BAKING AND PASTRY TECHNIQUES

April 17, 2013

We were off and running in the kitchen first thing this morning.  The Chef started by demonstrating how to finish the roll out and makeup of the danish.  We learned how to do a string danish (circle and figure 8), pocket, half-pocket and bear claw. 

From left to right, Half-Pocket, String (Figure 8, Circle), Pocket

Bear Claw

After the demonstration, we started scaling out for our fillings and prepared them.  Once completed, we starting on the danish makeup, proofed and in the oven.   

Danish Pastries

We were in a rush to finish at the end of class. Our trays were last into the oven.  We took them out too early as our finished product was doughy.  

BAKING AND PASTRY TECHNIQUES

April 16, 2013

We had a quiz today on the ten steps of dough production and flour.  After the quiz, we went to the kitchen and each team scaled one of the filling for demonstration.  The fillings will be cheese filling, cherry filling and blueberry filling.  After the scaling was complete, the Chef demonstrated how to mix each of the filling we will be making tomorrow in the kitchen.


Here is a picture of how the completed blueberry filling looks when done properly using the cooked fruit method (fruit softened by cooking):

BAKING AND PASTRY TECHNIQUES

April 15, 2013

In Denmark, the Danish pastry is called Wienerbrod (Vienna Bread). 

We completed our review of laminated dough in the classroom and also discussed cheese and fruit fillings.  We will be making these fillings this week for the Danish. 

BAKING AND PASTRY TECHNIQUES

April 11, 2013

We have moved on from yeast dough to laminated dough (pastry dough that is prepared by layering dough and fat along with a process of rolling and folding). We were back in the kitchen to prepare danish dough, streusel topping, simple sugar, and cinnamon sugar. These are being prepared for class next week. Danish dough is required to retard (the process in which a baker uses refrigeration to slow down yeast activity) for at least 4 hours or overnight.  In this case, it will be until we get into the kitchen next week.

Just like yeast dough, the pastry dough ingredients is required to be put into the mixer in a specific order to protect the yeast.  Because the formula includes a fat (butter), it is added in the reverse order of the yeast dough.  The sugar, vanilla, milk and butter are added first followed by the eggs, flour and then yeast.  Once mixed, this dough is very sticky. The dough is then put onto a cellophane covered sheet pan, then covered with cellophane, pressed flat with your hands into a rectangle shape and placed in the freezer for ten minutes. 

While the dough is in the freezer, we pound out the butter.  We take 1 pound of cold butter and beat it down with a rolling pin.  There was laughing during this process as students are hammering away at the butter throughout the room.  Once it is the size of butter wrapper we cover is with cellophane and roll it into a smooth rectangle.  

By this time we are done with the butter the dough was ready to come out of the freezer. By freezing the dough, it has made it cold (needed so the butter does not melt) and less sticky so we can work with it.  I am chosen from my team to roll out the dough first.  I roll it out so it is 1/3 larger than the rolled butter plus 1/2" edge.  Then the butter is placed on the dough.  

The portion of the dough without the butter (1/3) is folded to the center, then the remaining 1/3 is folded over the previous fold. 




After the dough is folded, the dough is pressed down along the edges to seal in the butter.  This is called "lock-in".  After the lock-in is complete, we roll out the dough and complete the folding process three more times.  This makes for 135 layers in which the butter will melt between the layers during baking. 

BAKING AND PASTRY TECHNIQUES

April 10, 2013

It was a crazy hectic stressful yet exciting day in class today.  We were assigned teams first thing after getting in.  I am part of Team #1.  The Chef indicates each team will be assigned a week where we are the sous chefs in the kitchen. The sous chefs will be responsible for making sure the ovens are on, the  shelves and refrigerators are organized, and coordinate and direct clean up in the kitchen.  This is a difficult task as we have never worked in this particular kitchen with this equipment and we will be directing our peers. Of course then she says we are starting with Team #1 this week. 

We are making french bread and white pan bread.  So we get into the kitchen and after getting our aprons and hats on my team sets up the proof box and getting the ovens started and temps adjusted. These ovens take about an hour to heat up so we had to make sure this was done first. After this task was complete, we started scaling for the french bread (lean dough), dividing up so each person takes an ingredient. Once all the ingredients were scaled accurately, I am excited that we are starting the mixing procedure and actually making something.  Unfortunately this is short lived as the Chef comes by 2 minutes later and says our dough is not right.  This is so deflating and I feel nervous that we have possibly screwed up on our first baking task as she is patiently trying to salvage our dough by mixing more water in to it.  



After several tense minutes of watching and discussing issues that could have happened to the mix, the Chef has done all she can do and the dough looks horrible, the water was too hot when originally added to the mix. She indicates that we can use it as is or make a new batch.  We opted for the new batch. 



While waiting for the second batch of lean dough to mix, we move on to scaling the white pan bread (rich dough).  I have scaled out the butter and am putting my knife down and somehow nick one of my fingers ever so slightly. The knives are very sharp so I am now bleeding and have to ask the Chef to bandage me up.  I have to double glove it the rest of the class. Not the best start so far, LOL.

The white pan bread formula (all recipes are referred to formulas because baking is a science) goes as planned and we now have both doughs fermenting in the proof box. At this point, I ask the Chef if we are good to start moving the mixers out into the hall (all the movable equipment has to be removed from the kitchen to scrub the floor thoroughly).  She indicates that it was a good time. Now the kitchen is completely chaotic as everyone is running around and talking to each other.  I attempt to talk over everyone to direct them to start moving equipment out and about 15 seconds in the Chef interrupts by loudly yelling for everyone to be quiet and listen up because I have been trying to unsuccessfully direct the class. She then asks that I use by outdoor voice.
I am now completely embarrassed as all eyes are on me and the room is totally silent as I direct everyone to move equipment out the door. Ah, one of my finer moments in life. 

While our dough was fermenting, the Chef shows us the remaining steps to completed our dough production before baking, punching, portioning, rounding, shaping and proofing. We complete the rest of the tasks without incident.  With the extra dough we made rolls.  The chef showed us how to use the dough cutting machine for rolls and make two different shapes (a standard roll shape and a knot).    



The knot was easy but the standard shape requires locking your hands together at the base of your index fingers so your thumbs cross over one another and using the index through the ring fingers in an arch applying just the right pressure to roll the dough. Everyone struggled with this and as you can see the shapes need some work. We added cheese and onion topping to some before baking. Others received melted butter or butter, garlic, parsley topping out of the oven.  

After the breads came out of the oven, we set up the window display and wrapped up our breads to take home.  The breads taste wonderful.

BAKING AND PASTRY TECHNIQUES

April 9, 2013

We continued discussion on breads with the history of bread and discussed what specifically designates an artisan bread (high-quality, no chemicals, traditional ingredients, no additives or preservatives, natural/organic ingredients, often baked without a pan). The Chef brought us into the kitchen and demonstrated how to use two of the ovens that we will be working with tomorrow. They are bit more complicated than the oven shown here. One of the ovens has a steam feature with a damper to release the steam after steaming is complete. We will be using the steam for the french bread we will be baking.  If  making at home, the Chef indicated you can use a bowl of ice in the oven to accomplish the same effect and then open the oven door to release the steam.


We were also shown how to operate the proof box, a special cabinet used to control temperature and humidity. The proof box helps reduce the proofing time frame of the dough (the final rise of the yeast product prior to baking it). While proofing dough at room temperature would take approximately 1 to 1-1/2 hours, the proof box will drop the time frame to about 1/2 hour.




After walk through of the equipment we will be using, the Chef provided a demonstration on the first couple of steps in the straight dough mixing method for yeast dough products, scaling the ingredients and mixing. Scaling just involves accurately measuring the ingredients, but it is important to have all ingredients scaled prior to mixing. 


Obviously mixing is combining the ingredients but it is also to distribute the yeast and develop the gluten.  Mixing requires the use of the hook in the mixer and that the ingredient be put into the mixer in a specific method and order, then mixed for 7 to 8 minutes. 




We were also shown how to test the dough to make sure it ready. Interestingly you take about a golf ball size piece of dough, and then you gently stretch it to make a window, see through the dough without putting a hole in it, then you tap the center.  If it bounces back and does not break, then the dough is ready.  Tomorrow we make French bread and white pan bread and learn first hand all 10 steps of dough production.    

BAKING AND PASTRY TECHNIQUES

April 8, 2013

Finally after 3 months of school, I started Introduction to Baking and Pastry. From here on out I should have all classes related to baking and I am very excited. We will have 2 days in the classroom and 2 days in the kitchen.  We were introduced to the Chef briefly a week ago. I believe she is the only female Chef instructor at the school.  She graduated from the school many years ago and has been teaching at it for the last 5 years.  


After obtaining our workbooks and reviewing the syllabus for the course, we started learning about breads. Today's class was on yeast breads. We reviewed the 2 major categories of yeast breads, lean dough, which are lower in fat and sugar such as bagels, pizza dough, and Italian bread, and rich dough, which has a higher proportion of fat, sugar, and sometimes eggs such as sweet rolls, coffee cake and egg dough. We also reviewed the ten steps of dough production. Tomorrow I believe we will be given a demonstration on the basic mixing methods for the production of the yeast dough so we can work on it in teams in the kitchen on Wednesday and Thursday. I have never worked with yeast so this will definitely be an interesting week.  

We will be moving very fast through this course as well.  Based on a comment the instructor mentioned, I believe the school condensed the courses from 12 week courses to 6 weeks which is why we move so fast through everything.  The class is also a bigger class.  We have about 20 students at the moment which means our groups will be split into 5 groups of 4.  The baking kitchens were not made for such large classes so it will be cramped working space.  Hopefully it will be better than I am anticipating when it comes to the kitchen chaos.  Lots of homework will be given in this class as well.  We skipped over Module 1 all together in class which is 82 pages of workbook topics and information which we have been assigned to research and find on our own within the next 2 weeks. All and all I am excited to be learning the introductory knowledge of baking and pastry and can't wait to get into the kitchen and start making bread and danish this week.