Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4: Dessert bone-anza

As the number of bakers in the Food Network kitchen decrease, the culinary competition becomes more cutthroat. During Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4, the bakers dug up some bone-chilling desserts and sizzled with some savory flavors. Unfortunately, one baker cranked up the heat a little too high to survive the judges’ critiques.

From the impressive judges’ costumes to the creative confections, Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 has delighted viewers. It is more than just another cake that oozes or a well-designed fondant creation. These bakers have embraced curious flavor combinations.

With the immunity potion saving a baker from elimination, the worthy recipient usually heeds the judges’ advice of “swing for the fences.” Given that they have nothing to lose, it is best to go big, bold. As the finale approaches, that “safety” will disappear soon. It is better to take advantage while they can.

Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4 Thriller Challenge

For the Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4 Thriller Challenge, the bakers created umami desserts. Although home bakers might not choose these ingredients, savory desserts are more popular. Instead of sugar on top of sugar, that punch of tangy, salty, or even sour can keep a dessert from becoming cloying.

The umami ingredients included soy, parmesan cheese, and even red miso. Some ingredients were not too far out of the box. After all, tomato paste is a common in some cake recipes as is balsamic with strawberries.

Overall, the umami desserts were quite good. Although the “mummy” visual requirement was debatable, the flavors were on point.

For example, Manny’s soy sauce brown butter caramel cookie could become a new food trend. It sounds like an evolution of that popular salted caramel flavor.

Winning the Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4 Thriller Challenge was Thierry. His no bake parmesan cheese cake was smart. The parmesan cheese flavor came through in every bite. From pairing it with rosemary to the perfect texture, it was clearly a winning dessert.

This concept is one that many bakers will want to borrow. While there are many successful goat cheese cheesecakes, it might be time to explore more food combinations. No one is saying that a blue cheese infused dessert would be perfect, but there is a place for a hot honey goat cheese.

Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4 Killer Challenge

While Thierry had immunity in the Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4 Killer Challenge, the required dessert did not have the bakers rising to the occasion. These skeleton inspired desserts might have been better if they stayed buried. Only a few bakers really nailed all the components.

The Killer Challenge required that each baker use a candy bar inspired flavor and a particular baking technique. The candy bar reference was a fun way to see Halloween candy in a new light. Everyone loves those peanut butter cups or classic chocolate bars.

It was curious that the brand candy brand names were not as prominent as other food brand collaborations this season. Given that Food Network had a Hersheypark after Dark competition a few years back, the food placement crossover could have been more front and center.

Luckily for Thierry, he had immunity. His concept of a chocolate head floating in the gelatin crystal ball was ambitious. Unfortunately given the limited time, that gelatin ball became blue ooze. His other coconut almond chocolate flavors were nice, but the blue rum gelatin needed to disappear quickly.

Still, Thierry did what he should do when a baker has immunity. It was about ambitious, out of the box concepts. Just another safe dessert is not going to earn him top billing in the judges’ eyes.

The two top bakers for the Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4 Killer Challenge were Joel and Aaron. Although Joel’s no bake cheesecake looked like a chaotic disaster, the flavor was delicious. It captured his required marshmallow element in both flavor and texture. Plus, the chocolate peanut butter flavor was well-balanced.

The judges did not know where to look. Like the old fashion rule, it would have been better to remove at least three things on that dessert décor.

Winning the Thriller Challenge was Aaron. Yet again, the talented baker soar to the top. He had the best visual of all the bakers. It was clean, compelling, and creative.

More importantly, his chocolate mousse with crispy wafers was smart. Aaron incorporated the classic candy but added a modern interpretation. The use of matcha for a touch of earthiness with the bright citrus yuzu made for the best contrast. It was clear that his dessert won.

Unfortunately, the two bottom bakers were equally as obvious. Both Megan and Hollie had big errors.

First, Hollie had underbaked pastry. Given that she had lamination as a requirement, everyone guessed that her dessert was in danger of being in the bottom. Two hours to make laminated pastry is beyond scary. Although her flavors were nice and her visual was compelling, it is hard to overlook underbaked pastry.

Megan had the opposite issue. Her brownie was clearly overbaked. The idea of a brownie with crunch had merit but she did not execute. The crunch layer was too hard, the chocolate flavor was bitter, and the dessert seemed disjointed. Her skull visual was good, but it could not help the brownie dessert rise from the dead.

The baker eliminated in Halloween Baking Championship Season 10 episode 4 was Megan. Between the errors in the Thriller Challenge and Killer Challenge, it was her time to be frozen out of a win.

Could an upset throw the competition in chaos in the next episode? Be sure to watch new episodes of Halloween Baking Championship on Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network. Episodes can be streamed the next day on MAX.