Fivesecondrule

Use the recipe where the sugar water is boiled separately. THis is often called boiled icing. Boil until it is at the thread stage, remove from the heat and whip your whites. When the whites can hold a peak, gradually pour the sugar into them. Keep whipping while it cools off a bit. done.

If you are just writing or drawing on the cookies with chocolate, use at least 50 percent coating chocolate and it will still have a shine without tempering. I always use just a plain parchment triangle without a metal tip, and when the chocolate starts to set, just throw it in the microwave for 10 seconds. It will soften right up. I have tried to microwave an old bag that was totally set, and it did catch on fire though.

Large restaurants often have an invitation only night or whole day where everyone eats for free. It is to test the staff and kitchen before the actual opening. I was assuming that is why those poor people were waiting so long for their food. Hopefully their drinks were free too!

I would guess that from your description you had too many eggs. I think the amount of eggs is supposed to be equal in weight to the amount of oil or butter used in the boiling step. If you are counting out individual eggs, the size could throw off the measurement. Try whisking the eggs, and measuring an equal amount in volume to the oil or butter. They are pretty equal in density. The part about stirring in the flour until you get as much of the liquid out of the batter as you can is also very important to the rising. It is the eggs that make the "puff". I have made some bad cream puffs before like this due to an error in a handwritten recipe.

Congrats on the bakery mel, It just took me three days to finish reading this compelling story! Not all day each day, but while i was at work. I worked in bakeries for 13 years, and always wished to have my own someday. I'm waiting for my kids to move out first though, as I know it is a 24-7 job. My mom started a bakery when I was 17, and she never had a day off until she sold her half to her partner 4 years later. Of course, she really had no idea of what she was getting into. I never had carpel tunnel syndrome or any of that luckily and somehow I could will myself never to get sick during busy times. I am glad there are still bakers who care out there and not just a bunch of unskilled frozen bake-off slobs.