If you've never watched "MasterChef Junior," you're missing out. The show, a competition among chefs ages 8 to 13 from all around the country, is a charming entry in the reality show oeuvre, with the little tykes busting out impressive culinary chops.
Hosted and judged by the infamously volatile Gordon Ramsay and pastry chef Christina Tosi of Milk Bar fame, the 20 tiny toques compete in a series of challenges to suss out the best chef among them. This season, five competitors hail from Chicago.
One of them, 9-year-old Avani Shah, recently visited the Tribune test kitchen to chat about her kitchen skills and show us her recipe for whipped chocolate ganache, perfect for frosting her favorite vanilla cupcakes. The recipe for the ganache and the cupcakes she has made is below.
