Dark Genius

Hard-Boiled Genius

Hidden Genius

Candied Genius

Glistening Genius

Global Genius

Disco Genius

First chefs are challenged to make a frozen dessert using cheese puffs. Next chefs must use multi colored freeze pops to make a baked dessert. Finally chefs must use a Chinese Dragonhead as the inspiration for a chocolate dessert.

Fiery Genius

In the chocolate challenge chefs must create a fish inspired dish out of toaster pastries. The candy challenge draws inspiration from a robot using astronaut ice cream. In the final challenge a circus performer acts as inspiration for cakes using a spicy drink mix.

Golden Genius

Chef Ron Ben-Israel challenges the hopeful geniuses to create a chocolate dessert using sweet cookies and strong cheese. Then contestants must make candy using both vegetables and fruit. In the final round, pastries must be made using orange soda and pretzel rods.

Dancing Genius

Chef Ron Ben-Israel has some tricks up his sleeve when he challenges contestants to make a chocolate dessert using cheese and chilis. The second round has contestants creating candy desert using a common breakfast ingredient. Magic is the inspiration for the final round when contestants must create a cake using uncommon dessert ingredients.

Magic Genius

Electrifying Genius

Puzzled Genius

Speechless Genius

Baby Genius

Relative Genius

The inspiration for the chocolate desserts test is sure to get the chefs' minds spinning with genius ideas about how to make best use of the mandatory ingredients.

Genie Genius

Serpentine Genius

Glowing Genius

Lofty Genius

Plane Genius

In the first test of genius, the chefs are inspired by some canine cuteness for their breakfast food and bland bread chocolate desserts. In the second test, the chefs get an entertaining inspiration, peanuts and a sweet drink. With two chefs left competing for the title of Sweet Genius, a charming, chiming object gets the chefs' imaginations ticking.

Cuckoo Genius

It is Halloween time, time for everyone's favorite Sweet Genius to stir up some devilish trouble in his World of Desserts. Chef Ron's first Halloween inspiration is bound to get the chefs' blood racing, as they race to put together chocolate desserts from an Asian drink and dried fungi. In the second test, a haunting apparition inspires the chefs to use onions and a strongly flavored novelty candy to impress Chef Ron.

Halloween Genius

The heat is on with an erupting volcano as the inspiration for the first test. Will the chefs' chocolate desserts made from pink beans and an exotic fruit explode with flavor? In the second test, as if combining an oversized treat with a green mash were not a tough enough challenge, the chefs must also keep in mind Chef Ron's wild inspiration. An enchanting figure inspires the chefs in the final test, but the real magic will be making a berry drink and matzoh into genius cakes.

Heated Genius

Chef Ron's surprisingly conceptual first inspiration sends our master pastry chefs down a dark path: Will they see the light and figure out how to effectively utilize sweet fruit filling and chorizo in their chocolate desserts? In the candy test, a marionette inspires the chefs to display their masterful techniques with pizza dough and chicory coffee. And a symbol of peace and hope appears overhead for the final test, but it does little to ease anxiety, as the finalists rush to make incredible cakes from a sticky spread and a colorful veggie.

Wicked Genius

The inspiration for the first test comes straight from the Thanksgiving banquet, as does one of the mandatory ingredients. In the candy test, the chefs put on their game faces to tackle the next challenge using barbecue sauce and snack mix as mandatory ingredients. And with $10,000 and the title of Sweet Genius on the line, the two remaining chefs confront a fear-inducing inspiration and two unusual cake ingredients.

Turkey Genius

The chefs are startled by a jaw-dropping stuntman, the inspiration for their first test: But can the chefs make show-stopping chocolate dishes with an unusual squash and an old-fashioned candy? In the second test, some squeaky birds get the chefs thinking up festive candy creations made from a curdled dairy product and a versatile veggie.

Squeaky Genius

In the mood for mistletoe and merriment, Chef Ron has a host of holiday surprises for the competitors! In the first test: A little ambassador from the North Pole, a fabled pudding and a classic yuletide candy. The chefs get an icy inspiration for the second test, along with a starchy packaged food and a colorful refreshment. When the last two chefs compete in the final holiday hoorah, the cakes test, they must find a way to make chocolate treats work with beets and a magical inspiration.

Holiday Genius

Will the competitors truly embrace the power of their Parisian inspiration as they make chocolate desserts from chicken stock and a Southern candy treat? The three remaining chefs endeavor to make candy creations from fennel and a juicy fruit, as they keep a meddling deity in mind. In the final cakes test, a heavenly, twinkling inspiration and two assertive ingredients make for an intriguing final match-up.

Twinkling Genius

Where there's smoke, there's inspiration! The chefs must find a way to make a chewy fruit and meaty hors d'oeuvres work in their chocolate desserts. In the candy test, as they seek to combine a Middle Eastern dip with a desert delight, the chefs must be inspired by a Native American talisman. The final two chefs get biblical and try to stay afloat by making the best cake pairing their two mandatory ingredients.

Dream Catching Genius

Chef Ron introduces the chefs to his rockin' first inspiration, and it's crunch time when the chefs get a fruity cereal as a mandatory ingredient. In the second test, the chefs learn that there is no place like Chef Ron's world of desserts while making candy confections made with a strawberry drink and a yellow pepper.

Electric Genius

The chefs rocket into the competition, creating space-themed chocolate desserts from Italian olives and a retro candy. The three competitors who move on must get amped up over amphibians in the second test and figure out how to make genius candy with a green super food and an orange delicacy. In the final test, the chefs ponder the meaning of a leaning tower and how to effectively use two savory ingredients in their cakes.

Sci-Fi Genius

With a bright light inspiration, the chefs attempt to make excellent chocolate desserts that include one blue mandatory ingredient and one yellow one. Then in the candy test, Chef Ron has another entertaining, inspiring surprise for the competitors as they concoct ways to incorporate a shockingly colorful tuber. Get ready for a trip back in time, as our final two chefs receive a spicy snack as a mandatory ingredient.

Samba Genius

The chefs can't believe their first inspiration flying through the air, as they set out to make chocolate desserts that include ketchup. In the candy test, the chefs are spun in a new direction with a childhood inspiration and instant noodles and mild fruit as mandatory ingredients. A matrimonial-themed test has the chefs wondering what to do with two white mandatory ingredients.

Wedded Genius

Sweet Genius is an American reality-based cooking television series on the Food Network. Renowned pastry chef Ron Ben-Israel hosts this competition series in which four of America's premier pastry chefs compete in challenges, judged by Ben-Israel, that test their ability to use secret ingredients to create, based on a given inspiration, inventive desserts in a finite period of time. The winner of each challenge advances to the final test in which the last chef standing wins $10,000.

All Episodes of Sweet Genius

All Episodes of Sweet Genius

Season 1

Dark Genius

Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/2011

Hard-Boiled Genius

Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/25/2011

Hidden Genius

Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/29/2011

Candied Genius

Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/6/2011

Glistening Genius

Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/13/2011

Global Genius

Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/20/2011

Disco Genius

Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 10/27/2011

Fiery Genius

Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/3/2011