All Things Pastry

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DARING BAKER’S BLOG

Learn about this super cool book

I am not a huge fan of this kind of thing but I really love how everything is set up. It is super concise and to the point. It reminds me of my culinary school recipes.

DARING BAKER’S BLOG

This week we had a great Winter snow in Philomath. I actually got to work before it all came down but between 5am and 9am we got somewhere between 3 and 5 inches of light, fluffy snow! 

It was very surreal frying donuts and checking my pastries in the oven while a blizzard blew into the barn area. 

I made all the pastries and then found out the farmstand wasn’t going to be open because of the weather. What to do with all my pastries? Snacks! The farm I work at offers snacks to everyone working, so everyone feasted on croissants, bearclaws, danishes, scones, donuts, and cookies! I also took a plate of treats to my boyfriend and his roommates. It was a perfect morning, sharing delicious buttery treats, and warming up from the snow. 

Note: Proofing bread in winter proves to be a slow process…haha, proofing proves. 

Cream Cheese Danish

BearClaw!

Poppyseed Nectarine Danish

Lemon Steamed Pudding with Blueberry Compote

This past week I had my first farmstand and it went wonderfully!

GTF is a farm and restaurant serving their own Organic produce as well as local meats, jams, art, and other miscellany. My part is played in the pastry case displayed at the farmstand.

The week before we opened was a mad rush of making croissant dough, finding a good danish dough recipe, creating a good danish, putting together a complete case.

I had made croissants a couple of times out of school but none had turned out too great. Once the butter bled out pretty bad, the second time made them they lacked any crunch. Making Croissants is going to be a pretty hefty task, the large quantities of dough, soooo much butta’, so much technique, so time sensitive, so much to think about! 

I found the M.I.A. pastry binder, peeled apart the sticky pages, and found my way to the croissant “formula”. There’s not much direction for the formula, I have the measurements for Flour, Yeast, Sugar, Salt, Water, Milk, Butter. I know as much as to mix them and save the last portion of butter for the lamination process, and that’s it. So I get to it. I mix the dough and let it rise overnight. This is very easy because the lack of gluten developed in the dough. Because of the laminations, you don’t want any gluten developed in the beginning of the mixing process. Rolling and folding, Rolling and folding, Rolling and folding, and once more Rolling and folding will serve as kneading enough. You knead not knead…harharhar

The next day I started the lamination process. The dough rises slowly but by morning it has filled the bowl up. I learned after the first batch if I don’t get rid of this air the dough will be very fragile by the end. I beat the dough down and split it in half. Each half of dough (detrempe) uses 4 pounds of butter for layering (beurrage).

*The better quality of butter, the better quality of croissants. American butters have a higher percentage of hydration (as opposed to fat) than European butters. The fat is was separates the hundreds of layers of dough. The more hydration you have in the fat, the more likely you will have blended layers. 

All this talk of layers: http://www.youtube.com/embed/kZnztwiWZo4 … BUT EVERYONE LOVES CROISSANTS!

So this 4 pound block of fatty cow love, commonly known as butter, but affectionally known as butta’, gets pounded and rolled out into a square about 1/2 inch thick. The parameters are that it should cover 2/3 of 1/2 of the full block of dough while maintaining similar height of the butta’ and the dough…let me illustrate:

This is probably the hardest part, and you can’t compromise…even though my picture has curves, I would really never let that be that scrappy. I like for my butta’ to me crisp and clean. 

The 1/3 portion gets folded up and over the butta’ and the right 1/3 gets folded on top. This is now a Patone! If you took a knife to your Patone it would look like this:

BUT really don’t do that, really, it would be a really stupid waste of dough and even more of a waste of butta’. You just have to have faith in the baking gods, and know they will watch over your dear Patone….if you are kind to it. 

Right after you complete the fold-in you can immediately roll it out length-wise/hot-dog style, not hamburger style/vertically, whatever your terminology may be, to be about the same length as when you added the butter. Then rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold again in thirds….HAMBURGER STYLE! My favorite style!

Let this new and improved Patone sit for 30 minutes to just CHILL OUT! You have just stretch its’ gluten thin and its gonna start to fight back unless you just let it take a time out in the refrigerator. 

While you are waiting make something tasty like cookies, or Frangipane (Marzipan’s BFF). 

Then repeat those two pictures and waiting time, 3 more times! Now you know why you never did this before…After the 4th fold you can let it chill out once more and then roll it down to 4mm and shape into whatever shapes your heart desires….

I use this dough for Morning Buns….
 

BearClaws…OH LAWDY

and Croissants of course.

I also will be adding a Danish to the case:

woo woo woo, I love how these look.

Potato Donuts are a usual here, they are delicious….carbs, sugar, and fried potatoes…

 

Dear Ana, Please start working out.
- Your Body

Last night I had my very first dinner service at the farm. I won’t be doing this on a regular basis but I think for the sake of getting acclimated, I got to come help out. First I put together the Amuse Bouche, a trio of bread and something additional. There was focaccia with herbed cheese spread, focaccia with house made pate, and gougeres with salmon mousse.  

It was really great to see how the kitchen works for a dinner service. Its alot like making bread, when you hurry up and wait, then hurry up and wait, and hurry up and wait some more. 

Then we plated the Delicata Squash Tart, served with Candied Walnuts, Apple, Pepper Honey drizzled and a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper. 

Next was the Smoked Prawns over a Jerusalem Artichoke & Israeli Couscous Salad.

Then, House-made Coppa with Capers & Watercress

Next a palate cleanser of Chiogga Beet Sorbet before the main of a Seared Duck Breast with Parsnip Puree & Black Kale.

and lastly the Orange Steamed Pudding with Candied Zest & Caramel Drizzle, and a Orange tuile. 

I am learning so much at this place, I am so lucky to have this job. 

To be fair though I did complete the challenge very quickly after it was posted….

 

The January 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog accro. She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert.

And because I am having such trouble actually posting this, it won’t have as much original content as I would like to have but I will fill in with some of my own pictures.

 Equipment required:

 

• Silpat
• ½ baking sheets or a 13” x 18” jelly roll sheet (rimmed baking sheet)
• Mixer (optional)
• Bowls
• Knives
• Offset spatula
• Regular spatula
• Pastry comb (optional)
• Rulers
• Spring form pan
• Biscuit cutter (or ring mold, or cut PVC pipe, or whatever else you can think of to use as a mold for individual desserts)
• Torte/entremets mold/Springform pan/ Trifle dish (for larger desserts)
• Cling wrap
• Parchment paper
• Gel, paste or liquid food coloring (optional)

Joconde Sponge

YIELD: Two ½ size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan

Ingredients:
¾ cup/ 180 ml/ 3oz/ 85g almond flour/meal - *You can also use hazelnut flour, just omit the butter 
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/ 150 ml/ 2⅔ oz/ 75g confectioners’ (icing) sugar
¼ cup/ 60 ml/ 1 oz/ 25g cake flour *See note below
3 large eggs - about 5⅓ oz/ 150g
3 large egg whites - about 3 oz/ 90g
2½ teaspoons/ 12½ ml/ ⅓ oz/ 10g white granulated sugar or superfine (caster) sugar
2 tablespoons/ 30 ml/ 1oz / 30g unsalted butter, melted

*Note: How to make cake flour: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/09/how-to-make-cake-flour/

Directions:

1. In a clean mixing bowl whip the egg whites and white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Reserve in a separate clean bowl to use later.
2. Sift almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, cake flour. (This can be done into your dirty egg white bowl)
3. On medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix until smooth and light. (If using a stand mixer use blade attachment. If hand held a whisk attachment is fine, or by hand. )
4. Fold in one third reserved whipped egg whites to almond mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in remaining whipped egg whites. Do not over mix.
5. Fold in melted butter.
6. Reserve batter to be used later.

Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste

YIELD: Two ½ size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan

Ingredients
14 tablespoons/ 210ml/ 7oz/ 200g unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups plus1½ tablespoons/ 385ml/ 7oz/ 200g Confectioners’ (icing) sugar
7 large egg whites - about 7 oz / 200g
1¾ cup/ 420ml/ 7¾ oz/ 220g cake flour
Food coloring gel, paste or liquid

COCOA Décor Paste Variation: Reduce cake flour to 6 oz / 170g. Add 2 oz/ 60 g cocoa powder. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together before adding to creamed mixture.

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use stand mixer with blade, hand held mixer, or by hand)
2. Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously.
3. Fold in sifted flour.
4. Tint batter with coloring to desired color, if not making cocoa variation.

Preparing the Joconde- How to make the pattern:

1. Spread a thin even layer of décor paste approximately 1/4 inch (5 millimeter) thick onto silicone baking mat with a spatula, or flat knife. Place mat on an upside down baking sheet. The upside down sheet makes spreading easier with no lip from the pan.
2. Pattern the décor paste – Here is where you can be creative. Make horizontal /vertical lines (you can use a knife, spatula, cake/pastry comb). Squiggles with your fingers, zig zags, wood grains. Be creative whatever you have at home to make a design can be used. OR use a piping bag. Pipe letters, or polka dots, or a piped design. If you do not have a piping bag. Fill a ziplock bag and snip off corner for a homemade version of one

I ended up buying an elephant scrapbooking punch out and making an elephant border 

3. Slide the baking sheet with paste into the freezer. Freeze hard. Approx 15 minutes.

4. Remove from freezer. Quickly pour the Joconde batter over the design. Spread evenly to completely cover the pattern of the Décor paste.

5. Bake at 475ºF /250ºC until the joconde bounces back when slightly pressed, approx. 15 minutes. You can bake it as is on the upside down pan. Yes, it is a very quick bake, so watch carefully.

 6. Cool. Do not leave too long, or you will have difficulty removing it from mat.

 7. Flip cooled cake on to a powdered sugared parchment paper. Remove silpat. Cake should be right side up, and pattern showing! (The powdered sugar helps the cake from sticking when cutting.)

Preparing the mold with a cake ring, cardboard, and acetate:

bottom to top: cardboard, cake ring, Acetate

Filling it up!

1. Trim the cake of any dark crispy edges. You should have a nice rectangle shape.
2. Decide how thick you want your “Joconde wrapper”. Traditionally, it is ½ the height of your mold. This is done so more layers of the plated dessert can be shown. However, you can make it the full height.
3. Once your height is measured, then you can cut the cake into equal strips, of height and length. (Use a very sharp paring knife and ruler.)

4. Make sure your strips are cut cleanly and ends are cut perfectly straight. Press the cake strips inside of the mold, decorative side facing out. Once wrapped inside the mold, overlap your ends slightly. You want your Joconde to fit very tightly pressed up to the sides of the mold. Then gently push and press the ends to meet together to make a seamless cake. The cake is very flexible so you can push it into place. You can use more than one piece to “wrap “your mold, if one cut piece is not long enough.

5. The mold is done, and ready to fill.

I filled mine with a mixed berry mousse, then found I made my jaconde sponge waaaaay too tall, so I made some more mousse with some grapefruits and some tangerine oil, then topped it off with a mixed fruit gelee. 

with some of that good ol’ aged egg nog….

Good Luck!

(Source: bakingwithawesome)

 

I got this from Cakespy, can’t wait to complete it! I am going to make them though, not just eat them!
1) Copy this list into your site, including the instructions!
2) Bold all of the sweets you’ve eaten [made]
3) Cross out any of them that you’d never ever [make].
4) Consider anything that is not bold or crossed out your “To Do” List.
5) Optional: Post a comment here linking to your results—or just post a comment letting us know how many you’ve tried, or what you’re going to try next!
[6) I italicized the ones I want to make again…outside of pastry school.]

1. Red Velvet Cake
2. Princess Torte
3. Whoopie Pie
4. Apple Pie either topped or baked with sharp cheddar
5. Beignet
6. Baklava
7. Black and White Cookies
8. Seven Layer Bar (also known as the Magic Bar or Hello Dolly bars)
9. Fried Fruit Pie (sometimes called hand pies)
10. Kringle…http://www.bendtsensbakery.com/
11. Just-fried (still hot) doughnut
12. Scone w/Clotted Cream
13. Betty, Grunt, Slump, Buckle, Pandowdy…http://baking.about.com/od/piesandfruiteddesserts/a/bettybucklegrun.htm
14. Halvah
15. Macarons
16. Banana Pudding with nilla wafers
17. Bubble Tea
18. Dixie Cups…http://www.loti.com/fifties_food/Dixie_Cups.htm
19. Rice Krispie treats
20. Alfajores…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfajor
21. Blondies
22. Croquembouche
23. Girl Scout Cookies
24. Moon Cake…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake
25. Candy Apple
26. Baked Alaska
27. Broklyn Egg Cream…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_cream
28. Nanaimo Bar
29. Baba au Rhum
30. King’s Cake
31. Sachertorte 
32. Pavlova
33. Tres Leches Cake
34. Trifle…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifle
35. Shoofly Pie….http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoofly_pie
36. Key Lime Pie (made with real key lime)
37. Panna Cotta
38. New York Cheesecake
39. Napolean
40. Russian Tea Cake/Mexican Wedding Cake
41. Anzac Biscuits
42. Pizzelle
43. Kolache
44. Buckeyes
45. Malasadas
46. Moon Pie
47. Dutch Baby
48. Boston Cream Pie
49. Homemade chocolate chip cookies
50. Pralines
51. Gooey Butter Cake
52. Rusks
53. Daifuku
54. Green tea cake or cookies
55. Cupcakes from a cupcake shop
56. Creme Brulee
57. Some sort of deep fried fair food (twinkie, candy bar, cupcake)
58. Yellow cake with chocolate frosting
59. Jelly Roll
60. Pop Tarts
61. Charlotte Russe
62. An “upside down” dessert (Pineapple upside down cake or Tarte Tatin)
63. Hummingbird cake
64. Jell-O from a mold
65. Black Forest Cake
66. Mock Apple Pie
67. Kulfi
68. Linzer Torte
69. Churro
70. Stollen
71. Angel Food Cake
72. Mincemeat Pie
73. Concha 
74. Opera Cake
75. Sfogliatelle/ Lobster Tail
76. Pain au Chocolate
77. A piece of Gingerbread House
78. Cassata
79. Cannoli
80. Rainbow Cookies
81. Religieuse
82. Petit Fours
83. Chocolate Souffle
84. Bienenstich/Bee Sting Cake
85. Rugelach
86. Hamenstachen
87. Homemade marshmallows
88. Rigo Janci
89. Pie or cake made with candy bar flavors (Snickers pie, Reeses pie, etc)
90. Divinity
91. Cola Cake
92. Gateau Basque
93. S’mores
94. Figgy Pudding
95. Bananas Foster or other flaming dessert
96. Joe froggers
97. Sables
98. Millionaire’s Shortbread
99. Animal Crackers
100. Basbousa