Choco Loco

We've been working on truffles and bonbons in class. I know I said I love chocolate. But now I am so sick of it. I feel like the smell is imbedded in my skin. The smell follows me around like a ghost. I can't stand to eat another piece of chocolate. Is this an occupational hazard? Am I destined to never want to eat a piece of chocolate again? I wonder how many pastry chefs actually eat pastries?

Craving Anchovies

So I just got back from the gym and I am sooo craving anchovies! I love them, salty and fishy they are deeeeeeeeelicious! I love them on pizza, in sandwiches, in my salad, in a Caesar dressing, in dips, in pasta sauces, and straight up on a cracker! I just made an awesome impromptu pasta with the things I have in my fridge. It totally hit the spot!

Anchovy Pasta for one

1 clove of garlic sliced
5 anchovy filets
3 tablespoons olive oil.
1 tablespoon lemon juice
black pepper
parmesan reggiano

1. On low heat sautee one clove sliced garlic and 5 anchovies in 3 Tbspn olive oil. Break up anchovies slightly with spatula. Once the anchovies have slight softened and melted into the olive oil turn off heat. Don't brown the garlic!
2. Drizzle in 1 Tbspn lemon juice and a couple of grinds of black pepper. (none of that pre ground black pepper in a bottle business!)
3. When the pasta is al dente ( I prefer the toothyness of linguine) toss it right in the same pan with the sauce.

Soooooo good! It would have been better if I had some freshly shaved parmesan reggiano. You don't need to add any salt to this dish because the anchovies are already salty. Let me know how you like your anchovies!

My Stripper Name is Cocoa Bomb

How kick ass is chocolate! The first day we learned how to temper it looked like a chocolate cocoa bomb went off on me. Being a pastry cook is not only about baking and frosting. It's about being an artist, a sculptor, a painter, an architect. The first half of pastry school is about being precise, being able to duplicate what your chef makes and being consistent every time. *I remember the chef measuring our eclairs with rulers to see if it was exactly 4 inches. This half is about creativity and showing off what school can't teach you, talent and thinking outside the box. Everyone can bake an apple pie, but who can make that apple pie into a new mind blowing experience?

Our first project was to design a chocolate showpiece that can be used as a candy bowl. I decided to use a chess motif because we had chess chocolate molds at school. Shit buying your own equipment is expensive! My piece is a three dimensional and can be seen from all sides. I was afraid the steps wouldn't hold but it did. The entire structure with the staircase reminds me a lot of M.C. Escher's works of art (shown here, Escher's House of Stairs). You can see in the picture my paper model behind the actual piece.

Midterm

Wow I can't believe half of the semester is over already. It is going by so fast. It's been an unimaginable experience thus far. Waking up every morning and doing something I love rather then something I dread has been a blessing.

This is the cake I made for the midterm. We had to work with the medium we picked out of a hat. I got chocolate genoise, buttercream filling, and chocolate glaze. The flavor of the filling and decorations were up to us. I chose to do two fillings for my cake: pistachio flavored buttercream with bits of toasted pistachios and cherry flavored buttercream with bits of brandied cherries. Since the colors were green and red I thought it was fitting that I decorate the cake with a Christmas theme. The flowers here are made with colored marzipan and some gold dust.

Petit Four Practical

This is the first time that we were given free rein to be creative and make whatever we wanted for the practical. Usually during a practical we draw out of a hat one to four items that we've made before to make again on our own. My theme for the petit fours were tropical flavors. From left to right: Jasmine Lychee Bavarian Cream Tartlettes, Coconut Macadamia Nut Toffee Bars, Chocolate Genoise with Coconut Buttercream, Lime-Mint Mojito Cookies.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Toffee Bars
Shortbread:
110g packed brown sugar (1/2 cup)
113g butter (1/2 cup)
135g AP flour (1 cup)

1. Cream butter and brown sugar.
2. Add flour.
3. Press into pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 min. Allow to cool before adding the topping.

Topping:
2 eggs
220g brown sugar (1 cup)
2 T AP flour
1t baking powder
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
90g shredded coconut (1 cup)
130g chopped macadamia nuts (1 cup)

4. Beat eggs, Stir in remaining ingredients.
5. Spread over shortbread.
6. Bake 25 min. Cut and rebake until golden brown.