Day 18

On Thursday we had a practical test on Buttermilk Biscuits and then made Cheese Strudel with Phyllo Dough. Oh my!

Day 17

We are being tempered into the HOT WATER! Another crazy-not-enough-time-to-finish-everything day. And these crazy days create the most product. We did 6 tarts total. 2 Lemon Tarts, 4 Chocolate Ganache Tarts and presented our cheesecake from last week. But all Chef commented on was on my overly doubled up rosettes. Yeah, the meringue kinda got away from me. Actually I enjoyed their voluminousness. And I even got to torch them with the flame thrower, er, the torch. And they tasted great! But next time I will be more modest with the rosettes.

Day 16

Tuesday we made Fruit Tarts and Lemon Curd.

Day 15

On Monday we had a written exam and two practical exams. One on Creaming Method, Chocolate Chip Muffins and the second, Pate Sucree (Pastry Cream). And then when we presented we had to include 8 paper cornets. They are easy to make and kinda cute. They are for squirting out tiny amounts of jelly or pastry cream. I failed to look inside to look for a hole. So I had a couple. I had to laugh at myself, I was looking from the outside, so I saw no hole at all. Sigh, next time I will remember.

I am learning some things other than baking. Being organized is very important as a student. Don't be afraid to work hard. And most important is having the right attitude. Or rather a good attitude that you are doing your best and that's all you can do and be content with that.

Day 14

On Friday we made Cheesecake. A very tedious process. I made Pate Sucree and then presented my Creme Caramel. As my mom would say, "Lotta work!" I think I like pies better...

The Baking Club

For Baking Club we made Chocolate Chip cookies with Bread Flour. I still over creamed, but they are some dang tasty cookies anyways! It has everything to do with the Belgian Chocolate.

Day 13

I finished up my Eclairs, and Creme Brulee. I made Creme Caramel and did some mise en place for Pate Sucree.

Day 12

We made Creme Brulee (I don't know the keystrokes for accent marks) and Creme Patissiere aka Pastry Cream. Unfortunately, I forgot my second two ounces of sugar for my Pastry Cream. Fortunately, there was time to remake it. And I think I did it even better the second time with a friend's close observations. Tomorrow I can fill my Eclairs and dip the tops in chocolate.

Day 11

Tuesday wasn't nearly as hectic as Monday. But I also learned about half the class did not finish their blueberry pies. So I was sorta ahead, but that's always in flux. We put our Blueberry pies into the ovens right away. The Demo today was Pate a Choux/Eclair Paste, Peach Cobbler and Apple Crisp. Luckily, the Peach Cobbler and the Apple Crisp were shared with a partner, so we only made two new things and finished up our Blueberry Pies. Chef always says "Love your dough and it will love you back." And yesterday being such a trying day and all, that Blueberry Pie and I had issues.

I made the Apple Crisp and it was so simple, but I ran out of baking time. The Blueberry Pie came out well. Not as pretty as I had hoped but pretty enough. And on the way to the car I somehow loosened the bottom of my cake carrier and suddenly the pie was on the cement floor in front of the parking garage. My pie had shattered. The top picture is what's left. All my pretty crust fell off. And what did I really expect after such a day. The aluminum foil clung to the bottom, saving it from the actual ground. I ate it anyways.

Day Ten

Day Ten was by far the most difficult day and productive day so far. We started and finished two separate muffin recipes (Chocolate Chip, Blueberry Sour Cream), baked the frozen Apple Pie from last Friday and finished assembling the Blueberry Pie with lattice top. All in two hours. During my emotional breakdown, I kept hearing Tom Hanks say. "There is no crying in Baseball!"

When I am a seasoned pro, I can laugh at this baby step of multitasking. But today it's just overwhelmingly difficult. I had one pie in the oven that needs turning every 20-30 minutes. Muffins in another oven that need turning every five. I am measuring one recipe at a time until I have things cooling, baking, sauteing, and melting more or less all at once. At home, I can finally relax and then start all over again tomorrow...

Homework

I finally creamed my Chocolate Chips Cookies properly and they actually have that nice full shape. What a relief! And they taste excellent! Huzzah!

Day Nine

No pictures for Friday. In class, we had a demo for Apple and Blueberry pie. We simply did not have enough time to get all that done. Despite the mad, mad dash to finish. I enjoyed sauteing my apples for the pie. I didn't get that nice brown I needed to, but maybe it will taste okay after we bake them on Monday.

Day Eight

What a fun day! Today we made Buttermilk Biscuits and what a different experience after all those cookies the last few days. Eyeballing ice water into the dry mix was so liberating after all the precise measuring we have been doing. I learned how to fold all those flaky layers. It was very similar to folding towels, but yummier.

Day Seven

My classmate piled all her day's work ready to go. (above pic.) And I thought what a decadent display. So I just had to take a picture and share! My cookies below are from our first graded practical. Strassburger Cookies and Chocolate Chip. I over creamed my chocolate chip cookies. I need to get that nice rounded bump on the top. This is a profession school after all.

Day Six

Never in my life have I ever piped anything. So after close observations during the demo I piped a rosette, a stick and shell. Also called a Strassburger Cookie. Practice will help. This is the perfect tea & coffee cookie.

Day Five

Day Four

On Friday I was finally able to bake all my cookies. How very satisfying. I over creamed my very first batch of chocolate chip cookies but my Linzer cookies came out really well. So I was thrilled.

We started making Icebox cookies in teams of two. I made the chocolate, my partner made the vanilla. While rolling out the lightest, softest dough, I remembered being in ceramics class and rolling out the hard, heavy clay. Working in dough is so much like sculpture, except you can eat it!

On Saturday I got all my metal and plastic tools engraved with the initials SXXS. So I know they are mine.

Unfortunately, on Monday I have two tests. One on baking conversions, the other on the food allergies and food bourne illnesses. Sigh...Wish me luck!

Day Three

On the third day I was running late with my chocolate chip cookies from the day before. I had all my ingredients divided into little bundles of plastic wrap. I arrived early and tried to work quickly and mix, but only got half way through before the morning lecture started.

The morning demo was pretty fun. Chef showed us how to make the finishing touches on the Linzer cookies. I was delighted with these charming little rolled balls with the bright red filling. Luckily, with some help I finished all my cookies with the expectation to bake tomorrow, even the chocolate chip.

Day Two

On the second day we watched a demo to make Linzer cookie dough. Then we got to make it too. We also made chocolate chip cookie dough from our notes from the day before. I didn't finish. I need to go in a little early to get my cookies mixed and onto the baking sheet. Rush, rush, hurry!

In Sanitation, I learned the name for really bad food diseases. I am always nauseous in that class.

Day One

The first day of class was mostly rules and where things are. We saw one demo of how to make chocolate chip cookie dough and get them onto the baking sheet to freeze.

In Sanitation we learned about scary cleaning mistakes and how to sneeze. (Sneeze into your hands, then WASH your hands.)