(tense music)
Joel mchale: In the last crime scene kitchen.
Yes!
Our final five teams had the thankless task
Of trying to please me after I set the dessert.
What do you think it is?
Yolanda gampp: Well, this was-
Joel mchale: Wrong. (yolanda laughs)
Amber and yass looked deep into my soul
And emerged victorious.
The other three teams had to break the rules of physics
To create an anti-gravity cake,
And fadi and t certainly rose to the occasion.
Fadi: I ended up creating a topper
That I literally was trying to avoid creating.
(fadi laughs)
Joel mchale: Shockingly, steph and cherry's
Impressive run of detective work came to an end.
Cherry: It really shows like, one bad bake
Could end it all for you in this competition.
Joel mchale: Tonight, the semi-finals,
Our four teams of culinary clue finders,
Will face off to recreate two new mystery desserts.
Kristy: I don't know what this is, what is this?
Joel mchale: And if any of them
Need professional baking advice,
Nba superstar, dwight howard, is here.
Kristy: That's a good-looking man.
Joel mchale: The $100,000 price is so close,
They can taste it.
Camille: Oh my god.
Joel mchale: Which I do not recommend, cash is filthy.
Fadi: If we nail this, we can make it to the finals.
Joel mchale: Welcome to crime scene kitchen.
(upbeat music)
Producer: Here we go in three, two, one.
Send in our semifinalists.
(momentous music)
Amber: This is the semi-final.
The stakes are super, super high.
If we win this, we're into the finals,
So of course we want it.
Kristy: Winning this competition would be very important
To me, and my family, and my business.
I've never wanted this $100,000 more than I do right now.
(momentous music)
Joel mchale: Welcome to the semifinals
Of crime scene kitchen.
Tonight, we're down to our four best teams of bakers.
From our self-taught bakers group,
We have tarsha and kristy and fadi and t.
T: By winning the show, we would prove
To kind of all the self-taught bakers out there
That fadi and t are incredible.
(t laughs)
Joel mchale: And from our classically trained
Bakers group, laissa and camille, and amber and yass.
Producer: Are we excited or are we nervous?
Camille: We are nervous, scared, happy, excited, ready.
Laissa: The goal is to go to the finals and win.
Joel mchale: We're just one episode away
From the grand finale where one team will win $100,000,
And where we'll answer the age old question,
"do you really need to go to four years of school
To learn how to make cupcakes?"
(contestants laugh)
Let's say hello to our judges, her highness, yolanda gampp
(applause)
And his middleness, curtis stone.
(laughter)
Tonight, we have a special guest.
Joining the judges,
Please welcome professional basketball legend,
Dwight howard.
(applause)
Wow.
Kristy: Dwight howard's a lot taller than I expected.
I like that. (laughs)
Tarsha: Stay focused.
(kristy laughs)
Joel mchale: Dwight, you set the challenge
In the crime scene kitchen, why this one?
Dwight howard: This is one of my favorite desserts.
It's one of the most delicious desserts in the whole world,
And I don't think it's easy to make.
Producer: Do you bake?
Dwight howard: I do not bake.
So, if you bake it, I'll eat it.
Joel mchale: Well, dwight, behind us
Is the crime scene kitchen,
Where a short time ago, a splendid dessert was made.
Your task is to scour it for clues
And recreate what you think is the mystery dessert.
The first round tonight is the safety bake.
Whoever does the best in this round
Advances directly to next week's grand finale,
Avoiding the dreaded elimination round.
Tarsha and kristy, start your search!
(timer beeps)
Each team will have two minutes in the kitchen
To examine the same clues.
T: We have to get every detail right.
Fadi: If we win the safety, we're in the finals.
We got to win it.
This has some sort of caramel residue on it.
I saw a bowl with a little bit of caramel residue on it,
So I know I'm making a caramel.
I see a spatula with some sort of cooked milk
With vanilla bean in it.
T: It's like a vanilla custard.
Fadi: Oh, is it like a creme brulee, or something baked?
So, I'm now starting to think maybe it's a creme brulee or-
T: Souffle.
Is the ramekin used?
Fadi: No, that's the problem.
None of the baking vessels were used.
T: What temperature the oven at?
We're definitely making custard,
But there's no evidence of baking
In this "crime scene kitchen" right now.
Yass: I have something that smells like anglaise.
I'm thinking a vanilla anglaise sauce,
Which is like a custard.
Vanilla beans.
Amber: This is this semi-finals
And is extremely difficult.
Caramel was on this, and then like, oil.
That's looking like some hard sugar was made,
So there's going to be some type of decoration.
We got this bain,
That means we're making something with a water bath.
There's some small creme brulee dishes.
Yass: The sugar, what are you thinking?
Talk to me.
Amber: I'm thinking creme brulee.
Tarsha: I see a pie pan.
Kristy: It looks like something whipped.
We're after $100,000 dollars.
We have to get this correct.
Tarsha: Ok, so we've got milk, sugar.
The flour's not used?
Kristy: We're pretty sure
That we're not making a pastry or a cake today.
Tarsha: We have to be missing something.
There's vanilla bean cream in the sink.
I saw this spatula, and it had the vanilla bean sauce.
I'm thinkin' we should be doing a creme caramel.
It's a custard dessert baked with caramel.
Laissa: Milk was used, lots of milk.
Yes, vanilla bean.
And this is just eggs and sugar.
Camille: Oh, I think it's creme anglaise.
Laissa: It's creme anglaise.
What is this?
I think it's caramel.
Camille: This safety bake is really important
Because it's the one that takes you straight to the finale.
(buzzer)
Laissa: Oh, 10 seconds, 10 seconds.
Kristy: Cream, milk.
(buzzer)
Laissa: Six eggs were used.
I saw the stand mixer.
It's meringue.
A lot of milk was used.
Camille: That is the ile flottante.
When I see the pen with the reminiscence of milk
And the slotted spoon, I think ile flottante,
Or floating island.
It's creme anglaise with meringues
And covered with a caramel cage.
Yass: Alright, do you see anything else?
A spoon, the salt.
T: Vanilla.
Fadi: Is it ice cream?
T: It's ice cream.
(timer beeps)
Joel mchale: The crime scene kitchen is closed!
Two hours!
Judges: Ready, guess, bake!
(timer beeps)
Kristy: Please, tell me you know what's going on.
Tarsha: I do know what's going on.
Camille: My belly hurts.
So, for this safety bake,
We're making four floating islands or ile flottante.
It's creme anglaise with meringues
And then covered with a caramel cage.
Laissa: For me, the slotted spoon is the key clue
Because you need to poach the eggs in milk.
I dunno, dwight,
But I think he looks like the kind of guy
That would like to have ice cream.
Camille: Ice cream sundae.
Laissa: And not floating island.
But, I hope we have the right dessert.
(pensive music)
Fadi: I thought for a moment
That we could be doing a creme brulee, but I didn't-
T: Yeah, I thought creme brulee, souffle.
Fadi: Yeah.
T: Not baking in a baking competition seems risky,
But there's really no evidence of anything being baked in.
I want to win safety so bad, so we're making ice cream.
Fadi: All our hopes (fadi laughing)
Rest on this one bake.
I actually just think
We need to get the ice cream base churning
As soon as possible.
T: So, based on the clues
In the crime scene kitchen,
We are making four ice cream sundaes with vanilla ice cream,
Caramel sauce, and whipped cream.
Joel mchale: Fadi and t!
Both: Hello!
Joel mchale: You ever hung out with dwight howard before?
T: Not yet.
I just need to stand next to you for a second.
(t laughs)
Fadi: Trust me, I mean, the height...
Hold on, wait, wait.
Do it, do it, do it, do it.
(fadi laughs)
Dwight howard: You was close.
Fadi: I tried, I tried!
I feel like I'm dwarfed between two roman columns,
But I feel really warm, and cozy, and safe.
Joel mchale: What are you guys making?
Fadi: We are making a caramel sundae.
Joel mchale: Like an ice cream sundae?
Fadi: Yes.
Dwight howard: I can't wait to try it.
Fadi: Yay, me too.
Joel mchale: Do you like sweets?
Dwight howard: I think everybody know I like candy,
Sweets, all of that stuff.
Fadi: Ok, good.
Dwight howard: My granddad used to give us
Big barrels of candy and chocolate,
So I've always had this big crush on candy.
Joel mchale: What's your record for sweets in a day?
Dwight howard: I've had like 30 candy bars.
Joel mchale: Wait, 30 candy bars in a day?
Dwight howard: I was hungry.
(fadi laughs)
Joel mchale: Yeah.
T: I'm just worried when I serve the ice cream,
By the time it gets to his mouth,
Will it have melted already?
Tarsha: The sugar just started to burn kristy,
So we're going to have to start all over again after this!
We don't have time to be starting over five times!
Kristy: Based on the clues in the crime scene kitchen,
We're making four vanilla beam creme caramels.
Tarsha: I've never made creme caramel before.
I guess that's something you learn in culinary school,
I didn't go to culinary school.
I'm so stressed.
I can't even split the frickin' vanilla pod.
We have $100,000 we want to win.
There's a lot riding on this creme caramel.
Joel mchale: Tarsha and kristy.
Tarsha: Is that joel?
Joel mchale: Yeah, it's me.
Oh, and this is-
Tarsha: Hey, how you doin'?
(kristy squeals)
(tarsha laughs)
Joel mchale: Oh, look, it's dwight howard.
Dwight howard: How you doin'?
Kristy: First of all, she's not your biggest fan, I am.
Dwight howard: Ok, give us a hug.
Kristy: Thank you!
Dwight howard's all glittery.
He's like shining and blinging all at the same time.
(kristy laughs)
That's a good-looking man.
Joel mchale: Guys, what are you making?
Tarsha: We are making creme caramel.
It is like a custard kind of thing.
Joel mchale: Could it have been anything else?
Tarsha: Oh, I'm sure it could have been,
And it may very well be.
Kristy: Can I get a signature?
Dwight howard: Yes, you may.
Kristy: 'cause look, I got a son and a dad.
Tarsha: I mean, he tall and all, and he cute and all,
But I need to get to work.
You all in the way, you all in the way of progress.
I ain't got time to be fooling around with him and joel too,
That's just too much.
If you gon' come in here startin' trouble,
You going to have to go.
Dwight howard: Yes ma'am.
Kristy: You can stay.
She can go.
Tarsha: If he's not going to be helpful, he needs to leave.
Kristy: You was real rude.
Tarsha: I wasn't rude.
Yass: Alright, come on, let's go!
Amber: I can't do nothing until you do what you doing,
You're measuring up the stuff!
Based on the clues in the crime scene kitchen,
We're going to make four vanilla creme brulees
Topped with a caramelized sugar cage.
So, the creme brulee is another custard based dish.
Traditionally, it is burnt sugar that's on top,
And you used a torch to actually do that.
Yass: Because we didn't see a torch
And because of the caramelized sugar
That we saw on the bowl,
We figured that we have to make this cage.
And it's still going to give you the crunch
That you're missing from a traditional creme brulee.
Is it a little out there to try it? Absolutely.
But, this is crime scene kitchen.
We want to win.
Amber: We want to win.
Yass: So, here we are
With a creme brulee and a cage.
I don't know, are we right, are we right?
Yolanda gampp: Breaking news,
They are all making a different dessert.
Joel mchale: And this is dwight howard's challenge, so.
Dwight howard: I can't wait to try it.
Curtis stone: This is the most important safety bake
We've ever had.
The winner goes straight through to the finale,
And you can feel the tension in the room.
Custard's at the center
Of every single one of these desserts,
But they're all interpreting it differently.
Tarsha: I don't know why
You're still fighting on this sugar.
Kristy: It looks just like yours.
Tarsha: It don't look nothin' like mine.
Curtis stone: Tarsha and kristy
Are making four creme caramels,
Which is a custard dish made with a caramel on the bottom
And then popped out so the caramel ends up over the top.
(tense music)
Yolanda gampp: They don't have time for a mistake.
The time is tight.
Joel mchale: The good news was
Tarsha only threw dwight and myself
Out of the kitchen twice.
Dwight howard: I feel like she was my mama.
It's like, "yes, ma'am."
(yolanda laughs)
Amber: I show you the vision.
Yolanda gampp: No, I have to show you the vision.
Amber: Look at that.
Yass: Oh, that vision.
Curtis stone: Amber and yass going to make a creme brulee.
These guys are classically trained,
They've got a lot of knowledge.
Some of the other contestants,
They're going to be really nervous.
Fadi: Churn, churn, churn, churn!
Yolanda gampp: Fadi and t
Are making an ice cream sundae.
This is the first time in crime scene kitchen history
They're not baking anything.
Fadi: It looks significantly thicker
Than when it started.
Curtis stone: But, ice cream might be the right guess.
Joel mchale: I'm really not into cold desserts,
But I love ice cream.
Yolanda gampp: Ok.
Dwight howard: So, you cook like this?
Yolanda gampp: I make cakes that look like things,
So I would make a cake that looked like a creme brulee.
Dwight howard: Could you make one that looked like me?
Yolanda gampp: Of course.
Dwight howard: Like, the same height?
Yolanda gampp: Yeah, are you placing your order?
Joel mchale: They're not cheap.
Dwight howard: They're not cheap? Joel mchale: No.
Dwight howard: You'd have paid for it, how about that?
(yolanda laughs)
Camille: Just do another one, that's ok.
Don't worry.
Joel mchale: Camille and laissa.
Yolanda gampp: They are making a floating island,
Which is not a dessert you see here commonly.
Curtis stone: It's a challenging dessert to get right.
Camille: Keep stirring.
We never know, keep starting, keep stirring.
Laissa: Ok, let's get another pan.
Joel mchale: 11 minutes!
Dwight howard: One-one!
Curtis stone: Look at laissa,
She's burnt the caramel again.
This is her fifth attempt.
Now, camille's going to take over.
Laissa: Everything is going wrong.
It's a total disaster.
I just want to cry.
Curtis stone: Your caramel,
You want it to be really lacey,
So you've got to get it just the perfect...
You can't rush it.
Camille: Come on, caramel, be my friend.
The stress that is going, it's about winning!
We want to win.
(speaks french)
(timer beeps)
What the heck?
Curtis stone: Oh my god, what a mess.
I wonder if they're even going to get the dessert
On the plate for us.
Joel mchale: Our last elimination bake,
They barely had their cake together with two minutes left.
(timer beeps)
Camille: (speaks french)
It's unbelievable.
It's a lot of stress, and it's hard,
And my ass is sweating!
Laissa: Is it the same time?
Camille: No, do it, do it.
Laissa: I'm doing it.
(dramatic music)
Joel mchale: Welcome back.
Dwight howard's towering presence
Is adding extra pressure on our bakers.
Whoever wins this round, skips the elimination bake
And advances directly to the grand finale.
And despite my uneven performance,
I too will advance to the grand finale.
(dwight laughs)
Dwight howard: Oops.
Really?
Joel mchale: Yeah.
Two minutes! (timer beeps)
Dwight howard: Dos minutos!
Camille: Don't touch the caramel.
Tarsha: There's no way in the world
That these are going to cool in time to serve to the judges.
Are we supposed to turn it out?
(tense music)
Laissa: Do you have four?
Camille: I have four.
Laissa: Oh my goodness. Camille: I have four.
Joel mchale: One minute remaining!
(timer beeps)
Camille: Oh my god.
(tense music)
Camille: Did you try the cream?
Laissa: I didn't.
Judges: Five, four, three, two, one!
Joel mchale: That is time!
(tense music)
Laissa: How many caramel did do we do today?
Joel mchale: Amber and yass!
Alright.
Yass: I'm a little nervous.
Once again, we could be wrong.
Laissa: Their cage is beautiful.
Camille: Yeah, I know.
T: I didn't see any cages.
Amber: This is the semifinals, you know?
The stakes are super, super high.
Joel mchale: Wow.
Dwight howard: Ok.
Joel mchale: Look at that.
Amber: We made a vanilla bean creme brulee
With a caramelized sugar cage.
Fadi: We thought about creme brulee.
Yolanda gampp: Now, you've called it a creme brulee,
But it's missing the bruleed sugar on top.
You've made a sugar cage instead.
Amber: Yes.
Yolanda gampp: Tell us why.
Amber: One, we didn't see a torch anywhere.
Two, there was a small bowl
That had remnants of caramelized sugar, and we knew
That that was going to be a cage that was presented.
Fadi: I still feel good about our choice.
Joel mchale: Dwight, have you ever had
One of these pre-game?
Dwight howard: No,
I never had one of these before the game.
But, after the game?
(yass laughs)
Yass: There you go, pop it.
Joel mchale: Smush it in there.
Yass: There you go.
Joel mchale: Hold on, I'm going to go...
Camille: When I see amber and yass' dessert,
I think they nailed it again.
(tense music)
Yolanda gampp: This is really delicious.
A beautiful vanilla flavor.
I was worried that I'd really miss the bruleed sugar,
But I got the same effect breaking through the cage.
Curtis stone: The caramel cage is really nice,
You know, it's nice and lacey, nice little thin pieces.
You've done a good job with that.
Dwight howard: Yeah, that was really good.
Yolanda gampp: That was very good, smooth.
Dwight howard: Damn.
Tarsha: They look delicious.
Curtis stone: You guys have been spot on
In the crime scene kitchen so far.
Do you think you saw everything today?
Yass: Yes. Amber: No.
She said yes, I said, "eh?"
Yolanda gampp: If the mystery dessert is a creme brulee,
You ladies will be gliding through to the finale.
Amber: That's what we want, we want to glide.
Yass: We want to glide.
Yolanda gampp: Thank you.
Joel mchale: Thank you.
Camille and laissa!
(tense music)
Laissa: Can you wait for me?
Yass: They made ice cream with a cage.
No, it's a floating island?
No, I don't know what it is.
(tense music)
Yolanda gampp: What do we have here?
Camille: Ile flottante.
T: What?
Camille: Or, floating island.
Dwight howard: Wow.
Tarsha: What?
Camille: This is a creme anglaise,
Meringues cooked in milk, covered with a caramel cage.
Fadi: Never heard about it.
Curtis stone: This is the crime scene kitchen
Semifinal, so you should be prepared for anything.
But, this is a very rare dessert, a floating island,
To find in america.
Are you a bit worried that it's the wrong one?
Amber: Yup.
Kristy: We know for sure, this ain't it.
Laissa: I'm sticking to the slotted spoon that was used
Next to the big pot of boiled milk.
For me, it's saying that we're making a floating island.
Fadi: Wildly different dishes with the same base.
T: All with the same components.
Curtis stone: You had trouble making the caramel.
I think I counted five attempts.
Laissa: I think even more.
Camille: Seven.
Laissa: Maybe even more.
Curtis stone: It's too thick for me.
It's like, quite hard to eat.
So, I like it really thin and lacey.
But, the poached meringue is just light,
And fluffy, and beautiful.
Yolanda gampp: I agree with curtis,
The caramel is too thick.
However, the taste of the caramel is delicious.
Dwight howard: This is really good.
Curtis stone: If floating islands is the dessert
That was made in the crime scene kitchen,
You're straight through to the finale.
But, if it isn't, you will have to do the elimination bake.
(tense music)
Joel mchale: Tarsha and kristy!
Kristy: I've never wanted safety so bad.
Camille: Creme brulee, creme...
Oh, creme caramel.
Kristy: Winning this safety bake
Will get us straight to the finals.
Tarsha: So that we can sit on the sidelines
And let everybody else do all the stressing.
Yolanda gampp: Well.
Tarsha: We make creme caramel.
Yolanda gampp: Ooh!
Yass: Oh, so... Ok.
Yolanda gampp: Were you planning to turn them out?
(curious music returns)
Tarsha: We figured we would let you turn them out.
Yolanda gampp: Ok.
Wow.
Curtis stone: Wow.
Yolanda gampp: Yes!
Fadi: Yeah, it looks great actually.
Curtis stone: So, what clues
Led you to think creme caramel?
Kristy: So, we didn't find egg whites,
So we assumed that the whole egg was used.
Tarsha: Also, we didn't see a torch,
So we didn't do the brulee.
(tense music)
Curtis stone: When you make the creme caramel,
It's all about the consistency of the custard.
The consistency of this is bang on, it's perfect.
Absolutely beautiful.
Joel mchale: What do you think, dwight?
Dwight howard: This is good.
Curtis stone: I mean, look,
If this was the mystery dessert,
You guys have got a great chance
Of going through to the finale.
(applause)
Kristy: I just hope we come close enough to what it is.
Tarsha: I just want to win one safety bake.
Joel mchale: Fadi and t!
Fadi: I feel super great about this.
We just have almost all the elements that we saw.
This makes sense to me.
Amber: Did they make ice cream?
Yolanda gampp: It's an ice cream party.
(camille gasps)
Laissa: Did they do everything?
Camille: Ice cream?
T: Vanilla bean ice cream with a salted caramel sauce.
Yolanda gampp: What clues in the kitchen
Made you decide to make ice cream?
T: We saw that vanilla bean in the compost
And then custard everywhere,
So we definitely knew there was a vanilla bean custard made.
We saw a bunch of baking dishes,
But nothing really looked baked on.
Camille: I so wanted to do ice cream.
(tense music)
Yolanda gampp: Your ice cream is delicious.
And vanilla ice cream in particular
Has nothing to hide behind.
So, you've just got to have a rich flavor
And a great texture, and you do have that.
T: Thank you.
Yolanda gampp: The caramel is delicious.
Dwight howard: This is good.
Fadi: Thank you.
I'm honored, truly. (fadi laughs)
Curtis stone: Guys, it's really fun.
It's fun to eat.
The ice cream's a wonderful recipe,
It's full of vanilla, and you really get that.
If ice cream is the right dessert,
You're through to the finale.
Fadi: Thank you. (fadi laughs)
(applause)
T: We are so close to winning $100,000.
If we get safety, that is a one-way ticket into the finale.
Fadi: Yeah, it's the golden ticket.
T: The golden ticket.
(dramatic music)
Joel mchale: Welcome back to the semifinals
Of crime scene kitchen.
You guys are eager to find out who will win the safety bake
And land smack dab in our grand finale.
And I'm eager to find out if dwight really meant it
When he said he would get me court side seats.
Dwight howard: I didn't mean it.
Joel mchale: Ah.
Ok, so here's where things stand.
We have four different desserts.
Amber and yass made vanilla bean creme brulees
With caramel cages.
Tarsha and kristy made vanilla bean creme caramels.
Fadi and t made ice cream sundaes.
And camille and laissa whipped up floating islands
With caramel cages.
This is huge.
Yass: We want safety, we want safety so bad.
Fadi: I want safety.
T: Ice cream party, ice cream party.
Joel mchale: Confectionator 3,000,
Reveal the mystery dessert!
(momentous music)
Kristy: Please, please, please.
Fadi: Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream.
Camille: Please, be the cream, please be the cages.
Dwight howard: The mystery dish is floating island!
(applause)
Mmm-mmm-mmm.
Camille: We got it right!
Joel mchale: Curtis,
How should the bakers have figured this one out?
Curtis stone: Here's how
You should have solved the mystery.
The egg yolks and vanilla mixture on the spatula
Pointed to a creme anglaise.
The pieces of caramel on the bowl and the fork
Indicated a caramel dome,
The lack of leftover egg whites
And used whisk in the dishwasher
Suggested a meringue was made.
And the slotted spoon should have told you
To poach them in milk.
A heavy clue to the french classic, ile flottante,
Or floating islands.
Both: Yes!
Fadi: We'd have never gotten there.
Joel mchale: Judges,
Here's one of the easiest ones we've ever done.
Yolanda gampp: The winners of the safety bake
And our first finalists are camille and laissa.
(applause)
(momentous music)
Joel mchale: You are going straight to the grand finale.
How do you guys feel?
Laissa: The grand finale, oh my god, I'm so happy.
Camille: So happy!
Laissa: It feels so good.
Joel mchale: You can now head to safety.
(cheering)
Dwight howard: Good job.
Tarsha: Once again, we did not make the safety.
Kristy: So now, we have to go into this elimination bake
And fight for our spot in the finals.
Joel mchale: Dwight, thanks for being our guest judge.
Dwight howard, everyone!
(applause)
Alright, the fun's over.
It all comes down to the elimination bake.
Whoever performs the worst in this bake will go home tonight
And miss the finale and their shot at a $100,000 prize.
Two minutes on the clock.
The crime scene kitchen is now open.
Fadi and t, start your search!
Each team will get the same amount of time
To examine the same clues.
T: Ok.
Fadi: Alright.
If we don't figure this out, we will be going home.
And if we win it, we're all the way to the finals.
T: Ooh, mousse cake.
On the drying rack, I see silicone molds.
These molds are great for freezing mousse.
Like an entremet or something?
An entremet is a french style of mousse cake,
Where many different elements
Are hidden inside of a frozen mousse.
I know we're making this entremet,
But I'm still not really sure
Exactly what flavors we're using for this.
Kristy: See these flowers, these pansies?
Tarsha: This is the most important crime scene kitchen
Of the entire competition
Because this one gets us to the finals.
Kristy: I don't know what this is, what is this?
What is this?
Tarsha: It's a mold for entremet.
Kristy: You could put 100 different things
In an entremet.
Tarsha: So, we just got to narrow that countless number
Down to what we can find in the crime scene kitchen.
White chocolate.
Cake flour.
Almond flour is a sablee crust.
There's clues on the counter in the crime scene kitchen
That lead me to believe that it could be a pate sablee.
It's like a sugar cookie.
I mean, it's like a sweet shortbread cookie,
So it's going to be delicious.
Kristy, kristy, come taste it.
This is cream.
Cream and it's got a minty flavor to it.
Kristy: We know that it has a mousse in it.
Tarsha: It had a hint of mint in it.
It wasn't a flavor that we were fond of.
Kristy: We're so close to the finals
That I can almost taste it.
Yass: There's nothing in the sinks.
We're down to the wire now.
We have to find every single clue.
Amber: We don't want to go home.
(tense music)
We don't want to go home.
Yass: Oh look, look, look.
A ring mold where you put like a bavarian or a mousse in it.
Amber: Ok.
Yass: Freeze it-
Amber: This tastes like cardamom.
There is a green dot on this tea towel.
Yass: Alright, that's there... Butter...
Are you feeling anything?
Amber: We got condensed milk,
We got white chocolate gelatin sheets.
Yass: A mirror glaze?
Amber: It's feeling like a mirror glaze.
T: Hold on, gelatin condensed milk, immersion blender.
A mirror glaze.
Fadi: Mirror glaze.
T: A mirror glaze is a type of chocolate syrup
That you pour on top of any type of cake.
And when it sets, it actually reflects light
So it's shiny like a mirror.
Fadi: I got nothing in the herbs.
T: Shopping money.
I have an envelope for shopping money.
And it had $133 written on the outside.
I opened the envelope and there's only $100,
So I know that whatever we need to create this dish
Costs $33.
(tense music)
Kristy: There's a little bit of butter miss...
Tarsha: Look, strawberry puree here.
Kristy: Yellow, leaf green, and purple.
Tarsha: Violet like the pansies.
Like the pansies right here.
Oh, we're making these flowers with this paper
And they're going to be decoration for the cake.
Fadi: Check this out, check this out.
Here.
T: So, $33.
Fadi: What's this?
T: Oh, ok.
So, what's $33?
Cardamom is $30 and pistachios are $3.
Cardamom, pistachio, that's our gig.
Yass: Cardamom, $33.
30, 28, 40.
Hazelnut, nutmeg.
Amber: Cardamom.
I tasted cardamom in that buttercream,
(tense music)
(timer beeps)
Tarsha: Oh, we only have 10 seconds.
T: 10 seconds left.
Fadi: 10 seconds.
Yass: And these are our pansies to be made.
Fadi: White chocolate.
T: What's this about?
Amber: Hurry up, hurry up!
Taste it, taste it!
Joel mchale: And that is time!
Tarsha: Whew!
Fadi: Yikes.
If we nail this, and we really want to,
We can make it to the finals.
(dramatic music)
Joel mchale: Bakers, you'll have three and 1/2 hours
To recreate the mystery dessert.
Tarsha: Kristy, I know we missed something.
Joel mchale: This is our final elimination bake
Of the season.
T: Ok.
Fadi: Here we go.
Joel mchale: Ready, guess, bake!
Is that too loud?
Yolanda gampp: Yes.
Joel mchale: It's dramatic!
(yolanda laughs)
Fadi: What are your thoughts? T: Ok,
We're definitely making a mirror glaze entremet.
Fadi: Agreed. T: Like, it's fact.
Fadi: Yeah. What is the creamy... Is it a mousse?
T: It's a mousse.
Because of this mousse in the tasting cup
And the missing $33
Matching up with the prices for the pistachio and cardamom,
We are making a pistachio and cardamom entremet
With a white chocolate cardamom mousse, pistachio joconde,
And a strawberry gelee, and a mirror glaze.
I want to bake the jocondes first. Fadi: Yup.
T: Joconde is like an almond sponge.
So, can you deal with the gelee?
Fadi: Yup.
Gelee is a jam or jelly that's set with gelatin.
If we make the wrong choice, this is the ticket home.
Done.
(tense music)
Yass: We are so close to the finale.
We just got to think clear.
The finale is right around the corner.
Amber: Like, you can see it.
Yass: The stakes have never been higher,
I've never been more nervous.
Amber: I'm thinking entremet.
Yass: Yeah, I'm thinking entremet too.
Amber: The tea towel, there were green dots,
So I'm believing that the glaze
Is going to be that green color.
We are making an entremet
Filled with cardamom mouse, strawberry gelee,
And a joconde sponge, topped with a green mirror glaze
And wafer paper pansies.
Yass: Time is going to be really, really tight.
Amber: You're making that,
And then the...
That's done, I'ma start on the gelee.
Joel mchale: Yass and amber.
Yass: Hi, joel.
Joel mchale: Hi, guys.
You seem more stressed out than I've ever seen you, why?
Amber: You don't take three hours for this dessert.
Joel mchale: How long does it take?
Amber: Six to eight, honestly, like you want some time.
Joel mchale: Top four teams left, $100,000 at stake.
What are you going to do with your half?
Amber: Half of it I will use
To take my entire family on a vacation,
And then the other half I want to put into my business
To continue to grow it.
Joel mchale: How about you, yass?
Yass: Hey!
So, I have a daughter.
She's absolutely amazing
And I would love to invest in her future.
Like, maybe she wants to get her masters,
But at least she'll have a really good start.
Joel mchale: I'm going to let you guys go.
See you guys later.
Amber: Thanks, joel.
Yass: Bye.
(pensive music)
Kristy: What other flavor were you tasting in the mousse?
Tarsha: It was a nasty mint flavor.
You know, you tasted the strawberry with the mint,
Even though we're not very fond of the mint flavor,
So we're making a white chocolate and mint mousse entremet
With a layer of pate sablee
And a layer of strawberry gelee.
Kristy: Decorated with wafer paper pansies.
Tarsha: I'm folding the white chocolate into the mousse.
Taste this.
(tense music)
It's too chunky, I need to do it again.
Shoot!
We've taken so much time trying to make the mousse,
We might not even have enough time for it to set.
I'm not feeling very confident
That we're going to be able to get everything done in time.
I can't think.
Kristy: Hey, I don't need that right now.
Tarsha: Kristy, you can't tell me how to feel right now.
Kristy: I'm just saying we got to get this done.
Tarsha: This is what's standing between me and $100,000.
I'll make some...
Let me just help you.
(tense music)
Curtis stone: An entremet is a complex dish
With lots of layers.
You've got to be a real technician
To be able to make those all work, and mingle,
And dance beautifully together.
And if you get it right, perfection.
But if you don't, it's going to be really obvious.
Joel mchale: Tarsha and kristy, it's your favorite host.
Tarsha: Yeah, it is.
Joel mchale: Dwight howard.
Tarsha: I have a lot at stake right now
And I can't be distracted.
And I've already screwed up once,
And you're just going to make me screw up more.
Joel mchale: What are you going to do with the money
If you get it?
Tarsha: Bills man, I got bills to pay.
I want to have good credit one day. (tarsha laughs)
Kristy: This money is going straight into my business
And to all the debt that I have because of it.
Winning this competition would be very important to me,
And my family, and my business.
Tarsha: $100,000 would go a long way.
Joel mchale: Alright, carry on, guys.
Tarsha: Thank you!
Fadi: So, you're making a white chocolate sail, correct?
T: Yeah.
We don't have any clues to tell us
That we need to make a tempered chocolate design.
But honestly, at this point, it's like go big or go home.
I think it's a risk, but I think it's a risk in favor,
You know?
I just want to win.
Fadi: I know, girl. (fadi laughs)
T: I'm tired.
Joel mchale: Fadi and t!
T: Welcome.
Joel mchale: Guys, here we are.
We are down to the wire.
$100,000, you can buy a lot of shirts.
Fadi: It's true, and pay off debt.
Joel mchale: You got some debt?
Fadi: Yeah, I went to law school.
Joel mchale: Oh, man.
Ok, so what would you do with the money?
T: Having the money would make it possible
To have an actual kitchen space that's, you know, real.
Joel mchale: Now, what are these lumps here?
T: I'm not sure.
Joel mchale: Those are bad, right?
You don't want that.
Wow, I just saw t jump into another gear.
Are you redoing that whole thing?
T: Yup, and it needs to go in asap.
I do not have time for this!
Joel mchale: What are the lumps?
T: Don't know, I don't have time to care.
I am just so terrified that we are going to run out of time
And not be able to finish making this dessert.
Joel mchale: I'm getting out of your way.
T: I think it's our ticket home.
Fadi: Ok, take a beat.
Are we out of time?
T: I don't know. I don't...
(dramatic music)
(timer beeps)
Joel mchale: 30 minutes left!
Come on, bakers, step it up!
T: I messed up a joconde in an entremet challenge
With three and 1/2 hours?
I do not have time for this.
I make a new joconde.
We're back, everything's fine.
Joel mchale: Judges,
Welcome to a very important elimination bake.
So, laissa and camille have safety.
What are these guys making?
Curtis stone: Everyone's making the same thing,
All making an entremet cake.
It's normally made with a mousse
And there's normally a gelee element,
There's normally a cake element,
And it usually has a mirror finish.
Yass: Get it in the freezer.
Hurry, hurry, hurry.
Curtis stone: Most people would freeze this.
It's very easy to pop it out of the mold.
They need to make sure they've left enough time
To properly freeze it,
Or I think we're probably going to see some disasters.
(timer beeps)
T: Fadi, I am taking it out.
Fadi: We're entremeting.
T: Are you good?
Curtis stone: So, t and fadi are making a pistachio,
Cardamom, and strawberry entremet.
Joel mchale: Same flavors as amber and yass.
Yass: Deep breath.
Amber: I got it.
Curtis stone: Well, a little different
Because fadi and t
Are putting pistachio into their sponge.
Yolanda gampp: Tarsha and kristy are the only ones
Doing a mint mousse,
And they're also putting a disc of pate sablee.
So, if they're right, they're definitely into the finale.
Tarsha: I'm just praying for a miracle, kristy.
(timer beeps)
Joel mchale: Five minutes!
(tense music)
Amber: Is it coming off?
Fadi: Oh, it's holding it's shape, that's a plus.
T: Yeah.
Kristy: Yeah.
Tarsha: Yeah.
Kristy: I mean, we got to do something.
Tarsha: I'm sick.
We can't even get the entremet out of the mold in one piece.
Curtis stone: Oh my goodness, look what's happened.
Yolanda gampp: Ooh.
Curtis stone: They're literally scooping it
Out of the mold.
Tarsha: I'm totally feeling like
This pile of garbage sitting on this plate
Is between us and $100,000.
Yolanda gampp: She's glazing.
She doesn't have a choice.
Kristy: This is not going to hold up.
Tarsha: It's ok, it's ok.
(timer beeps)
Joel mchale: One minute remaining!
Yass: Come on, mirror glaze.
Yes!
Fadi: That looks so cool.
(momentous music)
T: Here we go. Fadi: Those are beautiful.
Yass: I feel good, let me get the gold.
Judges: Five, four, three, two, one!
Joel mchale: That is time, that is time!
Tarsha: It is the worst thing
That I have ever sat in front of the judges.
The only thing that I can hope for right now
Is that someone else did worse than we did.
Joel mchale: Laissa and camille won safety,
So they're straight through to the $100,000 finale.
This bake will determine which two teams will join them.
Amber and yass!
Yass: Alright, let's go.
(upbeat music)
We just really need this to go extremely well
So that we can get into the finale.
Amber: Fingers crossed everything is right.
Yass: Mm-hmm.
T: Ok. Fadi: It looks great though.
Tarsha: It looks better than ours does.
Amber: We have a cardamom,
Strawberry entremet mirror glaze cake.
Fadi: No pistachio.
Yass: We found an envelope and it had $133,
But there was some money that was taken out of it
And it was still $100 in it,
And I compared that to what was on the refrigerator.
Tarsha: What was on the refrigerator?
Yass: And it looked like cardamom
May have been purchased.
Kristy: Damn.
(tense music)
Yolanda gampp: I really like the flavor of your entremet.
I'm a huge cardamom fan,
And I don't think you've overdone it at all.
Curtis stone: The jam for me is a little too wet.
(tense music)
This is feeling a bit more like a cream cake
With a jam in it.
That said, there is a lot to like about this,
And if you get the flavors right,
Then you'll make it through to the finale.
Joel mchale: Thank you.
Yolanda gampp: Thank you, guys.
Yass: What we were capable of
Didn't necessarily shine through as much as I wanted it to.
Amber: We just have to hope that we're right.
Kristy: We've made an entremet soup.
(tarsha laughs)
Joel mchale: Tarsha and kristy!
Tarsha: Skip us, we'll just...
Joel mchale: Skip? Oh, ok.
Tarsha: I don't feel good about this bake at all.
T: What happened?
(tense music)
Tarsha: I am just mortified
That this is what's standing between me and $100,000.
It's a white chocolate mousse,
But we used mint in the mousse.
Yass: Oh.
Tarsha: A strawberry gelee center,
And then a pate sablee crust.
T: Oh my gosh.
Curtis stone: Did you taste the mousse?
Tarsha: We did, but it kind of tasted minty to us.
Amber: Oh.
Yolanda gampp: We have seen one entremet already,
And it consisted of a joconde sponge.
You have a pate sablee inside, tell us why.
Tarsha: A joconde sponge took way more eggs
Than what we found used in the crime scene kitchen.
That to us, was the only thing that separated.
Yolanda gampp: This tastes delicious.
And I love all the textures.
The moose is so soft,
The pate sablee is so nice and crunchy.
All together, it's a wonderful bite.
Curtis stone: It really is fabulous.
I know you're disappointed with its appearance,
But there's a lot to hope for here
Because if you've guessed the right elements,
Then you go through.
It's that simple.
Tarsha: Thank you. Joel mchale: Thanks, guys.
Curtis stone: Good luck. Tarsha: Thank you.
Curtis stone: Say a prayer, guys.
Tarsha: All I care about
Is to get closer to the $100,000.
I just hope somebody else did worse.
Joel mchale: T and fadi!
Tarsha: It's beautiful.
Joel mchale: Look at that.
Yolanda gampp: Wow, just show out then.
Tarsha: Was there a pansy on there?
That's all I need to know.
T: We have an entremet,
Which has two layers of pistachio joconde,
Sandwiching a layer of a strawberry gelee,
A white chocolate-
Fadi: Mirror glaze.
T: Mirror glaze.
And a cardamom white chocolate sail.
(tense music)
Yolanda gampp: What led you to this flavor profile?
Fadi: The envelope with the money,
We deduced that pistachio and cardamom added up to $33.
Yass: Mm-hmm.
Curtis stone: What about this decoration?
Fadi: We recognized the chocolate sail.
There was no evidence for it.
To be honest, we missed the pansies,
So they were never going to happen.
But, I just felt like if this was our last chance,
Why not go out with a bang?
(upbeat music)
Yolanda gampp: You should be very proud
Of this entremet because it's delicious.
The cardamom mousse is soft without being gummy.
The pistachio joconde not only tastes great,
But it looks great when you cut it open.
Curtis stone: I mean, look,
You guys have always given us delicious desserts
Through this entire competition.
But, the one part that you've had a bit of trouble with
Is decoding the crime scene kitchen.
And in a challenge like this
Where we get three of the exact same thing,
We have to look at every little detail.
And when I look at the outside of your cake,
There's a chocolate sail and there's no pansies.
You need to hope that you have enough of the elements right
To not be eliminated.
T: All that matters is what is in the confectionator.
And if we didn't get it right, we're going home.
(dramatic music)
Joel mchale: Welcome back
To the crime scene kitchen semifinals.
Here's where things stand.
Our three teams have all made entremets.
Tarsha and kristy
Made a strawberry, white chocolate, mint entremet
With a sablee crust and edible purple pansies.
Fadi and t made a pistachio, cardamom, strawberry entremet
With a joconde sponge and a chocolate sail.
And yass and amber made a cardamom and strawberry entremet
Also with a joconde sponge,
Green mirror glaze, and purple pansies.
It's the end of the road
For whoever does the worst in our elimination bake.
One step short of our $100,000 finale.
Confectionator 3,000, reveal the mystery desserts!
(momentous music)
Tarsha: If there's a pate sablee crest,
That means we're going to the finals.
Yass: Just please, just let it be green.
Both: Cardamom, pistachio.
Cardamom, pistachio.
Joel mchale: The mystery dessert
Is a pistachio, cardamom, and strawberry entremet.
Delicate layers of pistachio joconde,
Strawberry gelee, and white chocolate cardamom mousse,
Covered in a green mirror glaze,
Adorned with pansy wafer paper flowers.
Tarsha: This is just heart crushing.
Amber: That's what I wanted my entremet to look like.
Yass: It's green, it's green, it's green.
Amber: It is green, it's green.
T: I feel like we missed something
About the final execution.
Fadi: They could send us home.
Joel mchale: Yolanda,
How should the bakers have figured this out?
Yolanda gampp: Here's what they should have seen
In the crime scene kitchen.
The cake flour, almond flour, eggs, and butter,
Should have led you to make a joconde sponge.
Kristy: It was a joconde.
Yolanda gampp: The envelope was missing $33.
The only two items on the menu that cost that amount
Were pistachio and cardamom.
Cardamom could also be tasted in the mousse.
Tarsha: Dangit.
Yolanda gampp: Together with the silicone mold
And the strawberries gelee in the fridge,
You should have deduced an entremet.
Finally, the condensed milk, immersion blender,
And green coloring on the towel,
Suggested a green mirror glaze.
And the wafer paper and pansies
Should have pointed you to a flower decoration on top.
(tense music)
T: Ugh.
Fadi: I mean, we missed it.
T: Yeah, we missed it.
Joel mchale: So judges,
What do you make of these three final desserts?
Curtis stone: Two of you
Were the furthest away from the mystery dessert.
Yolanda gampp: Fadi and t, you got the flavors correct,
But you added a chocolate sail for which there were no clues
And you missed the pansies.
Curtis stone: Tarsha and kristy,
You wrongly added mint and a sablee crust,
But you picked up on the pansy decoration.
Tarsha: All that we had to give up to be here,
And not to make it to the $100,000?
I'd be crushed.
Kristy: I'm just praying that we've done enough
To get us into the finals.
Fadi: Again, we could be going home.
You did such a good job, bubs.
Let it out, yeah.
T: Can I just take a minute?
Fadi: Go.
Yolanda gampp: I'm afraid to say
The team leaving us tonight will be...
(tense music)
Tarsha and kristy.
(melancholy music)
Kristy: We came far, semi-finals?
I'm proud of you.
(tarsha laughs)
Tarsha: I'm proud of you too, booger bear.
Kristy: I think this was awesome
To be able to actually watch you in action.
Tarsha: Did you turn it up?
Kristy: I think my elbow touched it by accident.
Tarsha: Uh-huh.
Joel mchale: The mystery dessert is a basque cheesecake.
(applause)
Kristy: Being here has solidified
That she is definitely my best friend.
Tarsha: It's ok, it's ok.
Kristy: You're the only best friend I have
That I've had a disagreement with and we're still friends.
(tarsha laughs)
Joel mchale: Guys, congratulations.
You're all going to our $100,000 finale.
Yass and amber: We're in the finals, ah!
Yass: Come on, friends!
Amber: Let's do it!
T: I'm excited.
Fadi: Me too!
T: I am like dang excited for this finale.
We are also the last self-taught baker in this competition.
Fadi: What's up?
T: What?
Fadi: What's up?
T: What?
Joel mchale: Next week, our grand finale.
It's a culinary battle royale
That ends with one team taking home $100,000,
Minus my finder's fee, of course.
We'll see you then, goodnight.
(applause)
(momentous music)
(fly buzzes)
(upbeat music)