In this the first week - cake week - the judges want to see what the contestants are all about in the three challenges issued. The signature challenge is to make a cake in the shape of their lucky number, with decorations to match the reason for considering it lucky. The contestants have two hours to complete the challenge. This challenge marks the first time the bakers will get a chance to get acquainted with their baking station. It also introduces the ten contestants to the viewing audience. The main technical issue with this challenge is not to cut the cake while it's too warm, otherwise the cake may break apart. For the technical challenge, the contestants are required to make in ninety minutes a strawberry roulade. They have to ensure a tight and round roll which doesn't crack with a good strawberry flavor and good cake to filling ratio. They also have to demonstrate their mastery in meringue as both the cake and the buttercream filling will require it. And for the showstopper ... Written by Huggo

It's biscuit week. For the signature bake, the bakers are given ninety minutes to make thirty-six savory crackers and an accompanying dip. Beyond the bakers being told that the thirty-six have to be uniform in size and appearance, the primary technical issues are the baking time for the crackers, which could easily be over-baked in how thin they are, ensuring that they have the typical cracker snap, and the dip being complimentary in flavor to the cracker itself. For the technical challenge, the bakers are required to make twelve identical marshmallow puff cookies in eighty minutes. The issues for the bakers are that they have to get each part of the cookies correct: the cookie base, the raspberry jam filling (which should be seedless), the marshmallow puff, and the chocolate topping, the chocolate which needs to be tempered properly. For the showstopper, the bakers have four hours to make a cookie sculpture using two different types of cookies, the sculpture representing their ... Written by Huggo

It's bread week, the bakers who face three different challenges concerning the combination of yeast and flour. For the signature challenge, the bakers are required to make an Eastern European loaf called a povatica in two and half hours. It can be sweet or savory, and can be baked in any shape they would like, but is must have the signature swirl when cut. Beyond taste and texture, the judges are looking for a good ratio of bread to filling, with the filling being distinctive in appearance from the bread itself. The technical challenge is for the bakers to make twelve brioche à tête in two hours forty-five minutes. The extra challenge will be that the dough must be made by hand i.e. no electric mixers. The technical issues with this challenge are gauging the texture of the dough especially when the butter is worked in, and that the tête (head) should be applied in a way that it does not separate from the base either in the rise or the bake. And for the showstopper, they will be ... Written by Huggo

It's old school week, the phrase which may conjure different connotations depending on one's age, but which is meant to refer to what most would consider retro. The bakers have ninety minutes for their signature challenge which is to make a coffee cake with a streusel topping. The cake is to be both moist and dense which requires a longer bake than most cakes. For the technical challenge, the bakers will be making creme caramels in seventy-five minutes. Beyond perfecting both the caramel and custard components, the biggest issue may be the time, as they have to prepare the caramels, bake them then cool them before unmolding them, underbaking which will result in a loose custard which will have no structure when unmolded. And for the showstopper, the bakers will have three and a half hours to make an extra large celebration slab cake. The celebration component means that the cake must celebrate someone or something, generally meaning it must have at least an inspirational message. The ... Written by Huggo

This week, the bakers will have to contend with one of the most beloved yet temperamental of standard baking ingredients, namely chocolate. No matter the challenge, the bakers will have to create bakes that are chocolate forward with all other flavors only as complements to the chocolate. They will have two hours to complete their signature bake of twenty-four chocolate sandwich cookies. The twenty-four should be uniform from one to another, and there should be a correct ratio of cookie to filling. They will also have two hours for their technical challenge to make the chilled dessert called marquis au chocolat. The time may be the issue as the marquis has four separate and distinct components - an airy and light mousse, a rich ganache, a crunchy pistachio croquant and an equally light and airy sponge - each which must be prepared separately and each layer which must be chilled properly before the subsequent layer is added. And they will have three and a half hours to create their ... Written by Huggo

It's international week, meaning that the bakers will go around in world in three bakes. For the signature challenge, the bakers will be making a tres leches cake, a Mexican favorite, in three hours, but they can incorporate their own international flavors above and beyond the milk. The sponge should be light and airy, and not oversoaked to be made leaden by the milk soaking liquid. The bakers also have to figure out how to infuse the sponge sufficiently with that soaking liquid, the process which is usually allowed to happen overnight. For the technical challenge, the bakers will have ninety minutes to make a kransekake, a Norwegian cookie tower made of stacked almond cookie rings glued together by royal icing, the kake which, by design, is gluten free as almond flour provides the structure. Kyla admits to the camera that the recipe provided makes just enough dough for the eighteen rings required, so that there is no room for error. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers will go... Written by Huggo