As Clementine Bell has learned, running a successful NYC patisserie is tougher than it looks. Even with training in classical French baking from the best school in the world, getting people to walk through the doors to the Clementhyme Bakery proves...
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In the finale, Clementine found herself standing between Adam and Rose as they waited for the judges to taste their final bakes. Two towering cakes stood on a damask covered table. The first, Clementine's cake, a four tiered tribute to the fairy tale Cinderella, complete with a glass slipper made entirely of sugar. Beside it stood Rose's three tiered cake that told the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears in fondant and lovingly crafted marzipan figures.
Tilly and Ansel stood before the cakes turning them around on their pedestals to admire them from each angle.
Five hours. The cake had taken every minute of the past five hours to come together. Regardless of the outcome, Clementine couldn't look at her cake without feeling pride swell in her chest. She'd made it to the end.
A hand closed around hers. Adam. Clementine looked at her sous chef for the challenge and gave him a smile. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Ours looks better."
Tilly and Ansel bent their heads together to discuss the cakes between themselves before addressing the contestants. "Both cakes are stunning," Tilly said. "So it looks like this will have to come down to taste."
Clementine met her father's eyes as he cut into her cake. "Red Velvet. An interesting choice," he said. "Let's give it a try."
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@baker_babe33: That finale tho! #thegreatbakeoff
@TillyTrifle: Such a great finale, so much talent. Congratulation to Clementine for a stunning performance. She was a delight to work with. Rose as well! #thegreatbakeoff
@TheRealRealJuniperBell: So proud of my baby! I might be biased, but making the BEST RED VELVET CAKE Tilly Trifle has ever tasted should be a Nobel Prize category.
@ChefAdam: @TheRealRealJuniper I cannot stress how great that cake was! I will be stopping at @ClementhymeBakery the first chance I get.
@TheRealRealJuniperBell: @ChefAdam Get in line! Really. The past three weeks the queue for Red Velvet Cupcakes has extended around the block!
@ChefAdam: @ TheRealRealJuniperBell: you have no idea how happy this makes me!
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Date: September 30, 2016 12:04am
To: TheBaker@ClementhymeBakery.com
From: ChefAnsel@CarlislePatisserie.com
Subject: Congrats
Clem,
I know we don't talk much, but I saw the airing of the show's final episode. I watched all of them, in fact. I just wanted to extend my personal congratulations to you. I know I've always told you I didn't want you to go into the gourmet food industry, but it was mostly because I've seen it chew up and spit out so many great, young chefs. I didn't want you to be one of them. I see now just how talented you are. Not only was your Red Velvet Cake the best Tilly has ever tasted, it was the best I've tasted. You've got a bright future ahead of you and I'm proud to call you my daughter.
If you need anything, let me know.
Dad
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"Beets," Adam said, admiring the dark purple root vegetable that had stained his hands pink in the process of peeling them.
"Beets," Clementine said as she took the lot from him and threw them into the blender. She'd sent Klaus home early so they could have the kitchen of Clementhyme Bakery to themselves.
"Not an entire bottle of red food coloring then?" Adam said sidling up to Clementine to bump his shoulder into hers.
"Please. Where do you think the 'Velvet' in 'Red Velvet Cake' comes from," she replied.
"This is genius," Adam said as he scooped out flour per her instruction.
"It's my grandma's recipe actually," she said while watching in horror as he barely measured the flour before heaping it into the bowl from an overflowing measuring cup.
She gasped. "You're not following the recipe!"
He gave her a sideways glance that was all amusement and dimples. "You know what I've learned in my years of baking?"
Clementine wasn't sure she wanted to know.
"It's easy to follow a recipe. It's harder to go off book, but more often than not, the end product is better for it."
Clementine shook her head and laughed. He still hasn't changed his tune. "Baking is not a forgiving art," she said, parroting the words she'd heard many times in her father's kitchen.
"It's more than you think." Adam said flicking flour off his fingers in her directions.
"Well it's my kitchen, my rules, and it's my recipe that you wanted to learn," she said, brushing the flour off her face.
Adam was laughing at something and whatever it was made Clementine feel hot in the neck and far too flustered. "What?" she demanded.
"The recipe is not what I'm here for," he said.
"Then why am I going through the trouble—" she started to say when Adam leaned in.
This time there was no door behind her for him to open. This was the real deal. Strong arms came around her waist and Clementine found herself pressed to Adam. And then he kissed her. Her heart skittered and her face warmed as she did the most un Clementine-like thing she'd ever done: she ran her hands up Adam Li's neck, thumbs brushing over his stubbled jaw; pushing her fingers through the hair at the base of his skull, she kissed him back.
When they broke apart Adam took his thumb and brushed flour off her cheek. "That's what I'm here for."
Clementine's lips pulled into a smile despite her best effort. "You're insufferable," she teased.
"So are you," Adam replied.
He kissed her again.
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