Season Four Episode Talk

[Amarsir]

On 11/29/2017 at 6:33 PM, Destiny74 said:

Ain’t nuttin’ wrong with cool whip!  ?

Hell, you can combine it with box cake mix, drop cookies on a sheet and be through a prelim round on this show in 15 minutes.

[Shermie]

Buy vanilla extract in Mexico, its real and its spectacular. 

I'll agree that Cool Whip is acceptable, but margarine is vile. Always choose butter.

As for the show, the editors are having fun with the judges' comments. "More spice!" "I can't taste the ginger!" "Where's the spiciness?" followed by "Too much spice!"

[penbrat]

Who went off this week?  I missed the episode.

[MerBearHou]

1 hour ago, penbrat said:

Who went off this week?  I missed the episode.

Amy

[jcbrown]

Glad Amy is gone. I didn't like her for some reason. Her stupid hair bugged me and she mispronounced mascarpone on this episode.

[Aimless]

Quote

 Her stupid hair bugged me and she mispronounced mascarpone on this episode.

As soon as she said that dreaded word I was like "Oh lord - the Previously.TV boards are gonna light up tomorrow!"  Truth be told, I learned the proper pronunciation from this site!

Edited December 5, 2017 by Aimless

[Vixen]

Does it seem fair to anyone else how the judges raved about stephany when she used ready-made puff pastry for her preheat and then ready-made filo for her final dessert? Jennifer gets called out because hers wasn't a cake, but cheese in filo is not a cake either. And at least Jennifer made her pastry herself. I can't believe someone got into the final four using predominantly premade food. 

[Wings]

Some of these creations sound terrible.  I don't relate to xmas food as having a certain flavor profile.  I have 3 desserts I make.   I cook savory stuff and damn good at it too!   

My 3 favorites: Pineapple Upside Down cake,  Strawberry Shortcake or this very special chocolate cake that is unique (my kids request this for everything). 

Putting cinnamon in caramel sauce makes it xmassy?  no 

I don't remember their names but I am rooting for either of the 2 men to win.  I don't like that woman.   

[Grommet]

I had no idea that vanilla extract is made with vodka. Huh. I get the big bottle and it lasts a long time. I occasionally spring for the fancy vanilla bean paste because I love vanilla but I'm not sure I can tell the difference. 

I like everyone in the final 4. This is certainly not Bake Off caliber but it's entertaining, except for the horrible twists.

Nancy annoys me but she looks great. And Lorraine seems nicer. 

[crazycatlady58]

56 minutes ago, Grommet said:

I had no idea that vanilla extract is made with vodka. Huh. I get the big bottle and it lasts a long time. I occasionally spring for the fancy vanilla bean paste because I love vanilla but I'm not sure I can tell the difference. 

I like everyone in the final 4. This is certainly not Bake Off caliber but it's entertaining, except for the horrible twists.

Nancy annoys me but she looks great. And Lorraine seems nicer. 

I think you can use any alcohol .  I used vodka because  it is cheap  and has not flavor, you can also use rum I think.

[kj4ever]

13 hours ago, Vixen said:

Does it seem fair to anyone else how the judges raved about stephany when she used ready-made puff pastry for her preheat and then ready-made filo for her final dessert? Jennifer gets called out because hers wasn't a cake, but cheese in filo is not a cake either. And at least Jennifer made her pastry herself. I can't believe someone got into the final four using predominantly premade food. 

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought that.  Stephany used filo in the main heat too.  And on a shallow note her hair just bugs me.  You are on TV FFS, look in a mirror and brush your damn hair.  

I like Jennifer a lot, and if I had to pick it is Joshua and Jennifer for me.  They are the ones that make me want to taste their desserts for sure.

[joanne3482]

19 hours ago, jcbrown said:

Glad Amy is gone. I didn't like her for some reason. Her stupid hair bugged me and she mispronounced mascarpone on this episode.

I felt like she was trying too hard to be the "cool" mom. 

[Mrs. P.]

This show isn't in the same class as the Great British Baking Shows, but this final four can bake. Rooting for Joshua but any of them would be worthy winners.

[amitville]

20 hours ago, jcbrown said:

Glad Amy is gone. I didn't like her for some reason. Her stupid hair bugged me and she mispronounced mascarpone on this episode.

I think Amy rocked her haircut sadly her baking did not match her cutting edge look

[festivus]

22 hours ago, Vixen said:

Does it seem fair to anyone else how the judges raved about stephany when she used ready-made puff pastry for her preheat and then ready-made filo for her final dessert? Jennifer gets called out because hers wasn't a cake, but cheese in filo is not a cake either. And at least Jennifer made her pastry herself. I can't believe someone got into the final four using predominantly premade food. 

I think they want the finale to be between Josh and Stephany so they aren't going to ding her too hard on anything. I like Jennifer better myself, but I want Josh to win. He thinks outside the box better than anyone else and I actually remember the stuff he's made. I wish they'd put up the recipes for his stuff. Still dreaming about that champagne desert. I'd love to make that for New Year's.

[Jesse]

I totally saw Josh taking out trash at the restaurant where he's the pastry chef today! I should go there some time just for dessert (dinner is $$$).

[LittleIggy]

On 12/5/2017 at 11:48 AM, MerBearHou said:

Amy

She wore a top for the first time that covered her cleavage and lost! ? 

[Mrs. DuRona]

Jennifer's Wisconsin accent was super Wisconsin last night, haha.  Mr. D and I figured it was either Amy or the other guy, so we weren't too surprised.  For what it's worth, I actually didn't mind her at all, and never found her attire to be all that bad.  She dressed comfortably to her - similar to how I dress when I bake.  I never once thought she showed too much (or really any that I noticed) cleavage.

We're both fully aboard the Josh train.  He is just so thoughtful with his plates.

Stephany still annoys the crap out of me.  Especially since Ms. Master Baker used premade shit TWICE IN THE SAME EPISODE.  UGH.

[dleighg]

7 minutes ago, Mrs. DuRona said:

We're both fully aboard the Josh train.  He is just so thoughtful with his plates.

 

He is so creative! I loved his individual snowflakes.

[Amarsir]

On 12/5/2017 at 2:22 PM, jcbrown said:

Glad Amy is gone. I didn't like her for some reason. Her stupid hair bugged me and she mispronounced mascarpone on this episode.

She reminded me of Kate Gosselin, which isn't her fault but certainly didn't help.

[cherrypj]

On 11/29/2017 at 3:21 PM, Qoass said:

Now that I've confessed to using the artificial stuff, I will further confess that in cases when I've had the real stuff I couldn't really tell the difference.

I can’t either. I would bet that only the most refined palates could. I mean, you use a teaspoon in a dish with a cup or two of some other liquid? It’s an enhancement, not a huge flavor boost. 

I did buy vanilla bean paste once. It didn’t add anything, that I could tell, other than the lovely little flecks of vanilla in the batter. 

Heres more on that: http://www.seriouseats.com/2017/12/how-to-choose-the-best-vanilla-extract.html

[jcbrown]

4 hours ago, Amarsir said:

She reminded me of Kate Gosselin, which isn't her fault but certainly didn't help.

That might be it! Thanks!

[Wings]

On 12/5/2017 at 3:42 PM, wings707 said:

Some of these creations sound terrible.  I don't relate to xmas food as having a certain flavor profile.  I have 3 desserts I make.   I love to cook but I am not a baker. 

My 3 favorites: Pineapple Upside Down cake,  Strawberry Shortcake or this very special chocolate cake that is unique (my kids request this for everything). 

Putting cinnamon in caramel sauce makes it xmassy?  no 

I don't remember their names but I am rooting for either of the 2 men to win.  I don't like that woman.   

Edited December 9, 2017 by wings707

[Wicked Biscuit]

I'm not bothered that Stephany used premade puff pastry or phyllo dough. I think the puff pastry dough she used was a laminated dough that requires folding the dough with layers of butter (and then long wait periods so the butter stays set) - there's no way she could have made it in the time period given. I believe phyllo is also time-intensive (and most recipes I've seen using it tell you to buy the premade stuff).

As for real versus imitation vanilla extract, my grandmother always believed in just using copious amounts of liquor in place of vanilla extract. She used whatever she happened to have (rum, scotch, brandy, cognac, etc) and I swear her chocolate chip cookies were the best in the world.

[Mrs. P.]

They wound up with the right final three, IMO.  I'd like to see Josh win. If not him, then Jennifer. I like Stephany the least, though I can see that she's a very accomplished Baker.

[Wings]

@Wicked Biscuit yes, all chefs use already made puff pastry and filo. 

I want Josh to win.  

[Frost]

I felt bad for Stephany after her fall last night, but I'm still glad she seems to be the last of the three!  I don't know what it is, she seems perfectly nice, but she just grates for some reason.  I also want Josh to win, with Jennifer in second.  Jennifer really appears to be peaking at the right time.  Plus, I work with a lot of people from La Crosse so if she opens her own bakery, I can go visit!

[BusyOctober]

Those fruitcakes made me really really want to try one!  I ate one bite of the old fashioned, heavy as a brick kind of fruitcake when I was 5 or 6 b/c I had to per my mom.  We were living on base and were invited to my dad's flight commander's house for a Christmas party.  The officer's wife was from England and made her fruitcake as a "special treat" for the kids.  I was given a slice and my mom whispered I only had to take one polite bite.  That's all it took for me to never ever touch the vile fruitcake again.

Stephany irks me as well, but I can't say why.  I'm a chocolate cake lover, so her's sounded the most delicious to me.  Bonus points for 'not having enough fruit' in it!

Josh us my favorite.  Everything he makes (except those jelly donuts) looks so beautiful and picture perfect.  Jennifer's farm story got me a little teary, and I have never had to do barn chores before opening gifts in my life!  She definitely earned brownie points from Nancy on that story.

[BoffoDaWonderSheep]

I'm annoyed that they showed the final cakes for the next episode in the previews that ran at the end. Kind of kills the suspense.

[dleighg]

Joshua's red fruitcakes were spectacular. But did anyone understand what the whizzing in of the sheet of gold leaf into the glaze accomplished? Were there tiny little sparkles in it? I wish they had shown or said what the purpose of it other than him saying "I saw this on the internet" :)

[Spunkygal]

4 hours ago, BoffoDaWonderSheep said:

I'm annoyed that they showed the final cakes for the next episode in the previews that ran at the end. Kind of kills the suspense.

Lots of shows ruin the final product this way, not just HBC. Halloween Wars, Christmas Cake Wars (when it used to be on ..sniff), Christmas Cookie Challenge, etc., all do this during the intro to the actual show and I have to make a point to not watch that part.

[Maya]

3 hours ago, dleighg said:

Joshua's red fruitcakes were spectacular. But did anyone understand what the whizzing in of the sheet of gold leaf into the glaze accomplished? Were there tiny little sparkles in it? I wish they had shown or said what the purpose of it other than him saying "I saw this on the internet" :)

They looked amazing but the flavor combo was a little questionable IMO - fruitcake, butterscotch filling with fruit pieces, and raspberry meringue. I can’t even imagine how that would taste, but I’m thinking not good. 

[Amarsir]

10 hours ago, Frost said:

I felt bad for Stephany after her fall last night, but I'm still glad she seems to be the last of the three!  I don't know what it is, she seems perfectly nice, but she just grates for some reason.

Stephany to me has the demeanor of someone who talks to kids a lot and it affects how she talks to adults. Like there's a slight overemphasis that is suited for instructing children but could come across pushy to peers. And she is a teacher, but it's at the International Culinary Center so that doesn't quite line up.

[Rammchick]

What I'd like to know is, did FN blow the budget on Jesse's salary?  Why doesn't every baker get their own fryolater, or at least access to a professional one?  What's all this nonsense with frying sufganyiot in a pot with a thermometer?

Being a member of the tribe, it didn't surprise that none of them knew anything about Chanukah.  But really?  Snowmen?  

Edited December 13, 2017 by Rammchick

[LittleIggy]

How cool that people in biblical times made jelly donuts! ;-) ?

[theatremouse]

4 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

How cool that people in biblical times made jelly donuts! ;-) ?

It's an oil-based holiday. You do anything with oil, you're on theme.

[festivus]

I actually liked all of the final four for once so I was sorry if any one of them had to go. I HATE fruitcake, but I thought they all did a good job with the challenge and I thought Grandma Puddin' was adorable. The judges were getting on my last nerve, I may have yelled Shutup! at the TV a few times.

[Wings]

9 hours ago, theatremouse said:

It's an oil-based holiday. You do anything with oil, you're on theme.

Interesting.  I just googled to learn more about this.  It is specifically olive oil and they eat a lot of fried foods during this holiday including jelly donuts.  Cheese pancakes fried in olive oil morphed into latkes but no one knows why.  There is no significance to the colors of blue and white.  

Quote

Hanukkah is not about feasting. It’s not about gorging monstrous amounts of potato latkes or jelly doughnuts, or even about receiving eight presents — one for each night of the holiday. What we really celebrate on the 25th day of Kislev, which, according to the Hebrew calendar, falls this year on Thanksgiving Day, are the events we learned in Sunday school — how one tiny cask of olive oil performed a miracle and saved the Jewish people.

[kj4ever]

I never get when they do a challenge that doesn't have actual baking in it on a show called Holiday Baking Championship.  

[dleighg]

21 minutes ago, Wings said:

There is no significance to the colors of blue and white.  

well, those are the colors of the Israeli flag, so I believe that is why most wrapping paper and such comes in that color.

[Wings]

59 minutes ago, dleighg said:

well, those are the colors of the Israeli flag, so I believe that is why most wrapping paper and such comes in that color.

Makes sense.  The articles online I saw didn't even mention this.  Maybe they meant that there was no religious reason. 

Edited December 13, 2017 by Wings

[Mrs. DuRona]

"It looks like something my 4th grade Sunday school made" - we were dying at Josh's doughnuts.  Is it just me or did Duff look really good tonight?  Is it because they did the Hanukkah themed challenge?  Also, is this the first time they've had a specifically Hanukkah challenge?

Stephany still gets on my nerves, but yeah, they got the right top 3.  I would be happy with either Jennifer or Josh - they both make things I want to eat, and both seem genuinely nice.  I liked that Josh had a good sense of humor over his preheat failure and didn't have a crying fit or something. 

And yes, I wish they hadn't have shown the final cakes in the preview.   

[TomGirl]

13 hours ago, dleighg said:

well, those are the colors of the Israeli flag, so I believe that is why most wrapping paper and such comes in that color.

True, but the blue and white color scheme was associated with Judaism and Jewish holidays long before the state of Israel was created.  From a poem written in 1864: “Blue and white are the colours of Judah; white is the radiance of the priesthood, and blue, the splendors of the firmament."

OK, back to baking!

[Qoass]

It cracked me up when the judges said they wish that Ian had added some silver color to his dessert and he immediately whipped around while Stephany meekly said, "Sorry!".

[Wings]

10 minutes ago, Qoass said:

It cracked me up when the judges said they wish that Ian had added some silver color to his dessert and he immediately whipped around while Stephany meekly said, "Sorry!".

I missed that.  I gather she told him not to do that, right?  

[Qoass]

Yes, he was grabbing colored sprinkles and asked her if silver would be good and she firmly told him to use blue and white only.

[Simon47]

On 12/5/2017 at 2:22 PM, jcbrown said:

Glad Amy is gone. I didn't like her for some reason. Her stupid hair bugged me and she mispronounced mascarpone on this episode.

I liked Amy's hairstyle, but certainly she was a bit too confused and didn't blend in with the rest of the folks, so I am relieved she is gone too.

[susannot]

I no longer dislike Jesse.  I think he has been a good host.  His enthusiasm for the bakers has grown on me.  Now I like him and think he is good-looking.

 

Joshua is just adorable and so talented.  I like both of the older women too so no matter who wins I'm happy.

[Wings]

The minute I saw Jennifer's finished goose cake I knew she would win. Beautiful and whimsical at the same time.  Very.cool cake. 

[suebee12]

I was pulling for Joshua but I knew that his petit fours were going to come back and bite him because it was obvious that he used left over cake. I was glad that Jennifer beat Stephany. Second year in a row that a home baker won! Go home bakers! I was truly tired of hearing Stephany tell us she was a Master Baker...we knew that and in the end, it really didn't matter! She just seemed like she thought her degrees were going to win it for her, but Jennifer showed that putting yourself in your baking is what it took!

Next week looks like fun but geez, we get Cheryl back again...I could live forever and be happy that I didn't have to see her ever again!