Breads

My first two classes of school are officially over and we are on a 2 week break for the Holiday. I knew things would be intense, but school is a mixture of excitement and stress...which I LOVE!!

The last class we focused on breads and I can say I have found a new love. It amazes me that you take these cheap ingredients, flour and water, and turn it into the most amazing product.

Here a few pictures of things we made the last 3 weeks.

Butter Cookies

My journey into culinary school has begun and so far it’s more exciting than I could have dreamt. I am loving every part of it even wearing my “fancy” uniform each day. We are learning methods versus just recipes, which is really cool.

Last Friday we started baking doing chocolate chip cookies. This was my first time every scaling (weighing them) my ingredients. I thought it was going to be really complicated but it was actually quite easy, and I think I like it better than the traditional method most cooks use. The cookies were very easy to make and we hand mixed everything. This allowed us to get a feel for how the product should actually feel, but it came together really easy.

We used Callets in our cookies which are basically a chocolate morsel, but it’s made with real cocoa butter, unlike the ones we normally buy from the grocery store, which is almost like an imitation chocolate. They melt much better than Hershey's or Nestle chips. They made a HUGE difference in the taste of our cookie, but those Callets are very expensive. I didn’t get a photo of my chocolate cookies, but we will make them again on Thursday for our practical so I will snap a few then.

Last night we made three cookies.

The Strassburger cookies( a traditional butter cookie) with strawberry baker’s jam

The Brysselkex (a Sable cookie) - Which we turned into checkboards.

Biscotti (twice baked cookie) - They were flavored with orange zest and almonds.


Tonight were are working on a fruit tart and some other goodies, so stay tuned for my info!!

Puff Pastry

I can’t not explain how frustrated I get when I get a recipe stuck in my head and things don’t go as planned. I was at Target and came across the November issue of Everyday Food, and saw a section about savory pies. There was a recipe for a Puff Pastry Pie filled with Ham and Gruyere. After drooling all over the pages I knew this had to be my dinner for Sunday, so I set things in motion.

Ran to the grocery store, got some yummy maple glazed ham, pesto jack cheese and off to pick up my pastry puff. Where is the puff pastry, I walked around the store for 15 minutes looking for pastry puff. I finally found someone who worked there and when I asked what section it would be in, he looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language.

What is this puff of pastry you speak of lady…REALLY GUY… according to the 3 stores I called, Puff Pastry is a seasonal product and won’t be on the shelves for another week or two. In what world is Puff Pastry a seasonal item, I mean I love to stuff my face with that flaky goodness all year round. So my whole dinner plan went down the drain.

Has anyone tried making puff pastry from scratch?

Cream Biscuits

I have a lot of cookbooks, but honestly when it comes to baking this has to be my favorite.

Every recipe I have tried from this book has been easy and come out perfect. Last night I was skimming through and decided to try their cream biscuit recipe, which looked easy.

The whole process took less than 25 minutes and most of that was sweeping up the large amount of flour I had somehow dumped all over the kitchen floor.

The biscuits use a limited amount of ingredients, but they make magic. I slathered mine with tons of honey butter and it was a great night.

Cream Biscuits

(From Baking Illustrated)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 Preheat oven to 425°F

2 Sift together dry ingredients, then add cream; mix until it holds together.

3 Knead for about 20-30 seconds, then press into 8 in cake pan, turn out and cut with biscuit cutter. (This is important, don't use a glass!!! You need something with a sharp edge to ensure they come out fluffy and high)

4 Bake for 15 minutes. (Better to take them out when they are slightly underdone).

5. Serve immediately

SLATHER WITH HONEY BUTTER, JAM, NUTELLA

Website Issues....

Hi Everyone –

Just a heads up our website is currently going through some construction changes, so access will be denied if you try to pull it up. With culinary school starting in a few weeks Dollface Delights will be taking a hiatus from doing business. When it comes to my business I want to ensure I can give it all the attention it deserves.

Once my program is over, Dollface Delights will be back, Bigger, Badder and Sassier!! I still plan to blog (hopefully on more or a regular basis) my new adventure.

XOXO

Erica B.

Baking List!

With culinary school looming in a few weeks, I’ve actually done less baking than normal. Baking is always on my brain and now after seeing these recipes I am getting the urge to break out my mixing bowls.

Pumpkin Doughnuts

Recipe Source

Banana Bread w/ Nutella Spread

Recipe Source

Mini Apple Pies

Recipe Source

Now my next issue....which to make first?

BIG CHANGES!

So, a few months back I made a decision to make a change in my life…..

I made an appointment ….

Talked to some people…..

Went home and thought long and hard…..

Cried a few times…..

Went into major anxiety thinking about the changes this decision would cause, with my future, my bank account and my free time….

Cried a few more times…..

Got lots of hugs and reassurance from my loved ones (and a few fur baby kisses from Loco)….

Put a brave face on and decided to sign the paperwork….

Got the call today that things were all in order and I was good to go…..

Today I am a fully enrolled student at the Le Cordon Blue Culinary School…

On November 8, 2010, I will start my journey to be more educated in Pâtisserie and Baking…and my life will change FOREVER!!!