Last week, we kicked off another season of baking fun and said goodbye to Kunal. From the first week, two front runners have emerged: Steve and Aimee. Can the two keep up their momentum in cookie week or will they falter? Who else will become a front runner for the final three.

Let us find out as we start cookie week.

Signature Bake

The Bake: 12 Ice Box Sandwich Cookies that are are colourful with an intricate design and filling

The Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes.

What I would bake: Mocha Ice Box Sandwich cookies with a chocolate-orange buttercream to look like an Ewok.

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts:

All the sandwich cookies the bakers made, I am most intrigued by Aimee’s as I do love the flavours she has chosen and it is an interesting take on a sandwich ice book cookie. The next ones that I wouldn’t mind trying, flavour-wise, are Stephen’s and Alina’s 

• Caron: Passionate for Passionfruit Cookies made with passionfruit sugar cookies and milk chocolate ganache. Bruno said she nailed the passionfruit flavour but Kyla said it could use a bit longer in the oven.
• Stephen: Strawberry Lemonade Cookies with strawberry mint buttercream. Bruno liked the strawberry flavour and Kyla said it epitomized summer
• Aimee: Savoury Sandwich Cookies made with brown butter sesame cookie and prosciutto brie and fig jam. Kyla called the flavours classic but presented in an original way.
• Dougal: Zesty Blueberry Cookies made with lime sugar cookies and blueberry jam and cream cheese frosting. Bruno said the baking looks inconsistent. Kyla said the jam should be a bit more thick.
• Marian: Kek Lapis Cookies made with black tea and ginger sugar cookies and milk toffee caramel. Kyla suggested an egg wash glaze and some parts were under-baked. Bruno liked the ginger flavour.
• Alina: Toy Block Cookies made with vanilla and rum sugar cookies and espresso ganache. Bruno said she nailed the coffee flavour.
• Amanda: Perfectly Pear Cookies made with ginger and vanilla cookies and pear buttercream. Kyla liked the presentation and Bruno said the pear flavour is lost.
• Steve: Lemon and Raspberry Cookies made with lemon and thyme sugar cookies, raspberry jam, and white chocolate ganache. Bruno said the star is the raspberry jam.
• Vincent: Garden of Roses Cookies made with rose water sugar cookies and chocolate ganache. Bruno liked the crunch. Kyla liked the balance the raspberry brings.

Technical Bake I wanted to make last week’s lamingtons as I pretty much have all the ingredients except the raspberries but this weekend is my birthday weekend and I made my birthday cake instead and that pretty much took a lot of energy out of me as I also made a pavlova from the egg white I had left over from the cake. 

I probably won’t try this week’s technical again because I have buttermilk that I need to use by next week and I have three bakes in mind to make. 

Also, peeling the skin of hazelnuts is a pain and I don’t feel like dirtying a kitchen towl.

The Bake: 20 Pirouette Cookies with a chocolate hazelnut filling

The Time: 2 hours

How I would have fared: Probably not well. I think my issue would be getting it the right thickness and then the rolling and also ensuring that I don’t break the cookies as I fill them.

How the bakers did:

1. 

   Marian
2. Caron
3. Amanda
4. Vincent
5. Aimee
6. Stephen
7. Dougal
8. Alina:
9. Steve

Showstopper

The Bake: Cookie Mosaic – use colourful cookie tiles to create a decorative image on a large cookie base

The Time: 4 hours.

What I would bake: I like the idea of a chocolate chip cookie base so I would go with that for my base. As for design, I would do tetris made with spiced chai sugar cookies. 

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts:

Flavour-wise, I like Steve’s and I actually like the idea of a chocolate chip cookie base. 

• Caron: Cookie Rainbow Estate made with genmaicha sugar cookie tiles on a gingerbread base. Kyla called the look dynamic and like the spice of the genmaicha cookie.
• Stephen: Achy Bakey Heart made with orange cardamom sugar cookie tiles on a brown butter chocolate chip cookie base. Kyla could eat the whole thing by herself.
• Aimee: Vintage Cookie Lamp made with vanilla langue de chat tiles on a digestive biscuit base. Kyla wants the lamp in her living room. Bruno called her base cookie so good. 
• Dougal: Buzzworthy Mosaic made with ginger honey cookie tiles on an oatcake base. Bruno called the look busy. Kyla liked the honey and Bruno liked the cookie.
• Marian: Window into Bahrain Mosaic made with cardamom saffron cookie tiles on a coffee cinnamon cookie base. Bruno liked the rustic look. Kyla said it could use more time in the oven.
• Alina: Postcard from Santorini mad with orange shortbread tiles on a lemon sugar cookie base. Bruno said the cookie has too much salt but Kyla liked the story told.
• Amanda: Cookie Map of PEI made with lemon poppy seed cookie tiles on an espresso cardamom sugar cookie base. Bruno calls it a love letter to PEI. Kyla says it has crunch and bursts of flavour. 
• Steve: Easy Rider Mosaic made with ginger shortbread tiles with orange cream cheese buttercream on top of a chocolate chip cookie base. Bruno liked the story his mosaic told. Bruno liked how the cream cheese made the cookie soft.

• 

  Vincent: Lotus Garden made with coconut sugar cookie tiles and lime royal icing on a gingerbread cookie base. Kyla calls it striking and liked the balance of the lime and coconut.

Up for Star Baker: Aimee, Vincent and Steve

In danger of going home: Marian and Caron

Star Baker: Aimee

Going Home: Marian

Quick Thoughts: It was a close call for Caron. I hope Caron pulls it together to have a long run. But based on cookie week, Aimee and Steve continue to be front-runners and Vincent is looking like the one to join those two into the final three.