Happiness

Today was a great day to be a baker! We made some really good stuff today in class! Started at 5:15AM again and it was harder to get up this morning, mainly because it was rather cold and I'm not a fan of being cold, but I have no class tomorrow so I can stay in bed till it's warm enough to roll out of. I took pictures of what we made in class today so make sure to take a gander at those beauties.

In class are assignments were, Pear Frangipane, Lady Finger Sponge, Pate a Choux [Eclairs], Pastry Cream, Ganache, and American Butter-cream Cake (found out that is the name of it, told you I would). So since over Christmas I made lady fingers for the first time and it took me THREE tries to finally get the consistency close to right, so I decided I wanted to take lead on that! And guess what I excelled at it this time! We had the fluffiest consistent Lady Finger Sponges in t

he class, boy ohh boy was I a proud one, modest of course. Chef demo'd our product to the class and then Ben [my lab partner] and I took over the rest of the piping. Now we I get in the groove of doing something I really focus and sometimes forget to breathe regularly, so as I'm piping the base for the Charlottes we are making next week I hear "Breathe" come from my Chef. I pause, breathe and continue. Then Chef comes around to watch me and decides that I'm in too much focus and *Bump hits my elbow, kills my groove! So he comes around later and shows me a little more piping and then laughs saying "[I] could have bumped him" so I just grinned and said "I don't lower my standards." Ohh man what a laugh that caused to everyone who heard, it was great!

As for everything else we worked as a whole team. I filled the Eclairs with the pastry cream, dipped them in the chocolate ganache and boxed them for the Deli. Yes everything that we make in Pastries is taken to the Deli to be sold, I feel like I should make a profit off that somehow. I did buy some after class, later I was told I could have just asked [thanks Chef].

So school was a blast other than my right knee giving out on me - luckily I wasn't holding anything. BUT I did find out that it's true "Asians do age well," not being racist! My roommate said it once and I just laughed but after my lab partner told me he was 31 and looks maybe 24 I was like WHAT [like a minion]! Had lunch with Layn

e at school, mmm pizza! Took some knee pain and passed out when I got home. The knee is still killing me so I'm looking for a doctor and possibly going by the end of the week. I'm hoping I didn't re-tear anything, I don't think crutches and cooking go well together. I will leave you now with the rest of your day or night, and of course the recipes & Pictures!

Pear Frangipane Tart:

Take the sweet tart dough you made yesterday, roll it out and place it in a tart pan. Line the bottom in delicious raspberry sauce a very thin layer & add the almond cream. Now take 2 pears, cut in half slice very very thin and place at 12, 3, 6, & 9 o' clock. Bake 350F to a DEEP golden brown

"Deep brown is the sugar caramelizing, don't be afraid to bake it"

Before you start the American buttercream cake, you'll have to make Simple Syrup

Simply Syrup: (ratio 1:1)

Water 1 qt

Sugar 1 lb

*optional to flavor with an alcohol but do not put a lot in, it's not a rum cake.

So to put the American Buttercream Cake together you'll need your Chiffon cake, swiss buttercream & simple syrup

Even your cake layers you'll need 3 layers of cake total so don't fret if you goof on one. You assemble Cake ->simple syrup (LIGHTLY brushed on) -> buttercream (thickness of half the cake) and repeat this procedure. Crumb coat the cake which basically means seal in the crumbs of the cake. You do this by icing the cake in a thin layer placing it in the fridge for about 5 min then after you take it out you will put the final icing on it.

Lady Fingers:

Bread Flour 5 oz

Cornstarch 4 oz

Egg Yolks 7 oz (12 yolks)

Vanilla Extract 0.15 fl oz (1 tsp)

Egg Whites 12 oz (12 whites)

Granulated Sugar 7.5 oz

Dust with powdered sugar before baking.

This one is a little tricky so if you want the FULL recipe on how to bake it let me know.

Pate A Choux (Eclairs):

Milk 8 fl oz

Water 8 fl oz

Salt 0.3 oz (1 1/2 tsp)

Unsalted Butter 7 oz - chop VERY small

Bread Flour 10 oz

Eggs 16 oz (10 eggs)

Pastry Cream - this is what you fill the Eclairs with:

Milk 1 qt

Vanilla Bean, split or Vanilla Bean Extract 1 or 2 tsp

Granulated Sugar 7.5 oz

Egg Yolks 6 oz (10 yolks)

Cornstarch 2.5 oz

Unsalted Butter 2 oz

Lastly for today Ganache: (ratio 1:1)

Pastry Cream 8 oz

Semisweet Chocolate 8 oz

Bon Appetit