Announcer: Previously...
- ( gasps ) - ...a Gordon Ramsay master class...
She's the best chef in the world.
- That's how you make sliders. - Evie: I'm so nervous.
Announcer: ...proved to be no small challenge.
Stop there! That's a pineapple turkey burger nightmare!
- Ooh! - Oh, wow!
- But Ben... - Stand in the middle.
- ...produced big results... - Delicious.
- You take over the judging. - ...while Nayeli and Jayden...
Heads up high. Thank you so much.
- Bye. - ...failed to make the grade.
Tonight, the top 14...
Ben: Aarón is making it look so easy.
- ( gasps ) - Oh, my God.
- He's just amazing! - ...get their ducks in a row.
- Oh. - This is a tough bird to get right.
- I want to use the breast meat. - And then...
- You're so pretty. - ...it's a challenge...
It tastes as gorgeous as it looks.
- ...with a fairy tale ending. - The flavor's there. You've nailed it.
- ( cheering ) - Christina: Hello! Welcome back.
I cannot believe I'm in the top 14 home cooks in America!
I think I'm the most fashionable person
in the MasterChef Junior kitchen,
but I wanna prove that I am a very good chef.
To your stations, home cooks!
"MasterChef Junior" feels like you're climbing a mountain
and at the top of the mountain...
a hundred thousand dollar check.
So I'm just gonna keep climbing.
Welcome back, everyone.
Please, all of you, keep up the good work, right?
As you guys can see, it's time for another mystery box challenge.
You'll each have one hour
to make us one incredible dish
with whatever is underneath that box.
It's time to find out what's under your mystery boxes.
Wait. Because before you do,
let me give you a little clue.
Okay.
( laughter )
Any guesses?
I think it's some type of bird.
How about this clue?
( quacking )
Maybe a goose? I don't really know.
Don't worry, guys. I got this.
( girl shrieks )
( gasps ) It's a ducky!
All right, guys, let's find out if you guys are right.
One, two, three, lift.
- Oh! - It's a duck!
- Oh-ho, yeah! - It's a duck.
It's a naked duck.
- Indeed, it's duck. - Ahh!
Home cooks, who would like to see Chef Aarón
show you how to break down a duck?
All: Me!
Please, all of you, make your way down to the front.
Back home in Georgia, I go hunting with my daddy.
I've never broken down a duck before,
but I have broke down deer.
You have to be careful,
'cause you can accidentally cut your finger off.
All right, guys, let's do this.
Kid: It's kind of hard to take you seriously.
You got that duck mask on.
- Is it good? - Oh, my gosh.
You need to take it off.
( grunting )
Whoo-wee! This is not working.
- Oh, my gosh. - All right, guys, enough of that.
Let's get down to business, shall we?
Everyone pay close attention, okay?
- Okay. - Yes, Chef.
Look at that.
- Ducky! - All right.
All right, so this duck... you have two legs,
two breast, two wing. Real simple, right?
So what we wanna do is start with the legs.
So just really run your knife and look for that little joint,
and then you just pull back, okay?
Once you have that, just separate the leg
from the actual carcass, okay?
So now we have the breast and the wing.
I like to remove the breast and the wing in one shot.
Run your knife all the way down, guys.
Right down here, you're gonna see another joint
where the wing is attached to the actual body.
- Okay? - ( whistles )
And then now what I like to do is just remove the wing,
making sure you don't go into the actual breast, all right?
Very important.
I'll repeat that with this one.
Just look for that little joint, remove that.
Now we're gonna just do a little bit of manicuring, okay?
Then we'll just tidy up these breasts.
I wanna make them look like a little diamond.
- Ooh! - There's one.
Same thing with the legs,
making sure you get some of that excess fat off.
- Right? - That's juicy.
We have two beautiful duck legs, we have the breast.
Duck wings right there as well.
And that's how you break down a duck like a true MasterChef.
- ( cheering ) - All right.
Christina: All right, home cooks.
You'll each have to break down your own duck.
We wanna see all of you
make us one MasterChef worthy
duck dish in just one hour.
Along with those ducks, you'll have access
to that incredible MasterChef pantry.
But remember, win this challenge,
and you will get a huge advantage.
Your 60 minutes start...
...now. Let's go, guys.
- ( kids shouting ) - All right!
I gotta go!
- Oh, sorry. - Wait, what am I getting again?
Well, I'm half Vietnamese,
so my mom's mom, bÃ ngoai,
makes a Vietnamese duck all the time in New Jersey.
So I do know how to work with duck.
Guys, have you found the milk yet? Oh, found it.
So today I am making a pan-seared duck breast...
I need butter, I need butter, I need butter, I need butter!
...with a cauliflower purée.
Duck. What is that?
I'm a little nervous about duck,
because I've never worked with it before.
I've never tasted it.
I need lots and lots of chicken stock.
So I think I'm gonna do a duck risotto.
I've done risotto so many times before...
There's Manchego. Parmesan!
...and that dish is Italian.
I'm Italian. That's gonna really help me.
I think I have everything.
Careful. Watch your step. Careful, Ivy.
- Aarón: Go, Ivy! Hurry up. - Christina: All right.
( sighs )
Behind the joint, right there.
This challenge is crucial,
- because this is a tough bird to get right. - Yeah.
- Oh, God! What did I just hit? - Oops.
Aarón: We're always trying to push the envelope
with these young home cooks.
They're breaking down a whole duck.
This is something that professionals
- struggle with at times. - Where is the breast meat?
Oh, sorry. That's why.
It's arguably harder to butcher than chicken.
God. How do I take it out?
Christina: Duck in and of itself
has so much fat on the top of its breast
- and then is so lean as a protein underneath. - Gordon: Absolutely.
That's the big point of jeopardy tonight,
these young kids understanding how to render that fat
and make that duck breast tender.
I got the little tenderloin.
Christina: This is the toughest challenge by far,
but it is mystery box challenge.
We wanna see skill and technique,
and I wanna see these young home cooks
taking some risks tonight.
- Perfect. - Ten minutes gone.
Come on, guys! Let's go.
Okay, so...
I am making duck breast
with a sweet and sour sauce, and some chicken rice.
It's good.
I am Asian,
and I love cooking stuff from my heritage.
Aaron, you're ten years of age.
- Yes, Chef. - Now, how many times have you cooked duck?
At home I cook with duck a lot.
My family, they love the flavor,
especially when I make it.
- Really? Wow. - Yes, Chef.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I'm doing sautéed duck breast
with potato purée
- and sautéed green and white asparagus. - Good.
What would it mean for you to be in the top three tonight?
I know you can't just magically appear in the top three,
so I'm gonna work to get in the top three.
I love that attitude.
- Good luck, young man. - Yes, Chef.
- All right, Miss Sadie. - Yeah.
So tell me about the dish.
So, I am making a duck Ã l'orange
with parsnip puree and caramelized endives.
Let me tell you, that's something that belongs on a menu!
Where does this come from?
I do cook classic French cuisine,
and I haven't really shown that in the competition yet.
I like that you're bold. Keep your eye on the clock.
- Good luck. - I will, Chef. Thank you.
I'm gonna add a little more.
- Evie. - Hi, Chef.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I am making a pan-seared duck
with a port wine cherry sauce,
- Wow. - grilled white asparagus,
- and some duck fat baby potatoes. - Wow.
Duck with cherries, a classic combination.
- Thank you. - Why?
Because I think it would add a lot of acidity and richness,
- Uh-huh. Excellent. - and a pop of color.
You wanna get your hands on that number one prize tonight.
- Very much. Thank you. - Big advantage. Good luck.
Ooh, good.
All right, Rhashad.
- Our 12-year-old from Georgia. - Yes.
- So what's the dish? - I am making five-spice duck
with carrots and parsnips with some chili sauce,
and some rice with lime leaves.
Rhashad, how exactly are you gonna spend that $100,000?
I am definitely gonna buy a restaurant
- that has exotic spices and foods. - Wow.
- All right. Well, Rhashad, good luck. - Thank you.
Nice.
Just over 13 minutes to go.
- How you doing? That looks really great. - It's doing good.
Jaala, how are you approaching this dish tonight?
I wanna make an Asian meal.
So I'm gonna make an Asian orange soy sauce
with sautéed shiitake mushrooms and bok choy and a Jasmine rice.
I love that you're going the Asian route.
I love Chinese food, and where I come from,
Rhode Island, they have a lot of Chinese food places out there.
That's why I'm making my Asian sauce.
I want tonight to be the night
where Jaala shines. Good luck.
- You can do it. Let's go. - Thank you.
- Perfect. - Eight minutes remaining.
Don't slice that duck too early, yes?
- Yes! - What an amazing night.
I mean, we are witnessing a magical moment here.
- Eight-year-olds... - Okay, it's done.
...nine-year-olds, ten-year-olds nailing duck,
one of the most difficult proteins anywhere in the world.
Christina: 90 seconds, home cooks!
Come on! Taste, taste, taste.
Mmm, tastes good.
- I'm starting to plate. - Yeah, I'm starting to plate.
30 seconds to go.
Mystery box advantage. You want this win.
- Whoa! - Christina: Finishing touches.
Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two, one.
- Aarón: That's it. Hands in the air. Finito! - Gordon: And stop.
- ( applause ) - Gordon: Well done.
Now, tonight we gave you those incredible ducks to work with.
As you know, across that 60 minutes, we miss nothing.
We watch everything.
We taste as you cook.
Some of you have done an amazing job.
Aarón: Now, for the three best dishes
that we want to investigate a little deeper.
The first of these three young home cooks
made a beautiful orange sauce,
and has never been in the top three before.
Please, bring your dish up...
Aarón: Now, for the three best dishes
that we want to investigate a little deeper.
The first of these three young home cooks
made a beautiful orange sauce,
and has never been in the top three before.
Please, bring your dish up...
...Jaala.
Yes! I'm top three!
This is my first top three challenge,
with something I never made before!
- Yay, me! - All right, Jaala.
You made it to the top three of a mystery box challenge.
That's no easy feat.
So, explain the dish, please.
You have duck breast
with an orange soy broth
with shiitake mushrooms and bok choy
with a Jasmine rice.
Outstanding. Let's get in there, shall we?
When I open this duck up, what should it look like inside?
It should be fully cooked, but, like, a little bit pink.
Well, visually, I really love the way it looks.
I gotta say...
I think you've completely knocked it out the park.
Thank you.
The duck, by putting it into a broth,
it allowed all those wonderful flavors
- of the soy ginger to soak in. - Yeah.
The vegetables are deep and developed,
and the rice is elegant.
If I had change one thing,
maybe a big squeeze of citrus.
- Little bit of acid to kind of wake up the dish. - Yeah.
- But great job. - Thank you.
How many times you cook duck before you came to this kitchen?
This is my first time.
Sauce is spot-on. What you got there is that Asian flavor.
But the way you've scored that duck is beautiful.
Skin nice and crispy.
And for someone who doesn't cook a lot of duck,
I think you've done bloody well.
- Thank you. - Really good.
- Well done. - Thank you.
Kid: Good job, Jaala!
The second dish we'd like to examine further...
this home cook went in an Asian direction.
Please, step forward...
...Rhashad.
I am finally in the top three of a mystery box challenge,
and I went to the Asian route
to show that exotic is in different countries.
Exotic is my middle name,
and I really want the judges to recognize that.
Rhashad, what did you make for us?
So I made five-spice duck
with carrot and parsnips, rice paper,
and lime-flavored rice.
Now, I'm curious why you went the Asian route tonight.
Past dishes I've made were from Jamaica and Mexico,
but I wanted to go on the other side of the world,
so I went to Asia.
That's so smart.
I can see that five-spice
coating the exterior of the duck itself.
You've done a gorgeous job of cooking it.
You can still see that beautiful medium peak
and I can still see juice.
Wow. The flavor in this duck,
it's beautiful and complex.
There is such brightness to this dish.
Thank you.
That lime rice is gorgeous.
The spice on that carrot and parsnip... it's sweet, it's spicy.
My palate is pinballing all over the court here, which I love.
- You did a great job. - Thank you, Chef.
I love the way that you cooked the duck.
The fact that you rendered down that skin so beautifully
and not allow it to overcook,
that right there is really where you excelled.
- Thank you. - The flavors deliver.
It touches upon all those different elements in your palate,
and they're all working harmoniously.
If I had to change one thing,
I wished would've put a little pool of sauce.
I think it would bring up the dish a little bit more.
- Okay. - But other than that, great job.
- Thank you. - Good job, Rhashad!
Now, the third and final dish
that we'd like to take a much deeper look at...
what stood out the most was the plating,
because it looked like it was straight out
of one of our restaurants.
Evie.
I love that I'm finally being called for the top three!
I've never made a duck, let alone broken it down.
So my confidence is building so much.
I hope this shows that I can make duck
just as well as professional chefs.
Evie, describe the dish.
So I have made for you a pan-seared duck
with grilled white asparagus, duck fat baby potatoes,
and a cherry port sauce.
Roasted potatoes in duck fat.
- Mm-hmm. - Amazing.
Who showed you how to cook potatoes first in duck fat?
- My dad. - Wow. Right.
Presentation, beautifully done.
Love the scorching of the asparagus.
What's the base of the sauce?
- Port wine. - Oh, man.
Duck's cooked beautifully, young lady.
Thank you.
Oh, wow.
It's delicious, it's rich.
Mmm.
- Those cherries are amazing. - How'd you cook the cherries?
I sautéed some garlic and then shallots.
I added port wine and cherries,
then I kind of let it reduce with some chicken stock.
You're starting to sound like a chef.
All of a sudden, you start sounding like me.
I'm gonna say "shall-lot" soon.
The only thing I wish for this dish
is that your dad could taste it,
'cause he's done an amazing job teaching you how to cook.
- Great job. - Thank you.
Miss Evie.
Listen, this dish brings me
the same kind of joy that a great slice of cake
or a great cookie brings.
It's out of control impressive.
I think points of feedback are when you present it,
you wanna make sure that skin stays side up, right?
You wanna show that off.
But I think this is the smartest 60 minutes
you've ever spent in this kitchen.
- Nice job. - Thank you!
- Good job, Evie. - You did really good.
Three amazing dishes.
We're down to the details.
- Definitely. Excellent. - Yep.
Three absolutely stunning dishes,
but only one of you can be the winner of this challenge.
Only one of you
will receive a huge advantage in the next challenge.
The best duck dish of the night belongs to...
Three absolutely stunning dishes,
but only one of you can be the winner of this challenge.
The best duck dish of the night
belongs to...
- ...Evie. - ( cheering )
- Good job, Evie! - I won!
It means so much to me to win a mystery box,
because it proves to the other contestants
they better watch it.
I think they saw me like an underdog,
but now I'm the under-duck. Quack quack.
Evie, congratulations.
You've now gained, young lady, a huge advantage
in the next stage of this challenge.
Before I explain the next challenge,
all of us need to take a break and enjoy something special.
Follow us. Let's go.
I have no clue what's going on right now.
- I'm so confused. - I mean,
I never saw a break in the MasterChef Junior kitchen.
- Where we going? - What?
I mean, seriously, I love coffee.
I mean, I could take a coffee break, I mean, anytime.
I'll take an extra shot of espresso.
Oh, boy, we need some fun, yes?
- All: Yes, Chef. - Let's go.
Let's go, guys. Oh, boy.
How nice is it to be outside of that kitchen?
- All: Good! - It's great.
Fresh air, right?
I do not trust when Gordon says "a break."
This is "MasterChef Junior."
I think we're walking
into a really tough special challenge.
- Have you guys seen Christina? - All: No.
Oh, dear. No Christina, more for us.
Who'd like a treat?
( gasping, shouting )
I take that back. Gordon was not lying.
We're actually getting a break
and eating cupcakes on the patio.
- And it's so fun! - It's really good.
- Oh, my Lord. - I know you guys are chefs and all,
- but do you guys bake? - Do we bake?
Yeah, all the time. I think to be a great chef
you have to be extremely well-rounded,
- like in any other profession, right? - Definitely.
My first job in Paris was a baker.
Wow!
My favorite birthday party was my eighth birthday.
And we stayed up all night eating cupcakes
and just talking about life.
This is even better than that.
Guys, tongues out, please.
Purple, yellow. Oh, my Lord.
- Tongue? Brown. - Brown!
- What color is mine? - Oh, my...
It's like a snail is on there, Matthew.
Right. Did you enjoy those cupcakes?
All: Yes, Chef!
- Shall we go back inside? - Come on.
You guys head in first. Off we go, guys.
Mmm. Those cupcakes were good.
- Yeah, they were. - Weren't they good? Oh, man.
They were delicious!
( music playing )
- ( cheering ) - Oh, my God.
Oh, my gosh!
- What? - Christina!
( screaming, chattering )
What?
Oh, my God!
Christina looks straight out of a fairy tale.
My gosh!
I'm not old enough yet,
but I would totally wear this to my wedding.
She's the fairy of cupcakes!
Oh, wow!
How did this happen?
- Hi. - You're so pretty.
What do you think of my new dress?
- Amazing! - ( cheering )
It's gorgeous! It is gorgeous! I love it!
I love a great batch of cupcakes.
They're cute and they're tasty.
- Yes. - But they're also a challenge.
Silky smooth,
perfectly balanced frosting,
and then that cake...
light, airy, fluffy.
( gasps )
- Oh! - Oh, my gosh!
- Oh, man. - Oh, my gosh.
Cupcakes are your next challenge.
- ( cheering ) - Yay! Yes!
Now, Evie, I'm sure you're wondering right now
what your advantage is for winning that last challenge.
Please, come and stand over here.
Thank you.
Now, tonight,
everybody's gonna be working in pairs.
- ( gasping ) - What?
And, Evie, guess who will be choosing the pairs.
Indeed. It's gonna be you, young lady.
- Ooh! Okay. - Evie, tell me who you would like
to be working with across this difficult elimination challenge.
I do have one person in my mind that I really wanna work with.
Come here, Sadie.
My strategy is to pick the person
I think will do the best in this challenge for me
to make sure that I am safe tonight.
And then after that, Brielle, I'm gonna pair you with Ben.
I actually wanna set everybody else up for success, too.
- Che with Kyle. - Christina: Che and Kyle!
- And Rhashad with Reid. - Gordon: Team Georgia.
Somebody's who more strategic might put people
with people they don't like so they can really mess up.
Who would you like to partner with Malia?
Jaala.
- Yay! - Christina: Jaala.
- Christina: Aaron. - Kate.
Yay!
Basically, I'm a nice person,
so I'm not gonna sabotage anybody.
Yes, yes, yes! Yes!
All of you, please, head to your stations.
- Let's go. We got this. - Whoo! We got this!
Sadie, we got this. We got this. We can do it.
I think it's time for me to get out of this dress.
- Do you mind? You have to go around. - Please. Oh, my Lord.
- Whoo! - All righty.
Right, all of you will have just 60 minutes
to make us a dozen cupcakes.
At your stations you all have the exact same ingredients,
and in the equipment room, you'll find an endless array of flavors
that can give your cupcakes personality.
There's one more thing.
The winning pair tonight
will get their cupcake recipe published...
( gasps )
...in the brand-new MasterChef Junior baking cookbook.
Yeah, baby!
- Okay, we have to win. We have to win. - We have to win.
With that in mind, are you ready?
All: Yes, Chef!
To become published authors
in MasterChef Junior baking book
is the highest award you can win
before you get the MasterChef trophy.
Your time starts...
- ...now. - Aarón: Whoa!
All right, home cooks, you have 60 minutes
to bake and decorate a dozen delicious cupcakes.
You're time starts... now.
- Get 'em. Go, go, go. - Wait, wait, wait.
- Here, I'll go. - Sadie, do I take the whole thing?
Oh, my gosh, yeah.
Me and Sadie are making a normal vanilla cupcake,
but we're going to hollow out the middle of the cupcake
and then stuff that with fruit cereal.
- Start on the batter. - No, I need to get another cup of milk.
My cooking idol is definitely Christina Tosi,
and she's famous for having cereal
in her cakes and desserts.
So, I think this fits what the challenge is perfectly.
- I'm gonna go get the lemons, okay? - Start getting the lemon.
Ben: Brielle and I are making a vanilla cupcake
with a lemon curd filling
and a torched meringue frosting.
- One. - We're both from the east coast
and we love summer on the east coast,
and all these flavors
definitely remind me about that.
So, Chef Christina Tosi, the queen of cakes,
what are the A to zed with these cupcakes?
How should they structure their time?
So, first ten minutes, spend making that cupcake base.
- Yeah. - Your cream, your butter, and your sugars.
You add your vanilla or your flavoring to your eggs.
You're doing so good, Sadie.
From there, you alternate your dry ingredients...
flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda.
I'm gonna add some zest.
Cupcakes go into the oven within the first ten minutes.
While that's happening,
that's where you really turn up those creative juices
with your frosting, with your fillings,
with your curds, with your glazes.
Kyle: Che, you getting those apples peeled?
Yep, doing them right now.
And then I would give myself 20 minutes to decorate,
because, you know, a box of cupcakes is all about
- that moment where you open the box and you go, "Wow." - Wow.
- That's good. - So good.
- Che, you're doing amazing. - Great, so are you.
So, today we're making apple pie cupcakes.
One set with spiced frosting,
and the other set with maple cinnamon buttercream.
I mean, we're both from New York,
- we both love to go apple picking... - Yeah.
Just let that mix.
We are making red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.
And we're gonna add strawberries so it has color.
We are both from the South, and we like making
red velvet cake for our families.
Rhashad, how do you think this looks?
That looks very good.
- Jaala, you good? - Yeah.
Jaala, what flavor are these cupcakes?
The flavor of the cupcake is orange.
Me and Malia, we both love oranges.
And this is a vanilla bean cinnamon frosting,
'cause I just love cinnamon and vanilla beans.
Keep going, mama.
Malia, how long have you been baking?
I've been baking since I was four,
and she's been baking since she's three years old.
It seems like you're working really well as a team.
- Like we're one. - Yeah.
- Christina: Good luck. - Thank you.
- Gordon: 45 minutes remaining. - What?
Gordon: Focus. You've got to get that batter in the oven.
- Doing great. - Gordon: Right.
Ivy, Matt, what's the theme behind these cupcakes? Ivy?
So we are making a really classic vanilla bean cupcake.
- Right - One with raspberry filling,
one with lemon filling.
That sounds amazing. Listen.
The winning pair tonight
get their recipe in the new MasterChef Junior cookbook.
I was 72 when I got my first cookbook.
- Really? - No, I'm joking.
How dare you think I'm 72. Do I look that old?
No.
- Of course I don't. - You look more like 60.
- I look more like 60? - Yeah.
All right, I'm done. Good night.
( laughs ) Good night!
I'm just kidding.
- Che, you're doing good. - Thank you.
- You're doing great. - You, too.
- Sadie, Evie, what you guys up to? - Hey.
We are doing a watercolor swirled buttercream
with a fruit cereal cupcake.
Is that kind of an inspiration from Chef Christina or what?
Yeah, because she does have Milk Bar and she sells
a bunch of cereal milk flavored things there,
so we wanted to do something similar to her.
- Yeah! - I like that,
but let me tell you, that's a huge risk.
'Cause I know when somebody
tries to recreate one of my dishes,
I'm gonna judge them harder.
Lots on the line here. At least two of you are going home.
It's not gonna be you guys, is it?
It could take a turn for worse,
but I think it's gonna take a turn for the better.
- All right, stick with it. - Thank you, Chef.
- Okay, thank you. - Awesome.
Gordon: 15 minutes to go, guys.
Cupcakes should be out of the oven.
You should be working on those frostings
- and decorations. - Aarón: You know what?
It looks like they're doing an exceptional job.
- Are these okay? - Yeah, frost 'em like that.
- That's perfect. - Okay, great.
Miss Kate, "Aarrron," talk to me about your world.
What you doing right now, young lady?
We are making a banana cinnamon cupcake
with a coffee buttercream.
Me and my nana, we love baking things together.
Okay, here's the deal, guys.
A cupcake is all about the visual impact.
It has to be something that's inviting.
Something that really calls you out there.
- Okay? - Okay.
All right, awesome. Thank you.
That looks amazing.
Mmm, that's good.
Gordon: Five minutes to go.
Oh, my Lord.
Such incredible creativity going on this evening.
This has to be perfect.
The intensity is on.
You can tell they all want this cookbook recipe published
in the next MasterChef Junior cookbook.
This is inspiring.
Two minutes to go. Come on, guys.
- Hustle! - It's okay. It's okay.
Gordon: There's very little separating these talented kids.
I think it's going to be the most difficult challenge to judge yet.
- We really need to hurry up. - Yeah.
Last 60 seconds. Let's go.
- Oh, my God. - I'm good.
- Just don't panic, okay? - Too late. Sorry.
Christina: Get those cupcakes in those boxes!
Careful, careful, careful, careful, careful.
Come on! Look at them!
- Those finishing touches! - So good.
- Oh, I know. - Aarón: I am so impressed.
- Christina: Come on. Come on, Ivy! - Judges: Ten, night,
eight, seven, six,
five, four, three, two, one.
- Gordon: And stop. Well done. - Aarón: Okay, hands in the air.
- Hands in the air. - ( cheering )
That was really, really good.
- Well done. - ( laughs )
- We're amazing. - All right,
let's start with Sadie and Evie.
- Okay. - Okay.
Oh, thanks.
My mom's a baker.
She taught me all her secrets,
and then Evie is also a really strong baker.
So, oh, my gosh, we got this.
- You two. - Yeah.
What kind of cupcakes did you make?
Fruit cereal cupcakes.
Fruity cereal cupcakes? Where'd you get this idea from?
Let's see how they came out.
Listen, I'm gonna be honest.
Sadie, Evie, what kind of cupcakes did you make?
Fruit cereal cupcakes.
Let's see how they came out.
Listen, I'm gonna be honest.
If I were a cupcake, I wish I looked like that.
Tell me about the flavors.
We made cereal cupcakes
with white chocolate buttercream,
rice crispy treats, and chocolate decoration.
I love the color and the approach to it.
I think it's a fun way to pull the eye in.
Now talk to me about the cake itself.
We actually replaced the milk with cereal soaked milk.
Mmm.
Wow. That's very clever.
I think the flavor of the cupcake is delicious,
it's light, it's airy.
A little tweak... when I'm using fruity cereal,
a little bit of lime zest
helps give a little acidity and lightness to it.
But overall, I have to say, I am super honored
and super inspired by this box of cupcakes.
- Nice job. - Both: Thank you.
Good job, Evie! Good job, Sadie!
- Good job. - Didn't I tell you?
- We're not going home. - Right, next up, the two B's.
Brielle and Ben, let's go.
Brielle: I'm from Conley, Georgia.
I bake at home all the time.
And Ben, he does, too.
I think our cupcakes are really good
and I think we're gonna make it
into the MasterChef Junior cookbook.
Okay, let's get in there, shall we?
Wow. They look incredible.
What's the theme going on here?
It's summer.
Ben: We made a vanilla cupcake
with lemon curd in the middle
and a torched meringue on top.
Oh, boy, they smell zesty.
- Any lemon zest on top? - Yes, a little on the top.
But we didn't want too much toppings,
or else it would just take away from everything.
Oh, boy, look at that.
Light, fluffy, and lemon curd inside.
- Yes, Chef. - Wow.
But as always, it's in the taste.
You've nailed it. Cupcake's moist.
Lemon, definitely there.
The actual lemon curd is delicious.
What would I change? Your cooked meringue
needs to be whipped a little bit more.
- It's a little bit too liquid. - Yeah.
But it's a very strong effort.
- Thank you. - Good job, Brielle.
Good job, Ben. Really, really good jobs.
- Good job, Brielle. - All right.
Next up, please, Malia and Jaala.
Between me and Malia, we have 14 years of baking experience.
Our cupcakes look amazing,
and I think we have what it takes to win.
- Let's see how you did. - Okay.
We made an orange cupcake
with a vanilla bean cinnamon frosting,
and orange candy melt
with chocolate and a cinnamon stick.
Wow!
- Who did this piping? - Oh, I did.
Visually, A-plus.
- Thank you! - Thank you.
So how did you flavor the cupcake orange?
We took out one tablespoon of the milk
and added one tablespoon of orange juice.
Stunning. Let's see how it tastes.
It tastes as gorgeous as it looks.
( whispers ) Oh, my God!
Orange and cinnamon, they're warm, they're homey flavors,
but you've elevated them into this gorgeous elegance.
Both: Thank you!
This could quite possibly be the most perfect box of cupcakes
- I have ever seen. - Thank you!
Christina: Congratulations.
Both: Thank you.
- ( applause ) - Yeah!
Evie: Wow. I am so jealous
that Christina said Jaala and Malia's
were the most perfect box of cupcakes she's ever seen.
But at the same time,
I think they look stunning
and I'm so proud of them.
All right, Matthew and Ivy.
My heart is, like, pounding right now,
because everybody's cupcakes look so good.
- Good job, guys. - But at the same time,
I am so happy about these cupcakes
Matthew and I have made.
They show all of our personality perfectly.
Matthew: We did a vanilla cupcake.
One with raspberry jam in the middle and lemon icing,
the other with raspberry icing.
The raspberry came from her and the lemon came from me.
Okay, so let's see if it delivers.
I gotta say...
that's a dynamite tasting cupcake.
The cake is cooked perfectly. It's airy, it's fluffy.
What you guys got right there is delicious.
- Good job, okay? - Thank you.
- Whoo-whoo! - Gordon: Team Georgia.
Reid and Rhashad, let's go.
Rhashad: We made a red velvet cupcake
with cinnamon cream cheese frosting
and strawberries on top.
Let's hope they taste as good as they look.
Fingers crossed. Come on.
Sponge is delicious. Frosting is exceptional.
You know, flavor is there, lightness is there,
and I can definitely taste that southern charm.
- Good job. Well done. - Thank you, Chef.
All right, Kyle, Che.
Kyle: We've made an apple pie cupcake.
Half of them have a maple cinnamon buttercream.
Che: And the other half, spiced buttercream,
garnished with a little bit of brÃ»léed sugar.
that you have on the inside. That looks fantastic.
I think that this cupcake really represents New York and the both of us.
Man, you interweaved spice,
sweetness, and texture brilliantly,
and that's what I really love about it.
- Fantastic job, guys. - Thank you, Chef.
Yeah.
- All right, Che. - Yes!
- Oh, my God. - All right, Kate and Aaron.
Me and Aaron are both from the South,
so we know how to cook cupcakes.
If we don't get the number one cupcake,
they're definitely the number two cupcakes.
Let's see how you did.
Wow.
Aaron: Our cupcake's banana cinnamon,
and the frosting is coffee extract and espresso powder.
- So who did the piping? - I did.
Okay. Interesting flavor combination.
I mean, I can smell the coffee.
Do you guys... You have cell phones.
- Do you text? Do you use emojis? - Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
What does the top of this look like to you?
( gasps )
Christina: You have cell phones.
Do you use emojis?
What does the top of this look like to you?
( gasps )
Looks a little bit like the poop emoji.
- No! - There is a part of it
that looks a little bit like that.
All right.
Let's see what this cake is like.
Ooh, it slices beautifully.
Mmm.
The cake is baked beautifully.
It's nice and light.
That balance of banana and cinnamon is delicious,
and that coffee frosting is amazing.
All in all, excellent job on this box of cupcakes.
- Thank you. - Good job.
- Oh, my God. - You nailed that cupcake.
Please, everyone, come down to the front.
Rhashad: I am very happy about our cupcakes.
We worked very well together as a team.
But an entire team could be going home tonight,
and I definitely do not wanna go home.
We're absolutely blown away
by how well all 14 of you did.
But this is "MasterChef Junior,"
and that means every week
we have to say good-bye to some of you.
So, we need just a moment to discuss everyone's cupcakes.
Please excuse us.
Gordon: Wow, what a tough decision.
Guys, how do we separate this? Let's think of highlights.
- The best box for you? - You guys did really good.
Jaala and Malia, it was unexpected.
- Yeah. Yeah. - It was elegant, it was the right balance of flavor.
I'm anxious. I'm an anxious child.
I think for me I have to go with Sadie and Evie.
I think the idea of being out there, not afraid to take risks.
I don't want to go home, and I don't want you to go home.
I don't want anybody else to go home.
Now we have to decide which two of these home cooks
- we're saying good-bye to. - You shouldn't be worried.
Brielle and Ben's, they tasted good,
but meringue could've been a bit stiffer.
Who do you think is going home?
I'm not sure. I think everybody did amazing.
And then Aaron and Kate,
- they took a risk on that frosting. - Yeah.
It was what it was. I mean, each one of them
have these small tweaks, right,
- that they could do better, but... - Yeah.
Knocked it out of the park.
I mean, they just tasted beautifully.
- Yes. - The decisions have been made.
- Mm-hmm. Happy? - Let's do it.
- Shoot, they're coming out. - Shh, shh! Guys, guys.
Tonight, there were a dozen cupcakes
that stood out above the rest.
The pair who will be safe from elimination
and will have their cupcake recipe printed
in the new MasterChef Junior baking cookbook is...
- Malia and Jaala! - ( cheering )
Oh, my God. Like, I just feel like crying right now.
Congratulations to you.
Please head back to your station.
Both: Thank you so much!
Back home in Rhode Island,
I don't know any ten-year-old published authors,
and now I'm gonna be published in a cookbook.
Like, pinch me, please.
- ( both squealing ) - ( sighs )
Unfortunately, we have to say good-bye
to two talented young home cooks tonight.
But quite a lot of you did just enough to survive.
If I call anyone's name out, head back to your station.
- Reid, Rhashad. - Thank you. Thank you!
- Good job, guys. - Kyle, Che.
- ( cheering ) - Also, Evie and Sadie.
- Good job, guys. - Good job, guys.
So, we have Brielle and Ben,
Kate and Aaron,
and Matthew and Ivy.
This is really tough.
You six have all done
a really good job on those cupcakes.
- But... - It's okay, it's okay.
...tonight we've decided
that all three teams...
...were too good to send home.
- ( gasping ) - You're safe.
- Yes! - Congratulations.
All three teams were better than good.
You were seriously good.
Nobody is going home.
Head back to your stations. Well done.
Y'all scared me half to death.
We are saved!
And I am super grateful
that we get a second chance.
I can do better, and in the next challenge,
that is what I'm going to do.
Now, don't stay up late.
- Why? - Because tomorrow morning
we need to see you bright and early.
- Whoa! - What?
- Uh-oh. - Gordon: Good night.
- ( playing "Reveille" ) - Next time...
- ( horn honking ) - ( cheering )
...the top 14 head to the great outdoors
for their toughest team challenge yet.
Our campers are arriving.
They're coming, they're coming!
- ( cheering ) - We need chicken!
It's like a tie-dye tidal wave coming over us.
Who will hit the mark?
It looks gorgeous. Great job.
And whose MasterChef Junior dream
- will go up in smoke? - It's raw.
You'll send those children to hospital in seconds.
Sync: Ajvngou www.addic7ed.com