Rest in Peace, Coco Chanel

Sweetest Top Chef fans… sorry to be MIA for two weeks, but I’m back!

Alliances are starting to form in the house now that seven people are left. Bromance continues, and apparently Sally is gravitating towards the guys too.  

Mark Israel is the guest judge for the Elimination Challenge. I love this man. Have you ever had his tres leches in NYC?  When I used to lived there; it was a hop away from my apartment, and I used to fall victim to this fried goodness all too often.

The contestants have to create the ultimate doughnut, and apparently this fried dough can either win them 10K or get them eliminated. Good morning, chefs. It’s like serving a heart attack with that French press. I’m sure their nerves are wrecked. I only wish we had had this challenge during Season 1. I can guarantee Zac Young could win this. Hands down! He is the fryer queen! Carlos and I apparently had a similar upbringing in pastry. Pretty much when I was in high school I was bound to my parents' bakery as well. It saved him from gangs, and my teenage years were just purely awkward as the foreign kid in America. How cruel teenagers can be.... Back to the frying challenge at hand.

I worry for Megan. She’s making a cake doughnut, which by nature is more dense then a regular yeasted dougnut, and she’s making a hard caramel glaze. This can be really dense. Also, some contestants are making a fancy plated dessert out of doughnuts. I think, given that they are serving it with a press coffee, I’d go for a really delicious indulgent doughnut.

I love Carlos’ idea because he made bombolonis, which I make very often. It’s pretty much a yeasty, buttery doughnut that is fried, then filled with cream. Can you go wrong? NO!

I am writing this as I’m watching the episode, and I’m hungry. Now watching Sally’s doughnuts I’m really hungry. A girl who uses cashews often is a girl after my own heart. Sally can you ship me a box please...?

Carlos wins 10K and Megan goes home. GOD that’s rough to go home for a doughnut. Sorry Megan, best of luck to you. Get a box of doughnuts and a bottle of vodka and celebrate that you made it this far!

The Elimination Challenge is CHOCOLATE!  Seems easy enough, but chocolate is a beast. It’s one of those mediums that if you have no creativity you can fall flat, but if you have the love of pastry, it’s a very creative medium, be it a showpiece or in flavor!Katzie is talking smack about doubting Chris’ skill and what his end product is going to come out as, but I’d love to know if she can build a showpiece. Maybe just be thankful someone is doing the work for you. At this point, I’m betting on Sally’s team because they seem to be gelling together the best. However both the teams seem to think they are going to beat the other. Guess time will tell!

When both the showpieces are revealed, my hat is off to both the teams! Those are absolutely gorgeous, and clean. 

First team presents their dishes, and I have to say from the sound I’m not too crazy about them, especially Katzie. Coco Channel is turning in her grave. It’s like she took the dessert, and when it was done, she walked through the pantry and added more accessories to it. How many ingredients and flavors did she list off???

Sally’s team’s desserts look far better off the bat, and weather they planned it or not, the flavors seem to play off of one another too. I want to taste Carlos' dish; it sounds really intriguing. And Sally honed in on the natural acidity of the Manjari and paired it with the tropical flavors. Love it!

Sally’s team wins, and I’m not surprised. Talk about SWEET victory! 

Katzie goes home, and I saw that coming. Visually, it just wasn’t clean. Coco Channel can rest in peace.

Next week is another week of sweet’s served!

Twitter: @YigitPura