Nigella Week has come to an end and Tim, Lisa, Reece, Genene, Sashi, Sarah, Samira, Khanh and Kristen in tonight’s elimination challenge following their loss in yesterday’s brunch battle.
Matt explained today’s elimination would take place over two rounds. In round one contestants would compete in a taste test; name ingredients correctly to save themselves from round two. The five contestants who named the most correct would be safe, while the remaining five would continue to fight in the elimination. With three minutes on the clock to name as many ingredients as they could, contestants raced as they tasted Nigella’s trifle.
With ingredients including raspberries, strawberries, saffron, honey, sugar, rose petals, blanched almonds and cardamom, Lisa was announced as first safe with 18 correct ingredients. With 17 ingredients identified, Kristen was safe; as was Reece with 13. With 12 ingredients listed, Sarah and Sashi joined the group safe from cooking in round two. It left Tim, Samira, Genene, Hoda and Khanh to cook for their place in MasterChef Australia.
Gary explained that in round two the group would have all 26 ingredients from the trifle to make a delicious dish. They could make anything they liked, except a trifle, and had 75 minutes.
Tim was determined to plate a good dish today and prove he was more than just a meat cook. He decided to prepare a Bombe Alaska with a salted honey parfait and merengue. Nigella thought the flavours sounded great, but it was all going to be about time management, and the gantry was worried he would not have the time to complete the difficult dessert.
For his parfait Tim needed to start his pâte à bombe mixture – eggs cooked by sugar syrup. He realised he overcooked his sugar syrup and it was too hot. Forced to redo it, he was very conscious of time running out. From the gantry Reece tried to help, calling out instructions and assistance. Tim placed the sponge down before demoulding his parfait. It was soft and unset, and Tim decided to pipe the merengue around, trying to protect and enclose the runny parfait inside. He failed to manage his time properly, but he was happy with the overall flavours.
Tim’s concerns were well founded. The dish lacked the precision required and there was not enough ice cream for the sponge, sending the Sydney butcher shop assistant home as the fifth contestant eliminated from the 10th season of MasterChef Australia.
Tim has since worked at Firedoor and Porteno. His dream to open his barbecue joint Rufo is just around the corner.
