MasterChef Australia’s ‘cake queen’ Steph Woon is sent home after failing a dessert pressure test
Fan favourite Steph Woon was sent home from MasterChef on Tuesday night after she left a crucial ingredient out of a recipe in a dessert pressure test.
The 31-year-old was eliminated during a challenge in which the chefs were asked to recreate a tiramisu from famed Melbourne chef Andreas Papadakis.
They had to make the dish based only on a review written by judge Melissa Leong.
Eliminated: Fan favourite Steph Woon was sent home from MasterChef on Tuesday night after she left a crucial ingredient out of a recipe in a dessert pressure test
Steph, known as the ‘Cake Queen’ this season, was worried she had taken too much time during preparation and that her brownies would end up underdone.
‘When they told us it was a dessert and we wouldn’t get to taste it and we had to read the review I was slightly terrified,’ she told 10 play.
Steph realised too late that she had forgotten to use a crucial ingredient: vanilla.
Challenge: Steph was eliminated after the chefs were asked to recreate a tiramisu from famed Melbourne chef Andreas Papadakis Picture: Steph in the MasterChef kitchen
‘It was such a small mistake,’ she said.
‘When I think about how brownie recipes are written, vanilla is usually optional so I’m like, “Eh, it wouldn’t be too bad!”‘
Steph also felt she made another error in trying to put her own spin on the dish.
After plating up, judge Jock Zonfrillo said Steph’s dessert didn’t use enough cream, and the lack of vanilla made the brownie taste too eggy.
Working with few clues: Contestants had to make the dish based only a review written by MasterChef judge Melissa Leong Picture: Steph on MasterChef
Andy Allen’s verdict was that the ratio and cook on Steph’s brownies was off.
It was Alvin Quah who impressed guest judge Andreas in the contest.
His tiramisu was judged nearly identical in flavour and texture to the original recipe, even if his brownie was not quite right.
Not up to standard: Steph said she had forgotten to use a crucial ingredient – vanilla – in her tiramisu recipe Picture: MasterChef judges Zack Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen
Being eliminated in a desert challenge was disappointing for Steph, who loves cakes and impressed viewers this season with her creative ability with sweets.
‘I have grown up in a household where we love to cook, but mainly savoury,’ she said.
‘I wanted to eat desserts but mum wouldn’t cook them for us, or I couldn’t find them outside so I was learning so that I could eat what I wanted to eat.’
MasterChef Australia continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10
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