A big hello and sorry to everyone who has been loyally checking this blog in the vain hope that after 3months I would post more hilarious stories about my kitchen antics. I'm back! But because I've got so much to share with you, I'm going to keep the hilarity to a minimum, and let the pictures that speak a thousand words do the talking.
First up, here are the pictures from the end of Certificate III.
We made pies. This was not my favourite thing ever.
Also, Sausage Rolls! Woo!
Next up came two weeks in one of the TAFE kitchens to complete our "A la Carte" hours. All I really remember from this time is making a ridiculous amount of macarons. "How many?" you ask, "520," I reply. Yeah.
Yellow Macs!
Red Macs!
Heart Mac! (Because it wouldn't be a kitchen module without a heart shaped something.)
The assembly line for placing one of each colour in their individually lined boxes.
After our time in the kitchen, it was time to start Certificate IV. Certificate IV promised more advanced techniques and recipes, including chocolate and sugar sculptures and also an assortment of Patisserie items. On the flip side, there is also an insane amount of unrelated theory work associated with completing the program- I'm talking finance, budgets, spreadsheets, marketing and how to lead and manage people. Bring back the days of learning the difference between flours and cake origins!
Week 1- Flans
All of the Flans!
My Chocolate Raspberry Balsamic Tarts
The insides!
Week 2- Petit Gateaux
For those non-francophones, Small Cakes! Ideal for those special occasions when you only need cake for 2-4 people!
All of the cakes!
Le Peregal à l'Orange
Crispy base, orange crème brûlée, chocolate mousse, and chocolate sponge, finished with a mirror glaze, chocolate rings and orange macarons.
Off centre circle- it really gives the cake a different feel, don't you think?
Week 3- Marzipan Figures
I chose to make 6 miniature Alices (in Wonderland). While this sounded like a good idea in my head, my execution of the figurines gave poor little Alice a slightly blow-up doll vibe. Awkward.
Blow-up Alice.
Week 4-Petit Fours
This week we concentrated on making petit fours. Delightful little bite-size delicacies perfect for the end of a meal. We were individually assigned different "petit four sec" (or dry petit fours- biscuit style) so that we could see the effect of an assortment of petit fours.
Impressive, hey?
See that one in the fore-ground? The "Chemin de Fer"? Yeah, I made that.
The petit four glace are essentially small glazed layer cakes. Between each thin layer of sponge is a layer of flavoured buttercream, which is all then glazed with fondant and decorated.
I made Vanilla Petit Fours
Up close and personal
Gaze upon the glaze and the layers.
Assorted boxes packed up for sale.
Week 5- Macarons
Time for some more macarons! This idea did not fill me with delight, as I had recently made over 500 of them, but it was nice to practice making them again, and check out some different flavours.
All of the Macarons!
Boxed for sale.
Week 6- Modern Gateaux
More cake! This time they were larger than the petit gateaux we had previously made, but still had multiple layers, and looked pretty awesome. (If I do say so myself).
Siena
Pistachio Jaconde, Apricot cream, Chocolate Cream, Praline Panna Cotta, Apricot Jelly, finished with mirror glaze, Chocolate and Almond discs, and Caramelised Apricot.
Looking good, cakes
All of the Modern Gateaux!
Week 7- Chocolate Box
We made a box out of chocolate.
This is the box from a side view.
This is a birds eye view of the box
This is a close up of the decorations on top of the box.
Week 8- Gateaux Coffee Shop
As a part of the practical component of Certificate IV, we need to complete two "Coffee Shops." This means that we prepare cakes or pastries, and then serve them in a coffee shop style situation from the "Results Cafe" at TAFE. It's $15 for all you can eat cake or pastries with tea and coffee, and luckily for you, dear blog readers, there's one more left for the year! You could come and enjoy the hospitality of the Patisserie 2J crew! (It's on the 8th of October from 1.30 at the Regency Park Campus). You know you want to.
I made a magical striped sponge.
Hazelnut Cream Gateaux
The selection ready to be put on display
Do you see the cake with the alternating white and brown triangles? That is a Quark Fresh Cream Gateaux. It was like a really light cheesecake, and it was delicious. Consequently, I made it.
Week 9- Chocolate Showpiece.
This week was an absolute doozy. We made a floral sculpture out of chocolate. When you look at the pictures, just remember that everything you see is chocolate. Well, not the benches, obviously, but everything on the sculpture is chocolate. Let me tell you how I manipulated solid pieces of chocolate into swirls and petals and mushrooms- magic.
The finished piece.
Magic Mushroom
Flower and white chocolate swirls
And that's it for now kiddies! Next week is our Sugar Showpiece week, which I'm imagining to be like the M.O.F. documentary I watched a few years ago in which there just seemed to be a lot of smashed sugar pieces and crying. I will not be surprised if next week is just comprised of burnt fingers and tears. Oh! I just looked it up! The doco is actually called "Kings of Pastry." It is honestly one of the best things I have ever watched. This is the trailer.
Watch it. And then track down the whole thing. It's wonderful.
I'll let you all know how my week of weeping goes when I'm made it through to the other side. xx
