Week 1 - Quick Breads (Day 1)
Blueberry Muffins
Objectives: Practicing and preparing three different quick bread methods.
Biscuit method: Made with a solid form of fat, such as chilled butter or lard, that produces a very flaky dough.
Muffin Method: Made with a liquid form of fat, such as oil or melted butter, that produces a very tender, cake-like dough.
Creaming Method: Uses softened fat, such as melted butter, and produces a rich, tender, cake-like dough.
Recipes: Blueberry Muffins (Muffin Method), Lemon Poppyseed Muffins (Creaming Method), Country Biscuits (Biscuit Method)
Tools: Muffin tins, oven, stand mixer.
Summary: Although I am no baker, I found this week to be relatively simple due to the fact that these three methods we used are very easy to follow. Chef Kristen demonstrated these three methods very well and explained every step thoroughly to us before we prepared them on our own.
Biscuit method: Made with a solid form of fat, such as chilled butter or lard, that produces a very flaky dough.
Muffin Method: Made with a liquid form of fat, such as oil or melted butter, that produces a very tender, cake-like dough.
Creaming Method: Uses softened fat, such as melted butter, and produces a rich, tender, cake-like dough.
Recipes: Blueberry Muffins (Muffin Method), Lemon Poppyseed Muffins (Creaming Method), Country Biscuits (Biscuit Method)
Tools: Muffin tins, oven, stand mixer.
Summary: Although I am no baker, I found this week to be relatively simple due to the fact that these three methods we used are very easy to follow. Chef Kristen demonstrated these three methods very well and explained every step thoroughly to us before we prepared them on our own.
Week 1 - Yeast Breads (Day 2)
Objectives: Learn and prepare the 2 different types of yeast bread; Lean and Rich. Develop tools to handle yeast doughs.
Recipes: Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls, Whole Wheat Bread, Rosemary Focaccia, Chocolate Cherry scones, Zucchini Bread.
Tools: Baking sheet, stand mixer, oven.
Summary: Day 2 was a bit more difficult but very rewarding due to the delicious dishes we prepared. Today I learned that yeast plays a very important part of baking and must be tempered correctly before baking with ingredients.
Recipes: Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls, Whole Wheat Bread, Rosemary Focaccia, Chocolate Cherry scones, Zucchini Bread.
Tools: Baking sheet, stand mixer, oven.
Summary: Day 2 was a bit more difficult but very rewarding due to the delicious dishes we prepared. Today I learned that yeast plays a very important part of baking and must be tempered correctly before baking with ingredients.
Week 3 - Cookies & Shortbreads (Day 2)
Knot Dinner Roll
Objectives: Practice cookie mixing methods, learn proper baking temperatures and their subsequent outcomes.
Recipes: Biscotti, Bergamot Shortbread, Sour Cream Muffins, Cream Scones.
Tools: Oven, stand mixer, baking sheet.
Summary: Today I learned the importance of both chilling a prepared dough and fermenting/proofing a prepared dough before baking. For the shortbreads, I learned that if your dough is not properly chilled, almost frozen, before cutting into 1/2 inch discs, it will not retain its cylindrical shape during baking. Today I also learned a double baking process involving biscotti. I haven't used this technique before. Although my team ended up burning the biscotti, I learned what mistakes we made and what we should have done differently. Even a bad experience is a learning experience.
Recipes: Biscotti, Bergamot Shortbread, Sour Cream Muffins, Cream Scones.
Tools: Oven, stand mixer, baking sheet.
Summary: Today I learned the importance of both chilling a prepared dough and fermenting/proofing a prepared dough before baking. For the shortbreads, I learned that if your dough is not properly chilled, almost frozen, before cutting into 1/2 inch discs, it will not retain its cylindrical shape during baking. Today I also learned a double baking process involving biscotti. I haven't used this technique before. Although my team ended up burning the biscotti, I learned what mistakes we made and what we should have done differently. Even a bad experience is a learning experience.
Week 4 - French Bread, Pies, Tarts, Fruit Fillings, Custards (Day 1)
French Bread
Objectives: Successfully practice pastry techniques for pies and tarts, blind and par bake a basic pie dough, and assemble a double crust and lattice atop a fruit pie.
Recipes: Basic Pie Dough, Sweet Tart Dough, Apple Crumb Pie with Streusel Topping, Blueberry Pie (Lattice Top), Cherry Pie, French Bread.
Tools: Oven, stand mixer, tart tins.
Summary: Today I learned the 2 major categories of pies/tarts; Baked or Blind. Baked is the traditional way of baking while blind is a bit different. Blind baking refers to baking only the pie crust or shell without any fillings added. After the pie crust has cooked, the fillings are added. This prevents the crust from getting soggy.
Recipes: Basic Pie Dough, Sweet Tart Dough, Apple Crumb Pie with Streusel Topping, Blueberry Pie (Lattice Top), Cherry Pie, French Bread.
Tools: Oven, stand mixer, tart tins.
Summary: Today I learned the 2 major categories of pies/tarts; Baked or Blind. Baked is the traditional way of baking while blind is a bit different. Blind baking refers to baking only the pie crust or shell without any fillings added. After the pie crust has cooked, the fillings are added. This prevents the crust from getting soggy.
Week 4 - Custards, Pies, Tarts, Quiche (Day 2)
Strawberry Tart
Objectives: Prepare a seasonal pie, tart with pastry cream, quiche dough and quiche lorraine.
Recipes: Chocolate Cream Pie, Lemon Meringue Pie, Seasonal Custard Pie, Quiche Dough and Quiche Lorraine.
Tools: Oven, pie tins, tart tins, stand mixer.
Summary: Today I learned that incorporating eggs into a hot mixture isn't the easiest. However, today was my favorite day so far because I love tarts. You can be creative with the presentation of each and every tart, it gives you the opportunity to be as creative as possible. I also learned that lemon meringue pie will burn very easily if not watched very closely in the oven, as shown below.
Recipes: Chocolate Cream Pie, Lemon Meringue Pie, Seasonal Custard Pie, Quiche Dough and Quiche Lorraine.
Tools: Oven, pie tins, tart tins, stand mixer.
Summary: Today I learned that incorporating eggs into a hot mixture isn't the easiest. However, today was my favorite day so far because I love tarts. You can be creative with the presentation of each and every tart, it gives you the opportunity to be as creative as possible. I also learned that lemon meringue pie will burn very easily if not watched very closely in the oven, as shown below.
Week 5 - Midterm Practical Exam
Objectives: Successfully complete midterm practical exam.
Menu: Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls, Country Biscuits, Spritz Cookie, Apple Pie.
Tools: Baking sheets, parchment paper, oven, mixing bowls, stand mixer, whisk, various knives, piping bag with star tip.
Summary: Going into today's practical exam I felt very confident not only in my abilities to complete the task at hand, but also my preparation and timeline of events. I was tasked with making soft yeast dinner rolls, spritz cookies and country biscuits. As the rolls were to take the longest, I immediately got to work on them and followed suit with the biscuits soon thereafter. I completed the spritz cookies last as they cook very quickly and are made of a very simple batter of sugar, flour, butter, milk, egg and baking powder.
Personal Observations: Chef's comments were of high praise and I achieved the second highest score of the entire class.
Menu: Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls, Country Biscuits, Spritz Cookie, Apple Pie.
Tools: Baking sheets, parchment paper, oven, mixing bowls, stand mixer, whisk, various knives, piping bag with star tip.
Summary: Going into today's practical exam I felt very confident not only in my abilities to complete the task at hand, but also my preparation and timeline of events. I was tasked with making soft yeast dinner rolls, spritz cookies and country biscuits. As the rolls were to take the longest, I immediately got to work on them and followed suit with the biscuits soon thereafter. I completed the spritz cookies last as they cook very quickly and are made of a very simple batter of sugar, flour, butter, milk, egg and baking powder.
Personal Observations: Chef's comments were of high praise and I achieved the second highest score of the entire class.
Week 6 - Pastries, Custards, Pate a Choux, Crepes
Objectives: Learn techniques behind making crepes, pate a choux, custards and pastries.
Menu: Pate a Choux, Profiteroles, Paris Brest, Chocolate Eclairs, Chocolate Ganache, NY Style Cheesecake, Crepes, Strawberry Crepes Fitzgerald, Pastry Cream.
Tools: Stand mixer, oven, mixing bowls, scale, saute pans, sauce pans, bain marie, cooling racks, baking sheets, whisk, measuring spoons, measuring cups.
Summary: Today we dove into making a rather difficult batter; Pate a Choux. This is a very light and fluffy type batter that is actually cooked twice; once in a sauce pot and once in an oven. Traditionally, the batter is supposed to be piped out into 4 inch long rectangles then baked off in an oven. If cooked correctly, they should be very light, fluffy and hollow in the middle, being a perfect vessel for various types of filling. Our pate a choux was filled with pastry cream and topped with a silky chocolate ganache.
Personal Observations: It is best not to open the oven for at least the first half of the cooking process regarding pate a choux. Opening the oven will cause a drastic loss of heat and pressure, preventing the eclairs from keeping their hollow shape.
Menu: Pate a Choux, Profiteroles, Paris Brest, Chocolate Eclairs, Chocolate Ganache, NY Style Cheesecake, Crepes, Strawberry Crepes Fitzgerald, Pastry Cream.
Tools: Stand mixer, oven, mixing bowls, scale, saute pans, sauce pans, bain marie, cooling racks, baking sheets, whisk, measuring spoons, measuring cups.
Summary: Today we dove into making a rather difficult batter; Pate a Choux. This is a very light and fluffy type batter that is actually cooked twice; once in a sauce pot and once in an oven. Traditionally, the batter is supposed to be piped out into 4 inch long rectangles then baked off in an oven. If cooked correctly, they should be very light, fluffy and hollow in the middle, being a perfect vessel for various types of filling. Our pate a choux was filled with pastry cream and topped with a silky chocolate ganache.
Personal Observations: It is best not to open the oven for at least the first half of the cooking process regarding pate a choux. Opening the oven will cause a drastic loss of heat and pressure, preventing the eclairs from keeping their hollow shape.
Week 7 - Introduction to Cakes and Icings
Objectives: Develop and learn various types of cake making procedures and flavors.
Menu: Pound Cake, Lemon Simple Syrup, High Ratio Cake, Sacher Torte, Genoise, Simple Buttercream, Italian Buttercream, Creme Anglaise, Chocolate Mousse.
Tools: Oven, mixing bowls, saute pans, sauce pans, cake molds, thermometer, stand mixer, piping bags with various tips.
Summary: Before getting started today, Chef Tom gave a very informative presentation regarding the procedure of making pound cake and that stuck with me throughout class. Immediately when the demo was over, I assembled all my pound cake ingredients and knocked it out right away with very good remarks. Originally, pound cake was called by its name because it had one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one pound of eggs and one pound of sugar.
Personal Observations: Today was the most butter-heavy day of my baking and pastry history. With two different butter creams, a pound cake and various other cakes, it wasn't the easiest to consciously digest without feeling guilty.
Menu: Pound Cake, Lemon Simple Syrup, High Ratio Cake, Sacher Torte, Genoise, Simple Buttercream, Italian Buttercream, Creme Anglaise, Chocolate Mousse.
Tools: Oven, mixing bowls, saute pans, sauce pans, cake molds, thermometer, stand mixer, piping bags with various tips.
Summary: Before getting started today, Chef Tom gave a very informative presentation regarding the procedure of making pound cake and that stuck with me throughout class. Immediately when the demo was over, I assembled all my pound cake ingredients and knocked it out right away with very good remarks. Originally, pound cake was called by its name because it had one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one pound of eggs and one pound of sugar.
Personal Observations: Today was the most butter-heavy day of my baking and pastry history. With two different butter creams, a pound cake and various other cakes, it wasn't the easiest to consciously digest without feeling guilty.
Week 8 - Fruit Sauces, Ice Cream, Sorbets
Objectives: Develop ice cream and frozen dessert making skills.
Menu: Creme Caramel, Creme Brulee, Pot de Creme, Vanilla Bavarian Cream, Lady Fingers, Charlotte, Fruit Coulis, Chocolate Mousse.
Tools: Oven, stand mixer, ice cream machine (one that works), blender, bain marie, piping bag, mixing bowl.
Summary: This week was one of my favorites as I love to make ice cream and am utterly obsessed with all types of frozen desserts. Today I helped make almost everything on the menu including the sorbet, bavarian cream, lady fingers, charlotte and chocolate mousse.
Personal Observations: Creme Caramel is the same as flan.
Menu: Creme Caramel, Creme Brulee, Pot de Creme, Vanilla Bavarian Cream, Lady Fingers, Charlotte, Fruit Coulis, Chocolate Mousse.
Tools: Oven, stand mixer, ice cream machine (one that works), blender, bain marie, piping bag, mixing bowl.
Summary: This week was one of my favorites as I love to make ice cream and am utterly obsessed with all types of frozen desserts. Today I helped make almost everything on the menu including the sorbet, bavarian cream, lady fingers, charlotte and chocolate mousse.
Personal Observations: Creme Caramel is the same as flan.