Gordon: Previously on "MasterChef"...
Not only do you have to make us an amazing bread dish,
- you have to make us two. - Oh!
- Gordon: Come on, guys.
One of these talented home cooks is going home tonight.
O-M-G.
- Wow.
There's no soup in your soup.
Gordon: The person leaving the MasterChef kitchen is Sam.
- Tonight... - Oh, my God.
sweet week kicks off with an immunity challenge...
Give me the diabetes.
- ...that's no cakewalk. - Aarón: Pick a cake,
then perfectly replicate that cake.
Piece of cake, right?
And there's just one spot up on the balcony
up for grabs.
Someone will also be eliminated.
I'm here to show you that I belong here.
- Whoa! - Why?
Because it's the hardest thing, Chef.
Gordon: Ten minutes, guys, yes?
- Look. - There's something wrong.
It's a bad wrong.
Yeah, uh...
it looks like a hamburger.
- Oh! - Whoo!
- Noah: Here we go! - Cake!
- Oh, how pretty. - Oh, my God.
Wow.
Welcome, guys. Come on down, please.
- Renee: Like, yay, cake! - Oh, those some fancy cakes.
Who doesn't get like, you know,
a fat kid in a candy store feeling when they see cake?
Fred, you should be the happiest boy in town.
This is literally, like, everything I could ever dream of right now.
Give me the diabetes.
Fred: I'm pretty ecstatic.
The judges keep calling me dessert king,
but I haven't earned my crown yet.
So, this is a chance for me to prove
that I am as good of a baker
that I'm proclaiming myself to be.
Welcome, everybody, to sweet week.
- You are the final 12 home cooks left - Yes!
- in this competition. - Whoo!
This is season ten of "MasterChef,"
our season of giant tables of cake.
- Damn. - Noah, come on, you must've eaten lots of cakes
- to get that tall. - Yes, Chef.
- I love all of these cakes, clearly. - Renee.
- Yes. - Give us an insight with mom and dad
and the celebration with cake.
Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, Fourth of July...
they always knew I was around
because there was always a swoosh.
- Stop it. Always? - Yes. Yeah.
Tonight is all about celebration.
And only one of you is gonna celebrate
if you win immunity on this daunting challenge.
Oh.
Unfortunately, someone will also be eliminated.
Jamie: What in the world is going on?
I mean, this is getting real, and I'm nervous as hell.
Aarón: The rules are simple, guys.
You come up here and you pick a cake.
Then you have to perfectly replicate that cake.
Piece of cake, right?
At the bottom of every candle is a number,
and that will be the order in which you choose your cake.
All of you, please,
come up and grab a candle.
Wow.
Please, please, please.
I'm number two.
Wuta: Damn, I got number ten!
I may get one of these harder cakes,
and I don't know if I have those type of skills.
Dorian, a good position?
Yes!
I am so excited. I pulled number one.
But at the same time,
me coming in as a baker, I feel a lot of pressure.
If I don't deliver, I know that I'll probably go home.
Tonight, please be very smart with what you choose.
Go for an easy cake, we may not be that impressed.
Go for one of the harder cakes,
you may bite off more than you can chew.
Upside-down cake, pretty simple, right?
My grandma could do that in her sleep.
On the other side, the Gâteau Opéra,
that will show huge determination.
- It's very difficult. - Very big risk.
Dorian, please, what cake are you gonna select?
Um...
...um, I'm gonna go with the Champagne cake.
Wow.
- Sarah. - I have no idea.
- Wow, berry cake. Good girl. - I like it, Sarah.
Head back to your station, please.
- Micah, let's go. - Coconut cake.
German chocolate cake.
Ooh, the Victoria.
- Bri. - Carrot cake.
Gordon: Carrot cake.
- Noah. - Opera cake.
Whoa! Man.
- Black forest. - Gordon: Wow!
- Subha. - Upside-down pineapple.
- I love fruit,
- Subha! - so I'll go for the pineapple.
The easiest one.
- Wuta. - Hummingbird cake.
- Okay, ladies. - Thank you, God.
- What cake you going for? - Um, so, you know,
I think I'm gonna take the devil's food.
Cheesecake!
Absolutely amazing. Good choices.
I'm looking at this opera cake.
It's singing to me. It's singing like Pavarotti.
Noah, are you okay?
Yes, Chef, I'm perfectly fine. I just lost my mind
and having a heart attack, but other than that, I'm perfect.
Gâteau Opéra is not normally selected
unless you're a five-year top pâtisserie chef.
I'm here to rock and roll.
This cake is going to be the most challenging thing
that I've done in this competition
because I've never even tasted this daggum cake before,
so we'll see what happens.
Incredible.
Oh, my God, what did I do?
This is the biggest baking challenge we've ever had.
You'll have 75 minutes
to taste your cake, then replicate your cake.
Not only will it have to taste the same,
but it'll look the same
as those beautiful cakes in front of you.
- Understood? - All: Yes, Chef.
Your 75 minutes start now.
Let's go, guys.
Oh, my God.
I taste this cake, and my heart drops
because this is no simple buttercream frosting.
This is a meringue buttercream.
It's very technical,
and I'm feeling like I'm out the gate
having just shot one of my toes off.
Oh, it's four layers.
Gordon: This is the most difficult finesse challenge
in the history of this competition.
What better barometer to see where these cooks are at
- than baking cakes. - Yes.
Joe: Look at Nick. He's literally taken that cake,
broken it down layer by layer
and tasting every aspect of it.
- Smart. - Baking isn't something I do all the time,
but I think I have a good sense of, you know, flavor profiles.
This is a chance to fight for immunity,
so I have no room for error.
Tonight, my choice would be the Gâteau Opéra.
It's a very difficult cake to replicate
because it's all about creating those perfect intricate layers.
And that's why I've got so much respect for Noah
because I just love that he is ballsy enough
to turn around and say, "I'm going for it.
I'm not taking the easy route."
It's nut up or shut up time.
All right, so, Renee, what are we doing here?
I'm tasting the texture of the cake.
It's not a dense cheesecake like I'm used to,
'cause I make cheesecakes at home.
So you should have this in the bag.
It's a little bit different than mine.
So that's why I have to replicate yours. I can't do mine.
- Be open-minded. Don't get stuck in your ways. - Yeah. Yeah.
And everyone knows how important that graham cracker crust is.
Because it's so simple, there's really nowhere to hide, Renee.
- Yes. - Leave your home game at home,
- Yes. - and bring your MasterChef game today.
Fred: I picked a German chocolate cake today
because I like the caramelized pecan coconut filling.
I want to do my best with this challenge.
They keep calling me dessert king.
I wanna prove to them that that title is something I do deserve.
The worst thing that can happen to me today
is that I get sent home on a dessert.
So, I'm definitely focused and I'm trying my best.
- Dorian, Dorian. - Yes, Chef.
- First pick of the night. - First pick of the night.
Went straight for the champagne cake. Why?
My mom passed two years ago of breast cancer.
And pink was always my favorite color, but after my mom passed away,
it just took on a different meaning for me and my family.
- Sure. - So, it's beautiful just like she was,
and I just wanna be able to do the cake justice.
Mm-hmm. Top ten around the corner. We're nearly halfway there.
- Yep. I do. - Do you ever get homesick?
I miss my boys, but I definitely miss my daughter.
I've never been away from her since she's been born.
- Really? How old is she now? Wow. - She's five.
So, I wanna be a really good example for her.
You are a great example.
Chef, you're about to make me cry.
- No, come on. - I can't cry on the pink cake.
You're one brave lady.
- Yeah. Thank you. - Good luck.
When elimination is on the line as well as immunity,
I wanna show the judges something that I'm not comfortable with.
I mean, other people are doing cheesecake
and pineapple upside-down cake.
They definitely took the easy road out,
but for me, this is just another challenge
to really show my skills.
Guys, gotta get those cakes in the next couple of minutes.
As soon as you can.
Aarón: They should be in there rocking and rolling.
Let's go, Subha.
Gordon: Look at Bri. She's got the carrot cake.
First one to get her cake in the oven in the first ten minutes.
So that's a lot of weight off her shoulders.
- Good job. - Let's get our cakes in there, guys.
Gordon: Come on, Sarah, you gotta get it in.
It's gotta go in.
- Quick as you can. - Aarón: Let's go.
Crap.
Renee: This cheesecake needs to be perfect,
but the crust is too tall for my cheesecake.
I am worried,
'cause someone will be going home tonight.
So I make a very tough decision.
I am starting over.
I know this is a risk.
It's gonna get really down to the wire,
but I hope to God I can pull this off.
Aarón: Let's get our cakes in there, guys.
They should be in there rocking and rolling.
If it's not perfect the first time, redo it and make it again.
- You're starting over again? Why? - Yeah.
'Cause my crust is ( bleep ) up.
- You got time to do it again? - Yeah, I have time.
If there's one thing that you cannot afford
- to screw up tonight, it's a cheesecake. - Yes.
Time's not your friend right now.
- You gotta get it in in five minutes. - Thank you, Chef.
- Wow. - If I mess up a cheesecake,
I just might as well pack my bags and just go home
without even having the judges tell me I need to go home.
It's crunch time.
- Noah, how are you feeling? - Yes, Chef. I'm feeling great.
My cake's in the oven. I'm about to start the buttercream.
- Right. - Get the butter and the chocolate.
Tonight, all those choices, why Gâteau Opéra?
Because I wanna really show you that I'm here to win.
That ganache at the end? Super smooth.
It needs to be like this sheet of ice.
- Yes, Chef. Yes, Chef. - Move your ass.
- Here I go. Yes, Chef. - Focus, let's go.
Guys, just under 40 minutes to go.
Keep an eye on the temperature.
Right, you should be getting that frosting together now.
There's no dark chocolate.
Now, tonight everyone's cooking for immunity.
But, sadly, somebody is going home.
- Ironic double jeopardy. - Absolutely.
- Do you know where the food coloring is? - I don't know.
But we don't normally throw this kind of challenge in
until the top eight, top five.
Gordon: So, tonight, it's huge.
Joe: If Dorian nails this champagne cake,
she firmly cements herself as one of the front-runners
- in this competition. - Yeah. Yeah.
Aarón: Fred has the highest to fall,
- 'cause he is so touted as a cake maker. - Now, Wuta,
the hummingbird cake. That's a tough one.
The finish on the frosting,
it needs to be super smooth all the way around.
I don't have a lot of experience baking,
but I'm pretty happy about this cake.
The most difficult part is making sure
that the design stays as neat as it is.
So, I'm going to have to make sure I have enough time
to set myself up for success.
I make cake a lot.
I made my own wedding cake,
and it was chocolate on chocolate cake.
So, I really hope I'm not the one going home tonight.
That would be really embarrassing for me.
I'm just gonna work on this ganache,
and then it's just the decorating,
so I'm feeling pretty good.
Gordon: Come on, speed up. Work tidy.
Ooh, this takes a lot of arm work.
Sarah's doing that berry cake.
So, she's got an Italian meringue frosting.
One of the most difficult frostings on the planet,
'cause you have to hand whisk that sugar and those egg whites.
She got a tough job.
37 minutes left. I still have a lot to do in this cook.
I need to get this right, I need all my frosting done,
and I need to get my cakes out.
Guys, gotta get those cakes out of the oven now.
Aarón: You're there. Come on.
These are still not done.
Big disappointment for me, Bri and the carrot cake.
I think it's too easy for her. She should've picked something more difficult.
And she's very decorative, so I didn't expect her to go down that route.
A big surprise.
Joe: Nice job.
Bri: I'm looking at my oven
and I'm looking up at the clock
and I am nervous that I might be in trouble.
Gordon: Come on, Sarah. Get them in the fridge.
It will be 13 minutes and 30 seconds,
I have to take the cake out.
- How's it going, Shari? - Doing good.
How are you doing, Nick?
Compared to the competition out there,
my baking skill is not, you know, up to that level.
So, I got the pineapple upside-down cake.
My cake has no icing.
I just hope that the judges don't think
that I'm taking the easy way out.
45 minutes gone, 30 minutes to go.
Aarón: Let's go.
It smells so good.
- Aarón: Nick, what do we got going on? - Hey, Chef.
This is a difficult, difficult cake
because there's really not much to it.
No. No, I have to get it perfect.
Are you gonna make your own jam?
- I am. - Yeah.
I am making my own strawberry jam.
This is about that beautiful balance of cream and jam
and how airy this sponge cake is, okay?
Nick: I'm a little nervous.
The Victoria sponge cake, to me,
isn't something that's super easy to make,
but I'm gonna try to nail it.
Just trying to figure this out.
I just wanna taste this opera cake.
You know what this cake tastes like to me, Noah?
- What, what, sir? - Difficulty.
Yes. Yes, Chef. It definitely is.
- It's good stuff. - Come on.
Noah: Making that ganache
is the hardest part involved in this cook.
There is no room for screw up. It has to be perfect.
Just trying to smooth it out.
Now, Noah, I am so concerned for him.
The big secret behind any Gâteau Opéra
is the final layer of ganache.
What is the jeopardy of ganache?
The ganache is about the sheen.
It's about the temperature.
Set it and forget it.
If the butter breaks or you melt it too much,
- your ganache is finished. - Yeah, it's gone.
It'll separate and split.
( bleep ). Look.
Noah's just burnt his ganache.
- What in the hell?
Cannot believe that freaking chocolate.
Are you kidding me? It's just hard as a rock.
- His ganache, it seized up. - He has to start again?
- Start... - Oh, my God.
- That is the finishing... - With 23 minutes?
- Yeah. - I hope this is not Noah's
- last aria at the opera. - I hope not.
This is life or death kind of ( bleep ) here.
This is a mess.
Look, Noah's just burnt his ganache.
Joe: He has to start again?
- Start... - Oh, my God.
- With 23 minutes? - Yeah.
Gordon: Noah could be in deep trouble here, guys.
Okay, so it's 16 ounces, so I need a pound.
- Noah, you gotta speed up now. - Yes, Chef. Heard, Chef.
Yeah, behind.
20 minutes to go.
You've got to start thinking about assembling the cake.
Oh, my God.
Eh, it's an ugly cake,
but I'm covering it in frosting, so I really don't care.
Jamie: I know that my Achilles' heel
is baking and decorating a daggone cake.
I'm a stone-cold killer.
I don't... finesse is not really my thing
when it comes to these hands.
Like I've been saying from day one,
it's a cake that's gonna get me sent home. I know it.
I'm looking up at the clock,
and I have to just get those cakes out of the oven, asap.
Ooh! Oh, my God, I almost just dropped it.
- Come on, let's go, Bri. - Coming through. Renee, behind.
Coming through! Coming through!
Bri: The best case scenario for me with this cake
is that it cools off really quickly
and I have enough time to ice it properly.
Otherwise, I'm getting eliminated.
( sighs ) Okay.
Look at Micah. Micah's already started assembling.
Joe: Micah's ahead of the pack on the cake challenge.
Gordon: He is ahead of the pack.
Joe: Who would have thought that?
Micah: As an artist,
I'm definitely well within my wheelhouse within baking.
I've been a painter before.
I've done pallet paintings.
It's very, very similar.
Look at Dorian assembling as well.
Sadly, her mother passed two years ago, breast cancer,
so she's cooking from the heart.
But more importantly, she is absolutely in that zone.
Look at Sarah. Sarah's running behind.
- Sarah, please speed up. - Yes, Chef.
Sarah: The frosting is taking forever.
I definitely bit off way more than I can chew.
Racing against the clock.
Aarón: Let's go, Sarah. You can do it.
Just trying to figure this out.
I think it looks like crap. This is a problem.
- Aarón: Let's go. You gotta start to work this, mijo. - Yes, Chef.
You're under 15 minutes. Get going, okay, Noah?
That's upsetting.
Man, this is tough.
Where are our cake bases?
I'm gonna put this one on there
and then I'm gonna turn it back out.
- Be careful, let's go. - Yeah.
- Yes, Chef. Yes. - I'm here for you. I'm waiting.
- Oh. Want me to turn it? - Whip the damn thing.
Let's go.
Gently.
Good boy.
- That looks beautiful. - Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Fred: Coming into this competition as a baker,
I'm trying my best to go and make sure
that I can replicate this cake exactly like how I'm seeing it.
My ultimate dream is to go and open my own bakery with my parents,
so I have to just keep pushing until I can get to that goal.
- How you feeling, Sarah? - I'm feeling a little rushed,
but I'm gonna start getting these assembled.
Are yours not cooled off yet?
Mine's frosted. It's in there.
Mine's still kinda warm.
Ten minutes, guys, yes?
Bri, you gotta get moving, honey.
I know. They're just... they're a little warm still.
Just remember that they're gonna continue to set, though, honey.
So do you think I should go ahead and ice? Is it safe?
How long is it gonna take you to achieve that level of detail?
- About ten minutes. - Aarón: Yeah, do it. Do it.
Renee: I am so glad that I did the second cheesecake.
It looks way better than the first one I did.
I believe it's pretty close to the original cake,
but we shall wait and see.
Nick, seriously, hurry up.
- Bri. - Yes, Chef.
- You have to hurry up. - I know.
- Where's your big spatula? - Right here.
Use the big one first. Two minutes to go.
I'd just focus on decorating it now.
- Nearly there, okay? Head up, okay. - Yes, Chef.
Don't you dare start sinking now.
Noah: I'm worried there's not enough time
- to make the chocolate top. - Let's go. Finishing touches.
Gordon: Speed up with that, yes? Listen to me.
It needs to be like this sheet of ice.
- Okay? Good luck. Hurry up. - Yes, Chef.
90 seconds left, everyone.
Sarah: It's not cooling down fast enough.
The frosting is melting.
Oh, it's oozing. This is melting.
I didn't come here to go home on a cake.
- One minute left. - Excuse me, excuse me.
- Bri: I need a plate. - Fred: Here, here.
Plate, plate. You're gonna get a plate?
Got a plate. Go, go, go. Go, go, go.
Noah: The most important step is to freeze blast my cake,
but I know I'm not gonna have enough time.
Mother of God.
The ring has got to come off, Noah.
This is gonna be a disaster.
- It doesn't matter. - It's going to pull apart
because the ganache is going to stick to it
because it needs to be blast chilled.
It's gonna ruin it.
Judges: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- Joe: Hands up. - Aarón and Gordon: Hands in the air.
Well done. Well done.
- That looks sexy, bro. - Dorian!
- Wow, Dorian, that looks really good. - We flexin'.
We flexin' today.
That was the smartest damn thing I could have ever thought of.
I'm feeling very great right now.
( bleep ) unbelievable.
Well, I would've had the top perfect.
I should've just made it... I should've made it earlier.
Shoot, I'm scared. They're gonna rate me so bad.
Sarah: It looks terrible.
Right, now for the most important part, the tasting.
Tonight, there's only one coveted spot
of immunity up for grabs.
Someone will also be eliminated.
The first cake we'd like to examine...
Fred, thank you.
Fred: There's a lot riding on this.
Not only for my stake in the competition,
but my reputation as the pastry person.
I want the judges to know this is my passion.
Gordon: Describe the cake, please.
So I have German chocolate cake for you guys,
with caramelized coconut and pecan filling.
You came here as a talented baker,
struggled with a few of the savory challenges, but tonight you nailed it.
All that chocolate work in 75 minutes.
- Beautiful. - Thank you.
It looks very accurate to the actual cake.
- Mmm. - Hmm. Looks nice.
Visually, it looks great. A little bit top heavy
in terms of some of the layering.
Look, the flavor is there. It's rich.
I think you were very excessive
with the amount of that coconut mixture,
because that's really overpowering right now.
But it is so well-executed
that it's making me overlook the amount of the coconut mixture.
You underappreciate yourself way too much.
- Okay. Mm-hmm. - Have more confidence.
You know what I say about your German chocolate cake?
Oh, what, Joe?
Das guten.
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
- Good job, Fred.
- Good job. Well done. - Good job.
Good job. Good job.
I think that I might not deserve the dessert king crown,
but I might deserve the dessert prince crown.
Next up, Noah, please. Let's go.
Walking up to the judges,
the top looks like hammered hell,
and it's elimination.
If I don't do well, I'm going home.
I just hope that I nailed the flavors.
Describe your... cake.
So what we have today, gentlemen, is an opera cake
with a shiny chocolate ganache over the top.
We were gobsmacked when you chose the Gâteau Opéra. Why?
Because any time that you three
identify the toughest challenge is what I'm gonna go after.
But at the cost of your presence in this competition,
- you're willing to do that? - Yes, Chef.
Visually, it doesn't look that good.
That ganache could've been a lot softer.
- Yes, Chef. - Gordon: Yeah?
Yeah, I think you suffered from over-ambition.
Hopefully the flavor will circumvent its aesthetic.
Opera cake, it has to have that perfect blend
of chocolate, coffee, liqueur,
with that golden cake to sop it up.
- Tell me about the ganache. - I messed up the first one,
so I had to re-go on the ganache,
but I believe the flavors are really gonna be there this time.
A Gâteau Opéra is about thin, delicate, million-dollar slice.
Well, the layers are definitely there, let's get that right.
It's bitter, sweet,
and creamy all at the same time,
which is the flavors that I'm looking for.
I'm just having a hard time
getting myself around the aesthetic.
Gordon: Tremendous courage.
You chose the most difficult one.
The flavor is 100% Gâteau Opéra, but it's ugly.
- Thank you. - Thank y'all.
Noah: That was literally the most difficult thing
I've ever done in my life.
So, am I worried about going home?
Absolutely.
Next up, Nick.
Nick: It's not the prettiest thing I've ever made.
Baking isn't something I do all the time,
so I'm hoping that the flavors are there.
- All right. - What do you have here, Nick?
I have the Victoria sponge cake with buttercream frosting,
- and then a homemade strawberry jam. - Aarón: Yeah, uh,
it doesn't have that finesse that I'm looking for.
- It looks like a hamburger almost. - Yeah, pretty bad.
Gordon: No frosting, no real jeopardy.
It's a sort of easygoing, simple cake.
Up until tonight,
we've held you in that top tier bracket,
and I think you put yourself down.
Should we taste?
So, if you can just come here a little bit
and just bend down there. The actual sponge is crispy.
- Nick: Yeah. Okay. - Gordon: That's crisp.
- Ay-yi-yi. - Crispy cake?
Gordon: Victoria sponge is not supposed to be crispy, Nick.
Yeah.
The inside looks light and fluffy, which is nice.
The jam is... is beautiful.
It's really adding a... a beautiful relief
to some of the density of the cake.
I'm more frustrated in you, personally,
'cause I think you can do better than that.
- I do, too. Thank you, Chef. - Thank you.
Hearing comments like these is certainly disappointing.
You know, I gave it my best shot,
and I really hope I'm not going home.
Next up is Bri.
Looking at my cake, I'm embarrassed and horrified.
But I'm reassured in the fact
that I know my cakes are at least perfectly cooked.
Okay, Bri, what did you make for us?
I made a carrot cake
with a cream cheese frosting and pecans.
Was the decision not to frost the outside of the cake a strategy?
- What happened with that? - I honestly ran out of time
and I kind of ran out of icing as well.
The example that we asked you to replicate
had nowhere near the height yours has got.
You filled those tins way excessively.
Yeah, I mean, just aesthetically,
the garnishes look off and they're kind of sloppy.
They look like Play-Doh that my kid uses, you know?
If there's one thing a carrot cake needs, it's what?
Bri: Carrots?
Both: Frosting.
Frosting.
Gordon: Let's be honest,
it doesn't taste that good.
Aarón: It's off balance.
- It's just crying for frosting. - Joe: Worse than that.
The cake itself is so dense, it tastes like a pudding.
Sorry.
- Gordon: Thank you, Bri. - Okay. Thank you.
- It tastes weird, doesn't it? - Yeah.
Aarón: Next up...
can we see Miss Renee's cheesecake, please?
Renee: Redoing the second cheesecake was 100% that smartest thing
that I've done being in "MasterChef" so far.
It's delicate, it's beautiful,
and it was well worth the crunch time.
You may have played it safe,
but aesthetically, it looks beautiful.
- Shall we? - Sure.
Gordon: Did you make that glaze?
Yes, I did.
- What is that? - Yeah.
Just touch that. It's all grainy.
It's not crust. It's like dust.
Gordon: Dear, oh, dear.
Just touch that. It's all grainy.
It's not crust. It's like dust.
When it's that grainy like that, what does that mean?
There wasn't enough butter.
Insufficient butter. Did you rush this?
Yes, because it was my second one.
Mmm.
The actual cheesecake filling? Good.
Um, the composition of it...
- Horrible. - ...it's slightly all over the place.
It's totally evident that you had to fast-track it.
Joe: I have nothing good to say about this.
It's sweet cream cheese on cookie crumbs as far as I'm concerned.
- Okay. - Why did you,
at this stage of the competition,
choose a cheesecake?
Why'd you go down that easy road?
I wasn't thinking it was easy.
I wanted to show you guys something really pretty and elegant.
Please don't get upset. I just know how good you are,
and I, Renee, want to see more from you.
- Thank you. - Thank you, Renee.
- Gordon: Damn. - Joe: Cookie crumbs.
Subha, please bring up your cake.
Subha: This might look like an easy cake,
but my cake looks better than the cake Gordon gave me,
and the caramelization is awesome.
- What do we have here? - We have an upside-down pineapple cake
- caramelized to the top. - So, what spoke to you about this cake?
Why did you choose it?
My baking skills are not at the top level
compared to the competition, so...
Let's remember, season ten,
we're expecting the best from everybody.
So this kind of precursor of, "Well, I'm not a great baker,"
let's end with that now.
This cake is the kind of cake I like.
It's simple, well-executed cake.
- It's not highly skilled, Joe, I'm sorry. - No, I like...
I think it's delicious. I think in its simplicity...
Two different things going on here.
It's simple, it's delicious. But behind you?
Boy, there's some big risk-takers there tonight.
- Yes, Chef. - There's no success without risk.
- Gordon: Thank you, Subha. - Aarón: Thank you.
- No piping skills. - Aarón: No fondant.
Nah. No, no, no.
This individual didn't play it safe.
Make your way down, Jamie.
This competition is a marathon.
We've been working at it week in and week out.
- Tough night. - Yes, sir.
We've been learning how to be a better chef
- and how to be a better baker. - Ooh.
You chose a Black Forest gâteau.
Let's be honest, it doesn't look the best.
But when you dig in, you wanna go back for more.
I never even tasted this cake before, so...
You've got my respect for just having the guts
to attempt something that difficult.
- Thank you so much. - Good job, Jamie.
- Thank you, guys. - Great job, Jamie.
- Miss Shari, please. - Wuta: These challenges are getting tougher.
- Ooh, very nice. - And some of them play
to people's strengths more than others.
The chocolate-work and the composition of the cake is beautiful.
It looks super professional.
You should be very, very happy.
- Thank you, Chef. - We're not all really skilled bakers,
but the next MasterChef is somebody
who's going to actually push themselves to be better.
Gordon: That's not your average cake baked by a young pot washer.
Sponge is cooked beautifully.
You may be 19, but you're not a fluke.
- Thank you. - I'm living proof
that if you push yourself, the sky's the limit.
This right here is straight up delicious,
and I'm gonna miss this like a fat kid misses cake.
Joe: Good job, Wuta.
Next up, please, Dorian, make your way down.
- Thank you. - Let's go, Dorian.
Dorian: This challenge was tough,
but it represents something close to my heart... my mom.
So, I'm really excited about hearing
what they have to say about it.
Young lady, describe the cake, please.
It's a pink champagne cake
with chocolate shavings on top.
The icing and the cake is infused with pink champagne.
Uh, question, is this the one you made
or did you swap it out for mine?
- I made that one. - I'm without words.
You are a living testament
to what we're trying to get accomplished in this competition.
Tackling your fears, taking instruction,
- and then putting yourself on a beautiful cake like this. - Thank you.
Visually, it's breathtaking.
Please, please, please, please, please.
- Wow. - That's awesome, Dorian.
Whoa.
Gordon: It cuts like butter,
and the sponge is light.
The aesthetic matches the flavor.
The buttercream is so luscious and beautiful.
- Thank you. - Overall, excellent.
I've never seen a cake put together
as well as that in 75 minutes.
You've done yourself proud.
- Thank you. - Fred: Good job, Dorian!
- Gordon: Amazing. - Go ahead, Dorian!
My mom would be so proud of me.
She would expect for me to do well.
The buttercream is just insane.
I'm not gonna give up in this competition
until I get the trophy.
- Thank you. - You're good.
Next cake we'd like to try is Sarah.
- Let's go, Sarah! - Sarah: My cake compared to the original,
it looks like an eight-year-old constructed it.
I feel awful right now,
and I'm so upset at the choice that I made.
Tell us what you made.
I made a berry layer cake
with Swiss meringue buttercream frosting
and fresh berries on top.
Visually, it looks a mess.
But you chose one of the most difficult cakes
to replicate tonight.
I either completely flopped or made a good decision.
Well, Sarah, just to remind you, you had the second pick.
So, you make a bed, you sleep in it.
Gordon: What was the most difficult part for you this evening?
Definitely the frosting.
I had to make three different batches.
Oh, Sarah.
So, visually, there's an amalgamation of layers
that have bled into one another.
Uh, it tastes a lot better than it looks.
I gotta say, it's redolent with berries.
It's just a shame it's not aesthetically pleasing.
There's three, possibly four individuals behind you
who went nowhere near frosting.
You attempted the most difficult frosting on the planet.
That's where my respect goes out to you.
Thank you, Chef.
Sometimes your true grit and determination
could take you down.
- Thank you. - Thank you, Chef.
- Noah: Good job, Sarah. - Ay-yi-yi.
I'm crushed. I bit off a little bit more than I could chew.
I feel like I made a huge mistake.
I'm just not ready to go home.
Joe: Thank you very much.
We need a moment to discuss these cakes.
Gordon: There are a few people tonight that really fell flat,
- but amazing highlights tonight. - Yeah, I mean,
- Shari's for sure. Dorian. - Extraordinary stuff.
- Micah. Very good. - Micah, Wuta.
- What about Fred?
Here's the thing, if you're gonna play it safe tonight,
- you need to wow us with something unique. - It's about impressing us
and showing us that you are evolving.
And also, we're gonna reward taking risks.
- Joe: Of course. - Gordon: And I expected more from Nick, Bri, and Sarah.
- All right, we got it? - Yeah.
Gordon: All of you, we just witnessed
the most extraordinary 75 minutes
of intense bakery,
and the stakes tonight are even higher.
Not only is somebody gonna be gaining immunity,
but somebody also has cooked for their last time.
Let's start with the good news first.
There was one amazing cake
that stood above their competition.
Not only will this home cook win immunity,
but because it's season ten,
they are gonna be the lucky recipient
of $5,000 worth
of Breville countertop appliances,
- from food processor to mixers. - Oh, my God.
- Wow. - Just like the ones we use here
in the MasterChef kitchen.
That winning cake belongs to...
Congratulations...
Dorian!
- Let's go. - Well done, Dorian.
Gordon: Guess who's gonna be baking when they get home?
- Thank you so much. - Noah: Great job, Dorian.
I got immunity finally!
- Thank you so much. - Noah: Great job, Dorian.
- Go ahead, Dorian! - Gordon: Head up the stairs.
On top of that, it puts me in the top ten.
Wow. Come on, how you feeling?
I'm overwhelmed.
It means a lot to me.
I was really missing my mom,
and to see that pink cake meant a lot to me.
My mom was my very best friend.
We watched the show together all the time.
- Oh, my God. - And here I am,
it's almost like she made it happen for me.
Congratulations. All of you, give her a round of applause, please.
- Amazing. - Go ahead, Miss Dorian!
- Thank you. - She is now safe from elimination this week.
Now, for the grim news.
Some of you took huge risks with very challenging cakes,
but some of you went with an easy route.
Tonight, unfortunately, one of you are going home.
Bri, Nick, Renee,
make your way down to the front.
Being in the bottom three
for the second week in a row really sucks.
To go home on this pathetic carrot cake
would just be horrible.
Tonight, I don't think any of you played to your strengths.
Nick, the cake was a mess.
Slightly overcooked on the outside,
but the jam was delicious.
Renee, the choice was an easy one.
The filling was good.
The base was terrible.
Bri, you took a delicious carrot cake
and turned it into a carrot pudding.
It was dense with insufficient frosting.
Nick, we expect more from you,
and I know you expect more from yourself.
Nick...
...head back to your station.
- Attaboy, Nick. - Nick: I feel super relieved,
but to be a good cook, you have to be well-rounded,
and it's gonna take some work.
So, I'm gonna have to focus on the sweeter side of things,
if I want to be the next MasterChef.
Bri, Renee, tough call tonight.
Joe, Aarón, and I agree that...
Bri, your cake tonight...
...was not the worst.
Head back to your station.
- Oh, my gosh. - Good girl. Good girl.
- Wowzers. - Oh, good girl.
Thank you.
Oh, my gosh.
It's okay, Bri. Chin up. Chin up.
Renee, from a judge's point of view, we're here to push you.
You backed off, and I don't know why,
because you're a bloody good cook.
- Thank you. - Come here.
Renee: I'm disappointed to be leaving.
I'm not brokenhearted, though, because I'm proud of myself.
I'm in the top freaking 12, man.
And winners keep on fighting.
They don't pity party over themselves.
You get back on that freaking horse
and you ride it when it bucks you off.
- Bye, y'all.
Mwah!
Get some rest. Good night.