MasterChef – Sun, May 21 – Sweet Week starts

It’s Sweet Week so Michelle had better get out her red dome moulds and lustre dust. Bryan is going to go nuts.
How many episodes until we get the liquid nitrogen for ice cream making?
It does look like they do some pretty cool stuff.


Tonight’s mystery box challenge is set by chocolatier and pastrychef from the Savour School, so expect loads of chocolate. Kirsten Tibballs has been on MasterChef three times before.
She was responsible for this pressure test cake in 2013 (yes, the infamous Emma Dean season):

Looks tame compared to some of the more recent challenges.


This is the cake that sent spice queen Neha home but it’s ok; she now has her own ice cream company. I am going to have to check out the orange chilli choc one.
And so it begins …
Well, that’s a good way to keep energy levels up during a challenge. While Georgie chugs Swisse vitamins the contestants can nibble on the mystery boxes – they’d just better keep them away from Presto and Gary. They get to smash them with a mallet – the boxes, that is, not the judges.

They get mint, instant coffee, coffee beans, green tea, nectarines, coconut – desiccated and whole, raspberries, rum. Oh, and the chocolate box. They get the staples and a few baking-type ingredients are added, like gelatine and icing sugar.

Whiskey Eloise is making a trifle with marshmallow in it instead of cream.
Arum wants to use the matcha tea – shades of MKR here.
One blonde pony tail is doing a take on an Iced Vovo. Thank god they have names on their aprons – it’s Eliza. The judges will like the concept.
Ooh, Invisible Trent made the edit for a sec. Hi, Trent!
Pete the crane driver gets a lot of air time. So he’s either going to bomb again or do spectacularly. He’s making a toasted coconut ice cream and – yes – he’s got the red silicone mould out! Bingo!
Bryan is in his happy place. He’s doing a “fallen” ice cream in a rum and coffee. Sounds similar to something Theresa (one of the siblings) made last year, but I imagine Bryan’s will have more elements.

It’s back to Arum – guess we don’t need to know what all the other people are cooking – and he’s doing a matcha cremeaux that looks like the contents of a baby’s nappy. Instead he will make a raspberry sorbet.
There’s a lot of footage of people trying to open coconuts, Bushranger Ben seems to be making a jelly (don’t mention the jelly to Ray) and the smoking guns are out in force.
No idea yet what dessert girl Michelle is making, so it must be average.
Uh oh – Aaron is still using his green poo slick on the plate. It had better taste good.
Pete is getting his domes out but he hasn’t made any spares – aargh!!!! How many times do we hear this!? He’s obviously watched past seasons, though, because he knows to melt the edge of his half sphere on his hot baking tray so the two halves will stick.

The judges taste
Bryan’s fallen ice cream: It’s pretty and they love it.


Eloise’s trifle with coffee jelly: She gets a Gary eye roll of delight.


Arum’s raspberry sorbet with matcha and choc: The matcha cremeaux he was so worried about is praised by Kirsten. It’s a thoughtful dessert, says Presto.


Eliza’s Iced Vovo: Sophisticated and delicious, says Gaz.


Pete’s coconut: It looks pretty spiffy. I’d say Pete’s got this but they also want him to have an underdog win. Presto calls the ice cream “heavenly” and it’s a playful dish. (And, surely bonus points for using the red silicone moulds?)

And the advantage (aka kiss of death) winner is: Pete for his coconut.

INVENTION TEST
There’s a new chef to set the Invention Test and it’s Janice Wong, who’s also been on the show before.
In 2015 she set the Cassis Plum dessert challenge for an elimination test:

Rose went home off the back of this; she was up against dentist Matt and Reynold.

All the contestants are led into the pantry to view Janice’s glow-in-the-dark edible art installation, made of 7000 flowers. But they don’t let the contestants eat them.


They have 90 minutes to make a dessert using flowers as inspiration. Pete gets another 30 minutes – that’s huge! He also gets Janice as a mentor for the 30 minutes.

I thought the 30 minutes would be at the end because, in effect, the other contestants get 30 minutes to stand there and think about what they’ll do. Pete’s struggling a bit but, thanks to Janice, comes up with a garbled story about bees and honey for his inspiration.

Composed Diana is inspired by roses, using strawberries and cream with a rosewater ice cream and a pine sable (aka bickie).
Whiz kid Callan is is using a childhood memory of grandma’s house, involving apple pie and roses.
Ooh – Headband Samuel is making the edit! But it’s because he’s spent 20 minutes wondering what to do. Come on, South Straya! Luckily he spots a borage flower in the garden and I learn something here: Samuel says it taste likes cucumber. Thanks, HS!
Young Sam is making beetroot choc with a basil granita. He seems to have a lot of flavours going on.
Bryan is cooking a ginger and yuza pannacotta with elderflower.
Still not airtime for Little Mich.
Callan is creating a “baking scent” to evoke grandma’s house. I don’t think we’ve seen anyone do this before, although Heston has used it in at least one dish he’s set as a challenge.


Invisible Trent is getting a talking head, but it’s because his sorbet isn’t setting. He’d planned to plate it with an edible wreath around it. So, that’s at least one for the bottom three and I’m worried Bryan could be, too, because in his excitement to meet Janice he’s making 1000 elements.
They’re implying Headband Samuel is in trouble but I think he’ll pull through, but Young Sam is having beetroot woes.
Uh oh – HS’s jelly is not set. Is jelly the “it” element this season? Parfaits are so 2015 and last year was the year of the chocolate dome. And Invisible Trent’s sorbet is stuffed.
Callan’s “apple pie” is one of those modern “forest floor strewn with debris” type desserts. He should go well.

The judges taste
Callan’s apple pie with rosewater granita: The judges love the idea of his baking scent. He gets the spoon drum on the table. Janice says it’s “naturally beautiful” and “the essence of cooking”.


Pete’s Beehive in the Garden: They like the honey ice cream but are not overwhelming in their praise. But he has escaped the advantage winner curse and won’t be bottom three.


Poor Trent’s unfinished dessert wreath: He’s understandably gutted.
Diana’s strawberries and cream: It’s vibrant. George says it’s the best ice cream today. Janice says it’s a symphony on the palate. Good job, Diana!


Eloise’s watermelon rose: For once Eloise doesn’t get gushed over. It’s good but needed a crumble.


Michelle’s “fallen flower” with brownie cubes: She has made a half chocolate dome (hmm, kinda similar to her audition dish. We know she’s not great with savoury – maybe her dessert repertoire is not great?). They like it.


Sarah’s By the Bay: It’s tahini ice cream, hazelnut mousse and orange blossom jelly: It looks fancy and cheffy. George says he is salivating for more.
Headband Samuel’s Strawberry Sorbet with cucumber: “I don’t get it,” says George. Gaz likes the individual elements but they aren’t flamboyant enough. So one of my predicted final three will be in the bottom three.
Young Sam’s ganache with basil granita: Janice says it looks beautiful. They draw it out with an ad break, which means they will love it. “For a minute the world just sort of stopped and I was in the bowl,” George says. Janice says its beautiful and original. Well done, Young Sam.


Bryan’s Flower Garden: There is a lot of very bright bitsy stuff on the plate. “Just do three things, mate; not 700,” cautions Presto. Janice liked his panna cotta but the flavours don’t balance. He’s devo.
That’s it – we don’t get to see what the others made.
So I guess bottom three will be Invisible Trent, Bryan and Headband Samuel.
Top three: Callan, Young Sam and Diana.
And, yes, bottom three is as expected. Do they get the floating ice cream pressure test? Please let HS be safe!

Tomorrow night
Yes, it’s Christy Tania’s floating ice cream. I think Bryan may crack under the pressure because he knows desserts are considered “his thing”.



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61 Comments

  1. Clearly the hairstylists for the show are as over Eloise as the rest of us – it’s the only explanation for that hideous do that she’s sporting tonight.

  2. The others had 30 minutes to think whilst Pete had an “extra” 30 minutes. I see baloney being used!

    • They used to do that in the Immunity Challenge whete the Chef just stand there and wait. You can use the time to plan your dish

    • Once again immunity amounted to bugger all. At least it wasn’t a complete fail for him in the invention. Me dessert looked pretty ordinary.

    • i was thinking the same thing. He took about 20 mins to think of a dish so really only had a 10 min head start. Meanwhile they could spend that time thinking up their dishes.

    • Yes. half a ball looked pretty lame and makes you speculate that she practised the hell out of one dessert and that’s about it. She made a granny-inspired savoury dish that looked good too at some point, but she hasn’t blown anyone away.

  3. Gary and George slobbering over the young women, the faux drama, the stupid voiceovers explaining the patently obvious – I’m really struggling to keep watching.

    • Oh and I forgot to mention how nauseating watching George eat is and don’t get me started on the lack of hygiene.

    • Watched the last 10 minutes myself – it’s too excruciating to watch 90 minutes of Masterblah.
      So far this season, predictable, overblown , overdone. The Chef’s Line is so much better on SBS. Last week they had Indian cuisine featured – it was great.

  4. What a crap excuse for an idea. Doesnt matter if it doesn’t look like a flower. Just come up with some storyline.

    • That was definitely a BS invention test. Most of those desserts didn’t make me think of flowers although we didn’t see all of the “creations”.

    • Flowers…. at a funeral…….dead nonna , poppa. Just needed a switched on amata to join the dots and get inspired.

      We had a woman stealing flowers from graves on Mother’s Day this year.

  5. 3 males up for alimination. That means the first six to go are either male or a female over forty.

    • Yes. Even though they started with 13 males and 11 females. But I still think it will be a male winner unless the male finalist did so badly that they cant skew the results

  6. They should have a CWA challenges. Bryan will be so lost if he can only bake a cake or tart. I am so over these little blob of elements on a plate. Just give me a decent, delicious cake, torte, tarts or something I can enjoy. So over these ovet the top plating.

    • Remember back in the day when they would cater a CWA afternoon tea? It was scones and cakes back then.

      • Would also like to see the camping challenge again. All these kids will crumble without proper ovens.

      • I long to have some cranky old CWA biddy turning her nose up at messy plates with cubes strewn everywhere. “No. Aeroplane do jelly. This looks like cow vomit with a horrid trail of chewed grass spew. Go away and make a proper sponge. And if you lick the spoon and put it back again, Bert will have you mucking out the bales after milking. Plus if I find so much as a single hair in the cake I’ll make you wear one of Beryl’s hand crocheted hair nets.”

        • Producers note- I grew up in the country and could easily fill in as grumpy old cwa lady. It appears I have my lines all ready. Oops.

        • Sam’s dish looked like a bloody mess to me and yet he is in the top 3. CWA lady would have tossed that in the trash.

    • One of my favourite challenges last year was when they had to name all the fancy types of cakes. I know that isn’t a cooking challenge but they could take those cakes and make them base their dishes on that type of thing.

    • Thanks Juz. I was really annoyed that they didn’t even bother to show the other dishes but then annoyed is pretty much my go to state with MC this year.

      • That’s annoying – they make a big song and dance of tasting all dishes, but it may as well be selected, as we barely see the middle of the pack.

    • There’s a few creases in the leg area. He didn’t quite smash it,man.

      Eloise’s skunkstyle is a fail, too.

      Poor Eliza has so many ideas(but they’re shite ideas}.

      • I always wanted to know what Moby Dick would look like in a Pistachio Suit. Thar he blows.

  7. Thanks Juz. Bryan should have put some of his stuff on Trent’s plate. One had too much on his plate, one didn’t have enough. I did really feel for Trent when his gelato didn’t set. His plate just looked so empty.

  8. Seriously the worst season ever, contestants are too manufactured or can’t cook… surprised at how lame Kristen’s mystery box was… I’ve done a few courses at savour and am a subscriber to her on-line tutorials (funny this week she released a tutorial on a matcha gateuax where she mentions she doesn’t really like matcha much)…
    Also wonder why Kristen left after the mystery box, surely she could’ve done the invention test (unless it’s not done on the same day πŸ˜‰ )……. and they could’ve unleashed the other judge later in the week.

    • This week they are bringing out all the top guns in the pastry world. Wonder who will be left for the rest of season? Maybe no more focus on desserts after this. I can only hope

    • This is without a doubt the worst and most boring season. I watch the episodes after they are aired and fast forward through them. I remember when I used to look forward to each new episode but that’s changed over the past few seasons.

      So predictable who is going to be in the top group of the mystery box. So predictable who will be in the bottom 3 and top 3 of the invention test. Continuing inconsistency of judging with dishes that don’t meet the brief being praised and getting into the top group but then in another episode dishes that don’t meet the brief being in the bottom even though they were flavorsome and dishes that met the brief had issues. Over the top comments by the judges and the inane comments that this or that dessert or savory dish was the best evah in all of the seasons of MC or even better than those made by professionals. Then we have the fake immunity pin. I hope they are not going to do the power apron this season.

  9. “Seriously the worst season ever, contestants are too manufactured or can’t cook… ”

    But but but the judges said any on the Top 24 can be a winner! πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

    • My wish is that they have a comeback MasterChef where any contestant eliminated in previous series have a chance to come back. I bet even the first eliminated contestant of any other series would wipe the floor with this seasons crop.

  10. Not much happening in the crane driver’s cranium…..

    “I’ve taken me domes outta the fridge. I’m shtruggelin”.

    Like a crane, he’s gotta lift.
    :

    • “Smashed all me bad cookin’ away on this Mishtry Box”

      Lawdy, ‘e’s a schocker. Cringe.

    • He may not be very well spoken, but I feel bad for Pete that the judges feel the need to continually point out that he is a crane driver. Operating a crane is a job with a fair amount of responsibility. In any case, his work has nothing to do with his cooking ability. Wish the judges would make snap judgments on Eloise for her choice of dumb hair style, or any other innocuous trait.

      • Gary does that. Pete’s left handed.That hasn’t been mentioned but cranes and ktchins aren’t designed for left handers.

      • Thanks, Von. I agree, and I resent the implication that anyone with a manual job is a) not able to have creative skills, b) is unintelligent. And his speaking style – well, that is just normal for 70% of Australia, and has no bearing whatsoever on his skill as a cook.

        The judges (and producers) really do like to pigeonhole the contestants, and flog the stereotypes to death.

  11. So disassociated with the contestants I can’t even be bothered to learn their names, as said I too just tape the episodes and fast forward… only interesting thing is watching the eliminations when they have to re-create another chefs dish.
    So the Asian boy last night who tried to over impress his idol… might be just me but I have the biggest urge to just walk up to him and slap him in the back of the head for being so naive and ridiculous. Hope he’s not a melbourne boy for god help him if I see him on the street.

    • Oh? I’m not terribly invested either but actually felt genuinely sorry for him for so completely failing while trying so hard.

  12. I am not having a go at Bryan but he needs to lose some weight. He is young and he obviously love making desserts and eating them. But he is heading towards to being obese. Really a big health issue.

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