Christmas Gingerbread Greenhouse
This week, the teams had to create a gingerbread display depicting their version of a holiday light show. Daniel and Marla's display was inspired by a botanical garden all decked out in lights and decorations for the holiday. Except for the lights, it's completely edible.
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Baking Twist: Croquembouche
The baking twist challenged the bakers to create a dessert using one of the lightest doughs: pate a choux. Marla made little croquembouches filled with tres leches that look like trees.
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Artsy Christmas Lodge
To make this more contemporary, Leslie and Randi made an elongated house that's being decorated by Santa and Mrs. Claus.
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Baking Twist: Light Bulbs
Randi transformed pate a choux filled with pastry cream into light bulbs.
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Dreaming of a Bright Christmas
Christina and Ana were inspired by a children's book. The child Alex is lying in bed and dreaming of a brighter Christmas, which is represented by the platform above his head.
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Baking Twist: Snowmen
Ana baked pate a choux filled with whipped cream and lemon curd to make snowmen wearing tempered chocolate hats.
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Monster Mountain
This week, the gingerbreaders and bakers were challenged to make monster-themed Christmas gingerbread builds. Kate and Megan created Sammy Sootfoot Junior, a Bigfoot-like creature who lives in an abandoned coal mine under a mountain. He's on top of the mountain throwing snowballs because he's angry he got another lump of coal for Christmas.
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Baking Twist: Snowball Entremets
Jesse challenged the teams to make caramel from scratch and use it to create a delicious oozing dessert. Megan created a snowball made from spice cake covered with caramelized white chocolate ganache and streusel in vanilla marshmallow, all rolled in coconut.
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Monster Stewart's Christmas Mishaps
Lindsay and Stacey's display features Monster Stewart, an interior designer who's renovated her home for the holidays and is getting ready for a party. Her Christmas tree is about to fall about over.
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Photo: Matt Blair
10 / 19
Baking Twist: Gluten-Free Brownies
Stacey baked brownies with salted caramel and topped it with her no-bake cheesecake and extra caramel to make it gooey.
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Photo: Matt Blair
11 / 19
Oh No Wrong House
In Teena and Cashe's display, a house full of monsters are waiting for Santa to come down the chimney so that they can have him for their Christmas feast.
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Photo: Matt Blair
12 / 19
Baking Twist: Naughty Coal
Cashe baked a spiced dark chocolate brownie filled with a salted, roasted hazelnut caramel crunch. "Who knew a lump of coal could taste so good?" said judge Breegan.
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Photo: Matt Blair
13 / 19
Childhood Hometown Memories
The teams had 10 hours to create a gingerbread scene featuring a snow globe depicting a holiday memory. Linda and Cheryl decided to focus on movement, and the village surrounding their snow globe is inspired by the small Long Island town where Linda grew up.
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Photo: Matt Blair
14 / 19
Baking Twist: Shortbread Treat
Jesse challenged the teams to make a dessert featuring coconut as part of their gingerbread display. Cheryl baked buttery, flaky shortbread filled with cherry amaretto jam and coconut sprinkled on top.
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Photo: Matt Blair
15 / 19
Peruvian Christmas House
Sebastian wanted to include colors and flavors, like quinoa, from his native country. The display also features a chocolate sculpture and a sugar dome made from scratch.
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Photo: Matt Blair
16 / 19
Baking Twist: Pate a Choux Polar Bears
Kristen stacked pate a choux to make adorable cream-puff polar bears filled with coconut pastry cream and dipped in coconut white-chocolate ganache.
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Photo: Matt Blair
17 / 19
A Drive Down Memory Lane
This display follows Molli's journey from Arizona to New York City, and the path finishes with the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center.
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Photo: Matt Blair
18 / 19
Baking Twist: Horchata Coconut Cake
Sarah baked a horchata coconut cake topped with a coconut Swiss meringue buttercream and coconut flakes.
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Photo: Matt Blair
19 / 19