Holiday Baking Championship S12E01 (2025)

BRITCOM III

Watch Holiday Baking Championship S12E01 (2025) - BRITCOM III on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00:00Captions by Red Bee Media

00:00:02Captions by Red Bee Media

00:00:04Captions by Red Bee Media

00:00:06Captions by Red Bee Media

00:00:08Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation

00:00:10Captions by Red Bee Media

00:00:12Captions by Red Bee Media

00:00:14Captions by Red Bee Media

00:00:16Captions by Red Bee Media

00:00:18Oh my God!

00:00:20Oh my gosh!

00:00:22Wow! It's gorgeous!

00:00:24I've stepped into a holiday village.

00:00:26Oh my god, this is crazy!

00:00:28I'm blown away. I mean, look at this place.

00:00:30Makes me want to get into a little bit of

00:00:32tomfoolery, just for funsies.

00:00:34Y'all, Santa's Toy Shop? This is wild.

00:00:36That's actually us up there.

00:00:38That's us? Yeah. I can have the curls.

00:00:40Okay. Oh my gosh.

00:00:42Wow. Oh, I am blown away

00:00:44by this place. Look at this.

00:00:46It's huge. The village is beautiful.

00:00:48There's so many different shops.

00:00:50It's like Christmas exploded

00:00:52right in front of us. It makes me feel

00:00:54cheery and nice.

00:00:56This is like a baker's dream right now.

00:00:58Right? This is amazing.

00:01:00This is amazing.

00:01:02I have goosebumps.

00:01:04Wow.

00:01:06This got me so pumped.

00:01:08This feels like stepping into a snow globe.

00:01:10You almost expect to turn a corner

00:01:12and see elves at work.

00:01:14We made it.

00:01:15We made it.

00:01:16We made it.

00:01:17We made it.

00:01:18Oh my goodness.

00:01:19I'm nervous.

00:01:20It's crazy.

00:01:21Hello, bakers.

00:01:22Hello.

00:01:24Welcome to our incredible holiday village.

00:01:30I know you've never seen the kitchen like this before,

00:01:32have you?

00:01:33No.

00:01:34No.

00:01:35And you know what else is new?

00:01:37What?

00:01:38For the first time ever,

00:01:40we're dividing you

00:01:43into teams.

00:01:45Oh.

00:01:46Oh, my God.

00:01:48Oh, my God.

00:01:49I'm a great team player,

00:01:50but it's nerve-wracking to depend on other people, too.

00:01:53Now, you're familiar with the holiday phrase,

00:01:56naughty or nice, right?

00:01:57Oh, yeah.

00:01:58Oh, yeah.

00:01:59Yeah.

00:02:00Well, we have split you into two teams.

00:02:02Those who lean a little naughty

00:02:04and those who are nice.

00:02:07Okay.

00:02:08All right.

00:02:09I think I'm gonna land on the nice team.

00:02:11I just feel like it's my calling.

00:02:14Now, the naughty side is red

00:02:16and the nice side is green.

00:02:18Of course.

00:02:19So, find the station with your name on it,

00:02:23grab your team apron,

00:02:24and greet your new teammates.

00:02:26That's true.

00:02:29Are you team nice, team naughty?

00:02:30I'm right up front.

00:02:31I am right up front.

00:02:33Okay.

00:02:34Are you naughty, Tarek?

00:02:35Maybe.

00:02:36Ooh.

00:02:37Yes, sir.

00:02:38Oh, there I am.

00:02:40No shocker.

00:02:41I'm on the nice team.

00:02:42You are nice.

00:02:43Team naughty.

00:02:44Right up front.

00:02:45Okay, team naughty.

00:02:46I look good in red.

00:02:47Okay.

00:02:48Okay.

00:02:49Y'all team naughty.

00:02:50Team naughty.

00:02:51Team naughty.

00:02:52Apparently.

00:02:53I was put on team naughty,

00:02:54which the nerve, the audacity.

00:02:56How dare they?

00:02:57Team naughty.

00:02:58Does that feel about right?

00:02:59We're good.

00:03:00I don't know what you're talking about.

00:03:01All right.

00:03:02Look at the team nice.

00:03:03Team nice.

00:03:04You guys are already doing like a team nice cheer.

00:03:06One, two, three.

00:03:07Nice.

00:03:08Cool.

00:03:09Cool.

00:03:10Cool.

00:03:11Cool.

00:03:12Cool.

00:03:13Cool.

00:03:14Cool.

00:03:15I love living on naughty lane.

00:03:16Wow.

00:03:17Guys, the trash talking has already started.

00:03:19We've only been here 20 seconds.

00:03:21Time to get down to business.

00:03:26This village is completely interactive.

00:03:30Welcome to Shop Around for all the items you need.

00:03:33Hey, yo.

00:03:34We have the Berry Marketplace, personal favorite of mine.

00:03:37I'll be honest, I was eyeing some things.

00:03:39Those are some things that look pretty cool in there.

00:03:41We also have the general store here for your general needs.

00:03:44Great deals and discounts happening right now.

00:03:46Jolly gift shop right here in case you have any last minute shopping or items you might

00:03:51need to get.

00:03:52All right, Charles.

00:03:53I know you're probably a coffee head like me.

00:03:55Need the caffeine?

00:03:56Jingle Java.

00:03:57It's my personal favorite place.

00:03:59We have an amazing barista back there.

00:04:01She's waiting to take your orders.

00:04:03I'm ready for a coffee right now.

00:04:05And then, of course, we have our official town hall.

00:04:09Now, about your first challenge.

00:04:16As you know, there are two ends of the temperature spectrum during the holidays.

00:04:22Warm and toasty is when you're inside on a cold day.

00:04:25Yeah.

00:04:26Yeah.

00:04:27And chill and frosty is when you're outside with the brisk air on your cheeks.

00:04:32Yes, sir.

00:04:34So for this challenge, everyone must create a dessert.

00:04:38Warm and toasty for the nice team.

00:04:40Of course.

00:04:41Okay.

00:04:42Okay.

00:04:43And chill and frosty for Team Naughty.

00:04:45Okay.

00:04:46Okay.

00:04:47Yeah.

00:04:48And the overall best dessert wins an advantage for their entire team.

00:04:53Woo!

00:04:54Woo!

00:04:55We got it, y'all.

00:04:58We got this.

00:04:59Let's do it.

00:05:00High stakes.

00:05:01Yeah.

00:05:02And while you'll be working in teams, at the end of this competition, only one of you

00:05:06is going to win $25,000.

00:05:09No way!

00:05:10Woo!

00:05:11Wow.

00:05:12A feature in Food Network Magazine.

00:05:14Yes.

00:05:15Yes.

00:05:16Yes.

00:05:17And, of course, the title of Holiday Baking Champion.

00:05:21Woo!

00:05:22Woo!

00:05:23Congratulations.

00:05:24Okay, Holiday Bakers.

00:05:27Two and a half hours on the clock.

00:05:29Okay.

00:05:30And your baking time starts now.

00:05:33Woo!

00:05:34Let's go.

00:05:35Let's go.

00:05:36Let's go.

00:05:37So many things.

00:05:38So many options.

00:05:39Same guys.

00:05:40Let's see what we're going to make.

00:05:42All right.

00:05:43Let's do it.

00:05:44I'm going to do a banana foster bread pudding.

00:05:47Beautiful.

00:05:48Perfect.

00:05:49I'm going to do, like, a smoked cinnamon spice s'mores dessert.

00:05:51Warm and toasty.

00:05:52Yes.

00:05:53To get a win today, number one, teamwork.

00:05:55I'm really good at tarts.

00:05:56I think I'm going to make a tart.

00:05:57Yes.

00:05:58Yes.

00:05:59So we're all going to help each other, because a victory for one is a victory for all.

00:06:03We're going to do so good.

00:06:04We'll see.

00:06:05The nice team is very bubbly and kumbaya.

00:06:09I believe in everybody.

00:06:10People are so amazing.

00:06:14Ugh.

00:06:15The naughty team is a little bit more independent.

00:06:17Ultimately, the best bite of the day is going to get an advantage for their team.

00:06:22So for me, it still is an individual competition.

00:06:25I probably shouldn't say this on the Holiday Baking Championship, but I know I'm the more, like, talented chef.

00:06:31I came here to win.

00:06:33We got it.

00:06:34I am an executive pastry chef at a country club in Charlottesville, Virginia.

00:06:38I've worked at multiple Michelin star restaurants, including Per Se in New York, French Laundry in Napa.

00:06:43I've been a chocolatier.

00:06:45I deserve to be the winner of this whole thing.

00:06:48I know that's scandalous to say, but, um, yeah.

00:06:52I'm going to do kind of a layered entremé cake, kind of blueberry cremeux.

00:06:59Actually, we're not going to do blueberry in the cremeux, so I have a white layer.

00:07:04Charles, what, what, like, talk to me.

00:07:08I'm a list guy, so I have to kind of make a game plan.

00:07:11I can tell.

00:07:12What is that?

00:07:13It is a layered mousse cake entremé.

00:07:15Almond sponge cake on the bottom.

00:07:17A blueberry white chocolate mousse that's chill and frosty.

00:07:21A little of that lime mint jalapeno.

00:07:23So the jalapeno is the naughty ingredient.

00:07:25Yeah.

00:07:26What, is there any naughty deco going on here?

00:07:28I'm going to make some evil abominable snowman eyes to give a little naughty evil side.

00:07:33And how does it feel to be on the naughty team?

00:07:35I mean, I don't think I'm a good fit for the nice team.

00:07:38I'm sarcastic.

00:07:39I'm a little blunt.

00:07:40I, I get it.

00:07:41I get it.

00:07:42That's the mustache.

00:07:43That's true, too.

00:07:44I'm not intimidated by your mustache, Charles.

00:07:46I can grow my own.

00:07:47Oh, yes.

00:07:48Yeah.

00:07:49I think I'm a very nice person.

00:07:54Just turn that bad boy on.

00:07:57And I mean, how can you resist?

00:07:59Um, I am making a Bananas Foster bread pudding.

00:08:02New Orleans is well known for its bread pudding, for its Bananas Foster.

00:08:06And I moved there about three years ago.

00:08:08I'm originally a Jersey girl.

00:08:10I come from a very big Latin family.

00:08:12I'm Puerto Rican.

00:08:13Lots of get togethers growing up.

00:08:14Christmas tends to be a bigger family celebration.

00:08:17My husband and I met in high school in South Jersey.

00:08:20But I've always wanted to live in New Orleans.

00:08:23And now I am the pastry chef for big restaurants there.

00:08:26The food culture in New Orleans is like nowhere else I've ever been.

00:08:30The food is so good and so flavorful.

00:08:32So warm and toasty, New Orleans, you got to go with big, warm flavors.

00:08:37The custard is infused with a lot of spices, some rum, some bourbon, bananas in there.

00:08:42A little bit of orange dust to kind of brighten that up a little bit.

00:08:45And then a Foster sauce anglaise.

00:08:49To decorate, I'm going to caramelize some bananas.

00:08:52You know, kind of shingle them on top really nice.

00:08:55Little white chocolate snowflakes.

00:08:58Just really kind of bring it together.

00:08:59And also when it's cold outside, what do you want?

00:09:01Bread pudding.

00:09:02I hope I can be the overall winner for my team.

00:09:05So I got to bring it.

00:09:08Sweet dreams.

00:09:11Going in top oven.

00:09:13Two hours left, bakers.

00:09:15We are ringing in the holidays with Naughty versus Nice Desserts.

00:09:19Yeah, Naughty!

00:09:21That might have been a bit loud.

00:09:24I'm so thankful and I'm so excited to be baking here.

00:09:28To bring some calm to the kitchen.

00:09:30I'm on Team Nice, obviously.

00:09:33And I chose a tart with mold, spiced pears, hazelnut frangipan.

00:09:38I'm going to represent my niceness by piping on mascarpone mousse snowman.

00:09:42And I'm going to fill the belly out with some cranberry curd.

00:09:45Chase, do you feel like Team Nice, this was the right...

00:09:48I feel like it was definitely an appropriate choice for me.

00:09:51It was? Why? Tell me why.

00:09:52Not only do I fake.

00:09:53I'm a yoga teacher and I spend a lot of time just encouraging niceness and being nice to people.

00:10:00So yeah, I think it's like right on the nose.

00:10:02Do you use breathing exercises ever?

00:10:04For sure, yeah.

00:10:05Can we do one?

00:10:06Yeah, let's do it.

00:10:07Inhale out and up.

00:10:09Breathe through the nose and as you exhale drop your hands to heart center, push into the palms.

00:10:13Side outs and the shoulders down and back.

00:10:16Oh, that's good.

00:10:18I need to hang out at your station more.

00:10:20Does anybody have heavy cream?

00:10:23Anyone? Anyone?

00:10:24Hey, nice guys, anybody got heavy cream?

00:10:27I have some, but I need it.

00:10:29Oh, I do. Okay.

00:10:31Should I go here?

00:10:32Yeah, thank you.

00:10:33They say they're nice, but they're holding all the cream.

00:10:36Oh.

00:10:37Gia, I wasn't sure if I was going to see you end up on Team Naughty or Team Nice.

00:10:41It's the southern accent.

00:10:42That's it.

00:10:43It's just the sweetness.

00:10:44Come off as the sweet southern bell.

00:10:46But really.

00:10:47That'll put pepper in your cake.

00:10:50I am the owner of Beef Sweet Dessert Boutique.

00:10:53It's me and my two sons that run it, and I'm kind of the sneaky naughty one.

00:10:58They'll be starting to put some powdered sugar in the mixing bowl and I'll walk by and turn it on.

00:11:02Just funny little things like that.

00:11:04So when you heard Chillin' Frosty, what were you thinking?

00:11:06I instantly went to something that we bake at our bakery at home.

00:11:10It's cocoa mint.

00:11:11We usually do it as a cookie, but I'm making it a cake today.

00:11:14I'm going to do a chocolate cake and a chocolate ganache, a chocolate buttercream,

00:11:18with a little bit of mint in there as well.

00:11:21Could this be the dessert you think that maybe wins Team Naughty in advantage?

00:11:25Oh, I sure hope so.

00:11:27Tracy?

00:11:28Yes.

00:11:29Can you taste?

00:11:30Oh, yes.

00:11:31Oh, my gosh.

00:11:33Where'd these flavors come from?

00:11:35Wow.

00:11:36That's great.

00:11:37Thanks, God.

00:11:38I'm a Team Naughty.

00:11:39I would never want to be on the Team Naughty because I'm nice.

00:11:44Hold up.

00:11:45That's not great.

00:11:46That's nice.

00:11:47I'm executive pastry chef from Orlando.

00:11:51I'm born and raised in Brazil, so I'm very outgoing.

00:11:55I wake up every single day thinking about baking.

00:11:59And I really want to get the advantage for my team.

00:12:02Seriously.

00:12:03Ah, my favorite thing.

00:12:06Caramel.

00:12:07So I'm going to make an apple spicy, salty caramel cake.

00:12:12My apple cake is made with apple puree, some fresh apples with a lot of spices and the apple

00:12:19brandy, and also using cinnamon whiskey.

00:12:22It's very warm and toasty.

00:12:25To decorate my dessert, I want to bring the fall leaves and the colors that match really

00:12:33well with apples.

00:12:35Ooh.

00:12:36Nancy will be so happy with this.

00:12:40Ground cinnamon?

00:12:41Yeah, sit here.

00:12:42Please.

00:12:43I just need a touch-up.

00:12:44Thank you for-

00:12:45See?

00:12:46I'm being nice with you.

00:12:47Good job.

00:12:49I landed on the Naughty team.

00:12:50And I think that's kind of on brand of who I am at times.

00:12:54I've gotten into my fair share of mischief growing up.

00:12:56I've followed some rules and I've definitely broken a few more.

00:13:00So definitely not mad about it, you know?

00:13:02I've got two girls, Dallas and Declan.

00:13:04I love my girls to death, so being a daddy is probably my favorite thing.

00:13:08And I'm the owner of Uncle Cheesecake in High Point, North Carolina.

00:13:11I found myself complaining about there being no good cheesecake in my area.

00:13:14All of a sudden, I'm opening up a bakery and I'm making all types of desserts.

00:13:18Today I'm going to use my famous cheesecake recipe so the people back home will know exactly

00:13:23what this is.

00:13:24I'm going to put a little bit of peppermint for the cool and refreshing.

00:13:27And for the Naughty, I'm going to put a little bit of tequila inside of mixed berry compote

00:13:32and some mint.

00:13:33Something chill and frosty.

00:13:35And then afterwards, I might just take a bite out of it before I serve it to the judges.

00:13:39Just a guy being Naughty.

00:13:4190 Minutes Bakers!

00:13:43I see my egg carton and realize that chocolate cake has zero eggs in it.

00:14:02This is absolutely not how I wanted to start.

00:14:06This cannot happen this way.

00:14:08I'm going to have to do something different.

00:14:11I cannot believe it.

00:14:23My cake is completely useless now.

00:14:25I'm going to have to start over.

00:14:27I've got to figure something out because you don't want to be the one that lets your team down.

00:14:32My plan now is to make a coconut cake with chocolate buttercream and a mint buttercream.

00:14:39Because it was a quicker batter for me to put together.

00:14:42Everything rides on this.

00:14:45First challenge.

00:14:49You know, it's a lot.

00:14:51But I'm here for a reason.

00:14:53And as are the rest of us.

00:14:55And I'm so excited.

00:14:56But I'm still going to win.

00:14:58So I am a little bit of a dictator in the kitchen.

00:15:01Very by the book.

00:15:03It was always if you weren't 15 minutes early, you were late kind of thing.

00:15:07I am the executive pastry chef at the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys.

00:15:11We are a full service bakery.

00:15:13We also feed the players and the coaches.

00:15:15I am very laser focused and tunnel visioned on my own goals.

00:15:19And the end goal is me getting the win for our team.

00:15:23All right, lemons, lime.

00:15:26To bring the chill and frosty, I have decided to do a cold triple citrus tart.

00:15:32Greek yogurt, tequila whipped cream on top.

00:15:35And chocolate shards to make it look a little bit like ice.

00:15:38Citrus is always the best during winter.

00:15:41And then we're going to throw some tequila in there to make it a little bit spicy.

00:15:46Ashley, you live in Texas, yeah?

00:15:47I do.

00:15:48But is there a joke in this?

00:15:50I was going to have you taste this, but I don't want to knock you out.

00:15:53There's never too much jalapeno.

00:15:55That's what I'd say, but...

00:15:56Mmm.

00:15:57It's really good.

00:15:59Well, now I've got a real competition, huh?

00:16:01One hour left.

00:16:04Whew.

00:16:05Pressure's on.

00:16:06Kamri, how we doing?

00:16:07Internally, I could be spiraling, but no one would ever know.

00:16:10Huh.

00:16:11I am Kamri Smith, and I am on Team Nice.

00:16:16And I definitely feel like I'm on the right team.

00:16:19Whenever I think of warm and toasty, I kind of think of pie, specifically sweet potato pie.

00:16:25So I'm going to do a caramelized honey sweet potato pie with blackberry gelée, toasted meringue,

00:16:32a little freshness, a little sweetness.

00:16:35To decorate, I'm going to take my meringue, pipe it into strips, and make these chocolate snowflakes

00:16:42with a little bit of filetine on the top or a little crunch.

00:16:44I feel like it's a very easy and efficient dessert to make.

00:16:50Those are great!

00:16:51Yum!

00:16:53I wish Violet was closer to us.

00:16:55Me too.

00:16:56That would be such a tea if we were all next to me together.

00:16:58That would literally be a vibe.

00:16:59I would say my closest friends will be Nico and Tarek because we're all about the same age.

00:17:06I couldn't be on Team Naughty.

00:17:08I have a hard time being Naughty, I guess.

00:17:12I am a freshly graduated pastry student.

00:17:15I am 20 years old and I'm from Ithaca, New York.

00:17:18Today I'm making a spiced warm s'mores dessert and then also making spiced chocolate ganache.

00:17:24My decoration idea is to make kind of little chocolate logs for the bottom and kind of have it look like a little campfire with toasted meringue.

00:17:32I also wanted to make a smoked cinnamon Bavarian cream.

00:17:35This is hickory wood and you light it on fire and then it puts the smoke into this where the cinematics are.

00:17:40It'll kind of infuse the Bavarian that I'm making warm and toasty.

00:17:44Smoky cinnamon.

00:17:46Guys, scent is burning.

00:17:48I do smell that.

00:17:49Not me.

00:17:51Oh, I burned that.

00:17:53My bad.

00:17:54Honestly, are you really naughty if you don't get a little smoky?

00:17:57I think it's gonna be pretty cool to work with other bakers who have a slight edge to them.

00:18:01There's so much more fun you can have when you're being a little naughty.

00:18:05That was so corny.

00:18:08I'll just redo it.

00:18:10My name is Tarek.

00:18:11I'm a home baker from St. Louis, Missouri.

00:18:13When I was 13 years old, I was a finalist on Kids Baking Championship, but I did not win.

00:18:17I was a hot mess.

00:18:18My decor is messy.

00:18:20I'm just hoping that the flavors will make up for it.

00:18:23They're not burnt, but I think just a little past where they should be.

00:18:26But now I'm like better.

00:18:27I promise.

00:18:28Hindsight's 20-20 and I've really refined those techniques.

00:18:31Now I just need to really deliver on redemption.

00:18:34So since I have to do like a cool frosty dessert, I'm gonna do like a citrusy pavlova.

00:18:40And to like really bring the theme of naughty to life.

00:18:43Kind of going for a little bit mimosa vibes.

00:18:45You know, really play into the naughty with a passion fruit blood orange and lemon curd.

00:18:50With like a blood orange and raspberry coolie.

00:18:53And then a mascarpone champagne whipped cream.

00:18:58Oh, is it not gonna?

00:18:59Oh wait.

00:19:00Oh.

00:19:01That was really anticlimactic.

00:19:0230 minutes left, bakers.

00:19:04Teamwork could help you win the advantage.

00:19:07Hey, Nico.

00:19:09Could you, could you taste this?

00:19:10Cause I can't.

00:19:11I'm only 19.

00:19:12Just champagne.

00:19:13Oh, am I just taking a chug?

00:19:15Wait, just taste it.

00:19:16I need, I can't.

00:19:18It's good.

00:19:19It's strong.

00:19:21I thought you were offering me a shot.

00:19:22I was like, what?

00:19:23Well, no.

00:19:24My name is Nico Alcalay.

00:19:25I am from Denver, Colorado.

00:19:26And I am the owner of my own home bakery.

00:19:28What I specialize in, is more French style patisserie.

00:19:32And infuse them with more innovative, global flavors.

00:19:35Nico, how we doing?

00:19:37What's up, man?

00:19:38I'm doing great.

00:19:39Do you have an accent?

00:19:40I do, a little bit, yes.

00:19:41Where are you from?

00:19:42I was actually born in Israel.

00:19:43In Israel?

00:19:44Yes.

00:19:45Which part?

00:19:46La Montefal.

00:19:47It's about like 20 minutes out of Tel Aviv.

00:19:48I was born in my two older sisters when I was about two years old.

00:19:51That's when we first came to the States.

00:19:52And I still have all of my family living there.

00:19:55So I still get to visit as much as I'm able.

00:19:58Ugh.

00:19:59Tel Aviv, one of the great food cities in the entire world.

00:20:01Right?

00:20:02It smells amazing over here at your station.

00:20:04Tell me what you're making.

00:20:05So right now, I just took my chestnut sable straight out of the oven.

00:20:09So I'm kind of doing my take on a modern Mont Blanc.

00:20:12Mont Blanc being the French pastry, it's kind of chestnut meringue.

00:20:15Filled with a chestnut brandy frangipan.

00:20:18Going to school in New York, I remember like the chestnuts, like Christmas time, walking outside.

00:20:22And I was very influenced by that.

00:20:24Yeah, when you think of chill and frosty, does it take you back to New York City in the winter?

00:20:27So much.

00:20:28Because that was kind of like my first time really getting like that like Christmas vibe.

00:20:32Yeah.

00:20:33Okay, so how's this thing going to look?

00:20:34How are you going to decorate it?

00:20:35I'm sort of thinking to do a kind of like evil reindeer.

00:20:38With chocolate devil horns.

00:20:39Now I see why you're on team nine.

00:20:41No, can we talk about that?

00:20:42I've talked to some people on the green side.

00:20:44They are not as nice as they seem.

00:20:46We can see your true colors, Nico.

00:20:49I mean, the villains always have more fun.

00:20:54Ooh, there's only 20 minutes left now.

00:20:56JC, you doing okay?

00:20:58Yes, I am.

00:21:00Great.

00:21:01I think I fit in well with my teammates.

00:21:04Everyone here is very nice.

00:21:06Even though I just met them.

00:21:12Erin, you're cleaning up very nicely.

00:21:14It's a very clean station, I have to say.

00:21:17It's my favorite thing.

00:21:18I have two kiddos.

00:21:19I love being their mom, but I'm always just wandering around trying to clean up the mess.

00:21:24If you like cleaning so much, you can come help me clean.

00:21:27Me too, while you're at it.

00:21:28No!

00:21:31Today I am making a warm and toasty chai tea hairy breast.

00:21:37I'm going to decorate it like a wreath, like a little pull apart wreath.

00:21:41The warm and toasty will be in the filling, my diplomat cream.

00:21:46Full of those chai spices also.

00:21:51That's a lot of chai.

00:21:53And then top it with freeze-dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and toasted hazelnuts, and the bright red bow.

00:22:01So, very festive little hairy breasts.

00:22:04Fifteen minutes left.

00:22:06Oh, my gosh.

00:22:07Like, my pie is still hot, but time is running out, and I still have to put the gelée on there.

00:22:12And I got to get all my little decorations on.

00:22:16Dang.

00:22:17It cracked a little bit.

00:22:20Ugh.

00:22:21God.

00:22:23The panic is starting to set in.

00:22:26I'm adding filling in, so I have something.

00:22:30But I'm, like, stressed on the inside.

00:22:32I'm very, very stressed that I cannot get this to set all the way, and it'll just kind of pour out.

00:22:38And then I won't have a pie.

00:22:40Oh, lordy. Oh, lordy.

00:22:44Low-key panicking, not gonna lie.

00:22:46Pie looks a little wonky, so I just have to keep telling myself, relax.

00:22:54Don't get caught up in the hustle and bustle.

00:22:56Ten minutes left.

00:22:58Are you good?

00:23:00Um, as good as I'll be.

00:23:05It's set up nice.

00:23:07Charles, that dessert looks naughty.

00:23:09In a good way.

00:23:11Hopefully that gets us the advantage.

00:23:13Just making decor right now.

00:23:14I'm gonna kind of have to build this backwards.

00:23:17I definitely want to showcase some chocolate work.

00:23:19I mean, I'm probably gonna be the best at chocolate.

00:23:22So I'll paint black cocoa butter inside so that I can cast the white chocolate, and I have nice, shiny, evil snowman eyes.

00:23:30I think I broke the mold.

00:23:32Sorry.

00:23:36Should have gotten a more high-powered torch.

00:23:38Brulee those bananas, Alex. Let's go, baby.

00:23:40I'm doing it. I'm doing it.

00:23:42But we're good.

00:23:43Just gotta get that bread pudding out.

00:23:45All right. Five very short minutes left.

00:23:49Uzi sauce. New Orleans chef.

00:23:52Uzi sauce.

00:23:54Who is going to win the first advantage?

00:23:57I'm, like, sweating.

00:23:59How we doing, Gia? How's the cake?

00:24:02I'm good. It's coming along.

00:24:04Tom seems to be, like, insanely fast.

00:24:05It's obviously not my best piping work.

00:24:09I gotta grab a different tip.

00:24:11But, you know, sometimes you have to just go in and do it, and that's what I did.

00:24:15I'm not happy with that.

00:24:17Ah, they're finally ready to go out.

00:24:20My pavloas are out of the oven. They look great.

00:24:23I'm feeling pretty confident.

00:24:25Got my little snowman.

00:24:28I'm gonna have a carrot nose.

00:24:30They're pretty funny.

00:24:32Wow, look at those wreaths.

00:24:35Aaron, come on.

00:24:37Uh, this is an apple purse.

00:24:40I want to flambe with cinnamon whiskey.

00:24:43Three minutes left. Only three minutes.

00:24:45Let's go.

00:24:47Looks a little messy, but that's okay.

00:24:50Just get this chomped out.

00:24:52The judges will see that big bite out of it, and they'll know I'm on Team Naughty.

00:24:56There we go.

00:24:58Hey, Violet, where are you at right now in the process?

00:25:01Just finishing putting the meringue on and toasting.

00:25:04She said she was gonna torch that meringue.

00:25:05She better hurry.

00:25:0790 seconds left.

00:25:09Can I help you?

00:25:10Can you torch these for me?

00:25:11Yes.

00:25:13Thanks.

00:25:15We got it. You got it. You got it.

00:25:18Oh, yeah, pretty.

00:25:20I love Aaron. She's a sweet mother figure.

00:25:24Kamri, you have one minute left.

00:25:27Can I have to work?

00:25:29You can do it, babe. You got it.

00:25:31That a mess.

00:25:3330 seconds left.

00:25:36Decisions.

00:25:38Decisions.

00:25:40Oh, I'm shaking. I never shake like this. This is crazy.

00:25:44Perfect.

00:25:4610 seconds left.

00:25:50She finished with this?

00:25:52Come on, Naughty. You got it.

00:25:54Let's go.

00:25:55You got this.

00:25:56Time is up.

00:25:57Woo!

00:25:58Woo!

00:26:00Woo!

00:26:01Woo!

00:26:03Wow.

00:26:05Team Nice.

00:26:06You're gonna be first up in judging.

00:26:09Head on over to the coffee shop and we'll start tasting momentarily.

00:26:13I had a whole vision going into it and, you know, just couldn't like execute it right away.

00:26:21All right.

00:26:22How do you guys feel? We did good?

00:26:23Good feeling, everybody.

00:26:25I'm feeling a little frail, so I'm not gonna lie.

00:26:27I think as a team we have a good chance of beating Team Naughty because we just, we work well together.

00:26:32We step up to help each other.

00:26:34Yeah.

00:26:35I think we're really encouraging.

00:26:36It's so nice to have Jingle Java.

00:26:37I don't think that's ever been done in this competition, but I'm so glad that we get to be there for our teammates.

00:26:43Cheers.

00:26:44Cheers for the nice team.

00:26:45Well-earned coffee.

00:26:47Cheers, everybody.

00:26:48There's some hot coffee over here.

00:26:49Wow.

00:26:50Here we go.

00:26:52What do you think of our holiday village?

00:26:55Wow.

00:26:57Huh?

00:26:58Wow.

00:26:59So pretty.

00:27:00And what's new this year, too, is we've broken up the bakers into Team Naughty and Team Naughty.

00:27:06Wow.

00:27:07And Team Nice.

00:27:08And so, whichever team is in the coffee shop, they're watching each baker get judged.

00:27:14Are you serious?

00:27:15Really?

00:27:16Yeah.

00:27:17Team with the best dessert, they'll get an advantage for the main heat.

00:27:20And up first is gonna be Team Nice, with warm and toasty desserts.

00:27:25Nice.

00:27:26John Carlos, come on in.

00:27:31Oh, yeah.

00:27:32Happy holidays.

00:27:33Hello.

00:27:34Say hello to Nancy Fuller.

00:27:35Hi, John Carlos.

00:27:37Hey, Nancy.

00:27:38Duff Goldman.

00:27:39He's one mischievous elf.

00:27:41And Cartier Brown.

00:27:42Merry Christmas.

00:27:43All right.

00:27:44Tell us what you made.

00:27:46Spiced apple cake with dulce de leche caramel, flambe apple pearls.

00:27:52Really, really nice.

00:27:54This is the fanciest spice cake I've ever seen.

00:27:56I like it.

00:27:58Aw.

00:28:00Mmm.

00:28:04You brought us warm and toasty.

00:28:07Aw.

00:28:08That's what he wanted to hear.

00:28:10You gave us, like, this really sophisticated, beautiful caramel apple with cake.

00:28:15I love cake.

00:28:16I love cake.

00:28:17It's so good that I want more of it.

00:28:19J.C., thank you so much.

00:28:20Muito obrigado.

00:28:24It was really good.

00:28:25Come here.

00:28:26Yay!

00:28:27Come on in, Alex.

00:28:28Hi.

00:28:29All right, Alex.

00:28:30Warm and toasty desserts.

00:28:31Which one did you make?

00:28:32Nothing is more warm and toasty than a bread pudding from Louisiana.

00:28:47So, I made a Bananas Foster bread pudding, some brulee bananas.

00:28:52My chocolate snowflakes kind of took a little bit of a hit.

00:28:55But there's bourbon and rum.

00:28:57Nancy, how does it look to you?

00:28:59Oh, I was ready to eat.

00:29:00I was so excited about the bourbon.

00:29:02Oh, boy.

00:29:05But I don't know.

00:29:06I'm not going for those snowflakes.

00:29:08It's gonna know what, you know, three millimeter thin chocolate's gonna do on top of a warm bread pudding.

00:29:15Absolutely fair.

00:29:18That bourbon just set it right off.

00:29:21I'm getting the warmth.

00:29:22Yeah.

00:29:23But not really the toast.

00:29:24Okay.

00:29:25The bread needed to soak up some more of that custard.

00:29:27I need more custard in here.

00:29:29Thank you, guys.

00:29:32All right, judges.

00:29:33Let's bring in Chase.

00:29:34Hey, Chase.

00:29:35Hi, Chase.

00:29:36How's it going?

00:29:37Good.

00:29:38I made a hazelnut frangipan tart with mulled wine poached pears.

00:29:44I love like the shavings of like orange zest and then the way you have your mulled wine just kind of like swooped in there. I love it.

00:29:52Really, really nice.

00:29:53A lot of good warm spices in here.

00:29:55Your crust is really nice and crunchy on the outside.

00:29:58Unfortunately, your frangipan itself is really dry.

00:30:01Like a bread.

00:30:03Very dense.

00:30:04Oh, my goodness.

00:30:06They are very hard.

00:30:10Yeah.

00:30:11But your pears are really nice.

00:30:15I think if I eat more slices of those pears, I'll be warm and toasty.

00:30:20Hi, Erin.

00:30:21Tell us what you made.

00:30:22I made a warm and toasty chai spice peri breast wreath for you today.

00:30:33Mmm.

00:30:34I think your use of this little bow here is absolutely perfect.

00:30:39It blends seamlessly with your wreath.

00:30:41I hate to say this, but I think flavor-wise, I think you kind of missed here.

00:30:51What?

00:30:52Unfortunately, I agree.

00:30:55There's too much spice.

00:30:57For my palate, I would want a little bit more sugar because it's all chai.

00:31:03All right, Erin.

00:31:04Thank you, Erin.

00:31:05It was a little harsher than I thought it was going to be.

00:31:08It was a looker, not a taster.

00:31:09Oh, yeah.

00:31:10Baby girl.

00:31:11We'll find balance next time.

00:31:13It's okay.

00:31:15I'm proud of you.

00:31:18Okay, next up, Violet.

00:31:20Yay!

00:31:21I'm definitely very nervous.

00:31:23I just know they're going to kind of get a soupy mess.

00:31:25They're going to eat me alive.

00:31:26Hi, Violet.

00:31:27Hi, Violet.

00:31:28So, Violet, tell us what you made.

00:31:29I made a, like, smoked spice s'mores type of dessert with meringue.

00:31:35As you can see, my Bavarian cream has melted quite a bit.

00:31:40But who doesn't like a melted marshmallow on their s'mores?

00:31:43Okay, well, Violet, you've made a s'mores, but I think I want less.

00:31:49He's on Team Naughty.

00:31:52Let's see what we got.

00:31:53Ooh, right in.

00:31:55Mmm.

00:31:56Definitely getting toasty.

00:31:59Okay.

00:32:00Maybe a little too toasty.

00:32:01Yeah, maybe too toasty.

00:32:02Right?

00:32:03But it's not bad.

00:32:04Well, I think that the cookie is overbaked, and obviously the Bavarian is a little too thin.

00:32:10Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

00:32:13Yeah.

00:32:14All right, Violet, thank you so much.

00:32:16Thanks.

00:32:17Thanks, Violet.

00:32:18I think the next challenge will be where it shows my skill.

00:32:22Okay, judges, let's bring in Kamri.

00:32:25Oh my gosh, I have butterflies in my stomach.

00:32:28I really hope it's set.

00:32:30How are y'all?

00:32:31How are you feeling?

00:32:32Good.

00:32:33Good.

00:32:34How are you feeling?

00:32:35I'm feeling jazzed.

00:32:36Jazzed?

00:32:37Oh!

00:32:39That is a first.

00:32:40That is a first.

00:32:42Yes.

00:32:43So I did a caramelized honey sweet potato pie, a little blackberry gelée, and then toasted

00:32:49marshmallow.

00:32:50She's not a looker.

00:32:53She's not a looker at all.

00:32:54She's not.

00:32:55But I think that that sweet potato is going to have the flavor that's going to give us

00:33:00the warmth.

00:33:01Yes.

00:33:02Because it better.

00:33:03Yeah.

00:33:05Oh, honey.

00:33:06Okay.

00:33:07All right, Kamri, whenever you're ready, you can serve it on up.

00:33:09I'm a little nervous about this cut with that gelée on top.

00:33:12Like, is it going to ooze out?

00:33:14I...

00:33:17I'm like, Laura, just let this be...

00:33:19You know, something.

00:33:21Just let it hold up.

00:33:22They blew it in my head.

00:33:23Oh, I'm like, I have a heart attack right now.

00:33:26What's going to happen?

00:33:28What's going to happen?

00:33:29Wait for it.

00:33:37The pressure's on.

00:33:38Let's see it.

00:33:39Did it set?

00:33:40Did it set up?

00:33:41Oh!

00:33:42Yay!

00:33:43Yay!

00:33:44Yay!

00:33:45Yay!

00:33:46Yes!

00:33:47Oh!

00:33:48Come on, mom, mom!

00:33:49Yes!

00:33:50Yay!

00:33:52Thanks, Kamri.

00:33:53Enjoy.

00:33:54Ooh!

00:33:59Good stuff in here.

00:34:00I think your sweet potato, it's a star of the dish.

00:34:03It's smooth.

00:34:04It's lovely.

00:34:05And the blackberry gelée on top is really nice.

00:34:09Yay!

00:34:10Yay!

00:34:11But I think it just needs to be a little stiffer.

00:34:14Noted.

00:34:15Thank you, judges.

00:34:18Oh, man.

00:34:19I'm proud of you all.

00:34:20Yeah!

00:34:21We did a good job.

00:34:22That's why we're Team Naughty.

00:34:23This is the first round, so we got the jitters out.

00:34:25Yes.

00:34:26Do we think we did enough to beat Team Naughty?

00:34:28I don't know.

00:34:29Yeah.

00:34:30Good day.

00:34:31How'd it go?

00:34:32I'm not going now.

00:34:33All right, judges.

00:34:34Team Naughty is serving up chill and frosty desserts today.

00:34:35Mmm.

00:34:36So, are you ready for this?

00:34:37I'm nervous.

00:34:38Excited but nervous.

00:34:39Me too.

00:34:40I just don't want to say anything wild in front of them.

00:34:41All right, let's bring in Nico.

00:34:42I think Nico went home.

00:34:43What?

00:34:44I love an ice to me, though.

00:34:45Ice?

00:34:46Nico, come on up.

00:34:47Am I going?

00:34:48Am I?

00:34:49Oh, my God.

00:34:51I love the ice to me.

00:34:52I love the ice.

00:34:53I don't want to do any chill and frosty desserts today.

00:34:55Mmm.

00:34:56So, are you ready for this?

00:34:57I'm nervous, excited but nervous.

00:34:58Me too.

00:34:59I just don't want to say anything wild in front of them.

00:35:00All right, let's bring in Nico.

00:35:09I think Nico went home.

00:35:10What?

00:35:10Hi, Nico.

00:35:13Yo, I'm so geeked right now.

00:35:16This is wild.

00:35:19Oh, he is adorable.

00:35:21All right, Nico, for Team Naughty, what did you make?

00:35:24Okay, so for my chill and frosty dessert,

00:35:26I kind of did my interpretation of a modern Mont Blanc.

00:35:30It is a chestnut pot sablé and a white chocolate mousse,

00:35:35and then to kind of naughty-ify it,

00:35:38we turned it into a reindeer with devil horns.

00:35:42Um, it looks like mine is the only one

00:35:44that his horns are still standing up.

00:35:47This naughty ain't so nice.

00:35:50Oh, no.

00:35:56Listen, I think your textures are lovely.

00:35:58The cream is really nice, the frangipam, really, really nice.

00:36:01Chill and frosty it is, except there's too much sugar.

00:36:06All right, Nico, thank you so much.

00:36:08Thanks, y'all. Bye.

00:36:09Thanks, Nico.

00:36:12Oh, my tooth hurts.

00:36:13Yeah, that was so sweet.

00:36:16For the most part, I think that's kind of a really good critique,

00:36:19so I can, like, go from here, and I think I can show them

00:36:21I can control that sweetness level on the next one.

00:36:23Yeah.

00:36:24It'll show a lot of improvement.

00:36:26Ashley.

00:36:27Hi, judges.

00:36:28Hi, Ashley.

00:36:29So what I have for you guys today is a triple citrus tart

00:36:33with Greek yogurt and tequila whipped cream.

00:36:37You have hit chill and frosty right on the head.

00:36:42Yay.

00:36:43Yay.

00:36:44Shall we dig in?

00:36:45I think we shall.

00:36:46All right.

00:36:47I'm actually going to give you more crust.

00:36:49Ooh, little brownie points.

00:36:56This is phenomenal.

00:36:58It is really, really good.

00:36:59I mean, the zest, your curd, spot on.

00:37:02My favorite part is your whipped cream.

00:37:05That tequila, perfect.

00:37:07All right, Ashley.

00:37:08Thank you so much.

00:37:09Thank you, guys.

00:37:11Okay.

00:37:12Charles, welcome.

00:37:14So I have a blueberry and jalapeno layer cake

00:37:18and a little abominable snowman evil eyes staring at you on the top.

00:37:22Stop looking at me, dessert.

00:37:24I love those eyes, and the splat is, like,

00:37:28ice that's cracked.

00:37:31Chill and frosty.

00:37:32Your cake is so clean,

00:37:34and you may be a little naughty.

00:37:36That jalapeno in there was genius.

00:37:39Oh, oh, oh.

00:37:41Oh.

00:37:42I love the jalapeno,

00:37:44but the white chocolate mousse feels a little gummy.

00:37:49Well, I think your flavors are great.

00:37:51Nice job.

00:37:52Nice job.

00:37:55Daniel.

00:37:56So here I have for you a strawberry tequila mint cream pie.

00:38:02I had to figure out how to make this a little naughty.

00:38:04I decided to take a bite out of everybody's dessert.

00:38:06Oh.

00:38:10Good job.

00:38:11Yes.

00:38:12I like the bite.

00:38:13I like the bite.

00:38:14That was a good touch.

00:38:18Oh.

00:38:19I don't know what that face was.

00:38:20Did you taste any tequila?

00:38:22None.

00:38:23None.

00:38:24But it says chill, it says frosty, and your crust is delicious.

00:38:31Daniel, we appreciate you. Thank you.

00:38:33All right, thank you very much.

00:38:34Thank you, Daniel.

00:38:36Thank you, Daniel.

00:38:38All right, judges.

00:38:39Let's bring in Tariq.

00:38:40I know that guy.

00:38:41Hey.

00:38:42Hi.

00:38:43I'm back.

00:38:44You're like a foot taller.

00:38:47Okay.

00:38:48So what did you bring us?

00:38:49So I made mimosa-inspired mini pavlovas.

00:38:52You're not old enough to drink.

00:38:54You know, nothing's naughtier than underage drinking.

00:39:01You can't applaud breaking the law and holiday making championships.

00:39:04I relied on some of the other bakers for tasting because, yeah, I'm not supposed to.

00:39:10I think you nailed it.

00:39:12It was beautiful.

00:39:13Pavlovas, you know, should be a little crispy on the outside.

00:39:18It's very gummy.

00:39:20I don't know if I would call this chill and frosty, but all of your flavors are really spot on.

00:39:28All right, Tariq.

00:39:29Thanks so much.

00:39:32Let's bring in Gia.

00:39:35Hi, Gia.

00:39:36Oh, my pain girl, and I'm so sorry.

00:39:39I made for you guys a chocolate coconut mint cake.

00:39:43Mmm.

00:39:44Ah.

00:39:45The cake looks funky.

00:39:46Yeah, it is.

00:39:47You know, like it's, you got some square swags, you got some round swags.

00:39:52It doesn't have that continuity all the way around, you know?

00:39:56Aw.

00:39:57All right, Gia, let's carve it up and give the judges a taste.

00:40:00Ooh.

00:40:01I get that chill and frosty a little bit, but you have some technical difficulties in there.

00:40:13Frosting's really dense.

00:40:14And the cake, it's also very dry.

00:40:16You know you can bake a better cake than this.

00:40:17Yes.

00:40:18So here's the deal.

00:40:19Going into the main heat, remember all the things that you're really good at.

00:40:24Right.

00:40:25And do them.

00:40:26Thank you so much.

00:40:27Thanks, Gia.

00:40:28Oh, boy.

00:40:30I have no idea how the nice team did.

00:40:33I just hope that we were better.

00:40:35Bakers, here's how the preheat played out.

00:40:40Of the warm and toasty desserts, the top baker from the nice team is...

00:40:46John Carlos.

00:40:48Woo!

00:40:49For real.

00:40:51And for the chill and frosty desserts, the naughty team top baker is...

00:40:56Ashley.

00:41:02Good job.

00:41:03But only one team, of course, is going to win the advantage.

00:41:09And the baker who won it for them is...

00:41:16Ashley.

00:41:18Oh, yeah.

00:41:23Congratulations, Ashley.

00:41:25Your triple citrus tart was the tastiest bite of the challenge.

00:41:29I'll tell you about your advantage in a minute.

00:41:32I'm telling you guys, this holiday village has everything.

00:41:36It does.

00:41:37It really does.

00:41:38In fact, we love it so much, we're making it your first main heat challenge.

00:41:42Oh, my God.

00:41:43Now, for this main heat, each team will make a holiday village display.

00:41:49Wow.

00:41:50Okay.

00:41:51Each of you is going to be responsible for making a distinct dessert that will be placed on a large presentation board just like this.

00:41:58Now, to help you, in the bakery, you'll find undecorated gingerbread houses.

00:42:03Oh, yeah.

00:42:04Awesome.

00:42:05And that's really going to help create the village vibe.

00:42:07Awesome.

00:42:08It takes a village.

00:42:09Yeah.

00:42:10And when time is up, the judges will choose a top dessert from each team.

00:42:14And the single best dessert is going to win immunity from elimination for the entire team.

00:42:21No way.

00:42:22Oh.

00:42:23That is huge.

00:42:26If I can be that person that gets us immunity, I would be in major competition.

00:42:31That, of course, means that someone from the losing team is going to be going home first.

00:42:36We can't lose.

00:42:37We can't lose.

00:42:38We can't lose.

00:42:39And now, Team Naughty?

00:42:40Yeah.

00:42:41About that little advantage.

00:42:43Oh, yeah.

00:42:44You can choose a key ingredient the other team cannot use.

00:42:50Yo.

00:42:51You still chocolate?

00:42:53Citrus, nuts, or chocolate?

00:42:56Definitely chocolate.

00:42:57Team Naughty, talk it over.

00:42:59What's it going to be?

00:43:00Chocolate.

00:43:01Wow.

00:43:03I love to use chocolate in desserts, so I think it really can set them back.

00:43:09We don't need no stinking chocolate.

00:43:11Yeah.

00:43:12I actually disagree with Aaron.

00:43:13I think decorating without chocolate could be problematic.

00:43:16We are giving you two and a half hours to create an edible holiday village that's going

00:43:21to keep you in this village.

00:43:23Right.

00:43:24I'll do it.

00:43:25And your baking time starts now.

00:43:28Go.

00:43:29Go, go, go, go, go.

00:43:31All right.

00:43:32Hey, guys, come on.

00:43:33Gather around real quick.

00:43:34Okay, guys.

00:43:35Come, come, come.

00:43:36All right.

00:43:37All right, as far as the flavors first.

00:43:38Flavors first.

00:43:39Yes, flavors first.

00:43:40I've got chocolate.

00:43:41I'll do chocolate, too, just to kind of rub it in their face.

00:43:43Yeah, rub it in their face.

00:43:44So then design-wise, how are we feeling?

00:43:46Guys, okay.

00:43:47So we're naughty.

00:43:48We're not going to be the North Pole.

00:43:49We're the South Pole.

00:43:50Oh, yeah.

00:43:51I love that.

00:43:52I love that.

00:43:53What do they do at the South Pole?

00:43:54They make the coal for all the naughty kids, right?

00:43:56The plan for our village is the South Pole and coal mining and really just kind of tie

00:44:02in like dark elements, coal and fire and logs and make our own dessert.

00:44:09I feel like it's a little bit more difficult in these team settings, not knowing each other

00:44:14well enough to come together and create magic.

00:44:17That ups the ante a little bit more.

00:44:19Naughty!

00:44:20I want to do sort of like a winter wonderland take, but like a lot of white, a lot of like

00:44:25natural stuff.

00:44:26I love working in a team.

00:44:28I'm very much a team player.

00:44:29I'm a collaborative team player for sure.

00:44:31So I'm going to do a ginger and citrus cupcake.

00:44:35And my team is the same as me.

00:44:37So communication is really our strategy.

00:44:39That'll be kind of the centerpiece of the town that we're making.

00:44:42Awesome.

00:44:43Oh, okay.

00:44:44All right.

00:44:45That'll be great.

00:44:46We're thinking winter wonderland, a snowy landscape, cute gingerbread houses, walkways,

00:44:52this beautiful wreath with igloos on top, and then all of the other individual desserts

00:44:58to give the holiday village like some life.

00:45:02One, two, three, team mates!

00:45:04Let's go!

00:45:07Gotta get started on the pie crust.

00:45:11Just making sure I have enough salt.

00:45:13Giancarlos.

00:45:14Hey, Jess.

00:45:15How's it going?

00:45:16Pretty good.

00:45:17So you grew up in Brazil?

00:45:18Yes.

00:45:19I'm born and raised in Brazil.

00:45:20Which part of Brazil?

00:45:21It's a crazy story because I don't know where exactly I'm born because I'm born and raised

00:45:25a circus.

00:45:26I used to be a clown with my mom.

00:45:27Wow.

00:45:28Yes.

00:45:29Living in a circus was something like very magical.

00:45:32As a clown, I used to be entertainer, tell all the jokes.

00:45:36Amazing.

00:45:37So which dessert did you choose to make?

00:45:39So I choose to make a parachute teddy bears.

00:45:42I want to do like a family situation and have mama and papa bear together.

00:45:47And I will decorate with buttercream and some sugar candies.

00:45:51So filling up my patechus, I'm going to make pistachio paste cream and cranberry jam filling for my polo bears.

00:45:59Let's see.

00:46:00I like it.

00:46:01It's a great idea.

00:46:02Team nice.

00:46:03Team nice.

00:46:04You guys are lucky to have Giancarlos here.

00:46:05Good luck, my friend.

00:46:06Thank you, Jess.

00:46:07What do you need in a gingerbread-inspired town?

00:46:12I'm making a crystallized ginger molasses sandwich cookie with a yummy cream cheese and africot filling.

00:46:21And I'm going to decorate with royal icing.

00:46:25Also making some snowflakes to adorn our town.

00:46:29I think that I was put on team nice because I really spend a lot of time taking on the role of mom, helping people.

00:46:38How are you doing, Violet?

00:46:39I'm good.

00:46:40Okay.

00:46:41I also work for a not-for-profit as a food pantry manager.

00:46:46I am baking because I really do want to feed people.

00:46:50I may dip the bottom of our cookie, but I don't know in what yet.

00:46:54Because it can't be chocolate.

00:46:56Because Nadi took our chocolate away from us.

00:46:59Last time the judges felt like I brought a little too much spice to the party.

00:47:04So this time, we're just going to make it flavorful and not over the top.

00:47:09Redemption round.

00:47:12In the preheat, I definitely learned to not go all in at once.

00:47:17So we're going a little lighter this time.

00:47:18We're going a little smaller.

00:47:19I'm making a ginger and citrus olive oil cake.

00:47:23Olive oil cakes are, in my opinion, one of the top tier cakes because they stay moist.

00:47:29And they're not too sweet.

00:47:30So I feel like they're a very balanced cake to bring to the table.

00:47:33I have a little citrus soap at the end when it's like fresh out of the oven.

00:47:37And then on the top, it's going to be a pistachio crepes lean.

00:47:40So it's going to be one giant wreath adorned with candied fruit and sprinkles.

00:47:46I do like venturing out.

00:47:47I do like being a little more out there with flavors whenever I can.

00:47:51I took interest in being a pastry chef because you could hear early in the morning and leave early in the day.

00:47:57And I was like, that sounds nice.

00:47:59And now I'm a home bakery owner.

00:48:01And I also work at a churreria back in Detroit.

00:48:05All right, oven going in.

00:48:07I know I got to step it up.

00:48:09I most definitely want to do well for my team.

00:48:11Two hours left, bakers.

00:48:13You're making an edible holiday village to replicate this village you're in right now.

00:48:18Can I get someone to check the bourbon on this?

00:48:20Not Tarek.

00:48:21Sorry, buddy.

00:48:22I went to school in Kentucky.

00:48:24So it's cranberry orange bourbon with a little bit of ginger.

00:48:28Oh.

00:48:29Right?

00:48:30Yeah.

00:48:31Yeah.

00:48:32Oh, yeah.

00:48:33Oh, hello, preheat champion.

00:48:34Hi.

00:48:35How are you, Ashley?

00:48:36I'm good.

00:48:37How are you, Jesse?

00:48:38You're feeling pretty good.

00:48:39You have the post-preheat championship glow.

00:48:40Oh, thanks.

00:48:41It feels great, actually.

00:48:42I'm pretty overwhelmed by it.

00:48:43Everybody say, thank you, Ashley.

00:48:45Thank you, Ashley.

00:48:46Thank you, Ashley.

00:48:47You're welcome.

00:48:48I guess I'll hold the team.

00:48:49No, I'm kidding.

00:48:50I'm kidding.

00:48:51I'm kidding.

00:48:52Naughty.

00:48:53Naughty.

00:48:54Sorry.

00:48:55What are you making here that's going to go into this village?

00:48:58I'm making a oatmeal cream pie with a marshmallow filling, like the sandwich pies that you remember

00:49:04as a kid.

00:49:05Very nostalgic, but with a little bit of a holiday flair.

00:49:07And then, because cranberry is one of my favorites, I'm making bourbon cranberry compote

00:49:11filling on the inside with red and black coating chocolate.

00:49:14Had to kind of tie into that whole theme.

00:49:16Last challenge, I got the judges to really love the lemon and the citrus flavor, especially

00:49:21with the tequila.

00:49:22So I'm going to try to change Nancy's mind again about cranberry.

00:49:27Many have tried.

00:49:28I know.

00:49:29Many have failed over the years, I do have to say.

00:49:31We'll see.

00:49:32We'll see.

00:49:33There's a very thin line between not enough and too much.

00:49:35Sell it, Ashley.

00:49:37I definitely have Ashley on my radar.

00:49:39It's a great thing that we're in a team setting because the top dog is in our team, but

00:49:44I am a very competitive guy, and we will narrow down to only one winner.

00:49:48Going in the oven, guys.

00:49:50We're going to make the South Pole Coal Factory.

00:49:53So I am making a black cocoa peppermint cake that I'm going to make look like a kind of

00:49:59a mountain of coal.

00:50:00Perfect color.

00:50:01So it's going to have that dark chocolate cake, a peppermint marshmallow, a peppermint buttercream,

00:50:06and then covered in black peppermint chocolate buttercream to really give it that naughty South Pole vibe.

00:50:14I personally love chocolate, and I think it's necessary in the holiday season.

00:50:18So it really puts us ahead and hurts them, which I think will help us, especially when we have immunity on the line.

00:50:24That is rude.

00:50:25Charles, I don't need your chocolate over there, Team Naughty.

00:50:28Good, because I'm using it all.

00:50:30Nice ain't going home.

00:50:32Not today.

00:50:33Not today, baby.

00:50:34I'm coming out strong.

00:50:35We're coming out salty, and we're ready to win.

00:50:38I'm making my brown butter toasted coconut chest pie.

00:50:42It's so nutty.

00:50:43It's so warm.

00:50:44It's so toasty.

00:50:45It's one of my favorite things in the world to make.

00:50:47This is like a spin off my grandma's recipe.

00:50:49I call her Mamaw.

00:50:51She makes chest pie every year.

00:50:52I took that recipe, added some toasted coconut brown butter, and I'm bringing it to the competition.

00:50:57I'm going to decorate it with big scoops of Swiss meringue that I'm going to decorate into small little igloos on my pie to fit into our little town.

00:51:06Igloos might be a cold, frosty place, but they're an abode.

00:51:10They're home.

00:51:11They're a nice thing.

00:51:12Tarek.

00:51:13What is that?

00:51:14Is that a beet pie?

00:51:16It's key lime, blackberry, and white rum, and ginger.

00:51:20Where did you learn to do that?

00:51:22The internet.

00:51:23You are so Gen Z.

00:51:26So where's this going in your edible village?

00:51:28The idea is to do like a coal factory, and so I'm going to top it with a torch meringue, and I think some isomalt flames, and it's going to be like a big fire in the village.

00:51:36Obviously with coal comes fire, and then the pollution.

00:51:40So naughty.

00:51:41You got the preheat under your belt now.

00:51:43What are your feelings, emotions?

00:51:45I think as long as I just kind of stick with what I know, I'm going to do great.

00:51:49I cannot go home first.

00:51:51Because I applied very on the whim.

00:51:52I was in the middle of finals.

00:51:54I go to Yale, and college is expensive.

00:51:57Baking alone can't necessarily pay for all of it.

00:52:01So I just submitted an application.

00:52:02I was like, why not?

00:52:03Let's do this over again.

00:52:04Let's win this time.

00:52:05Wait, Tark.

00:52:06Did you skip college to come here?

00:52:08Wait, no.

00:52:09No.

00:52:10No.

00:52:11Finals.

00:52:12Finals.

00:52:13Got it.

00:52:14Your parents are not going to be upset about that at all.

00:52:15I hope not.

00:52:16All right.

00:52:17Good luck, Tark.

00:52:18That looks really good.

00:52:19Bye, Jesse.

00:52:20Ninety minutes on the clock, bakers.

00:52:22If you win the challenge, you win immunity for your whole team.

00:52:26Oh, my gosh.

00:52:28What's burning?

00:52:29I don't have anything in the oven.

00:52:30What's burning?

00:52:31What's burning?

00:52:32Irie?

00:52:34Irie?

00:52:35Oh.

00:52:38It's good?

00:52:39No.

00:52:40Okay, it's good.

00:52:41It's burnt.

00:52:42It's burnt.

00:52:47Stop it.

00:52:48My cookies were burning.

00:52:51How is that possible?

00:52:54This is not fixable.

00:53:02One hour, 13 minutes on the clock, bakers.

00:53:05You're making edible holiday villages.

00:53:08This is stupid.

00:53:10Let's try again.

00:53:12I made a lot of extra dough to both decorate our town

00:53:17and just in case my snowflakes got a little extra doughsy.

00:53:22The stakes are so high for this challenge.

00:53:26Someone's going home from the losing team, and I hope it's not me.

00:53:30I got to get organized.

00:53:32Hey, guys.

00:53:33Anybody need any coffee?

00:53:34I hear the brings to deliver.

00:53:35Oh, yes.

00:53:36Please give me the coffee.

00:53:37Ooh.

00:53:38I could go.

00:53:39I'm so happy.

00:53:40I'm hoping to be on the nice team because I feel like that's more so my personality.

00:53:44What can I get you for coffee?

00:53:46Uh, regular cappuccino.

00:53:48Mocha latte foods.

00:53:49An oat milk latte.

00:53:50An iced Americano.

00:53:52Thank you, sweetie.

00:53:54Hi.

00:53:55I have some coffee orders.

00:53:57Everybody on this team gives me great vibes and, like, they're really good chefs,

00:54:00so I'm excited to work with them.

00:54:02Hey, Violet.

00:54:03Hello.

00:54:04What are we doing for this edible village?

00:54:07So I'm making little snowmen macarons.

00:54:10The filling will be in almond buttercream and a raspberry compote.

00:54:13I'm going to make them into little snowmen, like, happy, have their little carrot noses.

00:54:17Growing up, my siblings and I would always make snowmen during the holidays when it was snowing,

00:54:21so it's a very happy memory for me.

00:54:23You're a triplet, right?

00:54:24I am a triplet.

00:54:25What's that like?

00:54:26That's so cool.

00:54:27I love my siblings.

00:54:28We're all fraternal.

00:54:29We have a shared kind of connection in our brains.

00:54:31I think that is so cool.

00:54:32Can you, like, finish each other's sentences?

00:54:33Yes.

00:54:34Triple telepathy.

00:54:35Yep.

00:54:36Hopefully Team Nice has telepathy.

00:54:37I think we do.

00:54:38Yeah.

00:54:39You guys are all finishing each other's sentences with your little desserts.

00:54:41Yeah.

00:54:42With the desserts, yeah.

00:54:43Awesome, Violet.

00:54:45You make extra buttercream, right?

00:54:46Do you need it for your filling?

00:54:47Just for decorations.

00:54:48Oh, yeah.

00:54:49That's what Al's doing.

00:54:50Okay.

00:54:51Yeah.

00:54:52Mmm.

00:54:53I'm making a spice chiffon cake with sort of a mulled orange curd between the layers.

00:54:58I love to add a little bit of orange juice to mine just to cut through some of that sweetness.

00:55:03And then nice little, like, spiced buttercream on the outside.

00:55:07We're going to decorate it all nice-nice.

00:55:09I'll put some buttercream trees on my cake.

00:55:11Really trying to give the holiday village some life.

00:55:15Orange curd that's, like, mounted with spices and all that other good stuff.

00:55:18A little bit of rum in there, too.

00:55:19I think it's great.

00:55:20Good?

00:55:21One hour left, bakers.

00:55:23Yes, sir.

00:55:24Hey, Charles.

00:55:25Yeah.

00:55:26Can I get a taste on this brownie mix, please?

00:55:27Oh, yeah.

00:55:28I think the wannabe leader, I think it might be Charles.

00:55:32Coffee liqueur.

00:55:33He's well put together.

00:55:34He's worked in some awesome bakeries, and he knows his stuff.

00:55:38More coffee.

00:55:39More coffee?

00:55:40And salt.

00:55:41Okay, absolutely.

00:55:42Yeah.

00:55:43But no one has stood out to me that threatens me winning.

00:55:47The other team can't use chocolate, so I kind of want to shove it in their face a little bit.

00:55:52I'm going to make a coffee liqueur brownie with candied pecans.

00:55:57The brownies are going to be the logs beside the fire that keep the fire going.

00:56:02We're going to take a humble brownie and make it a lot more.

00:56:05Hey, guys.

00:56:06I'm making the royal icing right now for the gingerbread houses.

00:56:09Do you want to color it?

00:56:10I was going to do three different colors.

00:56:12Yeah.

00:56:13Okay.

00:56:14It's been a really interesting dynamic working in teams.

00:56:18I'm going to get the opinion of some of my fellow bakers, even though I don't need it.

00:56:22Hey, Ashley.

00:56:23You have a sec.

00:56:24Can you taste my lemon code?

00:56:26I would put just a tad bit more zest in it.

00:56:28Oh, thank you.

00:56:31We don't have time for that.

00:56:33I just want an opinion.

00:56:34It's an individual competition.

00:56:36I love my teammates.

00:56:37They're great.

00:56:38But at the end of the day, I do not need to rely on anyone else.

00:56:41I am good at this.

00:56:43I will be making a pearly breast filled with a mousseline filling.

00:56:49So my pearly breast will be a ring of my shoe topped with a black cocoa cracklin,

00:56:53filled with a toasted black sesame praline, a lemon curd.

00:56:57I'll pipe my black sesame mousseline on top.

00:57:00And I'll make decorative wreaths hanging on strings.

00:57:03I absolutely think we can win the best bite.

00:57:05I mean, first of all, we already did.

00:57:07So clearly, we're pretty capable of being good at this.

00:57:10Looking good.

00:57:14Yeah, those are not ready yet.

00:57:16Okay.

00:57:17Hey, Gia.

00:57:18Hey, hey.

00:57:19I know it was a bit of a rough bake a little bit earlier.

00:57:21Yeah.

00:57:22What did we learn?

00:57:23Yeah.

00:57:24The judges had told me to stay in my wheelhouse, and that's what I'm doing because I have to win.

00:57:28My reason is probably different than anything you've heard before.

00:57:33It's almost been three years since my husband died.

00:57:36He was only 45 years old.

00:57:38I had just opened a brand new business in a small town 11 weeks later.

00:57:43He had a stroke at work, and four days later, I had to take him off life support.

00:57:48So I'm here for him, and I'm so sorry.

00:57:55I'm here because if I win, I can bury him.

00:58:00I haven't been able to bury him yet.

00:58:01I have his ashes.

00:58:02Wow.

00:58:03Yeah.

00:58:04So that's what we plan to do.

00:58:07I'm going to give you a big hug.

00:58:08Come here.

00:58:09Thank you, Jessie.

00:58:10I'm so happy you're here.

00:58:11I know he's looking down on you right now, and he's supporting you, and he's so proud

00:58:15of you.

00:58:16That's right.

00:58:17So I'm going to make my husband's favorite flavor sugar cookie.

00:58:20It's in my wheelhouse.

00:58:21I make this dough multiple times every week.

00:58:24But to set our theme, it's going to be our village treat.

00:58:28I'm taking it red, and I've added orange and cinnamon.

00:58:32To stack them all, I'll be using a cinnamon-orange chocolate ganache.

00:58:37And I'm making cinnamon-orange royal icing, coal, and things like that on them.

00:58:42Because each one of us is doing maybe a coal-type element, or you use some black in it.

00:58:49The stakes are so high for this challenge.

00:58:52I feel like I'm not here just for me, but also, you know, doing it for my husband.

00:58:5745 minutes.

00:59:00Ay-yi-yi-yi.

00:59:03These are the igloo entrances.

00:59:05I think the hardest part about this is that we can't use any chocolate to decorate.

00:59:08I know.

00:59:09But I'm fine without the flavor.

00:59:11That's what we want.

00:59:13No browning.

00:59:17This second round of sandwich cookies are good.

00:59:21I like a bite and then a chew in the center.

00:59:24Nice, team.

00:59:25How's it going?

00:59:26You want to start decorating a house together?

00:59:28Yeah.

00:59:29I'm just going to get a sheet tray, I guess.

00:59:30Yeah.

00:59:31Doing three of each.

00:59:32Someone's going home.

00:59:33We need to make sure that our team is stepping up to the plate.

00:59:36I'm just slating the house right now, at least the roof.

00:59:39Giancarlo, how you doing, babe?

00:59:40Great, great, great.

00:59:41My paddle shoes is coming out great.

00:59:44I just need to focus on the decoration to deliver on this challenge.

00:59:48Beautiful.

00:59:49Royal icing is almost done.

00:59:53Daniel, you good?

00:59:54We'll be able to take out the brownies.

00:59:57Oh, my gosh.

01:00:01Oh, my gosh.

01:00:03What is burning?

01:00:04My brownies.

01:00:06No.

01:00:08I'm freaking out right now.

01:00:12Sheesh.

01:00:15We're out.

01:00:16Well, that won't work.

01:00:1730 minutes to go now.

01:00:19Oh, my gosh.

01:00:21One baker from the losing team is unfortunately going to be going home.

01:00:26Hey, Daniel, I think your brownies are burning.

01:00:29Oh, my gosh.

01:00:30My batter's in the bottom of the oven, and it's causing a whole bunch of smoke.

01:00:36All right.

01:00:37I look at my brownies, and they're not burning at all.

01:00:39They just smoked out a bit.

01:00:45There's a lot of varying skill levels on our team.

01:00:48Yep.

01:00:49Perfect.

01:00:50She was out of the oven.

01:00:54Daniel is a charmer, but I don't know if he has what it takes to be in this competition and win it.

01:01:01All right.

01:01:04Definitely want some crunch, because they always look for that in a peppermint dessert.

01:01:09This marshmallow will be in my cake.

01:01:12It's dark like charcoal.

01:01:14Like the naughty chefs we are, I guess.

01:01:17The frosting of the cake is peppermint chocolate Italian buttercream.

01:01:20You can smell the chocolate and the peppermint, so I'm very happy.

01:01:23And I think I have a shot to be the baker to win it for the whole team.

01:01:27All right.

01:01:28I'm going to chill these for a second.

01:01:30Then I'll carve them to look like a little mountain of coal.

01:01:36I feel bad covering this up.

01:01:37I finished my meringue, and it looks just over whipped.

01:01:40But I mean, I don't have time to redo it, and I don't have anything else, so I torch it.

01:01:45Let's do some isomalt.

01:01:46Let's play with it.

01:01:47I don't do sugar, ever.

01:01:48I never do sugar.

01:01:49But isomalt is like cheeto sugar.

01:01:50I love isomalt.

01:01:51It's like cheeto sugar, but it works.

01:01:53Also, it'll hold longer.

01:01:54In my preheat dessert, I struggled with the quality of sugar.

01:01:58Black sesame is such a delicious flavor.

01:02:01It has a little bit more, like, richness and bodiness to it.

01:02:03So I think it'll balance out.

01:02:06Fabulous.

01:02:07So I have a orange cardamom cinnamon simple syrup.

01:02:12So we're kind of reinforcing that spiciness, that citrus, that freshness,

01:02:16to break up all the heaviness of the creme mousseline that will soon be on these babies.

01:02:21This is going to be a big old wreath.

01:02:25It's a very soft sponge.

01:02:26The cake is fully cooled down.

01:02:28It's just an extremely soft sponge.

01:02:30I'm making a little collar out of buttercream, and my curd is going to go in there.

01:02:35During the preheat, I wasn't super happy with the product that I put out.

01:02:40So I do a cute little mixture of colors that I know are going to give me, like, a winter forest feel.

01:02:46I put the little snowflakes and I'm prowls, and the tree looks great.

01:02:51All right, I think we're good.

01:02:53I am a little scared making a pie in this competition that I won't have enough time to rest it to my liking,

01:03:00but you kind of just have to throw up a prayer.

01:03:02Finish my desserts right in the nick of time.

01:03:04I'm going to go help Jaune finish up.

01:03:07Nice little feed on those macarons.

01:03:09Yeah, right?

01:03:10I'm so excited about making this village.

01:03:12I think it's going to be super cute with everybody's components.

01:03:15I'm hoping we get it all done in time.

01:03:17It takes a village to build a village.

01:03:19There's not a Christmas village without a Christmas tree.

01:03:23Teamwork makes the dream work nice, team.

01:03:2615 minutes left.

01:03:27Remember, your individual desserts need to work together in your holiday village display.

01:03:34Great.

01:03:35My teddy bears.

01:03:36Should I start decorating a gingerbread house?

01:03:37Yeah.

01:03:38Oh, yeah, we can.

01:03:39Man, the nice team is way ahead of the naughty team right now.

01:03:42We only had about 15 minutes left, and we realized that we didn't discuss who was going to take the responsibility of building the houses,

01:03:50and we spent more time laser focused on our own dessert.

01:03:54Not beautiful, but it'll do.

01:03:56And most of our desserts aren't on the display yet, and unfortunately, the other team is almost done.

01:04:02Speed, speed walk.

01:04:04I am trying to do a kind of pile of coal is what we're going for next to our coal factory.

01:04:10When they slice into it, I want to see the uniform layers on the inside, but from the outside, it's going to look kind of crazy rustic.

01:04:17I promise I know how to ice a cake.

01:04:19This is intentional.

01:04:20What do you need, Juan Carlos?

01:04:21I need something big and colorful to put on top of the tree.

01:04:26How's this ginger?

01:04:28Oh, my gosh.

01:04:29That's amazing.

01:04:30You want it?

01:04:31No, amazing.

01:04:32Nice job.

01:04:33Nice team.

01:04:34Ten minutes left.

01:04:36Here we go, Nico.

01:04:38Pipe like the wind.

01:04:39Hey, Ashley, what is going on right now with your naughty team?

01:04:42We're trying to hurry to get done.

01:04:45It's the best I can put it.

01:04:46And I will point out, if it is not on the display board, it does not get judged.

01:04:51Got to get it all on the...

01:04:54Giant plate.

01:04:55Giant plate.

01:04:56Perfect circles, perfect circles.

01:04:59We're almost there, you all.

01:05:01I think we're ahead of the naughty team.

01:05:03That's good to know.

01:05:05Do you want it higher?

01:05:06To set it up here, I need the coal factory so we can build around it.

01:05:09Getting it, getting it, getting it.

01:05:10I can totally feel the holiday stress over here on the naughty side.

01:05:13Five minutes, bakers.

01:05:15Love that, love that.

01:05:17Wow, this is gorgeous.

01:05:19Y'all need to get your desserts on here.

01:05:21Got a pile of logs coming on your way.

01:05:23This is your two-minute warning.

01:05:25Can you take this cookie so I don't mess it up?

01:05:28What am I dusting?

01:05:29I don't want to screw somebody's stuff up.

01:05:30Houses only.

01:05:31Houses only.

01:05:32Rock sugar.

01:05:33Get some of this as, like, kind of a sheen.

01:05:3530 seconds left.

01:05:37Here, give me a handful.

01:05:38Our display is just chaos and not organized.

01:05:43And not organized chaos either.

01:05:46Ten seconds left.

01:05:48More.

01:05:49More, more, more.

01:05:50More, more.

01:05:51This looks so adorable.

01:05:52Just go.

01:05:53It's hailed.

01:05:54It's hailed.

01:05:55All right, bakers.

01:05:56That's it.

01:05:57That's it.

01:05:58Yes!

01:05:59Yes!

01:06:00Woo!

01:06:01I can't believe how we came together to make our village.

01:06:05It was incredible.

01:06:06Samba!

01:06:07Yes!

01:06:08Lord help me.

01:06:09Woo!

01:06:10Okay, not only does this look like a tornado came through, but we look like a tornado came through.

01:06:15I am both confident and nervous.

01:06:19I'm super confident about my dessert itself, but I'm a little disheartened by our display.

01:06:26We're really needing to hone in on that teamwork.

01:06:31All right, judges.

01:06:33Our bakers and our teams made an edible holiday village for you all.

01:06:38One baker's gonna win immunity for their entire team.

01:06:41The naughty team took it away last round.

01:06:43Let's see if they can do it again.

01:06:47What's going on here?

01:06:48What is this red stuff?

01:06:49It's burning.

01:06:50This is a naughty town.

01:06:51Oh, it is burning.

01:06:52Okay, they are burning.

01:06:53Yes.

01:06:54This is the South Pole.

01:06:55We wanted to focus on the reds and blacks, where we create all the coal at our coal factory.

01:06:59A coal factory is a mine, right?

01:07:02I like that there is fire.

01:07:04The thing is, you got fire everywhere, and then you got a big pile of wood that's not on fire.

01:07:09It doesn't feel that cohesive or team-centered.

01:07:14I can't put anything really together.

01:07:18All right, bakers, why don't you head on back to the coffee shop?

01:07:21We'll bring you out for tasting one by one.

01:07:23Yeah, that display didn't really work.

01:07:26I was very focused on my own dessert, admittedly, so I wasn't really the best team player.

01:07:31Oh, boy.

01:07:32Oh, God.

01:07:33Well, that was...

01:07:34Brutal.

01:07:35Brutal.

01:07:36Yeah.

01:07:37I think maybe if our downfall was not working together as much as a team on the display,

01:07:41I think our strengths were working together with the flavors and, like, with the taste of the individual desserts,

01:07:45and if that's what counts for the immunity, I think we have good odds with that.

01:07:48Let's bring in Charles now.

01:07:50Hey, Charles, welcome back.

01:07:53I made the world's largest chunk of coal.

01:07:57So it is a black cocoa devil's food cake with a peppermint marshmallow and a peppermint chocolate buttercream.

01:08:04This is naughty.

01:08:06I like how you took that lump of coal idea on the outside and kept it going inside with a layer of that devil's food cake.

01:08:13I love that.

01:08:14They are beautiful layers, yeah.

01:08:19Lovely.

01:08:20Mmm.

01:08:21Oh.

01:08:22Your cake's great.

01:08:23It's really tender.

01:08:24The peppermint frosting is perfect.

01:08:28But the marshmallow is just way too firm.

01:08:33Hey, Jim.

01:08:34Hey.

01:08:35Tell us what you made.

01:08:36I made the little Christmas tree.

01:08:38It's a orange with a little bit of cinnamon, a stacked sugar cookie.

01:08:43I like that you went with a cookie stacked tree.

01:08:47I agree.

01:08:48But you're at the Holiday Baking Championship, so I think you need to give us more than just a sugar cookie.

01:08:57Right.

01:09:00It's a little dry.

01:09:01I wanted a little more butter.

01:09:02I just want some more richness.

01:09:04Oh, my God.

01:09:05It's such a thin layer of that ganache.

01:09:07It needs something to kind of wake it up, and that ganache could have done it.

01:09:11Okay.

01:09:12All right, Gia.

01:09:13Thank you so much.

01:09:16If this is what we're being presented in two and a half hours, I'm concerned.

01:09:20Not great.

01:09:21They're being really, really, really hard.

01:09:23They really are.

01:09:24Yes.

01:09:25This is an elimination challenge.

01:09:31Ashley.

01:09:32Hi, judges.

01:09:33Preheat champion.

01:09:36They're gonna wave.

01:09:37They're gonna wave over this.

01:09:38All right.

01:09:39Tell us what dessert you made.

01:09:40So what I've made is an oatmeal cream pie with maple and cranberry bourbon combo.

01:09:46Knowing you hate cranberry but love bourbon, Nancy, I tried to merge the two together.

01:09:52Well, it's a naughty looking cookie.

01:09:54Well, let's find out how it tastes.

01:10:03It's so buttery.

01:10:05Right?

01:10:06Oh, I need a cigarette.

01:10:09Wait, what does that even mean?

01:10:11It is so luscious and gooey and lovely.

01:10:14You made me like cranberry.

01:10:20Unbelievable.

01:10:21Unbelievable.

01:10:22Unbelievable.

01:10:23Who are you?

01:10:24Oh, my gosh.

01:10:25It warms my heart, Nancy.

01:10:26Well, I'm glad.

01:10:27It sure did warm mine.

01:10:32Hello, judges.

01:10:33Hi, Daniel.

01:10:34Hi.

01:10:35All right, Daniel.

01:10:36Why don't you tell us what dessert you made?

01:10:37I have the miniature brownie yule logs.

01:10:40I decorated it with a coffee ganache with some candied pecans on the top.

01:10:45I need it to be a little bit more tightened up.

01:10:48It's a little messy.

01:10:50The texture was great with the pecans.

01:10:52The pecans were wonderful.

01:10:54And I did not get a lot of coffee, but I love that because I'm not a big fan of coffee.

01:11:01Did you burn these?

01:11:02They're a little smoky.

01:11:03Yes.

01:11:04So the springform pan decided to leak a bit inside of the oven.

01:11:09The smoky flavor kind of adds to the story.

01:11:11It is very naughty.

01:11:12I like it.

01:11:13I like it a lot.

01:11:14You inadvertently smoked your brownies.

01:11:18Brownie smoked brownie.

01:11:19Thank you very much, judges.

01:11:20Thanks, Daniel.

01:11:23Tark, welcome.

01:11:24Okay, so what was your contribution?

01:11:25So I made the bonfire in the village, and what it is is a key lime and blackberry pie with a hint of white rum.

01:11:32Your pie looks great, Bill.

01:11:34The meringue looks awesome.

01:11:35The flames are really cool.

01:11:39I get the blackberry and the key lime automatically.

01:11:42The meringue is a little broken.

01:11:44Over whipped.

01:11:45It's over whipped.

01:11:46And I don't have any crust.

01:11:48There's not enough of it, and it's not crispy enough.

01:11:51You know your flavors.

01:11:53You've got to dial in on the execution.

01:11:56Thank you, Tarek.

01:11:57I just think it was too soft and no texture.

01:12:02Yeah.

01:12:06Hi.

01:12:07Niko, welcome.

01:12:08Yes.

01:12:09So I made the peri breast layers of lemon curd and black sesame creme mousseline.

01:12:17Um, I don't know.

01:12:18Is it a wreath?

01:12:19I wasn't sure exactly what you were trying to, like, put across to us.

01:12:24Yeah, sure.

01:12:25But I love the amount of filling we got in here.

01:12:28This is naughty.

01:12:30Your pate of shoes got a nice crunch on the outside.

01:12:36We got a ton of filling, which is great.

01:12:39But I could use a little more of the lemon.

01:12:41Are you serious?

01:12:42I would put just a tad bit more zest in it.

01:12:44Hood, thank you.

01:12:45We don't have time for that.

01:12:48We don't have time for that.

01:12:50There is not quite enough zip.

01:12:54Hood.

01:12:55All right, Niko, thanks.

01:12:57Whatever.

01:12:58Whatever.

01:12:59All right, so judges, let's check out what the nice team did.

01:13:02Come on.

01:13:03Okay.

01:13:04I'm excited.

01:13:05I don't know what the judges have in store for us, but I think our village looks great.

01:13:10Look at this.

01:13:12Wow.

01:13:13This is fabulous.

01:13:14All the paths.

01:13:15Look at that.

01:13:16The idea for the village is bring the community spirit together.

01:13:20That's why every single house have your own sidewalk.

01:13:24Oh, there's a mini cake.

01:13:26I love this, like, igloo thing.

01:13:29That's awesome.

01:13:30Judges, I should point out the nice team here wasn't allowed to use any chocolate in flavor or in decoration.

01:13:39What they thought may be naughty might be an advantage.

01:13:42That's true.

01:13:43Well, I'll call you in here one at a time.

01:13:46For tasting the presentation.

01:13:50All right, judges.

01:13:51The nice team hit it out of the park on presentation, but let's see if it tastes as good as it looks.

01:13:56Let's bring in Erin.

01:13:58Erin, you got it, baby girl.

01:13:59Got it.

01:14:00Got it.

01:14:01I hope the judges will say you paid attention to what we told you in your last bake.

01:14:06The dessert that I made is a soft gingerbread cookie filled with a cream cheese frosting and a little apricot jelly in the belly.

01:14:14Listen, if you're going to spend two and a half hours and just make cookies, they better look beautiful.

01:14:19That is a very nice little gingerbread man.

01:14:21Delicious cookie.

01:14:22And I love this apricot inside.

01:14:36It's very good.

01:14:37The cream cheese is nice.

01:14:38I think it's a little too sweet.

01:14:39All I'm getting is powdered sugar.

01:14:40The cookie by itself is excellent.

01:14:41Erin, thank you.

01:14:43Hi, judges.

01:14:44Hi, Cameron.

01:14:45Hi, Cameron.

01:14:46So I made ginger citrus olive oil fun cakes with a cranberry pistachio cremousseline on the top.

01:14:58What I noticed about the wreath on the actual display is that your piping is inconsistent.

01:15:05You need to embellish the top more, spread it out a little further, and put a bow.

01:15:11All right.

01:15:12Oh, just eat it.

01:15:13It's going to be great.

01:15:18I'm getting ginger, and there's a little citrus.

01:15:21Very nice.

01:15:22I just want more of it.

01:15:24I want it to wow me.

01:15:26Technique is there.

01:15:28We've got to work on the flavor.

01:15:29Thank you, chefs.

01:15:31That's a little scary, but I have the utmost faith in my tea.

01:15:35Giancarlos, welcome.

01:15:36I made teddy bears.

01:15:38It's filled up with pistachio pastry cream and cranberries.

01:15:43I'm sorry, Giancarlos, but, like, I'm a cyclops.

01:15:46I have, like, one eye.

01:15:47Really?

01:15:48Yeah.

01:15:49No, there's two.

01:15:50They're just real close together.

01:15:51He's blinking.

01:15:52Uh-huh, uh-huh.

01:15:56Mmm.

01:15:57Jeez!

01:16:02That is delicious.

01:16:03Oh.

01:16:04It is so crispy and crunchy on the outside.

01:16:08But I thought that the cranberry filling, there was too much of it, and it needed more sugar.

01:16:14Yeah.

01:16:19Hey, Violet.

01:16:20Welcome back.

01:16:21Hello.

01:16:22I made little snowman macarons.

01:16:24I filled them with an almond buttercream and a raspberry filling.

01:16:27That is a cute little snowman.

01:16:29I love the soft pink nose instead of the typical orange carrot nose.

01:16:33I'm getting nice.

01:16:34I am getting very nice.

01:16:37I think your macaron itself may have been in the oven, I would say, a minute or two too long.

01:16:46It's a little hotter in the oven and a little faster.

01:16:49Cool.

01:16:50Yeah.

01:16:51Sweet.

01:16:52But all your flavors meld beautifully together.

01:16:54Yeah, I'm gonna have another bite.

01:16:57Nice job.

01:16:58Thanks.

01:17:00Hello, judges.

01:17:01Alex, welcome back.

01:17:02Hello.

01:17:03I made a spiced chiffon cake with a mulled orange curd and a rum Swiss buttercream.

01:17:10With a lovely little Christmas tree.

01:17:12In the time that you were given, the fact that you made a mini cake that's very clean.

01:17:18I think you, you, yes.

01:17:19We made up for the preheat and the little.

01:17:23Yes.

01:17:24So worried.

01:17:25Just layers.

01:17:26Oh, it looks so good.

01:17:30The cake is delicious.

01:17:31The frosting is delicious.

01:17:33But the curd, it's odd.

01:17:36I kind of like the oddness of the curd.

01:17:40You know, it isn't acidic, but I think it goes well with like the texture and the mood

01:17:46of the cake.

01:17:47Yeah.

01:17:48It's very vibey.

01:17:49Keep taking chances.

01:17:50Yes, ma'am.

01:17:51All right, Alex.

01:17:52Thanks so much.

01:17:53I'm feeling very nervous.

01:17:55I don't know where we stand.

01:17:57See what happens.

01:17:59All right, let's bring in Chase.

01:18:02Good to see you again, Chase.

01:18:05It's good to see you.

01:18:06I made a toasted coconut brown butter chest pie with a Swiss meringue igloo on top.

01:18:12I like that it's sort of like a little community of igloos.

01:18:15You know, it's really nice.

01:18:16Like I'm salivating just looking at this.

01:18:18And if it doesn't taste good, I'm going to be like physically mad-y.

01:18:21Oh!

01:18:22The wait is over.

01:18:23Go for it.

01:18:24Oh!

01:18:25Oh!

01:18:26Oh!

01:18:27Oh!

01:18:28Oh!

01:18:29Oh!

01:18:30Oh!

01:18:31Oh!

01:18:32Oh!

01:18:33Oh!

01:18:34Oh!

01:18:35Oh!

01:18:36Filthy.

01:18:37Listen up, nice boy.

01:18:40I'd like this recipe.

01:18:42This is probably the best crust I've ever had on this show.

01:18:47Oh my gosh.

01:18:48He's going to cry.

01:18:49Guys, we got it.

01:18:50We did it.

01:18:51We did it.

01:18:52I really like the sort of coconut-y stuff layer on top.

01:18:55It is rich.

01:18:56It is buttery.

01:18:57This is indicative of a well-baked pie shell.

01:19:01You can hold it.

01:19:03Oh!

01:19:04Oh!

01:19:05You got it.

01:19:06The fingers!

01:19:07Oh!

01:19:08Oh!

01:19:09She's doing the thing!

01:19:11The fingers!

01:19:12Chase, nice job.

01:19:13Get out of here before they say anything negative.

01:19:15Go.

01:19:16Thank you so much.

01:19:17For another slice.

01:19:18Oh!

01:19:19Oh!

01:19:20Oh!

01:19:21Come here!

01:19:22Chase!

01:19:23Chase!

01:19:24Chase!

01:19:25Chase!

01:19:26Chase!

01:19:27Boy!

01:19:28You're taking it home.

01:19:29You brought it home.

01:19:30She wanted your recipe.

01:19:31I know.

01:19:32She wanted her recipe.

01:19:33Don't give it to her.

01:19:35So here's the thing, judges.

01:19:38A decision now has to be made.

01:19:40One baker's going to win immunity for their entire team.

01:19:43And on the losing side, we're going to lose one baker today.

01:19:46Have you made your decisions?

01:19:48I have.

01:19:51Yeah.

01:19:53I'm still struggling.

01:19:54You can get back to me in about 24 hours.

01:19:57Bakers, you literally built miniatures of this place with desserts everywhere.

01:20:06And the judges have named a top treat from each team.

01:20:10From the naughty team.

01:20:15Ashley.

01:20:20Your oat milk cream pie was absolutely luscious.

01:20:26Of course.

01:20:27But only one of you can claim the win.

01:20:29I did.

01:20:30I did.

01:20:31And from the nice team.

01:20:35Chase.

01:20:36Yes.

01:20:37That chest pie was ridiculous.

01:20:38Your crust was sublime.

01:20:39And that filling was absolutely delicious.

01:20:40Of course.

01:20:41But only one of you can claim the win, which means you'll earn immunity for your entire team.

01:20:48High stakes.

01:20:49High stakes.

01:20:50And that baker is...

01:20:51Chase.

01:20:52Chase.

01:20:53Yes.

01:20:54Yes.

01:20:55Yes.

01:20:56Yes.

01:20:57Yes.

01:20:58Yes.

01:20:59Yes.

01:21:00Yes.

01:21:01Yes.

01:21:02Yes.

01:21:03Oh.

01:21:04Oh my God.

01:21:06I'm over the moon saving the nice team from elimination.

01:21:19Team nice could all sleep easy tonight.

01:21:21Team nice.

01:21:22Team nice.

01:21:23Team nice.

01:21:24Team nice.

01:21:25Team nice.

01:21:26Team nice.

01:21:27It just goes to show teamwork pays off.

01:21:28That, of course, means that team naughty now is up for elimination.

01:21:31Now, besides your best dessert maker, Ashley, a few more of you built a stable enough foundation

01:21:36to stick around.

01:21:38Nico.

01:21:40Charles.

01:21:41And...

01:21:42Daniel.

01:21:43You're all coming back.

01:21:45Okay.

01:21:46That, of course, leaves Gia in the room.

01:21:48You're all coming back.

01:21:49Okay.

01:21:50That, of course, leaves Gia in the room.

01:21:53You're all coming back.

01:21:55Okay.

01:21:56That, of course, leaves Gia and Tarek.

01:21:59You were the bottom two performers on your team.

01:22:01So, please step forward.

01:22:05Gia.

01:22:06The cookie itself was a little dry and would have benefited from more ganache.

01:22:12Tarek.

01:22:13Your meringue was over whipped and the crust really crumbled.

01:22:18Unfortunately, the baker heading out is...

01:22:25Gia.

01:22:28Gia, I'm so sorry.

01:22:30We'll certainly miss you.

01:22:33I mean, hindsight's always 20-20.

01:22:35It's the first time I've been away off on my own since my husband died.

01:22:40I couldn't get my mental game right, and it showed.

01:22:44Thank you, Gia.

01:22:45Bye, Gia.

01:22:46We love you, Gia.

01:22:47See you later.

01:22:48In the most exciting season ever on Holiday Baking Championship...

01:22:53Let's do this.

01:22:54...the battle of naughty versus nice fires up the Holiday Village.

01:22:58Oh, God.

01:22:59Food now, please don't cancel me.

01:23:01Really?

01:23:02Seriously?

01:23:03I need everybody to stop going in the blast chiller,

01:23:05because if that doesn't set, my cake won't come out.

01:23:08That's one last chance, okay?

01:23:09Whoo!

01:23:10Naughty team is crumbling.

01:23:12I just don't think they're handling it very well.

01:23:14In the heat of competition, the teams pull together...

01:23:17I will not lose this for us.

01:23:19Oh, my God.

01:23:20Thank you, guys.

01:23:21You guys are freaking amazing.

01:23:23I made magic happen with that.

01:23:24Oh, yes.

01:23:25Whoa!

01:23:26This is divine.

01:23:29No!

01:23:30And pull apart.

01:23:32That's no bueno.

01:23:33Ashley seems to be dominating this team at the moment,

01:23:35and I think it's time to dethrone her.

01:23:39She didn't hear any of that.

01:23:41This sucks.

01:23:42The drama.

01:23:43This is not a great plate.

01:23:45I'm scared, though, that I'm going to go home

01:23:47if we don't win it.

01:23:48Only one of these talented bakers

01:23:50will navigate this merry madness

01:23:51to become holiday baking champion,

01:23:53but who will it be?

01:23:55Say a prayer.

01:23:56This is my world.

01:23:57Let the best baker win.

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