MasterChef fans baffled by 'absurd' detail during episode: 'Subpar'

It’s one of the most nail-biting competitions on TV, with the MasterChef contestants battling it out nightly to create a range of extravagant dishes to impress the judges.

However, fans of the show were left puzzled during last night’s episode, where three of the chefs were faced with a dessert pressure test.

Eddie Stewart, also known as ‘Head Lamington Guy’, set the challenge, asking the chefs to replicate his famous Tokyo Lamington Tower, featuring Snickers, strawberry matcha, charcoal pumpkin and yuzu curd meringue flavours.

Larissa, Declan and Theo were all given five hours to master the recipe, and while Larissa ended up being sent home, it was the time limit that irked some viewers.

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“Does no one else think this episode was absurd?” a fan of the show wrote on Reddit.

“The challenge seemed ridiculously basic compared to desserts that are usually on the show and they had a huge amount of time to do it. They tried to make suspense points out of nothing?

“Larissa f***** up her dessert seconds before the end because she thought she needed to torch the bottom?? Hahahahaha surreal gave a really fake vibe. Really subpar”

Others agreed, with another person writing: “Sponge, caramel, meringue, curd, Chocolate glaze, mousse, custard, anything else? These are fundamental pastry skills, okay maybe except the glaze, mousse or curd not everyone might have that in their head, that one should have.

“I think if MCAU (MasterChef Australia) was being more strict with this challenge they’d give max 2.5hours. The construction is pretty simple since their towers are already given to them and not ‘edible towers’ made of chocolate or something.

“5hours are usually given during grand finals since they’re usually dealing with Heston Blumenthal techniques they wouldn't normally be doing or have access to at home. Eg. Billie blowing a sugar ball for 1hour, or making chocolate or ice sculptures with Peter Gilmore.”

A third commenter wrote: “Yes, seemed to be more a test of organisational skill than anything too technical. The recipe is.... lengthy. .....”

It comes after fans of the show took to Facebook on Monday night to say they were ‘terribly disappointed’ over an editing decision made on Sunday night’s episode.

The whole episode followed the chefs through the trials and tribulations of the challenge, however, fans noticed that while all the contestants offered up a dish, viewers didn’t get to see them all being tasted by the judges.

“Terribly disappointed after tonight's episode as once again we had the situation of some "cooks" not featuring with their dishes at the end so we don't even know what they cooked,” a fan of the show wrote online.

“Fortunately none of them are in the cook off tomorrow night so they weren't among the three worst cooks for the night.

“Unfortunately because the overall series has concluded filming this situation is not likely to be corrected in future episodes so we will have to put up with it right through to the end I guess.”

Many people agreed with the viewer, with another person commenting: “True, I know it's edited but I've only seen Amy present two dishes..others seem to be featured nearly every night.”

“I’m not so disappointed more like confused. What did Uncle Robbie cook?” another person said.

However, others were baffled over the complaint, claiming this is the standard format of MasterChef shows all over the world.

“They have done this every season. If you watch MasterChef from other countries, they do exactly the same thing,” one person said.

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