CULINARY SCHOOL RECAP OVERLOAD!

WELL IT HAS BEEN A MINUTE SINCE WE HAVE HAD A CULINARY SCHOOL RECAP, AND TO SAY WE HAVE BEEN BUSY IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT! LEVEL 2 IS COMING TO A CLOSE AND I FEEL AS IF IT HAS GONE BY QUICKER THAN LEVEL 1 BY A LONG SHOT. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU.....

PASTRY ANYONE?

I HAD MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THE LOOMING PASTRY CLASSES. I MEAN, I DON'T LIKE TO MEASURE.....EVER. AND WHILE WE MAY HAVE FOLLOWED RECIPES IN OUR SAVORY DISHES, A GRAM LESS OF PAPRIKA WOULDN'T RESULT IN THE FINAL DISH BEING PUT INTO THE SCRAP BIN. NOW PASTRY ON THE OTHER HAND IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT ANIMAL. A MISCALCULATION HERE AND THERE COULD CERTAINLY RESULT IN DISASTER....AND IT DID TO A CERTAIN DEGREE. SOUFFLES WHICH FAILED TO RISE OR OVERWORKED DOUGHS WERE ALL COMMONPLACE, BUT AS A GROUP WE MANAGED TO PERSEVERE AND GET THE JOB DONE, EVEN IF IT MEANT STARTING OVER.

PROFITEROLES A.K.A THE CREAM PUFF

CREAM PUFFS ARE MADE USING PATE A CHOUX, A DOUGH POPULAR BECAUSE OF IT'S VERSATILITY.  IT CAN BE DEEP-FRIED, POACHED IN WATER OR BAKED.  IT IS ALSO THE ONLY PASTRY DOUGH WHICH IS COOKED TWICE.  IT IS ALSO USED TO MAKE THE POPULAR DESS… — CREAM PUFFS ARE MADE USING PATE A CHOUX, A DOUGH POPULAR BECAUSE OF IT'S VERSATILITY. IT CAN BE DEEP-FRIED, POACHED IN WATER OR BAKED. IT IS ALSO THE ONLY PASTRY DOUGH WHICH IS COOKED TWICE. IT IS ALSO USED TO MAKE THE POPULAR DESSERT, ECLAIRS.

SOUFFLE AU FROMAGE "CHEESE SOUFFLE"

LIGHT, AIRY, CHEESY....WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED IN LIFE?  WE USED GRUYERE BECAUSE GRUYERE....THATS WHY. — LIGHT, AIRY, CHEESY....WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED IN LIFE? WE USED GRUYERE BECAUSE GRUYERE....THATS WHY.

TARTE AUX POMMES "APPLE TART"

THERE ARE THREE BASIC FRENCH TART DOUGHS. PATE BRISEE OR "BROKEN DOUGH" IS USED IN SAVORY TARTS SUCH AS QUICHES AS THERE IS LITTLE TO NO SUGAR. PATE SUCREE OR "SUGARED DOUGH", WHICH IS USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR SWEET TARTS.  AND FINALLY THERE IS PAT… — THERE ARE THREE BASIC FRENCH TART DOUGHS. PATE BRISEE OR "BROKEN DOUGH" IS USED IN SAVORY TARTS SUCH AS QUICHES AS THERE IS LITTLE TO NO SUGAR. PATE SUCREE OR "SUGARED DOUGH", WHICH IS USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR SWEET TARTS. AND FINALLY THERE IS PATE SABLEE OR "SANDY DOUGH", WHICH IS JUST LIKE PATE SUCREE BUT WITH A HIGHER SUGAR PROPORTION. IT IS FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS SHORTBREAD DOUGH. FOR THIS APPLE TART AND THE PEAR ALMOND TART WE USED PATE SUCREE.

TARTE AUX POIRES A LA FRANGIPANE "PEAR TART WITH ALMOND CREAM"

QUICHE LORRAINE - QUICHE FILLED WITH BACON AND GRUYERE

WE USED THE SAVORY TART DOUGH, PATE BRISEE, FOR THIS QUICHE.  SURPRISINGLY THERE WAS ONLY ONE WHOLE EGG AND ONE WHOLE YOLK USED IN THE ENTIRE RECIPE.  THE FILLING WAS MADE UP MOSTLY OF MILK AND HEAVY CREAM, WHICH LED TO A VERY LIGHT AND CR… — WE USED THE SAVORY TART DOUGH, PATE BRISEE, FOR THIS QUICHE. SURPRISINGLY THERE WAS ONLY ONE WHOLE EGG AND ONE WHOLE YOLK USED IN THE ENTIRE RECIPE. THE FILLING WAS MADE UP MOSTLY OF MILK AND HEAVY CREAM, WHICH LED TO A VERY LIGHT AND CREAMY FILLING. DELICIOUS!

GENOISE (WHOLE EGG FOAM CAKE) WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

THE CAKE WAS OK.  MY FIRST GO ROUND WITH THE GENOISE BATTER WAS A FLOP.  I OVER-BEAT IT WHICH LED TO IT BEING EXTREMELY DENSE.  THE SECOND ATTEMPT WAS MUCH BETTER BUT EVEN STILL NOT A+ MATERIAL.  WE SOAKED THE LAYERS WITH A SIMPL… — THE CAKE WAS OK. MY FIRST GO ROUND WITH THE GENOISE BATTER WAS A FLOP. I OVER-BEAT IT WHICH LED TO IT BEING EXTREMELY DENSE. THE SECOND ATTEMPT WAS MUCH BETTER BUT EVEN STILL NOT A+ MATERIAL. WE SOAKED THE LAYERS WITH A SIMPLE SYRUP TO PROVIDE SWEETNESS AND MOISTURE, WHICH HELPED COUNTERACT IT'S DENSENESS. THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING CAME OUT AS PLANNED, HOWEVER, IT IS VERY RICH. NOT MY CUP OF TEA...

BISCUITS A LA CUILLERE A.K.A LADYFINGERS

THESE LADYFINGERS CAME OUT GREAT.  WE COMBINED ALL OF THEM FROM THE WHOLE CLASS TO MAKE TIRAMISU.  BUT GET THIS, THE TIRAMISU WENT MISSING!  WE LOOKED FOR IT THE NEXT CLASS BECAUSE IT TASTES BETTER AS IT SITS, BUT SOMEONE HAD STICKY F… — THESE LADYFINGERS CAME OUT GREAT. WE COMBINED ALL OF THEM FROM THE WHOLE CLASS TO MAKE TIRAMISU. BUT GET THIS, THE TIRAMISU WENT MISSING! WE LOOKED FOR IT THE NEXT CLASS BECAUSE IT TASTES BETTER AS IT SITS, BUT SOMEONE HAD STICKY FINGERS!

CREPES SUZETTE

THIS CLASSIC FRENCH DESSERT WAS SWEET, AND THAT'S PUTTING IT LIGHTLY.  WHEN THIS RECIPE WAS FIRST OFFERED ON FRENCH MENUS, IT WAS A REAL TREAT AS MOST PEOPLE DID NOT EAT SWEETS AT THE TIME.  THE SWEET ORANGE SAUCE COMBINED WITH THE JULIENN… — THIS CLASSIC FRENCH DESSERT WAS SWEET, AND THAT'S PUTTING IT LIGHTLY. WHEN THIS RECIPE WAS FIRST OFFERED ON FRENCH MENUS, IT WAS A REAL TREAT AS MOST PEOPLE DID NOT EAT SWEETS AT THE TIME. THE SWEET ORANGE SAUCE COMBINED WITH THE JULIENNED ORANGE ZEST SOAKED IN GRENADINE RESULTED IN A CITRUSY SWEET DISH.

CREPES AU JAMBON ET CHAMPIGNONS - "HAM AND MUSHROOM-FILLED CREPES"

THESE WERE INCREDIBLE!  THE CREPE BATTER USED BUCKWHEAT WHICH ADDED GREAT DEPTH OF FLAVOR.  AND YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH MUSHROOMS AND GRUYERE! — THESE WERE INCREDIBLE! THE CREPE BATTER USED BUCKWHEAT WHICH ADDED GREAT DEPTH OF FLAVOR. AND YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH MUSHROOMS AND GRUYERE!

AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PASTRY PROGRAM IN LEVEL 2. I DID NOT INCLUDE ALL THE RECIPES AND DISHES WE MADE BECAUSE WE EITHER ATE THEM TO QUICK, THEY DID NOT COME OUT AS PLANNED OR I SIMPLY FORGOT TO TAKE PICTURES. IN THE END IT WAS NOT AS BAD AS I WAS EXPECTING, BUT I AM DEFINITELY HAPPY TO BE BACK TO COOKING WITHOUT EGGS, BUTTER AND FLOUR!

AND NOW FOR THE "NUTRITION" LESSONS...AND BY THIS I MEAN WE BRIEFLY SPOKE ABOUT HOW TO INCORPORATE NUTRITIOUS FOOD INTO A MENU AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. I WAS SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTED AT HOW QUICKLY WE WENT OVER THE TOPIC OF NUTRITION BUT WE STILL MADE SOME INCREDIBLE FOOD!