Last Quarter

I haven't updated in a while, I know. I'm officially one week into my final quarter at the Art Institute. So here's the best of last quarter, and the beginning of this one.

Opera Torte, a traditional French torte with almond cake and coffee buttercream.

Cherry hard candy, which looks simple. You boil sugar to 310 degrees, pull it with your hands until it aerates and gets shimmery, then tell me it's simple.

Honey drops. Same story.

But you can make pretty flowers with boiling sugar. I recommend wearing gloves.

We made a pastillage replica of our building, with air-brushed windows and a royal icing logo. We made a stencil for each color of the logo and spread the icing on.

This is my favorite new candy, the Hot Chocolate. The top layer is a cinnamon marshmallow, then chocolate ganache. Then the marshmallows are dipped and decorated with white chocolate.

We played with isomalt for the last few days of class. It's a sugar alcohol that makes a more durable sculpture than table sugar. And you boil it. Luckily we played with molds to make shapes.

This is a hot-air baloon. Don't laugh.

This quarter is turning out to be much prettier. My final classes are Advanced Patisserie, Artisan Breads, and an Externship. These are gumpaste flowers that will go on a wedding cake.

Rye bread, and lavash crackers. Lavash is served as an appetizer at my family's favorite pizza place in Hammond, Aurelio's. It's just one more delicious recipe I have to make for Christmas dinner.

At home I've been making Cowboy cookies regularly. Weekly. Bakerella posted this oatmeal and M&M cookie recipe this summer, and everytime I make them they dissapear fast. I also made my first ice cream. Thanks Inger and Teresa for the ice cream maker!