Naples pastry chef advances to final round of Food Network holiday baking show

The fruitcake almost did it.

Lerome Campbell, a Naples pastry chef competing on the Food Network's "Holiday Baking Championship," was at risk of elimination during Monday night's episode after a surprise ingredient sent the final four competitors reeling — fruitcake.

But in the end, Campbell's "festive" and "delicious" lemon cream was enough to advance him to the final round.  

Alongside two other bakers, Campbell, a pastry chef at The Ritz-Carlton beach resort in North Naples, will compete in the competition's finale episode, which will air Monday, Dec. 17, when a champion will be named and awarded a $25,000 prize.

Pastry Chef Lerome Campbell prepares a plated dessert that features a micro sponge cake on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018, at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples. Campbell is a contestant on the Food Network's "Holiday Baking Championship" and used his micro sponge cake, which is cooked in the microwave, to impress the judges in one episode.

During Monday night's episode, bakers were first tasked with preparing a classic chocolate holiday dessert with the addition of two common pantry items, such as balsamic vinegar, coconut and olive oil. Campbell, 35, prepared a chocolate trifle layered with potato chips and red wine — an interesting pairing.

Campbell coated his potato chips in melted chocolate to maintain a crunch, and then sprinkled the chips with peppermint. He simmered the red wine into a syrup-y reduction, and then layered in a 10-minute chocolate cake.

A panel of judges said the trifle was "delicious" with "really nice texture."

In the episode's final round, the four competitors had to create a holiday dessert using two primary fruitcake ingredients: nuts and fruits. Campbell was assigned pecans and candied lemons. He planned to prepare a pecan financier, a French cake baked into small rectangular molds, and lemon cream-filled ornaments.

But then came the fruitcake.

"Holiday Baking Championship" host Jesse Palmer added the surprise ingredient partway through the round.

"I have no idea yet how to incorporate this into my dish," Campbell said during the episode. "This is messing up my plans in many horrible ways. I am not happy about this."

Campbell decided to bake the fruitcake into his financier, and to add bits of fruitcake into the lemon cream ornaments. Judges said the lemon cream was "exceptional" but that the dish felt disjointed. 

In the end Campbell avoided elimination and advanced to the finale, which will air at 9 p.m. Monday on The Food Network.