Simon Rogan: "You're happy with the tempering of the chocolate then?"

Nicholas: "The texture is really good. And we definitely got a bit of a snap there."

Simon Rogan: "The texture of the coffee mousse, what you're after?"

Nicholas: "Yeah, I think it's delicious. It's just set.

Peers, tasting behind the scenes

"I've got a frozen lump in the middle of mine still."

Back in the judging room

Simon Rogan: "And you're happy with the amount of coffee that's in that?"

Nicholas: "I am really happy, actually."

Peers, tasting behind the scenes

I think they're very sophisticated flavors. It feels like a very grown up dessert."

Back in the judging room 

Simon Rogan: "And the sponge?"

Nicholas: "I really like sponge. I gave it a good soak."

Peers, tasting behind the scenes

"The whiskey in the sponge is a little bit strong for me. I do wonder whether in a banquet setting, when you're serving so many people, whether it could divide the room quite a lot."

"Cor blimey. It really is strong. That whiskey. I feel a little heady."

Back in the judging room  

Simon Rogan: "What would you score this dish then?"

Nicholas: "I would want a nine for it."

Final Judging

"Nicholas, for your dish 'Out of the Ashes'. Once again, great presentation. A real connection to the brief. The chocolate for me wasn't tempered to my liking. The coffee mousse as well for me had a bit too much coffee in it, and I wasn't really sure about the sponge either. I think it was a bit too soggy, and I wasn't a great fan of the strong whiskey flavor. This dish is quite challenging, and in a banquet setting, I think it could be quite divisive. There's a lot more lightness that needs to be introduced to this dessert to make it enjoyable and balanced."