Sheet cakes, and more adventures in cake.

Working fast is important in the food industry because ingredients are very expensive and saving time is the only way to make money. But when I first became a pastry chef I found that quality standards were still very high and I asked my boss whether I should prioritize speed or perfection. His answer was a short, "both!" I was upset because I felt like I needed somewhere to begin, so I chose speed and did the best I could within those parameters. My new chieftain, Nicole, believes in quality first and I think her attitude is reflected in the delicacy and beauty of her pastry.
I revisit this dilemma every time I make a cake because so much time can get lost in decorating. Cake decorating is something that I'm really growing to enjoy and eventually want to perfect. But instead of making careful decisions or straightening every line, I find myself watching the clock and falling back on motifs I use again and again. I think my unchanging writing style is one of the biggest factors in making all the cakes look so similar. Hopefully under Nicole's influence though you will begin to see new attention and techniques in my work. I think ultimately it doesn't matter where you begin, practice will bring both speed and skill, but its nice to see beauty and experimentation along the way. Here are some of my latest "experiments."

The St. Patrick's Day Menu I designed:

More from le Flour

Nicole asked me to make some chocolates for Valentine's Day to put in boxes she had left over from her wedding. I love doing chocolates because tempering can be so challenging and the results are always gratifying. I tempered the chocolate using the seeding method in which you chop up chocolate pieces, put them in a bowl of melted chocolate, and stir like crazy. Because purchased chocolate is already tempered, the pieces pull the melted chocolate into temper and you are left with a bowl of tempered melted chocolate.
To save time we purchased pre-made chocolate shells. I filled them with a simple dark chocolate ganache, a peanut butter ganache, and a brandy caramel ganache and dipped the whole thing in chocolate. Pre-made shells can be too thick but in a pinch they are very usefull.

Cake for one manly dude.

This cake was two layers vanilla, two layers chocolate cake, banana slices, and whipped cream. The roses are gumpaste.

We made mini versions of all our tarts for a barmitzva: Blueberry with streusel, almond cream with peaches and chopped pistachio, chocolate ganache, and lemon cream with candied lemon zest. She ordered lots of miniature treats including brioches, petit fours, and croissants. The little pastries got me thinking about tea service. I've always loved petit fours and the Chinese equivelent, dim-sum. The small size makes them ornaments in themselves, unlike larger foods which need a smaller garnish like a tuile to make them beautiful. I think I might start throwing tea parties.

Gumpaste footballs piped with buttercream to decorate superbowl cupcakes.

Marshmallows

Marshmallows are basically a meringue made with hot sugar, whipped egg whites, and a lot of gelatin, and then dusted with cornstarch and powdered sugar. Originally they were made with marsh mallow (found in marshes) acting as the gelatin. The plant gave the marshmallows a natural purple tint, hence the French name "guimauve."
Marshmallows in America are a cheap, Jet-Puffed, sci-fi treat, but they can be so much more. The ancient Egyptians served them in their courts and offered them to the gods, and in France they are an abundant children's favorite in candy stores. You can make them in any color, flavor, and shape: butterscotch, rose, peppermint... Today I made vanilla flavored hearts and wrapped them up with homemade hot chocolate mix.

A Cake Week at Work

Charlotte shaped muffins from le Flour. Lemon poppy seed, carrot, bran with apricot, and blueberry.

My buttercream palette.

6" cakes for a shared birthday.

Biplane.

Van Gogh's "Starry Night."

Butterflies and flowers.

This cake reminds me a lot of my doodles. It gives me hope that I could find a style to call my own.

Here is another cake I did this week for a French themed birthday. The balloon is supposed to be reminiscent of the 50's film, "Le Ballon Rouge." After I finished the cakes my coworker delicately reminded me that I shouldn't overlap any of my lines when writing in cursive. Something to work on for next time.
I also have been using the drop technique, where you hold your piping tip about an inch above your work so you can better control where your line falls. I think that technique is better for block print because it creates a bold line. I'm going to work on holding my tip at an angle when I write in cursive so I can create more variation in my line's thickness.

"Happy first birthday, Vivienne" in French.
I realized later that "bonne" was missing an "ne."

Le Flour

I have recently begun working for one of my French Pastry School classmates at her new bakery, le Flour: Bake Shop and Market, in Edison Park, Chicago. I adore working for her because of the relaxed and creative environment, colorful decor, and emphasis on quality ingredients and classy presentation. Above is a picture of the pastry case with chalkboards designed by myself and a mural/sign that I painted on one wall of the bakery. The faux finish was done by the owner, Nicole, and the centerpiece is a spruced up iron grate that she found in an antique shop.
The picture above is a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting that I made at le Flour. It's nothing unusually special in presentation (everything we make is rustic but delicious looking), but I like the monochromatics of the photo.

The above photos are of some gumpaste disks that I painted with our logo in food coloring for the grand opening on Saturday. The cupcakes are yellow cake with vanilla buttercream. Nicole makes her buttercream with vanilla paste so you can see little flecks of vanilla bean.

September and October Cakes

Here are some cakes that I created in September and October. I made the wedding cake for two friends that were married in Ithica, NY. It had two layers chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and fresh raspberries and one layer almond cake, pastry cream, and poached pears. It was finished with vanilla Italian buttercream.

The four tiered cakes were about four inches tall a piece and were for the bachelorette party. They were a genoise soaked in a white wine syrup, with apricot filling, white chocolate glaze, and gumpaste decorations.

The birthday cake was a collaborative piece that I did with a very talented chef from San Francisco. It was a mocha custard filled chocolate cake topped with ganache. Amongst other things, he contributed the chocolate pencils and freesia forest. I made the the gumpaste chickadees.

The Language of Pastry

Since becoming a pastry chef, I'm delighted every time I hear a pastry-inspired expression. Hearing people express their feelings through dessert makes me feel good about what I do. I've wanted to compile a list for some time now and I thought my pastry journal would be a good place to do it. Please contribute because I know I have just the beginnings.

Take the cake
As easy as pie
The proof is in the pudding
Pie in the sky
A bun in the oven
Brownie points
Eye candy
Piece of cake
Humble pie
Just desserts
Shut your pie-hole