Tough Week

Hey everyone!

So judging by the title, you can tell it was a tough week for me. This week we had a Practical Exam where we had to display the Creaming Method for Cookies.

Creaming Method for Cookies:

1. Scale all ingredients. Fat must be at room temperature (butter, eggs, etc.)

2. Cream together Fats and Sugars with a paddle attachment.

3. Add eggs, one at a time. Add any other liquid ingredients.

4. Sift in dry ingredients all at once. Mix until just incorporated (until you see no more white parts of the flour).

5. Scrape bowl continually. Do not overmix. 

If you are preparing cookies, you should be able to look at the fat called for in the formula (a.k.a: recipe) and determine which method to use to make your cookies. Therefore, you wouldn't need directions to prepare them,  you could just look at the formula and determine how to handle the ingredients.

Well, the Practical was on Wednesday and each student was required to make two types of cookies using the Creaming Method for Cookies. We could either make Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter Cookies AND some type of Biscotti. I chose to make Chocolate Chip Cookies and Espresso Almond Biscotti. The mixing and makeup (a.k.a: assembly) of my cookies went well, it's just the baking part that didn't do so well. Think about it: 30 or so students in the class, all putting their baking sheets in the ovens at different times. We have 4 ovens that will hold about 5 full sheets each. Getting our cookies to come out perfect is very difficult when several students open and close the ovens CONSTANTLY to check on their cookies. It becomes quite annoying. Someone even put a sticker on the oven that says "Please LOOK before you open!". I think it's getting better but everyone was only thinking about themselves during the test so that was very difficult. 

Overcooking things has always been a challenge for me. I am even more paranoid about it now in Culinary School because I don't want to take something out of the oven that I think is baked thoroughly, then have my Chef cut into and see it raw! EEK! I'm just paranoid about that but I think I will get better at it. Let me correct myself, I know I will get better. 

So, here are all the yummy treats for the week. We were off on Monday for Presidents day. My Safety and Sanitation Chef told us that when the students were gone on Monday that they had this "Team Building" exercise. Kind of like "Chopped" on the Food Network. A bunch of the chefs were assigned to different kitchens, each kitchen had 3 Savory Chefs and a Pastry Chef and they were given a basket of  ingredients to work with and they had to come up with 3 appetizers, 3 small entrees (if I remember correctly) and a dessert. They had an hour and a half to do everything. Sounds so fun! Wish I could have witnessed it!

Ok... pictures!

Tuesday 2.22.11

We made Peanut Butter cookies (SO GOOD) and Sable Cookies. 

Here are the PB Cookies before being baked.

These are the PB Cookies after being baked. Finally! Cookies that came out perfect! There was nothing bad to say about these cookies.

Sable Cookies are kind of like shortbread cookies. A little powdered sugar, egg whites, cinnamon and viola! Yumminess! These cookies are piped with a Pastry bag. Here is my partner, Maggie, working on piping the sable cookies. We took turns piping. 

Here are the Sable Cookies before being baked. We added Raspberry Jam to the centers. 

Here they are after being baked (Maggie and I ate one, lol). These were over baked.

Wednesday 2.23.11

Big day! Our first Practical.

Here are my Chocolate Chip Cookies. I thought they looked perfect, Chef said I could have taken them out a minute sooner. Other then that, they looked good. 

Here are my Biscotti. I know I screwed up with these. The problem I had was that I was only checking the doneness at the front of the oven and failing to check the back. I should have flipped it because as you can see, one side looks great but the other side is burnt to a toast. :( Chef also told me to cut them ticker next time. 

Both of my products together. I got a 42 out of 50. I was really bummed with my grade, took it pretty hard but now I learned and I am trying to make improvements. Here is a photo of both my products. 

Here is a photo of my partner with her products. 

Thursday 2. 24.11

PIES!

Today we made two pie doughs and an Apple Pie filing and streusel topping. 

Here is the Cherry Pie (the filling was from a can). We were to practice the lattice top. Maggie and I cut our strips to thin so when we transferred it to our pie, it came off crooked. It looks cool, just not how its supposed to be. :) 

Here is our apple pie before being baked. Chef walked by when I was snapping this photo and she goes, "You know it's not baked yet, right?" She was being silly.  I LIKE MY BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS! 

The class was running behind this day, so we had to leave our Apple Pie at school for it to finish baking. One of the Chefs took it out of the oven for us. Here is the finished Apple Pie:

The culinary students had another buffet today. This time it looked like sandwiches were the theme. I got there late so only got a small taste:

Friday 2.25.11

Scones and Biscuits!

We made Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits that were almost PERFECT! Just a little too brown. :( I CAN'T WIN!

And my scones. Color is PERFECT! Finally. However, we weren't thinking, and placed them seam side up. Well there wasn't actually a seam when we assembled them but when they cooked, the seam expanded. If we would have placed them seam side down. These would have been perefectly PERFECT! We topped it with a Flat Icing (powdered sugar and milk). Oh yeah, raspberry filling. :) 

And that's all folks. This week is going to get tougher. Our last easy assignment is tomorrow, blueberry muffins and pumpkin bread, then we start custards. I'm excited for creme brulee but I know it won't be easy. 

Good luck to me... I need it. 

With Love, 

Adriana 

(originally posted 2.27.11)