Developing and Refining One's Sense of Taste - week 17

Pastry is covered in two classes. Tonight is part I. Chef lectured and demonstrated how to make
Classic madeleines
Flourless chocolate cake
La genoise
Strawberry tart

The class was asked to make
La genoise
Strawberry tart

What I  learned

• The cacao bean is roasted and separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter
• Chocolate ranges (e.g. bittersweet) are based on the amount of sugar added to the chocolate and cocoa butter
• White chocolate is cocoa butter with sugar added
• 80% of cocoa butter is used in cosmetics
• Cocoa nib is the bean the comes out of the pod
• A beautiful tart is about the fruit
• Rolling pins never go in the dishwasher
• Soy been basked lard = Crisco, lard = rendered pork fat

Observations

• Chef told the room "baking is engineering, cooking is poetry". It makes sense. 
• Chef reminded us that vanilla is the only edible orchid that we eat
• The class has asked Chef to make donuts next week. He has agreed to do so.
• The tart shells were blind baked using pie  weights made of black beans wrapped in commercial grade plastic wrap. Blind baking is baking a pastry without its filling.
• Coffee filters can be used for holding pie weights for blind baking.
• Chef casually mentioned to the class that Market Basket is in two weeks. 
• Thank goodness for Angie. She remembered that the class would only be sampling pastry and asked Chef to make a pasta dish  for the class. 

Self realization

• Marl made the fruit tarts. Marl informed me that working with pastry is like dealing with woman - it has to be done with finesse. My response?  Um okay, Marl.  
• I made the genoise. On my first attempt the egg mixture turned to scrambled eggs (the egg mixture in this recipe was more delicate than the egg mixture in hollandaise sauce). On my second attempt the eggs were frothy and expansive and when the flour was added became a light batter. 
• The baked genoise will be used in next week's class. 
• Marl made enough tarts for each of us to take home. 
• Marl asked me if making the pastry reminded of using my Holly Hobbie oven. I had to admit I had no idea who Holly Hobbie was and that my love of baking started with the Easy Bake oven   I received for  Christmas one year.
  

Next week: pastry part II.

Be well,
Technicolor girl