Crepe Day (and Ice Cream!)

There's nothing like ice-cream or sorbet when temperatures hit record numbers, nearing 100 degrees. What's even better, is fresh ice-cream, right from the machine. Plated desserts today involved volunteer tasks for ice-cream and sorbet. In class, I generally don't volunteer for tasks since someone else always eagerly raises their hand-and the tasks tend to be things like, pull the top of mint leaves off for decorating. But, today when asked for volunteers to make cinnamon ice-cream I for once eagerly offered my help. Hopefully I'll get to learn sorbet soon (and use the sweet refractometer). I learned, which seems obvious now, that when making the base for frozen desserts you have to over exaggerate the flavoring since when they're frozen the taste is not as easily detected by your taste buds.

Orange Crepes with Orange Caramel Sauce and Blueberry Sorbet
We spent the morning making our various batters, sauces, and in my case, ice-cream. We had about 90 min to make two crepe batters, ganach, pastry cream, prep puff pastry for tomorrow, and make ice-cream while keeping everything clean. Seems like enough time until you realize its been 45 minutes, and you aren't nearly as far as you had hoped. The ice-cream was great, and its incredible how good it tastes using a professional machine and tasting it literally as it comes out.

Chocolate Crepes with Pear Compote and Cinnamon Ice-Cream

We ended our day with plating the chocolate marquise we made yesterday paired with cranberry compote, chocolate sauce and a mint creme anglaise. The cake was super rich, which was evident from the micro-bite we were suggested to take (those who didn't follow ended up nauseous after three plating exercises). Very decadent and "old world french."

Overall, a really enjoyable day. I was nervous about making crepes, since I never have before! But it wasn't that bad and after a few attempts they were coming out perfectly! I want to also play around with some savory applications at home. Tomorrow is more tarts, which I'm not ecstatic about, but I am curious to see what the accompaniments will be!

Plated Desserts

When I arrived at school this morning Grand st. was blocked off and about 50 people with cameras/equipment were milling around. On Friday we had signed a waver for Bank of America to film a commercial in our school. I don't know, but I imagine it was one of those follow your dreams! (by getting this loan)...It didn't actually have anything to do with FCI. But still, exciting! the film crew were mostly annoying, blocking hallways making us schlep up staircases and go around the long way. They ended up filming the bread classroom the most since it's pretty open and low key (not running around doing a million things like culinary/pastry). So while I won't be in it (I don't think...) if you see a commercial for Bank of America in the next few months-it may be at FCI!


Today we started plated desserts (above: creme brulee). While most of the desserts themselves are not all that interesting, the pairings are what what I'm mainly looking forward to. We make sauces, compotes, ice-creams, sorbets, and more! The sorbet/ice-cream being the most exciting. There's all these tools I never imagined I would work with! Including instruments that measure syrup density! The first day was fine, the plating was boring (we have to initially follow what the chefs want us to). See below: Creme Caramel (Flan)


But things will get more and more advanced, and I love it! We also no longer all do everything. Groups will prep accompaniments to the main dessert (which we all do make), so its closer to a real kitchen setting. My partner and I volunteered to make a cranberry compote (for tomorrow) as our production task. I'm not particularly fond of cranberries, so I was a bit worried I wouldn't know if it actually tasted good or not. I threw in a bunch with cinnamon, sugar, candied orange peel and grand marnier (as requested by the chef). After making it and testing it I felt like it was dull, and had a slight disagreeable bitterness. Though not exactly what the chef told me to do I added more sugar and lemon juice-in attempt to brighten the flavor and give it a bit of tartness. When he came back over to check on us, he tasted it and replied "excellent, its perfect, well done." Phew. Though I've ironically found that despite my ability in pastry I find myself most confident in situations that are closer to cooking. I think it may be that these items are more forgiving, so I feel at ease playing around a bit with flavors, knowing I can usually fix it if I don't like the outcome. And compotes have become a bit of a specialty for me. I really enjoy making them, finding they have a nice balance between baking and cooking (aka forgiving/manipulable).

I also realized I haven't addressed my internship very much. I feel like I'm learning a lot, though not in terms of baking, but of how bakeries are run. The process is much different than I would have expected (to be honest-not sure what it was that I really expected). Both Jen and Joan are super knowledgable and talented. And they always give great advice to any thing I ask. I'm constantly impressed by them. When I went to the New Amsterdam Market last Sunday I stopped by their booth. It was so strange to see what we had prepped sitting on the table. I told my FCI friends as we approached the table "I put those together yesterday!!!" I was pretty excited. Many other students complain about their internships, the hours, the uniforms, the angry yelling chefs. So I feel very lucky to be among the group that loves where we work. I honestly could not ask for a better place or better people to work with. And it confirms that my ambitions are legitimate, that this truly is something I want to do. When I go to work, I often forget its work, I always have a great time!

My New Favorite Chocolate Cake

Thats right. A cake, and I LOVE it! super moist and full of dark chocolate-goodness! A great way to end chocolate!
Reine de Saba:

We also made another box. Needless to say, round two (especially after that epic stand) was a breeze, and the exam went fine as well!


So now onto Plated Desserts! Monday is Creme Brulee day! And only 2.5 weeks until level 3!

The Chocolate Stand

While yesterday was insane, today was great! And although I didn't have high hopes, I have to admit I'm quite proud of my showpiece! I even had enough time to make it rotate:

I used a bamboo skewer and made a "washer" out of chocolate! My math interest is what saved me today. Most people who had a lot of problems were related to improper balance and load consideration, aside of course from many tempering issues. Every thing I did was carefully calculated and measured. Maybe thats why I enjoyed the project more than most, it felt more like an architectural project than an exercise in baking. Of course I would make some minor changes if I were to do it again, but over all I'm very happy with how it turned out. I can easily say its my best accomplishment in my baking career thus far! We still have our written exam tomorrow, then Monday we start plated desserts! I'm loving class more and more as we get into these advanced topics.

And here's some my classmates produced!

Whoa.

I know I ought to expect class to get harder, to experience more stress...but...whoa. Today began our chocolate showpiece construction. I had come up with a design that I was happy with, and felt manageable. I was very, very wrong. Today was by far, the hardest day yet. I have a new respect for chocolate work, it is very difficult. Or rather, the learning curve is absurd, and we're smack in the middle of it. I managed to get most of my pieces done and will have no problem finishing, though admittedly, it won't look as good as I had envisioned. Most people in the class agree; they all hate chocolate. I don't. I still love it actually. I may have been exceptionally stressed, but at the end of the day I was alright, and I love learning something so challenging. I ended up with a strange sense of accomplishment, despite my disappointing day. Thank goodness Chef Chris is back. He has a calming effect I certainly appreciate, and instead of yelling, he is reassuring. At the end of the day as we all slowly packed up, exhausted he turned on music. It was a simple thing, but livened the class, and most of us went home feeling significantly better. I certainly did! Though not true for everyone. I don't know if it's the rainy weather, or that we're just over half way done but something else was happening in the kitchen today. People were picking fights with one another-resulting in yelling matches and many tears. And it's not just our class, the level above us had some serious drama as well. The tension in that kitchen was so thick, I had to step outside a few times just to catch a breath. Luckily, the cool weather and slight drizzle was exactly what I needed to revive myself. As opposed to the usual 95 and deathly humid nature of August in New York City.
One of my friends mentioned on the walk to the subway after class that she felt like her heart wasn't in it anymore. She didn't care, and was actually considering dropping out (she isn't the only one either). And I realized how lucky I am that I'm so personally invested in this program, and absolutely love baking. This simple fact is what gets me through these occasional exhausting days. Though, having gone through one of the toughest biology programs in the US doesn't hurt either. Chocolate tempering has nothing on Organic Chemistry! I know, it's not the same thing. But all I have to do is think back to that year when I literally dedicated my life to that class, and I feel like I can take anything they throw at me. And I can. I know that with each of these new challenges I'll only become better, and in the end, I know I will have gotten all I can out of this program.
So now, with the afternoon off (no homework!) I'll do absolutely anything, not involving chocolate.

Buzz Words of the Culinary Industry

There are a lot of buzz words associated with the culinary world-especially regarding sourcing recently (organic, natural, farm to table). But also, descriptors of vendors, chefs, employees, general establishments. I can't count how many times I've read "This renegade something or another makes their whatever with fierce dedication". But one, we've been hearing for a long time, and until recently lost a bit of its effect. Think of all the reviews you've ever read, how many times does the chef in question make their what-have-you with "love?" An ambiguous, overused description, which for me anyway conjures up an image of a grandmother making pie with the apples she just picked. "Made with love." "Love is the most important ingredient." And so forth. I think I disregard this term a bit because I can't quantify, or rationalize it. Unlike, say, "made with ingredients found only on this farm." I think of love for what you make as in intrinsic part of cooking, love (and therefore respect) for the ingredients you use, and the care you take in the final outcome. But there's something else...And until today, I could quite figure out how "love" enhances food. Because, really, it does. I love chocolate, I love everything about it. From the molecular level to the taste, it's easily one of my favorite things to eat, and bake with. For me, it defines baking-a luxurious indulgence, that also has the power to comfort with strong emotional associations. Take tempering-anyone can temper, it's a simple process once you get the hang of it. But it takes time, care and patience, not just technical skill. When I take the time to slow down and pay special, careful attention to what I'm doing, the product is always infinitely better. There's something about that extra personal investment and care that takes a well executed technically correct product to the next level. It's precisely why mass manufactured goods can never achieve what what small batch can, despite perfectly calibrated machinery. It seems obvious, but I suppose I've never really thought it through before. There are so many intricacies to baking that only those who truly love it, and are willing to pay close attention will produce a truly fantastic product. Good to know that while technical advancement may provide us more tools, the human quality of baking can't be imitated.
So speaking of chocolate...We made chocolate candies today!!


Rochers

Chocolate covered Almonds with Orange Liquor and Confit Orange Peel

Chocolate covered whole Carmalized Almonds rolled in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and fluer de sel (my favorite/not pictured).

Now, to design a chocolate show piece...wish me luck!

The Truffle Box.

One of the first things I saw when I toured FCI was level 2 pastry's truffle boxes. The first thought that occurred to me was that they weren't particularly good. Now, I see why. Technically not that difficult to produce, just temper chocolate and cut out shapes. But all the little things that can mess it up make this little box more difficult than I would have imagined. Although because we changed chefs today, things were a bit off and we weren't given much time (about 15 minutes) to actually decorate them, so elaborate decorations were out. Overall, I'm pretty happy with mine, and it did serve as good practice for the candy stand later this week. In fact, diagrams are due Wednesday when we begin production on our show pieces (a stand made entirely of chocolate with a bowl to hold chocolates), which are to be done Thursday, the day before our exam. Clearly the program's pace has increased a bit. I don't mind, and I love that we're being challenged a bit more. Although, leading up to October we have a project or exam (or both) every week! And then...Level 3! Time is flying for sure.
Because of the chef switch there was a fair bit of confusion today, mostly regarding guidelines to tempering. There are a multitude of ways to temper, and really mostly all are equally as effective. So the best thing to do is to find what works for you, and go with that. But some people were really struggling with the vague nature of that instruction. So during the downtime of Chef Chris explaining again to a group of students, I figured I may as well try and actually learn something. Using some left over chocolate from my project I attempted to temper without a thermometer. I want to be able to "just know" and use subtle signs that the chocolate is in temper. I was successful! It wasn't the best temper ever, but it was a start and rare as it is, I was actually pretty proud of myself! Being able to temper well is really important to me, given that chocolate is one of my main interests. So I'm well on my way!