PRO CHEFS’ FONDANT HAD BETTER BE FANCY...
IT’S the semi finals of this tantalisingly tough patisserie contest and it’s all about the ooze. Everybody loves a chocolate fondant, but if it’s not gooey in the middle it’s just not right.
So the tension of four cheffing pairs waiting for the judges to stick a spoon into their chocolate fondants is off the scale.
This is the secret recipe challenge and the desserts must be served with a coffee creme anglaise and nut brittle. And here’s the kicker – only one chef on each team can cook, the other can only observe and advise from the sidelines.
With staggered times, so each dish arrives in front of Cherish Finden and Benoit Blin straight from the oven, there is nowhere to hide.
Cherish wants fondants that are “beautiful and sexy”, but who will get the perfect ooze?
For their second challenge, the teams have five hours to create a magical Charlotte Russe display, while also preparing a spectacular magic piece of gourmet theatre, known as live plating.
“I want something magic. I want them to bring out the wand,” says Cherish.
“Wow, let’s hope they don’t misinterpret that,” notes host Tom
Allen.
It’s a stressful few hours, with everyone pushed to the brink, all hoping for one of the three spots in the grand final. But it’s absolutely amazing to watch. Expect amazing gastronomic theatre as the chefs use everything from liquid nitrogen to dry ice and the odd rabbit for their display.
Pure imagination that makes for enchanting viewing.