Advanced Patisserie and Display

When I went to register for classes for the next quarter the next two classes that I should have taken were full, so instead I took the two highest level courses for the Baking and Pastry Major.  I ended up taking Advanced Patisserie and Display and Pastry Cafe at the same time.  This post is about Advanced Pastry.

This class was about refining and advancing our plating skills for dessert for the first half of the quarter, then working on our cake decorating skills for the second half of the quarter.  I was excited to begin this class because I haven't had much experience in the plated dessert area beyond the simplistic plates in Ala Carte, and it was exciting to push my limits and try new things.  The cake decorating was difficult.  I am not very good at piping because my hands shake and my I am not good at judging straight lines; It was good practice and helped me to refine my skills and work more efficiently in the end.

Week One:

Week Two:

 Week Three:

Week Five (Midterms):

Cremeux Tarts

Marzipan Petite Fours
Glazed in Chocolate and White N Glossy
Decorated with Tempered Chocolate

Swedish Profiterols
Tempered Chocolate Piping with Raspberry Flooding
Nougat Sauce and Vanilla Tuille Corkscrew

Finished Product on Display

Week Six:

Basket Weave Practice

Piping Practice
Chocolate Cake with Italian Butter Cream Inside
French Butter Cream outside

Shell Border Practice

Week Seven:

Finished Dummy Cake

Piping Practice and Royal Icing Drop Flowers

Royal Icing Roses

Week Eight:

Gum Paste Petals drying on wire

Stamen on wire and wrapped with floral tape

Petals attached to stamen

Colored Stargazer Lily 1

Colored Stargazer Lily 2

Week Nine:

Marbled Fondant Cake

Marbled Fondant Cake Base

Lace Piping on tops of cakes
Ribbon and shell border
Punch-Out flowers

Fondant Rose and Flowers with Stargazer Lilies

 Week Ten (Final):

Gum Paste Sunflowers Packed for the final

Gum Paste Sunflower Drying with Luster-Dust

Pumpkin Cake Topper
Rice Crispies Inside with Butter Cream Layer
Gum Paste Covering and Stem

Another View of the Topper

Final Cake
Brown Rolled Fondant - Light on Bottom and Dark on Top
Sunflowers
Ribbon and Shell orange border