Chefs Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale have to taste some terrifying baked goods at the Halloween-themed boot camp. First, the recruits must create scary cake pops to impress some very tough critics: little trick or treaters! Then, for their main baking challenge, the recruits put their Halloween candy to good use as they bake some surprise-inside cupcakes. The two recruits that make the most frightful treats will be sent home
Love is in the air, as Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale invite some brides and grooms to boot camp. First, the recruits have to sculpt wedding cake toppers of the special guests in a decorating art class. Afterwards, the recruits go head-to-head and bake a four-layer celebration cake. The two that fall below the baking bar will be sent home.
The final two recruits must take over a bakery and bake for a panel of baking experts; Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale serve as mentors as their recruits put their skills to the test; one recruit will be named the winner and take home $25,000.
Eight of the worst bakers in America enter boot camp with hopes of going from kitchen disasters to baking masters. Chefs Lorraine Pascale and Jason Smith see what they're dealing with by asking the recruits to recreate their dream desserts. Once the teams have been chosen, the recruits do their best to not get sent home by creating twelve of their own uniquely designed cookies for their "cookie feed."
The party is just getting started as the remaining recruits prepare for their first skill drill. But first, they must identify a variety of cake ingredients using only their sense of touch. For the main bake challenge, the recruits go out of this world with multi-colored mirror glazed cakes. Some will pass with flying colors while the worst on each team will be sent packing.
Boot camp has been transformed into a circus fairground complete with a wall of cotton candy! The recruits begin with a blind cotton-candy tasting before the opposing teams go head-to-head in a cookie dough pop challenge. There's no clowning around in the main bake challenge, however, as the recruits tackle one of the most difficult pastries -- pate a choux. Those who make show-worthy cream puffs get to stick around while the bottom two get sent home.
The final four recruits are sent back to baking school beginning with a gym class challenge where the teams face off in a relay race. Next, the bakers head to science class where they make the perfect fruit custard tart with a blow-torched meringue. Finally, it's time for art class as the recruits create 3-D animal cakes inspired by the special guests' favorite stuffed animal. The top performing bakers will earn a spot in the finale!
The final two recruits enter boot camp for the last time ready to put their new baking skills to the test! For the last baking challenge, each team is tasked with creating a three-course dessert menu designed to impress culinary experts Thiago Silva, Melba Wilson and Dan Langan. Whoever comes out on top will go home with the $25,000 cash prize!