Lu Xinyi had expected that the judges would ask for difficult desserts but not as this difficult as this. She already had an idea of what to make using the mandarin oranges, but damn, croquembouche and baked Alaska were both time-consuming and difficult to make. One should at least have advanced skills in pastry and baking to be able to produce such desserts.
However, would she accept defeat that easily? No way!
Starting to move on her kitchen counters, Lu Xinyi threw her mandarin oranges in water and let it sit for an hour. She also took several ice cream flavors from the freezer and set them aside to soften a little. She then took a medium-sized bowl that was almost the size of the sponge cake she would make later.
Lightly brushing the inside of the bowl with vegetable oil, Lu Xinyi lined it with a plastic wrap and made sure there was overhang before setting it aside for later use.
