Ep 8. Donut Champions

In season 11 episode 8 of Food Network Challenge, titled "Donut Champions," viewers will witness four skilled pastry chefs compete against each other in an intense donut-making battle. Hosted by Ian Ziering, this episode features celebrity judges such as Duff Goldman and Robin Thicke as the contestants are challenged to create the most creative and delicious donuts.

The first round of the challenge is called "Donut Shop," where contestants must create a dozen donuts of their choice following specific guidelines given to them by the judges. They have 75 minutes to complete this round, and the judges will choose two contestants to move on to the next round based on the taste and presentation of their donuts.

In the second round, titled "Under the Big Top," the remaining two pastry chefs are tasked with creating three types of circus-inspired donuts. They must incorporate elements such as popcorn, cotton candy, or even elephant ears into their donuts. Additionally, they have to create a larger centerpiece donut that represents the "big top" of the circus. This round lasts for 90 minutes, and the judges will decide on which contestant will advance to the final round based on the innovativeness of their creations and their overall flavor profiles.

The final round of the "Donut Champions" challenge is called "Donut Tower." In this round, the finalist must create a towering donut cake using at least four dozen donuts in just two hours. They must also incorporate a secret ingredient chosen by the judges for an extra challenge. The judges will evaluate the final contestants based on the donut cake's structural integrity, taste, and overall presentation.

After the judges have tasted and evaluated the final round creations, a winner is crowned the ultimate "Donut Champion" and awarded the grand prize. In this exciting episode, viewers will get an inside look at the art of donut-making and learn some tips and tricks from the experts on how to create unique and delicious donuts at home.