Who is my prediction as the winner of Best Baker in America? Here’s a reminder of what order I had everyone in last week.
Adam Young
Max Santiago
Jean-Francois Suteau
Becca Craig
Leigh Omilinsky
Jeremy Fogg
Lasheeda Perry
This episode’s Best Baker in America skills challenge was a strawberry shortcake challenge. The contestants have 90 minutes to bake six strawberry shortcakes. Here is what they are making, but keep in mind it’s the biscuit that is going to be the most important factor in getting a good review:
Lasheeda (who has been on the bottom for the first two episodes): strawberry shortcake with Meyer lemon-basil curd and a vanilla bean chantilly. Buttermilk biscuit.
Jeremy: strawberry shortcake with strawberry and Meyer lemon jam. Buttermilk biscuit.
Max: strawberry shortcake with torched lemon curd and pickled green strawberries. Buttermilk biscuit.
Adam: strawberry shortcake with strawberry and basil sorbet and a lemon-scented biscuit. Adam is making things on a more petite scale.
Jean-Francois: strawberry shortcake with mascarpone and strawberry coulis. Buttermilk biscuit.
Leigh: strawberry shortcake with Meyer lemon curd and strawberry basil compote. Buttermilk biscuit and a black pepper streusel and creme fraiche.
Becca: strawberry shortcake with vermouth creme chantilly and a rosemary streusel. Buttermilk biscuit.
With 15 minutes left, Jeremy is having a problem with his biscuits. They have all melded together into practically one super biscuit. Becca does this beautiful sugar work to try and impress the judges, but she forgets the top of her biscuits! Jeremy’s biscuits are very ready, but still warm. Do they hold up?
Marcela and Jason are ready to judge.
Lasheeda: Marcela says it’s modern and chic and she loves it. Jason said, “I don’t know who taught you how to make biscuits, but they taught you well.”
Becca: Jason said the streusel melts in his mouth. Marcela loves the creme with the vermouth.
Leigh: Marcela said it looks nice and the balance of flavors is good. Jason: “Now this, sister, is a biscuit.” Marcela said the pepper adds a nice touch, but she doesn’t like the creme fraiche.
Jean-Francois: It looks beautiful and I agree. Jason loves the strawberry coulis but says the biscuit needs some moisture. Marcela agrees.
Jeremy: Marcela is slightly disappointed with the presentation because it looks too traditional. Jason and Marcela like the strawberry powder, but the biscuit was just ‘okay.’
Adam: Jason says it’s very upscale and unique. Marcela said that all-around it’s a great marriage of flavors. Jason wants more basil.
Max: Jason loves the fresh herbs and Marcela loves the lemon curd. The pickled strawberries are throwing Marcela off because of the pale color. Jason loves the biscuit and tells him to package the jam. Marcela said the level of acidity of the pickled strawberries wasn’t very good.
The winner of the Best Baker in America skills challenge: Lasheeda — wow, after two bad weeks, this was a much-needed victory for her.
For this week’s two-hour master challenge they need to create a fire and ice dessert. They must include mint and be very creative with their decorations. Let’s see what they make:
Max: Mango mojito creme brulee (fire) and cucumber and lime sorbet (ice).
Lasheeda: Mint semifreddo (ice) with a bruleed raspberry meringue (fire) topped with a cereal crumble.
Jeremy: Blueberry mint pie with a torched meringue (fire) and a key lime semifreddo (ice).
Jean-Francois: Madeleine cake (fire) with a mango sorbet (ice). Also making a raspberry-mint foam, a mango coulis and a coconut mascarpone cream.
Adam: Creme brulee (fire) with lime and mint souffle glace (ice) and compressed mango and a macadamia nougatine and mango curd.
Becca: Pistachio cake with mint meringue (fire) and mint mango sorbet (ice).
Leigh: Mint julep-greek yogurt pannacotta, angel food cake and bruleed citrus (fire) and a key lime-mint-sorbet (ice).
Max is struggling with his mango creme brulee. They curdled, he said. He fills more and puts them back in the oven.
Judging time! the guest judge: pastry chef Sherry Yard.
Max: Dang, his desserts are always so beautifully done. Jason: “The fire element pairs well with the ice element.” Marcela: “Absolutely delicious.”
Jean-Francois: Always beautiful too. Jason: The cake had nice caramelization. Sherry: Very intense flavors. Marcela is missing the mint.
Lasheeda: Marcela says the presentation lacks a little refinement. Jason: “You went awry with the creme because it was too strong.”
Jeremy: Jason has a problem with it looking like summer on a plate — it doesn’t — and said the key lime sorbet is too tart. Sherry is missing the mint. Jason points out an underbaked dough.
Leigh: Sherry loves the presentation with the geometric shapes. Marcela loves the almond cookie. Jason said the sorbet was tart and, once again, Sherry can’t find the mint.
Max: Jason loves the colors and the presentation. Sherry said that with all the composition on the plate you don’t know where to eat first but she tried the mango which was too sweet and it overpowered the mint/cucumber. However, Marcela loved the flavors. Jason said he couldn’t find the cucumber and the mint was weak.
Becca: Sherry said the plate was playful, but the flavors are complex. Marcela loves the mango flavor in the sorbet. Jason loves the cake – she made it in the microwave.
Adam and Becca are the top two in this week’s Best Baker in America challenge.
Who won? Adam.
Bottom two are Leigh and Jeremy.
The baker leaving the competition is Jeremy.
The remaining competitors in the order I think they will finish Best Baker in America after this episode:
Adam Young
Max Santiago
Jean-Francois Suteau
Becca Craig
Leigh Omilinsky
Jeremy Fogg
Lasheeda Perry
I’m going to stick to my list.
