MasterChef Mon – dessert pressure test

This episode’s Pressure Test has contestants recreating a dessert from culinary legend Clare Smyth. During four hours of preparation time, there are tears and even a dish that collapses before the judges’ eyes.

I had to google Clare. She’s an English chef who two years ago was named the Michelin female chef of the year. You can see some her creations on Instagram.



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14 Comments

  1. I don’t much like the dessert pressure tests, because the recipe of the dessert is usually so over-the-top that I would never attempt it myself.

    None of these contestants seem to be dessert specialists, so I’ll expect some tantrums and massive failures. That can be watchable in a schadenfreude way.

  2. Help, anyone, please. What is this dessert, a bacherem? Obviously I’m not spelling it right because Google doesn’t know what the hell I asked it.

  3. What is it about British chefs and silly, over-elaborate dishes? Is it because stodgy English ‘cuisine’ has been mocked over the years by everybody that they’re now over-compensating?

    This pear/meringue thing was ridiculous. And the chinless woman didn’t help by repeating ‘stay focused,’ ad nauseam. So helpful.
    Shame about Jess – she should be proud to mess up the ‘creme diplomat.’ I mean really? What a wanker dessert.

    • I think this legend of a chef is a snot.

      Jess’s molds, whatever they were, I’ve never seen a basic silicone mold, or any baking dish, with an odd number of molds. Weird.

  4. I wasn’t a huge Jess fan as I got a “let me shout the cliched comments from the gantry to please the producers” vibe from her, but I didn’t hate her the way I hate Abbey. This episode made me feel really sorry for her as this dessert looked like crap. When they sliced it open it didn’t exactly look pleasant.
    I can’t imagine ordering that one on a menu unless the only other dessert option was candied fennel, and even then I might pause.
    Leah’s smile didn’t slip, which was a problem to me – I am kind of interested to see the circumstances under which it would.
    I thought it hilarious that we saw Derek’s pre-cook work out!

  5. The meringue was not whipped properly and very thin. If you have common sense, you knew the shell will be too thin. I would have buggered the recipe and put in more meringue to make it thicker.

  6. This dessert was ridiculous. Do people actually order them in restaurants? They must cost a fortune probably $50.
    I felt so sorry for Jess when hers collapsed but we knew it was going to happen because they showed it in the promos & the other two had been served with no incident.

  7. Was this a science experiment? With 60 steps and ingredients such as Trimoline, Stab2000, Xanthum gum and something called a gastronorm it could easily have been. I doubt that many people would be rushing to the kitchen to make this.

    • The dessert looked horrible when cut in front of the judges. I think this type of challenge should be given to the contestants going for an Immunity Pin and not to the ones who struggled at the previous cook. I would also like to see the judges complete one of those ridiculous recipes.

      • You could have done a deconstructed version and just taste the same. They have to break/cut the meringue bowl and everything falls out.

  8. I just fast forwarded to the end. It was a loooong episode for not much activity – apart from Derek’s workout

    • After the third or fourth ingredient and/or cooking term that I’d never heard of, I didn’t pay much attention either. I’m tired of desserts with 15-page recipes and 420 steps.

      I agree with Daffydill – this kind of test should be given to the ones going for immunity, instead of the ones who failed at a basic dish.

      That chef, I know what I’d want to say to her instead of “yes, chef”.

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