Ep 12. Buche De Noel

Throwdown with Bobby Flay is a thrilling cooking show that features celebrity chef Bobby Flay as he challenges renowned cooks from around the world to a culinary face-off. The show's fifth season, episode 12, features a special holiday-inspired challenge as Flay takes on a classic French dessert called Buche De Noel.

The episode kicks off with Flay explaining the concept of Buche De Noel, which is a traditional French dessert that is typically served during the Christmas Eve feast. The dessert is a type of rolled sponge cake that is filled with a whipped cream, buttercream, or chocolate ganache filling. The dessert is then topped with a chocolate ganache that is shaped to resemble a log.

Flay sets out on his mission to find the best Buche De Noel by traveling to various patisseries and bakeries across the country. His first stop is to visit a patisserie in New York City where he meets the head chef, who has been perfecting the art of Buche De Noel for over a decade. Flay watches as the chef expertly rolls the sponge cake and skillfully decorates the finished dessert with a chocolate ganache. The end result looks dazzling, and Flay is certainly impressed.

Next, Flay travels to Miami, Florida, where he meets a French baker who has an impressive reputation for creating the best Buche De Noel in the area. The baker has been making the dessert for over 30 years and has developed her own unique recipe that includes a secret ingredient. Flay is excited to try the baker's creation and takes a bite of the Buche De Noel. He is immediately impressed by the light and fluffy texture of the sponge cake and the rich, chocolatey flavor of the ganache.

Moving on to his next stop in San Francisco, Flay visits a bakery that specializes in French pastries and desserts. The pastry chef shows Flay how to roll the sponge cake and demonstrates the intricate process of creating the ganache topping for the dessert. Flay watches with amazement as the pastry chef meticulously shapes the chocolate ganache into a log and adds decorative touches to the finished product.

Finally, Flay heads to his own kitchen to attempt to recreate the perfect Buche De Noel. He uses the tips and tricks he learned from the other patisseries and puts his own spin on the recipe. Flay carefully rolls the sponge cake and begins to add the whipped cream filling. He then paints on the chocolate ganache and uses a fork to create a realistic log-like texture. The finished product looks impressive, and Flay feels confident that he has created a winning dessert.

The episode ends with Flay and his challenger presenting their Buche De Noel creations to a panel of judges who will taste each dessert and determine the winner of the challenge. Flay's challenger is a professional pastry chef who has been perfecting the art of Buche De Noel for years. The competition is fierce, and the judges have a difficult time deciding which dessert is the best.

Overall, the Throwdown with Bobby Flay season 5 episode 12 is a must-watch for anyone who loves holiday-inspired desserts and enjoys watching culinary competitions. The episode is filled with impressive pastry techniques, mouth-watering desserts, and a fierce competition that will keep you on the edge of your seat.