The Great Holiday Baking Show (2015–…): Season 5, Episode 2 - Spice and Dessert Week - full transcript

♪♪

[ Gasps ]
There you are!

You don't look ready!

Did you know the Greeks
invented philosophy?

Yes.

You know,
I've just been sitting here

contemplating all
the great Christmas
questions of the ages.

"Do you hear
what I hear?"

Right.

"Pah‐rum‐pah‐pum‐pum."

But that's ‐‐



"On my drum?"

Well, you're in luck,
because all of your questions

will be answered ‐‐
and more ‐‐ right now

on "The Great American
Baking Show: Holiday Edition."

Come on.

And another thing ‐‐
Rudolph.

Like, why would he help,

even after people
were teasing him?

I know.

That's crazy.

Bunton:
Last time in the Tent...

Ha!
Ha‐ha!

...Tanya brought some fire
to the competition.

Hoo.
The heat is amazing.



[ Cheers and applause ]

Truly special.
Tanya: [ Chuckles ]

But it was Brother Andrew
who rose above...

I love it.

...to claim the title
of Star Baker.

Oh, my gosh.

[ Cheers and applause ]
No.

And it was Carlos who was asked
to leave the Tent.

Now with Spice Week
underway...

It's ginger, cinnamon,
clove, allspice, nutmeg.

...it's time to find out who
will hit the perfect note...

♪ Yodelay‐hee‐hoo ♪

...and who will fall flat.

I drop that on me foot,
it might break me toe.

Brought to you
by the creators of

"The Great British
Baking Show"...

♪ Ah ♪

[ Laughs ]

...this is "The Great
American Baking Show."

Who's your favorite Spice ‐‐
me or Emma?

Oh. Oh, my God.
Emma.

[ Laughs ]

♪♪

♪♪

This is what
we've been waiting for!

Both: It's Spice Week!

Yes!

You just know they're
gonna get us to judge.

Sherry and Paul will
probably take the week off.

Paul, what's going on
over there?

♪♪

I've got
absolutely no idea.

Maybe not.

I think we should
take this stuff off.

Yes.
Let's do, huh?

Wait, wait, wait, wait!
We were just joking!

Yeah.
We were joking!

I'm still excited
about Spice Week.

Yeah, yeah.
Hey!

♪♪

Brother Andrew:
Last week, winning Star Baker
was completely surreal.

This week, it's a new slate
and I need to be on my A‐game,

because spices are difficult.

I would feel terrible
if I didn't, you know,

do well this week
on spice week,

because I feel like
that's one of my strengths.

It's been a roller coaster
since I got here,

but I'm not a bad baker.

I'm just playing one on TV,
and that's got to stop.

Hi, guys.
Welcome to Spice Week!

Yes.
It's a good week.
Yes. Alright.

This week,
the signature challenge is...

cinnamon buns.

[ Gasps ]

You must bake a dozen,

and they must be
3 inches diameter.

Now, there must be
icing or drizzle.

You have 2 1/2 hours.

On your marks...

Get set...

Both: Bake!

♪♪

We make cinnamon buns
all the time,

so this is definitely
a holiday favorite.

I'm gonna do my best
to bring the spice today.

Yard: The perfect cinnamon bun,
first and foremost,

starts with a beautiful
perfume of cinnamon.

It's a mastery,
and this is the Tent.

There's nerves.

Marissa: Oops.
Too much.

For me, it's all about
developing the dough.

If you bake it too early,

it's gonna be really tight
and rubbery and hard.

Get that thing mixed,
and get it rested.

Will be beautiful
and light and fluffy.

I am currently making
my tangzhong

for my cinnamon roll dough.

So, this is water
and some milk

and a little bit of the flour,

and I'm gonna add this to my
dough to keep them extra fluffy.

When he's not baking,
Alex shapes his own buns

by working out
in his Los Angeles gym.

Whoo.

He's hoping his mom's Christmas
Morning Cinnamon Rolls

will work
the judges' taste buds,

combining cinnamon with
bright notes of orange,

and topped with
caramel pecans.

Morning, Alex.

Good morning, Paul.
Hi, Alex.

Good morning.
Good morning, Sherry.

Can you tell us all about
your cinnamon rolls,

what you're doing?

I'm making
my mom's rolls.

She would always
add orange.

Isn't it a cinnamon challenge?

It is
a cinnamon challenge.

I'm thinking the orange actually
helps bring out that cinnamon.

It will give that punch,
won't it?

Mm‐hmm.
I'm hopeful.

Brother Andrew, tell us
all about your cinnamon buns.

When I was
developing this recipe,

I found that oil
worked out beautifully.

Well, you'll tell me if
it doesn't, then, so...

[ Laughs ]

Having so many brothers at the
seminary in Washington, D. C.,

Brother Andrew
has lots of opportunities

to practice baking
sweet treats.

Well, I hope Brother Thomas
likes chocolate.

Brother Andrew's rolls
will be filled with

his favorite flavor
combination ‐‐

lime and Vietnamese
cinnamon,

with an icing that also
features fresh lime.

Right now,
I'm making my rich dough.

Now, do you see
how, like, I'm lifting it up,

and it's sort of, like,
tearing like that?

There's not enough
gluten development,

so I have to keep
kneading it.

I like watching it.

Good job, dough.

Dough that is
not properly kneaded

will have
underdeveloped gluten,

which leads to dense
or dry buns.

Dana: Almost there.

I am making Dana Banana
Cinnamon Buns today.

That sounds fun.
Love that.
That's what I decided ‐‐

Yeah.
Love that.

I started making them in my
house, and everybody loves them.

[ Laughs ]

And you're kneading
your dough by hand.

Dana: I'm not doing
a batch bake.

I'm doing them
individually.

So, I want to make sure
they hold their shape.

Alright. I got a new recipe
I want you guys to try.

Come on over.

Dana keeps her Los Angeles home

full of love
and satisfied bellies

with her perfectly prepared
baked goods.

‐Mmm.
‐[ Laughs ]

‐It's really good.
‐Is it good?

[ Dog barks ]

She'll bake her infamous

Dana Banana Cinnamon Rolls

that play on her childhood
nickname

and feature fresh bananas
in her icing.

Give it some time to grow.

Cinnamon bun dough
requires two proves.

First prove.

While their doughs
double in size,

the bakers use the wait time

to make their fillings
and toppings.

I put streusel on the top
right before I bake,

And then after I bake,
I have a cinnamon‐icing drizzle

that's gonna go over the top,
as well, so ‐‐

So, a lot of cinnamon.

I don't want you searching
for cinnamon, so...

Yeah, well, somehow,
I don't think we will be.

[ Laughs ]
Yeah.

Oh, these delicious
Christmas berries.

Hailing from Portland,

Marissa loves to bring
fresh ideas

to her baked goods.

Her babka‐inspired rolls
incorporate lots of cinnamon,

a whisper of cocoa,

and are topped with streusel.

Bakers!
One hour to go!

Brother Andrew:
That's the first proof done.

After the first proof,

the bakers must stretch
their ball of dough

into a rectangle.

When rolled out, it should
yield 12 uniform buns.

Once the dough reaches the
baker's preferred thickness,

it's ready for filling.

This is just like a paste.
Is that ‐‐

I like to make a paste
for my filling,

'cause then I get
even distribution
all the way through.

Tanya has had plenty of time
to practice her bake

by sharing treats
throughout her community

in Bethalto, Illinois.

Hey, guys.
I brought you some treats.

Hey.
Oh, man.
Oh, thanks.

Those look awesome.

She'll bake her Saturday
Morning Breakfast Rolls,

with just a hint of orange
in the filling,

and an icing that incorporates
her favorite tea.

Tanya: The tea that has
orange and cinnamon in it,

if you want to smell that.

‐Mmm.
‐Oh! [ Laughs ]

‐Yes.
‐I do take them to work often.

Sharing is caring.

Sharing is caring, yeah.

I don't like
sharing that much.

[ Laughs ]

This is all about
uniformity today ‐‐

making sure
everything's nice and even.

Tanya: When you talk
to the judges,

you can't get distracted
and forget your pecans.

Oops.

Bianca, tell us all about
your cinnamon rolls.

The texture is different than
the typical, like, a brioche

because it has a little bit
of baking powder in it.

Right, okay.
So, you're expecting this

to be much lighter
than normal.
Yes.

Will you get 12
out of it?

I'm not sure, exactly,
if they're 3 inches,

so I made a second batch
just in case.

[ Chuckles ]

This is Grandma's.
Yeah.

Bianca is bringing out
the big guns

with her cherished book
of family recipes.

Mmm.
This is quite delicious.

She'll bake

her fluffy Christmas Morning
Cinnamon Rolls,

with chocolate and orange zest
in the filling

and a brown‐butter glaze.

Now, come on.

10.

Well, I guess it's good that
I have this other dough.

I am nervous about them
being the right size.

So, when the cinnamon rolls
get cut,

you want them to be
of even thickness,

so you get 12 identical rolls
coming out of the oven.

Brother Andrew:
10, 11, and 12.

Proof, my babies.

The bakers have rolled
and cut their dough,

and now it's time for
the second and final proof

before going in the oven.

Shh! Don't wake them.
They're sleeping.

Go back to sleep.

Sally: That's gonna be
my drizzle.

I have sugar,
heavy cream, cinnamon,

and a little bit of banana,

if I didn't have enough there.
[ Chuckles ]

Experimenting
with fruit‐forward flavors

is something Sally loves to do
while baking at home.

I hope
they're gonna like it.

For the senior center?
Yes.

Her Woke Up in Rio
Cinnamon Rolls

invoke the flavors
of her childhood,

using Brazil nuts and bananas
in the filling,

bananas in the glaze,

and a caramelized banana
on top.

I am gonna banana him
to the limit.

[ Laughs ]
He's never gonna
have enough banana.

A Brazilian banana?
Yeah.

How do you say "banana"
in Brazil?

"Banana."

Sarita, I think that
you're being very daring

with putting the saffron
into the dough.

Saffron just brings out
the flavors

and really rounds it out.

It's something that we use
a lot in my culture.

The queen of spice.
I'm getting nervous.

Oh, no,
don't call me that!

[ Laughs ]

You are!

Sarita lives in Missouri,

but she brings a global
perspective to her baking.

Jaggery?

You can have
the jaggery, yes.

Inspired by her heritage,
Sarita's rolls feature

the traditional Sri Lankan
ingredients

of saffron in her dough,

with jaggery and Ceylon
cinnamon in her filling.

Adams: Bakers,
30 minutes remain!

[ Laughter ]

‐Father Time?
‐Correct.

Marissa: Are you holding
a cinnamon stick?

This is a cinnamon stick.

[ Laughter ]

Oh, my God!

‐You scared Sally.
‐Guys, guys, who wore it better?

Alright. Who wore it better?
Come on.

[ Laughter ]

Who wore it better?
Come on.

[ Laughs ]

My buns are going in the oven
as soon as I add my cream.

It keeps the filling ooey‐gooey.

One by one, most of the bakers
put their trays in the oven.

Tanya: Alright,
They're going in.

But Bianca is still struggling
to decide what to do

with her mismatched
batches of buns.

I have 11 rolls there, two of
which I kind of want to replace,

so I have made
this second batch.

It's, like, I kind of
want to take one of these

and put them in here.

I don't know.
It could be a problem.

These are a little bit different
than the other ones

in the rise and the proof time.

I'm gonna risk something,
and I'm gonna include it.

[ Sighs ]

[ Sighs ]

I'm gonna risk something.

These are a little bit different
than the other ones.

I'm gonna try to make sure
I give them enough time to bake.

While the bakers wait
for their cinnamon rolls,

they take the remaining time
to prepare their icing.

This is my icing.

It's just powdered sugar,

a tiny bit of cinnamon,
and milk.

Bakers, I'm sorry to say
only 10 minutes left now.

10 minutes.

Sally: Okay.
I'm gonna stop now.

Marissa: ♪ Oh ♪

♪ Ah ♪
I'm happy with that.

These smell
exactly like Christmas morning,

and they're nice and golden
on the top.

Well, I know
these are not done.

[ Sighs ]
I hope they make it.

Tanya: Every single one
is testing 209, so they're done.

Dana: I'm trying to do
everything the same here.

It's all about uniformity.

One minute left.

Bianca: I mean,
I hope they're baked.

I'm happy with these.

Just for presentation,

I'm serving it with
my family's tea cups.

Both: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

‐Time.
‐Time is up.

‐Whoo!
‐Yes. Yes!

♪♪

Hollywood: Quite like
the icing on the top.

They look a bit pale.

Yard:
The dough's very fluffy.

Great.
That's what I'm going for.

I wish it was
a little richer, though.

It doesn't have
as much flavor.

Mm‐hmm.

It's a canvas
that needed more.

Great.

I admire that you baked
in a glass pan,

because we can really see
if there's any...

Sins?

...sins.
[ Chuckles ]

The holes
are quite big.

Sometimes,
it's down to the proving,

or it's too much filling.

The lime and the cinnamon ‐‐

they don't complement,
they fight.

Very sharp lime.
Kick from the cinnamon.

And they're not coming together
and singing.
Yeah. Okay.

Got it.
Thank you.

Hollywood: They're all equal.

They are individual,
so it's not tear‐and‐share,

so they're probably gonna be
a little bit drier

than they would be normally, if
they were all batched together.

It's a bit dry.

Flavors are beautiful.

Banana works really well
with the cinnamon.

Yard:
The flavors are all here.

Dana: Mm‐hmm.
It's just such a shame

that the dough itself
is dry.

Bit irregular
with the sizes...

Yes.
...and the bake.

That's to do with the rolling

and how you've
cut them small...

Yeah.
...and they're all
different sizes.

I'm trying to get
the Brazil nut.

Hollywood:
Can't get the Brazil nut.

Can't get the Brazil nut?
You get banana.

However, it is heavy.

Yeah.
If I drop that
on me foot,

it might break me toe.

[ Laughs ]

Okay.
Well, thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.

Yard:
That's a nice‐looking dough.

Looks a little blond.

[ Inhales sharply, sighs ]

I love the texture.

I think
the texture's spot‐on.

The infusion of the tea
into the glaze

is beautifully fragrant.

The nuts just crunch
well enough.

A little more color
in the baking...

Right.
...and it would've
been perfect.

Okay.
Thank you.

Looks like you have several
different sizes of your cuts.

[ Chuckling ] Yes.
Yeah?

Hollywood:
It's the volume of fruit

and the size that
you've rolled it up.

Just one will be slightly
bigger than another.

Hmm.

The saffron's there,
but it is dry.

Need more hydration,
more liquid in the dough,

so this way,
it could come to life.

Mm.

Adams: So, Sherry,
here's some hydration for you.

Oh, thank you.
Pinkies up.

Pinkies up. Okay.
Pinkies up.

♪♪

Eh... what's all this?

That's some of the streusel
that kind of dropped down.

I mean, it's definitely
cinnamon ‐‐

Probably
too much cinnamon.
Okay.

It borders on
the burning sensation.
Okay.

It's too dense inside,
as well.

The execution wasn't there.

Okay.

♪♪

The cinnamon bun
earring.

Yes. Of course.

Got to wear a lucky charm
every week.
[ Laughs ]

They look ooey‐gooey,

like you just want to grab it
and bite into it.

Hollywood: It's what they
should be ‐‐ sticky and gooey.

Texture's nice and soft,

the cinnamon
really comes through,

and the flavoring is beautifully
balanced in it, as well.

What?!
Are you kidding me?

So I think
you've done a good job.

Yes!
[ Laughs ]

[ Applause ]
Thank you.

Well done, my friend.

Let's not zip past the part
that you just dipped...

Well, this is
dipping delicious.

Great.
Fantastic.

Thank you.
Thank you, Alex.

Thank you so much.

Alex:
I got a Hollywood Handshake,

and I got a high‐five
from Sherry.

Good job, Alex.

I feel so much joy ‐‐ like,
an unbelievable amount of joy.

I didn't expect it.

Marissa: That stunk.

[ Exhales sharply ]
They didn't like anything.

So, it's really important
for me to do well

in the technical today.

Just need to...

♪♪

♪♪

Alright, bakers,
your cinnamon buns
were a tasty treat.

Now on to your favorite bake ‐‐
the technical.

And today, the challenge is
straight from Sherry Yard ‐‐

a Linzer cookie.

For this challenge, bakers,

you should have
a very delicate touch.

I hope that was helpful,

but there's no more help now
from the judges,

because they are leaving
the Tent.

Paul and Sherry,
thank you.

Bakers, you have
1 hour and 30 minutes

to complete your bake.

That's short.

On your marks...

Get set...

Both: Bake!

Marissa:
I make these every year.

Based on what happened
in the first challenge,

I'm happy to have something
that's within my wheelhouse

and my comfort zone.

I've made this type of cookie
a long time ago,

so I hope I still remember.

So, Sherry, why have you
chosen Linzer cookies

as the technical
challenge?

The Linzer cookie has spices ‐‐
nutmeg, cinnamon, clove,

and hazelnuts,
all combined together.

The finesse part
is all about that hazelnut meal.

So, you want to toast it
just to perfection ‐‐

golden brown.

In addition to that,
they have to make their own jam.

I mean,
making their own jam ‐‐

we expect them to know
how to do that.
Yes.

What'll be interesting

is how they sandwich
the jam in the cookie.

Too much jam,
and it'll ooze out.

Too little jam,

and we're not gonna get
that balance of flavors.

[ Cookie snaps ]

Ooh, nice snap.

We gave them the oven
temperature ‐‐ 350 ‐‐

but not the bake time,

which is 14 minutes.

What a complex flavor.

Interesting.

Good challenge.

Cheers.

Mmm.

Back at the Tent,
the bakers' technical skills

are being challenged.

Step 1 is
"Make the Linzer dough."

The recipe's very sparse.

It just says,
"Make Linzer cookie dough."

So, that's basically it.

Tanya:
I mean, it's Spice Week.

Clove is the one
that scares me a little bit,

'cause it can be
really overpowering

if you use too much.

Dana: You have to toast
the hazelnut meal,

'cause it brings out the flavor.

This is tasting toasted already.

So, I don't think
I need to toast it.

The consistency
of the dough is just ‐‐

it's very soft.

Bianca:
Before you even roll it out
and start cutting the cookies,

it has to chill.

Chill before you roll it.

Chill before you cut it.
Chill before you bake it.

If the dough
isn't chilled enough,

the bakers won't get
the defined edges

and star shape
in the center.

Step 4 is
"Make the jam and cool."

I am making my jam.

It's pretty easy.

It's two ingredients, boil,
get to the right temperature,

and put it in something
to cool in the fridge.

I haven't made jam.

I'm really winging
a lot of this.

One hour left!

Oh, my God.

You are 30 minutes down,
now, guys.

Step 5 ‐‐ "Roll out the dough
between parchment,

and then chill in the fridge."

So, I'm gonna roll
both of these discs...

and put them
back in the fridge.

We were wondering
who your favorite Spice is.

My favorite Spice?

What's your
favorite spice?

Who's your
favorite Spice?

[ Laughs ]

Um...

Sorry.
It has to be Baby.

‐I'm a Millennial. I mean...
‐[ Squeals ]

‐Baby Spice.
‐Aah!

I can't lie, Spice.

I'll have to go
to confession.

Tanya: Step 9 ‐‐
"Cut out the cookies."

It's, like, way too soft.
It has to chill.

Step 10 is "Bake,"
so we're going in the oven.

The bakers were not told
how long to bake their cookies.

Too little time in the oven
will result in a soft cookie.

But if they get it right,

their cookie will have
the perfect snap.

They look okay.
They're not very dark.

And Sherry says
color equals flavor, so...

10 minutes left!

[ Chuckles nervously ]

My assembly is going to be
fast and sloppy.

I'm gonna try to get these
as cool as humanly possible

before I put the jam on.

The first one broke.

It's too warm.
I have to be patient.

Dana:
There's no time to wait.

Step 13 ‐‐ "Assemble."
My version of assemble.

Ah!

Both:
5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

Adams: Time's up.

Well done, everyone!

[ Sighs ]

Bakers, please line up
your Linzers

behind your photos.

The judges are looking for

crispy, flavorful
Linzer cookies

with jam that is set perfectly
in the middle.

Should we start
down here?

These look a bit messy,
actually, don't they?

The jam looks runny.

[ Plate clacks ]

Good snap, though.

Good snap.

It's a bit rubbery.

Mm.

So, they're underbaked.

Yeah. Moving on.

Looking at the bottom
of the cookie,

you can see that
it doesn't have
that much color.

Color is flavor.

Good crack on there.

The texture's there,
but the bake's not there.

These are quite neat.

The jam looks alright.

It's sort of gone
towards the edge.

It's cooked well.

Okay. Moving on.

One's thin at the bottom
and thick at the top.

The jam looks good.

I like the thick.

There is some flavor in there,
but the texture's wrong.

These look a bit of a mess,
don't they?

They look like doughnuts.

But they're all variety of
different shapes and sizes.

[ Sighs ]
It's still very blond.

Mm.

So, I would question whether
they toasted that hazelnut meal

and they left it
in the oven long enough.

Now, these look defined.

That's a snap.

Yeah.

[ Cookie crunches ]

The baking time is okay,
but it's too thick.

Yeah.

This is ‐‐
Oh, my goodness.

...a bit of a disaster.

Read my mind.
Wow.

It looks like a California
earthquake Linzer.

Mm.

When you nail that toasting
of the hazelnut

and add in the spice,

they marry into
one unique flavor.

Yeah.
And it's totally missing.

They look neat, organized.

The definition.
Jam looks good.

It's the right consistency.

[ Plate clacks ]

[ Cookie crunches ]

It's not bad.
The crunch is good on it.

It's a great crunch.

It's got more color
on that one.
Yeah.

Not one of the spices
comes through.

They're all
coming through.

Wow. Fascinating.
This is gonna be tricky.

In 8th spot, we have...
this one.

Who's this?
That's me again.

Sally, I think you struggled
with the dough,

and obviously, you've got
to chill that dough down.
Yeah.

Brother Andrew is 7th.

Bianca is 6th.

Dana is 5th.

Sarita...
‐Oh, that's mine, sorry.

...is 4th.

And Alex is 3rd.

In 2nd spot
is this one.

Who is this?
I'll take that.

[ Laughter ]

Actually,
they're pretty good.

They're crispy.
It looks neat.

But it's all about
precision

and getting it all exact.
Yeah.

But, yeah, well done.
Thank you.

That leaves us
with first.

[ Cheers and applause ]

Very well done,
great definition
in the scalloping

and that shooting star
coming over the top.

The jam is spot‐on.
Well done.

Good job.

Congratulations.

[ Applause ]

Your Linzer cookie
was oh, so spicy good.

See you bright and early
tomorrow morning.

Impressing Sherry Yard on one of
her recipes was pretty cool,

especially a recipe
that I've never read before.

Someone has to come last.

Unfortunately, it had to be me.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll do better,

and maybe I'll do good enough
to stay in the competition.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Sally:
It is such a gorgeous day.

‐It's beautiful.
‐Yeah.

‐Good luck.
‐Good luck, guys.

‐Good luck, everybody.
‐Good luck, guys. God bless.

So, we have become attached
to all of these bakers.

Who do you feel is in
the bottom right now?

I think Brother Andrew and Sally
are certainly in trouble.

They've struggled
on both challenges.

I love their visions,
but unfortunately,

their execution
hasn't come through.

So, who's in line
for Star Baker?

I think Alex and Tanya

are in a very strong position
going in.

So, if they do well
in this one,

one of those two
are guaranteed Star Baker.

We have seen things
completely change, though,

over the showstopper.

Do you think
that could happen today?

If you bring your A‐game,
you're gonna be fine.

And that's the way you've got
to look at it all the time.

It's time for
our Spice Week showstopper ‐‐

a holiday gingerbread scene.

You have five hours.

On your marks...

Get set...

Both: Bake!

♪♪

Bianca: Gingerbread's not
one of those things

that I would really ever
do with such speed.

There's a saying
in advertising ‐‐

"Do you want it good,
fast, or cheap?

Pick two."

This is the most creative
challenge thus far.

This isn't just
a gingerbread house.

This needs to be
a charming gingerbread scene.

I want these bakers to bring it.

This particular challenge is all
about preparation of the dough

and then the baking.

When we do bite into it,
are we gonna get those spices?

Are we gonna get the ginger
coming through?

Alex: In here, I've got a lot
of ginger and a lot of cinnamon,

plus a little bit of allspice,
a little bit of cloves,

and a little bit of nutmeg.

The key to building a sturdy
and delicious gingerbread scene

is finding the right balance
of molasses and sugar.

Too little molasses,

and the cookie won't be
strong enough to stand.

Too much molasses
could overpower the flavor

of the spices.

It's so hard to weigh this out

because you think
you have the right amount,

and then a whole thing just,
like, plops into the bowl.

Hello.
Good morning.

‐Hello.
‐Good morning,
‐Good morning, Bianca.

Tell us about your
holiday gingerbread scene.

So, I am making
a gingerbread scene

that's called
"Snowboarding for the Holidays."

Inspired by her favorite
holiday getaway,

Bianca's scene will feature
two gingerbread mountains,

a ski lift,

and a modern lodge
finished with isomalt windows.

What do you think about
the flavor of isomalt?

It will bond, but then it
won't have, really, any flavor.

Yeah. There's not as much
flavor to the ‐‐
And we are judging on flavor.

Yeah, so,
my gingerbread recipe ‐‐

I think it tastes good.

It reminds me of, like,
the gingersnaps

that I used to eat
as a kid.

Okay.
Right.

Good luck.
Okay.
Thanks so much.

Thank you.

I make little gingerbread men
every Christmas,

but it's just a little man.

Like, it's not ‐‐

He don't ‐‐
He does not have a home.

In order for the bakers
to create enough gingerbread

to form their
intricate scenes,

they must work on multiple
batches of dough at once.

So, I need 590 grams of this.

I'm gonna split it in two and
add the flour in two portions

so that the mixer can handle it.

Dana: Living in Los Angeles,

you definitely need to pump up
the Christmas cheer

because you don't have it
in the weather.

So, we look for other ways to
do it, and I do it in my baking.

Dana is bringing Santa
to the beach

with her lifeguard tower
gingerbread scene.

Is Santa gonna have a surfboard
or something like that?

Santa is gonna have
a surfboard.

He's gonna be
a tan Santa.

Is Pamela Anderson
gonna be on there?

If I have time,
I will make her.

[ Laughter ]

Bianca: I am just trying

to get it rolled out
a little thin

to put it in the fridge.

The dough must be
completely chilled

when the bakers
begin to roll it out.

If the dough becomes
too warm during rolling,

the butter will melt,

and the cookie will lose
its structure.

Marissa:
Ooh, still a little soft.

Back in the freezer.

Once the dough is chilled,

the bakers can roll it out
nice and thin

so that it bakes
all the way through,

resulting in a crispy snap.

Dana: Who knew baking
was such a workout?

One hour down,
four hours left.

That was fast.
Everybody doing good?

So, I'm trying to keep up.

I think I'm probably the last
one who's rolling out my dough.

But, you know, it's okay.

As usual,
go fast at the beginning

so I have more time at the end
to decorate.

Alex will be stacking
a tall tower of presents

for his Santa Is Stuck
gingerbread scene,

which will be completely
covered with royal icing.

So, are you being
more adventurous

because you got that
Hollywood Handshake?

Uh, I don't know
about that.

Nice idea.
Thank you, Alex.

Thank you very much.
Good luck.

Thank you.
Appreciate it.

I don't know
what happened today.

But this is not good.

My gingerbread's,
like, way too soft.

I just have to
try to fix it now.

These take
the longest to cook,

and I rather would just
get them going

and then roll out the rest of
the dough for my second batch.

Marissa's spicy
German Christmas Market

will be covered in a drift
of royal icing snow.

I like a spicy gingerbread.

It's ginger, cinnamon,
clove, allspice,

nutmeg, mace, coriander.

‐Oh.
‐Oh, the full hit.

‐[ Chuckles ]
‐Which is good.

Yeah, exactly.

I am making a globe
out of gingerbread.

A little crazy.

Go big or go home, right?

Tanya's "Overnight Delivery"

will feature Santa
on his sleigh,

getting ready to circle
a 3‐D gingerbread globe.

It's very fragile.
Very delicate.

It can be risky.
You're suspending
all this weight.

As long as I get the structure
of the globe okay.

I hope,
when I look at the globe,

I can see my home city on it.

I hope so, too.

Alex: First batch.

Hello, Sally.
Hello.

Hi, Sally.

I am making
Christmas at Owls' Love Nest.

It's a representation
of our house.

Adams:
Oh, you got owls there?

Oh, yeah.

Sally's love nest will feature
cinnamon‐clove cookie owls,

a 3‐D tree,

all piped with royal icing.

They like to flirt
at night.

They're very noisy.

Hoo! Hoo!

So ‐‐ Oh, yeah.

[ Laughter ]

That timer is gonna be
my best friend today.

We are halfway there.

Two and a half hours down.

Oh, my God.

Now, I don't know
if I have enough dough.

I'm just ‐‐ Oh, my God.
This is a nightmare.

Brother Andrew: This is kind of
a lot of stuff to do.

[ Chuckles ]

So, I think everyone's
feeling it right now.

Brother Andrew
is taking us to church

with his ginger and allspice
Christmas Mass.

It will be hand‐piped with
orange‐flavored royal icing

and decorated
with shaved almonds.

How are you gonna do
the windows?

'Cause I'm thinking
stained glass.

I'm thinking boiled sweets.
No. [ Laughs ]

As much as I would love to,

I want to make sure
I get my structure together.

That's the most
important thing for me.

Is this the time
to be safe...
Oh. [ Laughs ]

...or is this the time
more to be ambitious?
Well, no.

I think it looks
quite magical,

so hopefully
you guys do, too.

Okay.

Gingerbread is dark,
which makes it tricky to tell

when it's finished
in the oven.

Not yet. Almost.

I'm having a panic attack again.

Marissa: This is a big piece,
and it needs to get crispy.

You're doing okay.

You're a little not okay.

Sarita:
My husband and the children

make a beautiful,
cute, little gingerbread.

I sit back with a glass of wine.
I watch them.

I tell them
what's wrong with it.

And now I'm getting payback.

Sarita's
Wintry Nature Lodge

is made with coriander
gingerbread

and is inhabited
by her family

and favorite
critter friends.

My family goes up to
a nature lodge in Missouri.

Little Carla goes with us.

Carla is a squirrel that ‐‐
Oh.

My kids think
every squirrel is Carla.

Are you gonna
finish on time?

Oh, God. Who knows?
I don't know.

I'm down to the wire.
I'm fighting to the end.

I'm sure
you'll be fine.
Best of luck.

Thank you.
Thanks for the vote
of confidence.

Alright.

I couldn't wait
for them to leave.

I know.
Me, too.

Now that they're gone,
who's your favorite Spice ‐‐

me or Emma?

Oh. Oh, my God.
Emma.

[ Laughs ]

Oh, my God.

Crap.
‐You alright?

‐No.
‐What happened?

Marissa:
I just screwed up.

Brother Andrew:
You can do it, Marissa.

[ Sighs ] I'm okay.
I just need to, like...

I left out my sugar.

It was sitting right here.

I have to start my second batch
over again.

So, I'm just trying to
really, really hurry.

[ Voice breaking ]
Sorry. I'm just trying not
to, like, melt down.

[ Sniffles ]

[ Measuring spoons clack ]

[ Bird caws ]

♪♪

Marissa:
I left out my sugar.

It was sitting right here.

I have to start my second batch
over again.

So, I'm just trying to
really, really hurry.

I just need to, like, calm down.

One hour left!

[ Exhales deeply ]
Okay.

I've got to motor.

So, I have a little bit
of sliding over here.

Sally:
I think we're baked.

Now they have to cool,

and I'm gonna check that
they are sturdy enough.

Let the decorating begin.

♪♪

Luckily, I caught it in time.

Like, nothing ‐‐
no one's eating dough
with no sugar in it.

Hey, guys.
Hey!

Gingerbread man is here!

Feast your eyes on this!

Alex, you got
any more room...
Hi, Alex.

No, I'm sorry.
...for some ‐‐
for some gingerbread?

This is a full
gingerbread structure.

Oh, okay.

Tanya, you got any
more room for, like,

a gingerbread man
or something?

6 foot?

I think the globe
is gonna take up the whole spot.

Man, where is
the Christmas spirit?

Aw.

‐Oh, I'm so sorry!
‐Oh.

Saddest gingerbread ever.

Tanya: I'm sorry.

Please be careful.

As time runs out,
the bakers rush

to get the pieces of
their gingerbread to bond...

Okay, stay. Stay.

...using royal icing...

[ Air pops ]
Ah!

...caramel, or isomalt.

Bianca:
I'm using isomalt.

It hardens really quickly
and it's easy to melt

and it dries clear.

It's almost like
caulking a bathtub.

So, the area that
shifted during baking

is gonna get a little
special attention.

In the lab, you know,
I'm always telling the students

they have to be neat.

How the mighty have fallen.

Bakers, I'm sorry to say,
only 10 minutes left now.

10 minutes.
Stay.

[ Inhales sharply ]
Oh, my God. My house.

If this thing collapses,
I'm in real trouble.

I am trying to madly pipe on
the continents on my globe.

I got to get Great Britain
on there, 'cause Paul warned me.

Bianca: So, I'm just gonna
pour the isomalt in.

Trying to stay
neat and tidy.

My house is falling.

Tanya: Push on, Sally.
Just push to the very end.

No.

‐You've got this, Sally.
‐Sally, you got it.

I don't got it.
My house collapsed.

One minute left,
bakers.

Just one minute left.

I'm okay with that.
Ooh.

Just hope it's enough
for the judges.

Hey, at least I have
a little bit of flair.

Both: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

Sally: It's a mess.

[ Groans ]

♪♪

Sarita, you're up first.

Please come down
to the judging table.

Sarita:
There you go.

Yard:
It's very traditional.

A little on
the untidy side.

It's that level of refinement
that we're looking for.

We're in week 3 now in the Tent,
and it's time to bring it.

[ Exhales sharply ]

It's soft.

You should have made the walls
a lot thinner...

Okay.
...and baked them
a little bit longer.

Which means your spice flavors
aren't gonna really pop.

Mm‐hmm.

And so, because of that,
it lacks flavor.

♪♪

It's very whimsical
and fun and festive.

Great for the holidays.

When you're making
a gingerbread scene,

you have to make it
thin and crispy.

I'm gonna take a bite
of the foot.

Put our foot
in our mouths.

[ Chuckles ]

That's more like it.

Now we're really getting
the toastiness of the spices

and the caramelization
of the cookie.

Thank you, Alex.
Thank you very much.

Do you see Liverpool?

I do.

It's right there.

It's a little bit messy,
but it's impressive enough.

Thank you.

Knew that was coming.

You've got thick.

You've got thin.
Mm‐hmm.

The thin is good.

The globe itself
is rolled out thicker.

The small cookie is
just right.

This is the
Goldilocks cookie.

♪♪

It's clean. It's tidy.
It's neat.

It's all in
the right proportions.

It's very clever.

You even got a little
gingerbread man inside, as well.

Marissa:
He has little gingerbreads,
too, that he's selling.

[ Laughter ]

For me, it's just a little bit
too on the malty side.

‐Okay.
‐I really enjoy it.

I like the heat.
Thank you.

It's different and special.

Thank you.

♪ Yodelay‐hee‐hoo ♪

[ Laughter ]

♪♪

I'd like to have seen a little
bit more detail in the windows.

While your piping is fun and
the lacing looks very detailed,

it is rushed.

Mm‐hmm.

I really like the flavor
on this cookie.

The spices that
you've got in there

are blended beautifully together
to highlight each other,

so they all
work together.

♪♪

It's very fun.

The lodge with the lights.

The isomalt works,
but what's it taste like?

Is there a dentist
in the house?

Oh.

It's very chewy.
What's in the dough?

It's got corn syrup.

It's the corn syrup.

It's made it like glue.

The design's good,
but your baking isn't.

Okay.

Sally:
It just collapsed.

This comes down
to timing.

The actual work that
you've done is very neat.

The tree is beautiful.

At a point where you realized
you were running out of time,

caramel was
the only way forward.

The only way forward.
Yeah.

Unfortunately,
it's underbaked.

It's quite bland.

It's a shame
that it collapsed,

but for me, it's the flavor
and the texture.

♪♪

I think this is
incredibly original.

I can see the wood panels
of a real lifeguard tower.

Where is Pamela Anderson?

[ Laughter ]

I think it's brilliant.

That is perfect.

Texture, taste, flavor.
Spices are good.

It snaps.

And it is a traditional,
spot‐on gingerbread cookie.

Well done.
Thank you.

♪♪

[ Indistinct conversations ]

This is the challenge
that I've been waiting for.

In this bake,
did they impress you?

I think they did well.

Yeah, I think the designs
are very personal and fun,

and I think they
challenged themselves.

These all look incredible,

so who's in the running
for Star Baker?

Dana did
exceptionally well.

I think Alex did
really well with his.

I thought the design was good,
the flavors were good.

Then you've got to talk
about Tanya.

She did a level of difficulty.
She went for the globe.

Some of them excelled,

and some of them didn't quite
reach the potential

of what they're capable of,
to be honest.

I'd like to talk about Bianca,
because the bake wasn't there.

I nearly broke a tooth.

I feel terrible
about Sally.

Based on the flavor,

not necessarily
the way it collapsed,

I think she's in
an awkward position, as well.

So, we have to sit down over
a cup of tea and discuss it.

Probably
a few more biscuits.

Sure.
And cookies.

And cookies.

♪♪

You've had quite a week
charting your spice routes.

This week's Star Baker is...

Alex.

[ Applause ]

[ Indistinct chatter ]

Now, this is a party
I do not want to end,

but unfortunately, we have to
say goodbye to one of you.

And the person leaving
the Tent today is...

♪♪

...Sally.

I know.
[ Chuckles ]

It's okay.

You know...
[Speaks indistinctly]

Today was not
my dog day.

A lot of luck to you, Sally.
A lot of luck to you.

Thank you so much.
Brother.

It was quite a trip.
[ Chuckles ]

I had so much love in that tent
today that how can I be sad?

I'm gonna bake
a gingerbread scene again.

And this time,
I'm gonna conquer it.

Hollywood:
Group hug. Group hug.

‐Aww.
‐Group hug.

Hollywood: Very sad. But
unfortunately, Sally had to go.

Sally's a great baker,
but really,

she let herself down
at the showstopper.

Alex won Star Baker
this week because, well, first,

those buns ‐‐ I'm still dreaming
about his cinnamon buns.

He took risks, and he impressed
us on the showstopper.

Hollywood: Well done.

That's two now,
you've got now.

‐It is two.
‐Two Star Bakers.

Two Star Bakers in three weeks

is more than I ever hoped for
from this competition.

I'm just gonna try to
keep doing what I'm doing,

'cause it seems to be working.

♪♪

[ Puppies whimpering ]

Bunton: Aww.

[ Puppy yowls, Emma gasps ]

Oh, I love puppies, Spice!
I'm so sorry.

You're gonna have to
carry on without me.

[ Puppy whimpers ]
Yes. Yes.

You are breaking up the team,
little buddy.

[ Chuckles ]
Emma.

I know one thing you like
better than the puppies,

and you know what
I'm talking about.

You mean...

That's right.

Oh.

Both: It's Dessert Week!

You can come with me.
Yeah. [ Smooches ]

[ Puppy whimpers ]

Last time...

Welcome to Spice Week!

...Brother Andrew...

Who wore it better?

...won for best robe.

[ Laughs ]

...while Alex took home

the slightly more
important title ‐‐

What?!

...Star Baker.

[ Applause ]

That's two now,
you've got.

And it was Sally...

Oh, my God.

...whose time in the Tent
came to an end.

Sally: It's okay.

Tonight,
seven bakers are back.

I feel somebody
right over my shoulder.

But who will handle
Dessert Week with poise...

[ Laughs ]

...and who will crack
under the pressure?

‐[ Gasps ]
‐[ Gasps ]

‐Are you okay?
‐No.

We've got all
the holiday cheer...

Ho, ho, ho!

...right here.

Oh.

♪♪

The only problem
with being Star Baker twice

is the other bakers really want
to be Star Baker now

and know that they
have to beat me.

So, I think they're
definitely coming for me.

Bianca: I don't think
I've had a week yet

where I've nailed
all three bakes,

so I'd really like
for Dessert Week

to be the week
to get Star Baker.

Bunton:
Welcome back, bakers.

This week, we are going
to break every rule

of the Clean Plate Club.

We will have dessert first,
middle, and last.

Your signature challenge
this week is...

madeleines ‐‐

or, as the French say,
madeleines.

[ Chuckles ]

Each baker must present
24 madeleines

in two distinct flavors.

You have 1 hour and 45 minutes
for this task.

On your marks...

Get set...

Both: Bake!

♪♪

I think that madeleines

are a great way
to kick off Dessert Week.

At home, I make these
with my little girls.

My motto for today
is supposed to be... calm.

Yard: It's Dessert Week.

And "dessert" spelled backwards
equals "stressed."

Bianca: Whoops.
That is way too much sugar.

A classic madeleine should be
spongy and soft in the middle.

You don't want to overmix
your batter

because it'll make a tough,
dense madeleine.

A good madeleine
has got a hump on one side,

a very strong shell‐like
definition on the other.

How do you impart flavor

to such a small, little,
bite‐sized bit of sponge?

But there lies the problem.

So, I'm excited to see
what the bakers are gonna do.

Morning, Bianca.
Good morning.

Tell us all about
your madeleine.

I am making
Naughty and Nice Madeleines.

Bianca's naughty madeleines

will have a hazelnut base
with a bourbon glaze,

and the nice batch

will feature vanilla bean
and elderflower

with a ruby chocolate dip.

How long are you gonna
be baking them for?

About eight minutes.
Eight minutes.

Will that give you
a nice color?

It does give me
a nice color.

And the hazelnuts in mine
also helps with that.

Okay. Well,
thank you very much. Good luck.

Bianca: Thank you.

Alright, one batter down.

The bakers must get
their batter into the fridge

so that it has plenty of time
to chill before baking.

To the fridge.

If it's not chilled enough,

it won't get that signature
madeleine hump.

The hump is created
by a temperature shock

from cold to hot,

And so, the batter
kind of freaks out

and explodes sort of thing.

I'm not sure exactly where
I'm at on time now,

but I have to let them chill
for 40 minutes, at least.

I'm gonna start my next
madeleine batch right here.

While their first flavor cools,

they get to work
on their second flavor.

Marissa:
The Tent is hard.

Your brain is in
60 different directions.

And I just realized
I forgot vanilla.

Dana, good morning.

Good morning.

Tell us all about your
madeleines. What are you doing?

I am doing French
Manicured Madeleines.

Dana's first madeleine
is saffron and honey.

Her second madeleine
is hibiscus and lime

and will be dusted
with pink powdered sugar.

How are you introducing
those flavors?

The saffron I put into ‐‐

the little threads I put
into the melted butter.

And the other one, I am adding
dried hibiscus flowers,

just a little bit
in the batter.

Yard: Are you concerned that
the dehydrated hibiscus flower

will sink to the bottom
of the pan and burn?

Hopefully, if I get them out
of the oven just perfectly,

it won't do that.

Tanya: Okay.
That's both batters chilling.

While both batters
chill in the fridge,

the bakers get to work
on their icing and decorations.

Brother Andrew: My 11 madeleines
are gonna be covered

in freeze‐dried blueberries.

I think a little texture
is good for the judges.

Bianca: I am now making
the bourbon glaze.

There's not a huge amount
of bourbon in the batter,

so it should just be like a ‐‐

like a, "Oh,
there's the bourbon."

Marissa: Oh, no.
I forgot to add the butter.

If it's wrong when it bakes,
there's nothing I can do,

so I'm making a backup.

I'm just toasting up
these nuts.

They're part of
the decoration,

so I just want to make sure
that they're toasty.

It'll add a little bit
of crunch.

Sarita's first madeleine
is ruby pink peppercorn

with a ruby chocolate glaze,

and her second is orange
cardamom with white chocolate.

Both will be decorated
with toasted nuts.

Hollywood: You've got
cardamom and orange.
Mm‐hmm.

And how are you introducing
those flavors?

I just have, like,
orange zest,

a little bit of honey,
ground cardamom.

With all these
other spices,

is it going to be
overwhelmed by this?

I hope not.

See, the thing is
about a madeleine ‐‐

it's all about
the delicacy.

It's about the real flavor
coming through.

But it's got to be pure.

Bakers, you have one hour
until tea time!

So, I hope those madeleines
will be ready.

Me, too.

Dana: I am greasing my madeleine
pans with some butter.

And then I'm gonna get these
in the fridge

so they're nice and cold
when I bake with them.

Tell us all about your
madeleines, please.

I am making my Sugar and Spice
Madeleines today.

Tanya's first madeleine
is strawberry

with black pepper,
dipped in a strawberry glaze.

And her second is chai
drizzled with white chocolate.

The spices
going into the chai spice

is ginger, cardamom,

cinnamon, anise, cloves,
and nutmeg.

That's a lot going on for such
a delicate little dessert.

There is a lot.

The whole thing's
got to work together,

so if you overplay one...

‐Right.
‐...it destroys it, you know?

Right. I'm hoping I have
the right blend on the spices.

Brother Andrew: I'm making
royal icing right now.

36... 8... it's 42.

So, I need about
3 more grams of liquid.

Brother Andrew's
lemon madeleines

feature freeze‐dried
blueberries.

His lime madeleines will be
coated with candied ginger.

You've chose
ginger and lime,

and that works
really well together.
Yes. It does.

And I absolutely adore
the combination, so...

Yeah, the heat of the ginger
comes through...
Yes. Yes.

...with that effervescence
and floral of the lime.
Yes. Exactly.

It should work
very well together.

I hope so.

Dana: I'm getting my hibiscus
and lime in the pan.

You want them
to be even in size.

Yard: Hello, Alex.

Tell us all about
your madeleines.

So, I'm making my Christmas
Doodle Madeleine.

Alex's first madeleine
is chocolate peppermint,

dipped in milk chocolate.

And the second is
matcha tea flavored,

dipped in white chocolate.

So, this color green
is purely from matcha?

Purely matcha.

Really?
Yep. Yep.

I have my concern
about the matcha.

Matcha already has a very dense,
muddy flavor to it...

Mm‐hmm.

...and too much in there
and overmixing it

will make it very muddy.

I think the white chocolate
sort of offsets

the grassiness
really nicely, so...

I love matcha.
I love green tea.

Half Japanese, so...

This seems, like,
very risky to do.

You think so?
I think it's kind of safe.

I feel somebody
right over my shoulder.

After piping their batter
into the madeleine trays,

the bakers put them
into the freezer

for one final chill
before baking.

[ Marissa gasps ]

I need to calm down.

My hands are shaking.
Like, I'm just...

[ Exhales forcefully ]

Actually, I have a ton
of this batter,

'cause I made extra,
so look at that.

Marissa is baking
a pistachio madeleine

dipped in white chocolate.

Her second is Earl Grey,
glazed in honey orange.

How are you doing
with timing?

I feel just a little
frazzled today.

Why is that?

I think I'm in my head
a little bit.

Sometimes when stuff
gets on top of you in the Tent,

it's very easy to fall down.
Yeah. Yeah.

You've got to take a step away,
and then step back in.

Is this your
second batch?

This is my first batch.

Wow. Okay.

Ooh.

30 minutes left, guys.

Only 30 minutes.

Dana:
Into the oven they go.

The bakers' madeleines
are in the oven,

and now they must
patiently wait

to see if their humps
will appear.

[ Brother Andrew
prays indistinctly ]

[ Sighs ]

Ooh, they're humping!

Well, that's disappointing.
I don't see a bump.

15 minutes.

Marissa:
I cannot drop these.

This is my second batch
of pistachios.

Bianca:
These look good.

I hope the naughty ones
are finished in time.

Dana: Now I have to
let them cool.

♪♪

They're pretty cool
right now.

I got to decorate,
so no time to dwell.

I'm gonna dip it in chocolate,
put my piping on,

hope that the texture
and the flavor is there.

Tanya: Just got to make sure you
get the right dip every time.

While most of the bakers
have finished baking

and moved on
to decorating...

Bianca:
They're certainly not done.

...one baker is still
waiting for her second batch

to come out of the oven.

Only 10 minutes
left now.

Okay. I guess I'll
keep them in there.

That does make me
short on time.

Ugh.

Only 10 minutes
left now.

♪♪

Brother Andrew:
It's down to the wire.

Bianca: These should be
decorated in time.

♪♪

Tanya:
I'm happy with them.

Dana: Oh, dear.
These don't look right.

Bianca: Yep.
That's a problem.

Always a race to the finish.

60 seconds left!

Marissa:
My hands are shaking.

Bianca: These just came out,
and they're not cool.

Tanya:
Do you need any help?

Can you put them on the plate
in straight rows?
Yeah.

Adams and Bunton:
10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

‐Mine's stuck.
‐Oh, they're stuck.

...5, 4...
Marissa: What is wrong
with this batter?

...3, 2, 1!

Tanya: It's alright.
You got some on the plate.

♪♪

♪♪

Hollywood: There's a bit
of definition in there.

You can see the lines.

You certainly see it
with the icing on the top.

‐There's a little bump.
‐Yeah, you're seeing the bump.

‐Mm.
‐There you go.

And this one is the...

Marissa:
That's the Earl Grey.

Not getting the Earl Grey.

[ Sighs ]
Getting the orange.

But I like it.
Now, this is the...

pistachio.
Pistachio. Yes.

Got a nice color
on the outside, there.

Yard: You didn't
over‐toast them,

so the freshness of
the pistachio comes out.

You did a fabulous job.

Hollywood:
I'm not sure about
these madeleines.

No definition,
flat on the other side,

and that's before
I've even tried it.

So, this one's
your matcha?

Alex: Yes.

It's just a little bit
too earthy for me

to go in a madeleine.

Overall, that's not a good
madeleine in any way.

This is chocolate
peppermint?

Yes.
Chocolate peppermint.

The glaze on the outside
really tastes artificial.

It's not refreshing mint.

It's bad candy canes.

A madeleine should really
be golden brown.

Your madeleines
are blond.

The only thing blond in
the bake shop should be my hair.

[ Laughter ]

Okay, so, we'll start with
the chai madeleine first.

It's quite spicy.
I think over‐spiced.

Okay.

You want a little hint
at things,

rather than being kicked
in the stomach with it.

Let's try the strawberry
and black pepper.

Color of the glaze
is quite cheery.

On the back, there should be
that wonderful bump.

I love your flavors.

It's just that
the bake is off.

Okay.

They're both flat
and got no hump,

but they've got a little bit
of definition in there.

I think you got great color
on the honey saffron.

Wow. That saffron's
potent, isn't it?

Packs a punch.

It's a bitter chocolate, and it
blends well with the saffron.

The hibiscus ‐‐
the lime comes through nice.

It's quite delicate.

It works well.

So, we start with the ginger
and the lime, shall we?

You've lost a little bit
of definition.

Some of them have got it,
some of them haven't.

You do have the hump
on there, though.
Yeah.

I love the flavors.

It's just very dry.

Just needed to be
hydrated more.

Yeah.
Your lemon
and blueberry one.

The lemon flavor
is wonderful.

I wish the blueberry
had a little more flavor.

It's like a pile of rocks
in my mouth.

Hollywood:
The hazelnut bourbon.

They do not look good.
What happened?

The hazelnut flour
isn't absorbing

like regular flour does,

but I do half and half.

You cannot replace
hazelnut for flour.

The water
can't be absorbed,

therefore it's wet.
Right.

And obviously, you haven't got
all the numbers.

You've only got five.
Yeah.

Let's start with
the hazelnut one, anyway.

Wow.
The bourbon's there.

Straight away.
Yeah. Got that.

Yard: Got that.
Okay. Good.

My. Okay.
Let's move on.

Looks a bit more conventional
as a madeleine, you know?

Have a beautiful golden ‐‐

got that crispness on the
outside, fluffy in the center.

Not bad.
One good, one not so good.

Color is beautiful.

Definition's pretty good.
And the size is good.

You got a little hump
on the top, as well.

Okay, let's start with
the orange and cardamom.

This is what I want.

You get the crispy
on the outside,

the fluffy on the inside.

Now, the orange is
in the mix, is it?

Some orange zest and a little
bit of orange juice, as well.

That's perfect.

Should we try the ruby pink
peppercorn, then?

Mmm.

Really?

It's fruity, coming from
the ruby chocolate.

And you do have
a background of this pepper.

Oh, my God!
It feels so good!

I feel really good.
I feel so happy.

Mine were, like,
the best ones ‐‐

and they should have been,
'cause I've made them,

like, a fricking thousand times.

[ Sighs ]

Alex: That was my first truly
negative feedback, I think,

but I'm optimistic that
we can move forward

and do a little bit better.

Can't win them all.

♪♪

Adams:
Alright, bakers.

Even among food,
there's royalty ‐‐

the King of Burgers,
and Sir Loin of Beef.

Get it? Sir Loin.

Yeah, I get it.
Sirloin.

For this week's
technical baking challenge,

Paul has anointed...

the Queen of Puddings.

This is all about precision,
precision...

and precision.

Wow.

Excellent.
That was riveting, Paul.

Thank you
for your help.

And with that, we're gonna
ask the judges to leave.

You have
1 hour and 30 minutes.

On your marks...

Get set...

Both: Bake!

♪♪

I do not know what
a Queen of Puddings is,

but I'm going to figure it out.

I've eaten one before,

but I don't know
if it was a really good one.

It definitely wasn't
Paul Hollywood's.

So, Paul, why is
the Queen of Puddings

a good technical challenge
for Dessert Week?

Hollywood: You've got three
main textures in there.

You've got
the custard underneath,

jam on top of that,
and then the meringue.

Where could these bakers
go wrong?

Cooking the custard
in the oven,

because they've got to
leave it in there

for at least 20, 25 minutes
until it's pretty much solid.

If it's too soupy...
Yeah.

...you won't be able
to get a cut

when you actually lift it
on a spoon at the end,

when it's all
baked together.

The pudding on the bottom,
the fruitiness of the jam,

and that toasty meringue
on top.

Heavenly.
Mm.

If they haven't
done it right,

it's gonna be
a right royal mess.

[ Exhales sharply ]

Sarita: Step 1 ‐‐
"Prepare the baking dish."

Step 2 ‐‐ "Scatter
the bread crumbs
in an even layer."

♪♪

Step 3 ‐‐ "Make jam, and cool."

Paul doesn't give you any
directions on how to make jam.

You just have to really
let it boil

for a good like
15 minutes, usually,

get it nice and thick.

[ Sighs ] Surrender.

Step 4 ‐‐ "For the custard,
heat the milk and vanilla."

The recipe just says to add
a vanilla pod to the milk.

How it is incorporated
is for the bakers to decide.

So, I'm gonna try to get
some of the vanilla seeds out.

I feel like that's gonna
give a lot of flavor.

I put the whole bean in
instead of scraping it.

"Whisk the egg yolks
and sugar together.

Strain the milk,
and whisk into the egg mixture."

Bianca:
You can't just, like, pour all
the hot liquid in at once,

'cause then
the eggs would scramble.

Place my custard in.

Bakers, we're halfway
there now!

45 minutes left!

Gonna do a little jiggle test
here, see what's going on.

Too wobbly in the middle.

I want it to be like...

[ Chuckles ]

Just a little bit,
not like ‐‐ [ Laughs ]

Alex: So, see, it's got
a little bit of a wobble

if I shake it back and forth,
but it's not a liquid.

I will call that
pretty done.

I don't think it's done.

I just don't have
that much time.

So I need to cool it.

Let this cool,
and then I'll put the jam on.

Nice and cool.

Step 10 ‐‐ "Spread the jam
over the custard."

"Make the French meringue,
and spoon into a piping bag

fitted with a plain nozzle."

To make a French meringue,

the bakers have to whip
their egg whites

and gradually add sugar.

Once the egg whites
have reached stiff peaks,

the meringue
is ready to be piped.

That might be good.

15 minutes left!

Go fish.

Step 11 is "Pipe meringue kisses
over the top."

♪♪

Let's get this puppy in.

In order for the meringue
kisses to get toasty on top,

the Queen of Puddings
has to go back into the oven.

I just don't know
if my custard set up right.

Bakers, you've got
10 minutes left.

♪♪

♪♪

[ Sarita laughs ]

You just never know
what's gonna happen

on "The Great American
Baking Show."

Bakers, you have
one minute left.

♪♪

It's the waiting.

Adams and Bunton:
5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

The judges are looking for
a Queen of Puddings

with a bread crumb‐thickened
vanilla custard at the bottom,

followed by a layer
of beautifully set jam,

and topped with
a French meringue

piped into perfect
Italian kisses.

Alright, Sherry,
should we start with this one?

The lines are there. You can see
the jam and the custard.

♪♪

Mmm.

Good flavor.

The jam's good,
and the meringue's good.

Moving on.
Mm.

Big issue with
the bleeding in the jam.

It looks like
a cranberry Christmas pie.

Oh.

The jam's like liquid.

Ironically,
the custard looks okay.

[ Laughs ]
The custard is all set.

Interesting.
Moving on to number three.

Nice hand
with the piping.

Yeah.

Oh, dear.

Jam needed longer.
Custard needed longer.

The taste is okay.

Okay.
Okay. Moving on.

There's definition there, and
you can see the layers there ‐‐

jam and the custard.

Oh, that's the best
cut so far.

It is.

Yeah, the custard's
nicely set.

It all tastes
very good.

Yep.

Except for that meringue.

You want more of a crunch,
don't you?

You want something
more to it.

Okay.
Moving on.

Now, this has got
some nice color.

The lines look,
you know, quite clear.

You see, it's a little bit
liquid on the jam.

Once again,
the flavor's here.

Mm. Okay.
Moving on.

The color's okay.

It looks
quite attractive.

Custard not cooked
long enough.

I'm not getting
much flavor.

I'm not getting
any vanilla pod, either.

Okay, moving on
to the last one.

It's a bit weak in color,
this one.

Let's have a look
in there.

Soup.

Okay, in 7th spot
is this one.

Who's is this?

Brother Andrew...
Yep.

...you had trouble
with the meringue ‐‐

Yep.

...and the jam
wasn't cooked out.

Dana is 6th.
Marissa is 5th.

Sarita is 4th.
Tanya is 3rd.

Bianca is 2nd.

So, in 1st spot
is this one.

[ Applause ]

[ Laughter ]

Yes. [ Laughs ]

You had all the elements there.
So, well done, Alex.

Alex: I am pretty relieved,
to be honest.

I think this one,
I started quick,

did my Speedy Alex routine,
and it worked out.

Today was a normal day
for me in the Tent.

[ Laughs ]

I do okay in the signature,
and then I bomb the technicals.

Dana:
I thought my jam was okay, and I
thought my meringue was okay.

I just thought my custard was,
you know, completely off,

so, you know, that's the way

the pudding collapses.
[ Chuckles ]

Yesterday was a bit
up and down, per usual.

Um ‐‐ [ Chuckles ]

That's the way it's been
for me every week.

‐Good luck.
‐Good luck.

‐Good luck.
‐God bless you all.

The goal today is to work fast
and not drop stuff.

[ Bird squawking ]

He's telling me
not to drop stuff, too.

See?
Everyone's just chiming in.

I have noticed,
in Dessert Week,

that it seems to have thrown
everyone a little bit.

It's really odd.

Alex, Tanya, Bianca
did very well in the technical,

however, in the signature,
didn't turn up.

And then you have Marissa,
Dana, and Sarita,

who did very well
in the signature...

who didn't do very well
in the technical.
Flip flop.

And then you've got
Brother Andrew

floating somewhere
in between.

Who is gonna
pick up the bat now,

coming into the showstopper,
I've got no idea.

♪♪

This week's showstopper
is a feat

of engineering, design,
and chemistry.

It is...

a cheesecake tower.

We need a minimum
of three tiers.

Two tiers should be
identical in flavor.

One tier,
distinctly different.

You have T‐minus
four and a half hours.

On your marks...

Get set...

Both: Bake!

Sarita: I feel good
about cheesecakes.

They're really good
for the holidays.

It needs to be well‐baked,

but then, it also
needs to be set.

Otherwise, once you start

stacking them
on top of each other,

it's just gonna, like,
slide off.

I'm relying on
the American bakers

to come up with
the best cheesecake

the Tent has ever seen.

It's got to be smooth, silky,
full of flavor,

and you want a crispy base.

I hope we don't get
any soggy bottoms.

A perfect cheesecake
is smooth on the top.

No cracks.

We all bake cheesecakes
at home.

Now it's about turning it
into a festive centerpiece

and really impressing us.

I'm currently making the crust,

which will be the same
for all three tiers.

I want this to be pretty punchy,

so I've got the zest
of four lemons in here.

Hello, Bianca.
Hi, Bianca.

‐Hi. How are you?
‐Good.

Good.
Tell us about your tower
of cheesecake.

I am making my
"Out of This World" cheesecake,

which is basically a riff
on one of my favorite cakes

that my grandma would make.

Bianca's cheesecake tower

will have three layers
of vanilla.

Two layers will have pineapple
folded in,

and one layer will be topped
with butterscotch.

Are you gonna be able
to do this on time?

You struggle with timing.

I do struggle with time.

Get the bakes done.

Almost, the decoration
is secondary.

You don't play
with the bake.

You get that done.

I mean, that's the plan.

♪♪

I'm putting my cheesecake crust
into the bottom of my pan.

The key for making good crust
for cheesecake

is to blind bake it first to
make sure it's baked really well

'cause you do not want
a soggy bottom.

Baking first
without the filling

helps ensure a crispy crust,

and most of the bakers

are getting them in the oven
right away.

Meanwhile, Marissa is taking
the added step

of baking cookies

that she will then crumble up
for her crust.

They don't have to look pretty

'cause it's just gonna get
crumbled up

in the food processor.

♪♪

There we go.

Sarita's
Winter Garden cheesecake tower

will have two layers
of yuzu and ginger

and one layer
of honey and thyme,

with a plum glaze
on the top.

I'm doing an oat crust
for all of them.

It's gonna have some oats
and brown sugar, some flour.

What type of oats
are you using?

Rolled oats.
Rolled oats?

Mm‐hmm.
So, rolled oats
are thicker...

Mm‐hmm.
...than a quick oat.

So, are you taking that
into consideration

when you're making
your crust?

I did grind them up.

I'm making it
a thinner crust...

Okay.
...to make up for that
so it's not too thick.

♪♪

Oh, man. You can smell
the Earl Grey already.

One of my favorite teas.

I want this
to be extremely strong.

I am poaching some pears

that are gonna go
into two of my cheesecakes.

Tanya's Perfect "Pear" ing
cheesecake tower

will have one layer of banana

and two layers
of pear and ginger,

decorated
with stained glass pears.

Is this something
you do regularly at home?

If I make a cheesecake,

my husband will eat
the whole thing.

Since I've been here,
he's lost five pounds.

[ Laughs ]
Oh.

No way.
He really has.
Yeah.

♪♪

Got my crust almost done.

They're gonna have to cool
before I put the fillings in.

This is an almond liqueur.

I think it goes really well
with cheesecake.

There's gonna be pineapple
mixed into this one.

Hi, Alex.
Good morning, Paul.

Alex's "Cup of Tea"
cheesecake tower

will have two layers
of Earl Grey

and one layer
of amaretto chocolate chip.

The crust will be
lemon shortbread,

and it will be decorated
with meringue.

Obviously, you've struggled
with the signature this week.

Yes.

You've got a lot
to make up.

I think so. I hope the flavors
really pack a punch.

I've infused the heavy cream
with Earl Grey tea,

and then I have instant
Earl Grey as well in there.

♪♪

Hi, Marissa.
Good morning.

Careful. That's hot.
Hi, Marissa.
Hi, Marissa.

Okay. Tell us all about
your tower of cheesecakes.

It's inspired by a scene
in "White Christmas"...

Right.
...where they're
in the club car

in the train to Vermont

and Vera‐Ellen's
drinking a vanilla malt

and Bing Crosby's
drinking a cup of coffee.

Marissa's Club Car
to Vermont cheesecake tower

will have two layers
of vanilla malt

and one layer of coffee
with hazelnuts.

It will be decorated
with speculoos cookie trees.

So, I have a speculoos
cookie crust for everything,

and then I'm just adding
a couple different ingredients

to differentiate.
Have you just baked these?

I have. So,
I'm about to grind them up

and then get my bake
in the oven.

Have you got time for this?

I'm ‐‐ I ‐‐ Yes.

Okay. Yes.
Yes.

On Spice Week
with the gingerbread house,

you struggled a little bit
with your cookie.

You like this?

[ Laughter ]

I should've made my
gingerbread house out of this.

Yes.
[ Laughter ]

I'm happy with the mixes.

This one seems a little thinner.

This is an almond liqueur,

and I'm just adding
a little bit more to this

'cause I want to make sure
that flavor really comes out

when I bake it.

Dana's Christina's
Christmas cheesecake tower

is inspired by her mom

and features two layers
of toasted almond

with an almond crust

and one layer of chocolate
with a chocolate crust,

topped
with toasted marshmallow.

I really wanted to show
you guys

that I could make
two different bases,

make two different flavors,

make two different toppings,

and make
two different decorations.

Really are pushing yourself,
though,

so do you think
you have enough time?

I do.
I feel good about this.

Most of the bakers
have cooled their crusts,

are now adding their filling,

and putting their cheesecakes
in the oven.

Baking them in a water bath

helps the cheesecakes
cook evenly

and prevent cracking.

Bianca: Oh, my gosh.
Every time. Pbht.

Bakers, we have
three hours left.

I'm trying not to look
around me too much.

I know I'm the last person to
put the cheesecakes in the oven.

Bunton:
You are so neat and tidy.

I don't know if you've noticed,
but every time ‐‐

Well, you see how
my neatness and tidiness

fluctuates like this,
so...

Right. Okay.
Yeah. [ Laughs ]

Brother Andrew's
cheesecake tower

will have two layers
of vanilla bean,

topped with poached pears

and a chocolate ganache.

The other layer
will be cappuccino,

topped with dulce de leche.

So, it's gonna stand up
like this over here,

and then each one's gonna have
a dowel that's gonna support it.

Where did you get
these boards from?

One of the friars
made this for me.

I live with like
30 friars at home,

and they're just, like,
rooting for me

and they're praying for me.

They're so pumped.
They're so proud of me.

Marissa: I've made my
cheesecakes a little bit thinner

than I did at home,
just for cooling purposes.

I'm just getting it
in the oven.

It's like eerily quiet.

I feel like
I'm behind everybody else,

but I just got to keep ‐‐
keep going.

While Marissa
finally goes into the oven

with her cheesecakes,

the other bakers
are taking theirs out.

It's important to let them cool
and set before stacking.

The bakers will use this time
to work on their decorations.

♪♪

[ Squeaky voice ]
One hour left.

One hour left.

One hour left, guys.
That's amazing.

One hour left.

♪♪

Dana: No cracks.

I'm gonna try to get
my cheesecakes on the boards.

That one might have
a little bit of a soggy bottom,

but it looks pretty good,
actually, so...

It's reading as very finished,
so I'm taking it out.

♪♪

This is what happens
when you have to move a cake

that's not quite set.

Marissa:
I need to cool these fast.

I'd rather stack something
that's like...

set when it's finished.

[ Normal voice ]
30 minutes left!

I've got my dowels measured.

They are just tall enough.

With their cheesecakes cooled,

the bakers begin
the delicate process

of building their towers.

Oh.

Well, this one's not set.

Brother Andrew:
I can't find my holes.

Should have been right here.

I'm ruining my cheesecake, guys.

It's a disaster.

Five minutes left.

♪♪

I guess, like, this little guy
pushed off my jam.

♪♪

Looks a little garden‐y, right?

Dana, could you help me?

What do you need?

Could you help
put this on for me?

Sarita: Are you okay?

No.
I can't find my holes.

So, go ahead and do this.

It'll be fine.

I don't know
if it's gonna stay, though.

No, it'll be fine.

If it doesn't,
it's okay, guys.

[ Gasps ]

It'll be fine.

I don't know
if it's gonna stay, though.

No, it'll be fine.

If it doesn't,
it's okay, guys.

[ Gasps ]
It's okay, it's okay.

It's still together.
It's still together, guys.

It's alright, it's alright.
It's alright.

I don't mind going home.
It's okay, guys.

No, no, no, no, no.
You're not going home.

It's alright.
You're fine.

If it makes you feel better,
mine's a disaster.

Will you hold this together,
please?

[ Gasps ]
I got it.

Wait, lift that up again.

I know that they want me
to focus on finishing the bakes,

but this really is
the fun part for me.

One minute left.

You just got to get it on.

‐Yeah.
‐How can I help you?

Just don't panic.
I can't find the holes.

It's alright. You can do it.
Just calm down.

Take a deep breath.

Okay, breathe, breathe,
breathe, breathe.

[ Exhales deeply ]
Oh, my gosh.

I can't believe
this is happening to me.

No, no, no, no.
[ Chuckles ]

We got it.
The top one isn't on.

‐Yeah.
‐Just stick it on top?

Just stick it on top.
It doesn't have to look good.

You just have to get something
out there.

[ Exhales deeply ]

♪♪

Adams and Bunton:
10, 9, 8, 7...

One more.
...6, 5...

Perfect.
Done.

...4, 3, 2, 1!

Time's up, bakers!

Thank you, guys.

♪♪

Marissa, please bring
your cheesecake tower

down to the judging table.

♪♪

‐I love the look of it.
‐Thank you.

It screams
the holiday season.

It's very neat.

Yard:
Lots of trees, acorns.

It looks very appealing.

Thank you.

It's not quite set.

It needed longer.

Mine went in later
than everybody else's

because I made the cookies
separately.

The challenge
in making a cheesecake

is always to keep that crust
on the bottom

the same
as when it was a cookie

that came
right out of the oven...

and you nailed it.

Thank you.
You nailed it.

The flavor ‐‐ I love that.

The speculoos
with the hazelnut,

and then you've got
that coffee

coming through
with the cinnamon.

This next one is...

So, this is
a vanilla malt cheesecake

with a little cocoa powder
on the top.

The cocoa balances incredibly
well with that malt.

Great job.

♪♪

The weight on the top
has pushed down

and split the bottom one.

I like the colors.

I think the colors are
very bright and vibrant.

The base is nonexistent.

This base has started
to deteriorate.

The middle layer is
a honey thyme with a plum glaze.

The plum glaze works so well
with the honey

and the whisper of thyme
that's coming through it.

♪♪

It's very rustic.

Did you have some trouble
with the marshmallow

and the stacking?

I had some trouble
getting them off
the springform pan

and onto cake boards,

so I kind of split
my first two.

The almond extract
in there...

I quite like.

But just a little bit messy.

Alright, we'll have
a look

at this chocolate
and marshmallow one.

That, my New Jersey friend,
is delicious.

‐Ooh.
‐Yes.

One more dip.

I like the look of it.

It's pretty uniform
in its color, as well,

throughout
all three layers.

Wow.

The pineapple
comes through.

It's got a nice
sweetness to it,

but it's not over‐sweet.

Could have used a little
more time in the oven

and perhaps one egg yolk
just to set it up.

Bianca: And the middle is
vanilla bean and butterscotch.

It's very similar.
Did you use the same mix?

Yes, the base is the same,
but there's butterscotch on top.

Oh.
It's the same.

It's the same.

That is the same as that
without the pineapple.

They needed to be
radically different.

♪♪

Your cheesecake tower looks like
it was in a museum,

or should be
in a museum.

Taking the time to paint
the outside of each chip gold

took a lot of precision.

Overall,
it's a nice piece.

Thank you.

Mm.

You've got a great
cheesecake feel to it,

so it's got
the right texture.

The pear sits there.
It's beautiful.

You get a kick from that.

And you've got
a substantial base, as well,

which crumbles,
melts in the mouth.

Thank you.
And this is banana.

This is a banana cheesecake
with the caramelized banana.

Well, some of the banana has
bled into the cheesecake,

and it works
incredibly well.

♪♪

I like that you took the time
to festoon.

Lots of things all over,

almost looks as though
it's dancing and moving.

This tier is Earl Grey
and honey flavored,

with a lemon shortbread crust.

What in the world
makes you think

that the lemon goes really well
with the Earl Grey?

Oh, it doesn't work?

While you might have a little
lemon with an Earl Grey tea,

it's just
that little whisper.

Mm‐hmm.
And when you've put them
side‐by‐side

in such concentration,

they knock
each other out.

Okay.
This is
amaretto chocolate chip,

with the lemon base again.

It tastes...
strangely boozy,

not in a good way.

It's almost medicinal,
isn't it?

It's not a nice flavor
at all.

Sorry to hear that.
I'm disappointed.

♪♪

Why did you put the board
on top of the dulce?

When I was assembling it,
the top tier fell off,

the pears
fell off of that, too.

A disaster happened,

and I just had to get you
a tower

and present it to you.

Let's have a look.

♪♪

That's delicious.

Oh, my God.

[ Laughs ]

The pear works really well
with the chocolate.

All of these components equal
one great dessert.

Remind us
of this flavor again.

It's a cappuccino‐flavored
cheesecake

with dulce de leche

and some toasted hazelnuts
on top of it.

Really good.
It's light.

You have a real cappuccino flair
to it.

The base is crispy.

It's a shame you couldn't
get it all together

'cause your flavors
on all of them are stunning.

Thank you, guys.
Thank you.

This has been
an intense showstopper.

You can all head outside
and breathe a sigh of relief.

♪♪

So, who is in danger
of leaving the Tent today?

It's a tough one because they've
been flipping back and forth.

You have Alex, who did
really good with the technical,

but horrible
on the signature.

And now,
with the showstopper,

the flavors
were just not there.

You said
it was almost medicinal.

It was.
It was not good.
Yeah.

And Bianca didn't
bring us enough

on the signature
of her madeleine,

and now here we are
with the showstopper again,

where her cheesecake
didn't set up.

Ultimately,
she just played around

with a couple of flavors
in the same mix.

Now, let's go
with a more positive chat.

Who is in line
for Star Baker?

I think Tanya's done enough
in the showstopper.

Struggled a little bit
in the signature,

but she's got better
on every challenge.

I agree, because she took
the time

to make it
look professional.

And I think Marissa ‐‐

she did really well on the
signature with her madeleines,

but I think she did really well
on the showstopper, as well.

I'm really pleased
for Tanya and for Marissa.

They have done so well
in Bread Week, in Spice Week.

Is it their time?

Well, it'd be nice to have
a girl win Star Baker.

Yes.
Girl power.

[ Chuckles ]
Come on.

♪♪

Even among greats,
there is a best.

And our Star Baker
this week is...

...Marissa.

[ Cheers and applause ]

Congratulations.

Unfortunately,
someone still has to go home.

The baker
leaving the Tent is...

♪♪

...Bianca.

‐I'm sorry.
‐It's okay.

I definitely wanted to stay.

I wanted to, like, show more
of my skills and abilities.

And I've learned a lot,
and I really did want

to keep learning
and [Sniffles] improving.

‐Great efforts, really.
‐Thank you.

Even though this competition
ends for me here,

my passion for baking's grown.

It's gotten more intense,
probably.

I'm excited to get home

and to start baking again
in my kitchen.

Hopefully, one day,
you guys will ‐‐

I'll be able
to give you a good cake.

Bianca struggled, I think,
in Dessert Week.

It's a shame, actually,
because she's got the potential

to go really far in the Tent.

But unfortunately, if you have
a weak couple of days,

that's enough.

You worked so, so hard.

You should be really proud
of yourself.

I'm proud I finally took one
for the ladies

'cause there's only been male
Star Bakers up to this point.

I mean, we have a Spice Girl,
so girl power, right?

‐Congratulations.
‐Thank you.

Marissa: Doing that cookie crust
was worth it.

Well, you pushed
the limit.

Marissa's the Star Baker
this week,

and I'm so excited for her

because she went the extra mile
in that showstopper ‐‐

making her own speculoos
from scratch.

And her scene of Vermont
blew us all away.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪