Episode 4 Junior MasterChef

The competition to find the best young cook in the country is back.

From over 1,000 applications only 32 cooks have made it to the heats.

Now, top chef John Torode

and food blogger and TV cook Donal Skehan

have to decide which cook is good enough

to win the title of Junior MasterChef.

I am so excited to see four different personalities

come in here and show us what they have.

Is our winner in this mix?

Today, our four are going to face two enormous challenges.

First, a masterclass from me.

I'm going to teach them how to make a vanilla slice

and feather the icing.

Then afterwards, the heat is on because they are going to be

cooking two of their most delicious dishes for us to taste.

Competing today are Lucie,

Eloise, Matthew,

and Caitlyn.

I can't believe I'm on Junior MasterChef,

it's just a massive opportunity.

I like to win things and just do well.

It's fun to win.

I've got to give it everything I've got. I've got to absolutely own it.

I'm really nervous, but I'm really excited about it as well.

It's going to be massive.

I am looking for passion and a good bit of spark.

We've one place in that quarterfinal,

so let's see who can do it.

G'day, guys. Welcome to Junior MasterChef.

Today's masterclass, we're going to be cooking something very exciting.

It's a classic pastry called a vanilla slice.

Puff pastry puffs up, but for this dish,

we want it to be flaky rather than puffed up,

so what we do is put holes in it

and that'll stop it from puffing up altogether.

Whenever you pick up a tray, use a cloth, please.

You don't know if it's hot or cold.

Now, we're going to make the custard.

500ml of milk, and to flavour the milk

we're going to use a vanilla bean. If you're going to do this at home,

make sure you've got a responsible adult with you.

Next, John adds sugar to eight egg yolks.

The sugar has to dissolve in the egg yolks.

Everybody thinks you get lumps in custard from flour, it's not.

You get lumps because your sugar's

not dissolved and the flour wraps itself around the sugar.

So no excuses for lumps here. You've got to really beat it through.

Then he adds flour and corn flour,

and finally half the warmed milk.

Whip the eggs and the milk together and pour that into your pot.

Take the vanilla pod out.

The milk or the custard is hot so don't dive in with your fingers.

How do you know when it's ready?

The whole thing should be the same consistency. Very thick custard.

-Look at that.

-Nice.

-The pastry, it's just about ready.

-Looking good.

-It is looking good.

So now we need to cut our pastry to the sides of our tin.

And then pour our cold custard into it, so our bottom goes on

and then we're going to put that in the fridge for five minutes.

While it cools, John makes icing for the topping.

-Icing sugar, tiny dash of water.

-Has everyone made icing before?

I have once but it didn't really work. It went like rock.

Now cooled, John tops the pastry with the white icing.

Followed by two flavoured icings, strawberry...

and chocolate.

Now I'm going to feather the icing. So you take the skewer

and drag the skewer through the icing

and drag the skewer the other direction.

A masterpiece.

The vanilla slice is ready to go.

We've now just got to think about the presentation.

And really watch your fingers. How lovely does that look?

So there you have it. Vanilla slice and feathered icing.

-What d'you think of that?

-Looks amazing.

I think it's time for you guys to take control in the kitchen

and try and make them as good as John's.

Off to your benches, wash your hands and let's get cooking.

Lucie is 12 and lives in Lincolnshire.

She is inspired by Italian food,

and one day hopes to run an Italian restaurant.

I love to be a chef. It's my massive hobby right now

and I hope that one day it will be my job.

Apart from cooking, what are your other interests?

I'm in the netball and rounders team, so I quite like sports.

If you like sport, that means you must be quite competitive.

Erm, yes, I'm quite competitive.

Everyone likes a bit of winning, so I quite like winning, yeah.

Eloise is 12 and comes from Dorset.

She started cooking with her great-grandma

and once made a chocolate fondue for 11 people.

When I'm older, I'd like to have a little shop.

It doesn't have to be massive, but in the movie Chocolat,

they have the little chocolate shop where they sell loads of chocolates

and I'd love to have a shop like that.

-When did you first start cooking?

-Erm, when I was two with my grandma.

-I used to make cakes with her.

-Two?!

-Yeah.

-I couldn't walk at two!

-Are you serious?! Two years old!

-Yeah.

When you cook, how does it make you feel?

It makes me just feel really happy.

When you see the reaction on people's faces

when you make them something and they really enjoy it.

Well, we wish you good luck.

We're halfway through the cooking time now. The smells are good.

12-year-old Caitlyn is from Leeds.

She attended a school cookery club and once cooked snails

while on holiday in France.

When I get home from school I sometimes make, like, easy puddings.

But on the weekends you have loads of time

so you can just cook all night.

Caitlyn, where did your love of cooking come from?

My mum was a food teacher, so she kind of taught me how to cook

and I just carried on from there and took it to the next level.

Have you ever made anything like this before?

I've made creme patissiere before, but I made it with, like,

apple slices on top.

-So you're happy with the recipe?

-Yeah.

-Good.

-Well, Caitlyn, we wish you good luck.

-Thank you.

12-year-old Matthew lives in Merseyside.

He helps make Christmas dinner every year

and loves complicated desserts like meringues and souffles.

I'm most looking forward to getting feedback from the judges

because I'm not always sure how good I actually am

and listening to the judges and being able to compare myself

to other people, that'll be really good.

How does it feel to be standing here in the MasterChef kitchen?

It's really good.

I always dreamed of standing here in the MasterChef kitchen

and here I am.

So Matthew, what do you want to be when you grow up?

-I'm not sure at the moment. I am only 12.

-OK.

Last few minutes now. Really start to think about your presentation.

Your time is now up.

It's now judgment time. Is the puff pastry nice and flaky?

Is the confectioner's custard thick and lump free?

And has the icing been neatly feathered?

Lucie, let's start with you.

With your feathering, just make sure that pink icing is a little

-bit thicker, cos it's getting lost amongst it all.

-Yeah.

The balance of vanilla and the sugar in that custard is really good

and then you've got this dry,

flaky pastry sitting on top with that very, very sweet icing.

It works the way it should work.

The only thing I would look for is maybe just a smoother custard

in the middle, but it's really good, so you should be proud of this one.

There is things I wish I'd improved on,

but I guess you can't change it now, so...yeah.

Caitlyn, you're up next. Let's give yours a go.

Caitlyn, the sweetness in your custard is lovely,

it's spot on, really tasty.

I would love for the pastry to be a little bit more cooked,

but it really tastes good and you've got that nice hit

of the vanilla in there so you've really got this balance perfect.

I agree. I think the pastry, just a little bit more,

and maybe a little bit more colour in that pink icing.

But you've done a really good job, Caitlyn.

I've never cooked that dish before,

and, like, to do it in 45 minutes under pressure is good.

Eloise, let's have a look.

Huge amounts of vanilla in your custard,

the custard is wonderful and smooth,

and because you've got that extra thick layer of icing on top

it's wonderfully sweet. The only thing I'll say to you

is cook your pastry just a little bit more.

Pastry, when it's not cooked enough, it starts to taste like cheese.

I think the custard in the middle, very nice and sweet, but again

I agree with John, just a little bit longer on that puff pastry.

Do you think you've learned something?

Yes, that I need to cook the pastry more so it won't taste like cheese.

Good lesson, Eloise.

It went better than I thought it would,

cos I didn't really like custard before.

I quite liked that custard, actually, which is a bit strange,

but yeah, so I learned that I like custard now as well.

And last but not least, Matthew, you're up next.

Your confectioner's custard is wonderful and smooth.

Your pastry is well cooked

and it's all becoming flaky all the way through it.

There's just not quite enough icing on it

and you need that extra hit of sugar to make the whole thing come alive.

If there'd been a little bit more icing sugar in there

you would have had a nice even finish on it.

But overall, really nice.

I think I've shown the judges how good a cook I am in some respects.

But I think that also I have not quite showed them

how good I can actually be.

Well done. Off you go.

I was really worried today about this dish,

but they all produced something and in that amount of time.

-That was a really big ask.

-They all seem to have potential.

It's their own food next.

That's when we'll really know how well they can cook.

Who's going to take the quarterfinal place?

So this is it. Our chance to see the food that you love to cook.

Remember, it is a competition

and only one cook can go through to our quarterfinal.

Your two dishes, one hour, let's cook.

It's quiet in the kitchen today and that can only mean one thing,

we have four incredibly focused cooks today.

What are your two dishes?

Erm, duck with potato and carrot rosti and cherry sauce,

and cheesecake with caramelised biscuits and a berry compote.

Where did you get the inspiration for these two dishes, Caitlyn?

Cherries go well with duck and then, like, cheesecake is normally,

like, biscuits on the bottom, but I've decided to caramelise them

-and put them on the top.

-Very interpretive.

-Yeah.

Caitlyn's cooking us duck with cherry sauce and a carrot and potato rosti.

A rosti, it's just grated potato and then it's pan-fried.

As long as that's crispy on the inside

and cooked all the way through, it could be a really lovely dish.

Eloise, I've never seen onion goggles before. Can I have a look, please?

-Yeah.

-Wow, I didn't even spot them! Let's try.

Oh, they fit perfect! Look at that.

-Makes you look so much better as well.

-I think it's a good look.

Eloise, what are your two dishes today?

I'm making Spanish rice with chorizo and red pepper.

And I'm making red pepper rolls with rocket, goat's cheese and chorizo.

-How many times have you practised these dishes?

-Loads. Loads and loads.

I know what I'm doing, and if it goes well then it'll be really good.

Eloise's main course.

A kind of paella dish. I hope it's nice and moist.

I know my paella and I really hope she gets this one right.

What are the two dishes you have chosen for us today?

Herb-crusted chicken with roast vegetables and a pesto dip.

They're quite big, strong flavours.

Would you proclaim yourself to be an experimental cook?

Yes, I think I prefer making up my own recipes

because I just like doing it myself and not following something else,

so I am quite an ambitious cook.

For my dessert, I have done tarte tatin with cinnamon icing.

I've seen my parents and my sisters do it quite a lot,

so I know what I'm doing.

For dessert, she's gone for a classic tarte tatin.

Those beautiful layers of apples with caramel

and that puff pastry lid.

If she can crack this one, I will be incredibly impressed.

What are your two dishes today?

I'm making ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta

with a fillet of pan-fried sea bass.

To follow, I am making pears poached in orange juice and cinnamon.

Tell us what you love about these two dishes.

I think they show a lot of technical skill, but they still taste nice,

whereas sometimes you eat something and you know it has taken a lot

of technical skill, but it just doesn't taste nice.

I totally agree. That is brilliant.

You have the display of skill and flavour at the same time.

-Yes.

-Amazing.

Matthew is doing sea bass and ravioli.

It seems like two dishes have come into one.

For dessert, he has those wonderful poached pears.

I hope they're really nicely cooked through.

No-one wants an undercooked pear.

Last five minutes. Really think about your plates.

That's it. Your time is up. Step away from your benches, please.

Caitlyn has made a main course of pan-fried duck breast,

served with a rosti

made from grated potato and carrot and a cherry sauce.

We've got lots of food here that shows real generosity of spirit.

The duck is cooked quite nicely.

I would love to have that lovely crispy skin on the top,

but I think you've got a really nice dish.

It's got wonderful, wonderful richness

and you really have a handle on hearty comfort food here.

Your sauce underneath the duck is salty, but sweet,

sour from the cherries and really deep with the flavour of the duck.

You have one tiny issue - your rosti.

It's not quite cooked all the way through.

Caitlyn's dessert is an upside-down vanilla cheesecake

with caramelised biscuit topping and a blueberry and strawberry compote.

Cheesecake, cheese pie.

When I took it out of the mould, it kind of collapsed a bit.

The creaminess of that cheesecake filling is fantastic.

It's not overly sweet, but there's that lovely hit of vanilla

and the biscuit topping is really interesting.

I was expecting it to be quite soft and it wasn't - it was crunchy

and it really added a kind of layer of texture there.

The fruit is wonderfully pungent and it's got real syrupy thickness,

almost like something you want to put in a milkshake.

I like it.

I'm really pleased. I don't think I could have done any better.

Eloise has made a Spanish-inspired menu,

starting with red pepper rolls,

filled with goat's cheese, rocket and chorizo -

a spicy Spanish sausage.

That's really clever. There's things in there I didn't expect.

You've got this charred pepper and that that black

gives it a wonderful bitterness.

Then there is sweet, but sharp goat's cheese running through

and there is a tiny bit of chorizo stuck inside it.

It's a really clever, layered morsel.

Thank you, it was delicious.

In with all those lovely kind of simple flavours,

you have this pop of paprika which is really, really nice.

And then the pepperiness from the rocket.

This is a really well thought-out starter and I would definitely

order this off a menu any time.

Eloise's main course is Spanish paella -

rice with prawns, chorizo and red peppers and the spice saffron.

I love the little cylinder of rice you've created

with the prawn sitting proudly on top.

Eloise, the rice is cooked beautifully.

There's a really strong bit of saffron in there.

It's kind of that earthy flavour

and it's also produced that lovely colour.

There's nice pops from the chorizo.

This is a dish you should be incredibly happy with.

-Thank you.

-You've got saltiness and the taste of the sea

coming from the prawns.

There's lots of chilli heat, it's a really good, sophisticated dish.

-If you like to eat food like this, brilliant.

-Thank you.

You've got a great palate.

I'm really happy. It went exactly to plan.

They both loved it. I was really happy.

SIGHS

Matthew's sea bass is resting on a bed of

spinach and ricotta ravioli with Parmesan and a sage butter sauce.

Your fish is seasoned really well.

Your ravioli are well made and rich with your spinach

and creamy with your filling from your ricotta.

It's just clashing a bit too much.

Together, I'm not really gone on those flavours,

but I like the way you've cooked the fish and I agree with John -

separately, they work fantastic and you should be so proud of that dish

because you have really good elements in there

and you've shown us you can cook.

Matthew's dessert is pear poached in orange juice and cinnamon,

served with a vanilla and honey yoghurt.

I'm really liking the tartness of the yoghurt

against the sweetness of the fruit and syrup.

My one concern is that your pears aren't cooked through.

They're just a little bit tough,

but you really have a grasp of the flavours.

Your pears are just a little bit undercooked,

but the consistency of your syrup, almost that mirror sheen

on the plate, just makes it shine like a star.

We can see the skill, it's now for you about the detail.

I feel really good when the judges give me positive comments.

I've got to make sure they keep coming.

Lucie's experimental main course

is chicken breast coated in a crust

made from breadcrumbs, olives,

sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan and basil,

served with roasted courgettes, onions, tomatoes, peppers

and a pesto and creme fraiche dip.

Great presentation. Lovely colours, vibrant. Happy food.

The crispy crusty chicken with the sweetness

of those caramelised vegetables

and then the nice cooling effect of this little sauce.

As a mouthful, you've got some really great flavours.

You've taken me to the Mediterranean.

I really like that, I feel like I've been transported somewhere.

I think good food takes you places.

I think it's really tasty, really well cooked and very well delivered.

-Thank you.

-Good on you.

Lucie's dessert is a classic French tarte tatin -

puff pastry, topped with apples and caramel sauce,

served with a cinnamon icing.

You really like your strong flavours. That cinnamon is throwing itself

all the way across those sharp little apples.

You've got caramel and pastry and lots more sugar and cinnamon.

It works really well, it's really comforting, like you're sitting

-round a fireplace.

-I would love to see a bit more of the pastry

in there for it to be nice and puffed and lovely and golden,

but overall you've got a really good hang on it.

I think that went well. They had a few things that they said

would make it better, but I'm always up for getting tips

on how to improve my food.

What a day. Four really enthusiastic contestants. And they all want it.

Different types of cooks, personalities on a plate.

That's what we asked for and that's what we got.

Caitlyn had two very good-looking dishes.

The duck was cooked beautifully, the sauce was wonderful and rich

and deep with cherries.

For me, the only mistake that Caitlyn has made is the rosti

is not cooked all the way through.

And for her dessert,

I know she has difficulty plating up that cheesecake.

I was incredibly surprised by that crunchy biscuit on top.

Alongside that lovely syrup,

I think she had a real winner with that dessert.

I'd love to go further but, you know, things happen for a reason.

Eloise's dishes sparkled.

Four little tiny rolls of red peppers.

You bit into it and the ooze coming from the goat's cheese

and then the chewiness from the chorizo.

-It's a great little starter, really good.

-And then that main course. Wow.

That really took her to a new level.

That earthy flavour of saffron throughout which also gave it

that wonderful colour, she nailed that main course.

It's so annoying.

You just sit there thinking, "Am I going to go through?

"Is he going to go through? Is she going to go through?

"Am I going to go through?"

It's just kind of like, I want to know now!

Matthew, today, has demonstrated a huge amount of skill

and that you can achieve a whole lot in an hour.

The fish was cooked beautifully, it was good. The ravioli was good.

It was just too much on one plate.

Those wonderful poached pears with that syrup all the way around.

It was just a shame that the pears weren't cooked all the way through.

I don't know if I've done enough to go through, but I know

I've done my best here, which is as much as I can ask of myself.

Lucie gave us a dish she had made up herself.

Crumbed chicken, and it was served with a little pesto dip.

-It was really very good.

-Tarte tatin has to be right. It's a classic.

The flavours she had in there were fantastic.

It's quite tense, because it would mean so much for me to go through.

It would just be massive.

Today we've seen some great cooking.

It's a tough one,

-but I think I know who I want.

-I think I know who I want, as well.

Guys, what a great day today. You did some incredible work.

It's a competition and we only have one place in that quarterfinal.

Our quarterfinalist is...

..Eloise. Congratulations.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

It was just a really good experience.

Hopefully I will be able to learn something from it

and improve as a result.

To get this far, I found it amazing.

Can't ask for more, really.

I think Eloise could go all the way.

She's an amazing cook and I think if she puts her mind to it,

she could go all the way and win it.

Really shocked, but really happy. Can't believe it.

This is probably the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Eloise will be back for the quarterfinal,

when she'll compete with three other heat winners

for the title of Junior MasterChef.

If you'd like to make John's masterclass dish,

visit CBBC's Junior MasterChef page for the recipe.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd