Time to Make the Donuts!

Hello my little donuts! Before we get to this week's challenge, I just have to point out the amazing recap at the top of this episode. Our fabulous production team, the Magical Elves, shoved as many Beastie Boys references into such a short amount of time! But Gail tackled them like a pro. 

OK, now onto this week's insane Quickfire Challenge -- talk about high stakes! The bottom chef goes home! It was interesting to see how everyone kept saying, "We could go home for a donut?!" like a donut is any easier to make or less important than any other dessert. In my opinion, donuts are the new cupcakes! And to prove that point, there was no better guest judge than Doughnut Plant owner Mark Israel. I have never had the donuts from the Lower East Side shop, but I have had from the Chelsea Hotel that opened this year. I was planning a housewarming brunch, and I kind of got it in my head that I needed tohave donuts from Doughnut Plant. So, I woke up early, got to the shop about 30 minutes before they opened, and I wasn't the only one waiting!! Here are a couple pics of the ones I got.

If you're interested in what flavors I got, let me know in the Comments below, and I'll try to remember.

Anyway, the chefs all created their own versions of donuts -- some yeast, some cake. Some sticks, some round. In the end, Carlos killed it with Orange & Lemon Zest Bombolinis with Passion Fruit Cream. This might have been a little too much citrus for me, but it sounded interesting and bright. And Carlos won $10,000! Unfortunately, one chef had to go home, and that chef was Megan. Megan was kind of dead in the water when Johnny couldn't get her donut off his plate because the glaze hardened. Although it was ultimately a sad moment, watching Johnny try to get the donut off the plate was like watching Goldie Hawn in Overboard when her "sons" glue her hands to plates. You know which scene I'm talking about?OK, onto the chocolate-tastic Elimination Challenge with guest judge Wylie Dufresne! Love Wylie, and happy to offer this video of the self-proclaimed egghead demonstrating how to poach the perfect egg. I've had more conversations recently about how to poach an egg than I care to mention, so here you all go:

The chefs broke up into two teams, and not only had to create plated desserts, but also chocolate showpieces. The showpiece aspect of the competition put showpiece rivals Orlando and Chris head-to-head. And you know what? Orlando came out on top! Although from afar, I think Chris' showpiece was more enticing, the judges pointed out that up close, Orlando's was more nuanced. And frankly, like the judges, I preferred the story behind Orlando's showpiece -- the history of chocolate. I never go to museums (I know, I know), but I did go to a chocolate exhibit the American Museum of Natural History put on a few years ago, which walked you through how chocolate is made, and Orlando's showpiece brought me right back there.

What Orlando surely didn't win points for was how vocal he was during the tasting. See, this week the judges allowed the chefs to taste their competitors' food and comment. Aaand Orlando did just that. Perhaps too much! It was amusing, but also good insight for the judges into the chef's personalities -- something they usually don't get to see. Fortunately for Orlando, his team won.Therefore, someone on the losing team, the Red Team had to go home. I was personally more nervous than I've been all season with the thought of any of these chefs going home. Unfortuantely for Katzie, it was her time to leave. But I think Matthew or Chris could just as easily have gone home, and I'm sure this challenge proved to be a big wake-up call for them. But alas, their adorable bromance continues.

Do you think Katzie deserved to go home? Let me know what you think in the Comments below.

Anyway, this episode got me super-psyched for my trip to L.A. in a couple weeks, where I will hopefully be visiting Mrs. Jacques Torres herself, Madame Chocolat, and indulging in some chocolate treats! I'll be sure to take pictures of as many pieces as I can, and share them with you when I get back.

Until next week, Have a Nosh!