Holiday Baking Championship - General Discussion

[laredhead]

Does anyone know how many home bakers have won this competition?  I remember Jason from several years ago was a self proclaimed home baker, but cannot remember others.  From interviews that I watched featuring one of the contestants from last year, the participants know in advance at least one or two things they need to know how to bake, but others are sprung on them at the last minute with about 10 minutes for them to decide how to proceed before the timing begins.  I wish  Alex had been able to hang on for another couple of more weeks, but it was obvious she had very little experience with various baking methods.  I think Jennifer is a good baker, but she isn't a decorator or a great time manager, and unless someone else screws up big time, she will probably be eliminated next week.  I watch a show on ROKU called An Extra Slice where the participants in the Great British Bakeoff are interviewed.  One of them said that baking at home at your leisure is totally different than in that tent with cameras and lots of people milling around, and a timed event hanging over your head.  It can rattle even very experienced bakers.  

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, laredhead said:

I think Jennifer is a good baker, but she isn't a decorator or a great time manager, and unless someone else screws up big time, she will probably be eliminated next week.

If Justine hadn't helped her with the few little decorations she did manage to get on her table cake and she served an empty table, I wonder if she would have gone home instead.

[libgirl2]

41 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

If Justine hadn't helped her with the few little decorations she did manage to get on her table cake and she served an empty table, I wonder if she would have gone home instead.

42 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

If Justine hadn't helped her with the few little decorations she did manage to get on her table cake and she served an empty table, I wonder if she would have gone home instead.

The taste of her cake saved her. 

[Shenanigan7070]

I have nothing to add except that this is dead on and made me LOL:

Quote

the slow chaos of Jennifer

 

[libgirl2]

Did anyone notice when Jesse said to one of the bakers something like "aren't you going to the baker cam?". I don't think anyone really wants to use it. Jennifer did and she couldn't afford to waste the time!! 

Edited November 14, 2023 by libgirl2

[Guest]

I'm hoping the bakers revolt and refuse to do the baker cam. I have yet to hear anything insightful that we don't already get from their talking heads, their convos with Jesse, or their stream-of-consciousness monologues as they're actually baking.

It's just "I hope this turns out", "I want to make my family proud", etc. 🥱 At least give us a "if the judges say they can't taste the bourbon I'm gonna pour the bottle over their head" or "if someone asks me one more time what I'm makin' over there, I'm gonna show them up close"

[libgirl2]

34 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

I'm hoping the bakers revolt and refuse to do the baker cam. I have yet to hear anything insightful that we don't already get from their talking heads, their convos with Jesse, or their stream-of-consciousness monologues as they're actually baking.

It's just "I hope this turns out", "I want to make my family proud", etc. 🥱 At least give us a "if the judges say they can't taste the bourbon I'm gonna pour the bottle over their head" or "if someone asks me one more time what I'm makin' over there, I'm gonna show them up close"

I really don't know who's bright idea was the baker cam, but I  hope it won't become a fixture on these shows. 

[Pi237]

They're already on ridiculous time constraints....I get tense when Jesse interrupts  to ask questions. You have a running list in your head while prepping, etc and here someone comes to put a screeching halt to your thoughts and you have to be nice and upbeat for the camera?  I'd fail at that spectacularly. When I see a kid coming at me with an ask on their face and I'm in the middle of djnner, it's Not Now! Lol So, that 'go use the Baker cam!' Nonsense would NOT be getting my best attitude, for sure. 🖕

[mlp]

11 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

The right person went home but I don't know how much longer I can watch the slow chaos of Jennifer.  I can see she's a talented baker but just not cut out for the time factor of this competition. 

I like her and I think she has the skills but not the temperament for competition and things like twists.  I don't think she should have been bottom two though.  Her decorations were lamentable but her cake was fine.  The woman who made red velvet cake didn't meet the challenge which was opera cake.  She should have been in the bottom even if her cake was good.  In any event, Alex was the right one to go so it didn't matter in the long run.

I enjoyed the episode.  There were a lot of laughs.  Bert presenting his "dead" turkey cracked me up.  It looked just like that.

I'm not sure that Josh has the skill set to make it to the end but I love his personality and great smile.  I hope he lasts a long time.

 

[libgirl2]

6 minutes ago, mlp said:

I like her and I think she has the skills but not the temperament for competition and things like twists.  I don't think she should have been bottom two though.  Her decorations were lamentable but her cake was fine.  The woman who made red velvet cake didn't meet the challenge which was opera cake.  She should have been in the bottom even if her cake was good.  In any event, Alex was the right one to go so it didn't matter in the long run.

I enjoyed the episode.  There were a lot of laughs.  Bert presenting his "dead" turkey cracked me up.  It looked just like that.

I'm not sure that Josh has the skill set to make it to the end but I love his personality and great smile.  I hope he lasts a long time.

 

I have to say, I also thought the red velvet cake baker should have been bottom two. It was not an opera cake. I have seen them baked on so many competitions and I don't think I have ever seen a round and tall one. I get she is a great baker but if one of the lesser bakers would have done that, would they have been bottom two? I seem to remember someone baking something good but not what the challenge was and they got called out for it. I felt they let her slide. 

The dead turkey was hysterical! 

[HyeChaps]

IMO Jesse was snippy when asked to pass the cake plates. 
Oh, he’s too good to serve

[libgirl2]

13 minutes ago, HyeChaps said:

IMO Jesse was snippy when asked to pass the cake plates. 
Oh, he’s too good to serve

I didn't get that at all. I thought he was being sarcastic. 

[Pi237]

I like Justine. Thought she was doomed when she kept saying how her cookies were the best. And she crushed her icing with her finger on the pumpkin one which drew your eye. But she lived up to her own cookie hype.  Still forgetting everyone’s names, but quite the mixed bag when it comes to decorating skills. 

Also, was getting annoyed with “I’m not getting sage!” Then, she finally gets sage and says, “it was perfume-y.” So you want the sage or not? 

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, Pi237 said:

Also, was getting annoyed with “I’m not getting sage!” Then, she finally gets sage and says, “it was perfume-y.” So you want the sage or not? 

Ahhh... "tale as old as time". 

[Salacious Kitty]

I'm gonna throw some love Javier's way. He is certainly the whole package. 

Jennifer is hanging on by the tips of her fingernails. Step away from the Baker Cam and make some decorations! 

[tennisgurl]

I hardly noticed Javier in the first episode but I loved him here, he seems like a really nice guy and his desserts looked so cute. I really enjoyed the episode overall, all of the turkeys were a lot of fun, but for the love of sage would they stop pushing the stupid baker cam?! Jessie is even having to remind them to use it, I cant imagine how annoying it must be to have to stop and chat with a camera while your in the middle of doing a fancy bake on a time crunch. What are we even getting that we aren't getting from the talking heads? 

I'm really glad that we're focused on Thanksgiving for now, lets give those turkeys some time to shine before we all get swept into the Christmas Madness. 

I was sad to see Alex go, was hoping she would at least last a week or two more, but she was the right person to send home. Jennifer was probably saved due to her cake tasting good, her presentation would have gotten her sent home if Alex's cake didn't taste like sad crackers. I hope that Jennifer gets it together, you can tell that she's a great baker and everyone is clearly rooting for her, but she needs to up her game. 

[libgirl2]

19 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I'm gonna throw some love Javier's way. He is certainly the whole package. 

Jennifer is hanging on by the tips of her fingernails. Step away from the Baker Cam and make some decorations! 

I love Javier! He is such a sweetie. 

[RoxiP]

I think the lady who made the red velvet cake might have been in the bottom two but her cake decorations were truly adorable and her cake tasted okay and they were able to taste the sage (I think).  Plus the two in the bottom were definitely deserving of that place.

Is what makes it an opera cake the idea that it is a rectangular cake with thin layers or is it the ingredients that it is made of (apparently coffee being a big part).  If that is the case then some of the other bakers also didn't meet that criteria as far as flavors were concerned (but again, I don't know what the criteria is).

I think if the guy whose turkeys were going to be artistic interpretations in the first round had had a bad round he might have been at risk of being in the bottom but again - the bottom two were both in that spot for good reasons.

Edited November 14, 2023 by RoxiP

[2soon2tell]

1 hour ago, RoxiP said:

 

Is what makes it an opera cake the idea that it is a rectangular cake with thin layers or is it the ingredients that it is made of (apparently coffee being a big part).  If that is the case then some of the other bakers also didn't meet that criteria as far as flavors were concerned (but again, I don't know what the criteria is)

I believe what makes it an opera-style cake is both the rectangular shape and the specific number of thin layers, and that it is a Jaconde sponge made with almond flour. Traditionally it is chocolate and coffee flavored, but if you made it with other flavors and kept the almond flour cake and layering, I’d accept it as an opera-style cake. A round red velvet cake made with a regular flour, no matter the number of layers, is not an opera cake to me.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Wikipedia definition of an opera cake:

"Opera cake is a French cake. It is made with layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, layered with ganache and coffee French buttercream, and covered in a chocolate glaze. Its name originates from its layers resembling the levels of an opera house."

How can the judges think a cake would taste good using the traditional flavors, and their icky twist ingredient? 

I really thought they would keep Alex, and eliminate Jennifer.   

 I really wish they would give the contestants longer, and stop with the bizarre twists.  Sage sounded disgusting to put in a cake.  

Edited November 14, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[Splashy]

5 hours ago, mlp said:

Bert presenting his "dead" turkey cracked me up.  It looked just like that.

I busted out laughing when he said that! I'm glad he had a sense of humor about it. 

 

3 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I'm gonna throw some love Javier's way. He is certainly the whole package. 

Yes! His stuff has such finesse; I can't wait to see what he's going to do next. 

I know Jennifer can bake; she does it for a living. But ... time management issues + nerves are really doing a number on her. Plus, stopping to talk to the stupid baker cam. No one has time for that nonsense!

I liked that Justine included candles on her table, which no one else thought to do. Just a nice little detail that I noticed.

[CheshireCat]

I was only able to watch the first hour but I really enjoyed that they had two hours for two challenges (and not some bake-off thrown in, too). Even though the contestants were still rushing around, the show did not feel nearly as rushed. I think the fact that they had roughly half an hour for the judging and didn't have a baker come in, the judges say a (half) sentence and then switch to the next all within what feels like a minute, played a huge part in that. I also felt like Carla and Duff gave good commentary. I think it's because they actually got to say something.

I am, however, completely over Nancy and her obsession with alcohol and I really don't find any of it funny. I also don't think that any baker should feel like they have to incorporate alcohol into anything just because one of the judges can't live without it.

Some of the turkey desserts were... interesting. The one with the mirror glaze on top (was it Justine's?) was a little flat and the sugar-pulled turkey looked more like a cobra (and not just because it had a tongue sticking out).

Why would you apply for the competition when you've never made certain desserts and/or why would you not practice the desserts you've never made when you do apply? I have no idea what season the show is on but this is not the first and you know what kind of bakes might be required. It makes no sense to me that you then wouldn't make them at least once beforehand so that you've made them at least once.

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

How can the judges think a cake would taste good using the traditional flavors, and their icky twist ingredient? 

Is it the judges' twist, though? During the Halloween Baking Championship the host always tells the judges what the twist ingredient was, so I'm assuming it's TPTB that decide on the twist and not the judges.

With that said, I'm still not sure why they would think something would taste good once they learn what the twist ingredient is. Sure, adding herbs to things like desserts and chocolate is a thing and yes, traditional ingredients do get combined and something like chili or sage or whatever is added to give it a new twist. However, whether it works or not is very subjective. (At the same time, if you're a judge, you need to judge if the components have been used well together and not necessarily whether you think it tastes good. The question the judges have to ask themselves is if it works in the way it has been done. It can be done well but still not be their cup of tea).

[Irlandesa]

I think there's room to explore different flavors with an opera cake.  For instance, tiramisu traditionally uses espresso or coffee liqueur, lady fingers and mascarpone but variations on the dessert exist--like berry tiramisu.  The thing is, if you swap out one component, like coffee, you need to keep much of the rest the same or very similar. 

Berry tiramisu still has the ladyfingers and mascarpone part even if it uses berries and an orange liqueur instead of coffee and a dusting of cocoa. 

For a red velvet opera cake, if coffee is gone, I might do a red velvet almond cake to mimic the joconde.  And maybe use a white chocolate ganache instead of a dark chocolate ganache. 

But just doing your grandma's recipe doesn't seem to cut it.  Plus, now that she's sticking around, she can't really whip that cake out again until maybe the finale.  The judges will be like "we've had this."

58 minutes ago, CheshireCat said:

Is it the judges' twist, though? During the Halloween Baking Championship the host always tells the judges what the twist ingredient was, so I'm assuming it's TPTB that decide on the twist and not the judges.

No, it's not the judges.  Nor is it up to the hosts. It's the producers who come up with the challenges and the twists too.

[littlebennysmom]

I have a feeling the person who is behind the Baker Cam nonsense was also the brainiac who brought us Molly/Spring Baking Championship's Sprinklegate (justice for Romy!).

Food Network, please stop listening to this person.

[susannah]

Javier was indeed on fire tonight. I didn't like that Justine won though. I thought her table setting wasn't that great.I know Alex was really struggling, but I actually do not know how Jennifer made it onto the show. None of her stuff has looked good, and last week and this, she goes on like she is having a nervous breakdown. I know the show is very difficult and has tons of pressure but she can't seem to handle it. She should have gone instead of Alex, a fellow Portlander, btw!

[Pallida]

I’d much prefer if they did things like sage as a challenge ingredient from the start of the challenge rather than a twist. This would give the bakers a chance to plan their flavors around the ingredient and we wouldn’t get winners who use it as a garnish. 

[MerBearHou]

Y’all do not need me to share my opinion of Jennifer and her French training.  I could get really, really sarcastic…

Edited November 15, 2023 by MerBearHou

[libgirl2]

7 hours ago, Pallida said:

I’d much prefer if they did things like sage as a challenge ingredient from the start of the challenge rather than a twist. This would give the bakers a chance to plan their flavors around the ingredient and we wouldn’t get winners who use it as a garnish. 

I would be fine with that. They could actually plan how to highlight the twist instead of dumping their baking plans or having something that conflicts with what they are making. 

[AZChristian]

6 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

Y’all do not need me to share my opinion of Jennifer and her French training.  I could get really, really sarcastic…

Just out of curiosity, I looked up her educational and professional background.  What shows up online does not match her demonstrated skills.  She specializes in baking and decorating cakes.  Could have fooled me. 

Plus . . . she teaches baking and cake decorating????

I looked at the gallery of photos on her website.  Nothing like I've seen on other bakers' websites.  Looks like Walmart. 

Edited November 15, 2023 by AZChristian

[Maya]

Nancy: “Where’s the bourbon?”

Duff: “Your bloodstream.”

Nancy’s alcohol obsession is stupid but that was funny 😄 

I love Justine! Her cake was only one of a few that looked like a professional actually made it. All those modeling chocolate pumpkins and pies looked like a preschool art project. 

[RoxiP]

Although I do think Nancy likes alcohol incorporated into a cake (hey - I like coffee in my cakes) I don't think it is right to blame her because a baker tries to pander to her by incorporating alcohol.  I have also thought this series that she has toned it down quite a bit.  In other baking shows contestants do the same thing - for instance in Kids Baking Championship it is well known that Valerie loves lemon so many of the baked items contain lemon.  

Thanks for the explanation of the opera cake.  

[dewelar]

13 hours ago, littlebennysmom said:

I have a feeling the person who is behind the Baker Cam nonsense was also the brainiac who brought us Molly/Spring Baking Championship's Sprinklegate (justice for Romy!).

Food Network, please stop listening to this person.

Don't forget having the parents in a room watching on the Kids Baking Championship for a season (or was it two?) -- sometimes it's like they're actively trying to ruin the franchise.

Edited November 15, 2023 by dewelar

[carrps]

On 11/13/2023 at 4:53 PM, MerBearHou said:

Well, that is fun symmetry with HBC!  Oh yes, we had numerous dachshunds!!  I am certain that little Thunderfoot was mighty — dachshunds always think they are!  

Yes, all dachshunds think they run the universe. Thunder was the sweetest of all our doxies though. Miss her.

 

On 11/14/2023 at 10:30 AM, mlp said:

The woman who made red velvet cake didn't meet the challenge which was opera cake.  She should have been in the bottom even if her cake was good. 

This was what we were saying as we watched it. She annoys me anyway...even though she reminds me of the actress who played Frasier Crane's agent (BiBi) on his Original Recipe show. She was hilarious.

 

On 11/14/2023 at 10:38 AM, libgirl2 said:

I have to say, I also thought the red velvet cake baker should have been bottom two. It was not an opera cake.

No. She just made a cake. That was a plain ol' ordinary cake with some schmancy decorations. Part of the difficulty with an opera cake is getting those thin layers even into a nice sharp rectangle. She just made a regular layer cake. No wonder she had time to do a nice table top.

 

18 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

I am, however, completely over Nancy and her obsession with alcohol and I really don't find any of it funny.

Why would you apply for the competition when you've never made certain desserts and/or why would you not practice the desserts you've never made when you do apply?

I wish they'd put Nancy out to pasture. She's a smidge toned down, but I still just want to ignore her and her weird little gestures.

I don't know why you don't at least practice making some of these things you've never made before you go on the show. Did Alex say she hadn't even made a mousse before? She was so delusional. I felt for her, but you don't solve your problems by going on a reality competition TV show.

 

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, carrps said:

No. She just made a cake. That was a plain ol' ordinary cake with some schmancy decorations. Part of the difficulty with an opera cake is getting those thin layers even into a nice sharp rectangle. She just made a regular layer cake. No wonder she had time to do a nice table top.

 

 

 

Exactly! An opera cake is a challenge. I have seen  people make stunning opera cakes that are so sharp, you could cut glass. And yes, she does look like Bibi. 

[libgirl2]

12 minutes ago, carrps said:

I don't know why you don't at least practice making some of these things you've never made before you go on the show. Did Alex say she hadn't even made a mousse before? She was so delusional. I felt for her, but you don't solve your problems by going on a reality competition TV show.

 

That and an opera cake. She just didn't have the baking knowledge for this competition. 

[Suzn]

16 minutes ago, carrps said:

That was a plain ol' ordinary cake with some schmancy decorations. Part of the difficulty with an opera cake is getting those thin layers even into a nice sharp rectangle. She just made a regular layer cake. No wonder she had time to do a nice table top.

 

I wish they'd put Nancy out to pasture. She's a smidge toned down, but I still just want to ignore her and her weird little gestures.

I have the distinct impression that Duff and Carla would agree with that.  Their critiques are always about something specific and Nancy's are about whether she can or can't taste some ingredient or if the bake is or isn't "holiday" enough and absolutely never has anything useful to add.

The red velvet cake was in no way an opera cake and I don't understand how they let her get away with that.  I guess they wanted to get rid of the two on the bottom more.

[libgirl2]

2 minutes ago, Suzn said:

The red velvet cake was in no way an opera cake and I don't understand how they let her get away with that.  I guess they wanted to get rid of the two on the bottom more.

I would think that as she has been baking quite well. But, not doing the actual challenge really opens a door. If they get rid of someone for that, it is not fair. 

Edited November 15, 2023 by libgirl2

[dleighg]

1 hour ago, carrps said:

Did Alex say she hadn't even made a mousse before? She was so delusional. I felt for her, but you don't solve your problems by going on a reality competition TV show

I also felt really uncomfortable at her saying many times how hard her life was being a single mother. I get it- she probably had a bad breakup-- but making that be your "personality" on nationwide TV seems sad.

[Splashy]

1 hour ago, carrps said:

I wish they'd put Nancy out to pasture. She's a smidge toned down, but I still just want to ignore her and her weird little gestures.

Thank you! I forgot to mention that what you are doing, Nancy, is not conducting! You are making figure 8s with your fingers. (Sorry, music major here. It gets on my nerves). 

33 minutes ago, dleighg said:

I also felt really uncomfortable at her saying many times how hard her life was being a single mother. I get it- she probably had a bad breakup-- but making that be your "personality" on nationwide TV seems sad.

Yes, I agree, and I feel bad for feeling this way. But this was not the right place for her. I wish her well. 

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

I also felt really uncomfortable at her saying many times how hard her life was being a single mother. I get it- she probably had a bad breakup-- but making that be your "personality" on nationwide TV seems sad.

I really wish she didn't keep mentioning it because, as I said it made me sad but as you mention it make me uncomfortable too. I kept thinking if she gets booted off is her life over? I got a vibe of depression from her that bothered me. I hope she was just playing this up for the show.

Also, I watch these shows to have fun and relax, not to feel sad. I think her break up must be fairly recent and she is just not ready to be out there in the public eye. 

Edited November 15, 2023 by libgirl2

[susannah]

3 hours ago, dleighg said:

I also felt really uncomfortable at her saying many times how hard her life was being a single mother. I get it- she probably had a bad breakup-- but making that be your "personality" on nationwide TV seems sad.

I know what you mean. I didn't like how she was talking about being a single mother and it was so haaaaaaaard... It looked like her kids were born back to back to back and having a bunch of kids is difficult for anyone, let alone a very young woman in an unstable marriage. I get that people's choices are their own but I don't like the whining about how hard it is, and didn't like it from her, like a sad sack, instead of trying to be positive about her skills.

[littlebennysmom]

11 hours ago, carrps said:

 

This was what we were saying as we watched it. She annoys me anyway...even though she reminds me of the actress who played Frasier Crane's agent (BiBi) on his Original Recipe show. She was hilarious.

Yes!  Ashley looks so much like Bibi and has the same false bonhomie as her lookalike.

Boo to her cutesy poo joke about a twerky (🙄🙄🙄🙄) and fake af "where all my turkeys at?".  Shaddap.

10 hours ago, Splashy said:

Thank you! I forgot to mention that what you are doing, Nancy, is not conducting! You are making figure 8s with your fingers. (Sorry, music major here. It gets on my nerves). 

 

Who told her this faux "conducting" could be her trademark?  

[susannah]

8 hours ago, littlebennysmom said:

Who told her this faux "conducting" could be her trademark?  

I wish they hadn't! I only like Carla's "duuuuuudes!"

[Salacious Kitty]

2 hours ago, susannah said:

I wish they hadn't! I only like Carla's "duuuuuudes!"

She's dialed that way back. I haven't heard it in quite some time.

[Splashy]

33 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

She's dialed that way back. I haven't heard it in quite some time.

I'm glad. I like Carla, but I got tired of it. 

Thankfully, Duff doesn't seem to have any catch-phrases or stupid gestures. Unless I'm forgetting something ... ? He does do that big wide-mouth big-eyes thing when he's taking a bite, but I find it funny. I'm glad he's not forcing a stupid catch-phrase on us. 

[mlp]

2 hours ago, Splashy said:

He does do that big wide-mouth big-eyes thing when he's taking a bite, but I find it funny.

I've always thought that he did that mainly to keep frosting and crumbs out of his whiskers then started playing it up a bit when viewers mentioned it.  It doesn't annoy me like Nancy's nonsense does.

[susannah]

8 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

She's dialed that way back. I haven't heard it in quite some time

Me neither. It might be annoying to some but it did mean that the thing was really good. I thought that the guy who made the tamales cake would have gotten one for his mousse cake, but she didn't.

[Salacious Kitty]

30 minutes ago, susannah said:

Me neither. It might be annoying to some but it did mean that the thing was really good. I thought that the guy who made the tamales cake would have gotten one for his mousse cake, but she didn't.

She went the entire Halloween Baking Championship without using it. I think Duuuuuude is officially retired.

[MerBearHou]

1 minute ago, Salacious Kitty said:

She went the entire Halloween Baking Championship without using it. I think Duuuuuude is officially retired.

I would be good with that. I absolutely cannot stand the hype over the Paul Hollywood handshake. But that also has a lot to do with that I cannot stand PH. 

[susannah]

7 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I think Duuuuuude is officially retired.

I wish they would retire Nancy's obsession with booze and the stupid handwaving!