Christmas and Cake!

Season's Greetings! I feel like I must begin this post by saying that. It's the most wonderful time of the year, but when you live where it actually snows and go to PASTRY school, it really is the most wonderful time of the year. Add a weekend in NYC, known for its Christmas spectacular-ness, and you have the perfect recipe (get it?) for Christmas spirit. (I have not been able to decorate for Christmas personally, go out and see Christmas lights, and I am not in Georgia yet, with my family. Therefore, it doesn't completely feel like the holidays for me yet, but that will all come soon enough.)

Snowy Roth (I woke up to this one morning.)

Monday, December 6 (Day 1)
*Piping Gel for Homework
*Grease Cream (Butter Cream minus butter and sugar plus shortening and powdered sugar)
Each day for homework, we must pipe either "Happy Birthday," "Happy Anniversary," or "Congratulations" (certain days for each) and do a border on a 10 inch cake circle; pipe pearls, rosettes, shells, and reverse shells with grease cream; and make a marzipan rose. See below for examples.





Tuesday, December 7 (Day 2)
*Temper chocolate, with the Seeding method and Tabling method

Wednesday, December 8 (Day 3)
*Vanilla Sponge
*Frangipane
*Simple Syrup
*Hazelnut Cake (just the cake, no assembly)

Thursday, December 9 (Day 4)
*Practical Cake (one vanilla sponge, butter cream, vanilla simple syrup, raspberry jam, tempered chocolate coins)

Friday, December 10 (Day 5)
*Cheesecake (New York style, duh!)
*Carrot Cake (just the cake, no assembly)
*Chocolate Sponge (more practice for our practical exam)

My friend, Katy (remember her... I mention her all the time... she lives in Boston... blah, blah, blah :)), took the earliest bus from Boston to spend the day with me in the big City. Our day included, but was not limited to, the tree at Rockefeller Plaza (twice), shopping on Fifth Avenue (There is something I found at Tiffany's if you still need a gift idea for me... :)), eating Pizza, walking through and around Macy's, Caramel Brulee and Gingerbread lattes at Starbucks (and catching up with our other bff, Katie), Columbus Circle and the star lights display, Bouchon Bakery, Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, etc. It was the perfect day with the perfect company, and the weather was not too cold either. Thanks, Katy, for sharing in another first, Christmas in the City.

Katy and I in front of THE Tree in Rockefeller Center (on our second trip of the day to see it in its sparkly glory).

Monday, December 13 (Day 6)
*Hazelnut Cake (hazelnut cake, Frangelico simple syrup, praline mousseline, chocolate butter cream)
*Mocha Cake (chocolate sponge, coffee simple syrup, coffee butter cream, lace piping, chocolate cigarettes)

Mocha Cake (intense coffee flavor, hints the name)

Hazelnut Cake (Chocolate Butter Cream is HARD to work with; it melts and creates drama for Haley. My Florentines could be more centered too on top of the cake.)

Tuesday, December 14 (Day 7)
*Jaconde
*Ladyfingers
*Hazelnut Florentines (for garnish for Hazelnut Cake made on Day 6)

Wednesday, December 15 (Day 8)
HAPPY NATIONAL CUPCAKE DAY. (Really, I was in Cake Class on National Cupcake Day?)
*Puff Pastry
*Vanilla Sauce
*Charlotte Russe Cake (ladyfingers, chocolate sponge, simple syrup, Bavarian cream, chocolate shavings)
*Opera Cake (Jaconde, pate a glace, ganache, coffee butter cream, trablit simple syrup)

Charlotte Russe Cake (It is already cut into ten pieces, which is why there are lines between the ladyfingers.)

Thursday, December 16 (Day 9)
*Pithivier (puff pastry, frangipane, puff pastry)
*Vanilla Sponge

Pithivier (I did not have the opportunity to take a picture before it was sliced but there was a beautiful sunflower pattern on the top.)

Friday, December 17 (Day 10)
*Black Forest Cake
*Carrot Cake

Black Forest Cake (lots of Brandy and Kirsch in this cake= alcohol flavor... just what we "Germans" like)

I loved making this Carrot Cake. It was very fun, and I think it is my best cake to date, in this class and maybe ever?!

Monday, December 20 (Day 11) IN THE FUTURE :)
*Ganache for Opera Torte (finish Opera)
*Practice for Practical (students' choice)
*Final Exam
This is technically the LAST day for Basic and Classical Cakes. The last two days of the block are devoted to our Practical Exam.

Tuesday, December 21
Practical Exam Day 1

Wednesday, December 22
Practical Exam Day 2
Evaluation

I have bored you enough with my day-by-day synopsis and many pictures. I shall call it a night, a Friday night, that is. I will be sure to update everyone on my practical exam days and results. And, Georgia, I will see you in six-ish days.

COOKIES FOR SANTA? OR CAKE FOR SANTA? OR CARROT CAKE FOR BOTH SANTA AND THE REINDEER? OH THE DECISIONS A PASTRY CHEF MUST MAKE THIS TIME OF YEAR.

Cheerful Hay Reh

*Happy Belated Birthday, Catherine Nikkel. See you soon, 24 year old. Wowsers. :)