Ok, I should be posting every day, but I'm so tired after class and I don't always have my USB cord for my camera to upload it to my computer and then to my server. So, every so often will be ok HA.
Above is a Pithivier. It's another thing that I like to day just randomly during the day. My word used to be ''prosciutto'' or ''pancetta.'' Pithivier sounds more fun, there's something about the French lanugage. But, if you've heard it, you know what I mean. The Pithivier is a fairly simple puff pastry with a frangipane/pastry cream/rum filling. The trick is to roll the puff pastry thin enough so you fully bake the pastry. I didn't quite succeed in this. Lately, I've had some under done things. I've been afraid of OVERcooking things, lol.
These cute little pastries are Chef's version of Sara Bernhardts. Starting with an almond macaroon, vanilla buttercream mixed with a coffee reduction is placed on top and cooled to harden, dipped in chocolate, then topped with a marzipan coffee bean. Very nice.
Another easy but great looking pastry is the cream horn. It maybe a little hard to form, especially if you don't have any cone shaped molds to use. I was fortunate enough to have it come out perfect, and even got a thumbs up from the Chef. You gotta love it when your Chef says to the class, ''This is how it SHOULD look like.'' AH... This pastry is made with a puff pastry, rolled in sugar, baked, filled with a strawberry jam line, then filled to the rim and topped with a whipped cream rosette. Oops, I forgot the dusted on powdered sugar.
This tart looks as rustic as the name implies. Especially if Adam makes it. I made it look so ghetto, but damn is it ever tasty. Maybe a little sour for some people, but that depends on the fruit. I happen to like tart, so it's ok =).
Ah, these are procupines. The girls absolutely LOVE these. They're totally afraid to eat them they're so cute. I like to call them hedgehogs, because they remind me of Sonic the Hedgehog LOL. These are actually made from rum balls which are made from baked scraps of dough rolled into a cone/ball shape with chocolate and rum, then spiked with almond slivers. Watch out, yes, it has rum! =)
Ah, finals. I get really stressed when finals come around. I don't know why, it's just like any other day, baking something I've already done before with ingredients and components I've already used/made. Today was the most stressed I've been about a final, and I'm not even sure why. Although the end result of everything I did today would be enough reason to be stressed the night before (maybe if I could tell the future). Like always I planned the classtime down to the minute, even allocating time for a few mistakes. Boy did I get it all wrong. First, I bend over to pick up a tool, and I bang the top of my head on the corner of the bench. Now I have a huge bump on the top of my head. Next, I managed to break my frangipane, like always. I know I'm doing it as the book states. So, I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. This throws my time waaaay of, so I rework my schedule, then my puff pastries don't bake at the correct approximate times. And so on and so forth. I was trying to get done at around 10-10:30 and ended up not getting done until 11:45. At least I was on time though. Well, for the most part all of my products were plated nicely, and even got some praise from Chef. So, I guess my grades will be good. Allow me to show you my end results.
So, at the very top is my pre cut Mille-Feuille, which in French means ''1000 leaves,'' this refers to the amout of layers made by folding the dough/butter. This pastry is similar to the Napoleons I made earlier this month, yummy. Too bad I got about ten... I did, however, get Chef's ''best herringbone pattern so far'' and I was graded after the top half of the class, so it's looking good for Adam =P. That made me feel better. The pattern on the top is white and chocolate simple icing. The layers in the picture are 3 layers of puff pastry in between are layers of pastry cream. DE-rish!
Next is a Tart Hollandaise. No it's not made with Hollandaise sauce... I think. I'm not even really sure why it's called Hollandaise.... Supposedly it's of Dutch decent, but I've never seen something like this. HEH. So it's much like any other tart, but I manage to screw it up every time, thanks to the frangipane. Bleagh. Ok, so it's not exactly screwed up. But it isn't my best work... Correction, I take pride with what I've done. It's the best! It looks and even tastes GREAT! Well, at least I'm half right. This tart is made with a puff pastry crust, thin layer of apricot jam, the frangipane, sliced almonds, and topped with a short dough lattice. Doesn't it look awesome?!
