We are now down to the Final Four of Bakers! Will it be Chi, Kristi, Zoya or Lauren who will make it to next week’s finale? I’ve been texting with a fellow fan this week and we both think it will be Chi, Kristi and Lauren. I think the winner will be Chi

Speaking of fancy desserts, this past week, I picked up Claire Saffitz’s “What’s for Dessert?” and that cookbook is filled with tons of fancy desserts.

Signature Bake

The Bake: 10 x Mochi Donuts

The Time: 2 hours

What I would bake: My Facebook group that I am a part of called “Subtle Asian Baking” is often filled with mochi donut recipes. I am not too familiar with how to make these but I am thinking something chocolate, matcha or dulce de leche

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts: 

I am loving the sound of Chi’s savoury mochi donut but like Lauren, I do love potatoes so her sweet potato ones sound really delicious.

• Chi: Lunchbox Mochi Donuts. One is a banana foster with peanut butter cream and the other is a garlic-cilantro donut with fried chicken. Bruno said piping the banana donut was the right call and Kyla liked the banana flavour. Bruno couldn’t stop eating the garlic donut and Kyla said the donut was not lost when eating the chicken.
• Kristi: All About Mom Mochi Donuts. One is a chestnut cream mochi donut and the other is a five-spice donut topped with pork floss. Bruno noted the rings of the five-spice donut was uneven and dense. Kyla said the other one was perfect and Bruno said it came out better and melted like butter.
• Lauren: Squishy and Delishy Mochi Donuts. Both are made with sweet potato but one is Taiwanese with taro marscapone and the other is Japanese sweet potato topped with honeycomb and roasted soybean powder. Kyla noted the Taiwanese was perfectly baked and really liked the flavour. Bruno liked the topping. Bruno liked the other donut but noted it was a bit dry. Kyla wanted more honeycomb.
• Zoya: African Street Food Mochi Donuts. One is a jackfruit lime and clove donut and the other is a cassava donut with a tamarind chutney glaze. Bruno liked the cloves in the jackfruit and Kyla liked the combination of textures. Kyla said the cassava played well with her second donut.

Technical Bake

The Bake: Sans Rival

The Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

How I would have fared: Thanks once again to my PVR for telling me what the technical was, I looked up the recipe and it looks pretty straight forward and easy so I think I would do pretty well for this one. The only part that I am pretty sure I will face some challenges is the decoration. 

And by the way, I finally got around to making Biscuit and Bars Week’s Vanilla and Chocolate Alfajores and they turned out great, even the tempering of the chocolate! 

How the bakers did:

1. Chi
2. Zoya
3. Lauren
4. Kristi

 

Showstopper

The Bake: Jelly Art Cake

The Time: 4 hours and 30 minutes

What I would bake: I remember The Great British Baking Show did this in season 11 and it didn’t look easy. I probably might do a chocolate cake with vanilla Italian meringue buttercream tinted blue. The jelly art would probably clouds with the Millenium Falcon flying amongst the clouds with X-Wings. 

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts: 

• Chi: Bonbon Box. The cake is a grapefruit ginger cake with grapefruit curd and topped with citrus jelly. Bruno called it ornamental and Kyla is drawn to the clear jelly. Bruno liked the texture and liked the hint of citrus.
• Kristi: Fishbowl Apartment Cake. The cake is a Thai basil cake with blackberry goat cheese mouse, sesame buttercream and topped with an almond jelly depicting the inside of her apartment. Kyla noted the bubbles in the jelly. Bruno called the cake amazing and liked the slight savory taste. Kyla liked the Thai basil.
• Lauren: Dino Island. The cake is a guava cake and a passionfruit cheesecake topped with coconut jelly filled with sea creatures. Kyla said Lauren’s risk of setting the jelly on top of the cake paid off. Bruno loved the guava cake and the cheesecake. Kyla said all three flavours were distinct and went well together
• Zoya: African Sugar Cane Grove. The cake is a lemon sponge cake with ginger lemongrass pastry cream and topped with a sugarcane-ginger jelly to look like a African sugar cane grove. Bruno loved the flow of the cake and Kyla called it mesmerizing. Kyla did notice the jelly cracked. Bruno called the cake refreshing and Kyla said it was moist and rich.

Up for Star Baker: All four were mentioned.

In danger of going home: No one mentioned

Star Baker: Lauren

Going Home: Kristi

Quick Thoughts: It is too bad that Kristi faltered in the Showstopper. Kristi was doing so well off the bat but she was struggling over the past few weeks but not to the point where I thought she was going to go home. Lauren is heading into the finale as the front runner but I am not counting out Chi. They may not have been doing that great over the past few week but they can pull it off. Not so sure about Zoya but she could surprise us. I would be happy if any of theses three win.