Netflix’s Nailed It! pits three amateur bakers head to head, proving just how difficult dessert-making can be, and we've compiled baking hacks from the show that any unprofessional can use. It's unlike other baking shows that pit professional cake decorators and experienced chefs against one another. Hosted by Nicole Byer, a $10,000 prize and Nailed It! trophy is granted to whichever of the three can re-create the best confectionary creation. Along with the anticipation of watching three average people try to emulate tasty tours de force, several baking tips are scattered throughout each episode.
These rather colloquial but extremely helpful baking hacks are dubbed “Frosted Tips,” and they can be repeatedly seen in the bottom left of the screen. They typically pertain to the (often wrong) baking step the baker can be seen doing onscreen. For instance, mixing ingredients together can lead to a lumpy cake. Meanwhile, “Separately mixing wet and dry ingredients and then combining them created a uniform batter and tender cake.” At other times, the tips revolve around comical trivia like “The quickest way to Nicole’s heart is through ice-cold vodka” and “Spicy cheese puffs are a delicious snack, not a cookie topping.” While these cooks may create a stream of baking fails, they should know that “When it comes to baking, never wing it.”
While some tips may apply to cake artists, others can be useful to the everyday individual whipping up breakfast or dinner in their kitchen. For example, two helpful tips are, “When little bubbles form on the surface of the pancake, that’s when you flip it” and “Use large broken eggshells to scoop up smaller eggshell pieces.” When shaping cookie dough to prepare to bake, “Remember the dough expands during baking.” Otherwise, your heart-shaped cookies may come out of the oven looking like flat, doughy blobs. Also. avoid sloppy cake decor: “Cool your cakes before frosting or you’ll melt the icing.”
Other Frosted Tips apply strictly to competitors. Even if you’re running out of time or can’t locate a spatula, remember: “For less disgusting results never frost your cake with your hands.” At the end of the competition, the judges, including Nicole, Jacques Torres aka Mr. Chocolate, and a guest judge will have to consume it. In the second round, contestants are given a Panic Button which grants them three minutes of one-on-one help from one of the judges. To utilize this advantage and to ensure you can still save it for yourself, “Steal Jaacque’s expert advice by listening in during another baker’s panic!” After all, the judges never said you couldn’t.
While Frosted Tips are always useful for Nailed It! competitors (and while they may perform tasks incorrectly), in the end, someone always comes out on top. This proves that even an "unprofessional" can win the bronze broken cup trophy, brought out by stage manager Weston Bahr. Whether you’re a professional baker or not, you can appreciate any of the tips given on the show. However, don't forget, “When baking on the floor, be sure to include dust bunnies for extra crunch.”