Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 episode 1 recap: Cereal killer

In the Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 episode 1, the new group of bakers had to dive into the deep end of the Food Network baking challenge. While the crystal lake might appear inviting, does anyone really know what is lurking under the surface? A cereal killer just might be lurking in the dark.

Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 is taking a new direction for the popular Food Network food competition. While previous seasons had a few lighthearted moments, this season focuses on the darker side of Halloween. Using 80s slashers movies as the theme, these cakes are more PG-13 than kid friendly.

Returning this season is John Henson. His witty banter and pun humor adds to the entertainment value of the show. Combining that element with the judges and their costumes, this season looks to be the best one yet.

Another new change is that each challenge has a new theme and direction. The first challenge, the Thriller, focuses on flavor. The second challenge, the Killer, focuses on decoration. By separating out the purposes of each challenge, it seems to make it easier for the bakers. When faced with a time crunch, the bakers can better focus their direction to ensure that they make the next round.

Who won the Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 episode 1 Killer Challenge?

To kick off the first challenge of the season, the bakers had to create cereal inspired pies. Anyone who watches baking competition shows appreciates that pies are notoriously hard. From soggy bottoms to under-baked dough, the pitfalls are many.

In another twist for this season, the bottom baker would be leaving after the first challenge. There were many levels to the difficulty in this baking challenge.

Overall, the bakers did a great job extracting cereal flavors and incorporating them into the pie. From using the cereal in the crust to creating cereal milk, those nostalgic flavors came through in every bite.

The top pie was from Nicole. Her combination of cereal, chocolate and blackberries had the best balance of flavors. For her win, she received an advantage in the Killer Challenge.

Unfortunately, there were three bottom bakers. Each pie had execution issues. From mistakes with the crust to lackluster decorations, it was clear which pies were not making the cut.

In the end, the biggest mistake got the first baker sent home. Paul had inedible pie crust. That huge mistake earned him the distinction of being the first baker sent home from Halloween Baking Championship Season 7.

Which baker was a cut above in the Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 episode 1 Killer Challenge?

For the first Killer Challenge, the theme was what lies beneath the lake. Given that the bakers were welcomed to camp to start the season, the theme could go in many directions. From an errant outing to the sirens calling people to the murky grave, the theme could be interpreted in many ways.

Since the Killer Challenge is about decorating, that visual needs to be on point. At the same time, the flavors and execution cannot be forgotten. A great looking cake that tastes like dirt isn’t always going to get a free pass.

Overall, the décor was well done. It is clear that some bakers have more of a talent for a stunning looking cake than others. Still, it was clear that this season is more about the spooky than the kooky when it comes to décor. It almost seems that the bakers are leaning more towards Halloween Horror Nights than Mickey’s Not So Scary.

Nicole’s advantage for this challenge was the option to switch ingredients with another baker. She choose to keep her cranberries. While her cake was nice, it did not earn her another top billing.

The two top bakers were Adina and Ashley. While both cakes were impressive, Adina earned the first win. Her creature coming out of the water with all those teeth was visually stunning. It was creepy but not in a horribly gory way.

Unfortunately, three bakers were in the bottom. They were Steven, Guillermo, and Megan. Since it was the Killer Challenge, Megan got a reprieve because it was the decoration forward challenge. Her cake was more like pumpernickel bread, but her decoration was on point. She should feel lucky to avoid elimination.

The first baker eliminated in Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 was Steven. Even though he had the toughest ingredient, tomato, his design was not appropriate for the challenge. The colors were more Spring Baking Championship than Halloween. Even though the tomato skin was a nice choice, it was a miss.

Plus, his cake lacked tomato flavor. Missing both elements of the challenge caused him to be sent out to take a plunge in the lake.

It is interesting that the leaderboard is missing from this first episode. Many fans loved the leader board in previous Food Network baking challenges. It was a great way to see where everyone stood in the competition.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how the two challenges impact the standings. In many ways, this process ensures that the event Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 winner can be the master of both flavor and decoration.

What did you think of Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 episode 1? Can you pick a potential front runner yet?