abril9

Sunday, April 30, 2006

In portuguese "Sobremesa" means dessert and here is a typical Brazilian 'Sobremesa', "Pavê de Coco e Abacaxi" = Pineapple-Coconut Pavê.

Pavês are wonderful layered desserts, usually made with a combination of cookies or biscuits and different creams and fruits. This one has angel food cake + condensed milk + media crema and lots of pineapple and coconut!!!
MMM very refreshing summer desert, eat very COLD!

This Pavê recipe was given to me by my Brazilian friend Gisele Campos.

Friday's Lunch ---> Kung Pao Beef / Fried Rice / Rangoon with sweet and sour sauce.

Yet another attempt of mine at Chinese cuisine... Made almost all from scratch except wonton wrappers. Quite time consuming and expensive compared to just going to the Chinese buffet or a express take out. Still it was fun to make the Rangoon where particularly good MMM!!! I also made Sweet and Sour soup (not pictured) but was not that successful flavor wise. It looked particularly well but according to my family I went a little heavy on the vinegar. LOL

CoLoR!!!! Sauteing the vegetables (green onions, red bell peppers, baby corns) in spiced oil with dried red chiles

Finalizing the Kung Pao Beef, 1)brown the meat in its marinade 2) add the rest of the liquid flavorings and cornstarch 3) Add peanuts and sauteed vegetables

"Rangoon" --> Pan Asian appetizer, Won Ton wrappers stuffed with cream cheese, green onion and very finely diced red bell peppers (no crab meat).

Traditionally this are stuffed with crab meat. Also, they are shaped as a flower or star shape with 4 corners... I like to fold mine like tortellini as they pack less oil, don't open up and fry evenly in my lil' sauce pan at home.

Rangoon alla Tortellini! LOL

Finished "Rangoon"

Advanced Pastry / Final (Practical) -> Orange Chiffon with Glaze by: Jose

Advanced Pastry / Final (Practical) -> Chocolate Rose by: Jose

Advanced Pastry / Final (Practical) -> Chocolate Rose

Advanced Pastry / Final (Practical) -> SACHER TORTE

Sacher Torte Close-up

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Herb Roasted Tomatoes

On their way to the ballroom with the salad bar and dinner rolls!
---> Here are a few pictures of the “Preceptors dinner” we did on Monday’s Quantity class.

Guests, Buffet table (double sided buffet) and servers.

BEAUTIFULL!!! Breathtaking! No I am not talking about the water! The Beautiful Beverage station centerpiece! A neatly carved Honey dew swan + fountain with punch.

Mitchell and ??? serving desserts to guests.

Top and clock wise: Mitchell's very own creation! Don't know what he calls it but it has raspberry marmalade and is coated with cream cheese frosting. Next German Chocolate Cake with Ganache made by Fundamentals of Baking class last week. Followed by Advanced Pastry's "Noix de Coco Gateax" and, last but not least Raspberry Roulade (jelly roll).

I just had to put this one! The 2 ladies approach the dessert table and ask Mitchell what each end everything was on the dessert table. After hearing they where been offered Orange chiffon cake with coconut mousse / Raspberry Jelly Roll / German Chocolate Cake and Mitchell's special cake with Cream Cheese Frosting the ladies where speechless! Then the lady in the front turns to her friend and says: OH! Everything is so Good!, We'll have to try it all and share! LOL!!!

Hey smart thinking , why set for one slice when you can try them all!!!!
Talk about appealing to your guests taste buds!

Back to front we have: Herb Roasted Tomatoes, Pasta Primavera and Italian Baked Chicken.

Dessert and Beverage station / Yes Mitchell is posing for the camera!!!

Salad Bar

From top: Salad, Pasta Primavera, Italian Baked Chicken and Herb Roasted Tomatoes. / MMM!!!! everybody loved the food!!!!

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Follow up on last weeks Japonaise.
�Gateau Japonaise� is a sophisticated blend of dacquoise (nut-flavored meringue disks) and Mocha Silk ganache, a luscious flourless cake, is designed to make even the most discriminating chocolate lover weak in the knees.

***Alison: I froze the Japonaise for one week, it kept fine no deterioration at all. The disks where crisp and perfect no sogginess or like. I just removed it from the freezer let it stand about 15 min. uncovered @ RT and voila!!!!

ISOMALT

http://www.palatinit.com/en/Food_Ingredients/ISOMALT/

This week in Advanced Pastry we worked with Isomalt which is an odorless, white, crystalline substance and an artificial sugar substitute. Isomalt is a synthetic sugar alcohol that is produced from sugar. Isomalt primarily used for its sugar-like physical properties, substitutes regular white sugar in sugar work in the bakeshop. Due to it properties it doesn’t caramelize easily and lends it self to reheating and modeling. Also Isomalt has only a small impact on blood sugar levels, does not promote tooth decay, and has one half the calories of sugar; therefore it is used in some diet foods. / ISOMALT, baker’s play dough! LOL

Jose melting the Isomalt. In the back Joseph and Mark.

Melting the Isomalt sugar in a copper pot (4 fl. oz. of water to 1# of isomalt, heat up to 130 C)

The sugar lamp stations by Bill Hodges

Mark working on his pulled sugar blue rose

Joseph and Jason prepping the VERY HOT sugar / in the end we felt like roasted chicken under the lamp with burned hands and sugar all over LOL But it was much fun! to do!!!