Likely Story

Final Exam

This may be the last official pastry/culinary school post for some time as I will not be attending classes in the fall.  I have only one class left to take before I can graduate and it is a dreadfully boring class, so even then, no pretty pictures.  This last series will have to hold you for a while.

The Final Exam:  Mango Mousse Entrement

From the bottom to the top:
Coconut Pound Cake
Coconut Dacquoise
Raspberry Preserves
White Chocolate Mousse with bits of diced Mangoes
Mango Mousse
Mango Gelee
garnished with glazed raspberries and sliced mango.

    

Enjoy!  Mousse is good food!!

FO: Gruyere Bread and a High Class Fluffernutter

First, the Gruyere Bread.  Actually it's a Gruyere/Dubliner Bread.  The recipe can be found here and it is worth the trouble and completely delicious.  It also makes you feel like a baking ROCKSTAR being able to make something this pretty.  No, I'm not kidding and yes, I know I have problems.  But behold the beauty of Gruyere Bread:

Delicious looking, no?  Well hold on to your socks, people.  Here's the High Class Fluffernutter Torte!

So, here's what we've got.  From the bottom layer to the top it's a pate sucre crust, salted peanut caramel, banana cake, peanut butter and chocolate feullitine (think crispy), flambed banana chiboust (pastry cream lightened with meringue) and a homemade toasted marshmellow top garnished with milk chocolate placards, caramelized banana and peanut brittle.   Yes, it does taste good, but I totally agree with you if you're thinking that it all just seems a bit much.  This was our last project in Advanced Bakeshop and really the point of it was to make sure we could handle all of the individual components:  pastry, candy, cake, confection, custard, meringue, chocolate and fruit.  And what better way to do that then to make as throw all of those things into one dessert?  Unfortunately, I now have about 6 pounds of this sitting in my fridge.  So, you're welcome to come over and rescue all of this decadent goodness from the waiting trash because in 4 days that's where it's heading.  I'm home all weekend!  Bring a fork!

Chocolate Bliss

Have I been neglecting the pastry side of things?  My apologies.  Hopefully this will make up for it. 

Today we have a Triple Chocolate Bavarian Entrement.  It has a chocolate chiffon sponge cake base with dark, milk and white chocolate Bavarian creams layered from the bottom up, topped with a cocoa gelee and white chocolate drizzle.  I don't mean to brag, but not only am I in shock that it turned out so well, I honestly am 99% positive I could make it again and again.  Huzzah!

Bon Appetit!

Catching Up

Hi there. Long time no speak, eh?  Yeah, I know.  That's my fault really.  I've been busy.  Doing what you may ask?  Well, I decided my life was in no way hectic enough so I took another job as the part-time pastry chef at a small cafe here in Mt. P called The Square Onion.  It's not much, just a couple of days a week, but it keeps me on my toes.  Otherwise, it's just been business as usual here.  Pretty boring really.  I am working on Noni's Cascading Fuschias Bag, as you can see:

Oh, and I made a very yummy poached pear tart, filled with vanilla almond diplomat cream in a chocolate lined shortbread crust.  Very tasty.  Deadly, really.  See?  It's a bit beige in the photo, but trust me when I say it isn't beige in flavor.

I should have more to say someday in the future, when I am not so bloody exhausted.  Until then, I leave you with the promise of more pastry to come and maybe even some sort of particularly witty commentary on something relevant.  Maybe.  Probably not, actually but dare to dream.

See Pretty Things!

First things first.  While it's no Saturday Torte, we made Tiramisu in class on Wednesday.  Homemade vanilla lady fingers drenched in a kahlua syrup, filled with a marscapone bavarian cream, topped with a cocoa gelee and chocolate shavings.  Want some?

Are you sure????

OK, then I'll just sit here and look at my new Jane Crossover Sweater Kit that arrived today.  ;-)

Fits In The Palm Of Your Hand

Teeny, Tiny Hazelnut Buttercream/Ganache Dacquoise Tortes. 
They fit in the palm of your hand.

Hazelnut Dacquoise (2) layered alternately with dark chocolate ganache and hazelnut  buttercream.  Finished with toasted, crushed hazelnuts and piped ganache.  Though it looks a bit fussy, one of my eaters informed me that it tasted a bit like a crispy-chewy moon pie, the BEST crispy-chewy moon pie one could ever imagine, but a moon pie none the less.  He meant well.  Go figure.

Progress, Progress, It's Inevitable.

Well, I have been swamped at work, but look - Tree Jacket is actually progressing!  See?

School starts tomorrow - Advanced Bakeshop, every Wednesday from
7 am to 3 pm.  My brother is here (currently on my couch) until Friday.  Work just keeps heating up for the next few months.  I've got a busy year ahead of me. 

What I really need to do is finish this bloody sweater!  I want to knit other things now!  Argh!

Fuerst Pueckler Torte

Well, here it is, your last, belated Saturday Torte.

The Fuerst Pueckler Torte:

This delicious little beauty is composed mostly of flavored whip cream (my favorite).  It begins with a thin layer of chocolate sponge cake.  A small, centered dome of pineapple whip cream is centered on the layer, then covered with raspberry whip cream and finally chocolate whip cream, sculpted into a perfect dome.  Then, we pour warm dark chocolate ganache over the whole thing and decorate it with whip cream and candied cherries.  So festive and so delicious! Enjoy!  Here's an interior shot of one we cut open:

First Wedding Cake

Well, here it is.  Our groups finished wedding cake.  We were going for simple but elegant.  The interior is not what I would've wanted, but as there was a strong chance that the cake was going to waste and NOT being served, we didn't want to waste money and supplies by being too fancy.  The interior is a brandy vanilla sponge cake with seedless raspberry preserves and vanilla buttercream.  The exterior is fondant and cascading white and blue delphiniums with white satin ribbon.  Thank God it's finished!

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

Thank you for being so patient.  I know, you were all waiting with baited breath thinking, "What in the heavens is that mad woman up to these days?  Its been ages since she has polluted teh internetz with her exploits and wisdom!  Has she forgotten us, her loyal readers?"  No, Mom and Dad, I haven't. 

I have however been slammin' busy with random projects.  I have one book in pre-press and I have just finished laying out another (ed. note:  for those people not related to me, I design/edit books and stuff).  I have the potential for a few website consultations which, time permitting, will spiral into full site builds (time, incidentally, will most likely not permit).  I am officially behind in writing book reviews for two titles now.  It looks like I am unofficially catering my friend's gallery opening next weekend.  I am frantically knitting/sewing  holiday presents (which means my SKC knitting is on hold).  Also, in class, this Saturday, I am building and decorating a 4 tier wedding cake. 

But finally, and I think we all know, most importantly, I have discovered an Apple IIgs emulator for my laptop.  Oh sweet Jesus YES!!!  Today I have just beaten (with the aid of a walkthrough, yes...) TASS TIMES IN TONE TOWN.  And it's only taken me, what, 21-22 years?  Thank Christ!  That has been bugging me.  That game was the bane of my existence (when I was 9).  My cousin can attest to this.  She used to spend summers with us and she, too, rotted away her brain one summer pounding her skull against the hefty weight of the IIgs running Tass Times.  But now, who's the loser, Tass Times?  Huh?  I win, TTiTT.  You lose.  All I have to say is this:  Suck it Tass Times, there is nothing sad about my wrath. 

Ooooh.  That felt good.

Dream Zone - You're next!

On that note, here is a grainy picture of a giraffe cake.  Bon Appetit!