Sometimes....your frangipane just falls on the floor.

So today, was day 9 of Pies & Tarts. Practical Day.

Our mission:
One Lemon Meringue Pie finished with a meringue

One Chocolate Cream Pie finished with chantilly cream

6 Ganache Tartlets finished with chantilly

6 Frangipane Tartlets finished with powdered sugar

6 Chocolate Cream Tartlets finished with chantilly cream

All finished with appropriate garnishes. All while fighting over ovens, bowls, and ingredients.

While this practical was FAR more relaxed than almost any other one I have done. It was still stressful and on top of it all, I was chef of the day (which means basically I have to take care of all the log and sanitation crap that has to be done hourly).

So after running around doing my duties, I rolled out my blind crusts and had to wait to put them in our assigned oven because it was occupied by others' smaller items (that could have waited!). Not only do the blind shells take longer but they have to cool before you use them and you can't start your fillings before hand really, its best (for presentation) to dump the filling in right away. So, I was stressing about that...and did little jobs while I was waiting for the shells to bake. AND THEN....my poor little frangipane tartlets (that looked very nice) were sitting on a half sheet on a rolling rack when my friend accidentally took a full sheet pan tried to put it where my pan was and knocked them off....onto the floor. And when everyone was shouting "whose are these"...I knew...they were mine. And sure enough they were...

And I am somewhat ashamed to say this, but my classmates backed me up on this...I cried. I cried like two year old whose painting got accidentally smashed my her older brother. And then even when I knew it was silly and pointless for me to get upset, I kept on crying. Then crying and laughing. (I felt bad because my friend felt really guilty too) In the end, I wasn't penalized and she had to remake them for me, with dough and someones left over filling. So once that was all over, I got back into the swing of things, our time limit was extended and all went well.

Yet, while we were all working ANOTHER half sheet of tartlets DOWN...ON THE GROUND (that definitely made my friend feel better about dumping mine). And then later, another girl kinda accidentally smashed another girls pretty piping on her cream pie.

Lesson learned: Never use a half sheet on your practical day.

My Practical Results!

But all's well that ends well. I think I did very well, and handled it all quite well (even though I am a little embarrassed I cried for the first time during a practical, though I have been close before!). I am very sad to see this class go, my chef was AWESOME! And making pies was tons of fun. It really rejuvenated my enthusiasm in the kitchen as well as being at this school. I was doubting it all, until I started Pies & Tarts.

So, tomorrow starts Cookies & Petit Fours. However, I will not be going until Monday because I have to travel home for some family stuff.

So until Monday bloggers!