I woke up extremely early at 6am for an early demonstration class, and I skipped breakfast as usual because it's too early for me to keep any food down. Then I met my friend, Sonya and took the taxi motorcycle down to the MRT.
We were chatting about her worries of forgetting to bring something to school, and I smugly told her that I have everything that I need, all in my bag - because I always pack the night before.
Then, as we got down to the locker room, it suddenly dawned on me...that, I didn't have the locker keys.
Did I mentioned that my sis is in town for a visit? Which of course, meant that I have left behind the apartment' keys for her use...and, did I mentioned that I also attached the locker' keys along with the apartment keys???
Oh, maybe I did not mentioned before about that, but now you know!
Being in school with no locker keys = I have no access to my notes, my safety shoes, my name tags, my pencil case, my tool kit and part of my uniform. Basically, I am screwed. I arrived 45 minutes earlier to school, and was contemplating between borrowing the lock cutter from the Student Services, versus calling my sis and asking her to speed down with the bunch of keys...
I chose the former; because I don't think she will get there in time, and I didn't want to be undressed and not ready for class. I would be dreadfully flustered if that's the case!
So, I had the misfortune of using the lock cutter, carrying the tool with one hand *cue dramatic music*, and the other; shaking imaginary pathetic handshakes from school mates, who all cast the sympathetic look at me and mouths "I get you, girl!".
While everyone uses the mini locks for their locker, I decided to be different and stand out. I used a gigantic lock. *FML* It took 3 classmate's girly power to help cut the lock - I was that desperate! HAHA! We managed to get it cut and I managed to be all ready for class. My kind friend, Mew who is of mixed Thai & Hong Kong parentage helped me to store my expensive branded 'bag' a.k.a tool kit in her locker.
Lesson learned - don't be so sure and smug. SHIT happens!
Today's demonstration was purely focusing on Petits-Fours Secs; dry petits fours biscuits. Petit is small, and fours is a slang in French for mouth, whereas Secs means in one or two mouthful. Chef Marc demonstrated a few petit four recipes, which mostly required carrying out the technique of crémage; combining soften butter with icing sugar/sugar/brown sugar etc.
We have the Tuiles Aux Amandes, Viennois, Palets Aux Raisins, Biarritz and Langue-De-Chat, and some other recipes.
These are dry small bites biscuits, and a few recipes required piping works. I get to practice a little on my piping skills today during practical, which I must say, is improving ever since I last piped my batches of butter cookies!
I actually do like piping works because I've learned how to use the piping bag properly; which includes scrapping the batter on the piping bag down using a scrapper, and pushing a little of the piping bag into the nozzle to prevent leakage...and for good grip, to wind the excess piping bag at the opening, over your thumb and under it, before twisting to secure the bag itself.
It's actually kinda complicated if you read what I just wrote, I hope one day I'll be able to post up a video. HAHA!
There's Biarritz, which is coated with dark pate a glacer; melted chocolate compound. You can coat it completely on one side, or just coat half. Followed by Langues de chat also known as Cat's Tongues, which made me hesitate to eat it because I have visions of my family pets back home. HAHA!
For our practical class today, we had the chance to bake the above 3 types of biscuits, as well as prepare the Misc En Place for Moelleux Chocolate (more on that once I've baked it!)
The presentation looks wonderful isn't it, I especially love the Viennois, which involves piping a reasonable about 2.5cm sized biscuit, and then piping a small amount of raspberry jam and sandwiching it together. Followed by dipping the tail part into the dark pate a glacer.
Mean while, presenting to you, my baked products!
This practical lesson focuses a lot on the crémage technique, and for some reason, out of the 4 recipes we have to complete, 3 of the recipes is for 2 pax, which means my friend, Sonya and myself took turns to one recipe or the other. And we shared the batter between us.
I did the batter for Viennois, while she did the batter for Tuiles Aux Amandes. We had to ensure that the viennois are piped according to the right sizes in order to pair it up at the end with a little raspberry jam and coated in dark pate a glacer. While for the Tuiles Aux Amandes, the batter has to be enough for 24 pieces.
The Tuiles Aux Amandes is a little tricky to make, as it involves quick removal of the Tuiles from the baking sheets while it's still hot, and you have to immediately try to press it down a curved mold to get the shape. Firstly, you will burn your fingers trying to pick the Tuiles from the baking sheets and then a second burn from pressing it down the mold.
The taste is a little sugary and crunchy from all that almonds. It's almost like a nutty version of the love letters we have back in Singapore, except that it does not have too much of the egg taste.
Chef Aum was pleased with my performance on this, but he also remind me to ensure that the Tuiles are to be of a rounder shape.
I did the Viennois batter, and had a hard time piping these babies, because you have to ensure that there's volume on the top and ends with a tail. Furthermore, it has to be of about the same sizes in order to be pairs. I managed to pipe 20 pieces, which gave me a good 10 pairs. Chef Aum commented that I have better piping control this time, but I would need to work with finishing with a longer "tail" so that my chocolate coating would be nicer.
Which is like my Rosette Nutella Cookies; sandwiched between Nutella.
Next up, is my Palets Aux Raisins, also known as Raisin Biscuits. It's a slightly dry and hard biscuits baked along with raisins. I didn't enjoy this as much as other buttery cookies, because I prefer crumbly types of biscuits. Also, we didn't use apricot glaze as the finishing, which Chef Marc wanted us to do it without. The Apricot Glaze would have given these a nicer shine, and perhaps be a little bit more moist for consumption. Nonetheless, this is one of the petit fours, so I guess there are people out there who enjoyed them.
Does these Palets Aux Raisins looked like faces to you?
HAHAHAHA!!! Sorry, I just had to post this one up. This signage was done up by my classmate, Ray. Doesn't it look cute?
We have no school tomorrow because it's a Public Holiday!
In case anyone's interested to know - I'm doing great! I'm coping well with the environment here, the weather and what not. Just feeling a little lovesick (I miss Ben so much! We've never been apart for this long before.) but other than that, I'm fine! Enjoying my studies, even when I get into little advenures like I had to use the lock cutter, but everything's good. I've slowly gaining the experience and skills which I've paid to learn.
I'll be visiting one of the local popular dessert cafes with my sis tomorrow, I can't wait to try it the sweets out!
Happy Holidays people! Till then!
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