TECHNIQUES AND ARTISTRY IN SUGAR

November 21, 2013

To get more practice with our techniques, we made another rose piece.  This time we worked with Isomalt instead of regular sugar.  Isomalt is a sugar that has been chemically altered to withstand moisture so the piece will last long without crystallizing or falling apart quickly.  The Isomalt was cooked at a bit higher temperatures but the techniques for pouring and pulling the Isomalt were the same as sugar.

TECHNIQUES AND ARTISTRY IN SUGAR

November 20, 2013

This week we made a larger showpiece out of sugar. We split into teams and each made a underwater fish scene. 

For this showpiece we created our own base by utilizing aluminium foil.  We used three different color blues, each a bit darker than the other to create the color variation in the base to look like water.

We create coral pieces by pulling clear sugar and adding yellow and orange color as we pulled the sugar.  Then we cut and shaped the pulled sugar and used PVC pipe to create movement of the coral.

We made fish by taking pulled sugar and blowing air into it and then pulled sugar to created the fins and tail.  Each team member created one fish.  The one below is the one I created.

We then created bubble sugar by pouring some casting sugar on crinkled parchment paper and then shaping to create movement.

We made rock sugar by mixing casting sugar and adding royal icing to it.  It foams up then deflates. We then carved pieces to look like coral rock. 

We added the remaining fish, coral, bubble sugar and seaweed to complete the piece.

TECHNIQUES AND ARTISTRY IN SUGAR

November 15, 2013

Continuing working with sugar, we made a second show piece out of sugar.  We started with a different base, again casting sugar into molds and assembled the base.

We then cast different colored sugars into a template in stages.  We first started with a heart.

Once the heart had harden, we cast the stand piece and add some color into the stand.

We also cast the inside heart piece.

Once the inside heart had set up, we added texture with a chef knife to the heart.

After all the pieces were cast and hardened, we assembled the piece very carefully.

We added roses, ribbon, and an envelope for finishing touches.

Our team piece was the only one that made it to the display window today without breaking into pieces.

TECHNIQUES AND ARTISTRY IN SUGAR

November 14, 2013

This week we started Sugar class.  We learned how to cook sugar properly, learned some various sugar techniques,  and made a couple of artisan sugar pieces.  




Just like chocolate we made the different components to assemble the piece.  We  started by casting sugar into molds to create the base feet and the base. 

We then made pulled sugar and shaped the trunk. 

We made more pulled sugar and learned how to make pedals for the roses along with the stems and the leaves. 

We made a background piece using sugar and Isomalt, a sugar that has been chemically altered to absorb less moisture and withstand higher cooking temperatures.

When it came to assembly, we started with a piece that was very fragile.

Unfortunately I bumped one of the pieces that was hanging out with my elbow and the trunk broke into pieces, some of which shattered on the floor. It sounded like glass breaking. I was completely devastated. Fortunately several of the trunk pieces were still in tack so the Chef was able help assemble an alternative trunk piece to complete the piece.

CONTEMPORARY AND CLASSIC CAKES

November 7, 2013

This week we had finals. Our practical final only encompassed one day. We were to make a spongecake, Italian Buttercream, and chocolate filigrees.  We were then required to cut, decorate, and display the cake.  This was the easiest practical final we have had since I started pastry school.

CONTEMPORARY AND CLASSIC CAKES

October 31, 2013

This week we are making Petit Fours and L'Opera Torte.

For the Petit Fours we made a Joconde Spongecake.  This is a spongecake made with almond flour.  

The spongecake was then covered with raspberry jam.

Another layer of spongecake was placed on top and the process repeated.  Once there were three layers of cake, the cake was sandwiched between bagel boards with weights on top to set over night so the cake would be smooth and level.

For the Opera Torte, the same spongecake was used. The cake was layered with a coffee syrup, chocolate ganache and a coffee buttercream and then weighted over night.

The next day we finished assembly of the Petit Fours and Opera Torte. The Petit Fours were topped with a thin layer of Marzipan (an almond paste/sugar mix) and cut into one and one-quarter inch pieces.

A fondant was poured over the cake to en-robe the cakes. Our fondant was a little thin so it did not cover the sides of the cakes as intended.

One-half of the cakes were then finished with a butter cream rose while the other half were finished with a butter cream dollop and dragées.  I did not like these Petit Fours as they were way too sweet.

Petit Four with Butter Cream Rose

Petit Four with Butter Cream Dollop and Dragées

The Opera Torte was finished with a layer of ganache, a butter cream dollop, and a chocolate filigree. These were not bad but had a very strong coffee flavor that seemed a bit over powering.

We also used the extra Carrot Cakes and Devil's Food Cakes to make some additional Petit Fours. The Carrot Cakes had a layer of cream cheese frosting in between and another on top and finished with a butter cream carrot. 

The Devil's Food Cakes had a raspberry jam in the middle and covered with a chocolate mirror glaze, topped with butter cream dollop and a chocolate filigree.

These chocolate cakes were so good I could have eaten a whole tray full. 

CONTEMPORARY AND CLASSIC CAKES

October 24 , 2013

This week we made three different torte cakes. The first torte we made was a Chocolate Caramel Maxine Torte. This consisted of a Chocolate Sponge Cake on the bottom, a layer of Chocolate Mousse, a layer of Caramel Filling, and a final layer of Chocolate Mousse, topped with a filigree and gold leaf. 

Chocolate Caramel Maxine Torte 

We had used a whipped topping due to a shortage of whipping cream so the mousse had a chocolate Cool Whip taste.  It would have been a much better torte if it was made with whipping cream. 

The second torte we made was a Tiramisu Torte Cake. This consisted of a Lady Fingers soaked in a coffee simple syrup, with a Marscarpone Cream Mousse, topped with whipped cream and Lady Fingers.

Tiramisu Torte Cake

This torte was good but had a very strong coffee flavor to it.  I am guessing this was because the coffee was made with an instant coffee.

The third torte made was a Sacher Torte. This consisted of a Chocolate Sacher Torte Cake.  We split the cakes in half and filled half the cakes with Raspberry Jam and the other half with Apricot Jam. The cakes were also crumb coated with the jam and then a layer of Chocolate Glaze poured on top.  

This torte was a sweet cake with sweet jam and seemed a bit too sweet to me. 

All in all the tortes made were good but none stood out in taste in particular.