Top Chef: Just Desserts, Season 1, Episode 9, Elimination Challenge

Vanilla Bean Cake:

• 2 cups butter
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 scraped vanilla beans
• 8 eggs
• 6 cups AP flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups butter milk

Lemon Curd:

• 5 ounces lemon juice
• 3 eggs and one yolk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 sheet gelatin
• Pinch of salt
• 8 ounces butter

Chocolate Cake:

• 1 pound sugar
• 4 ounces vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 4 ounces sour cream
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 ounces AP flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 32 ounces warm water
• 12 ounces Valrhona cocoa powder

Citrus Buttercream:

• 8 ounces egg whites
• 16 ounces sugar
• 2 pounds butter
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest

Passion Fruit Ice Cream:

• 1 quart cream
• 1 quart whole milk
• 1/2 cup passion fruit powder
• 1lb sugar
• 20 egg yolks
• 7 grams ice cream stabilizer

Vanilla Bean Cake:

1. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla pods on medium till light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add the dry mix alternating with the buttermilk in 3 batches. Spread onto 4 half sheet pans and Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes.

Lemon Curd:

1. Whisk everything except butter over simmering water. Whisk till mixture “ribbons” (180 degree F) take off heat and whisk in bloomed gelatin then butter little by little. Let cool to set up. Then pipe in the center of the cupcake.

2. Spread a thin layer of curd then a thin layer of raspberry jam on top of one layer of cake. Top with next layer and repeat.

Chocolate Cake:

1. Mix water and cocoa to form a paste. Set aside. Beat oil and sugar on medium. Add eggs. Add sour cream and vanilla mix in dry, then cocoa paste. Bake in cake pans until cakes pull away from the side and top springs back when pressed.

Citrus Buttercream:

1. Place whites and sugar on top of double boiler until mixture is warm and sugar dissolves. Whisk on high in a stand mixer until cool. Add butter little by little, then juice and zest.

2. Split cakes and fill with butter cream and fresh raspberries. Frost outside with butter cream.

Passion Fruit Ice Cream:

1. Boil milk, cream, 8oz of sugar, and stabilizer. Whisk remaining 8oz of sugar in with the yolk. Temper the yolks into the cream and cook to 85 C. let ripen overnight. Churn.