International Patisserie, Cake Formula and Assembly

Well, we just completed the first week of our third term! We are now in the "International Patisserie, Cake Formula and Assembly" class. I am having a lot of fun. This class requires us to make several components to a dessert and put them together. We aren't taking goodies home everyday like we were in our last two classes. 

My photos aren't as nice as before because most of our plated work is done in class and we make just enough to present our desserts and not much else to take home or LAST on my 45 minute drive home. Like the Gateaux St. Honore that we made this week. It involved sugar work that was almost all the way melted by the time I got home. 

So, here are the desserts for our first week!

Monday: 5.16.11

Today was our first day in class. Our Chef is really awesome. She's very organized, articulate and explains EVERYTHING in detail. I'm so thankful to have her as an instructor. I'm so pleased with ther teaching method. 

Today we made crepe batter that we held overnight to use the next day. 

We also made practice buttercream which is a pain in the booty to clean up. It consists of powdered sugar, shortening and hot water. That's why it's called PRACTICE Buttercream- it's not tasty at all. With the buttercream, we practiced piping rosettes, shells and reverse shells.

Tuesday: 5.17.11

Today we prepared Crepe Suzette. I had no idea what Crepe Suzette was before this day. It's very good and apparently a wonderful recipe to know as it's often used at brunches and often prepared table-side and restaurants because the sauce is flambéd (set on fire to burn off the alcohol in the sauce). We prepared the crepes for presentation. I had forgotten my camera so my awesome classmate, Emily, snapped a photo for me. I will have to make this again at home because I'd like some better photos in my white box. 

My evaluation by Chef Adrian was great, she said that there was nothing bad to be said about my Crepe Suzette. My sauce was a good consistency; any thicker and it would not have been appealing. 

Crepe Suzette 

Wednesday: 5.18.11

Today we made the components for our Gateaux St. Honore which is a cake made in honor of the Patron Saints of bakers and Pastry Cooks. We assembled our bases which were made with pate a choux and pate brisee and we also made puffs with our pate a choux. We made Pastry Cream as well. 

Thursday: 5.19.11

Gateaux St. Honore!

We assembled the cakes today. First we had to divide our pastry cream to make vanilla and chocolate creme diplomat to fill our base and fill our puffs. 

We also made caramel for the sugar work. 

Here is what the Gateaux St. Honore looks like!

Gateaux St. Honore

Kind of cool, right? Chef said next time to make sure my base doesn't show through the diplomat creme and to make the sugar on the tops of my bases more rounded and circular. Also, my base was slightly uneven. 

Friday: 5.20.11

Today we made Chocolate Pot de créme that we held over night in the cooler for presentation on Monday. 

We also made a really delicious bread pudding with a Rum Creme Anglaise sauce- so tasty!

Bread Pudding with Rum Creme Anglaise

The associate to Chef Adrian, Chef Cory, said that my bread pudding could have used a little more custard and that it was a little over cooked on top and under baked on the bottom. The consistency of my sauce was good. 

I'm really enjoying this class. It's something I have never done before and I really love learning new techniques, recipes and skills.

With Love,

Adriana