Halloween Baking Championship Season 4 episode 3 recap: Monster sized mayhem in the kitchen

SIn this Halloween Baking Championship Season 4 episode 3 recap, the bakers are faced with a monster of a problem in the kitchen. Who got their dreams stomped out?

Ready for the Halloween Baking Championship Season 4 episode 3 recap? After last week’s pun-tastic bundt-kin patches, the bakers faced a different challenge in this episode. Instead of small, cute desserts, the bakers tackled monster sized sweet treats. But, did these gigantic desserts frighten the judges in a good way?
Halloween Baking Championship is an entertaining food TV show because each episode’s story is entertaining. Of course, the Food Network show is a baking competition. Still, the amusing storylines/competition themes make the show more entertaining to watch. This week’s episode definitely had some entertaining elements.

The pre-heat challenge had a concept that hasn’t been shown on Halloween Baking Championship. While team challenges have occurred, this episode featured all six remaining bakers working together to create one gigantic pate a choux monster. Would this pastry be scary or just scruffy?

The bakers made a smart choice to sketch out the pate a choux monster prior to everyone baking on their own. While they didn’t choose a specific color or specify a specific direction, the design was overall conducive. The final product did look like six different bakers, but this monster was supposed to be more Frankenstein-ish, right?

Looking at each baker’s individual cream puffs, a few flavor combinations stood out. Brenda had a delightful pistachio diplomat cream, but her portion of the monster lacked creativity and her puffs were a little under cooked. Lyndsy had a yummy mascarpone pastry cream but her cherry to cream ratio was off. While Steven’s tail was a little underwhelming, his coconut, roasted cinnamon, rum pastry cream really brought the flavor.

Host John Henson announces the pre-heat challenge, as seen on Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship, Season 4. photo provided by Food Network

One baker succeeded in both decoration and execution. Jamal soared to victory with his winged pate a choux. From the delicate design on the monster to his flavorful ducle de leche pastry cream, he impressed the judges. Plus, his edible garnish was the best one of the season so far.

Going into the main heat, Jamal’s advantage was that he was able to choose his dessert and theme. Continuing the monster theme, the bakers had to create gigantic desserts. With options like doughnut, pie and cupcake, these desserts were both hard and easy. Execution, not just decoration, needs to be on point.

Looking at some of the desserts and themes, a few bakers had huge challenges ahead of them. Jamal choose whoopie pie and gravedigger. Given the options on the table, I wouldn’t have chosen this pairing. Then again, the hardest dessert combination was definitely Steven’s Jack-o-latern pie. A gigantic pie in a matter of hours was just mean.

Looking at this main heat challenge of the Halloween Baking Championship Season 4 episode 3 recap, the bakers seem to grasp that these challenges must balance execution, flavor and decoration. At this point in the competition, all three elements must be on point. The baker who doesn’t deliver will definitely go home.

One aspect that surprised me greatly was Brenda’s giant cupcake disaster. Putting aside her “giant cupcake” requirement, why would liquid nitrogen help to cool down a cake? I understand bakers putting a cake in the blast chiller to speed up the chilling process (remember never try to ice a warm cake). But, wouldn’t pouring liquid nitrogen on a cake cause the cake to freeze? Even if it thawed by judging, wouldn’t the process change the texture? Maybe some master baker could explain this whole scenario to me.

When it comes down to top bakers, decorations set the bakers apart. While the majority of bakers excelled in taste, the differences between top and bottom are becoming less far apart. Even the twist of having to use sesame seeds didn’t really seem to throw the bakers off kilter.

If I had to pick a favorite dessert, my top choice would have been Lyndsy’s monster sized doughnut. The chocolate forward doughnut would satisfy my chocolate cravings. While the judges’ didn’t appreciate the added espresso, I would like to taste how espresso adds to chocolate’s richness.

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More importantly, Lyndsy delivered on the decorations. While her dessert could be a little busy, she showed the most range in her decorations. No one else added pulled sugar, which is quite impressive given the limited time. I would have voted Lyndsy as the winner.

The judges’ awarded the win to Jamal. His gigantic whoopie pie was good. This dessert could have been a disaster. The texture of a whoopie pie needs to be spot on. Jamal nailed it. Also, he incorporated the sesame into a cookie. While the cookie was separate (not in the dessert), it was a strong use of sesame.

Personally, I didn’t really think that his decorations were all that spectacular. They were nice, but I want more. Still, I don’t know what would have made a good grave scene on a whoopie pie. Jamal had the best combination of all three aspects, execution, flavor and decoration.

It is curious that Jamal won both challenges this week. Looking at the season so far, Jamal and Lyndsy seem to dominate the challenges. Could these two bakers continue their winning streaks in the upcoming episodes?

As for the remaining bakers, Michelle and Brenda had both good and bad aspects to their desserts. Michelle’s bone shaped cream puff definitely brought the freaky factor. Brenda’s demon was visually impressive. Still, each dessert had flaws. The flavors weren’t bold enough and a few technical issues impeded their success.

It is nice to see a home baker, Michelle, still in the competition. Depending on the upcoming challenges, Michelle could continue her success. One concern is her overuse of marzipan. Zac isn’t a fan of the superfluous edible garnishes.

The judges pose for a photo in the main heat, as seen on Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship, Season 4. photo provided by Food Network

The bottom two bakers were Steven and Cicely. Steven had the most visually impressive dessert. The gigantic Jack-o-latern pie clearly adhered to the challenge. Unfortunately, his upper pie crust was a little underbaked and lacked salt. While the decoration was superb, the flavor and execution had issues.

Cicely had issues with decoration. With the alien theme, she could have pushed the visual more. A pumpkin roll in between an alien head and hand isn’t sufficient. This dessert doesn’t scream Halloween Baking Championship.

Also, her pumpkin roll had a few technical issues. While her sponge was moist, the roll spiral wasn’t apparent. The judges could see the spiral. And, I didn’t see how this pumpkin roll was gigantic. Somehow I would have thought the dessert should have been bigger.

The baker sent home in Halloween Baking Championship Season 4 episode 3 was Cicely. No more side eye from this baker. I wonder who will be the brunt of jokes next week.

Of course, a recap isn’t complete without talking about the judges’ costumes. Carla Hall’s costume, an English/Victorian ghost was quite disturbing. She really nailed the look, but watching her eat the desserts was hard. No one looks good with blacked-out teeth. I give her a lot of credit for being willing to wear this costume.

And, props to Zac for all the lifeguard/swimming puns this week. Channeling his inner Baywatch, this look was quite entertaining. Too bad there wasn’t a slo-mo kitchen save in the episode out-takes.

Halloween Baking Championship Season 4 episode 3 recap has come to a close. Next week’s challenge appears to be a Halloween inspired wedding cake. Wonder if the bride of Frankenstein will make an appearance?