Ep 5. Oui Can't Bake!

The popular cooking show Nailed It! is back with its third season on Netflix, and episode 5 is a real treat for anyone who loves French cuisine and baking. Titled "Oui Can't Bake!", this episode is all about the art of French pastry-making, as the contestants are challenged to recreate some classic French desserts with their own twist.

As always, the show is hosted by the hilarious Nicole Byer who is joined by the resident pastry chef Jacques Torres. The two of them guide the contestants through the challenges and provide plenty of comic relief throughout the entire episode.

The first challenge is to make a classic Paris-Brest pastry, which is a dessert made of choux pastry filled with praline-flavored cream and topped with sliced almonds. The contestants have just 45 minutes to make their own version of this dish, and as you can imagine, not everyone is up to the task. Some of them struggle with the pastry dough, while others have trouble with the cream filling.

Despite the struggles, the contestants soldier on and produce some truly interesting and imaginative variations on the classic Paris-Brest. One contestant decides to make a savory version of the pastry, while another uses bananas in the cream filling. There are some definite hits and misses amongst the finished products, but the judges definitely have their work cut out for them.

The second challenge is even more difficult, as the contestants have to recreate the iconic croquembouche. This dessert is a tower of cream-filled choux pastry balls, all held together with caramel strands. It requires both skill and patience to make, and the contestants only have 2 and a half hours to do it.

Needless to say, things go wrong from the start. Some of the contestants forget crucial ingredients, while others have trouble making the caramel strands. One contestant's tower even collapses in the middle of the challenge, leading to a hilarious moment for everyone involved.

Despite the setbacks, some of the contestants manage to produce some pretty impressive croquembouches. One contestant uses pink and blue food coloring to make a gender reveal version of the dessert, while another incorporates some exotic fruits into the cream filling.

Overall, "Oui Can't Bake!" is a fun and entertaining episode of Nailed It! that showcases the challenges and triumphs of French pastry-making. It's a testament to the show's success that it can take a complex and nuanced topic like French baking and make it accessible and enjoyable for audiences of all levels of expertise. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a complete novice, this episode is sure to delight and entertain you from start to finish.