Zumbo's Just Desserts (2016–2020): Season 2, Episode 9 - Secret Garden - full transcript

[narrator] Previously on
Zumbo's Just Desserts...

A Golden Ticket was up for grabs...

This is your fast track
to the Grand Final.

[narrator] ...and Catherine
took the prize.

[Rachel Khoo] Congratulations.

[laughs]

[narrator] Coming up,
Simon and Jeff fight it out...

[Simon exclaims]

[narrator] ...for the last place
in the Grand Final.

That's enough to break a guy.

[theme music playing]



[Simon exclaims and laughs]

[Jeff] Oh, look at that.

That's so beautiful.

[Jeff] It's like walking into a garden.

[Catherine] I don't know
what they're gonna be cooking.

It looks like it's gonna be
something grand.

[Jeff] I'm in the top three,
and the final's so much closer.

Everything is on the line today.

Winning $100,000, taking out
these two guys either side of me.

Far out.

The prize for today
is to get into the Grand Final.

I'm gonna bring everything to the table
to get that final spot.

Hello, dessert makers.

-Hello.
-Hi.



Welcome to
the Zumbo's Just Desserts semifinal.

[Catherine chuckles]

Catherine, the last time we met,
you came out on top

and won yourself a Golden Ticket,

a fast track straight
into the Grand Final.

Congratulations.

-Thank you.
-[Jeff] Well done.

Catherine, please take a seat.

[Catherine] Both Simon and Jeff
look pretty nervous.

For them, it's a matter
of getting into the Grand Final.

There's so much at stake for them.

I can feel how nervous they are,
and I'm nervous for them.

Jeff and Simon, by the end of today,

one of you will be joining Catherine
in the Grand Final,

and, sadly, the other will be eliminated.

The stakes couldn't be any higher.

By winning today,

you're one step closer to taking home
the $100,000 grand prize,

and the honor of being crowned
the winner of Zumbo's Just Desserts.

Yeah, that would be cool.

Yeah, I want that. [laughs]

[Jeff] This is such a big deal.

This is the last cook
before the Grand Final,

and I don't want it to be
my last cook in the Dessert Factory.

[Khoo] Today, you'll be cooking
in two rounds.

First up is the Sweet Sensations Task,

then you'll both go into the Zumbo Test,

where you'll take on
a brand-new Zumbo creation.

Once the rounds are complete,

you'll be scored out of ten
for each of your creations.

The dessert maker
with the highest total score

will go through to the Grand Final.

We want to see your growth
in this competition.

With that in mind,
your Sweet Sensations Task

is to create a dessert that's inspired
by a botanical garden.

This task will test your eye for detail

and your ability to create intricate,
delicate and beautiful desserts.

We want to see delicate hands
create delicate masterpieces.

So, presentation is crucial.

Oh, man.

I don't really have delicate hands.

Being a tradie, you know,
you pretty much slap on anything.

It's gonna be tough.

[Jeff] My presentation
is a lot better than Simon's.

I'm looking forward to this challenge.

-Do some gardening?
-[both laugh]

-Good luck, mate. All the best.
-Yeah, you, too.

Even though we are competitors,
it doesn't really feel like it.

All of us have gotten really close.

Time to power-up your dessert stations.

Yeah, I don't think I could choose
who I want to win today.

Get your ingredients and make some magic.

You have three hours on the Factory Clock.

Good luck! Your time starts now!

Some of the cooks so far
have been quite a stretch for me,

but this is something
I feel comfortable with.

Butter, eggs, some milk.

[Simon] I'm really feeling nervous.

This is really... Just...

I could really see Jeff
taking this one down.

I'm excited about the botanical theme.

I love using botanicals,
herbs and fresh produce,

and plants and flowers.

For today's Sweet Sensations Task,
I'm creating a forest floor.

It's gonna have a peach mousse,
blackberry jelly,

a peach tarte tatin
and a rosemary ice cream.

When I cook, I'm often really trying
to use what's available and what's, um...

And usually, that's from my garden.

My cooking inspiration
comes from my garden,

so I know that I could hit
that brief really well.

So, I'm starting with
the rosemary ice cream.

So, what I'm doing is I'm gonna take these
and stick them in the cream, in the milk,

and let the flavor come out,

and then we'll freeze it
into a lovely ice cream.

It's really important
to get the balance correct,

particularly with rosemary.

It is quite strong and I need to make sure
that it's not overpowering.

I like to experiment with flavors,

but the judges have
given me feedback before

that I've had flavor combinations
out of balance

and too much going on.

So, today, the flavors
have to be really balanced.

Mmm. Yeah, I'm happy with that.

I'm gonna give it 110% today.

I'm gonna give everything that I've got,
my focus, my energy, my ability.

Whoo! Go, Jeff.

Yeah, semifinals, wow.
I can't believe I made it this far.

You know, it's, like...
It's crazy. [chuckles]

My family'd be so proud
that I'm in the top three.

I'm doing this for them today.

For our Sweet Sensations Task,
I'm creating Manava's Garden.

It's a raspberry-pistachio opera cake

with a honey-pistachio ice cream
and a chocolate tuile.

My wife's middle name is Manava,
so I named my dessert after her,

'cause she's as pretty as a garden.

I love my wife.
She's everything to me.

She's the pillar in my life.

She's my balance.

I'm gonna do this dessert for her.

So, I want the judges to be able
to taste the fresh raspberry

and the pistachio.

Like, I don't want to spoil these flavors.
They are very good by themselves.

I'm gonna take a risk today
and keep it simple.

I really want the flavors
to speak for themselves.

So, I'm gonna start on my opera cake.

Baking time. Time to make some sponge.

Basically, an opera cake is a layered cake
with cream, coffee and chocolate.

That looks good.

I want to put my own twist
on an opera cake

by having a pistachio sponge,
a raspberry crémeux,

and coating it in
a crunchy white chocolate ganache.

These go into the oven.

That's one.

I've got my ice cream churning.

I'm now working on the mousse.

This is gonna make a log
that will sit on my forest floor.

So, I'm incorporating the peach
and the meringue,

and fold through the cream.

And then, we'll pipe that into the tubes.

Once it's set,
we'll cover it with the jelly.

This goes around
the outside of the mousse.

[exclaims]

That should do.

So, into the blast chiller with these.

Once I finish the mousse log,
I move on to my blackberry jelly.

This is gonna create a nice coating
around the mousse log.

I'm looking for
a really nice, bright color.

I'm looking for a tartness
from the blackberries.

Yum. I like that.

There is a risk in using too many flavors,

but I know these combinations of flavors
are gonna work really well together.

Okay, so jelly's done
and that'll set up in the fridge.

It's not quite ready yet,
but it looks good.

My sponge is in the oven.
My raspberry crémeux is cooling.

Now, I start on
my pistachio honey ice cream.

Oh!

I would really like to be
in the Grand Final.

I came this far now.

Um... I do not wanna go home now.

That's my ice cream base.

I'm gonna let that cool down

and then I can churn it
in my ice cream churner,

and then I'll fold in my pistachios after.

I'm not gonna let
the pressure get to me today.

The tiniest mistake
could send me home today.

I really need to focus.

Oh!

Um...

Yeah, I forgot gelatin in my crémeux,
so I'll put that in.

Lucky it's still hot.

I was getting caught up in the moment.
Too much in my head.

Now, that looks better. Nice and thick.

So, now, the crémeux is done. [chuckles]

Do you want to go up against me
in the Grand Final?

-Love to. Bring it on.
-[chuckles]

-Someone's gotta bring you down.
-[Catherine exclaims]

[Jeff] I know that I'm stronger than her.

[laughs]

I could be much more organized
in a Zumbo Test.

Have you seen how messy her kitchen gets?

Tidy bench, tidy mind.

I've just gotta depose Simon first.

[laughs]

Super exciting.
We've got Jeff. We've got Simon.

They're battling it out for a spot
in that Grand Final to meet Catherine.

So, Jeff's got a lot of flavors going on,
you know, typical Jeff style,

but does he have too much?

Whereas, Simon,
he's keeping it quite classic.

You know, he's going
for pistachio and raspberry.

He said he wants his flavors
to speak for themselves.

So, is Jeff taking too much of a risk,
or is Simon playing it too safe?

Have you booked
your flights already, Jeff?

-I don't need to, Simon.
-[laughs]

It's time for the boys to go home
and the men to stay.

[both laughing]

[Simon] The battle of the boys.

Simon's got his guns out,

but I've got plenty of padding,
so I'll be all right.

[Simon] Someone needs to go to the finals.
It's either you or me.

It has to be me.

[chuckles]

May the better man win.

All right. That's good.

I'll put that straight
in the blast chiller.

My ice cream is done.
I've got my sponge out of the oven.

Looks good. Nice and green.

It's time to build my opera cake.

I am a concreter after all,
so let's do it.

So I've got sponge, crémeux,
sponge, crémeux, sponge.

Now, I put that into the blast chiller
so it freezes solid.

Now, I'll work on my tuile.

The chocolate tuile
is going to give that crunch.

Like, there's a few soft elements
in there,

so I wanna put
a bit of a crunch in there.

I don't have a lot of flavors
in my dessert,

but there's a lot of technique going in,
and I'm hoping they can see that.

It's the semifinal.
I gotta throw everything into it now.

No more chances.

I'm going against Jeff.

He's a very competitive dessert maker,
and he's not going to hold back.

Yeah, that's good.

Let that cool.

I'm now gonna move on
to the little tarte tatin.

A tarte tatin is just an upside-down tarte
with caramelized fruit.

I'm putting a peach at the bottom

and then there's a little, kind of,
frangipane layer with almonds,

and then the pastry.

The peaches go really nicely
with the blackberry,

and the blackberry goes well
with rosemary.

The rosemary goes well with the peaches.
You know, they all work together.

I've got a lot of components
to this dessert,

so I need to make sure that I've got
at least 30 minutes to plate it up.

If I don't have this time
to plate properly,

it's really just like taking a big bunch
of flowers and sticking them in a vase.

You're not doing any arranging at all.

And that could mean elimination.

Phew!

[Catherine] Yay, run!

I know that this is gonna be really tough,
and I think they know it, too,

because both Simon and Jeff,
their skill level is pretty matched,

and I can see it being just very,
very close throughout the entire cook.

That's enough.

My opera cake layers are setting.

Now, it's time to start on
my pineapple jelly and raspberry coulis.

I'm gonna use it to draw on my plate.

I want it to be fluid,
but I also want it to hold its shape.

Presentation is the main key here.

You know, takes them on a journey.

What I want to do is
try and create a dessert

and build my garden around that
and see how that goes.

I have no idea how I'm gonna
plate up my dessert,

so I need enough time
to play around with my elements

and see if it's gonna work or not.

You know, sometimes the idea you have
in your head, it doesn't really work,

so what better way to do it
on the day? Learn as you go.

[chuckles]

It's the semifinal, and I really want
to be in that Grand Final,

so I have to nail presentation today.

I've got a clear picture
of what I want to do, so...

And that can often be one of the things
that can slow you down,

is if you're not sure
where you're heading.

It's nice, eh?

Just winging it today with decorations.

It is risky to go without a plan,

but I hope my creative skills
will pay off.

[Jeff] I've finished my main elements.

Now, I'm moving on to
my tempered honeycomb white chocolate.

It's an ode to the bee,
who's so important in botanicals,

and I really feel it hits
the botanical brief.

So I'm using some Bubble Wrap
just to create, uh, a honeycomb effect.

I'm just gonna leave that on there
and I'll come back to check that.

I'm making a chocolate coating
to go with my opera cake.

I need to try and jazz up my opera cake.

I want to give it a crunch texture.

So, I melt cocoa butter
and white chocolate,

then I add my pistachio nuts to it.

Then that's gonna coat
the outside of my opera cake.

All right, so I can let that cool down.

I'm killing it.

I'm making my white chocolate honeycomb.

It's gonna add a little bit
of crunch and texture factor.

[groans]

I don't think that chocolate tempered.

I've made my first batch of chocolate,
and I haven't tempered it correctly.

It's not setting up hard,
and I really need it to,

so I'm gonna have to make another one.

Fifteen minutes on the clock
and I really need to move on

to getting plating started.

I just need to get this chocolate out.

I really wanted time
to better plate with attention to detail,

but here I am again.

Am I ready to plate? Not quite.

I'm gonna make some caramels
for the log to sit on.

Now, to make you like a garden.

Manava Garden.

I've got all my elements done.

Yeah, that's good.

Time to get these delicate fingers going.
and, um, do some delicate work.

[laughs]

Try and make it look pretty as I can.

Let's just practice with this
because, um...

Using a squeezy bottle is really hard.

Um...

Yeah, all right.

Simon's already up to plating.
I really need to get a move on.

I really need
to start to think about plating.

I'd hoped to allocate a fair bit of time,
and already, that's being eaten up.

Ten minutes to go! Come on, guys!

I've gotta get stuff on the plate
and get it there really quickly.

Trying to make it look beautiful...

Thinking how to
make it beautiful. [chuckles]

As my dessert is coming together,

it's starting to look nice and vibrant
and, you know, playful.

I'm adding a few things here and there.

It's very important
that I make it look like an artwork.

Yup, that's all right.

That's some abstract.

I'm going against Jeff.

Presentation is his strength.
He's got an eye for detail,

so I've gotta make sure
everything's perfect.

[Jeff] It's gotta be quick.

Jeff has left his plating
a little bit late.

[Jeff] This is semifinals,
and presentation is so important.

If you start to rush,
it shows on the plate,

and that could cost me
a spot in the Grand Final.

So, this is my log going on here.

I gotta try and get that to sit
the way I want it to sit, not roll.

Okay. Time for some moss.

[Zumbo] Five minutes left. Let's go!

[Simon] That's a very abstract garden
today.

I want it kind of wild, organic...
so it's not, kind of, super structured.

-A couple of blackberry... Oh, God.
-[cracks]

Just broke that.

My sleeve knocks
my beautiful sugar work and it breaks.

Things are sticking to my fingers.
This is crazy.

Oh, come on.

[sighs] Come on. Get off. Get out.

Sliding off my hands.

I'm really starting to panic.
I'm trying to move as fast as I can.

Oh, I'm rushed.

You know I said I wanted
that half an hour?

Well, didn't happen.

[Zumbo] One minute left, just one minute.
Finishing touches!

Just a dollop there.

I hope this dessert
is gonna get me through.

Everything is on the line on this plate.

My presentation, I'm hoping
it's gonna stand out from Jeff's.

[Jeff] Thank goodness.

My honeycomb white chocolate is set.

Whoo! Go, Jeff!

Flowers, where are the flowers?

[Khoo and Zumbo] Ten, nine,
eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one.

-Time's up, guys! Well done!
-[steam whistle blows]

Whoo! You did it!

Good job, guys.

[Jeff] I step back and look
at what I've got on the plate,

and I'm happy with it.

The execution is brilliant.

Thankfully, I had a presentation in mind.
Otherwise, it would've been a disaster.

[Simon] I'm happy with it.

I know the flavors are gonna be good.

Presentation-wise, uh,
I tried to be as finesse as I could.

I just hope that it's enough
to get to the Grand Final.

Simon, could you please
bring us your desert?

[Simon] I am nervous,
going to the judges with my plate today.

I'm happy with it,
but I'm hoping they're happy with it, too.

Simon, tell us about your dessert.

I've named it after my wife's middle name,
which is Manava.

You have raspberry-pistachio opera cake,

pistachio and honey ice cream,
chocolate tuile, a bit of crunch.

Okay, well, let's give it a taste.

[Simon] I know I don't have
a lot of flavors in my dessert.

I'm hoping I've done enough.

Simon, opera cake is one of my favorites.

-I loved your flavor combination.
-Oh, really?

The twist on it with the raspberry
and the pistachio was delicious.

You ice cream was smooth,
and that flavor...

-Mmm.
-[Simon chuckles]

I could've eaten a whole bowl of that
just on its own.

[Khoo and Simon laugh]

[Zumbo] I love the colors
on your plate today, Simon.

Shows the real bright freshness
that you see

when you walk into a beautiful garden.

Textures were good.
I thought it delicious.

The one thing that I would like
is a little bit more chocolate tuile.

[Simon] Oh, yeah.

[Zumbo] You know what I mean?

It was a delicious,
delightful botanical dessert.

-I really enjoyed it.
-Thank you, Simon.

-Thank you.
-[Khoo] Thank you.

Jeff, could you come on over?

[Jeff] I am happy
with what I've put on the plate.

My dessert looks like
it's heaven on Earth.

[Simon] Far out. It looks amazing.

I'm hoping I've done enough
to stay in the same level as Jeff,

or more. [laughs]

Jeff, what have you made?

I've made a peach mousse
with a blackberry rose jelly,

and rosemary ice cream,
and a peach tarte tatin.

It's a bit of a forest floor.

[Khoo] Are you happy
with the balance of flavors?

Yeah.

I'm really feeling confident.
It's gonna taste beautiful.

Using all these combinations of flavors
can be a big risk,

but I'm really feeling confident
I have got the flavor balance right.

Mmm!

Jeff, I loved your presentation
on your dessert.

I thought you really captured
that moody botanical feel.

It was fun having to find all these
different elements in your dessert.

There were lots
of little things hidden away.

Your peach tatin
with the rosemary was well-balanced.

You know, the peach subtle flavor
still came through.

However, there was
a lot of things going on.

It felt like you'd done
three desserts separately,

and they weren't kind of gelling together.

For me, there was a couple of flavors,
just a little bit too many.

It had a disjointed feel.

You always gotta have
a showcase in the middle, right?

And that's gotta stand out,
and everything else is a complement.

Getting that balance is something
you just gotta work a little bit more on.

-Thanks, Jeff.
-Thanks, Jeff.

[Jeff] I'm really disappointed.
I feel like I'm slightly behind Simon.

He had more positives than me,

and for me to beat him, I'm gonna
have to nail this Zumbo Test.

[Simon] I'm feeling like
I'm slightly ahead of Jeff,

but I need to work hard in the Zumbo Test
just to stay in front of him.

Jeff and Simon, that's the first
of two rounds done and dusted.

We've scored your
Sweet Sensations Task dessert,

and will reveal the results
at the end of the day,

so there's a lot riding
on the dessert under this dome.

For your Sweet Sensations Task,

you created a dessert
that tested your attention to detail.

Now, I want to test your ability
to take it one step further.

[Jeff] There's so much
riding on this cook.

It could be the cook that gets me
into the Grand Final.

Are you guys ready?

-Yup.
-Yes.

Here we go.

-Oh, wow.
-Wow.

[chuckles]

[Zumbo] This is my vertical garden.

Oh, okay. [chuckles]

I can see this incredible
delicate little dessert.

[Simon] It is tiny.

There's so much involved
with this dessert.

It looks really technical.

This is an ecosystem of its very own.

-Yeah. [chuckles]
-[Zumbo chuckles]

This dessert's gonna need your focus,

and, also, you're gonna need
a bit of gardening skills.

[all chuckling]

Come on over, guys, and have a look.

Oh, wow.

Oh, the smells are so green.

It's like walking into a florist shop.
You're smelling these lovely green notes.

It's an amazing experience.

Well, I really want to see what's inside.

Do you guys wanna have a taste?

-[all chuckling]
-[Simon] Yeah.

-[Khoo] All right. Let's do it.
-[Zumbo] Let's do it.

Layers again.
[chuckles] More layers than a croissant.

Got the ginger and black pepper ice cream.

On the top is yuzu and pineapple sorbet.

Then in the center, got the pineapple
and yuzu marmalade,

eucalyptus caramel, citrus sponge,
and then the vanilla ganache.

And then, the outside,
there's a green rocher glaze.

[Simon] There's so much going on.
It's gonna be a tough one.

I'm just gonna show you
what I was taking out of that cup.

All this clear jelly, these are
frankincense and wild orange jelly.

Cucumber meringue,

uh, and then you got,
like, compressed cucumber.

Whoa.

-Jam-packed in there.
-[Zumbo] So...

And don't forget about having to stick

all the micro herbs and flowers
on the outside.

And all those flowers are edible.

-Not a lot going on.
-[all chuckling]

[Simon] I'm really, really feeling lost.

There are so many elements.
How am I going to do this?

The Zumbo Test looks so hard.
I'm just glad I'm not there. [laughs]

Do you guys want to have a taste?

-Oh, yeah. Sure thing.
-Yeah.

Oh, it's amazing.

There's so many, kind of,
little experiences as you work around.

It's like when you walk through a garden,

you smell this and as you move further,
you smell something else.

The things you have to look out for
in this dessert

are, obviously,
there's a lot of components.

Time management
is gonna be really crucial.

And just getting the flavors right.

Botanical flavors are very fragile.

You put too much frankincense
or you put too much...

wild orange or too much pepper,

you know, and the whole thing
gets thrown out.

Wow, it's gonna be hard to mimic
what we just had.

-[chuckles]
-[Khoo] Never gonna be easy,

but you two can do it.

You wouldn't be in the semifinal
if you couldn't.

-Yup.
-Yup.

This Zumbo Test is your last chance
to fight for a place in the Grand Final.

Good luck. May the best dessert maker win.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

Simon and Jeff both look really nervous.
There's a lot at stake right now.

Take to your dessert stations,
where you'll find your recipes.

[Catherine cheering] Go, Jeff! Go, Simon!

[Jeff] I'm excited about the cook.

This is right up my alley, and having
a couple more Zumbo Tests under my belt

gives me the advantage.

I can just smell victory.

Good luck, guys, and make some magic.

You have three hours on the Factory Clock.
Good luck. Your time starts now!

Whoo! Go, Jeff! Go, Simon!

[sighs] Yeah, we have
a huge challenge today.

This is the biggest cook
in my life, really.

I need to pull out a dessert
that really impresses the judges.

This is the final hurdle
for a spot in the Grand Final.

I'm feeling really excited, uh...
but nervous at the same time.

There's some really powerful flavors.

It's really imperative
that I get this balance correct.

You know, I got it wrong in my last one.
I've gotta get it right in this one.

I'm starting on the cucumber meringue
and the compressed cucumber.

This needs to have a good time
to dry out in the oven.

The meringue and the cucumber cubes

sit on top of the frankincense jelly
in the bottom of the glass.

Oh, this is a big cook.

A lot is riding on this, uh,
challenge today.

I'm feeling really nervous.

There's a lot of stages
into creating this vertical garden,

and, usually, I like to keep it simple.

Cucumber meringue. Look at that.
That's nice, eh?

Presentation's gonna be
a real big challenge today

and I really need to work hard
if I want to get to the Grand Final.

Might keep it down low.

That's gotta cook for an hour.

[Jeff] The meringue's in the oven,
so I start dicing up the cucumber cubes.

I think, today, the key
is going to be perfection, really.

Every element nailed,

and then the presentation
just perfect and really dainty.

Getting all those
little, fine details right.

There's a lot of techniques and equipment
that I've never used.

I don't know what it is.

Is it something that's gonna
compress my cucumbers?

Jeff has a lot of skills and technique,

and I'm scared going against him
in this challenge.

He's tough competition.

A vacuum-seal bag.

Gotta read the recipe to the T
and follow the instructions.

[chuckles] Oh.

[laughs]

Whoo-hoo.

Look at that.
That's my first time doing that.

I'm happy with that.

[Jeff] I now move on to my center layers
for the vertical garden.

It's got marmalade, eucalyptus caramel,
citrus sponge and ganache.

Sponges have been, notoriously,
a big challenge in some Zumbo Tests,

but I'm gonna get this one right.

I'm beating the eggs with some sugar,

and then I'll fold that in
with some flavoring from the citrus fruit.

While my sponge is mixing,
I'm gonna whip up my ganache.

It's time to start my sponge.

This is Zumbo's creation,

so he's gonna know if I've left
the slightest ingredient out.

I'm tasting everything today.

It's good.

Even if it's cooked or raw.

Come on, sponge,
you gotta work for me today.

Now, I'm gonna start
on my vanilla ganache.

So, I'm a little bit behind,
so I'm gonna just keep going,

keep, you know, moving forward.

There's so much going on in my cook today,
like, oh, my gosh.

You know, I've got
so many elements to get done.

I'm trying to move fast.

That's gotta go in the fridge.

[chuckling] I'm so nervous watching them.

I really hope that they get everything up
and a dessert that they're happy with.

I've got the marmalade cooking.

While the marmalade's cooking,
I'm gonna start on the caramel.

It's really important with the caramel
that I get that eucalyptus balance right.

Too much and it will be like medicine.

And I think today, we really need to be
careful to make sure we get that perfect.

I need to keep an eye on balance
of flavors today.

This is the one area that I've tripped up
the most in this competition.

This could mean the difference between

getting into the Grand Final
or going home.

I look across at Simon and it looks like
I'm pulling away from him.

This is a good thing.
I need every advantage I can get.

[Simon] My timer goes off for my sponge.

Like, oh, my gosh.
It's really looking dark.

Fear is creeping in and...

the thought of going home
is also creeping in.

It's looking really brown.

Simon, I think he's having
a bit of trouble.

It's a bit brown to my liking, but...

Thankfully, I can salvage my sponge.

I can turn it over
and use the bottom for my layers.

So I'm gonna go ahead with it.
I'm gonna let it rest.

Already, round two is feeling like
a totally different cook to round one.

It's really intense.

Two hours left.
This is for a place in the Grand Final!

Just working on two things at once.

I've got the ice cream
and the sorbet happening.

These are the outside layers
of the vertical garden.

I need to get these churning,

so that I can then start to recreate
the whole ice cream block.

[whirring]

Time is so important in a Zumbo Test.

I know that I can multitask
better than Simon.

If I were an octopus, I'd be using
all eight tentacles at once.

Ice cream and sorbet are both done.
Now, I can get them churning.

I'm now moving on to my frankincense jelly
for the vertical garden to sit into.

I'm mixing in the gelatin
into the water and sugar

with few drops of orange oil
and frankincense oil.

Frankincense is quite a strong flavor.
It comes from the resin of trees.

It's a really risky ingredient.

Add one drop too many and my
whole dessert will be out of balance.

Jeff and Simon,
it is literally head-to-head.

Yeah, we have two
super-talented dessert makers here,

and, you know, they're both pushing

to take this last position
in the Grand Final.

[Jeff] I need to make sure
that every layer is visible,

so I've got to have
the right amount in each one.

There's really precise details
on how much.

I need this win to get in the Grand Final.

I've given up a lot to be here.
I've really gotta nail it.

Finally, the insert's done.
Now, on to the green rocher coating.

[grunts]

[Simon] Oh, I'm hoping it's enough
to get me into the Grand Final.

I've got to get my ice cream on
and my sorbet.

I'm thinking about my family
as I'm cooking this dessert.

They supported me with my dreams.

I wanna win this challenge for them.

I forgot to taste the flavor of the sorbet
before it went into the blast chiller,

so I think it's a good time
that I taste it now.

Far out. Yeah, I forgot
to put sugar in my sorbet.

It doesn't taste sweet.
It tastes really citrus.

[grunts]

I'm gonna melt the sugar down into a syrup
and then I'm gonna try and mix it in.

And I have lost time, and now...
I have to re-chill it again.

I am stressed.

I'm wasting precious minutes on my sorbet.

This is gonna set me back.

[Khoo] He really needs to get on with it.
He needs to get that in his mold.

This stage, he might not even have
a vertical garden.

[Jeff] This is my rocher coating,

which we dip everything into,
the ice block.

Once it melts, we'll add some coloring,

create the green for the outside
of the rocher crunch layer,

and then I'll fold in some nuts,
and a whole suite of different things.

Should be nice.

Green porridge.

So, I've run out of time
to churn my sorbet.

I'm just gonna, um...

give it a quick mix
and then put it in a piping bag

and then pipe it into my molds.

Time is ticking away.

I've gotta get my sorbet
into the fridge so it can set.

Sorbet in.

I'm happy with the flavor.

Feels like I'm not gonna
get this dessert done in time.

No, no time.

Oh, man, I'm freaking out.

I'm hoping this sorbet sets in time.

Otherwise, I won't have a dessert
to serve to the judges.

[exclaims]

[Jeff] I take my mold out.

It's set and I'm happy with it.

I put them onto a skewer
and dip them into the green rocher mix.

This'll add a nice,
fine coating of chocolate

with the crunch of the nuts.

I'm really happy with how it looks.

Ten minutes to go. Come on, guys!

[Catherine applauding] Whoo! Ten minutes!

[Simon] My heart is just beating.
It's thumping so fast.

I'm hoping the sorbet has set in time.

Just gotta get the paper off.

Yes! The sorbet has set. [chuckles]

Thank goodness.

I'm way behind in my cook,

and the thought of going home
is creeping in.

I'm cooking with fear right now.

Definitely worrying about plating now.

[Jeff] Ten minutes.
I'm gonna start to put it together.

For the first time in a Zumbo Test,

I've got enough time
to really focus on the detail.

You know, I'm feeling on track,
so I'm feeling good about that.

Go and check on my frankincense jelly
and it doesn't seem to be setting.

That jelly hasn't set.

So, I take it out of the fridge
and place it into the freezer,

hoping it will set in time.

I think Simon really needs to move
if he's gonna get his dessert up.

I mean, I think...

He's still got quite a bit
to do, hasn't he?

All right, uh, what else? What else?

So, I've got those to go.

It's like failure's starting to creep in.

I can't dwell on it.
I've gotta keep moving.

[Zumbo] Wait, Jeff's already sticking
the garden bit in the cup.

He needs to decorate it first
before he sticks it in the glass.

It's quite a challenge to get
all this detail down inside the glass.

There's not much room.

A bit of sponge.

It's not clicking in his head.

It would be just easier to take it out,
stick it on, and put it back in.

Uh, these are my finest gardening skills.

I'm just trying to get
everything right, obviously.

Whoo! Go, Simon. Go, Jeff.

[Simon] Few minutes to go.

I'm just gonna paint this on.

There's not much time left, and they're
both really rushing to get everything out.

This is such yucky stuff to work with,
isn't it?

There's minutes to go,
so I go and check on my jelly...

Oh, far out. At last.

...and that's set. Yes!

I can't believe a garden and flowers
could take me out of this competition.

I just wanna see
if I can stick one more flower.

I'm just throwing everything into
this glass. It's looking a bit rushed.

[Khoo and Zumbo] Ten, nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four, three, two, one.

-[steam whistle sounds]
-Time's up, guys. Well done!

[Catherine] Whoo! You did it!

Good job, guys.

I just don't know.
I just don't feel... confident.

[sniffles and exhales sharply]

That's enough to break a guy.

Really. And it's flowers.

[scoffs]

[exclaims]

Jeff and Simon, could you please
bring up your desserts?

[Simon] I look at Jeff's vertical garden
and it looks beautiful.

I'm feeling nervous, big time.

[Jeff] Simon's dessert looks rushed.

Hopefully, that means I'm in
with a good chance.

Simon, we'll taste your dessert first.

[sighs] Okay.

My heart is just beating so fast.

My presentation looks rushed,

but I'm confident in the flavors
that I've put into this glass.

I hope it's enough.

[exhales heavily]

Jeff, we'll now taste your dessert.

[Jeff] I'm really feeling confident
with what I've done here

and what I've achieved.

I really hope it's enough
to pull me through to the top position.

[Khoo] Jeff and Simon,

your total scores from both rounds
will be out of 40,

a combination of
your task and test scores.

So, let's get to it.

We'll start with the results
from your Sweet Sensations Task.

[Catherine] Simon and Jeff,
they are both amazing, talented cooks.

It could be anybody's game.

Simon, you made
a raspberry-pistachio opera cake

with honey-pistachio ice cream
and chocolate tuile.

Tasted great, well-balanced,
textures were good.

Okay.

For your Sweet Sensations Task,
I score you...

-an eight.
-Oh.

Simon, I score you...

-a nine.
-Oh, wow. [exhales sharply]

[chuckles]

Yes.

That gives you a combined total task score
of 17 out of 20.

[Simon] Wow. That's a good score.

Jeff, you made a peach mousse
and blackberry jelly

with peach tarte tatin
and rosemary ice cream.

You had a beautiful-looking dessert,
really captured that botanical feel,

but, unfortunately, there were just
so many elements going on

that it didn't work together as a whole.

For your Sweet Sensations Task dessert,
I score you...

a seven.

I score you...

a seven.

That gives you a combined total task score
of 14 out of 20.

[Jeff] Hopefully I've done well
in the Zumbo Test,

and it's gonna be enough
to pull me through.

[Simon] So, at this point, I'm ahead.

I'm sitting on 17
and Jeff is sitting on 14.

It's gonna be really, really close.

Now, it's time for your scores
from the Zumbo Test.

Jeff, I thought you worked
really well today.

Coming into your vertical garden,

I thought all the layers
in there were great,

caramel, sponge, rocher glaze was good.

The only thing I think you had
a bit of problem with there

was the vertical part of the garden,

trying to get the leaves and the flowers
on the side part.

You've clearly got very impressive skills.
Great job.

Jeff, you really got some
lovely definition of layers

at the bottom of your dessert.

I really could see how you'd taken time
to layer everything.

You've managed to create a really
beautiful presentation in the whole.

Thank you.

For your Zumbo Test dessert, I give you...

-an eight.
-[whispers] Wow.

For your Zumbo Test dessert, I give you...

an eight.

That gives you a grand total score
of 30 out of 40.

-Well done.
-Thank you.

That's a great score.
I just hope it's enough to beat Simon.

[Simon] There's one spot left
in the Grand Final and I want that.

Simon, you got all your elements
in your dessert,

-just rushing at the end a little bit.
-Yeah.

There was quite a lot of jelly,
you know, more than what was expected.

I think you did a good job
on most of the elements.

You had a good sponge, you had
a good caramel, your sorbet was great.

What you did do nicely was
you got that vertical garden,

so you managed to get all your leaves
and your flowers attached to the side...

-Yeah.
-...which looked beautiful.

Good job.

[Simon] I need 14 to win.
Got my fingers crossed, man.

Simon, for your Zumbo Test dessert,
I give you...

-a seven.
-Whoa.

Okay.

[Catherine] Simon needs
another seven to win.

Simon, for your Zumbo Test dessert,
I give you...

a seven.

[chuckles]

Whoo!

That gives you a grand total score
of 31 out of 40.

-That is the higher score!
-[laughs]

Congratulations!
You're through to the Grand Final!

Simon, how do you feel?

Oh, man, over the moon. [laughs]

I'm not gonna lie, it was tough.

Um, especially 'cause
I'm with this fella here.

I really thought
I wasn't gonna get it done.

[exhales heavily]

Far out, Simon.
You can cook! [laughs]

-Are you ready to take on Catherine?
-[Simon chuckles]

I wonder if she's ready for me.

[chuckles] Oh.

Going against Simon,
definitely very, very nervous.

Simon is too good. [laughs]

[Catherine and Simon laugh]

[Simon] Bring it on, Catherine.

Can't believe
I'm going to the Grand Finals.

What a great opportunity.

-Congratulations, Simon.
-Thank you very much.

Jeff, unfortunately, your time
in the competition has come to an end.

It's time to depart the Dessert Factory.

May all your sweet dreams come true.

-[all applauding]
-Thank you.

Every step along the way has been a bonus,

and I've enjoyed cooking with these guys,
and it's just been a dream come true.

-[Simon] Big group hug?
-Yes.

-[Simon] Come on, then.
-[Catherine] Oh.

[all laughing]

I'm really disappointed to be going home
with the end so close,

but this has been
an unforgettable experience.

I'm so excited about what lies ahead.