Jaleesa Mason puts creativity and flavor on display in Spring Baking Championship
To say that Jaleesa Mason is a resilient baker might be an understatement. As seen in Spring Baking Championship Season 8, she has persevered even when everything seemed so overwhelming. During a recent chat with FoodSided, Jaleesa shared how her baking knowledge and her love of seasonal ingredients set her on a path to Food Network success.
While Jaleesa now has her own bakery, the CIA trained baker is putting that knowledge on display in the Food Network baking competition. When asked about how that training has helped, she said “my training from the CIA was definitely showcased through my iced cakes. CIA was where I learned how to properly ice cakes with crispy, sharp edges. All of the basic fundamentals like pastry cream, dough, and buttercream were engraved into me from culinary school. I was able to remember basic recipes very quickly on the spot. Even smaller details like using a scale to weigh all of my ingredients and batter into cake pans shows my CIA training.”
Although those ideas seem straightforward, it is the little details that can make a difference between winning those challenges and being in the bottom. While that CIA baking knowledge is vital, Jaleesa has real world experience, too.
Having worked at Carlo’s Bakery, Jaleesa said, “I learned most of the fondant techniques that I practice now. That experience alone helped me in the Spring Baking Championship. Along with fondant work, I learned how to keep my cakes very refined.”
Looking at the first couple of challenges, Jaleesa’s decoration and attention to detail has impressed the Food Network judges. Even though she has had a few mis-steps, the ups outweigh the downs.
In addition to the execution, Jaleesa has found ways to showcase attention to detail with flavors. Given that the judges want to see springtime on a plate, the flavors need to capture that sentiment in the first bite.
With these seasonal desserts, Jaleesa shared that she loves “working with fresh fruits and incorporating them into my pastries. I absolutely despise using dyes in any kind of batter that needs to be baked. Spring inspires me to use natural flavors to bring authentic freshness and colors to cakes when they’re in season. Some of my favorite springtime desserts include strawberry hand pies, blueberry lemon loaf, fraisier cake, and anything that contains coconut!”
Although Jaleesa pulls out all the stops in Spring Baking Championship, it isn’t always easy to impress. When asked about the hardest judge to please, she was candid. Jaleesa said, Trying to please all three judges simultaneously was extremely challenging, considering that they each have very different palates. But if I had to pick one judge, it would be Duff just because he’s a “cake guy”. I consider myself to be a cake gal, so he’s the person who would mostly pick up on cake techniques that are difficult to execute. His flavor palate is also a direct contrast to mine so I had to get out of my comfort zone quite a bit.”
That opinion about Duff being hard to please is shared by other Spring Baking Championship baking competitors. Maybe all those Buddy vs Duff competitions have given the Ace of Cakes a more discerning palate.
But, it is more than just playing to the judging table. Jaleesa admitted her biggest struggle was both time management and “flash-brainstorming for creativity.” With the clock constantly ticking, it is a pressure that most bakers never experience.
Although few people will be able to step into this baking competition, there are many lessons to learn from watching. Even if a home baker has never used fondant or might be scared to try an upside down cake, there are many takeaways from this Food Network competition.
Jaleesa shared, “home bakers that are watching the show can try piping flowers with varying piping tips and experimenting with different fruits in all forms, including dried, powdered, and cooked. It will really help elevate your understanding and appreciation for the fruit.”
While that baking confidence and knowledge can be helpful in the kitchen, favorite flavors need to be on the table. For Jaleesa, she said that the “one dessert I could eat forever and ever is a warm, hot fudge brownie sundae. Call me boring, but it’s a classic for a reason!”
But, don’t serve her “anything that has mint and chocolate together.” For her it is a “hard pass.”
Be sure to watch Jaleesa Mason on Spring Baking Championship Season 8. New episodes air Mondays at 8 p.m. on Food Network or stream it on Discovery+.