yeahoo ! back to LCB. have you ever heard about people actually are happy going back to class ? But, yeah I was eager and enthusiastic about getting back to class and make more stuffs! My passion for this has just gone up a few notches. And I have to say this for the millionth time, I am so happy that I actually chose to do this. I don’t care if half the students in my class are Koreans, I don’t care if 90% of the students in LCB are Asians. Heck, I couldnt be bothered. This term we have a new chef lecturer. New to us, but has been in LCB for years. HE IS ONE HELLOVA FUNNY CHEF !!! His sense of humour never fail to entertain us!! awesome! and he doens’t talk shit. yay! *applause* 

Ok.. So, back to class, everyone’s so energetic and all. But, downside of this term is that, our classes are AT NIGHT !!! till 9pm like omfg I’m serious. Thank goodness for bonding with some of my classmates who has cars. hehe, at least I can get a ride to the train station, instead of walking there!

First two days of class, we prepared petit fours, or in other words hor’dourves. Its’ quite contradicting as we’re doing patisserie, how come we do savoury items as well ? Well, cause, …. actually, I’m not too sure either. But those petit fours’ bases are puff pastry *ah hah* But that’s good you know, cause after all, we’re just producing food

We made a inverted puff pastry, which is totally awesome!! the results kick-ass! So, what is inverted puff ? It’s where the fats wrap the dough instead of the dough wrapping the fats like the normal puff pastry. I don’t quite expect one to make without a dough-pinning-out machine, as in this puff, the fats (butter) has to be hard! and the whole dough has to be hard! IT would be terribly soring to roll it out by hand. So.. I’ll put up the photos.. and maybe a recipe for mini bacon quiche?

Lets’ start

These are very mini croissants filled with hazelnut filling made from grounded hazelnut, sugar and water. After all, it has to be bite size

This is called Pissaladiere. It’s julienned onion, carrot, leek sauteed, then stirred in cream and egg. It’s spreaded on a baked puff pastry then cut into little squares to serve. Top it up with anchovies, olives or mushrooms or fresh herb

The layers are so light and obvious. When you put it in your mouth, it just kinda like melts. Its short, like it’s breakable, crispy and light at the same time. Yummm

these are mini pizza with puff pastry as base. The pizzza filling is made with diced tomatos and onions, with tomato paste. Serve with anchovies. SO YUMMY I can eat it all!

These are… almond pretzels. I know they’re not in the shape of traditional pretzels.. I don’t know why it’s called pretzels as well.. Anyway, the almond paste is made with almond meal, sugar and egg white. It’s spreaded on top of the puff pastry then rolled into a swiss roll and sliced thinly at 5mm.

Parmesan and paprika twists

the puff is pinned out to 3mm. Then egg washed and then added grated parmesan cheese on both sides, then added cayenne pepper and paprika mixture on one side. (to have the zebra stripes effect) cut thinly and twisted, and baked! nice!! love this one!!!

Last but not least, some mini quiches with bacon and onion.  We made a Pate Brisee (short pastry) for this, then pinned out to 2mm (yes we have a machine to do that!), cut and layed into mini aluminium foil cups. Filled with some filling and cream, then added some Swiss cheese on top, then baked!

Quiche Recipe

Pate Brisee 

400g Plain flour
200g cold butter, diced
5g salt
2g sugar
2 eggs
20g water (more or less)

Rub flour, sugar, salt with butter till crumbly. Technically, it’s to wrap the gluten with the fats. Anyway, then add in eggs and mix. Add in water last. But just make sure that it isn’t too soggy or wet. It will depend on the eggs. If you use a jumbo size egg, obviously you don’t need as much water as those who use a normal size egg. Make sense? Then, pin out to 2mm and cut them and line them onto the moulds. This actually makes ALOT !!! like say.. maybe .. 50 mini quiches ? very useful if you have a party, don’t u think so ?

Quiche Filling

250g smoked bacon
100g onion
2 eggs
200ml fresh cream
pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg
150g Swiss cheese, grated

Saute bacon and onion and add in salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

To assemble, scoop the filling into the unbaked Pate Brisee which u’ve cut and lined into the mould. Not too much filling though. Then slowly pour in freshcream and egg (mixed in a jug or something)  Make sure it doesnt overflow. Then top it up with some grated Swiss cheese or other melting cheese. Bake at 180 till golden (cheese should be melted and pate brisee should be in golden colour)

Tomorrow, we’re making gateaux mille fueille..

Ah.. a busy weekend ahead

Have a good weekend

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