SEASON #10: ASHLEY

EPISODE #1.  Season's Best.                                                12 Bakers to Start.

HOST:  Jesse Palmer.

JUDGES:  Duff Goldman,

                  Carla Hall,

                  Nancy Fuller.

PRIZE:  A Feature in Food Network magazine,

               Title of Holiday Baking Championship

                     $25,000

                          TEAMS (12)

1.  JOSH JUAREZ           Bakery Owner                             Austin, TEXAS

2.  JUSTINE ROTA            "           "                                 Whitman, MASSACHUSETTS

3.  GREG BALLENGER     Home Baker                               Dallas, TEXAS

4.  SHARROD MANGUM     Executive Pastry Chef         Atlanta, GEORGIA

5.  ALEX JACKS                 Home Baker                            Portland, OREGON

6.  ALI KENIS                 Bakery Owner                            Ventura, CALIFORNIA

7.  JENIFER CAREY     Prof. Pastry Chef                          Brooklyn, NEW YORK

8.  ASHLEY LANDERMAN   Bakery Owner                 New Braunfels, TEXAS

9.  JAVIER TRUJILO       Pastry Chef                             Chicago, ILLINOIS

10.  BERT ALVARADO    "         "                                   Las Vegas, NEVADO

11.  THOA NGUYEN      Bakery Owner                          Englewood, CALIFORNIA

12.  KEVIN CONIFF      Pastry Chef Instructor               Calgary, ALBERTA (Canada)

PRE-HEAT CHALLENGE:  Cinnamon Rolls

- In 2 1/2 hours Create completely new rolls with coffee flavors.

NEW THIS SEASON:  Private Camera where the bakers can go to talk.

       WINNER:  Ashley - won the advantage.

MAIN HEAT CHALLENGE:  Yule Log.

- Create a fall-themed Yule log  Thanksgiving Swiss roll in 2 1/2 hours.

ASHLEY'S ADVANTAGE:  can choose her cake flavor & choose  pumpkin flavor

TWIST:  add a Toffee twist.

                   JUDGING:

TOP 2:  Greg & Kevin.

   WINNER:  Kevin.

SAFE:  Greg, Bert, Sharrod, Alex, Ashley, Javier, Justine, & Jennifer.

BOTTOM 2:  Ali, & Thoa.

ELIMINATED:  Ali.

EPISODE #2:  Can't Wait for Turkey Day.                                     11 Left.

PRE-HEAT CHALLENGE:  Create a turkey dome dessert, have a baked base & edible turkey feathers sticking out the back and a head that turns in 2 1/2 hours.

       WINNER:  Javier - won an advantage.

MAIN HEAT CHALLENGE:  Dessert.

 - Dessert is the centerpiece.  Turn the dessert into a centerpiece of the table into a miniature holiday table itself in 2 1/2 hours.

TWIST:  Sage.

        JUDGING:

TOP 2:  Justine & Javiere

        WINNER:  Justine.

SAFE:  Ashley, Kevin, Bert, Thoa, Sharrod, Josh, & Greg.

BOTTOM 2:  Alex & Jennifer.

ELIMINATED:  Alex - overbake her cake.

EPISODE #3:  Hallmarks of Thanksgiving.                                 10 Left.

PRE-HEAT CHALLENGE:  7-Layered Dips.

- Create a holiday seven-layered dessert in 2 1/2 hours.

         WINNER:  Ashley - Won the Advantage.

MAIN HEAT CHALLENGE:  Pie in a Pie Off.     2 1/2 hours.  Also, incorporate some cheese in the pie.

ASHLEY'S ADVANTAGE:  pick her opponent & type of filling.

       APPLE GINGER:  Bert vs. Jennifer

      CHERRY BRANDY:  Ashley vs. Greg

      PEAR CRANBERRY:  Justine vs. Thoa

      BLACKBERRY FIG:  Sharrod vs. Javier

      MAPLE PLUM:  Josh vs. Kevin.

       WON:  Kevin, Thoa, Sharrod, Ashley, & Bert.

     JUDGING:

TOP 2:  Ashley & Kevin.

SAFE:  Josh, Javier, & Greg.

BOTTOM 2:  Jennifer & Justine.

ELIMINATED:  Jennifer - was too slow.

EPISODE #4:  Holiday Whimsy.                                                               9 Bakers Left.

PRE-HEAT CHALLENGE:  Mont Blanc Dessert.

- Mont Blanc Dessert is a dessert featuring chestnut & whipped cream.

- Create a whimsical Mont Blanc, add color & playful flavor, and engage your imagination.

             WINNER:  Thoa - won the Advantage.

MAIN HEAT CHALLENGE:  Willy Wonka.

- Channel your inner Wonka & turn something that you love on its head, by creating an upside-down cake that will float in mid-air in 2 1/2 hours.

TWIST: Incorporate one of the lightest components:  Marshmallows from scratch.

THOA'S ADVANTAGE: you can have the pre-made marshmallow.

             JUDGING:

TOP 2:  Josh & Thoa.

              WINNER:  Josh.

SAFE:  Ashley, Justine, Kevin, Sharrod, & Javier.

BOTTOM 2:  Greg & Bert.

ELIMINATED:  Bert.

EPISODE #  Holiday Beauty.                                                    8 Left.

PRE-HEAT CHALLENGE:  Holiday Icons.

- Re-creature these holiday icons in the forms of Mini Tarts Mosaics,  Will be teams of two in 90 minutes.

           Justine & Josh,               Greg & Ashley,

           Sharrod & Thoa,            Kevin & Javier.

WINNER:  Kevin & Javier - both won the Advantage.

MAIN HEAT CHALLENGE:  Wrapping Papers.

- Double Barrel cakes, each creating a double barrel cake that looks like a roll of holiday wrapping paper in 2 hours.

  Greg- Applesauce,               Ashley - Coconut,   Sherrod - Espresso,   Josh - Pistachio

          Justine - GingerbreAD, & Javier - Blood Orange.

TWIST:  Make a gift tag out of cookies.

KEVIN & JAVIER'S ADVANTAGE:  do not have to make a gift tag.

  - Josh's oven caught fire.

                 JUDGING:

TOP 2:  Thoa & Javier.

SAFE:  Kevin, Justine, Josh, & Sharrod.

BOTTOM 2:  Ashley & Greg.

ELIMINATED:  Greg - his cake wasn't messy.

EPISODE #6:  Holiday Imagination.                                       7 Left.

PRE-HEAT CHALLENGE:  Latkes.

- Latkes a fried potato pancake.

- Create classic Hanukkah latkes from some elements of the dessert & turn it into a latke-inspired dessert.  Need to include some oil, some form of potatoes, & include either apple sauce or sour cream & to decorate for Hanukkah in 90 minutes.

                WINNER:  Josh - won the advantage.

MAIN HEAT CHALLENGE:  Letter Board.

- Create a letter board holiday bar in 2 hours.

JOSH'S ADVANTAGE:  choice of what flavor to incorporate into the bar & the other bakers.  Choose Egg Nog.

TWIST: You must make the egg nog from scratch.

       JUDGING:

TOP 2:  Javier & Justine.

      WINNER:  Javier.

SAFE:  Kevin, Thoa, & Sharrod.

BOTTOM 2:  Ashley & Josh.

ELIMINATED:  Josh - forgot to put his sugar in his cake.

EPISODE #7:  Reason for the Season.                                         6 Left.

PRE-HEAT CHALLENGE:  Kwanzaa - The Kinara.

- Plantains,  the Star of the chosen dessert for the holiday & decorated in Kwanzaa colors:  Red, Black, and green, in 2 hours.

       WINNER:  Justine & won the advantage.

TEAM HEAT CHALLENGE: Bake up & decorate a large-scale edible ornament.  Will be split up into 2 teams of 3 in 90 minutes.

JUSTINE'S ADVANTAGE:  she can pick her own team:  Javier and Kevin.

OTHER TEAM:  Thoa, Sharrod, & Ashley.

      WINNERS:  The Other Team & won an advantage.

MAIN HEAT CHALLENGE:  Christmas Tree.

                  Welcome back, Duff.

- Create a blitz puff pastry Christmas Tree pull apart in 2 1/2 hours.

THE OTHER TEAM'S ADVANTAGE:  10 minutes head start.

TWIST:  Dipping Sauce.

                            JUDGING:

TOP 2:  Thoa & Justine.

   WINNER:  Justine.

SAFE:  Kevin & Ashley.

BOTTOM 2:  Sharrod & Javier.

ELIMINATED:  Javier - under his cake.

EPISODE #8:  Holiday Gifts Calore.                                           5 Left.

                     THE FINALE

Kevin, GThoa, Ashley, Sharrod, & Justine.

PRE-HEAT CHALLENGE: Upgrade Cookies for Santa by creating a tasty Christmas Wreath made out of Macarons in 2 hours & win $25,000.  The Bottom 2 will go into a face-off.

     WINNER:  Thoa - won the advantage.

BOTTOM 2:  Justine & Sharrod.

FACE-OFF:  Justine vs. Sharrod.

- Dessert to emulate a Christmas Stocking - Eclairs.  Make A dozen stocking-stuffed eclairs.  Highlight at 2 of the judges' favorite ingredients in 90 minutes.

Carla - Sweet Potato, Duff - Cranberry, & Nancy - Bourbon.

    WINNER:  Justine.

ELIMINATED:  Sharrod.

MAIN HEAT CHALLENGE:  Choo-Choo Train.

- Create an impressive championship-worthy cake with an actual train running through it in 5 hours.

THOA 'S ADVANAGE:  first choice of train stop scene & assign other.  She picked Penguin Holiday Party.  Gave Kevin the Gnomes & Justine Santa & Elves, & Ashle - The Teddy Bears.

                         THE WINNER IS ASHLEY & WON $25,000.