Category: Showstopper

Episode 5, GBBO 2014, Showstopper

Three-Tiered Pie Tower

Marilyn

The inspiration for my three-tiered pie tower comes from the turducken, which is a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey. Rather than debone and stuff three kinds of poultry, I made a separate pie for each bird, dubbing my creation “a poultry excuse for a pie tower,” otherwise known as a Fowlty Tower. While the turkey pie is the epitome of comfort-food-in-a-crust, the duck pie is a gourmet feast of flavors. The chicken curry pie offers a nice contrast to the other two — the warmth of the curry offset by the slightly sweet mango chutney.

Episode 4, GBBO 2014, Showstopper

Baked Alaska

Marilyn

Originally called Omelette Norwegge by the French, Baked Alaska was renamed this side of the Atlantic to mark the purchase of the Alaskan territory by William Seward. My Baked Alaska was inspired by the frozen Italian treat spumoni and features a pistachio joconde sponge, chocolate ganache and cherry almond ice cream. It takes cake and ice cream to a whole new level!

Episode 2, GBBO 2014, Showstopper

3D Biscuit Scene

Marilyn

The brief for this showstopper challenge was a 3D biscuit scene, so I decided to make something reminiscent of my own childhood, The Sledding Hill. Using gingerbread for the base, I covered it with fondant and meringue "snow," then added gingerbread people and nut-shortbread trees.

Episode 1, GBBO 2014, Showstopper

Miniature Classic British Cakes

Marilyn

Thanks to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, lemon and elderflower cake has become a modern classic. These mini cakes have lemon zest and elderflower cordial baked into the batter, but the flavor is enhanced by drizzling more cordial over the warm cakes and sandwiching the layers with fresh, bright lemon curd. Moist without being heavy, these cakes taste like spring and are definitely moreish!

Episode 10, GBBO 2013, Showstopper

A Three-Tiered Wedding Cake

Marilyn

With changing leaves and sweater weather come fall treats like caramel apples, chai tea and spicy hot chocolate! My 3-tiered cake is an homage to my favorite flavors, ranging from praline and coffee buttercream to spice cake with a salted caramel drip!

Episode 9, GBBO 2013, Showstopper

Opera Cake

Marilyn

The inspiration for my opera cake came from the popular ‘70s dessert, the Watergate cake. My interpretation of the Watergate cake in operatic form was to make a pistachio joconde sponge brushed with a pistachio syrup and layer it with coconut Swiss meringue buttercream and pineapple filling studded with pecans. I finished it off with a thin chocolate glaze.

Episode 8, GBBO 2013, Showstopper

A Dairy-Free Novelty Cake

Marilyn

The brief for this challenge had three components. It had to be completely dairy-free, it had to be a vegetable-based cake (think carrot or zucchini) and it had to be in a 3D novelty shape. Mine is a red velvet beet cake in the shape of a coconut cocktail on a sandy beach.

Episode 7, GBBO 2013, Showstopper

Puff Pastry

Marilyn

Because the week I made these fell toward the end of Wisconsin strawberry season, I wanted to celebrate this short but oh-so-flavorful season with strawberry-themed pastries: strawberry mille-feuilles with basil-infused mascarpone cream, strawberry Nutella turnovers and chocolate pecan palmier "butterflies" with strawberry hearts.

Episode 4, GBBO 2013, Showstopper

A Filo (or Phyllo) Pastry Pie

Marilyn

This showstopper challenge was for a filo pie, either freeform or baked in a tin, and could be either sweet or savory. My pie is based on the flavors in an Indian samosa.

Episode 3, GBBO 2013, Showstopper

Petits Fours (Take 2)

Marilyn

This challenge for the bakers in the Great White Tent was to make 24 petits fours: 12 sponge-based and 12 biscuit-based. I decided to make mini Bakewell tarts and tiny tiramisu cakes.