Spring Baking Championship - General Discussion

[Frost]

Robert is American/Canadian.  Alex is French.  I think a number of prior comments are actually talking about Alex...but I could be wrong! 😄

[RoxiP]

I had never heard of a hand pie until I started watching baking shows.  I was raised with fried pies (which are the best thing ever) but never heard it referred to as a hand pie.

Darn, didn't know there were two episodes.

I thought Sandro deserved to go home simply because he did not work with his partner - he went ahead and iced his cake without taking into consideration this was a team challenge and the cakes were supposed to be cohesive. Perhaps his definition of cohesive was different from what the judges wanted.  Plus he barely got his bubbles on the cake (don't get me wrong - I wouldn't be unhappy to see Zoe go - she is kind of a chalk on a board person to me).

[libgirl2]

49 minutes ago, RoxiP said:

I thought Sandro deserved to go home simply because he did not work with his partner - he went ahead and iced his cake without taking into consideration this was a team challenge and the cakes were supposed to be cohesive. Perhaps his definition of cohesive was different from what the judges wanted.  Plus he barely got his bubbles on the cake (don't get me wrong - I wouldn't be unhappy to see Zoe go - she is kind of a chalk on a board person to me).

It really was a toss up between those two as both equally deserved to go. Sometimes with teams of two, one person was better and should stay, not in this case. I didn't think the cake looked THAT bad, but those bubbles! 

[tennisgurl]

I thought all of the bubble cakes looked great, even the one that ended up losing was still cute. The mimosa one definitely deserved to win, it looked so good! While those seemed great and I thought the Baked Alaska's looked mostly nice (loved the igloo), I was underwhelmed by the bug desserts. It felt like most of the bakers didn't really get how to make bugs look nice and just gave up and made them way too abstract, which is too bad because I would think there are tons of ways to make bugs cute or elegant. 

If he wasn't paired with Zoe Sandro would probably still be here, but he really should have done more to work with her instead of around her. I like Zoe, but she was definitely the right person to send home. In general it seems like they are doing a good job at getting rid of the right people and rewarding people who are doing a good job, no one seems to be getting special treatment or kept around past their expiration date. 

I really need to find a Baked Alaska, every time I see it on a cooking show it looks delicious but I never see it on menus when I go out. 

Edited March 19 by tennisgurl

[MerBearHou]

@tennisgurl I really agree -- very few actually made bugs that were recognizable to me.  Even though I think Steven is a big talent, his bee interpretation was pretty darn faint -- very, very questionable like "is that a bee??"  I do not like bugs, but some of these could have been fun for the bakers to actually do.

Here in Houston there is a restaurant called Bloom & Bee that has a Baked Alaska that is to die for!  And they do flame it at the table.  It has a cute pastry bee on top and is made to look like a bee-hive dome.  

Edited March 19 by MerBearHou

[RoxiP]

Haven't any of these people seen a Bug's Life?  

[libgirl2]

17 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

@tennisgurl I really agree -- very few actually made bugs that were recognizable to me.  Even though I think Steven is a big talent, his bee interpretation was pretty darn faint -- very, very questionable like "is that a bee??"  I do not like bugs, but some of these could have been fun for the bakers to actually do.

Here in Houston there is a restaurant called Bloom & Bee that has a Baked Alaska that is to die for!  And they do flame it at the table.  It has a cute pastry bee on top and is made to look like a bee-hive dome.  

You know who would have made a great bug? Hollie from the Halloween BC. If only she could restrain the gore. 

[mlp]

I don't think I would have realized any of those desserts were supposed to be abstract bugs if I hadn't been told beforehand.  Even knowing the assignment, I thought most of them were really reaching.

[libgirl2]

52 minutes ago, mlp said:

I don't think I would have realized any of those desserts were supposed to be abstract bugs if I hadn't been told beforehand.  Even knowing the assignment, I thought most of them were really reaching.

I wonder how the judges would have taken an actual real looking one? 

[2soon2tell]

The only place I have seen baked Alaska on the menu recently is a cruise ship. It’s also the only place I’ve seen molten lava cakes in the recent past. 
 

so, I zipped through the last episode and it looked like everyone, including Alex, had a flag of some sort. Maybe he was given the option of not doing one and just did it anyway?

[Rammchick]

On 3/19/2024 at 3:16 PM, 2soon2tell said:

so, I zipped through the last episode and it looked like everyone, including Alex, had a flag of some sort. Maybe he was given the option of not doing one and just did it anyway?

Someone above -- sorry, I can't remember who it was -- suggested that was the twist we weren't shown.  That makes sense, since all of the cakes had some sort of flag on it.  Not sure why the twist presentation/instructions were edited out -- that makes no sense to me.

ETA -- It was 2soon2tell who mentioned the flag, in fact, in the post right above mine!  Sorry :)

Edited March 21 by Rammchick

[Pallida]

2 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

Someone above -- sorry, I can't remember who it was -- suggested that was the twist we weren't shown.  That makes sense, since all of the cakes had some sort of flag on it.  Not sure why the twist presentation/instructions were edited out -- that makes no sense to me.

Probably because it didn't produce enough drama? So silly.

[Pi237]

I loved the bubble cakes!  So clever!  
Seeing Nancy in that necklace, I flashed on “They’re thunder beads”

[GiandujaPie]

I noticed the flags too. I figured that was the twist but it was edited out because of time or didn't figure enough into the judging. I knew Zoe was going to be out because she hasn't done very well and seems to always be on the bottom without being the worst until this one. 

[libgirl2]

Just now, GiandujaPie said:

I noticed the flags too. I figured that was the twist but it was edited out because of time or didn't figure enough into the judging. I knew Zoe was going to be out because she hasn't done very well and seems to always be on the bottom without being the worst until this one. 

When I saw the first flag, I thought it was just the baker adding it. The second flag, I was wondering what was going on. I agree, something was left out about that. 

[susannot]

This has probably been said already, but all the meringues looked messy and unappetizing, even Steven's.  Only Anna's looked tight and neat, and her igloo was adorable.

[carrps]

18 hours ago, susannot said:

Only Anna's looked tight and neat, and her igloo was adorable.

Wasn't it Sabrina who did the igloo???

[RoxiP]

Is Anna the Greek girl?  If so she did not do the igloo cake.  I'm still sorting out the bakers...

There's Steven, dark haired and glasses, excellent baking skills

Robert - is he the kind of chubby-faced guy who made the broken purple butterflies (but at least they looked like a bug!)

Alex - French guy

Anna - Green girl?

Two blonde girls whom I haven't figured out yet (but apparently one of them is Sabrina)

Drawing a blank on any other contestants...

Those flags were ugly and distracting and should have been left off because they ruined the looks of many of those baked alaskas.  In my humble but accurate opinion. Maybe that's why they weren't mentioned.

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, RoxiP said:

Is Anna the Greek girl?  If so she did not do the igloo cake.  I'm still sorting out the bakers...

There's Steven, dark haired and glasses, excellent baking skills

Robert - is he the kind of chubby-faced guy who made the broken purple butterflies (but at least they looked like a bug!)

Alex - French guy

Anna - Green girl?

Two blonde girls whom I haven't figured out yet (but apparently one of them is Sabrina)

Drawing a blank on any other contestants...

Those flags were ugly and distracting and should have been left off because they ruined the looks of many of those baked alaskas.  In my humble but accurate opinion. Maybe that's why they weren't mentioned.

That is right, Anna is the Greek girl. It was one of the blondes that made the igloo. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Programming schedule is changed for Monday 25 March, rerun of the 18th episode is 5 to 7 p.m. Central, new episode for the 25th is 7 to 8 p.m. Central.   8 to 9 p.m. on Mondays are Chopped reruns.  

Edited March 23 by CrazyInAlabama

[Splashy]

So last week's episode had an equinox theme and I wondered why they didn't use that for this week's episode since the equinox took place on Tuesday. Then the first of this week's episodes was an awards show theme, and I thought, why didn't they do this last week when it would've aired the night after the Oscars? Did they switch these 2 episodes? There were also a couple of small comments from the bakers that had me thinking they were. 

But that doesn't work with how the eliminations went. 

I'm confused. 

 

Edited March 23 by Splashy
Browser glitched and somehow posted my message twice.

[TVbitch]

On 3/19/2024 at 1:06 AM, Rammchick said:

Also, Baked Alaska is supposed to be flaming -- brought to the table, doused in alcohol and lit on fire.  Not pre-torched.

I was so bummed when they didn't go up in flames! 

Wow Duff still sounds stuffed up, poor thing. 

[dleighg]

8 hours ago, Splashy said:

So last week's episode had an equinox theme and I wondered why they didn't use that for this week's episode since the equinox took place on Tuesday. Then the first of this week's episodes was an awards show theme, and I thought, why didn't they do this last week when it would've aired the night after the Oscars?

One could similarly ask why they did "Earth Day" a full month before Earth Day.

[Splashy]

9 hours ago, dleighg said:

One could similarly ask why they did "Earth Day" a full month before Earth Day.

Yes! I noticed that, as well. They also could have done something for St. Patrick's Day and saved Earth Day for April. 

[Lois Sandborne]

On 3/12/2024 at 2:07 PM, Ohmo said:

I think of Ace of Cakes when a cake got ruined on the way to the venue.  It was all hands that Duff could get and they produced a completely new decorated cake in about 3 hours.  I think the twists are supposed to be "What do you do when there's a curve to your careful plan?"

Sure, but I doubt there was an episode or a time in Duff's actual professional life where someone called two hours before the event and said, "Yeah, the bride meant to tell you she really loves olives. Work that in please." The twists are awkward, and I don't think they're a good benchmark to judge baking skill. Them seeming to cut the flag bit out this week suggests the show finds it pretty disposable too.

This series to me is usually good with challenge times, but giving them two hours to do a highly decorated baked Alaska was pretty strict. They all ended up looking kind of sloppy, but I thought Nickey's grassland was okay. And the igloo was very cute.

 

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I enjoyed the bubble cakes, but I'm not a fan of team challenges. Zoe and Sandro were a bad match, and I wish Zoe had left instead of Sandro.  

In the Earth Day / Bug episode, none of those desserts looked like bugs. 

Several of the baked Alaskas didn't look like a tasty dessert either.  Robert's Alaska looked awful. Zoe's polar bears looked more like Basset hounds, and it was melting.  The Igloo was so cute.  I loved Alex's desert oasis looked cute.  Rochelle's looked awful, and melted. I didn't like the look of Kate's, it looked like asparagus.   I loved Alex, Steven, and Sabrina's baked Alaska.   I wish they had done a double elimination Zoe and Rochelle.  

I wish the judges would decide if the contest is great decoration, over great taste.  

[Maya]

I feel like every season there’s a seemingly pleasant and talented baker who the judges hate for no reason, and this season, it’s Sabrina. 

[Splashy]

On 3/22/2024 at 8:20 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Programming schedule is changed for Monday 25 March, rerun of the 18th episode is 5 to 7 p.m. Central, new episode for the 25th is 7 to 8 p.m. Central.   8 to 9 p.m. on Mondays are Chopped reruns.  

I just looked at my guide (Verizon Fios in DC Metro area) and there is no new episode listed for tonight ... ??? It lists the Earth Day / bug-inspired episode, and one from 2021 with Ali Khan hosting, but that's it. Anyone else not seeing a new episode listed?

Just looked at the FN website and they do have a new episode listed for 8:00pm eastern time. I'm hoping the descriptions are just messed up and they are indeed showing a new episode. ???

[CrazyInAlabama]

1 hour ago, Splashy said:

I just looked at my guide (Verizon Fios in DC Metro area) and there is no new episode listed for tonight ... ??? It lists the Earth Day / bug-inspired episode, and one from 2021 with Ali Khan hosting, but that's it. Anyone else not seeing a new episode listed?

Just looked at the FN website and they do have a new episode listed for 8:00pm eastern time. I'm hoping the descriptions are just messed up and they are indeed showing a new episode. ???

FN and Titan TV both list a new episode, from 7 to 8 Central time.   

I've noticed that either the data isn't sent correctly or on time, so the websites default to loading past information, or someone at the channel uploaded the wrong information.  I've noticed a lack of episode information during holiday periods, and it's Spring Break a lot of places.   

Edited March 25 by CrazyInAlabama

[Splashy]

4 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

FN and Titan TV both list a new episode, from 7 to 8 Central time.   

I've noticed that either the data isn't sent correctly or on time, so the websites default to loading past information, or someone at the channel uploaded the wrong information.  I've noticed a lack of episode information during holiday periods, and it's Spring Break a lot of places.   

I hope you're right. I usually record it and watch it when I get a chance, so I'll see what's on the DVR tomorrow. Thanks for the info! 😊

[CrazyInAlabama]

Anna's doughnut doesn't look appealing when they cut it open.  I love the outside though.   There are some lovely looking Holi doughnuts with so many cute colors.  Alex's isn't attractive, or up to his usual standards.  I like how they're picking partners instead of letting one person pair everyone up. 

Some of the elephant cakes were spectacular, but the one that Sabrina and Katelyn did was awful, Sabrina had too little time to do a good job with her part of the elephant cake, and it showed. .  I loved Steven and Anna's cake.  Rochelle and Alex did a great job too.  Nicky and Robert did a lovely cake too.   Sabrina and Katelyn's was such a failure.   It looked like Sabrina's elephant head was way too heavy to stay in place.

The elephant cake challenge is another reason I don't like the team challenges, this time it was easy to see who screwed up, but it isn't always that clear.   

Edited March 27 by CrazyInAlabama

[Grizzly]

Future contestants better practice doughnuts. Show seems to like assigning them as something different to cakes.

[JudgeyMcJudgyPants]

Oof-that headless elephant was a hot mess!  It’s too bad because I think Sabrina has some skills.

Way too much crying this episode.  Pull yourselves together.

Everyone seemed to shit the bed on the preheat.  As I’ve said before (see previous comment regarding red ninja turtle), you will never see me on this show.  However, if I was ever to appear on any of these baking shows, there’s a number of items I would practice well in advance and donuts would be at the top of that list!

[mlp]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Sabrina and Katelyn's was such a failure.   

The cake was a failure but it was mostly Sabrina's fault.  She screwed up something she claimed to be really good at and then blamed the mess on "time" during judging.  I felt bad for Katelyn who was really trying to salvage the bake.  Sabrina needed to go.

[CheshireCat]

On 3/19/2024 at 7:55 AM, Frost said:

Robert is American/Canadian.  Alex is French.  I think a number of prior comments are actually talking about Alex...but I could be wrong! 😄

You're so right. I don't know what it is with this season but I can't keep the names straight. (Should be getting better now that there are fewer contestants, though).

 

On 3/22/2024 at 10:23 PM, TVbitch said:

Wow Duff still sounds stuffed up, poor thing. 

I noticed that, too, and the strange thing was, he only sounded stuffed up during the second judging, not the first.

 

On 3/23/2024 at 4:54 PM, Lois Sandborne said:

Sure, but I doubt there was an episode or a time in Duff's actual professional life where someone called two hours before the event and said, "Yeah, the bride meant to tell you she really loves olives. Work that in please." 

Even if that happened, more likely than not, he'd tell the customer that it's too late, the cake is nearly finished or being packed up for delivery or out for delivery.

Additionally, any changes would change the price. At the very least, the customers would have paid a down payment at this point, if not the whole price, so I doubt that any baker would actually make any changes to a cake a couple of hours before delivery.

Speaking of twists, I didn't see anything that looked like it might have been the twist in tonight's episode.

 

28 minutes ago, mlp said:

The cake was a failure but it was mostly Sabrina's fault.  She screwed up something she claimed to be really good at and then blamed the mess on "time" during judging.  I felt bad for Katelyn who was really trying to salvage the bake.  Sabrina needed to go.

Judging from the pictures they showed, Sabrina is definitely really good at it. She would also have been right that it was a timing issue; she said the cake wasn't as cool as it should be and it's those things that mess up 3D cakes.

What I think she should have realized is that the cake wouldn't have enough time to chill. Maybe, though, she thought they'd manage. 
I wonder why they didn't make a sitting elephant. That way, they could have supported the head on the cake board.

One other thing I noticed was that the rice cereals looked really dry. I don't work with them as I don't eat them and I've always found a way to make it work without them but I wonder if she could have used some more marshmallows, too.

I agree that it was right to send her home, though. She was responsible and I felt like she acknowledged that, too.

As far as the first challenge was concerned, with the exception of Nikki's, the doughnuts all looked very dark to the point where I wondered if they might taste slightly burned. Since none of the judges said they did, I guess they didn't. Still, I think that the bakers might have chosen to make the oil hotter than it should have been so that their pastries baked quicker.
I was surprised that one of the bakers used Pate a Choux. I don't know if she had experience with that dough and frying but it's not something I'd choose.

Edited March 26 by CheshireCat

[Irlandesa]

I feel like they're doing a lot of cakes this season.  Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought cakes used to be mostly reserved for the final challenge and they'd do a variety of different desserts for the final challenge  By the time we get to the finale, we'll be caked out.

I didn't love the way this team challenge elimination was handled.  Usually they at least have a more clear delineation of what one partner did vs. the other partner but these efforts were truly togetherness.  I imagine they must have relied on the producers to tell them who did what.

That said, Sabrina did deserve to go.

29 minutes ago, mlp said:

The cake was a failure but it was mostly Sabrina's fault.  She screwed up something she claimed to be really good at and then blamed the mess on "time" during judging.

I do think time played a role.  She said she is used to having more time for things to solidify/harden before she starts stabbing it with the dowel.

[Salacious Kitty]

There's a lot of cakes, to be sure. And in the preview for next week? Lava cake. 

[Rammchick]

Did you guys know Anna isn't classically trained?  Sheesh, enough.

[libgirl2]

The right person went home. This is a very talented group and she is very talented but that was a big mistake. 

[AZChristian]

10 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

I noticed that, too, and the strange thing was, he only sounded stuffed up during the second judging, not the first.

He may have allergies.  Had he gone outside or been exposed to something that triggers his allergies between the pre-bake and the final bake, he could have this reaction.

Voice of experience here.

[Frost]

The baking gods are smiling down at Rochelle, that's for sure.  Holi donuts and partnering with Alex for the main heat?   I was hoping she'd wash out this episode.  Although Jesse going on and on about the Rochelle rollercoaster seemed mean spirited.

Sabrina just couldn't pivot when it was obvious the rice elephant head wasn't going to work.   Even if the cake was cold, the head seemed way too large (and therefore heavy) to be held up by that size of a cake.  She was definitely the right one to go home based on that challenge.

[libgirl2]

5 minutes ago, Frost said:

The baking gods are smiling down at Rochelle, that's for sure.  Holi donuts and partnering with Alex for the main heat?   I was hoping she'd wash out this episode.  Although Jesse going on and on about the Rochelle rollercoaster seemed mean spirited.

Sabrina just couldn't pivot when it was obvious the rice elephant head wasn't going to work.   Even if the cake was cold, the head seemed way too large (and therefore heavy) to be held up by that size of a cake.  She was definitely the right one to go home based on that challenge.

Yea, just when you think she will be gone next, she gets lucky! She was smart to go with Alex. 

[Maya]

9 hours ago, Rammchick said:

Did you guys know Anna isn't classically trained?  Sheesh, enough.

How long has it been since a home baker won one of these competitions? I feel like we are getting a winner’s edit for Anna. 

[Frost]

12 minutes ago, Maya said:

How long has it been since a home baker won one of these competitions?

Is Anna a home baker?  I thought "not classically trained" just meant she learned from working in a bakery rather than attending Cordon Bleu or something.

[libgirl2]

1 minute ago, Frost said:

Is Anna a home baker?  I thought "not classically trained" just meant she learned from working in a bakery rather than attending Cordon Bleu or something.

That is what I was under the assumption as well. 

[joanne3482]

23 hours ago, Splashy said:

I just looked at my guide (Verizon Fios in DC Metro area) and there is no new episode listed for tonight ... ??? It lists the Earth Day / bug-inspired episode, and one from 2021 with Ali Khan hosting, but that's it. Anyone else not seeing a new episode listed?

Just looked at the FN website and they do have a new episode listed for 8:00pm eastern time. I'm hoping the descriptions are just messed up and they are indeed showing a new episode. ???

For my guide on DirecTV last night it listed the rerun too. I had to manually program the recording, BUT it cut off because I think this was a 2 hour episode? Or an hour and a half? I don't know but the next show started on time and so I didn't see the finished products. 

[libgirl2]

7 minutes ago, joanne3482 said:

For my guide on DirecTV last night it listed the rerun too. I had to manually program the recording, BUT it cut off because I think this was a 2 hour episode? Or an hour and a half? I don't know but the next show started on time and so I didn't see the finished products. 

I watched it via FN on Sling at it was only an hour. DDD followed. 

[bigmag]

10 minutes ago, joanne3482 said:

For my guide on DirecTV last night it listed the rerun too. I had to manually program the recording, BUT it cut off because I think this was a 2 hour episode? Or an hour and a half? I don't know but the next show started on time and so I didn't see the finished products. 

That happened to me too - I only got part of the 2nd episode.  HOWEVER, since I knew the listing was screwed up I checked later on and even though it wasn't listed I tuned in just in time to see the rest of the 2nd episode (the elephant one). The listings have really been a mess this season.

[Splashy]

On 3/25/2024 at 12:59 PM, Splashy said:

I'm hoping the descriptions are just messed up and they are indeed showing a new episode.

I'm quoting myself, but just to say that - YES! - They did show the new episode and I just finished watching it. It was in the time slot that had the description for the 2021 episode w/Ali Khan hosting. 

Sabrina actually had been doing quite well up to this point, but ... there was just no saving that cake. Good on Katelyn for keeping her cool and at least trying.

I was thinking, another team challenge? Ugh! And I did not miss the twist one bit. Didn't even think about it until someone mentioned it a couple posts above. They already have enough to do. Hey, maybe they could do just one or two twists per season, not Every. Single. Week. ... Nah, just get rid of it altogether.

[libgirl2]

8 minutes ago, Splashy said:

I'm quoting myself, but just to say that - YES! - They did show the new episode and I just finished watching it. It was in the time slot that had the description for the 2021 episode w/Ali Khan hosting. 

Sabrina actually had been doing quite well up to this point, but ... there was just no saving that cake. Good on Katelyn for keeping her cool and at least trying.

I was thinking, another team challenge? Ugh! And I did not miss the twist one bit. Didn't even think about it until someone mentioned it a couple posts above. They already have enough to do. Hey, maybe they could do just one or two twists per season, not Every. Single. Week. ... Nah, just get rid of it altogether.

I think they can hang the team thing up now. Its been twice, that is enough. I do wonder if that is the twist and if they don't do themes then they are going to get crazy things thrown at them in the last minute.