This archive report was first published on 26 November 2019.
The Great Kenyan Bake Off: Week Eight ¶
Published on November 26, 2019
Week eight of The Great Kenyan Bake Off brought a new set of challenges for the contestants. With five contestants remaining - Jamil, Faith, Adeline, Samira, and Rosie - each had to bring their A game to secure their place in the next round.
The technical challenge was an ugali cake, a recipe created by Chef Kiran. The contestants had to boil milk and butter, add half the ugali flour, cook it, and allow it to cool. They then had to cream eggs and sugar, add the cooled ugali, and the rest of the flour. Cashew nuts were provided, which they had to grind into flour to bind the mixture.
Ugali cake should be cooked in an oven set at 140 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes. However, the contestants weren't privy to this information and most chose to cook it for less time, adding time depending on how much longer it needed to cook.
Once the cake had cooked and cooled, the contestants had to pour a lemon glaze over it and then dust it with icing sugar. Fresh coconuts were provided for the glaze, which the contestants had to break and blend into coconut milk. They then mixed the coconut milk with lemon juice, allowed it to cool, and poured it over the cake.
When it came to the blind tasting, the judges were impressed by Rosie and Samira's ugali cakes, which were cooked to perfection. Rosie's presentation was simple, with just a dusting of icing sugar, and her cake had risen well with a bang-on flavor. She had grated coconut in her mixture, which added to the overall flavor of the cake. Rosie emerged as the winner of this round.
For the signature challenge, the contestants were tasked with making their unique version of a gluten-free cheesecake. The judges were looking for skill, creativity, passion, and handwork. The cheesecake needed to have impeccable flavor, good texture combination, and distinct color.
Once the cake is assembled in the baking tin, it needs to be cooked in a water bath. A cheesecake also needs ample time to cool down before it is served, preferably overnight. With only four hours to work on their creations, the contestants were in for a challenge.
Faith opted for an ocean New York cheesecake, using almond flour and oats for her base. The judges were impressed by her mirror glaze, which she used to decorate her cheesecake. The cake also had good flavor. Jamil went for the Baklava saffron twist cheesecake, using almond flour and oats for his base. He put saffron strands in his filling, which the judges said were classic and went well together.
Adeline's choice was a dulce de leche cheesecake, with a coconut brownie base. Her sugar work was good, as were the flavors. The ratio of base to filling was also good. Samira also opted for the New York cheesecake, a favorite of Chef Kiran's. Almond and oat flour formed her base. She made a fruit comport, which she poured over her cheesecake before garnishing it with fruit and leaves to which she added a hint of gold. Her presentation wowed the judges.
Rosie chose a lemon and blueberry cheesecake to which she added a blueberry swirl. The judges were impressed by the retro-ness of her choice of cheesecake. It had beautiful flavor and good texture. Rosie emerged as the winner of week eight, even as Faith was sent home.
