Tag: pastry

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Im in love with flour

Hi , yeah tis been a while since I  last posted, Im back at school now  and just loving this new module.  I go home smelling of things like sugar and vanilla, I get to play in the flour bin most days and create pastries and breads, desserts and doughs. ……. Sighhhh can life be any better than this .

My tutor Earl King is just an absolute darling whose love for this wonderful art just shines through. I have been off sick most of last week and had to make up some classes, hes just so patient and willing to help, it makes learning so much more of apleasure.

I just love the feeling of kneading the dough, taking these great raw ingrediants and turning them into delectable treats

I will post pictures asap I have mislaid my camera cord and cannot upload my pictures at the moment but will do so shortly.

So far we have made a variety of things, gateaux pithiver, palmiers,rice imperatrice,apple fritters, lemon turnovers, choux paste, paris brest,,chappati, pita, naan, danishes, croissants sauvarin, brioche, donuts,.

I just feel this sort of work is something I have been waiting my whole life for, and why did it take me so long to realise this,. Putting your hands in to the dough and kneading it is so therapeutic and soothing for the soul, it makes me feel relaxed and gentle, and all the everyday cares and woes just drift up through the atmosphere as you watch the magic of the dough  doing its stuff as it rises, and breathes and becomes a thing of great beauty.

Thank you Earl for being patient and passionate with us and for sharing your wonderful craft and knowledge with us. It means more than words can express.

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Around the campfire = a bronze medal

This weekend was the regional competitions for the chefs schools

I was entered in the  Fruit Flan Competition, there were 9 of us in our team and in the actual competition itself there  were about 24 entries. there were about 15 medals given out, 3 silver and the rest were bronze. Our team of 9 took 7 medals , 3of those were the silver and the rest were bronze.

my flan won a bronze medal , thats two bronze medals for me now , I said to our school manager “Ive got  two bronzes now Im planning on an upgrade for the salon culinare in september” :o)

This was a sweet short vanilla pastry base with a lemon and passionfruit velvet pastry cream then topped with honeydew melon, nectarines, strawberries, melon balls, oranges, grape slivers, with a melon flame in the centre. it looked like a campfire.

here are some pictures, of the flan, my medal and a school group photo.

If you need to find out more about our school  “NSIA” check out the links page

We all worked so very hard and the school did very well with medals, I just loved being part of the team and all my training and hard work was worth it

bronzeflan1.jpgbronzeflan2.jpgjuniorbronze.jpgtheteam.jpg

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General Stuff

Finally In to the pastry section

ohhhhh my word working with pastry is so much fun. We made full puff , rough puff, short paste and sweet short paste this week at school

I made a selection of different things , mince savouries, sausage rolls, apple turnovers, sweet tart shells with chocolate mousse and berries and lemon meringue pie. My tutor was very happy , she said that my pastries looked and tasted like they were made with lots of love and passion. I had a bit of drama with my rough paste which I made apple turnovers with, as somebody stole my batch out of the class fridge , the ******** *********(leave that to your imagination:o) ) and so i had to remake and didnt think it would be so great , as it wouldnt have had enough resting , folding time but managed to get another couple of folds in by getting in to class early the next day .But everything worked out great, it came out light and nicely puffed and crisp

You can have a look at the pictures by scrolling down on the “Food I have made” column and clicking on the School link (im adding all my school pics in to one album