Oh, to be a cookie monster...

So, my cookies class has started. And to be honest...its a little lackluster.

A lot of the things we have made are sort of everyday or just okay. Not to mention we have yet to have a demo.

I've decided I am only going to blog about the "highlights" of the day, Also I may combine class days (as I am for Monday and Tuesday of this week).

So on Monday we made Pecan Fudge Brownies, finished with ganache. When I say fudge, I mean FUDGE. They were so dense, chewy and buttery like the fudge candy.

Fudgey-Fudge Brownie Batter

Applying the Ganache Fudgey-Fudge Brownies

Finished Fudgey-Fudge Brownies

Hazelnut Biscotti

Biscotti, are a favorite of many to accompany their hot coffee or a cold glass of milk. These hard yet slightly chewy cookies, baked twice, can be made in a variety of flavors. We made hazelnut and dipped them in both dark and white chocolate.

Once the dough is made, it is formed into long thin logs and baked until firm but with little to no color.

1st bake-Biscotti

They are then sliced on a biased and baked again at a lower temp (325 F) until dried and golden brown. The thicker you cut them the less dry and hard they will be come. Once cooled, if desired dip in chocolate.

Dipped Hazelnut Biscotti

We also made short dough (1-2-3 dough), lined a half sheet with it and par-baked it. My group made lemon bars and they were soooo gross,everyone's were the same...SUPER EGGY! And some other groups made pecan (or walnut) diamonds. Those were a lot more appetizing.

We also made linzer dough...again. And made a linzer bar out of it using the same method as with the linzer torte. Dough, raspberry jam, strips of dough. And again...not my favorite. I did like the trimmed edges where it was mostly dough and just a touch of jam. Making thumbprint cookies out of this dough would be good, I think. We also made marzipan to be shaped later on, that i am kinda excited about. I wanna make a pineapple, a penguin, ladybug and maybe hello kitty (we shall see!

My partner and I rapidly made our madelines and had to un-mold them at the very end of class, even after the cleaning (this was because of the lack of ample pans and they were such a pain in the neck to clean!). So needless to say, i didn't take any pictures of them. oh well.

Me, being the fatty that I am, could not let those brownies go without being consumed with some vanilla icecream...so my roommate and our friend had sundaes after class today! Yummmmmmmy :D

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!