Summer Baking Championship - General Discussion

[Irlandesa]

The judging isn't inconsistent.  It is the same as it has always been in the Holiday/Halloween/Spring/Summer Baking competitions. In theory*, it's not cumulative. It's week-to-week.

If the judges think a contestant is the worst, they can go home after one bad week bake even if they win the first challenge of an episode or have won a previous challenge.  A person can stay in the bottom for multiple weeks without going home as long as the judges only deem them the 2nd worst.

Dominic had two bad weeks in a row but he did get good flavors, had a baked (if a bit tad over) crust and managed to get height on his pie. Nayibe didn't get that height and had raw crust. 

*I say in theory because I do think judges eventually pull the mercy plug on a perpetually underperforming contestant, especially if it's between them and a strong baker having a bad week.  But they usually don't make those calculations this early in the season.

 

[libgirl2]

I think Dominick was saved with that first team bake. If it had just been okay, he easily would have left. That said, it is only a matter of time. 

[tennisgurl]

The judges will sometimes pick someone to be their underdog favorite who they tend to keep past their expiration date, I guess this season its Dominick. He was probably helped by the team bake which went really well and he lucked out that Nayibe underbaked her dough, that is pretty much always a deal breaker. If that dough was just a little bit better he probably would have been the one going home. 

Rob and Chris's state fair themed waffle sandwich looked amazing, I am literally getting hungry just thinking about it. A classy variation of that greasy terrible wonderful food that makes the fair so special. 

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

The judges will sometimes pick someone to be their underdog favorite who they tend to keep past their expiration date, I guess this season its Dominick. He was probably helped by the team bake which went really well and he lucked out that Nayibe underbaked her dough, that is pretty much always a deal breaker. If that dough was just a little bit better he probably would have been the one going home. 

Rob and Chris's state fair themed waffle sandwich looked amazing, I am literally getting hungry just thinking about it. A classy variation of that greasy terrible wonderful food that makes the fair so special. 

I agree about Dominick. There is always one person that seems to float by especially when someone does something just a bit more wrong than they do. 

Many years ago, we would have a yearly "fest" that was in walking distance from our then house. My husband was off for the day, walked over and had some fries. Not from a local food vendor but for those trucks that are at every roaming fair/fest. He was sick for two days. 

[mojoween]

The hubby (who is really only paying attention to this type of show this season) was astonished that Dominick went home.  I told him that generally an underbake will always go home over an overbake.  Dominick surely feels like he’s circling the drain, tho.

[libgirl2]

12 minutes ago, mojoween said:

The hubby (who is really only paying attention to this type of show this season) was astonished that Dominick went home.  I told him that generally an underbake will always go home over an overbake.  Dominick surely feels like he’s circling the drain, tho.

I can't imagine how many more people will have a worse bake than him. Eventually, it won't happen. 

[Pi237]

Hate to be that person, but whenever I see a woman of color in the bottom 2, and there’s already another woman of color in the cast, I always figure that she’s going to be the one going home. 
 

I'm sure I’m wrong, as many have stated, underbaked is always judged worse than over baked. 
 

I want to try that lasagna that nearly made Duff cry. 

[Rammchick]

23 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

The judges will sometimes pick someone to be their underdog favorite who they tend to keep past their expiration date,

I don't think it's the judges who do that, it's the producers.  The judges make their decisions based on what they've experienced, and then the producers make the final pick.

[libgirl2]

Just now, Rammchick said:

I don't think it's the judges who do that, it's the producers.  The judges make their decisions based on what they've experienced, and then the producers make the final pick.

That is a good point. I'm sure the producers have some say with the judge's final decision. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I haven't noticed recently, but they used to have a disclaimer about outcomes could be altered by producers.   That's probably not close to what it said, is Duff a producer?   

Edited May 30 by CrazyInAlabama

[MoonKitty]

I feel like I know who the final 3 will be, partially from their skills but mostly by the way they have been presented. My prediction (not knowing names--sorry): the cute former military guy, the big family guy who won this past week, and the woman with dark curls.

[CrazyInAlabama]

3 June 2024, New "Summer Feelings"  Seven bakers left. 

Preheat- Summer Travel Memory Desserts. .(Inspired by Inside Out 2, by Disney/Pixar), flavors are up to the bakers.  Chris makes Baklava/Blood Orange. Rob=-Pineapple/Coconut tart.  Austin-Pandan/Vanilla with Ube, Mango Halo-halo.   Stephanie-Summer Tiramisu with Mascarpone, blood orange, berries.   Dominick-Cookies and Cream Triffle.  Vonshia- Coconut Mango.   German-Lemon Creme tart with fresh fruit on top.  

Vonshia's dessert looks fantastic, in a chocolate shell.  Austin's looks wonderful, but Duff doesn't like the coconut shaved ice.   German's looks fastastic. Doninick's looks blah to me, everything beige, but apparently flavor is spot on.  Rob's tart looks spectacular, and the judges love it.   Stephanie-her dessert looks gorgeous, Chris's baklava looks cute, but judges want more sticky.  

Winner is Rob

Summer Emotion Cakes-Bakers pick an emotion to depict.  Rob has sadness, Dominick has embarassment. German has fear. Stephanie has  joy. Vonshia has  disgust (she's putting fake grass icing, and a caterpillar on the cake).   Austin has anger.  Chris has anxiety. 

The judges love Chris' cake, Vonshia's looks icky and disgusting, Austin's is spectacular, but wet. German's is blueberries, that he's afraid of using in cake, and it's dry. Rob's is perfect for sadness. Stephanie's joy cake is gorgeous, and the judges love it.    Dominick's strawberry embarassment is gorgeous, but too tart.    

Chris and Stephanie are top two, Stephanie wins. 

Bottom two are German and Austin.  German goes home. 

[kathyk2]

I don't understand why Domenick is still in the competition. Germain's cake may not have prefect but it looked better than anything Domenick created.

[libgirl2]

5 hours ago, kathyk2 said:

I don't understand why Domenick is still in the competition. Germain's cake may not have prefect but it looked better than anything Domenick created.

I don't know, I did think German stumbled at the wrong time because Dominick had a better week. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I've been surprised that Dominick seems to be surviving in the contest by someone else having a terrible week.      I was worried that Austin would go home, but German was the right one.   I really wish they would be ranked 1 to 10 (or whatever the bottom baker comes in), cumulative for the contest, and the one with with worst score goes home.    Look at their results over the weeks.    

[meep.meep]

I think they want to keep the surprise of having a front runner (like German) go home before the drain circlers.  It's what they've always done with these.

The Disney tie-ins are getting to be too much.  Did they really need two pre-recorded bits from Poehler and Hawke?

I'm always amazed when someone makes a mistake, actually figures out what they did wrong, and manages to fix it in the limited time they have.  Chris figuring out the mistake with the hot milk and making new cakes was genius.

 

[libgirl2]

1 minute ago, meep.meep said:

I think they want to keep the surprise of having a front runner (like German) go home before the drain circlers.  It's what they've always done with these.

The Disney tie-ins are getting to be too much.  Did they really need two pre-recorded bits from Poehler and Hawke?

I'm always amazed when someone makes a mistake, actually figures out what they did wrong, and manages to fix it in the limited time they have.  Chris figuring out the mistake with the hot milk and making new cakes was genius.

 

Yea, a bit too much Disney. Having the pre-recorded bits was not amazing. Now if they would have showed up in person! That would have been neat! 

[RoxiP]

I actually think German has struggled quite a bit.  I liked him but he has had some so-so bakes.  Dominick came out strong but has struggled in the interim.  Either one going home at any given time would not have surprised me.  I was surprised that Austin had such a disappointing result this week.

Honestly this is a pretty strong group as a whole.  I thought Rob and Stephanie definitely led the pack last night.  Chris's cake also turned out well, especially since he had to rush to complete it. They are getting to that point where there are no more weak bakers.

[libgirl2]

11 minutes ago, RoxiP said:

I actually think German has struggled quite a bit.  I liked him but he has had some so-so bakes.  Dominick came out strong but has struggled in the interim.  Either one going home at any given time would not have surprised me.  I was surprised that Austin had such a disappointing result this week.

Honestly this is a pretty strong group as a whole.  I thought Rob and Stephanie definitely led the pack last night.  Chris's cake also turned out well, especially since he had to rush to complete it. They are getting to that point where there are no more weak bakers.

German really seemed like he would be a strong contender but honestly, he wasn't. He had struggled here and there and with a good group of bakers, one bad move and you can be gone. 

Edited June 4 by libgirl2

[Grizzly]

Damaris seems more like her usual self this season.

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Damaris seems more like her usual self this season.

I noticed that last night. I like that. She was so serious last season. 

[Maya]

I am reading these comments and realizing I know none of these people’s names yet. I keep wondering who Chris, Dominick, Stephanie and Vonisha are. 😂 The only one I knew was German and now he’s gone. 

[libgirl2]

1 minute ago, Maya said:

I am reading these comments and realizing I know none of these people’s names yet. I keep wondering who Chris, Dominick, Stephanie and Vonisha are. 😂 The only one I knew was German and now he’s gone. 

I remember some of the names. Stephanie has the gorgeous curly hair and Dominick has been circling the drain but got lucky last night. German, well because he isn't German. 

[ShelleySue]

I wonder why Duff was in such a bad mood. He usually doesn't criticize every baker.

[tennisgurl]

Its sad to see German go, but he's been having a rough time for awhile, it was probably time. He started out really strong but he hasn't lived up to that early promise. Maybe the time limit got to him? Dominick is so up and down, high highs and low lows, I would bet that he leaves next time or the week after that. 

Rob and Stephanie both had great weeks, and I give huge kudos to Chris for being able to salvage his cake after making a mistake, that was very impressive. 

I normally don't mind the Disney cross promotion, but two so close to each other is really distracting, at least last time someone got a cruise out of it. At least they could try to make them a little more fun than the awkward pre-recorded messages. 

 Some really tasty desserts, I loved that Hawaii tart 

[kathyk2]

Is anyone else watching the Paris Baking show that follows this show? I liked Lindsay and I hope she's ok. I like the show but it's not as good as the Julia Child Challenge.

[libgirl2]

54 minutes ago, kathyk2 said:

Is anyone else watching the Paris Baking show that follows this show? I liked Lindsay and I hope she's ok. I like the show but it's not as good as the Julia Child Challenge.

I haven't but I did see people say that it is a bit on the snarky side. No warm fuzzies for sure. 

[Gramto6]

I've been watching it.  I love to listen too Ludo Lefebvre speak. I loved Paris when I was there and all things pastry! LOL wish I could make some of those delicious goodies! I even looked last night for a thread about it but I guess there isn't one. 🙁

[Cheese]

Next Baking Master: Paris

 

[bigmag]

41 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

I've been watching it.  I love to listen too Ludo Lefebvre speak. I loved Paris when I was there and all things pastry! LOL wish I could make some of those delicious goodies! I even looked last night for a thread about it but I guess there isn't one. 🙁

Actually there is a thread.  I have been following it along with this one.  It's listed as Next Baking Master: Paris - General Discussion

[CalicoKitty]

I just can't watch.  I cannot stand Demaris, and I am disappointed that she is on so many shows.  She takes all the joy out of the show.  Absolutely can't stand her.

[kathyk2]

8 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

I just can't watch.  I cannot stand Demaris, and I am disappointed that she is on so many shows.  She takes all the joy out of the show.  Absolutely can't stand her.

I strongly disagree Demaris is a breath of fresh air compared to Nancy. She doesn't play favorites and the contestants don't cater to her. 

[carrps]

I didn't use to like Demaris, and she's not my favorite, but she's better than she used to be.

 

[libgirl2]

9 hours ago, kathyk2 said:

I strongly disagree Demaris is a breath of fresh air compared to Nancy. She doesn't play favorites and the contestants don't cater to her. 

She is much more joyful this season. I"m enjoying her, but I have always liked her. 

[CheshireCat]

I've had to work while watching (cookie order for a wedding this weekend), so I haven't been able to see all that much. I mostly heard which isn't ideal when it comes to baking.

Monday should be better.

[Starry-Eyed]

On 6/4/2024 at 10:55 AM, meep.meep said:

The Disney tie-ins are getting to be too much.  Did they really need two pre-recorded bits from Poehler and Hawke?

Yeah, the stupidness of the promo tie-in pretty much ruined this episode for me. This would have been fine on a season of Kids Baking Championship, but having adults do it was just weird and absolutely didn't fit the theme, no matter how hard they tried to crowbar it in.

Having a pre-recorded video message from Amy Poehler and Maya Hawke just hammered in how lazy and corporate this was. If they'd actually gone to the set, met the contestants, and tasted the bakes, it would have come across a little cooler for the contestants and not so demeaning.

[libgirl2]

15 minutes ago, Starry-Eyed said:

Yeah, the stupidness of the promo tie-in pretty much ruined this episode for me. This would have been fine on a season of Kids Baking Championship, but having adults do it was just weird and absolutely didn't fit the theme, no matter how hard they tried to crowbar it in.

Having a pre-recorded video message from Amy Poehler and Maya Hawke just hammered in how lazy and corporate this was. If they'd actually gone to the set, met the contestants, and tasted the bakes, it would have come across a little cooler for the contestants and not so demeaning.

Or even if they weren't there in person, it could have been "live". These tie-ins are not new and tbh, I never really cared much for them. All they are is one big ad for the movie in question. 

And yes, this might have worked better with a KBC. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

New, 6/10/24. "We're Going Glamping", they're down to six bakers. Austin, Vonshia, Rob, Dominick, Chris, Stephanie.  

Preheat-make a Chocolate inspired portable travel dessert based on classic candy bars.   All of the portable desserts look fantastic.   Austin's cookies look fantastic.   Stephanie's toasted marshmallow S'Mores cookie looks lovely, but not enough chocolate flavor.   Dominick's milk chocolate with almond cookie Blondie looks tasty.   Vonshia cookies & Cream candy brownie bar is over baked a little.  Rob's chocolate with peanuts snack cake looks fun, with a flip flop on the top, and Duff can't get over the toe outline of the flip flop.    Chris made a brownie tart, looks messy, and Duff doesn't like it.   

Winner of pre-heat is:  Dominick, he gets the first class station, and an advantage, of 10 minutes extra.

Elimination round is  elevating and glamorizing fruit cobblers.   The bakers each pick a fruit flavor.  Dominick-peaches,    Chris -Cherry,   Rob - Blackberry,   Austin - Plum,       Stephanie -  Blueberry,  Vonshia - Raspberry.   All of the desserts look lovely.

Vonshia's is gorgeous, and they love the biscuit and raspberry/pistachio flavor.

Rob's is definitely elevated, impressive visually, Damaris says Dude!, and so does Carla.   

Stephanie's is lovely and so fancy. the judges love it,except she cut the edges off the biscuit, so no crunch. 

Dominick's is gorgeous, Biscuit is tough in the middle, but the flaors are good. 

Austin-looks messy, unique, not necessarily a compliment.   The judges love the cobbler, but it's not elevated. 

Chris-his is literally elevated over vanilla meringue, taste is great. 

Winner is:  Rob (Chris is second) 

Austin and Stephanie are the bottom two.  Austin goes home. (at least he won the cruise).  

Next week are Tres Leches cakes. 

 

[Grizzly]

That preheat was right up my alley. All chocolate with no fruit or coconut in sight! I would have eaten all of those desserts in one sitting and twice on Sunday. Eating large quantities of sweets is my superpower. I should have turned it off then but I love Jesse. 

[mojoween]

I missed the conceit for the preheat (because the other people in this house would not. stop. talking) and realized during the judging that they were supposed to be things you would buy if you were stopping for snacks?   Because if I were on a road trip I would never get something that rich at a rest stop.

In the main heat, Vonshia’s pistachio bits looked like teeth to me and I could not get past that.

[MerBearHou]

Rob gave Chris a big, advantageous bit of advice when Chris’  ill-conceived meringue base seemed to be too weak to hold all of that fruit.  I feel sure the judges knew Chris was in a bind and his meringue would probably have crumbled if Rob hadn’t suggested the white chocolate.  That was very generous and sporting of Rob — and sure enough, Chris came in 2nd in the main heat after a weak first round. 

Sorry to say bye to Austin — I really, really liked him.  Stephanie’s all-soft dessert would have been my least favorite.  It was pretty but too mushy for me.  

Edited June 11 by MerBearHou

[libgirl2]

Redemption for Dominick, the blondie looked amazing. 

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

I missed the conceit for the preheat (because the other people in this house would not. stop. talking) and realized during the judging that they were supposed to be things you would buy if you were stopping for snacks?  

No, it was basically a Herscaick up on the road.  The challenge was to get one of the candy bar flavors (Mr. Goodbar, milk chocolate, dark chocolate...etc.) and make a portable dessert that can be picked up with one hand and eaten based on the candy bar.  This is why we saw so many cookies, brownies, and blondies.  It's also why Robert adding a chocolate ganache to the bottom of his Devil's food bar was so brilliant. It added some stability to the cake that'd normally crumble. 

1 hour ago, libgirl2 said:

Redemption for Dominick, the blondie looked amazing. 

At the time he made it, the flavors sounded pretty straightforward, but the execution of it looked amazing.  His main heat dessert looked pretty too. 

1 hour ago, MerBearHou said:

Sorry to say bye to Austin — I really, really liked him.  Stephanie’s all-soft dessert would have been my least favorite.  It was pretty but too mushy for me.

I think they kept in Duff's speech about "think about the challenge" in the beginning because that's ultimately what applied to Austin's exit. 

[libgirl2]

 

I think they kept in Duff's speech about "think about the challenge" in the beginning because that's ultimately what applied to Austin's exit. 

I also think Austin having two desserts in a bowl didn't work, but yes, he didn't change it up and basically made a cobbler. The veil was okay but that wasn't enough. Hey, but he did win a cruise! 

[Mellowyellow]

Aww I’m sad that Austin left. I will miss his sunny demeanour and lovely smile. 

Loved Spring and now love Summer! Excellent set of contestants! 

Love fruity desserts so the elimination was right up my alley.

[Rammchick]

Weird that the preheat was obviously a plug for Hershey's, but they never said their name or the brand names of their candy bars.

[libgirl2]

 

Weird that the preheat was obviously a plug for Hershey's, but they never said their name or the brand names of their candy bars.

Yea, that was weird. 

[tinkerbell]

1 hour ago, Rammchick said:

Weird that the preheat was obviously a plug for Hershey's, but they never said their name or the brand names of their candy bars.

I assume that Hershey didn't pay for the promotion, and didn't ok them using the names. The network would have to have an agreement with Hershey.

What was weird to me is that the only chocolate bar options were Hershey.  If they're not promoting the brand, bring in some better tasting chocolate!

[Salacious Kitty]

There was a box in the lower left that called it the Hershey's challenge. Used the logo, so they got their promo.

[libgirl2]

6 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

There was a box in the lower left that called it the Hershey's challenge. Used the logo, so they got their promo.

I totally zoned that out! 

Edited June 11 by libgirl2