Spring Baking Championship recap: That’s the way the cookie crumbles

After the previous non-elimination episode, Spring Baking Championship was set for another twist in the competition. While many bakers were hoping that everything would be coming up roses in these challenges, the reality is that a few showers often bring clouds to those sun shiny days. Did a favorite baker learn to appreciate the old saying, that’s the way the cookie crumbles?

In Spring Baking Championship season 7, the bakers have faced some unusual challenges. From colorful desserts for particular holidays to savory ingredients, these challenges have been far from that simple dessert that grandma makes.

As seen on this season’s Spring Board, the bakers have had both ups and downs. One week a baker is number one only to fall the bottom and be eliminated. While this ranking has been helpful to see how the bakers fall within the competition, it isn’t the determining factor. As has been said many times before, each baker is only as good as his last bake.

In this pre-heat challenge, the bakers had to create their take on a Georgia ice cream sandwich. While the dessert had to have an ice cream component, the bakers could not make an ice cream sandwich. If that aspect was a little befuddled, so was the extra ingredient.

In addition to using a particular stone fruit, the bakers had to transform pre-made cookie dough. This concept should have made the bakers cringe. A pre-made ingredient should have made the bakers throw their hands up in defeat. Since they didn’t know the ingredients, taste or anything about the pre-made cookie dough, it could really impact their dessert.

Overall, the bakers did quite well in this Spring Baking Championship pre-heat challenge. Except for Natalie, the bakers transformed the cookie dough into something that wasn’t a cookie. Although some ideas were more successful than others, the bakers did well.

In addition, the ice creams were fairly successful. Although a few ice creams were poorly churned, it wasn’t the ice cream machine disasters that Food Network fans see on Chopped. For the most part, everyone had an edible ice cream.

Winning the pre-heat was Veruska. After having many mis-steps this season, she soared to the top with her creative dessert. The liquid sable that ensconced the cheesecake was a huge hit. It was such a creative take on the cookie challenge. Sometimes innovation really pays off with the judges.

For winning the Spring Baking Championship pre-heat, Veruska was able to both pick her flavor and assign the other bakers’ flavors for the main heat. Each baker had to take a popular cookie flavor and incorporate it into a totally different dessert. But, for the challenge twist, each baker had to include six cookies of that flavor.

Unfortunately, the phrase that’s how the cookie crumbles held true in this Spring Baking Championship challenge. There were more misses that wins with these desserts.

From a falling apart roulade to a caramel soup, the mistakes were many. Even the visuals seemed to have missed the mark. Did all the bakers take a walk in the park in this challenge? Was last week’s non-elimination make everyone less competitive?

With the best bite of the day was Veruska, again. She scored a double win in this Spring Baking Championship episode. Her opera cake with orange was both visually stunning and bursting with bright flavors. It was clear that she was the winner.

The other desserts each had issues. From Chantae using pre-made lady fingers to Keya’s falling apart roulade, each dessert had a flaw. Could the pressure of almost reaching the finale cause these bakers to crumble?

Unfortunately, the bottom two bakers were Madiha and Derek. Although Derek had a flaws in his execution, one layer was way too thick and his cookie was too soft. Still, his stunning mirror glaze was lovely and his flavors were on point. But, small mistakes can have a baker sent home.

Madiha struggled with this challenge. Although she didn’t want to use oatmeal raisin cookie flavor, her dessert was lacking some creativity. The cheesecake didn’t really feature raisins. Also, her cheesecake crust was soggy. While not a soggy bottom like a pie, it was not a pleasant texture.

In the end, Madiha was sent home. For some Spring Baking Championship fans, they might feel that she should have been sent home sooner.

With only a few more challenges remaining, the bakers should have learned a very important lesson in this Spring Baking Championship episode. Losing focus with the title within their grasp is not a good idea. Remember cookies are for closers.

What did you think of this Spring Baking Championship episode? Who do you predict to win the title?