Pulled Sugar Rose

     Here is a super sparkly, not very good quality photo of a pulled sugar rose from class today.  The sugar is super hot and a little intimidating but once you get going it's fun.

Chocolate Showpiece

 This is how I spent my week

      I really liked working with chocolate, it was fun.  It was nice to use a little creative freedom with placement and shape.  I'm looking forward to the sugar showpieces we're starting tomorrow.
     Also, I have to bring home my chocolate showpiece tomorrow on the L.  Should be interesting.  Last week I took the metra to Rockford and at the station I saw a fellow pastry student carrying her wedding cake home.

Priceless.

 Chocolate Rose

Chocolate Daisy 

Packing Chocolate Candies

A sea of chocolates. 

Voila!

Rejects? Yes please.

Chocolate Enrobing

     We had a mini assembly line going on in chocolate class today, took me back to the days  when I worked in a factory. Ironically enough I use to package diabetic medication; chocolate is a lot more fun.

Today we enrobed ganache (versus hand dipping). 

Chocolate!

This is the transfer sheet we used for the 

Earl Grey Ganache. Once the chocolate dries the plastic sheet
is pulled off and the design transfers to the chocolate.  

Peanut Butter Ganache was given some texture.

Some of the ladies dipping rocher. Yum.

Hand Painted Chocolates

We did some finger painting in class today. 

I made these.  Passion fruit filled chocolates.  

Zingy in the most delightful way.

These are the Chef's.  (he airbrushed the color on his)

Chocolate Candies

Chocolates filled with Caramel 

     It's Chocolates this week (& next) and oh boy! I'm having fun.  It's so chill in the kitchen and Julia is ridiculous as a partner.  Chef Josh walks around the kitchen and really helps us out, like when my little truffles look a bit like an animal dropping.  I feel stupid for not having realized how simple making chocolates can be.  Even tempering chocolate isn't as difficult as I thought.
     Time is really winding down now.  I love going to school and hanging out with everyone after class.  It's going to suck being back in the real world.

Truffle Assembly Line 

Alejandra is crazy.

Julia (the best partner ever) and I are working hard. 

Mom Day

A tribute to Mom through pictures.

Mom

Mom's Babies

Mom's New Daughter Mai

Mom Loves Roller Coasters

Grand babies Julia...

 and Blake

 I love you Mom.

Time Flies

      Only six weeks of school left... crazy.  Had exams this week for sugar candies, ice cream and plated desserts.  I don't think things went too badly.  One thing we made for exams was chocolate caramels so I know my mom will be happy. Not only am I giving her those for Mothers Day but also some jam we made at the end of last week.  The next section is chocolate candies.  I'm excited about my new partner and Chef Josh, I think both will be super fun.  Went out to lunch after class today, I'm going to miss everyone.  I'm just crossing my fingers some people will stay here in the city.

Some Random Pictures:

Cyndi @ Chad's 30th

     Chad's 30th birthday was an 80's themed murder mystery party.  Michael Jackson turned out to be the murderer.  This picture is all of my classmates who were there.  Starting on the back left: Joan Jett, Molly Ringwald, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Prince. Front row: Cher, Michael Jackson, Billy Idol, Wynonna Judd, Whitney Houston and Tina Turner.

Me as Cyndi Lauper 

Chad, I mean Billy Idol, passing out some of his giant b-day cake.

Below are pictures from Fridays class.  

In three groups of six we had to create a plated dessert.

My groups dessert:

Fried beignet rolled in sugar and filled with lime curd, raspberries, 

florentine tuile and coconut sorbet.  Every dessert was plated 

three different ways.

 Lemon Cake filled with Lemon Cream

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bombe with Bananas Foster