Here’s what’s been going on in the past month (yes! It’s been THAT long!).
Hazelnut dacquoise with a surprise crispy praline filling, whipped chocolate mousse, and milk chocolate discs. One of my favorite cakes we’ve made thus far. The ground hazelnuts and crispy milk chocolate surprise is definitely reminiscent of nutella but with elegance and refinement. Even milk chocolate haters were swooning over this one.
Two layers of mousse: vanilla and chocolate, sandwiched between joconde sponge layers with a caramelized top. My favorite part was the bruléed top.
Pastry chefs are commonly in charge of savory petit fours, so I was excited to be working with some different flavor profiles. However, I was sort of disappointed with what we made. Nothing too exciting about puff pastry and sausage.
Lesson 13: Trésor Vanille Fraises des Bois
A dome cake made with an almond dacquoise, wild strawberry mousse, and a bruleed chiboust vanilla cream. Wild french strawberries are fantastic. They’re almost like a cross between a strawberry and a raspberry.
A chestnut cake made with chestnut mousse and chestnut cream and decorated with a chocolate spray gun. Quite fun using the gun but the cake was definitely not one of my favorites. I like chestnut flavors, but something about this cake didn’t do it for me.
Lesson 15: Entremets Passionata
The best cake we’ve made so far! Passion fruit cream and raspberry mousse on top of a coconut dacquoise and wrapped with a joconde sponge. I usually like having lots of textural contrast in my mouth, but the flavors here just worked really well and didn’t need any extra bite to feel complete. In class the chef said that if the cake is wrapped well it can last up to 3 years in the freezer! I’m not going to wait that long to eat it, but my mom is visiting next month so we’ll see how it tastes after 30+ days in sub below degrees.
A walnut cake with caramel mousse and walnut sponge base. The flavors are very reminiscent of a creme brulee.
The traditional french wedding cake, the base is made with nougatine and supports a tower of caramel crusted choux pastry filled with pastry cream. The nougatine was hard to work with as we had to cut and shape all the pieces while still hot, but pretty worthwhile. The choux part was fairly straight forward, except it was hard to keep the symmetry right.
Lesson 19: Introduction to Boulangerie
We made the quintessential french baguette and pain de mie. It was a nice change to work with bread dough. Shaping baguette is quite difficult and a skill in itself! This was our last practical of the semester. Although we do have one more demo left, it was bittersweet to work with some for the last time. Some classmates are going back home while others are doing the intensive superior session.
Vivienne says
ive got my eyes on the walnut cake!! can’t believe you’re almost done with intermediate..felt like it was only recent when you first started! keep it up!
babycakes says
omg the douceur chocolat and plaisir my favs. im really sad to hear that the dome aux marrons wasnt amazing 🙁 i love marrons. your brioche came out SO cute!! hahahah i need you to bake me some baguettes!!! and one more douceur choc and a plaisir please!! btw im sooo proud of you look at all these desserts and breads uve made!!! its incredible jess, you are doing so well 🙂 proud mama bear moment <3
Kathy says
Wow! And I’ve always wondered how it would be to make Croquembouche.
sunny says
the descriptions are drool-worthy enough but your pictures make it even more torturous!! these are some cakes i’ve never seen before but now i feel like my life wouldnt be complete until ive tasted them!!!
julie says
i showed your blog to your mom and bragged to her “nae chingoo ga man dul uh ssuh” and she was so excited, said if you open a bakery in korea, she’s gonna march in everyday with different group of her friends. i’ll do the same
A Little Yumminess says
Oh my Goodness – you have learnt so much! Amazing, beautiful, mouthwatering dessrts! Wow!
yd says
Wish you had stopped by my blog earlier, then would have your fantastic blog much much earlier!!
Leanne says
WOWWWWW!!!!!!! =]
YUMMMMMMMMM
JUAN says
How did i miss this entry? BAGUEEEEETTES!
Nic says
Oh wow, what beautiful creations! How do you get such a perfect circle of chocolate without it breaking? Love all your work!
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes) says
Wow. All of those look soo good. I’m so jealous of you. I hope to go there too, sometime in the future!