Monday, September 26, 2011
Classroom
Here is a picture of our classroom. It isn't great, but I figured that it would at least give you the idea.
The chef's table is on the far right, behind the tiled column. My table is directly facing the chef's table, so in the right of the picture with one girl (my table-mate) standing at it.
The chef's table is on the far right, behind the tiled column. My table is directly facing the chef's table, so in the right of the picture with one girl (my table-mate) standing at it.
Cold Desserts, Day 4
1. So today was fruity day. We focused on making sorbets, which was a nice change. You don't feel as guily eating it! Our group was assigned to make a lemon sorbet from our recipe book, so we did not really control the flavor. It was pretty simple to make, just lots of lemons to juice. The mix tasted really good before we put in the mixer. Unfortunatly, when it was churned it was REALLY sour. I am a huge citrus person, but this stuff was like a warhead candy. Tomorrow, we will likely melt it down and try to fix it. That is the big advantage to sorbets, they can be melted and re-churned.
The lemon sorbet is in the machine, and the containers that it will go into are on top. It takes about 8 minutes to churn, depending on the sugar content.
Here is the sorbet being packed into containers.
Here is the inside of the machine, post-sorbet.
2. Since we were not able to choose our sorbet flavor, we choose to make a second optional sorbet. I LOVE cassis (black current) and we had puree in the fridge, so I went for that. Sorbet mixture takes only minutes to make, so it was way worth it. I think I ate a weeks worth of cassis sorbet today. So good!
The cassis puree. I was so happy to see this stuff in the fridge.
Here is the mix, pre-churning. It is almost black.
Churning....
The finished sorbet.
3. We then made the meringe for our baked alaskas. We made a lot of meringue. You cant tell from the picture but that is about 2 1/2 gallons of merinuge. It was a little overkill...
We un-molded our alaskas onto a sheet pan and put them in the blast chiller to get them extra cold prior to covering them.
We piped meringue onto each of the alaskas, then froze them again.
Then we torched them and put them on a plate with some toasted coconut. I am the one weilding the torch.
Here is the one that we spilt open for grading, then ate. You can barely see the difference, but there is coconut ice cream on the outside and passion fruit yogart on the inside.
4. We then switched to working on our bombe. We put the layers together, and put it in the blast chiller. We made a hard chocolate gaze (like the stuff that balboa bars are dipped in) to pour over it, and decided to sprinkle toasted coconut on top. Working quickly, we pulled it out of the chiller, pourd glaze on it, strinkled it with coconut, and popped it back in.
At this point other groups cut into their bombes. the wholeclass was under the misconception that the bombes had to be served today, which later turned out to be false. (Obvioulsy the chef was not very clear about this) We decide to watch the first few be cut before we did ours.
The first group cut theirs open with no issues.
The next group was not so lucky.....
It obviously wasn't hard quite yet!
This is the point at which we learned that the bombes could be served tomorrow, so we opted for that. So once again, you will see our bombe tomorrow! (Not that it is that exciting)
Four days down.
The lemon sorbet is in the machine, and the containers that it will go into are on top. It takes about 8 minutes to churn, depending on the sugar content.
Here is the sorbet being packed into containers.
Here is the inside of the machine, post-sorbet.
2. Since we were not able to choose our sorbet flavor, we choose to make a second optional sorbet. I LOVE cassis (black current) and we had puree in the fridge, so I went for that. Sorbet mixture takes only minutes to make, so it was way worth it. I think I ate a weeks worth of cassis sorbet today. So good!
The cassis puree. I was so happy to see this stuff in the fridge.
Here is the mix, pre-churning. It is almost black.
Churning....
The finished sorbet.
3. We then made the meringe for our baked alaskas. We made a lot of meringue. You cant tell from the picture but that is about 2 1/2 gallons of merinuge. It was a little overkill...
We un-molded our alaskas onto a sheet pan and put them in the blast chiller to get them extra cold prior to covering them.
We piped meringue onto each of the alaskas, then froze them again.
Then we torched them and put them on a plate with some toasted coconut. I am the one weilding the torch.
Here is the one that we spilt open for grading, then ate. You can barely see the difference, but there is coconut ice cream on the outside and passion fruit yogart on the inside.
4. We then switched to working on our bombe. We put the layers together, and put it in the blast chiller. We made a hard chocolate gaze (like the stuff that balboa bars are dipped in) to pour over it, and decided to sprinkle toasted coconut on top. Working quickly, we pulled it out of the chiller, pourd glaze on it, strinkled it with coconut, and popped it back in.
At this point other groups cut into their bombes. the wholeclass was under the misconception that the bombes had to be served today, which later turned out to be false. (Obvioulsy the chef was not very clear about this) We decide to watch the first few be cut before we did ours.
The first group cut theirs open with no issues.
The next group was not so lucky.....
It obviously wasn't hard quite yet!
This is the point at which we learned that the bombes could be served tomorrow, so we opted for that. So once again, you will see our bombe tomorrow! (Not that it is that exciting)
Four days down.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Cold Desserts, Day 3
1. We had a lecure about classical ice cream desserts: bombes, baked alaska, souflee glacee, etc.
2. Each group had to make a large ice cream bombe. These are kind of old fashioned and strange, but they are classic. They are traditionally ice cream on the outside and bombe mix on the inside. Bombe mix is sabayone (egg yolk whipped with sugar) mixed with whipped cream. Ours was two layers, coffee ice cream on the outside and chocolate bombe mix on the inside with sponge cake on the bottom. I am not a huge chocolate fan, so this was ok but not my favorite.
Here is our half finished bombe:
Here are some other students bombes:
We will glaze them and finish them on Monday. These obviously aren't ours, but they give you an idea. I will take a picture of ours on Monday.
3. We also made mini baked alaskas. They are also two layers with sponge cake on the bottom. We went for tropical flavors and used our passion fruit yougart, from yesterday, for the inside. For the outside we made a coconut ice cream, which was really good.
Again I will get you finished pictures on Monday.
4. Finally we made sorbet syrup, to use on Monday. Sorbet syrup is basically sugar water, so that was quick.
Even with all of the bombes and baked alaskas being made the ice cream still seems to multiply!
2. Each group had to make a large ice cream bombe. These are kind of old fashioned and strange, but they are classic. They are traditionally ice cream on the outside and bombe mix on the inside. Bombe mix is sabayone (egg yolk whipped with sugar) mixed with whipped cream. Ours was two layers, coffee ice cream on the outside and chocolate bombe mix on the inside with sponge cake on the bottom. I am not a huge chocolate fan, so this was ok but not my favorite.
Here is our half finished bombe:
Here are some other students bombes:
We will glaze them and finish them on Monday. These obviously aren't ours, but they give you an idea. I will take a picture of ours on Monday.
3. We also made mini baked alaskas. They are also two layers with sponge cake on the bottom. We went for tropical flavors and used our passion fruit yougart, from yesterday, for the inside. For the outside we made a coconut ice cream, which was really good.
Again I will get you finished pictures on Monday.
4. Finally we made sorbet syrup, to use on Monday. Sorbet syrup is basically sugar water, so that was quick.
Even with all of the bombes and baked alaskas being made the ice cream still seems to multiply!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Cold Desserts, Day 2
1. We had a lecuture on the different types of frozen desserts: ice cream, gelato, sorbet, bombes, baked alaska, frozen souffle, etc.
2. Each group produced a batch of gelato. We made mango cardamom, which was AMAZING. The chef didn't like it, but we sure did. I think that cardamom is a love or hate kind of flavor.
3. We also made a batch of frozen yougart. We choose to add passion fruit so it was extra tangy and yummy.
4. We also had to make a batch of tuiles, which are easy to make but difficult to form into shapes. You press the batter through a stencil very thinly. Then you bake it, and while it is hot peel the tuile off and bedd them to add shape. we broe more than we made, but it wasn't bad for a first try.
5. Finally our group was assigned to cart for the day. This means that we had to load uo a rolling ice cream cart with a bunch of flavors. We then wheel it around the building to different class, and serve them ice cream. Another group ha made waffel cones, so we had cones and bowls. We served vanilla, coffee, chocolate, pistacio, cookies and cream, mango cardamom, and cinammon pear. I did all the scooping, so my forearm is now quite tired.
This is about half of the ice cream the class made. There was also about 8 gallons in the ice cream cart. As a class we made about 30 gallons.
That was day 2!
2. Each group produced a batch of gelato. We made mango cardamom, which was AMAZING. The chef didn't like it, but we sure did. I think that cardamom is a love or hate kind of flavor.
3. We also made a batch of frozen yougart. We choose to add passion fruit so it was extra tangy and yummy.
4. We also had to make a batch of tuiles, which are easy to make but difficult to form into shapes. You press the batter through a stencil very thinly. Then you bake it, and while it is hot peel the tuile off and bedd them to add shape. we broe more than we made, but it wasn't bad for a first try.
5. Finally our group was assigned to cart for the day. This means that we had to load uo a rolling ice cream cart with a bunch of flavors. We then wheel it around the building to different class, and serve them ice cream. Another group ha made waffel cones, so we had cones and bowls. We served vanilla, coffee, chocolate, pistacio, cookies and cream, mango cardamom, and cinammon pear. I did all the scooping, so my forearm is now quite tired.
This is about half of the ice cream the class made. There was also about 8 gallons in the ice cream cart. As a class we made about 30 gallons.
That was day 2!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Cold Desserts, Day 1
Today started my Cold desserts class, which is bassicaly ice creams, gelato, and sorbets. Since I am somewhat of an ice cream addict (cake I can take or leave, but there is always room for ice cream), this class should be good!
I am with the same group of girls, in the same room, but I have a different chef. He is good so far, a little scattered, but good.
1. We started with a lecture, all about ice cream. The definitions, terms, etc.
2. The chef demoed the two main types of ice cream: french (with eggs), and american (without eggs). He made cookies and cream out of the american base, and bacon ice cream out of the french base. The cookies and cream was good, but the bacon was great. I have a major weekness for salty sweet things.
3. After the demo our group made three batches of ice cream base. One chocolate french ice cream, one vanilla american ice cream, and one french in the flavor of our choice. We ended up making cinnamon pear. We have not churned any of them yet, so tomorrow we will see how they turned out.
I am with the same group of girls, in the same room, but I have a different chef. He is good so far, a little scattered, but good.
1. We started with a lecture, all about ice cream. The definitions, terms, etc.
2. The chef demoed the two main types of ice cream: french (with eggs), and american (without eggs). He made cookies and cream out of the american base, and bacon ice cream out of the french base. The cookies and cream was good, but the bacon was great. I have a major weekness for salty sweet things.
3. After the demo our group made three batches of ice cream base. One chocolate french ice cream, one vanilla american ice cream, and one french in the flavor of our choice. We ended up making cinnamon pear. We have not churned any of them yet, so tomorrow we will see how they turned out.
Fundamentals, Day 9, Practical Day 9
1. Today was mostly about butter cookies, a lot of butter cookies! I made 2 pounds of dough, which makes about 75 cookies. We piped them into 3 shapes (rosettes, shells, and s's). I was paranoid when I first put them in the oven, beacuse they spread really quickly. They were the first cookies in the oven so I was worried that it was to hot, but it turned out ok. The s's were a little large, but oh-well.
2. We then tempered 1 pound of chocolate. We used this to decorate the cookies, and to do filigree piping.
3. Finaly i had to do knife cuts on both potatoes and carots.
In the end I got a 96% on the practical. Yeah! I don't know my overall class grade yet, but I assume it will be on par with the practical. Fingers crossed......
Here Is someones final cake from the class nextdoor. It is actually kind of ugly, but I figured I would show it to you anyway.
2. We then tempered 1 pound of chocolate. We used this to decorate the cookies, and to do filigree piping.
3. Finaly i had to do knife cuts on both potatoes and carots.
In the end I got a 96% on the practical. Yeah! I don't know my overall class grade yet, but I assume it will be on par with the practical. Fingers crossed......
Here Is someones final cake from the class nextdoor. It is actually kind of ugly, but I figured I would show it to you anyway.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Fundamentals, Day 8, Practical Day 1
1. So we started our practical at 7 sharp. There was nothing too difficult, just time organization. Each table only gets 2 burners and one scale, so we had to coordinate timing. We were not allowed to talk during the final, so it took a little planning.
2. We each had to make: creme anglais, one poached pear, one sautéed apple, and one batch of hand whipped cream. We also had to do ingredient identification, which was very easy. (With the exception of telling baking powder from baking soda)
3. We had until 11:30 to get all of this done, but my friend Brandi and I were done at 9:15. So our chef had us reorganize the ingredient racks, and churn all of the cream anglais into ice cream. It was a very easy first practical, which is a nice start.
4. On Monday, we have the second part of the practical and the written final. I am anticipating that too will go smoothly!
2. We each had to make: creme anglais, one poached pear, one sautéed apple, and one batch of hand whipped cream. We also had to do ingredient identification, which was very easy. (With the exception of telling baking powder from baking soda)
3. We had until 11:30 to get all of this done, but my friend Brandi and I were done at 9:15. So our chef had us reorganize the ingredient racks, and churn all of the cream anglais into ice cream. It was a very easy first practical, which is a nice start.
4. On Monday, we have the second part of the practical and the written final. I am anticipating that too will go smoothly!
Fundamentals, Day 7
1. Knife cuts on potatoes and carrots.
2. Chocolate filigrees from tempered chocolate.
3. We sliced and sautéed apples with our clarified butter.
4. We had another long lecture.
5. We then plated all of the things that had made so far. We piped diplomats cream onto cinnamon sugar pie disks. We sliced the poached pears. We put the apples and pears with the cream disks, and drizzles with the poaching liquid. Finally we topped them with filigrees, and served to the culinary students.
6. We had another long lecture, so again not much production.
2. Chocolate filigrees from tempered chocolate.
3. We sliced and sautéed apples with our clarified butter.
4. We had another long lecture.
5. We then plated all of the things that had made so far. We piped diplomats cream onto cinnamon sugar pie disks. We sliced the poached pears. We put the apples and pears with the cream disks, and drizzles with the poaching liquid. Finally we topped them with filigrees, and served to the culinary students.
6. We had another long lecture, so again not much production.
Fundamentals, Day 6
1. We baked disks of pie dough, with cinnamon sugar on them. They were like thin little cookies.
2. We roasted. pineapple with butter and brown sugar. We used these later that day.
3. We poached pears in 6 different flavored liquids (saffron, cinnamon, grenadine, red wine, vanilla, etc.). We refrigerated them for the next day.
4. We made a very stiff pastry cream. We refrigerated it, then made diplomats cream (50 percent pastry cream, 50 percent whipped cream). We kept this for the next day.
5. We piped filagrees out of tempered chocolate. These can be peeled off the parchment paper and stood up.
6. Finally we put all of the components into a platter dessert. Pie dough disk, pineapple, ice cream, and chocolate filigree. We took these upstairs and gave them to the culinary students. We also delivered the carrot cakes with cream cheese icing from the day before.
2. We roasted. pineapple with butter and brown sugar. We used these later that day.
3. We poached pears in 6 different flavored liquids (saffron, cinnamon, grenadine, red wine, vanilla, etc.). We refrigerated them for the next day.
4. We made a very stiff pastry cream. We refrigerated it, then made diplomats cream (50 percent pastry cream, 50 percent whipped cream). We kept this for the next day.
5. We piped filagrees out of tempered chocolate. These can be peeled off the parchment paper and stood up.
6. Finally we put all of the components into a platter dessert. Pie dough disk, pineapple, ice cream, and chocolate filigree. We took these upstairs and gave them to the culinary students. We also delivered the carrot cakes with cream cheese icing from the day before.
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