I know. Who would have thunk it? The best we might have gone before is top four – Hayley in Australian Idol in 2004, Rishi in MasterChef in 2013 or Amber in The Voice last year.

But Zumbo's Just Desserts might just provide us with our first winner.

Canberra insurance broker Ali King proved she was in the box seat for taking out the title when on Monday night's show she won the golden ticket which put her straight through to the grand final.

The other two remaining contestants – Kate, the "no-nonsense mum" and Brogan, the "stay-at-home mum" – have to bake again to determine who will meet Ali in the grand final.

Ali blew away the judges, Adriano Zumbo and Rachel Khoo, in the high-tea challenge with her fancy profiterole, caramel and apple mousse cake and raspberry and Earl Grey almond cake.

And just like Charlie and his trip to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, Ali, with her golden ticket, is straight into the grand final.

"I was over the moon because I didn't want to have to cook any more than I had to go to get there," Ali said, with a laugh, from her home in Canberra.

"It was phenomenal. I was on top on the world. It really was surreal."

An insurance broker who works in Deakin and was raised in Wanniassa, Ali said she hoped Zumbo's would create some new opportunities.

"I've been at the same job for 10 years," she said. "I did it [went on the show] to shake up my life and it's done that in a really positive way.

"To go on TV and make stuff I love and thrive off, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I wish I could do it again.

"Maybe I need my own spin-off show." Hint, hint TV producers?

Ali has said before she learned much of her cooking by the side of her grandmother, Dorothy MacDonald, who has since passed away.

"I really wish she was around to see what I've done and I think she'd be pretty chuffed," she said.

On her way to the grand final, Ali has been the most consistent contestant, despite one meltdown, which she says "wasn't even that bad".

"But I definitely had to regroup after that," she said.

Whatever the outcome, Ali says the show has opened her world. Not only to new work possibilities, but to new friends. She turned 29 last week and another Zumbo contestant, Vicki, surprised her with a visit to Canberra.

Ali said she was talking to local restaurants about hosting special nights in which she could create a dessert degustation menu. She'd already been asked to do demonstrations at the Smooth Festival of Chocolate which was "really fun".

"I want to forge a new sort of path," she said.