if any,
do the forces of affectivity
and alienation play
in the current understanding
of social ontology?
I mean, it's beyond me, really.
Yeah, um, I was
just thinking we should
head inside for dessert week.
Yeah, that
sounds more fun.
Last time,
bread week got emotional.
Oh!
It's not cooked.
But a
challenging showstopper
brought out the bakers' best.
Beautiful golden colour.
Thank you.
It looks
mouth-watering.
Sabrina
carried away star baker
with her beautiful bread basket.
And Sinclair was
the second to leave the tent.
Thank you so much.
Now it's dessert week.
That's terrifying.
This is the bit where
it could all go horribly wrong.
With
eight bakers left...
Bunch of
confused bakers in here.
...who will
pull off pastry perfection?
Woo!
Burned my eye.
Just beat it,
beat it, beat it!
And who will see
their baking dreams collapse?
Oh, dear...
No, this is not good.
It's not gonna be done.
Just breathe.
Just breathe.
You're right, you're right.
No pressure
being star baker.
I'm just gonna walk into
the tent being very calm,
cool, collected.
The other bakers
are great.
My main problem with them
is that they're probably
better at baking than me.
So, um...
I'm such a dessert guy.
I love baking because
I love eating baking.
I am so excited
to bake again.
Today is going to be a good day.
Welcome back, bakers.
This week is all about dessert,
which, let's be honest,
is the entire point of eating.
For your signature
challenge today,
Bruno and Rochelle
would love you to create
an elegant sweet pie or tart.
This week's challenge
is all about pastry
and the importance of
decoration and style.
You have two hours
on the clock.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
Elegance, to me,
means everything is
where it should be,
and it's a lovely presentation.
Yeah, just... elegant.
Just, like, sort of smart.
The only reason I eat
dinner is to get to dessert.
I'm so excited
about dessert week.
A beautiful tart is
about thin, crispy pastry,
the most velvety-smooth
creme patissiere,
and then gorgeous
fresh fruit on the top.
All my kids
love raspberries.
Raspberry pie,
raspberry jam...
Raspberries.
Any dessert, you're
gonna eat with your eyes first.
What I want to see is something
that invites me to take a bite.
I like to think that
my baking is elegantly rustic,
and so elegant means to me
that I would bring it out
after a nice dinner
for my family.
Get all that flour moist.
Every baker
has their own tricks
to produce the perfect pastry.
You always need
cold butter in your pies
for a flaky texture.
My secret is
I grate my lard.
This is just an old recipe
I've used for a long time.
So I thought I won't
take any chances.
I'll do what I know.
I actually
use orange juice
to bring it together.
I grew up in a house that
always had fresh pies baked,
and lemon meringue
was one of my favourites.
I'm basically making
my mom's pie crust.
Julian's take on this
elegant classic will feature
an Italian meringue, and be
topped with candied lemon.
Is this something
you've been making for awhile?
No, no.
Okay.
I'm not
an elegant baker, so...
So I'm gonna do my best
to try to make it light
and airy and beautiful.
Continue on.
Best of luck.
Thank you.
Smells nice
and coconut-y.
Hi, Sabrina.
Hi!
You've got a
beautiful-looking dough there.
Can you tell me about that?
So it's
a coconut crust.
I'll be filling it in
with some grapefruit.
It's a tropical delight.
That's it.
Sabrina will inspire
memories of beachside cocktails
with her strawberry-grapefruit
tart and coconut crust.
As you can see,
all this butter in here.
But it's rolling out
really nicely.
Hello.
Hello.
Tell me everything.
I am now rolling out
my slightly suspiciously
sticky dough, so we're hoping
it's gonna be okay.
Are you worried?
You know,
like level-two panic.
There's only three levels
in the scale, so...
Yeah, it's giving me
a bit of trouble,
but I'll fix it
once it's in here.
Gonna do some
shifting around here.
Do your grandkids
like pies?
Oh, they love pie.
Yeah?
This isn't your first rodeo?
No.
No.
Linda's
grandkids go wild for
this deep-dish pie
featuring a decadent mix
of raspberries
and white chocolate.
I'm doing my pastry,
which is a basic white shell,
and I'll blind bake it
in the oven,
and I'll put
the filling in after.
Most of the bakers
are blind baking,
which means they'll cook
the crust before adding filling.
That should help avoid
the dreaded soggy bottom.
Right,
let's make custard.
This is gonna be
the least exciting
15 minutes of the day,
as I stand here doing this.
Okay, now I'm getting
the knack of the hand mixer.
That grapefruit
smells delicious.
Does it?
Yeah.
I'm gonna drink some after.
Yeah, no problem.
My coffee custard...
I could turn it on, of course.
That would help.
That would be a good idea.
Turn it on,
and it heats up faster.
They just don't give PhDs
in physics away, you know.
James will
honour that physics PhD
by topping his
coffee custard
and salted caramel tart
with a mathematical
decoration.
We're talking about pi?
We're making pi...
"Pie" will feature.
Both P-I-E and P-I.
I look forward
to trying your pie.
Good, thank you.
Poke your crust.
It's going up in the centre.
Oh, it is.
We're sealing it in
for one more minute,
and then I'll take it out.
Very buttery.
Oh, boy.
Oh, no.
It was a bit buttery,
so I'm just a bit worried.
But now it looks...
They like butter.
Pastry chefs like butter.
No, but
it was coming out.
I think I'm gonna redo my crust.
45 minutes, bakers!
45 minutes!
Woo.
There's just butter that
leaked to the bottom.
Woo!
Yeah.
Ooh...
Burned my eye.
So I'm just gonna redo it.
We're redoing it.
Remember, you're star baker!
You're reigning
champion right now.
Yeah.
We have faith in you.
Keep breathing.
You can do it.
Yeah.
Thank you.
While most of
the bakers keep an eye
on their crusts...
Oh, that's
so close, okay.
...some haven't
put anything in the oven yet.
I'm calm, I'm calm.
Hello, Jude,
are you making the custard
and a sweet dough
together at the same time?
Yes, I am.
No blind baking to start?
No blind baking, no.
Why?
Um, because that's
the way I've made it at home,
and it's worked.
You say this
with such authority.
I have to.
Jude's tried
and true tart features
a cashew and pumpkin custard
topped with fresh papaya.
I'm not nervous at all.
It was a very tasty pie
when I made it at home.
I just want it to look nice.
My pears took way longer
than they were supposed to.
Corey has also opted
not to blind bake--
and he's rushing to get
his pie in the oven.
I am not
chopping another pear.
I am never chopping
another pear in my life.
Corey's
plentiful pears will be
complemented with
a salted caramel
and lavender
hazelnut crust.
Behind schedule,
but if it cooks through,
then I'll be fine.
20 minutes
remain, bakers!
I encourage you
to trust your crust.
Hello.
Hi.
What do you think
I'm here for?
Mangos, mangos!
Yeah.
I mean, obviously the
pleasure of your company...
Yes, of course.
But it's the mangos.
That's what
I grew up eating.
Vandana's
mango ginger cream pie
features her favourite
childhood flavours.
Oh my God, a deer.
Oh!
Vandana's not the
only baker favouring her fruit.
Check you all over.
Does anybody have a stem?
See, you do, thank you.
Are we
interrupting someone?
No.
Are you counting them?
Yes.
No, she's talking to them.
No, I'm not!
Do they all
have names?
What are you
saying today, Terri?
I'm just checking
that they don't have
stems and things,
like the debris.
Blueberries and
piped chocolate will be used
on Terri's lemon curd tart
to evoke the wonders of
the Northern Lights.
I don't think anything
else really speaks to Canada
like the Northern Lights.
And I was lucky enough
to catch a glimpse
in Athabaska with my husband,
so I thought, I'm gonna
make his favourite tart
and put our
Northern Lights there.
He'll love that.
Oh,
that's so beautiful.
Bakers, you have
10 minutes to get your tart on!
Excuse me?
That's terrifying.
But I can do this.
Is it good to put
meringue on a hot pie?
Probably not.
Linda?
Yeah.
Can I be of any service?
Wanna wash dishes?
I don't have to
worry about you.
You have five
elegant minutes left.
Oh, you liar.
I might as well
just accept the soggy bottom.
It's not gonna be done.
I think that's
what I have to do.
How are we doing for time?
Uh, we're
cutting it close.
I don't think it would be
an experience over here
if we weren't cutting it close.
I know, right?
Everything is
way, way too hot.
Oh, man.
Behind schedule, but okay.
Putting
fruit on a hot pie.
This is so wrong.
I'm just gonna wait
till the very last second.
Oh, dear.
No, this is not good.
What is happening to my hand?
There's your mousse.
Thank you, Linda.
Could you grab me a paper towel?
Here you go.
You are the best
in the whole wide world.
I have no idea how to repay you.
Breathe, just breathe.
You're right.
Five, four, three,
two... and one.
Bakers, step away from
your pies and tarts.
Step away from
the pies and tarts.
This is what happens
when piping bags explode.
The
signature bake is over.
Whose elegant pie will hold up
under the judges' scrutiny?
Vandana.
This looks
very pretty.
The mango is
beautifully arranged.
Your knife skills are lovely.
Your piping skills are lovely.
The mango flavour
really bursts into the mouth.
It's
beautifully balanced.
Thank you.
I want to
dive into that pie!
It looks spectacular.
Okay,
that's just delicious.
It's light, it's creamy.
It's just bursts of
fresh summery flavours.
It's beautiful.
Thank you very much.
You're worried about
the filling not being set?
I think the dreaded
soggy bottom might...
We're gonna
have a soggy bottom.
I think we may have
a dreaded soggy bottom.
Good...
It's beautiful.
But the
pastry's translucent,
which tells me
it's not baked through.
Next time...
blind bake the pastry.
You've taken
so much care to tell us
the story through this finish.
It holds beautifully.
It's extremely light,
very airy.
I'm very impressed
with lemon curd.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
You were a bit
stressed during your bake.
Yep, I was.
When I was blind baking
I noticed some butter
coming through and spilling
out a little bit,
so I made a second one.
See how it goes.
This crust
is perfectly baked.
The curd, it's erring a
little bit on the bitter side,
and you could balance that out
with a little more meringue.
If we're talking
about an elegant challenge,
I would have taken a
little time on the cutting.
Big pieces of pear,
little pieces of pear...
make it too rustic.
Right.
Corey,
the bottom is... raw.
You've got some
nice height with the meringue.
The crust
looks a bit too thick.
It is undercooked in the centre.
I suggest that
that might be the thickness.
This didn't
quite work out
the way you wanted it to,
did it?
Instead of being a really
precise scientific pie,
this is now a coffee caramel
chaos theory we're going for.
You're lucky
it tastes good.
Your crust is beautiful.
It's a great
flavour combination.
I was, I think,
saved by the flavour.
So I suspect it would be
kind of the last sweet
on the sweet trolley...
but, uh, it would be
a nice surprise
for anyone who did take it.
There's not really much
you can say about a soggy bottom
other than... that's not
what you want.
Welcome back, bakers,
and welcome to
the technical challenge.
The moment every baker
longs for:
baking something you may
never have heard of
from a partially
incomplete recipe.
As we all know,
this challenge is judged blind,
so Bruno, Rochelle,
please take a hike.
I mean that quite literally.
There's some woods
and a lovely stream,
some birds and grasshoppers...
There we go.
For your technical challenge,
you have been asked
to bake one dozen
fondant fancies.
It is a light square
sponge covered in buttercream,
and encased and decorated
in fondant.
We want them identical,
and we want them fancy.
You have two hours.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
I've made them,
but it was a long time ago.
They sound dainty,
and we all know that
dainty is my strong suit,
so not in a million years.
Small... squares...
covered with frosting.
That's all I got.
No idea
what it looks like?
You've no idea
what it tastes like?
I'm guessing
like a petit four,
that's what it
kind of sounds like.
Now, what is that?
Yeah, I've never
made those either, but I've...
What a beautiful plate
of fondant fancies.
This is a difficult
technical challenge.
We're looking
at their precision.
The bakers need to pull out
their knives and their rulers
to present to us
12 perfectly square cakes.
We're looking for
the perfect sponge.
Light as air, fluffy...
But the real test is gonna
come with the fondant.
That's gonna show us who
has a keen eye for detail.
The raspberry jam,
the buttercream, the fondant;
so yummy, so tricky.
It's unforgiving.
Goodness me,
this has a lot of steps.
So I'm gonna start
by making the sponge,
just because I
want that to cool.
The light and fluffy
sponge blends almond paste,
lemon zest, and French meringue.
A French meringue
is egg whites and it is sugar.
It is what most people think of
when they think of meringue.
Fold... the meringue
into the mixture.
I have a tendency to over-beat
my meringue sometimes.
Just beat it,
beat it, beat it, right?
And it's like, no,
sometimes you have to be gentle!
I'm just gonna spread
the dough on this sheet pan.
The recipe doesn't say
how thick or how wide to put it,
so I'm just trying to
even it out the best I can.
I'm trying to
take my time now
and just really spread it thin.
Going in the oven.
Wow...
And it is going
to stay in the oven until...
"it is evenly brown and
springs back to the touch."
Okay.
I put it 10 minutes.
8 minutes for now.
Maybe 12 minutes.
I do not know
how long that is.
45 minutes, bakers!
45 minutes!
This feels like
it's springing back!
It's not risen very much.
I would have liked a bit
more rise than that.
Oh, well.
It is what it is.
Once the cake is cool,
assembly can begin.
Spread one half
with raspberry jam.
If they'd just
said at the beginning,
"Make a jam sandwich,"
we could have started with that.
Did they tell you
how much jam?
You know, I probably
should check that very quickly.
Quarter cup.
I think that's a quarter cup.
I am not helpful in any way
when it comes to measurements...
Okay.
...anything mathematical,
or anything that
has to do with baking,
other than being
really good at eating it.
Excellent.
It doesn't say
"thin layer," does it?
No, okay.
So that's what we're gonna do.
We're gonna spread one half
with raspberry jam.
So I'm actually gonna
put the whole jar on.
Spread a perfectly
thin layer of buttercream.
Okay...
Okay, let's get the buttercream.
Yeah.
Let's get
the buttercream.
Don't put
too much on, Jude.
Don't put too much on.
This is our buttercream?
Well, it is something
closely resembling buttercream.
Mildly resembling
buttercream?
Yes.
Can I sample
a little bit of this?
Yeah, go for it.
It's sugar and vanilla
and cooked egg.
Oh, I don't like it.
It's too sweet for me.
It is?
Too sweet for me.
I have a child's palette.
Place it in the freezer
for 15 minutes
until buttercream hardens.
Okay.
We need to
go to the freezer.
Okay,
I'm coming with you.
I have my own
private shelf, right there.
Bakers,
you have 30 minutes
to finish your fondant fancies.
This is pate a glacer.
I have no idea what this is.
I was convinced
it was parmegiano reggiano.
This is what you melt...
Right.
...and then
you pour over...
It makes--
it's the fancy on the fon--
that's the fondant...
It's the
fondant on the fancy.
...that makes
the thing fancy.
Thank you
for talking like me.
That's the technical...
Yeah, that's right.
...term.
Oh, dear.
They taste like
white chocolate.
It's supposed
to be body temperature,
which is kind of somewhere
90-odd Fahrenheit.
It doesn't say whose body.
If I can remember
what body temperature is...
I'm gonna stick it
under my tongue.
It's arts and crafts
time here at the...
Right.
...at the counter.
Right, bringing
the graphic design to life.
So what exactly is
this process we have here?
I'm trying
to save me some time
and I cut myself out already
four-and-a-half-inch squares.
So you're gonna place
this on top and cut around?
Place and cut around.
If you need me to cut
a third or even a fourth,
I need you to know
that I'm here.
Four-and-a-half-inch
squares.
So that's 11...
The bakers' precision
and attention to detail
now comes into play,
as the fondant fancies
must be exactly
one and a half inches square.
Three by four,
then, okay.
Don't you dare.
Gotta stop shaking
to do this part.
You have 5 minutes left!
Do it for England.
Do it for Liz.
Do it for Will and Kate.
Oh, geez, no, no,
no, no, don't fall over...
Don't fall over.
Final minute, bakers.
Final minute.
Stop shaking.
Time is up, everybody!
You can now set those
fondant fancies free.
Please bring them up
to the gingham altar,
and place them
behind your photo.
Rochelle and Bruno
will be looking for a light,
airy sponge, consistent size and
shape,
and a smooth, flawless finish.
Bakers, we can't wait
to try your fondant fancies.
Let's try
baker number one.
They look like
they've got a good height.
And we can see
some nice layers of cake,
buttercream, and raspberry jam.
Some of the last fondant fancies
were a bit challenged
in the glazing.
So it was too cold.
It went on quite thick.
A bit too cold, yeah.
Fondant fancies
number two?
Some challenges
in the height.
However, it cuts nicely.
Sponge is a bit too dry.
This baker has done a
tremendous job with the petals.
I love that precision work.
They're lower than
we were expecting.
There was some air knocked out
in the baking process.
Baker number four.
So the fondant
has set on the plate.
Raspberry jam
is a bit too thick.
It's a bit much,
isn't it?
Baker number five?
Glazing may be
a bit too thick again.
The sponge,
for me,
could have had
a little more rise.
Baker number six.
Size is fairly even.
There are
some rough edges.
I can see crumbs poking through.
That's almost
a perfect sponge.
The buttercream
and the raspberry jam
are the perfect amount.
I'd say a little
practice on the fondant,
but these are pretty good.
Mm-hm.
Mmm!
Baker number seven.
I see some challenges
in the glazing.
The sponge is not even.
Some parts are thicker,
some parts are thinner.
They're certainly
lacking in uniformity.
All in all, I think there were
some structural issues here,
and definitely challenges
with the buttercream.
And finally
baker number eight.
They're
beautifully uniform.
They're the same height.
The glaze is smooth.
Looks
pretty good inside.
I think there's
the right amount of jam,
there's the right
amount of buttercream,
and the thickness of the glaze
on the top and on the sides
really is perfect.
Bruno and Rochelle
must now rank
the fondant fancies
from worst to best.
In eighth place...
those.
Julian, glazing was an issue.
In seventh place...
Corey.
We a had a few consistency
issues all around.
James
is in sixth place.
Jude is fifth.
Terri, fourth.
And Sabrina is third.
In second place...
Linda.
The sponge was very light.
Shows your skill.
Number one...
Vandana, well done.
These are excellent.
Perfection, in fact.
Beautiful glazing.
Magnifique.
Thank you.
I'm so excited!
Happy dance, yay!
I actually really enjoyed
making those little, yeah,
those little fancy fondants.
I really liked pouring
the fondant for some reason.
It was mesmerizing how
it just kind of coated it.
I never want to
see another fondant fancy
in my life.
Onwards and upwards.
It's day two
of dessert week,
and one final challenge
will help determine
who is awarded star baker
and who goes home.
Okay, so we've tasted
some pies and tarts.
We've tried some
fondant fancies.
Some people have
really excelled.
Linda and Vandana.
They
ticked both boxes.
The aesthetic and the taste.
Who really needs to
bring it come the showstopper?
Corey,
Julian, and Jude.
The three soggy bottoms.
Bakers, it's time
once again for the most
important meal of the day...
Dessert!
And today's showstopper is named
after an elegant ballerina:
the pavlova.
This classic dessert
begins with a base of meringue
with a complement
of cream and fruit.
Bakers, you have
three hours on the clock.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
What's so yummy
about pavlova?
It's really the
contrast between
the white crispy
and chewy meringue,
the custard,
and the fruit topping.
Pavlova are the
perfect balance of pretty,
light, sweet, tangy, gorgeous.
A lot of people think
it's gonna be sort of
crispy or crunchy.
That's true about the outside,
but if you've cooked it properly
then it should have,
like, a marshmallow
centre consistency to it.
Terri's peaches
and cream pavlova
features a hint of almond
in her meringue,
and is inspired by summers
in Alberta with her family.
They're nice, eh?
Yeah, I'm so glad
I picked this top.
I just feel like it's very...
It does kind of work.
It's almost like
peach blossoms on it, right?
It's also very sort of...
Flowy, it's nice.
A little
modern dance for you?
Egg yolks are
total death to meringues,
so I'm just being extra,
extra careful to make sure
I'm getting not
a single speck in here.
Perfect meringue
begins with pristine egg whites.
Right now
I'm just waiting for this
to get just a bit more foamy.
I'm gonna be putting
some sugar in slowly.
The mixture is beaten
until it forms stiff peaks.
I've gotta test it.
It's
holding pretty good.
If it doesn't fall over,
that means it's...
One...
Bakers add flavours
at their own risk.
I hope this works,
I hope this works.
Extra ingredients can
keep the meringue from rising.
This is the bit where
it could all go horribly wrong.
What have you
done to your meringue?
I have mixed it
with cocoa,
chopped chocolate,
and chopped hazelnuts.
Are you
worried about the weight?
I'm very
worried about that.
James' chocolate
hazelnut infused meringue
will be topped
with grilled plums
and mascarpone cream.
And a specific
thickness of it?
I do like
a thinner meringue.
I don't try to go
too thick with them, so...
You're not afraid they're
gonna become a bit too dry?
Yeah, I'm afraid of
all of these things.
You are afraid?
I'm in a state of
pretty much constant fear.
I'm just gonna try
to get it shaped as best I can
in a circle,
and I'm gonna do a--
try to do a little piping
detail around the sides.
So far so good.
Julian's
intricate meringue base
will be topped with
wild blueberries
in honour of two
important family members.
This one's
for my grandmothers.
We used to go berry-picking
all the time.
Go home and bake a pie.
And I still do the same thing
today with my kids.
It's beautiful.
I'll put the
top one on the bottom.
A long, slow bake
at low temperature
is used to achieve
the trademark crispy outside
and marshmallowy inside.
Okay, we'll
see you later, pavlova!
Linda...
Hello.
I wanna do a peekaboo.
Can I?
Sure!
Only one layer?
One layer.
Only one layer.
Beautiful.
I hope it turns out.
Linda's Christmassy
pavlova wreath
will marry the sweetness
of mascarpone cream
with the tartness of
cranberries and pomegranate.
Something a little
different, you know?
Other than the traditional
strawberries, raspberries,
blueberry kind of thing.
Corey is also
attempting something different.
This is...
100% pure pumpkin.
Pumpkin goes with everything.
It goes in coffee.
It goes in ice cream.
It goes in pavlova.
Well, at least I hope
it goes in pavlova.
Corey's
Thanksgiving pavlova
will feature
a cranberry curd
and praline dust.
Have you made
Thanksgiving pavlova
at home before?
I've never made
Thanksgiving pavlova
at home before.
I think this is a thing!
It is going
to have to be.
Who's your guinea pig
at home for your baking?
Keith is my guinea pig.
Keith?
Keith is my partner.
Yeah.
And I only started
celebrating Thanksgiving
with his family.
I suspect that I'm going
to be asked to make it
at next year's Thanksgiving.
Bakers, we are
halfway through our bake!
You have 90 minutes left
to love up your pavlova.
Love up your pavlova.
Say that three times fast.
Love up your pavlova.
Doesn't look like
it's risen all that much.
I'm a little nervous.
Meringue work is
not really my forte.
That is not
what I wanted to see
when I looked
in the oven, though.
I guess I could
make my whipped cream
and get that done, right?
Whipped cream is
an essential component
of the pavlova.
It's really
good, actually.
But not all
bakers are sticking with
traditional flavours.
There's gonna be some
rose water in my whipped cream.
I know that Bruno and Rochelle
do not really like
the rose water, but I did
put just a minimal amount.
Sabrina will try
to win over the judges
by balancing her
rose water whipped cream
with raspberry and pistachio.
Truth be told,
whipped cream is
the best thing on Earth.
I have one left.
Sabrina's not
the only one taking a risk
with her whipped cream.
What's this?
So instead of
just a cream base,
I'm actually using
more of a yogurt based...
Yogurt is a staple
in Indian cuisine?
Yes, it is.
Yeah.
I can't wait
to try it.
Vandana's yogurt cream
will be mixed with fruit
to top a pavlova flavoured
with cardamom and saffron.
When you're
using saffron,
you need to get
the extract out of it,
and you actually
do that with adding
just a little bit
of boiling water.
This is something that
my mum actually taught me.
I can hear her voice
in my head right now.
I have never sugared
a blueberry stem before.
Just planting
a... pumpkin patch.
Try this one, because
I'm not gonna put it on.
Oh my gosh.
Is it good?
Yeah, it's delicious.
I'm practicing tutu's.
Jude's chocolate
ballerina will sit
atop a pavlova music box
to represent
the dancer who inspired
the dessert,
Anna Pavlova.
Wrong dance.
Look it...
Modelled on me.
They're like twins!
I need the tutu.
Bakers, you have 30 minutes
to perfect your pavlovas!
C'mon, baby...
Get up.
Waitin' on a pavlova.
Hopin' that it rises.
You can't
open your oven,
'cause you don't
want it to deflate.
The second you can
take that out,
hell can break loose.
Waiting,
waiting, waiting...
I don't want to
over-cook mine either.
You can overcook them,
can't you?
Isn't it turning brown?
No.
I'm starting
to get a crack,
and there's nothing I can do.
Oh!
I think they're perfect.
You have
five minutes left!
Aah...
In ten,
nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two...
and one.
Bakers, your time is up.
Your pavlovas... are ova's.
The dance is done.
I'm going for
beautiful swan today.
I think I'm the
only one that did a swirl.
It's judgment time
for the pavlovas.
Bruno and Rochelle are looking
for show-stopping meringues
with a crispy outside
and marshmallowy inside.
Vandana,
whenever you're ready.
It's
just so beautiful.
I love the way you've
graduated each layer.
It's a bit firm,
but as I go through,
it gets better.
The meringue is
definitely chewy.
I was interested
to try the yogurt...
Mm-hm.
The tang in that
yogurt, the zing that it has,
works beautifully to
balance out the meringue.
Thank you.
I can see a crack.
Now, you're worried
about that...
but that's actually
a good thing.
Okay.
Yeah,
most pavlovas crack.
It does cut very well.
There is a little resistance
from the meringue.
Wow.
Those peaches are
poached to perfection.
Did you
put any almond?
Almond extract?
It's very overpowering.
It's
impeccably decorated.
I can see the swirl.
Oh, wow.
It looks soft where
it should be soft.
It's crunchy where
it should be crunchy.
It's a bit too... floral.
I agree;
I think you could have just
put a little less of
the rose water in it.
James, will you
please bring your pavlova
to the front?
James, this is
a really great-looking pav.
I like the dirty drips
on the side.
I think it's very appealing.
Oh...
It sounds crunchy.
Crunchy.
The combination of plum
and chocolate is spectacular.
We're just missing
that fluffy, moist centre.
You've gone
to so much trouble,
in your most charming way,
to bring us the story
of Anna Pavlova.
And I love that.
Doo, doo, doo, doo.
Aw...
Very creative.
It does
look on the thin side,
but I'm hoping we're gonna
get that nice, gooey center.
Yes.
Oh...
Jude, the centre is...
Crisp.
...crispy.
Linda,
that looks spectacular.
This is so elegant.
It's a stunner.
We're gonna find that beautiful
moist centre, aren't we?
I hope.
Oh my goodness me...
Oh, it's perfect.
The bitterness of
the cranberries comes through,
but it's really subtle,
and it balances the sweetness
so beautifully.
And the cream is perfect.
I rarely see
a meringue so well done.
Good job.
Good for you, Linda.
You've certainly
delivered a pumpkin.
However,
the pumpkin filling
is not visually appetizing.
Okay.
The meringue
itself is perfect.
It's crunchy on the outside,
it's chewy in the middle,
but I would have put more
cranberry, less pumpkin.
Okay.
Julian...
this is a
spectacular-looking pav.
It ticks all the boxes.
It's voluminous.
I love the dripping on the side.
It just
looks like a cloud.
That's what
a pavlova should be.
You've kept it simple
and it's worked for you today.
Thank you.
Bruno and Rochelle
must now decide
who will be star baker,
and who will be asked
to leave the tent.
Let's touch on who's
doing really well this week.
Linda's bringing her
years of baking experience.
She's so calm, so posed.
Vandana excelled in
the technical challenge.
She really did.
And her pie was delicious.
Her pavlova
was gorgeous.
She used yogurt as her
creamy filling and it worked.
Kudos to Julian,
because his pavlova
was perfectly executed.
His neck was on
the line, and you know what,
he's pulled the
rabbit out of a hat.
So there
were a few others
who really needed to bring it.
Did they?
Corey's pavlova,
the flavours were good.
Yeah.
It just
didn't present well.
Let's talk about
this confection.
This is Jude
in a tutu, really.
You know, the effort
put on the decoration
could have been better used
in doing the perfect meringue.
So do we have a sense of
who might be leaving us today?
I think we are
both in agreement.
Okay, and what
about our star baker?
Oh, we definitely
know who that is.
So, bakers, I have
the fun job this week
of announcing star baker.
The person who earned that
distinction showed great skill
and unshakeable confidence.
Congratulations, Linda.
So well-deserved.
Good job, Linda.
Unfortunately, I have
the far less fun job
of announcing who
will be leaving us today.
We are going to miss you
very, very much...
Corey.
It's okay, it's okay...
This has been
the most wonderful
and surreal and amazing
experience of my life.
It's been a pleasure.
He's been so ambitious
in his flavours, his techniques.
I hope that this experience
just empowers him to keep going.
I've learned
not only from the judges,
but from the other bakers.
You have to make it
all the way for me.
I will never forget them.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
So Linda, she's a rock.
Any weakness Linda might have,
she's not showing any of it.
Congratulations, Linda.
You deserve it.
It's amazing.
It's an honour.
Um...
I guess because
of my competition.
They're very good.
They're all very, very good.
Next time,
it's Canada week.
It's, like, as
Canadian as you can get.
The remaining seven
bakers will dive into deep
and delicious tortieres
in the signature challenge...
It's so different to be
cooking savoury stuff like this.
Stumble with
a deceptively simple
technical challenge...
For a little girl,
this is a lot.
...and serve up
a dozen devilishly
difficult donuts.
This is no way
to fill a jelly donut.
Oh my goodness!
What happened?
Failed to
rise to the occasion.
Are you thinking
what I'm thinking?
Ah...
You mean, whether or not
the reification of desire
affects our understanding
of mortality in this
post-biological future,
and what role, if any,
do the forces of affectivity
and alienation play
in the current understanding
of social ontology?
I mean, it's beyond me, really.
Yeah, um, I was
just thinking we should
head inside for dessert week.
Yeah, that
sounds more fun.
Last time,
bread week got emotional.
Oh!
It's not cooked.
But a
challenging showstopper
brought out the bakers' best.
Beautiful golden colour.
Thank you.
It looks
mouth-watering.
Sabrina
carried away star baker
with her beautiful bread basket.
And Sinclair was
the second to leave the tent.
Thank you so much.
Now it's dessert week.
That's terrifying.
This is the bit where
it could all go horribly wrong.
With
eight bakers left...
Bunch of
confused bakers in here.
...who will
pull off pastry perfection?
Woo!
Burned my eye.
Just beat it,
beat it, beat it!
And who will see
their baking dreams collapse?
Oh, dear...
No, this is not good.
It's not gonna be done.
Just breathe.
Just breathe.
You're right, you're right.
No pressure
being star baker.
I'm just gonna walk into
the tent being very calm,
cool, collected.
The other bakers
are great.
My main problem with them
is that they're probably
better at baking than me.
So, um...
I'm such a dessert guy.
I love baking because
I love eating baking.
I am so excited
to bake again.
Today is going to be a good day.
Welcome back, bakers.
This week is all about dessert,
which, let's be honest,
is the entire point of eating.
For your signature
challenge today,
Bruno and Rochelle
would love you to create
an elegant sweet pie or tart.
This week's challenge
is all about pastry
and the importance of
decoration and style.
You have two hours
on the clock.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
Elegance, to me,
means everything is
where it should be,
and it's a lovely presentation.
Yeah, just... elegant.
Just, like, sort of smart.
The only reason I eat
dinner is to get to dessert.
I'm so excited
about dessert week.
A beautiful tart is
about thin, crispy pastry,
the most velvety-smooth
creme patissiere,
and then gorgeous
fresh fruit on the top.
All my kids
love raspberries.
Raspberry pie,
raspberry jam...
Raspberries.
Any dessert, you're
gonna eat with your eyes first.
What I want to see is something
that invites me to take a bite.
I like to think that
my baking is elegantly rustic,
and so elegant means to me
that I would bring it out
after a nice dinner
for my family.
Get all that flour moist.
Every baker
has their own tricks
to produce the perfect pastry.
You always need
cold butter in your pies
for a flaky texture.
My secret is
I grate my lard.
This is just an old recipe
I've used for a long time.
So I thought I won't
take any chances.
I'll do what I know.
I actually
use orange juice
to bring it together.
I grew up in a house that
always had fresh pies baked,
and lemon meringue
was one of my favourites.
I'm basically making
my mom's pie crust.
Julian's take on this
elegant classic will feature
an Italian meringue, and be
topped with candied lemon.
Is this something
you've been making for awhile?
No, no.
Okay.
I'm not
an elegant baker, so...
So I'm gonna do my best
to try to make it light
and airy and beautiful.
Continue on.
Best of luck.
Thank you.
Smells nice
and coconut-y.
Hi, Sabrina.
Hi!
You've got a
beautiful-looking dough there.
Can you tell me about that?
So it's
a coconut crust.
I'll be filling it in
with some grapefruit.
It's a tropical delight.
That's it.
Sabrina will inspire
memories of beachside cocktails
with her strawberry-grapefruit
tart and coconut crust.
As you can see,
all this butter in here.
But it's rolling out
really nicely.
Hello.
Hello.
Tell me everything.
I am now rolling out
my slightly suspiciously
sticky dough, so we're hoping
it's gonna be okay.
Are you worried?
You know,
like level-two panic.
There's only three levels
in the scale, so...
Yeah, it's giving me
a bit of trouble,
but I'll fix it
once it's in here.
Gonna do some
shifting around here.
Do your grandkids
like pies?
Oh, they love pie.
Yeah?
This isn't your first rodeo?
No.
No.
Linda's
grandkids go wild for
this deep-dish pie
featuring a decadent mix
of raspberries
and white chocolate.
I'm doing my pastry,
which is a basic white shell,
and I'll blind bake it
in the oven,
and I'll put
the filling in after.
Most of the bakers
are blind baking,
which means they'll cook
the crust before adding filling.
That should help avoid
the dreaded soggy bottom.
Right,
let's make custard.
This is gonna be
the least exciting
15 minutes of the day,
as I stand here doing this.
Okay, now I'm getting
the knack of the hand mixer.
That grapefruit
smells delicious.
Does it?
Yeah.
I'm gonna drink some after.
Yeah, no problem.
My coffee custard...
I could turn it on, of course.
That would help.
That would be a good idea.
Turn it on,
and it heats up faster.
They just don't give PhDs
in physics away, you know.
James will
honour that physics PhD
by topping his
coffee custard
and salted caramel tart
with a mathematical
decoration.
We're talking about pi?
We're making pi...
"Pie" will feature.
Both P-I-E and P-I.
I look forward
to trying your pie.
Good, thank you.
Poke your crust.
It's going up in the centre.
Oh, it is.
We're sealing it in
for one more minute,
and then I'll take it out.
Very buttery.
Oh, boy.
Oh, no.
It was a bit buttery,
so I'm just a bit worried.
But now it looks...
They like butter.
Pastry chefs like butter.
No, but
it was coming out.
I think I'm gonna redo my crust.
45 minutes, bakers!
45 minutes!
Woo.
There's just butter that
leaked to the bottom.
Woo!
Yeah.
Ooh...
Burned my eye.
So I'm just gonna redo it.
We're redoing it.
Remember, you're star baker!
You're reigning
champion right now.
Yeah.
We have faith in you.
Keep breathing.
You can do it.
Yeah.
Thank you.
While most of
the bakers keep an eye
on their crusts...
Oh, that's
so close, okay.
...some haven't
put anything in the oven yet.
I'm calm, I'm calm.
Hello, Jude,
are you making the custard
and a sweet dough
together at the same time?
Yes, I am.
No blind baking to start?
No blind baking, no.
Why?
Um, because that's
the way I've made it at home,
and it's worked.
You say this
with such authority.
I have to.
Jude's tried
and true tart features
a cashew and pumpkin custard
topped with fresh papaya.
I'm not nervous at all.
It was a very tasty pie
when I made it at home.
I just want it to look nice.
My pears took way longer
than they were supposed to.
Corey has also opted
not to blind bake--
and he's rushing to get
his pie in the oven.
I am not
chopping another pear.
I am never chopping
another pear in my life.
Corey's
plentiful pears will be
complemented with
a salted caramel
and lavender
hazelnut crust.
Behind schedule,
but if it cooks through,
then I'll be fine.
20 minutes
remain, bakers!
I encourage you
to trust your crust.
Hello.
Hi.
What do you think
I'm here for?
Mangos, mangos!
Yeah.
I mean, obviously the
pleasure of your company...
Yes, of course.
But it's the mangos.
That's what
I grew up eating.
Vandana's
mango ginger cream pie
features her favourite
childhood flavours.
Oh my God, a deer.
Oh!
Vandana's not the
only baker favouring her fruit.
Check you all over.
Does anybody have a stem?
See, you do, thank you.
Are we
interrupting someone?
No.
Are you counting them?
Yes.
No, she's talking to them.
No, I'm not!
Do they all
have names?
What are you
saying today, Terri?
I'm just checking
that they don't have
stems and things,
like the debris.
Blueberries and
piped chocolate will be used
on Terri's lemon curd tart
to evoke the wonders of
the Northern Lights.
I don't think anything
else really speaks to Canada
like the Northern Lights.
And I was lucky enough
to catch a glimpse
in Athabaska with my husband,
so I thought, I'm gonna
make his favourite tart
and put our
Northern Lights there.
He'll love that.
Oh,
that's so beautiful.
Bakers, you have
10 minutes to get your tart on!
Excuse me?
That's terrifying.
But I can do this.
Is it good to put
meringue on a hot pie?
Probably not.
Linda?
Yeah.
Can I be of any service?
Wanna wash dishes?
I don't have to
worry about you.
You have five
elegant minutes left.
Oh, you liar.
I might as well
just accept the soggy bottom.
It's not gonna be done.
I think that's
what I have to do.
How are we doing for time?
Uh, we're
cutting it close.
I don't think it would be
an experience over here
if we weren't cutting it close.
I know, right?
Everything is
way, way too hot.
Oh, man.
Behind schedule, but okay.
Putting
fruit on a hot pie.
This is so wrong.
I'm just gonna wait
till the very last second.
Oh, dear.
No, this is not good.
What is happening to my hand?
There's your mousse.
Thank you, Linda.
Could you grab me a paper towel?
Here you go.
You are the best
in the whole wide world.
I have no idea how to repay you.
Breathe, just breathe.
You're right.
Five, four, three,
two... and one.
Bakers, step away from
your pies and tarts.
Step away from
the pies and tarts.
This is what happens
when piping bags explode.
The
signature bake is over.
Whose elegant pie will hold up
under the judges' scrutiny?
Vandana.
This looks
very pretty.
The mango is
beautifully arranged.
Your knife skills are lovely.
Your piping skills are lovely.
The mango flavour
really bursts into the mouth.
It's
beautifully balanced.
Thank you.
I want to
dive into that pie!
It looks spectacular.
Okay,
that's just delicious.
It's light, it's creamy.
It's just bursts of
fresh summery flavours.
It's beautiful.
Thank you very much.
You're worried about
the filling not being set?
I think the dreaded
soggy bottom might...
We're gonna
have a soggy bottom.
I think we may have
a dreaded soggy bottom.
Good...
It's beautiful.
But the
pastry's translucent,
which tells me
it's not baked through.
Next time...
blind bake the pastry.
You've taken
so much care to tell us
the story through this finish.
It holds beautifully.
It's extremely light,
very airy.
I'm very impressed
with lemon curd.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
You were a bit
stressed during your bake.
Yep, I was.
When I was blind baking
I noticed some butter
coming through and spilling
out a little bit,
so I made a second one.
See how it goes.
This crust
is perfectly baked.
The curd, it's erring a
little bit on the bitter side,
and you could balance that out
with a little more meringue.
If we're talking
about an elegant challenge,
I would have taken a
little time on the cutting.
Big pieces of pear,
little pieces of pear...
make it too rustic.
Right.
Corey,
the bottom is... raw.
You've got some
nice height with the meringue.
The crust
looks a bit too thick.
It is undercooked in the centre.
I suggest that
that might be the thickness.
This didn't
quite work out
the way you wanted it to,
did it?
Instead of being a really
precise scientific pie,
this is now a coffee caramel
chaos theory we're going for.
You're lucky
it tastes good.
Your crust is beautiful.
It's a great
flavour combination.
I was, I think,
saved by the flavour.
So I suspect it would be
kind of the last sweet
on the sweet trolley...
but, uh, it would be
a nice surprise
for anyone who did take it.
There's not really much
you can say about a soggy bottom
other than... that's not
what you want.
Welcome back, bakers,
and welcome to
the technical challenge.
The moment every baker
longs for:
baking something you may
never have heard of
from a partially
incomplete recipe.
As we all know,
this challenge is judged blind,
so Bruno, Rochelle,
please take a hike.
I mean that quite literally.
There's some woods
and a lovely stream,
some birds and grasshoppers...
There we go.
For your technical challenge,
you have been asked
to bake one dozen
fondant fancies.
It is a light square
sponge covered in buttercream,
and encased and decorated
in fondant.
We want them identical,
and we want them fancy.
You have two hours.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
I've made them,
but it was a long time ago.
They sound dainty,
and we all know that
dainty is my strong suit,
so not in a million years.
Small... squares...
covered with frosting.
That's all I got.
No idea
what it looks like?
You've no idea
what it tastes like?
I'm guessing
like a petit four,
that's what it
kind of sounds like.
Now, what is that?
Yeah, I've never
made those either, but I've...
What a beautiful plate
of fondant fancies.
This is a difficult
technical challenge.
We're looking
at their precision.
The bakers need to pull out
their knives and their rulers
to present to us
12 perfectly square cakes.
We're looking for
the perfect sponge.
Light as air, fluffy...
But the real test is gonna
come with the fondant.
That's gonna show us who
has a keen eye for detail.
The raspberry jam,
the buttercream, the fondant;
so yummy, so tricky.
It's unforgiving.
Goodness me,
this has a lot of steps.
So I'm gonna start
by making the sponge,
just because I
want that to cool.
The light and fluffy
sponge blends almond paste,
lemon zest, and French meringue.
A French meringue
is egg whites and it is sugar.
It is what most people think of
when they think of meringue.
Fold... the meringue
into the mixture.
I have a tendency to over-beat
my meringue sometimes.
Just beat it,
beat it, beat it, right?
And it's like, no,
sometimes you have to be gentle!
I'm just gonna spread
the dough on this sheet pan.
The recipe doesn't say
how thick or how wide to put it,
so I'm just trying to
even it out the best I can.
I'm trying to
take my time now
and just really spread it thin.
Going in the oven.
Wow...
And it is going
to stay in the oven until...
"it is evenly brown and
springs back to the touch."
Okay.
I put it 10 minutes.
8 minutes for now.
Maybe 12 minutes.
I do not know
how long that is.
45 minutes, bakers!
45 minutes!
This feels like
it's springing back!
It's not risen very much.
I would have liked a bit
more rise than that.
Oh, well.
It is what it is.
Once the cake is cool,
assembly can begin.
Spread one half
with raspberry jam.
If they'd just
said at the beginning,
"Make a jam sandwich,"
we could have started with that.
Did they tell you
how much jam?
You know, I probably
should check that very quickly.
Quarter cup.
I think that's a quarter cup.
I am not helpful in any way
when it comes to measurements...
Okay.
...anything mathematical,
or anything that
has to do with baking,
other than being
really good at eating it.
Excellent.
It doesn't say
"thin layer," does it?
No, okay.
So that's what we're gonna do.
We're gonna spread one half
with raspberry jam.
So I'm actually gonna
put the whole jar on.
Spread a perfectly
thin layer of buttercream.
Okay...
Okay, let's get the buttercream.
Yeah.
Let's get
the buttercream.
Don't put
too much on, Jude.
Don't put too much on.
This is our buttercream?
Well, it is something
closely resembling buttercream.
Mildly resembling
buttercream?
Yes.
Can I sample
a little bit of this?
Yeah, go for it.
It's sugar and vanilla
and cooked egg.
Oh, I don't like it.
It's too sweet for me.
It is?
Too sweet for me.
I have a child's palette.
Place it in the freezer
for 15 minutes
until buttercream hardens.
Okay.
We need to
go to the freezer.
Okay,
I'm coming with you.
I have my own
private shelf, right there.
Bakers,
you have 30 minutes
to finish your fondant fancies.
This is pate a glacer.
I have no idea what this is.
I was convinced
it was parmegiano reggiano.
This is what you melt...
Right.
...and then
you pour over...
It makes--
it's the fancy on the fon--
that's the fondant...
It's the
fondant on the fancy.
...that makes
the thing fancy.
Thank you
for talking like me.
That's the technical...
Yeah, that's right.
...term.
Oh, dear.
They taste like
white chocolate.
It's supposed
to be body temperature,
which is kind of somewhere
90-odd Fahrenheit.
It doesn't say whose body.
If I can remember
what body temperature is...
I'm gonna stick it
under my tongue.
It's arts and crafts
time here at the...
Right.
...at the counter.
Right, bringing
the graphic design to life.
So what exactly is
this process we have here?
I'm trying
to save me some time
and I cut myself out already
four-and-a-half-inch squares.
So you're gonna place
this on top and cut around?
Place and cut around.
If you need me to cut
a third or even a fourth,
I need you to know
that I'm here.
Four-and-a-half-inch
squares.
So that's 11...
The bakers' precision
and attention to detail
now comes into play,
as the fondant fancies
must be exactly
one and a half inches square.
Three by four,
then, okay.
Don't you dare.
Gotta stop shaking
to do this part.
You have 5 minutes left!
Do it for England.
Do it for Liz.
Do it for Will and Kate.
Oh, geez, no, no,
no, no, don't fall over...
Don't fall over.
Final minute, bakers.
Final minute.
Stop shaking.
Time is up, everybody!
You can now set those
fondant fancies free.
Please bring them up
to the gingham altar,
and place them
behind your photo.
Rochelle and Bruno
will be looking for a light,
airy sponge, consistent size and
shape,
and a smooth, flawless finish.
Bakers, we can't wait
to try your fondant fancies.
Let's try
baker number one.
They look like
they've got a good height.
And we can see
some nice layers of cake,
buttercream, and raspberry jam.
Some of the last fondant fancies
were a bit challenged
in the glazing.
So it was too cold.
It went on quite thick.
A bit too cold, yeah.
Fondant fancies
number two?
Some challenges
in the height.
However, it cuts nicely.
Sponge is a bit too dry.
This baker has done a
tremendous job with the petals.
I love that precision work.
They're lower than
we were expecting.
There was some air knocked out
in the baking process.
Baker number four.
So the fondant
has set on the plate.
Raspberry jam
is a bit too thick.
It's a bit much,
isn't it?
Baker number five?
Glazing may be
a bit too thick again.
The sponge,
for me,
could have had
a little more rise.
Baker number six.
Size is fairly even.
There are
some rough edges.
I can see crumbs poking through.
That's almost
a perfect sponge.
The buttercream
and the raspberry jam
are the perfect amount.
I'd say a little
practice on the fondant,
but these are pretty good.
Mm-hm.
Mmm!
Baker number seven.
I see some challenges
in the glazing.
The sponge is not even.
Some parts are thicker,
some parts are thinner.
They're certainly
lacking in uniformity.
All in all, I think there were
some structural issues here,
and definitely challenges
with the buttercream.
And finally
baker number eight.
They're
beautifully uniform.
They're the same height.
The glaze is smooth.
Looks
pretty good inside.
I think there's
the right amount of jam,
there's the right
amount of buttercream,
and the thickness of the glaze
on the top and on the sides
really is perfect.
Bruno and Rochelle
must now rank
the fondant fancies
from worst to best.
In eighth place...
those.
Julian, glazing was an issue.
In seventh place...
Corey.
We a had a few consistency
issues all around.
James
is in sixth place.
Jude is fifth.
Terri, fourth.
And Sabrina is third.
In second place...
Linda.
The sponge was very light.
Shows your skill.
Number one...
Vandana, well done.
These are excellent.
Perfection, in fact.
Beautiful glazing.
Magnifique.
Thank you.
I'm so excited!
Happy dance, yay!
I actually really enjoyed
making those little, yeah,
those little fancy fondants.
I really liked pouring
the fondant for some reason.
It was mesmerizing how
it just kind of coated it.
I never want to
see another fondant fancy
in my life.
Onwards and upwards.
It's day two
of dessert week,
and one final challenge
will help determine
who is awarded star baker
and who goes home.
Okay, so we've tasted
some pies and tarts.
We've tried some
fondant fancies.
Some people have
really excelled.
Linda and Vandana.
They
ticked both boxes.
The aesthetic and the taste.
Who really needs to
bring it come the showstopper?
Corey,
Julian, and Jude.
The three soggy bottoms.
Bakers, it's time
once again for the most
important meal of the day...
Dessert!
And today's showstopper is named
after an elegant ballerina:
the pavlova.
This classic dessert
begins with a base of meringue
with a complement
of cream and fruit.
Bakers, you have
three hours on the clock.
On your marks...
Get set...
Bake!
What's so yummy
about pavlova?
It's really the
contrast between
the white crispy
and chewy meringue,
the custard,
and the fruit topping.
Pavlova are the
perfect balance of pretty,
light, sweet, tangy, gorgeous.
A lot of people think
it's gonna be sort of
crispy or crunchy.
That's true about the outside,
but if you've cooked it properly
then it should have,
like, a marshmallow
centre consistency to it.
Terri's peaches
and cream pavlova
features a hint of almond
in her meringue,
and is inspired by summers
in Alberta with her family.
They're nice, eh?
Yeah, I'm so glad
I picked this top.
I just feel like it's very...
It does kind of work.
It's almost like
peach blossoms on it, right?
It's also very sort of...
Flowy, it's nice.
A little
modern dance for you?
Egg yolks are
total death to meringues,
so I'm just being extra,
extra careful to make sure
I'm getting not
a single speck in here.
Perfect meringue
begins with pristine egg whites.
Right now
I'm just waiting for this
to get just a bit more foamy.
I'm gonna be putting
some sugar in slowly.
The mixture is beaten
until it forms stiff peaks.
I've gotta test it.
It's
holding pretty good.
If it doesn't fall over,
that means it's...
One...
Bakers add flavours
at their own risk.
I hope this works,
I hope this works.
Extra ingredients can
keep the meringue from rising.
This is the bit where
it could all go horribly wrong.
What have you
done to your meringue?
I have mixed it
with cocoa,
chopped chocolate,
and chopped hazelnuts.
Are you
worried about the weight?
I'm very
worried about that.
James' chocolate
hazelnut infused meringue
will be topped
with grilled plums
and mascarpone cream.
And a specific
thickness of it?
I do like
a thinner meringue.
I don't try to go
too thick with them, so...
You're not afraid they're
gonna become a bit too dry?
Yeah, I'm afraid of
all of these things.
You are afraid?
I'm in a state of
pretty much constant fear.
I'm just gonna try
to get it shaped as best I can
in a circle,
and I'm gonna do a--
try to do a little piping
detail around the sides.
So far so good.
Julian's
intricate meringue base
will be topped with
wild blueberries
in honour of two
important family members.
This one's
for my grandmothers.
We used to go berry-picking
all the time.
Go home and bake a pie.
And I still do the same thing
today with my kids.
It's beautiful.
I'll put the
top one on the bottom.
A long, slow bake
at low temperature
is used to achieve
the trademark crispy outside
and marshmallowy inside.
Okay, we'll
see you later, pavlova!
Linda...
Hello.
I wanna do a peekaboo.
Can I?
Sure!
Only one layer?
One layer.
Only one layer.
Beautiful.
I hope it turns out.
Linda's Christmassy
pavlova wreath
will marry the sweetness
of mascarpone cream
with the tartness of
cranberries and pomegranate.
Something a little
different, you know?
Other than the traditional
strawberries, raspberries,
blueberry kind of thing.
Corey is also
attempting something different.
This is...
100% pure pumpkin.
Pumpkin goes with everything.
It goes in coffee.
It goes in ice cream.
It goes in pavlova.
Well, at least I hope
it goes in pavlova.
Corey's
Thanksgiving pavlova
will feature
a cranberry curd
and praline dust.
Have you made
Thanksgiving pavlova
at home before?
I've never made
Thanksgiving pavlova
at home before.
I think this is a thing!
It is going
to have to be.
Who's your guinea pig
at home for your baking?
Keith is my guinea pig.
Keith?
Keith is my partner.
Yeah.
And I only started
celebrating Thanksgiving
with his family.
I suspect that I'm going
to be asked to make it
at next year's Thanksgiving.
Bakers, we are
halfway through our bake!
You have 90 minutes left
to love up your pavlova.
Love up your pavlova.
Say that three times fast.
Love up your pavlova.
Doesn't look like
it's risen all that much.
I'm a little nervous.
Meringue work is
not really my forte.
That is not
what I wanted to see
when I looked
in the oven, though.
I guess I could
make my whipped cream
and get that done, right?
Whipped cream is
an essential component
of the pavlova.
It's really
good, actually.
But not all
bakers are sticking with
traditional flavours.
There's gonna be some
rose water in my whipped cream.
I know that Bruno and Rochelle
do not really like
the rose water, but I did
put just a minimal amount.
Sabrina will try
to win over the judges
by balancing her
rose water whipped cream
with raspberry and pistachio.
Truth be told,
whipped cream is
the best thing on Earth.
I have one left.
Sabrina's not
the only one taking a risk
with her whipped cream.
What's this?
So instead of
just a cream base,
I'm actually using
more of a yogurt based...
Yogurt is a staple
in Indian cuisine?
Yes, it is.
Yeah.
I can't wait
to try it.
Vandana's yogurt cream
will be mixed with fruit
to top a pavlova flavoured
with cardamom and saffron.
When you're
using saffron,
you need to get
the extract out of it,
and you actually
do that with adding
just a little bit
of boiling water.
This is something that
my mum actually taught me.
I can hear her voice
in my head right now.
I have never sugared
a blueberry stem before.
Just planting
a... pumpkin patch.
Try this one, because
I'm not gonna put it on.
Oh my gosh.
Is it good?
Yeah, it's delicious.
I'm practicing tutu's.
Jude's chocolate
ballerina will sit
atop a pavlova music box
to represent
the dancer who inspired
the dessert,
Anna Pavlova.
Wrong dance.
Look it...
Modelled on me.
They're like twins!
I need the tutu.
Bakers, you have 30 minutes
to perfect your pavlovas!
C'mon, baby...
Get up.
Waitin' on a pavlova.
Hopin' that it rises.
You can't
open your oven,
'cause you don't
want it to deflate.
The second you can
take that out,
hell can break loose.
Waiting,
waiting, waiting...
I don't want to
over-cook mine either.
You can overcook them,
can't you?
Isn't it turning brown?
No.
I'm starting
to get a crack,
and there's nothing I can do.
Oh!
I think they're perfect.
You have
five minutes left!
Aah...
In ten,
nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two...
and one.
Bakers, your time is up.
Your pavlovas... are ova's.
The dance is done.
I'm going for
beautiful swan today.
I think I'm the
only one that did a swirl.
It's judgment time
for the pavlovas.
Bruno and Rochelle are looking
for show-stopping meringues
with a crispy outside
and marshmallowy inside.
Vandana,
whenever you're ready.
It's
just so beautiful.
I love the way you've
graduated each layer.
It's a bit firm,
but as I go through,
it gets better.
The meringue is
definitely chewy.
I was interested
to try the yogurt...
Mm-hm.
The tang in that
yogurt, the zing that it has,
works beautifully to
balance out the meringue.
Thank you.
I can see a crack.
Now, you're worried
about that...
but that's actually
a good thing.
Okay.
Yeah,
most pavlovas crack.
It does cut very well.
There is a little resistance
from the meringue.
Wow.
Those peaches are
poached to perfection.
Did you
put any almond?
Almond extract?
It's very overpowering.
It's
impeccably decorated.
I can see the swirl.
Oh, wow.
It looks soft where
it should be soft.
It's crunchy where
it should be crunchy.
It's a bit too... floral.
I agree;
I think you could have just
put a little less of
the rose water in it.
James, will you
please bring your pavlova
to the front?
James, this is
a really great-looking pav.
I like the dirty drips
on the side.
I think it's very appealing.
Oh...
It sounds crunchy.
Crunchy.
The combination of plum
and chocolate is spectacular.
We're just missing
that fluffy, moist centre.
You've gone
to so much trouble,
in your most charming way,
to bring us the story
of Anna Pavlova.
And I love that.
Doo, doo, doo, doo.
Aw...
Very creative.
It does
look on the thin side,
but I'm hoping we're gonna
get that nice, gooey center.
Yes.
Oh...
Jude, the centre is...
Crisp.
...crispy.
Linda,
that looks spectacular.
This is so elegant.
It's a stunner.
We're gonna find that beautiful
moist centre, aren't we?
I hope.
Oh my goodness me...
Oh, it's perfect.
The bitterness of
the cranberries comes through,
but it's really subtle,
and it balances the sweetness
so beautifully.
And the cream is perfect.
I rarely see
a meringue so well done.
Good job.
Good for you, Linda.
You've certainly
delivered a pumpkin.
However,
the pumpkin filling
is not visually appetizing.
Okay.
The meringue
itself is perfect.
It's crunchy on the outside,
it's chewy in the middle,
but I would have put more
cranberry, less pumpkin.
Okay.
Julian...
this is a
spectacular-looking pav.
It ticks all the boxes.
It's voluminous.
I love the dripping on the side.
It just
looks like a cloud.
That's what
a pavlova should be.
You've kept it simple
and it's worked for you today.
Thank you.
Bruno and Rochelle
must now decide
who will be star baker,
and who will be asked
to leave the tent.
Let's touch on who's
doing really well this week.
Linda's bringing her
years of baking experience.
She's so calm, so posed.
Vandana excelled in
the technical challenge.
She really did.
And her pie was delicious.
Her pavlova
was gorgeous.
She used yogurt as her
creamy filling and it worked.
Kudos to Julian,
because his pavlova
was perfectly executed.
His neck was on
the line, and you know what,
he's pulled the
rabbit out of a hat.
So there
were a few others
who really needed to bring it.
Did they?
Corey's pavlova,
the flavours were good.
Yeah.
It just
didn't present well.
Let's talk about
this confection.
This is Jude
in a tutu, really.
You know, the effort
put on the decoration
could have been better used
in doing the perfect meringue.
So do we have a sense of
who might be leaving us today?
I think we are
both in agreement.
Okay, and what
about our star baker?
Oh, we definitely
know who that is.
So, bakers, I have
the fun job this week
of announcing star baker.
The person who earned that
distinction showed great skill
and unshakeable confidence.
Congratulations, Linda.
So well-deserved.
Good job, Linda.
Unfortunately, I have
the far less fun job
of announcing who
will be leaving us today.
We are going to miss you
very, very much...
Corey.
It's okay, it's okay...
This has been
the most wonderful
and surreal and amazing
experience of my life.
It's been a pleasure.
He's been so ambitious
in his flavours, his techniques.
I hope that this experience
just empowers him to keep going.
I've learned
not only from the judges,
but from the other bakers.
You have to make it
all the way for me.
I will never forget them.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
So Linda, she's a rock.
Any weakness Linda might have,
she's not showing any of it.
Congratulations, Linda.
You deserve it.
It's amazing.
It's an honour.
Um...
I guess because
of my competition.
They're very good.
They're all very, very good.
Next time,
it's Canada week.
It's, like, as
Canadian as you can get.
The remaining seven
bakers will dive into deep
and delicious tortieres
in the signature challenge...
It's so different to be
cooking savoury stuff like this.
Stumble with
a deceptively simple
technical challenge...
For a little girl,
this is a lot.
...and serve up
a dozen devilishly
difficult donuts.
This is no way
to fill a jelly donut.
Oh my goodness!
What happened?
Failed to
rise to the occasion.