Two Weeks In...

We have been so busy the past couple weeks! We've been baking breads and viennoiseries for various events, we've started 2 more modules (cookies and frozen desserts), we've been working on our wedding cakes... *phew*

Earlier this week (or maybe it was last week?) I had an epic failure. There are times when I consider something I've made to be under par, not the best I could have done, but it's always good. I haven't ever (in the course) had an outright failure, and let me tell you, it hurt my pride. But, a wounded pride is always good to keep us on our toes, and I really haven't been on my toes since we started back at school.

So, I'm sure you're dying to know what the failure was. Let me show you...

Deceptive chocolatines

Rather innocent and, if I may say so, perfect looking chocolate croissants, yes? Wrong! Sadly, a lack of attention meant that I used the wrong chocolate (pâte de cacao = pure chocolate, no sugar added). Thankfully I had used some of the ends of dough to make extras to taste, and thankfully I tasted before putting them in the store for sale... It was a horrible, disgusting surprise, and it hurt my heart to have to dump this whole batch of otherwise perfect croissants in the garbage. :'(

Monday and Tuesday we were in the new modules. We made three different types of cookies: tuiles aux amandes (thin almond cookies shaped like Pringles), bâtons maréchoux (little stick cookies covered in almonds and dipped in chocolate), and some biscuits pochés (Spritz cookies). We also made a lemon sorbet which we used to fill empty lemon rinds, and a maple glace aux oeufs (custard-based ice cream).

Bâtons maréchoux

Biscuits pochés / Spritz cookies

Citrons givrés

Today we had an exam practice (Already?! I know!!). The module in which we're making the wedding cakes is a decorating module. The exam is to make a themed cake, but we don't know the theme until the day of the exam. We have to be able to come up with a design, present a drawing of the design, and then execute the design within the time frame. We were given an idea of what the theme might be (big hint on "child's birthday cake," and then there are the current seasons/holidays). So today for the practice we were given a choice to either do an autumn theme or a child's birthday theme, but whatever we chose, there had to be a buttercream border around the top, and a piping border on the top, and have room to be able to write a message. I always feel very limited when I'm given restrictions like these, so it took me quite a while to come up with a design, but I settled on a John Deere theme, inspired by my nephew. I would have liked to have kept it for his birthday, but since that's not until April...

I have some very talented classmates! I was thoroughly impressed by their work today - we have all come a long way since last year! Some of the other designs included Spongebob, Patrick, Tinkerbell, Bugs Bunny, Obelix, Mickey Mouse, a really cute road with cars, forest animals, and there were a few autumn themed ones. :)