Halloween Baking Championship - General Discussion

[2soon2tell]

13 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Thanks, I wondered why they spelled it Betelgeuse.

Betelgeuse is actually the name of a star. It’s pronounced beetle juice, so I guess someone thought it was cute.

 

[Splashy]

12 minutes ago, 2soon2tell said:

Betelgeuse is actually the name of a star.

Yep, it's the shoulder of the Orion constellation.

I love astronomy and Halloween 😁

[JudgeyMcJudgyPants]

Sugar work aside (which is fabulous), I just didn’t get why the judges were all gaga over Thierry’s dessert.  I was not getting cat and mouse at all and I thought the cake pop stick was a straw.  I also can’t believe it tasted good.  It looked really dry.  It obviously wasn’t the worst but I don’t think it was top 2.

I do think the right person went home.  I don’t enjoy watching someone continuously fall apart and she was obviously over her head.

[dleighg]

51 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Thanks, I wondered why they spelled it Betelgeuse.

Just if anyone doesn't already know this, Betelgeuse is a star in the constellation Orion. It's the reddish one at the shoulder. I knew that name (as a space nerd) long before the movie. 

[Rammchick]

6 hours ago, 2soon2tell said:

Betelgeuse is actually the name of a star. It’s pronounced beetle juice, so I guess someone thought it was cute.

 

It's German.  It really should be pronounced "Baytelgoiza".

[Pi237]

I like that Joel took risks with the heat in his bake, and didn’t just sit on immunity. 
 

Can’t believe the judges loved Thierry’s. It was gray. They usually criticize when the colors don’t looo Halloween. And I also wouldn’t have known it was a mouse or cats if he didn’t say it was. The judging didn’t match the winners, but I’m sure that’s the ‘producers’ part. 

[Rammchick]

3 hours ago, Pi237 said:

Can’t believe the judges loved Thierry’s. It was gray. They usually criticize when the colors don’t looo Halloween. And I also wouldn’t have known it was a mouse or cats if he didn’t say it was. The judging didn’t match the winners, but I’m sure that’s the ‘producers’ part. 

Agreed.  The pulled sugar also looked like a straw, which made the whole thing look like it was some sort of drinking glass.

[CrazyInAlabama]

6 hours ago, Rammchick said:

Agreed.  The pulled sugar also looked like a straw, which made the whole thing look like it was some sort of drinking glass.

I didn't understand what the big sugar straw was for.    I thought he did great work but the gray color wasn't great.  

[DEL901]

5 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I didn't understand what the big sugar straw was for.    I thought he did great work but the gray color wasn't great.  

I wonder if the colour worked better in person but didn’t film well?

[libgirl2]

11 minutes ago, DEL901 said:

I wonder if the colour worked better in person but didn’t film well?

That has happened before. 

[dleighg]

41 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I didn't understand what the big sugar straw was for.

It was apparently the cake pop stick. Which I only understood at the very end. It's fun to watch him do sugar stuff, but I wonder how long it will take the judges to ding him on always going to that.

[libgirl2]

5 minutes ago, dleighg said:

It was apparently the cake pop stick. Which I only understood at the very end. It's fun to watch him do sugar stuff, but I wonder how long it will take the judges to ding him on always going to that.

That actually crossed my mind. He needs to slow it down a bit. 

[Frost]

The judges are being much more forgiving of bakers using vast amounts of modeling chocolate and isomalt.  They used to complain about having them using something that might be technically "edible" but didn't taste good.

I want the bakers to do chocolate work and sugar work.  Showing more skill.  Otherwise, it's not a true baking championship, it's just a baking show.

Edited September 25 by Frost

[dleighg]

3 minutes ago, Frost said:

The judges are being much more forgiving of bakers using vast amounts of modeling chocolate and isomalt.

I totally agree. Modeling chocolate is not "food"

[Dirtybubble]

On 9/24/2024 at 1:20 PM, libgirl2 said:

Yea, I think past seasons of the Baking shows have had stronger bakers overall. I like Manny and Thierry. I'm not impressed by the female bakers though. I wonder which they will keep around until the end. 

I like Manny and Thierry as well.  I think they are my favs.  I think Manny should have won the challenge though.  His design looked more Beetlejuice like where Thierry was just a pale pink creation that I didn't connect with horror at all.  The judges raved about the taste so I guess that's what pushed him to the win *shrug*

 

[KittyMom4]

On 9/24/2024 at 7:10 PM, JudgeyMcJudgyPants said:

Sugar work aside (which is fabulous), I just didn’t get why the judges were all gaga over Thierry’s dessert.  I was not getting cat and mouse at all and I thought the cake pop stick was a straw.  I also can’t believe it tasted good.  It looked really dry.  It obviously wasn’t the worst but I don’t think it was top 2.

I do think the right person went home.  I don’t enjoy watching someone continuously fall apart and she was obviously over her head.

Carly....oh my. I'm hoping she has a fantastic staff because she showed me no talent or skill in 4 bakes. Maybe it was nerves but she just seemed like she was completely lost in the kitchen. I'm glad they did not prolong her agony.

On 9/25/2024 at 6:04 AM, Pi237 said:

Can’t believe the judges loved Thierry’s. It was gray. They usually criticize when the colors don’t looo Halloween

 

20 hours ago, DEL901 said:

I wonder if the colour worked better in person but didn’t film well?

All of these are exactly my thoughts. I thought his concept was interesting but it did NOT play out well. It was just a ball of pale gray/pink blah. Did not get what the judges were so enthralled with. 

2 hours ago, Dirtybubble said:

I think Manny should have won the challenge though.

 

[libgirl2]

6 minutes ago, KittyMom4 said:

Carly....oh my. I'm hoping she has a fantastic staff because she showed me no talent or skill in 4 bakes. Maybe it was nerves but she just seemed like she was completely lost in the kitchen. I'm glad they did not prolong her agony.

 

 

I guess the pressure got to her? But I agree, I was not impressed. Even her macarons which she bragged on, she initially overbaked them. Second time around, I didn't think they looked much better. 

Edited September 26 by libgirl2

[KittyMom4]

11 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

I guess the pressure got to her? But I agree, I was not impressed. Even her macarons which she bragged on, she initially overbaked them. Second time around, I didn't think they looked much better.

Right? She also bragged about her chocolate cake being a favorite of her customers and then the judges told her it needed more chocolate. In the first episode she asked how long to cook a cookie crust, it was my first clue she wouldn't last long. 

[libgirl2]

6 minutes ago, KittyMom4 said:

Right? She also bragged about her chocolate cake being a favorite of her customers and then the judges told her it needed more chocolate. In the first episode she asked how long to cook a cookie crust, it was my first clue she wouldn't last long. 

That is right about the cake! And I forgot the cookie crust. A baker should know that. I might not but I don't bake unless it comes from a box. 

[TVbitch]

There is probably a percentage of people who can't cope with the added pressure of the actual show environment and will just fall apart. But don't they have preliminary timed rounds before they make it on the air to weed that type out? 

[libgirl2]

11 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

There is probably a percentage of people who can't cope with the added pressure of the actual show environment and will just fall apart. But don't they have preliminary timed rounds before they make it on the air to weed that type out? 

You would think. 

Edited September 26 by libgirl2

[Salacious Kitty]

28 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

There is probably a percentage of people who can't cope with the added pressure of the actual show environment and will just fall apart. But don't they have preliminary timed rounds before they make it on the air to weed that type out? 

I doubt FN tests them. They select on audition reels and interviews. I am baffled at what Carly showed them. 

[KittyMom4]

@TVbitch I always wondered if they were allowed to do a 'test bake' on the set so they could figure out where everything was. I have no idea if they do but they all seem to know where everything is. 

Manny is my fav right now, I like his style and his enthusiasm, and his bakes are interesting. 

[tennisgurl]

Its been way too long since we had a themed baking championship, the gap between Summer and Halloween is so long! Its great to be back in the spooky season, John continues to be the ghost host with the most. "This generation..."

The Mad Scientist theme seems like it will be fun, the cryo chamber is the cheesy fun I come here for. I like most of the bakers so far, even if it seems like we had some pretty scattered bakers at first, there were some rough bakes there. I sure hope that Cathy does great work in her element back home because she acted like she had never so much as walked into a kitchen before this. 

I thought the mochi monster was my favorite bake, it was a fun mix of cute and creepy. I hope that this season they don't go quite as hard on the constant blood and guts as they did last season. Don't get me wrong, I love spooky gore as much as the next girl, but I would be happy to get some more cute and silly Halloween and not just scary to shake things up. 

[libgirl2]

5 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

 I thought the mochi monster was my favorite bake, it was a fun mix of cute and creepy. I hope that this season they don't go quite as hard on the constant blood and guts as they did last season. Don't get me wrong, I love spooky gore as much as the next girl, but I would be happy to get some more cute and silly Halloween and not just scary to shake things up. 

I think because Spring/Summer and Holiday BCs are usually so bright and or festive, they like to make this one darker. 

Does anyone know if we are going to get The Big Bake? I always like watching that. 

[springbarb]

Are they skipping next week? It's not popping up on my DVR.

[Salacious Kitty]

1 hour ago, springbarb said:

Are they skipping next week? It's not popping up on my DVR.

No. Episode is on at its usual time. 

It also looks like The Big Bake won't be back. 👎

[Splashy]

Also no Halloween Cookie Challenge. 😔

I enjoyed that one. 

[MerBearHou]

Well, darn — those are both fun.  They’re not perfect but they’re part of the Halloween fun.  Wonder if they’re doing anything in their place?

[libgirl2]

8 hours ago, Splashy said:

Also no Halloween Cookie Challenge. 😔

I enjoyed that one. 

Well that stinks on that and the Big Bake. I love the holiday themed ones. And I always thought the Big Bake was so silly fun. 

[Salacious Kitty]

2 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

Well that stinks on that and the Big Bake. I love the holiday themed ones. And I always thought the Big Bake was so silly fun. 

Ron Ben Israel is a treasure.

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Ron Ben Israel is a treasure.

He was so serious on Sweet Genius and so fun and silly on Big Bake. 

[Rammchick]

4 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

Well that stinks on that and the Big Bake. I love the holiday themed ones. And I always thought the Big Bake was so silly fun. 

The Big Bake comes from Canada -- maybe Food Network is showing it there?

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

The Big Bake comes from Canada -- maybe Food Network is showing it there?

I'm not sure how I would watch it. Maybe youtube? 

[2soon2tell]

On 9/26/2024 at 7:29 PM, springbarb said:

Are they skipping next week? It's not popping up on my DVR.

I have Dish, and I had to add it manually because Dish had it listed as a repeat.

[Pi237]

Really hating the sidebar commentary with John and Carla. Guess it replaced the Baker Cam. Hate both. Also, seems unfair to have a judge watching them work. 

[Grizzly]

Lillian enjoys Irish cream in her Sunday morning coffee. She might be a bit off the wall but I'm warming up to her.

[CrazyInAlabama]

"Mad Mutations and Transformations", new, 9/30/2024 Season 10, Episode 3.

Things keep turning into other things in the Research and Development Lab, and it's disturbingly delicious. John Henson pairs up the bakers into research teams, and they use exotic candy corn flavors as inspiration for lab specimen-stuffed desserts decorated with tongues, eyeballs, noses or toes. With elimination looming, the bakers serve judges Carla Hall, Zac Young and Stephanie Boswell a mad menagerie of cutesy-to-creepy desserts by turning an adorable stuffy into a delicious, mutated monster.

 

Remaining contestants: 

Megan Aucone, Pastry Chef and Cake Artist from Sayreville, New Jersey

Thierry Aujard, Executive Pastry Chef from Norristown, Pennsylvania

Lillian Chng, Home Bakery Owner from San Diego, California

Aaron Davis, Pastry Lead from Surprise, Arizona (on Season 9 of Holiday Baking Championship, he made the finale, but didn't win).

Joel Gonzalez, Executive Pastry Chef from Scottsdale, Arizona

JL Hinojosa, Pastry Chef de Partie from Austin, Texas

Manny Martinez, Bakery Owner from San Antonio, Texas (His bakery is called The Grim Bakery, all scary themed products. They do scary themed desserts for other holidays too. ) 

Hollie Rivera, Assistant Pastry Chef from Winnipeg, Manitoba

(Samantha and Carly were eliminated, and cryofrozen)

Thriller Challenge: Team challenge, stuffed desserts inspired by candy corn flavors. Hollie and JL are doing a nose with boogers pouring out of it.   All of the desserts are disgusting looking, it may be the challenge, but I'm glad it's past dinner time for me.  Lillian and Joel's is fantastically gory, and sugar work is spectacular.   Hollie and Joel's nose with boogers is interesting, and gory, with great sugar work.   Manny and Aaron's is spectacular, and the judge's favorite.  Thierry and Megan is really gory, great sugar work.     

Top Two: Aaron and Manny

Winners: Aaron and Manny, both get immunity in the Killer challenge. 

Killer Challenge: Use a stuffy as inspiration for a mutated monster.   Some monsters look fantastic, JL's isn't doing well at all.  The judges are all dressed at bunnies.   

Lillian's is great, it's a sheep monster. 

Joel made a fantastic cake. 

Aaron made a pig that's wonderful, and tastes great too. 

Megan's is great, with excellent sugar work, judges love the taste. 

Thierry's is interesting, a very strange looking unicorn zebra, but not creepy.

Manny's Tiger is bizarre, and creepy looking.  Carla says Manny took advantage of his immunity and didn't try hard enough.   

Hollie's is wild, a monster chicken. 

JL's is a giraffe monster, not a good effort, but not creepy or cohesive enough.   Not a good effort.      

Top Two:  Lillian and Aaron

Winner:  Lillian

Bottom Two:   JL and Joel

Sent to Cryofreezer:  JL

[Frost]

Thank goodness!  JL is gone!  Wasn't he in the bottom two three weeks in a row?  I was really worried about Thierry and his broken cookie tubes.  I was yelling (in my head), "Don't screw this up and let JL skate by another week!"

Lilli is really stepping up.  She has a wicked imagination.  Aaron almost seems like a ringer this season.

[libgirl2]

58 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Lillian enjoys Irish cream in her Sunday morning coffee. She might be a bit off the wall but I'm warming up to her.

So am I. I really thought she would be too sweet for the theme, but she is twisted! 

[MerBearHou]

The only ding (for me) against Lilian is that her energy when she’s working in the kitchen is manic!  It’s like she’s at 2X the speed every step of the way.  But she’s super sweet, very dorky and is having a ball.  

Oh my gosh, JL had to go — he was in over his head.  Nice guy but not at the level of the others.  

I continue to be absolutely amazed at the costuming of the judges in the 2nd round.  They blow me away.  

[mlp]

I've liked Lillian since the beginning.  She's a bit quirky but she's not putting it on for the cameras.  It's who she is.  I figured she'd win based upon the effusive praise from the judges but I didn't understand why her sheep didn't have ears or why none of them mentioned it.  I would never have guessed "sheep" just by looking at it.  

Thierry is going to get himself chopped if he doesn't get with the Halloween/creepy themes.  He's immensely talented and I don't want to see him go.

[libgirl2]

5 hours ago, mlp said:

Thierry is going to get himself chopped if he doesn't get with the Halloween/creepy themes.  He's immensely talented and I don't want to see him go.

I could not figure out how that zebra was scary. Weird maybe but not scary. It must have tasted good because I thought he would be bottom 2. 

[mojoween]

Jesse is always kind to the contestants on his shows, but Jon is just … more.  I can’t quite explain it but his interactions with the bakers are just so great.

I actually hated Lillian’s sheep because it was visually unpleasant, and not in a creepy gory Halloween-y way.

[KittyMom4]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

I actually hated Lillian’s sheep because it was visually unpleasant, and not in a creepy gory Halloween-y way.

Same! I thought it was gross, not scary, "I have acid reflux" is not a representation of Halloween. To me it did not strongly resemble a sheep, I did not see what the judges saw. I have no doubt she can bake but I don't think the Halloween Baking Championship is really her strong suit.  

[libgirl2]

11 minutes ago, KittyMom4 said:

Same! I thought it was gross, not scary, "I have acid reflux" is not a representation of Halloween. To me it did not strongly resemble a sheep, I did not see what the judges saw. I have no doubt she can bake but I don't think the Halloween Baking Championship is really her strong suit.  

I like Lillian, she is having such a great time. And I get where she was going even though it didn't look too much like a sheep, but Joel's didn't look like a cow. 

[Seelouis]

I don’t understand how JL was consistently bleeding so much time. Why did it take him so much time to get the tart shell in the oven?

Edited October 1 by Seelouis

[KittyMom4]

1 hour ago, Seelouis said:

I don’t understand how JL was consistently bleeding so much time. Why did it take him so much time to get the tart shell in the oven?

I didn't understand it either, while I'm sure the conditions on this show are vastly different than in a real bakery, there still has to be some kind of time management skill necessary. 

 

[carrps]

17 hours ago, Frost said:

 I was really worried about Thierry and his broken cookie tubes.  I was yelling (in my head), "Don't screw this up and let JL skate by another week!"

We yelled it out loud!

 

2 hours ago, KittyMom4 said:

I didn't understand it either, while I'm sure the conditions on this show are vastly different than in a real bakery, there still has to be some kind of time management skill necessary. 

 

We didn't get it, either. It's like he does futsy little things, then, in the last hour, it's like "Oh, I have to bake a cake!" or "Oh, I need to make pate a choux!" He has skills, but his time management is horrendous. Wouldn't anyone think that whatever needs to be baked should be the first thing done? Then, you can do everything else while it's in the oven. And if it needs to be frosted, it'll have time to freakin' cool. I wish J L luck, but timed competition is not for him.

[rlc]

The right person went home, if only for the reason that it was too confusing to have a contestant named JL and a contestant named Joel.