chandelles (to turn around a "candle") are a performance maneuver and should be entered at cruise airspeed and then add full power for max performance. If you think of the original reason behind it... WWI French pilots drop bombs and do a climbing 180 to avoid ground fire (it was also used as a lag pursuit in air to air combat)...most would probably use full power (i.e. full energy) to gain the most altitude while using precise control of airspeed to control radius of the turn. MCA will be a slightly lower airspeed with full power (max performance). If you think of practical application (i.e. turning about in a valley, etc) it may make it easier. As a commercial pilot, generally it's easier to think in terms of energy when doing each maneuver, including soft field landings (i.e. using the ground effect and MDR to land while), short fields.. just control airspeed with AOA and descent with power, combo brings angle to the ground.
Yeah, you have to take it and move on... maybe find another examiner, personally something that saved me from ever failing a checkride was talking through a maneuver on the ground, if he added something or said I was doing it wrong.. I'd ask him specifically about why he does it that way.. and then do it on the ride.