While I was on vacation, Jessica was eliminated in last week’s Spring Baking Championship on the Food Network, which leaves:
Cristina
Caleb
Ruby
Aaron
Heather
Nacho
Nacho was one of the two best in last week’s Spring Baking Championship competition, but for now I’m going to stick to my list of how I think they will finish (sorry Nacho!). Caleb won last week’s major heat, but I’m still favoring Cristina.
On to this week’s first challenge to make tiny desserts with fresh berries. They have one-hour to create a dozen teeny tiny berry desserts. Heather starts talking about how mini desserts are her ‘thing’ and she uses berries all the time, so we’ll see if her actions speak just as loudly as her words. She’s making a blueberry cassis meringue tartlet. Caleb jokes about his big man hands making tiny desserts. He chose golden berries and he’s making a golden berry mousse with black sesame sable. He definitely takes a different approach using non-traditional items. Cristina relates tiny with tea time and is making an almond raspberry sandwich cookie with a raspberry jam. I’m hoping that’s not too simple, but it’s not an elimination round. Her piping is on point, but she’s done that before and I hope in the main heat she shows new talents.
Ruby is making a tiny huckleberry layer cake with lemon buttercream while Aaron is making strawberry shortcakes with cardamom buttermilk biscuit. Teeny tiny biscuits! Nacho is making a chocolate cake with blackberry compote and dark chocolate ganache. Nacho’s ganache is still warm and he’s concerned about finishing.
During judging, Caleb delivers a “beautiful bite” says Lorraine. Heather does well too, so she was right about her brag. Lorraine says that Nacho’s desserts aren’t spring-looking and could use a brighter color, but Nancy said that he can definitely bake. Aaron’s shortcakes did okay and Ruby’s adorable huckleberry desserts impressed the judges with her decoration and taste. Cristina’s cookies, I was concerned, were called ‘beautiful’ by Lorraine, but the judges think it’s a little too sweet.
Advantage heat winner: Ruby who gets to work with Jordan, last season’s winner, for 10 minutes.
The main heat is roll cakes — wow, that looks so difficult. Here’s what the competitors are making:
Caleb: Huckleberry and lemon poppy seed cake with hazelnut buttercream. He’s making some abstract flowers.
Ruby: Golden berry and elderflower roll cake. She wants to show some riskiness, but I don’t understand that because she didn’t like how the golden berry tasted in the last round when she tried one.
Heather and Aaron confess they’ve never made a roll cake.
Heather: Jaconde strawberry and coconut cake — a sponge cake made with whole eggs.
Aaron: He’s making a blueberry cake and ginger buttercream, but also admits he doesn’t like piping.
Cristina: White chocolate sponge cake with blackberry filling.
Nacho: Raspberry jam and lemon curd roll cake.
The cakes are out of the oven and the rolling begins while they are still warm. Aaron is struggling with a cake that’s cracking, but he spreads his filling and pastry cream inside and he keeps rolling. The cracks are obvious. Heather is also struggling, but her cake isn’t cracking. Nacho soaks his sponge cake with tres leches and fills it with lemon curd, raspberry jam and whipped cream.
It’s time for the Spring Baking Championship twist! The bakers must bake a half-dozen patterned cookies to go with the cake. Ruby calls in Jordan to make some flowers. Cristina’s cake looks beautiful. Nacho put way too much filling in his cake and it’s pouring out. Oh Cristina, you’re making the same cookies with the same piping — we get it. PLEASE make something else or you’ll start falling down on my list.
Judging time!
Nacho: Lorraine says his raspberry and lemon roll cake is delicious and Nancy agrees. Duff says he’s missing a surprise. His cookies go over really well.
Cristina: The judges love the design of her cake, but Lorraine agrees that she needs to do something different. Her cake was a bit dense, even though the flavors were there.
Aaron: His psychedelic blueberry and ginger pastry cream roll cake had the taste but Nancy and Duff say it’s a little off. His shortbread cookie with the artistic topping goes over really well.
Heather: Her strawberry and coconut roll gets good reviews on the design by Nancy. Duff loves the filling and Lorraine thinks too much cream, but loves her cookie.
Caleb: his huckleberry and lemon poppy cake gets great reviews on decoration and Duff loves the cookie. Lorraine calls it an explosion of flavors, but not in the best way. She says there’s too much flavor in this, if that’s possible.
Ruby: her golden berry and elderflower cake and her cookies go over well, but Lorraine says that her cake has some holes. Ruby seems to be a good baker, but is inconsistent, especially after winning the first heat.
The two best desserts: Heather and Nacho
Winner of the main Spring Baking Championship heat: Nacho — you’re proving me wrong!
Yaaassss!! First main challenge WIN!! for Nacho!! So happy #springbakingchampionship #TeamNacho
— NachoAguirreM (@NachoAguirreM) April 10, 2018
Safe are Caleb and Aaron, which means Ruby and Cristina are in the bottom.
The baker who was sent home this week was Ruby.
Yaaassss!! First main challenge WIN!! for Nacho!! So happy #springbakingchampionship #TeamNacho
— NachoAguirreM (@NachoAguirreM) April 10, 2018
Come in Cristina, you’re my favored to win!
Remaining:
Cristina
Caleb
Aaron
Nacho
Heather
I’m switching Nacho and Heather on my Spring Baking Championship list. Nacho seems to be getting over his jitters and doing better.
Until next week!
