Michael Laiskonis

Steve, Would you employ this technique in judged competition, or just in, say, a piece purely for table decor? Would judges take away points, or is it an understood, standard practice? What other "trucs" have you learned in competition that have also enhanced your everyday chocolate work? For instance, when making molded chocolate candies, conventional wisdom holds that the ganache-filled molds should stand for 12-24 hours before sealing. When doing these in competition, time is most certainly a factor...

Ditto. I would look, in particular, for any classes taught by Norman Love. His generosity and passion for chocolate runs deep, and he can be just plain exciting to be around. Though you might make some cheesy showpieces (the techniques used, admittedly, are the basic building blocks of more complex artistic showpieces), his coverage of ganaches, candies, and garnishes can be very useful. As for PCB, the website is useful as an introduction, but you don't really get a sense for their products until you have a catalog in your hands. Try to navigate your way to the catalog request form. It's free. They release a new one twice a year, in the spring and fall. I think they now even publish an English edition. There is a lot to sift through, but you'll find the cocoa butters, tons of chablons, the very cool textured acetates, and though I don't really use transfer sheets, their designs are the most inventive out there. Several MOFs, and even Jacquy Pfeifer and Sebastien Canone, consult on new products for them. However conservative this group may be, they are forcing a lot of the other companies to play catch-up. I'm not sure how much distribution they have in the US now, but European Imports in Chicago carries the cocoa butters, some of the transfer sheets, guitar sheets, and edible lustre dusts- last time I checked. PVC... do you mean the plastic tubing- Poly(vinyl chloride)- used in plumbing? Or do you mean acetate, or plastic sheeting? PVC, available at hardware stores, comes in a multitude of sizes and is easily cut down into molds. The acetate products I use most are 2 to 2 1/2" wide rolls (firm, yet easy to manipulate) and the PCB guitar sheets I mentioned above, which I use for many purposes, not just chocolate work. I don't know what might be available in art supply stores, but as always, make sure what you are using is food-safe. Cold spray, keyboard cleaner, chewing gum remover... it's all the same... well, yes and no. There are some that are safe to ingest and others that contain chemicals you wouldn't want to. The spray is used in assembling and affixing chocolate showpieces. Steve is no doubt the authority on this.

Yes. Apparently derived from the verb impulsar, to impel, to drive, or act as a catalyst. 'Baking powder' can also translate into levadura quimica, not to be confused with just plain levadura, which means 'yeast'. Tan, out of curiosity, which recipe are you working with?

That's great advice, Steve. Hey Lou, being in France, have you been exposed to any PCB Creation products? They manufacture a small line of colored cocoa butters that are very easy to use, with zero waste, and when 'marbled' into a chocolate mold, maintain a beautiful sheen and a translucent effect when used subtly with say, white and dark chocolates.

I definitely sense that people either love or hate Poujauran. I'm in the former group. I think his basic pastry (financiers, cannelés, etc.) is as good as his bread. We tend to stay in that neighborhood when we go, and Poujuaran is always the first stop once we hit the pavement. When the girls are snooty, I actually find it a bit amusing! The best cannelés I've had stateside were indeed the ones at La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles.

I have this recipe in my files, but haven't tried it. Formulated for, essentially, water, the possibilities are endless. Just a note, however... The pâtes de fruits most of us are familiar with, made in patisseries and restaurants, are typically made with a fruit purée- frozen, but high quality and very consistent. When making a pâte de fruit from fruit, remember that the fruit has its own varying levels of sugar, pectin, and acid. Not only will the recipe need to be adjusted according to the fruit, and in comparison to this El Bulli recipe, the amounts of sugar, pectin, and citric acid will also be much lower. Conventional recipes will also call for a grade of pectin that is more accessible (pectin NH is much stronger, and harder to find), usually referred to as 'apple' pectin, or simply pectin. If one is using 500g of a commercial fruit purée (10% sugar is often added) a very rough range of proportions might be: 500g fruit purée 50-75g sugar 9-12g conventional pectin 500-560 sugar 110-125 glucose (I have some recipes that also include trimoline, or invert sugar, in tandem with glucose, in this case, approx. 75g each) 7-11g citric acid The method is the same, described in Patrice's post. I pour mine intto a frame of 'caramel bars' placed on a silpat. Some recipes also call for the addition of a small amount of liqueur (10-20g) added at the end for flavoring; most of this liquid evaporates due to the heat of the pâte. Also, when using fruits low in natural pectin or high in acid, it is common to combine them with fruits that are rich in pectin, and fairly neutral in flavor, i.e. mango with apple, passionfruit with apricot, black currant with pear. This combination can range from a 3:1 to a 1:1 ratio. Adjustments can also be made according to weather. Here in the midwest, during our humid summers, I'll add a couple degrees to the final temperature. Is this to be made in a professional or home kitchen? Sourcing the right ingredients and precise measurement of ingredients and temperatures is vital.

Excellent. To echo what Patrice wrote, and also the point raised by wingding, I tend to identify with the 'spirit' of what is coming out of Spain; it will always be up to us to filter what we see and taste through ourselves, to make our own style. With the emergence of any sort of vanguard, there will surely be those who merely imitate, who hop on the 'trends' without much thought behind it. Precisely why I think this discussion is important, to explore whatever impact this subject has on a personal level, and where we take these ideas on our own. Patrice, you posted recently on your ideas for the menu at Les Chèvres. Vegetables will apparently play a significant role in some your desserts. In the context of this discussion, are you able to describe a general approach, or even a specific example, to how you think about vegetables in dessert, both in terms of flavor and methods? Tan, a great contribution. The great thing about the caramelos and croquants... whereas pulled sugar is sometimes nice to look at, these are actually meant to be eaten, to supply textural contrasts and flavor! As for the liquid croquant, the glucose and syrup are simply warmed (60ºC/140ºF), then blended. After straining, the mixture should rest, refrigerated for several hours. If your attempt wasn't chilled and rested, I can see how it might have been too loose. I guess it's my turn... I'm working on breaking down the common flavor combinations, trying to get deeper than the product itself, if that makes any sense. Taking familiar components and ingredients and concentrating on the base perceptions, then working my way back up, with the possibility of discovering something I had not tried before. That, is in part, one of the interpretations I get from someone like Adria (and Pierre Gagnaire and others); in a sense ridding ourselves of the preconceptions we have with say, vegetables (Note: they do often play on those preconceptions and even exagerrate them in many cases, the flipside of the idea I'm trying to get across). But if we look at corn, carrots, or a sweet potato, we can basically reduce their base flavor to one level of sweetness. As wingding wrote, however, an "innate 'good sense'" is imperative. These exercises sometimes fail, and the 'classics' are just that, and for good reason. One must always ask the question, "Is it interesting or delicious?" But training myself to think via this process requires tasting, and really helps me focus on the flavor, rather than simply knowing that 'x always goes with y.' Balance and restraint is also something I'm striving for. If we go to the link that Brian provided in the first post of this thread, and clicking on the set of Adria desserts, the very first dish, Royal de Fruta de la Pasión, Espuma de Coco y Granizado de Menta , demonstrates this wonderfully for me. The idea of a dairyless custard is by no means new, but one that is under-used, I think. Perhaps simply lemon curd refined? But it is so perfect for this; no cream or butter to muddy things up, and the eggs thickening, and softening the passionfruit's acidity just enough. The texture is no doubt amazing when gently warmed. Top that with the cool, clean coconut foam. The strong herbal flavor and texture of the granité cuts right through the foam and royale, contrasting with flavor, texture, and temperature. There is so much going on with just three components; each one plays a role and there is nothing extraneous. This is the kind of stuff that speaks to me the most- approaching a dish with certain intentions, and using good judgment and restraint in realizing it. Finesse. We have become aware of some of the 'deconstructed' classics like tiramisu, crema catalana, black forest, etc. But I find the deeper issue of how we are rethinking dessert to be more intriguing. Adria, Butron, and Balaguer, and their French counterparts, Conticini and maybe even Bau, are placing dessert in a whole new context. A dessert 'cuisine'. In addition to techniques, there is a certain shift in the organization of the pastry kitchen and how the desserts are executed. More à la minute cooking, an emphasis on immediacy... The use of stocks, juices, syrups, reductions, caramels- more as building blocks rather than 'garnishes'. The classic bases- sablée, puff, sponge, pastry cream, anglaise- are still there, but being produced and utilized in a different way. We are rethinking components either through science (pâte a bombe, Hervé This' chocolate chantilly) or through new technology and equipment (Pacojet, foam siphon, cryovac machine, steamer). It's all pretty exciting, if not a little overwhelming, too! Specific things that I would like to play with.... Adria's 'falso bizcocho' or 'fake sponge', 'powdered chocolate ice cream', and further exploration into the use of salt (bacon, brines) and vinegars in dessert. From Balaguer, the 'bizcocho al vapor' or sponge 'baked' in the steamer. Jordi Butron's concept of the dessert degustation at Espai Sucre and his ideas of soups and salads that mimic the progression and harmony of savory menus. I don't want to veer too wildly off the topic of Spanish pastry, but three interesting threads, two old and one currently active, discuss some issues that might have some relevance to this discussion... Molecular Gastronomy Heston Blumenthal on Dessert Trio

Re: Translation. I am now the owner of Balaguer's English edition. Like Steve I'm looking forward to using it alongside the Spanish edition. I can't believe how much I missed in the opening chapters alone. Having all of this information in one place will be invaluable for many pastry chefs. Moving on though, to those of us who have tried some of these techniques or recipes, and those who are now inspired to do so, some thoughts to keep the discussion going.... In what ways are you rethinking texture and temperature contrast within a plated dessert? What techniques are you utilizing? What flavor combinations have you discovered that are new and exciting? Which examples might still be too 'out there'? Are you looking at 'old' concepts in a new way, deconstructing them, and giving them a new spin? New uses for 'old' equipment? Moving in new directions and exploring new ideas... what has and hasn't been well received by guests/clients? With the obvious language barriers, what concepts/techniques/recipes are you finding hard to decipher or fully understand?

My favorite internet-derived translation... From a Spanish pastry site, it was something to the effect of, "...and sprinkle with the chocolate fragmentation hand grenade." Explosive flavors?

It can even get a little more involved than that, actually. For the 'wrapped in caramel' effect, find, either in the Adria or Balaguer book, a neutral caramel recipe. It is probably just fondant and glucose; occasionally I see Isomalt added, too. This is cooked to just below or at the caramelization point. Removed from heat, it is poured out onto a silpat to cool and harden. Then you whiz it in the robot coupe to a fine powder. Either freeform or using a chablon/stencil of some sort, sift the powder onto another silpat. Say I'm doing a 'liquid truffle', I'd form or cut a 2cm diameter disc of ganache, for which I'd cut a 3cm diameter circle stencil. So now you have several discs of sifted sugar on the silpat. Pop it into a medium oven, just for a few minutes at most. The powder will melt and fuse together to create a solid disc, a superthin 'wafer' of sugar. Allow to cool and gently, gently remove from the silpat. The goal is to get it as thin as possible while maintaining the shape, with no holes or gaps. Finally, to finish... On a bare sheetpan/sizzle platter/whatever, place a disc of sugar. On top of that, the ganache, with a second disc of sugar on top that. You now have a little sandwich. With just a pass or two of a blowtorch, the sugar will melt and conform to shape of the ganache; it will harden within a couple seconds. Carefully flip the sandwich over, and repeat with the other side. Alternatively, it could be flashed under a broiler. I have yet to decide which way I prefer. Meanwhile the ganache center has softened under the heat, yet is encased in the thin caramel shell. Steve Klc could surely offer more insight with regard to the evolution of this technique and all of its applications. The real fun starts when you begin adding other ingredients. For example, (I've seen this attributed to both Trio, near Chicago, and the Spanish team at last year's World Pastry Competion...hmmm.) microwave popcorn is cooked, cooled, and ground in the robot coupe. This ground popcorn is added to the just-cooked sugar mixture. The method plays out, as above, but the caramel is 'melted' around a corn custard. Trio calls it "Caramel Popcorn". So yes, Joni, this could work well with your marshmallow idea. Is this what you had in mind? Brian, have you tried this or any of the other 'caramelos'? You must.

R Washburn, It's good that you have tempering down (though I feel it is a good idea to wean yourself of off the bain-marie and ice water bath. One slip and you've got unusable chocolate. Utilize that microwave!), and it seems you are willing to give the ganache the respect and attention it deserves. While you wait for your molds to arrive, you can still practice the technique and skills you need for properly casting them. Using the flexipan was an interesting idea, but you found that it doesn't behave in the ways a polycarbonate mold does. Look around your kitchen, your house. Even an ice cube tray, or any small plastic form could provide some practice. Don't even worry about filling and eating them; simply practice casting your chocolate. Obviously, make sure it's clean, and buff it with a cotton ball. Remember to fill the mold or form completely, tap it to remove air bubbles. Get a feel for inverting it, and knowing when the chocolate is in that 'set-but-not-quite' state. Work on getting your chocolate to the right fluidity and temperature within the tempered range that will give you a superthin shell. Practice unmolding the shells- a stage of the process you don't want to rush. Definitely work on your efficiency and cleanliness. Pay attention to your environment- the ambiant temperature will have an effect on the behavior of your chocolate, and that may determine the speed at which you have to work. Any mistakes you make at this point can simply be melted down for the next try. After a while you can try marbeling dark, milk and white chocolates, or get into colored cocoa butters. It's not a difficult skill to learn, it just takes practice to master. Once you do feel confident, then you're on to enrobing, but that's a different animal altogher. As for hard to find ingredients, seek out local pastry shops and restaurants for small quantities. I use trimoline everyday, and it takes me a month or more to go through a 7kg bucket, let alone five gallons!

Sounds like a fun idea, Brian. I like the way you're thinking. Given the numbers you need, I think I would agree with Patrice. I think you'll spark the same flavor nostalgia that you are trying to accomplish, yet save yourself some headaches. I think you should pursue your wrapping idea- just on a more controlled scale, say a plated dessert. Either way, let us know what you come up with.

I've finally had a chance to take a closer look Brian, and it is a great resource. Though I've seen some of these dishes elsewhere, the recipes and presentations seem to have gone through some evolution. Most of the translation engines I've seen are pretty lame. What I've been doing is keeping a notebook of new Spanish pastry terms, especially the verbs, as I have the most difficulty getting the methods down. And with this new wave of pastry, we can't take too much for granted. I'd like to think we can teach each other! I have many sites relating to Spanish pastry bookmarked. I'll slip a few in as we go along. I would love to see this thread evolve into a discussion of the techniques, flavors, and presentations that turn us on. Brian, Night, Tan, etc., are you in? Here's a teaser... Perhaps my favorite Spanish website, it is run in connection to both Montagud Editores (who gaves us books by Hermé, Bau, and Balaguer) and the Spanish pastry magazine, La Confiteria Española. I believe new material is added to the site monthly. Surf around, there is alot in here... Apicius

I can't speak for Brian, but I see his point to a degree. There are a lot of pastry chefs who work the early shift and cannot physically be there for the entire day's service. Or in the case here, the pastry chef is in on a part time basis, or merely consulting. So who is plating the desserts, or doing some of the prep under this kind of system? Most often the salad/pantry/garde manger guy/girl, who, in most kitchens, is the lowest one on the totem pole, with the least experience. Perhaps someone like Steve Klc could speak to how he trains the staff at his various projects, but I think it must be difficult as the idea man, not being there all the time. A dessert has got to be simple and hard to screw up. Factor that in to the venue, price point, management... and I can see where Brian feels it is not his most amazing work. Someone like me is in a luxurious position. I have one of the largest full time pastry staffs in my area (me, two assistants, and usually a stage or extern at my disposal). We are a dinner only, 90 seat restaurant. I am in the trenches every night (save one or two days a month). I, thankfully, never have to think in terms of limitation, whether it be complexity of presentation, a la minute cooking, space, or the bodies with which to pull it off. I agree that flavorful, beautiful desserts can be done at every level. Put in Brian's position, however, I might feel that I was capable of more.

We've done a bit of this before. I like to add a little egg white as well, to aid in the drying process. I've had success with mango, melon, plum, and apricot, to name a few. I'm big on fruit chips! chefette, while I like some of the dessert ideas/components in the Bras book, I don't think they are as strong as the savory ones. Have you played with anything else from there?

I too wanted to give this a go, in fact, because of the complex method for the nougatine. I only have the French edition; the nougatine process seemed straightforward enough, but what stumped me was the 'bananes déshydatées'. No idea what kind of product Bras was using, I went ahead and ordered five pounds of those thick dried banana slices. By the first step, the 'pâte de banane', it didn't feel right, and I got busy with other things, so the project has been shelved since the Fall. I still have four and a half pounds of dried bananas... I'd still like to give it a go according to the Bras method, as well as adapt the Adria 'caramelo' technique, incorporating the banana into the sugar, or even swapping the ingredients- a yogurt powder 'nougatine/caramelo' with a banana-based cream... But my question, for chefette... I'm not familiar with Just Banana. What is it?

g, I know that a great deal of attention is paid to the dessert courses of your menus. To expand on Chazzy's question, how would you describe the collaboration between Paula and yourself, in general, with regard to the sweet-savory transition and how the final courses play out, and more specifically, the conceptualization of the dishes themselves? With regard to your cooking in general, a constant need for experimentation and rethinking of old ideas must play a huge role. Are there any generalizations you can make about the progress of a dish from concept through to reality? The discovery process? You've made statements about where our cuisine is headed, and rethinking the pathways of sourcing ingredients and new cooking methods. How might the organization of the kitchen itself change with the advent of a new cuisine, new equipment, new cooking methods? Will there be any use for the Ecoffier model of a kitchen brigade in the near future? Are there already hints toward this direction in your own kitchen?

You have a close relationship, yet do you feel he's being up-front about what he's doing and why? I realize the first six months of a restaurant can be difficult. I just fear that because of your part time status, your skills and the quality of your work aside, you may be seen as expendable and on the periphery, thus not part of the decision making. I'm sure pastry chefs 'round the world would agree.

Brian, Would your chef put Steak Frites on the menu, with a supplement for the Frites? I'm guessing not. Since you have creative control, would he respond positively to your assertion that the ice cream is an integral component of the dish? Greed or not, if it is a 'numbers' issue, could you compromise by adding a dollar to the prices (though I can see the marketing appeal of $5.95)?

Perhaps the answer lies hidden somewhere in these boards, but does Michelin employ 'local' inspectors, i.e. Spanish inspectors in Spain, Italian in Italy, etc., or do French inspectors review all of Europe? Is this a flawed system, or objectively fair (though based on French standards)? Maybe irrelevant with the recently perceived shift toward modern styles... I remember reading an interview with Ferran Adria several years ago, in Spain Gourmetour, where he asserted, to the best of my recollection, that if Paul Bocuse (or some other at-that-time three star from the same generation) deserved a three star rating, then he (Adria) did not, and vice versa. Essentially, having an 'apples-to-oranges' argument with the Michelin system.

I remember using this stuff in my 'vegan' days. chefette, have you used it often in pastry work? Do you have any thoughts on how it behaves and where it might be useful?

Mentioned in the earlier thread, but worth a another prop, is Lindsey Shere's Chez Panisse Desserts. A good introduction to home cooks, completely accessible, without the smoke and mirror garnish stuff. And coming from the Chez Panisse camp, you can be sure there is a great emphasis on flavor and quality of produce. And Shere was early to use herbs and flowers; just realizing it was published 18 years ago, she likely introduced then-exotic fruits like Meyer lemons and blood oranges to the rest of the country. Also not aging too badly is Emily Luchetti's Stars Desserts. Not the vanguard by any means, but similar in style and simplicity to the Fleming book. I haven't looked at an issue in quite a long time, but do members find Chocolatier magazine, the older sibling of Pastry Art and Design, a useful resource for the home cook? Too easy, too difficult, or simply irrelevant?

Here are some to get you started... Garrison Confections, New York Ganache Chocolate, Fort Meyers Jacques Torres, New York Richart, New York et al.

Reminds me of a story... Jimmy Sneed did a savory tapioca dish at some big walk-around charity event and dubbed it something like, "Fish Eye Soup". Apparently a great many of the guests did not see through the humor! Still one of the best tapioca desserts I've had is Claudia Fleming's. Just milk, coconut milk, and sugar. Easy and worth a try; it's in her book. A bit lighter still involves soaking the tapioca in cold water for twelve hours or so, then simply bringing it up to a boil with milk, coconut, and sugar. Here you are removing some of the starch and shortening the cooking time, as well as lightening the consisitency and richness, which makes it more suitable when using the tapioca as a component in, say, a more complex plated dessert.

The cool thing about 'feuille de brik' is that it can be sautéed, in addition to baking or frying it. We currently make a coconut rice pudding, roll it up in a sheet of brik, brushed with clarified butter, and sauté a la minute. Very versatile and not nearly as likely to dry out as phyllo tends to do if you aren't careful. We buy ours from a company called Gourmand which, I believe, is based in New Jersey. Problem is, it comes in a huge case of a couple hundred sheets... The once or twice that I've seen it on a retail level, I recall seeing a brand with the word 'crèpe' in name...