This past week, my class has been making bread type goodies in preparation for our exam. Which starts tomorrow- eeek!
Here's some pictures that I snapped! Also, I have no idea why I decided not to take a picture of my croissants. I would have taken one at home, but I ate them too quick!
Bagels!
Baguettes!
Challah bread with various braiding
My freezer is well stocked with bread now, that's for sure!
We had made baguettes and challah bread in first semester, but they are going to be on our exam. So we made them again- which was great, because I need the practice!
Bagels and croissants were fascinating! Bagels are fun because you boil them in a bit of water first, then bake them! And croissants are amazingly delicious, with lots and lots of work. I think I might make them at home sometime- because they're just SO GOOD. We decorated them with cheese, chocolate and almonds (not all together). I should have bought more than eight, I'm just saying.
Happy Sunday, everyone! Wish me luck on my exam tomorrow! We're making vanilla sponge and dipping petit-fours glace into fondant!
My latest obsession is chocolate. And no, not just eating it (although that's pretty amazing too). My class spent all of last week working on chocolate bunnies and other Eastery goodies, and on Tuesday we learned more about chocolate in Theory class. To feed my obsession, I also checked out a book at the library, called Chocolate: A bittersweet saga of dark and light by Mort Rosenblum. It's got the entire history of chocolate, with really interesting anecdotes from the author meeting various people involved in chocolate. My favorite part so far is when he meets a woman who was incredibly obsessed with chocolate and became a chocolate taster for a well known brand. Apparently she eats a pound of chocolate a day, on top of what she has to taste!
I've been trying to learn all I can about chocolate. Which means watching lots of youtube videos about tempering and making chocolates! I'm also patiently waiting for a really awesome book from the library. I watched some really interesting videos, so I thought that I would share them with you!
William Curley Chocolatier: This clip is with William Curley, a chocolatier who made a video for Hospitality Media on how to make Rosemary and Olive Oil truffles- yum!
Tempering 101: This video made me laugh- these guys are too funny! It's with Chef Jeremy McLachlan from Salty's, a restaurant in Seattle.
Purdy's Chocolates- How to make truffles: This is a clip from Steven and Chris, the Canadian daytime talk show. Purdy's Chocolate Scientist (amazing title!) shows the audience how to make truffles. Watching this just gets me so excited about chocolate! Also, I kind of wish that I was in the audience so I could win a year's supply of chocolate.
And now for an Easter bunny picture update:
Last weekend, I took my Easter bunny to a family dinner. Everyone was so excited to eat it- which made me really happy. The whole thing was devoured!
And now, the best question: What's your favorite type of chocolate? I love dark chocolate- any kind!
I had a great night out last night. I went to my second ever lacrosse game. My first was my 10 year old cousin's game, and it got crazy, so I didn't quite know what to expect.
Last night we also got to sit in an executive suite! Free food such a lovely thing. Live games are just so great to watch- you can really get into it. I was hanging off the edge of my seat, because the game went into overtime. I was also surprised at how excited I got about the game- we won!
Today, I'm writing a menu for one of my classes. I'm getting really excited about it, because all my menu items sound so darn good! I'm quite proud of it.
My Shifting Gears mug
I thought I'd share a picture of one of my favorite mugs today. I got it from Peterborough Green-Up's Shifting Gears a few years ago. It's totally my mug, and it's only for coffee (I have tea mugs, too).
Do you have a coffee or tea mug? Or a special mug, for that matter?
This week we played with chocolate. I think I've found my new obsession. As frustrating as it is (sometimes) to temper chocolate, what with all the stirring and the melting, I LOVE it. And I know that it will get less frustrating with more practice! I was so relaxed the entire week, which is great and almost never happens.
I loved it so much that on Monday, I happened into a kitchen store and went right for chocolate molds. Sadly, they didn't have any, so my search continues! Anyone know of a great place to buy some?
This week, we worked on Easter themed goodies. We were all required to make a bunny, an egg, and some filled chocolates. We also learned how to shock temper chocolate- you take melted chocolate and work it onto a VERY cold marble surface. My class used shock tempering to make little nests out of white chocolate.
I have learned a lot this week, and I hope to learn more about chocolate in the years to come! I am really excited about chocolate, if you can't tell :)
Here are some of the photos I took from class! Some had already been packaged up before I was able to take a picture, so here they are!
Chocolate bunny and a bee
Passionfruit ganache chocolates, cassis logs and almond diamonds
The cassis logs are AMAZING
What's your favorite kind of chocolate? Better yet, what's your favorite chocolate store?
I'm still around! I've been so caught up with school and homework and job hunting that I haven't had any energy to update this blog.
I have still been taking pictures of my creations, though! Here are some of my favorites:
Sacher Torte
Charlotte Royal
We also made Napoleons and Strawberry Mille Feuille this week. I got a chance to sample them, and YUM! I think I'll be making those at home.
We have our final exam in Skills class in a few weeks, and boy am I nervous! We are getting tested on Strawberry Short cake, Petit-Fours Glace and Challah bread, among others.
How is your Sunday going? Have you made anything exciting lately?
For the past few days, I had a chocolate chip cookie craving. And not just any kind of chocolate chip cookie- the kind that is really chewy and not at all crispy! Apparently it's really hard to find a recipe for them, because the last few times I have been met with crunchy, terrible cookies!
No! They have to be soft, and they can't spread too thin while baking. After doing a little bit of research (the fourth link instead of the first on my google search), I found these Martha Stewart cookies! Now, reading the comments about this cookie- my favorite went along the lines of "it's not the recipe's fault if they don't taste good"- I decided to give it a go!
And they were JUST what I was craving! Hoooray! I used half milk chocolate chips and half peanut butter chips. Which in my opinion, is awesome. Check 'em out!
Yes!! Chewy at last!
Needless to say, I bookmarked that page and I'm going to use it as my go-to cookie!
Now who wants some cookies? I think I have about 300. Oh, what a problem! :)
I had a great trip, but I'm glad to be home. I crocheted far too much, slept far too little, and ate a lot of great food! Even took a trip to Schwartz's deli! I had a really relaxing time, which was what I needed!
Nuit Blanche was held on the second night that we were there! I was really happy, because I missed the Toronto one thinking that it was an all week event (silly me!).
Beautiful globes- with canvas and a projector inside!
I do love me some rainbows!
Stained glass on the Metro
I also took a trip to Mont Tremblant to visit some of my baking school buddies! We had a great time eating delicious food. In fact, one of my classmates spent the entire day making croissants!
It's a beautiful area and very touristy! But the little village certainly had its appeal.
You have to ride a ski lift to get up to the village!
And look at the trees!!
That's just the tip of the iceberg for my photos! I hope everyone had an amazing week!
