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!

Tartlets Galore. Bite Sized Heavens.

The cutest day of pies & tarts so far...tons of tartlets (baby tarts!).

Who doesn't love miniatures? Kittens..... puppies..... cupcakes.... tartlets!

We each had to make four different types (eight at least of each).

-Lemon Curd

-Fruit (with pastry cream)

-Frangipane

-Ganache

Lemon Curd Tartlets

To make the lemon curd, you create a double boiler. And in the bowl over simmering water, place eggs yolks, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk this until it becomes very thick, almost the consistency of pastry cream. Pass it through sieve and stir in the butter.

Spoon or pipe the lemon curd into the blind baked (cooled) tartlet shells.Top with a common meringue and then brown.

Finished Lemon Curd Tartlets

Fruit Tartlets

To prevent the shell from getting soggy, brush the bottom of the tartlet shell with melted chocolate.

Make your pastry cream as usual. Milk and sugar to a boil, temper into egg yolks,cornstarch, and additional sugar. Bring to a boil and heat until thick and creamy.

Cool the pastry cream before using. Pipe it into the shell over the chocolate layer. Fill to the brim. Then select desired fruits (berries, mandarin oranges, pineapples*,kiwi) and arrange in any desired fashion. To add sweetness, shine and shelf life glaze with a slightly thinned out heated apricot jam.

Finished Fruit Tartlets

Frangipane Tartlets

These are the only tartlets in which the filling is baked inside, rather than added after the shells have cooled.

To make this frangipane, cream the butter and sugar. Add the almond paste, eggs and then finally the cake flour. Pipe this mixture into the raw dough, top with slivered almonds (crush if desired) and bake until lightly golden brown and the filling is firm to the touch. Once they cool, garnish with powdered sugar.

Finished

Frangipane Tartlets

Ganache Tartlets

These tartlets are by far the easiest and (to chocolate lovers) the tastiest. You start with a basic ganache. Heat the heavy cream and pour over equal amounts (to the weight of the cream) of dark chocolate (or white) and a little bit of butter. Stir until it comes together. Pour directly into the cooled prepared tartlet shells. Before setting add any garnishes that will not stick by themselves, such as fruit or nuts. After it sets pipe with chantilly cream or dust with powdered sugar, if desired. (yeah, that's literally it)

Finished Ganache Tartlets

More Assorted Tartlets

And now, for the most EPIC tartlet EVER.

Why yes, that is ganache, pastry cream and chantilly cream. And yes, it was amazing.

My partner and I (both self proclaimed Fatties) got a litttttle excited. And made a snack for ourselves.

When life hands you lemons, make lemon meringue...

What do you do with the juice and zest of four lemons? you make lemon meringue pie.

Lemon Filling Procedure

Making the lemon filling is very similar to most of the other fillings made previously. You boil the water, sugar and lemon zest. Then you create a slurry with eggs, cornstarch and reserved water. Temper the egg mixture in and then whisk constantly until thickened and clear looking. Then take it off the heat, add butter and lemon juice. ( I know sounds kinda weird, but its good). Transfer directly to pre baked pie shell and cover immediately with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. It is to be finished with a common (aka cold/french) that is torched.

Unfinished filled lemon pie

Cream Pies

We also made cream pies, pretty much any kind of cream pie you want to make you can. Chocolate, vanilla, coconut, white chocolate, banana, anything and any combination. I chose to make half chocolate half coconut (like a mounds bar!). Making a cream pie, is basically making pastry cream and putting it in the a pie shell (delicious!). So the same procedure as before... Boil milk and sugar (and chocolate). Create a slurry with eggs, cornstarch and some reserved milk. Temper the slurry in, and heat until thickened. Add flavorings (vanilla, coconut, bananas, liquors). My partner added dark chocolate to hers and I added toasted coconut to mine. And the mounds pie was born.

Unfinished Mounds Cream Pie

~To be finished with chantilly cream~

Finishing the Turtle Pie

To finish the turtle pie, apply a thin layer of chantilly cream to cover it all up, and then pipe as desired. We did rosettes all the way around and then several in the middle.

Finished Turtle Pie

**don't mind my bad piping, was in a rush!**

We ate the turtle pie, but I didn't have time to take a picture....I ate it too fast.