Dina raised no objections. It was true that her cream cheese had been bought at the small market two days ago; the poor storage conditions in the dormitory had definitely affected the flavor. Her opponent was a professional who clearly knew the nuances of a Light Cheesecake.
“What a shame. If we had held the competition two days earlier, you wouldn’t have been hindered by outside factors,” Medeili said, walking over to offer her comfort.
“You’re such a good person.”
Dina beamed at her. Suddenly, she found herself losing the competitive edge; she just wanted to take Medeili by the hand and be her friend.
Matcha blinked, feeling inexplicably disgruntled.
Wang Yue calculated the temporary total. Medeili was leading by three points.
Both sides returned to their respective dorm rooms to prepare the next course.
For the second round, Dina chose to make Cheese Rolls.
She baked the puff pastry first until it was golden and shattering, then filled it with a cheese cream, carefully rolling them up. The filling squeezed out from both ends—snow-white and soft, looking much like vanilla ice cream. Finally, she sprinkled them with crushed pistachios.
The Cheese Rolls didn’t have the same explosive, soaring aroma as the Chiffon Cake. However, the specialized shortening in the pastry combined with the cheese filling utilized over twenty different ingredients. The resulting scent was complex and delicate, carrying a sense of sweet fulfillment that seemed to coax hunger from the very marrow of one’s bones.
The pistachios were the finishing touch. Their unique nutty oils seeped into every layer of the fragrance, making it even more mysterious and layered.
Dina’s plan was to scale the flavor and sweetness progressively, step by step. These rolls were a tier higher in sweetness than the Chiffon Cake, and the texture and aromatic profile were far more intricate.
Facing this combination of fragrance and sweetness, Medeili countered with Spicy Cold Beef.
Wang Yue was secretly delighted. Both the Crystal Meat and the Spicy Cold Beef were dishes she had mentioned during her casual chats with Medeili.
Medeili had also considered the progression of flavors. While the previous dish had focused on a delicate rose-salt profile, this one was a powerhouse of numbing heat and savory depth.
If the texture of the Cheese Rolls was a rhythmic combination of punches, then the Spicy Cold Beef was a fierce, singular straight lead!
Wang Yue’s head tilted back slightly from the impact. Her numbing tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth as she immersed herself in the intense, spicy flavor.
It was too difficult to decide. How should she score this?
Wang Yue allowed herself a tiny bit of bias—after all, Spicy Cold Beef was one of her favorite dishes—so she gave it a 9 and the Cheese Rolls an 8.
As for the other two judges, Winnie gave the Cheese Rolls a 9 and the beef a 6.
“First, it’s too spicy. Second, once the beef fat cools, it coats my throat. It’s very uncomfortable,” Winnie complained.
Wang Yue brewed a cup of hot tea and handed it to her. It was true; the little girl was still young and wasn’t suited for such stimulating food.
Dorothy, her forehead beaded with sweat and her tongue darting out to cool the heat, gave both dishes a perfect 10.
“Why do you always give full marks? Were you a starving ghost in a past life? Is anything good as long as it’s edible?” Wang Yue couldn’t help but roast her.
“Master, in the town where I lived, if someone handed out porridge, you would thank them with tears in your eyes even if there was sand in the bowl. You must put your whole heart into thanking someone for free food!” Dorothy replied, lost in her own sense of self-sanctity.
After this round, Medeili’s lead narrowed to a single point.
The final round would decide the winner.
Wang Yue glanced at Dorothy, wondering if the girl was intentionally manipulating the scores to force a tie just so she could eat everything again in a rematch. Looking at the green glint in Dorothy’s eyes, it seemed highly likely.
Both sides retreated once more to prepare.
For the third round, Dina chose Brownies.
Dark chocolate, cocoa powder, butter, heavy cream… thick and rich, the sweetness and texture were pushed to the absolute limit.
While Dina was melting the chocolate and butter, Dorothy watched from the side with wide, pitiful eyes. “Can I lick the bowl when you’re done?” she asked pathetically.
“You’re dreaming. I won’t leave a single drop behind,” Dina replied.
Dina’s movements were practiced and fluid. Her spatula traced elegant arcs against the bowl, leaving it pristine. The dormitory was soon filled with the unique, heady aroma of high-quality dark chocolate and melting butter.
There were no fancy additions—she didn’t even include nuts or rum.
When the baking was finished, the result looked like an unassuming, dark lump—much like a square, folded black towel. It was quite unremarkable.
However, when Dina sliced through the crisp outer crust, the center was revealed to be moist and gooey, like soft mud.
