Day 43 - Baking bread for Practical

Today was my last practical for this class. I had to bake lavosh (to the left), baguettes (top), plain and braided pain au lait. Monday I'll begin Basic Patisserie Techniques. Patisserie is French Pastries.

Day 38 - Bread Practical #2

Today was my bread practical. I had to make baguettes and 2, 4, & 6 braid challah. My 2 & 6 braid challah (2 loaves on the left side of pan) came out fine. My 4 braid challah (in the middle of the pan) didn't come out so well because the braid was a little too tight so it split a little. The baguettes didn't do so well. The baguette on the right side of the pan really split open from the steam. The seam of the loaf are place on the bottom when I make it. This is were it split open. Quite a few other students had the same problem. Come to find out, we then learned that our younger Chef instructor had told us wrong about the length of time for proofing the dough. Another Chef figured out the problem and informed our instructor about the proper way these should be allowed to sit. So, at least I know what happened, but now I wonder how the Chef instructor will grade the baguettes being he told us wrong.

After class, I went to a culinary arts class to help eat some of their production from their practical. The Chef from that class was my high school culinary teacher. Well, taste testing is a tough job, but someone has to do it. There were things like: shrimp cocktail, oyster poboys, club sandwiches, Waldorf salad, egg salad, etc.

I guess I'll go eat some sushi now and try to think about what I can bake this weekend.

Sunday practice baking bread.

Today I practiced baking some bread. I made two baguettes and two Epi. They came out wonderful.

Day 31 - Baking Bread Again

The Cuban bread above was what I didn't get baked before I left, but the Chef baked it for me.
Well they were supposed to be baguettes but turn out to Cuban bread. It seems they were put in an oven by another Chef in another classroom. The oven wasn't turned on, so they basically proofed a little more before my Chef instructor realized the oven wasn't on. He turned on the oven and so the dough proofed a little more while the oven heated up. So the Chef explained that basically my dough came out similar to Cuban bread.

The great thing about not having a partner is that I get to do everything. Today I made three kinds of bread.

These are Rolls with Sun-dried Tomato topped with a little Parmesan cheese. I didn't like these so much and the reason is, is that I didn't put salt and sugar that was called for. I got to taste my rolls and the rolls that the Chef made and that little bit of salt and sugar makes a big difference. Oops!

Then I made baguette made using the sponge method. I accidentally added to much water while making the dough and I realized it instantly. So I just added more flower and a little salt to compensate. Good mistake since I got to bring the extra baguette home with me. It came out great and taste very good.

Last I made Foccacia bread topped with tomato, basil, mozzarella and Parmesan. I like the Focaccia bread. I wish I had had more tomato to put on it. I'll being making this again. I really like baking bread!