Today we rolled out our pâte sucrée and made cookies! We brushed them in egg wash and dusted them with some coarse French sugar. I can’t remember the name of the sugar. Help?
We also made pastry cream, almond cream, and then mixed the two together to create frangipane (used to fill cakes, tarts, pastries, etc.). It occurred to me after making the creams that maybe I should have taken a picture. Not very pretty, but very, very delicious. This picture was taken in the walk-in cooler. Not the the best lighting in there.
We also made streusel, and used turbinado sugar instead of granulated. That’s a good idea, right? I think I’ll do that in the future. It makes a nice, coarse, crumbly streusel. I also learned that you can flavor your streusels with different liqueurs and zest. Brilliant!
I had more to say but I’m so very tired….
I leave you with this picture of myself in uniform. That’s a genuine smile on my face.
I love pastry school! I love cookies, too.
emily i've been reading your blog for years and just want to let you know how happy i am you are finally living your dream of going to pastry school. i've been loving the blog updates but haven't actually commented on one of them yet. congrats!!! :)
ReplyDeleteHooray! Thank you for reading, Mona!
DeleteThe cookies look amazing! To answer the French sugar question, I looked up this post from David Lebovitz:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/11/french-sugars/
This looks like lots of fun!!! I would like to do pastry school... the thing is, I'm already a teacher... I thing the sugar you used on the sweet dought was pearl sugar!
ReplyDeleteYou are correct! You can still go to pastry school.
DeleteI am so happy for you, Emily!! I am loving your posts about pastry school!!
ReplyDeleteOh fun! Pearl sugar?? http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/pearl-sugar I have always wanted to buy it for decorating breads/cookies :)
ReplyDeleteYes! I think we both need to get some.
DeleteYou look like such a professional! :)
ReplyDeleteTeehee.
DeleteLooks like you are having a great time! I'm kinda jealous.
ReplyDeleteI just read about La Fournette, a new bakery in Old Town that is supposedly from people behind the French Pastry School. Have you heard anything about it? I'm going to try it out this weekend. Looking over the menu, I'm not sure what to try first. lafournette.com
I want to go! Chef Zimmerman is behind the bakery. It's all the rage at French Pastry School. You should try!
DeleteGlad to hear you are loving pastry school!
ReplyDeleteI love the uniform picture - you look amazing!
ReplyDeleteAw thanks. I look like a doofus though.
DeletePearl sugar is amazing! It's also used to make Liege waffles - it's mixed into the yeast dough after rising so that the pearls of sugar caramelize when it cooks in the waffle iron. Messy, though.
ReplyDeleteYou look great in the uniform!
Oh my gosh that sounds so good! And yes, it is pearl sugar! I forgot it was called that.
Deleteoooooh how i love those little chunks of sugar! I've eaten pate choux covered with those bits for breakfast in my uncle's backyard in Rambouillet outside of Paris... it was heavenly. I have no idea what they're called though!!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds heavenly!
DeleteYou look so happy! I love hearing about this stuff.
ReplyDeleteit's wonderful seeing you so happy. you already look like a pro.
ReplyDeleteOoo fun streusel tips!! ANd I want a big bowl of that frangipane!
ReplyDeleteOh me too!
DeleteGreat pictures! You rock that uniform. Sucre perlé it is :)
ReplyDeleteOui oui!
DeleteCute! Love the turbinado sugar idea. I love that stuff. I even use it in my coffee. Never considered it for streusel though. Thanks!
ReplyDelete