SweetSide

No, pastis is clear. When added to the syrup mix, it turns and stays cloudy.

Real licorice, or licorice flavored? I did one out of the Bo Friberg's Prof. Pastry Chef. Used pastis as the flavoring. Would that work?

If I must choose between the two, cake. But only the "so good on it's own that it doesn't need 8 million pounds of frosting to make you want to eat it" kind of cake. Tarts are what I would really choose.

All those are good. No one seems to mention In the Sweet Kitchen by Regan Daley (sp?). There are a lot of good flavor combinations in there. Simple items with multiple layers of flavor. I also like Simply Sensation Desserts by Francois Payard.

Trader Joes sells Guittard, but it isn't the E.Guittard line. Just the regular Guittard. Haven't tried that, since I'm in a glut at the moment. Store near me had it for $3.50 / lb. Ghirardelli bars in the grocery store are $10.96 / lb -- YOUCH!

I'm going on a trip soon to take a class at the CIA in Hyde Park, NY. I live in a supply challenged area, so I have to buy much of my stuff on line. Great if you know what you are looking for, but not the same as a real store. I love to just wander around a brick and mortar place checking things out. Are there any places near the CIA in NY that I should check out? Not looking for anything in particular, but always on the lookout for a new toy to add to my collection.... Thanks!

I see the Apricot and Ginger Loaf cafe and the Suzy's Cake, but I don't see the cocoa cake or the pastry cream. ← Oh man, looking at the pics in that book makes me salivate! I didn't see it there either (they may randomly show pages). I'll get them to you...but I'm a believer in giving the author their due (my spouse is an author) so seriously consider getting this book - super stuff. ← Agreed -- and only $15 at ecookbooks.com at the moment... Well worth the price to have all the goodies inside!

Ummm... Looks like options A and B are the same to me.... Except for some s's...

Toward the end of the batch my KA gets exhausted making marshmallows, I can't imagine doing it by hand...

I've used both Guittard and Ghiradelli. Which ones in particular are you talking about? couveture? Chips (as in the stuff you use for cookies)? chocolate percentage? Some of the Ghiradelli chocolate chips I find to be very "thick" if I let them melt in my mouth. I'm thinking the double chocolate chips. And the white chips I believe are not true white chocolate -- no cocoa butter. The bars I like for Ghiradelli, but like the signature line of Guittard much better. Smoother, less bitter. The semisweet chips (as in cookies) were good too.

Personally, I don't have a use for it currently, but at school we had a big tub filled with silica for just such a use. When we were working with sugar and meringues, we put the silica in with the pieces we were working on. Silica on the bottom, piece supported on a rack or cardboard above.

I don't know about that school, but I am in your position. Husband with major job, child in school, responsibilities as Mom. Talk to the students and graduates. They like to talk. Talk to the OLDER students -- those who are doing this because they want to. Career changers. Some of the younger students are going to school because they still don't know what they want to do and aren't committed. Then, go with your gut. Only you know what you can afford. My school was $15K for 9 months. To me, it was worth it. But, I have no financial stress in my family. And, maybe, you'll luck on to something on your journey. A great apprenticeship -- with or without school. Hitting the lottery so tuition becomes a moot point... Best of luck to you.

You need a new guidance counselor. And you are counseling people twice your age? Again, tell me what college or school Thomas Edison went to? And, who is paying your bill? Please take ChristopherMichael's last post to heart. You've no experience and your ignorance and immaturity are showing.

As someone who is also in Nightscotsman's position, only much less prestigious, I can offer a different perspective. I, too, changed careers after 20 years and a private school bachelor's degree and a private school masters degree in something completely unrelated. Did my two degrees get me where I was in my old career -- no. My WORK did. After 20 years, I left it and attended my local pastry school. Just a run of the mill school. No name anyone outside of CT would recognize. Was it worth it? Yes. Because I live in an area that is pastry challenged, and I could not relocate for school or apprenticeship as much as I would dream about it, I went to school so I could learn as much as possible as quickly as possible. Now, I too can say I can ___ and ___ and yeah, I've done ____ once or twice. But I still HAVE TO WORK MY A$$ OFF. My advice is simply to work your A$$ off in the best place you can. Even if it's your own kitchen. Can anyone tell us what college Thomas Edison went to?

We used the Guittard Etoile 58% at work. I don't have much chocolate experience, but I liked it. Flavor I liked better than the Callebaut and Cacao Barry that I use at home (but use those because of cost). I used the Etoile for dipping and liked the viscosity better as well. We used Belcolade in school for dipping, and I liked the Etoile better. If I'm recalling right, I also thought the Etoile had a more fruitty undertone, something that I personally prefer. Just tried some Schocinag (sp?) extra bitter yesterday (75%) and nearly fell over. Normally I don't like eating plain chocolate much over 61% and this was not bitter in my mouth at all. Very smooth.

You're killing me -- I LOVE financier, and the flavor combo sounds divine. My keyboard will stop working shortly due to being soaked by drool... As for prices, I don't they are out of the question at all. Where I worked, we sold stuff for 4.99 and it was NOTHING like what you are showing! Best of luck! If I ever get down to DC/VA area, I'll look you up.

And, while I have so little experience with chocolate, I will say that I DON'T like Callebaut for coating and eating. The flavor is fine, which is why it would work in ganache or for baking, but it doesn't seem to melt as smoothly on the tongue. For an inexpensive chocolate, I use Cacao Barry. Same company as Callebaut, but I find it melts better in the mouth. I've used E. Guittard a lot also and like that better than Cacao Barry. But, since I'm not selling product at the moment -- just playing around -- I haven't bought the E. Guittard.

Beautiful! What is the pastel triangle (?) with the berries and pistachios (?) on top? It is screaming springtime at me.

Reminds me of the devil dog tasting we had in school. Chef never had one -- grew up with too fine a palate. Never will have another one...

Oh how I wish I had anything traditional from my grandmother. Not a thing was passed down save her wedding ring. That I treasure though. As for your custard, you must bring it to a boil or it will not set. And boil it until it has bubbled for a minute or two. I went through this on another thread -- can't recall which -- but it has to do with killing enzymes in the eggs that will break down the cornstarch if not brought to a boil. Then you get your soup. As for the notation about the boiled cream or milk -- that may be a throwback since the recipe is old and pasteurization may not have been the norm. Our many scientific friends out on eGullet may have a comment on that one. For the icing, you would need to bring it to thread stage which is 230F to 235F. In all likelihood, not doing so is what ruined the icing. Didn't have enough body -- none of the water was boiled out to create the thick sugar syrup. Best of luck on your next go -- and post a picture when it's done!

The strawberry was still frozen. I hadn't let it thaw completely when I realized how bad things tasted, so I just snapped the picture. The cremeux recipe is from the orange exotic cake: 60g sugar for dry caramel, 360 g heavy cream hot, 1 vanilla bean seeds (original recipe called for 4), 120 g yolks, 3 g gelatin (I assumed sheet and translated to 2 g powder, which I then doubled in this recipe to 2 g powder). "Directions: Caramelize the sugar, add vanilla seeds, and hot heavy cream. Return to heat until thickened. cool slightly and add to the egg yolks, and finish with the gelatin. Cool and set aside." Obviously, some good ambigous professional recipe... ← I think I found your problem. If you didn't read the entire thread on the Exotic Orange Cake carefully, you likely missed the correction for the cremeux. It's in the discussion somewhere -- I have it hand written on my printout. Once you add the caramel/cream mixture to the egg yolks, YOU MUST RETURN THE MIXTURE TO THE HEAT AND COOK UNTIL IT COATS THE BACK OF A SPOON (as in anglaise). Otherwise it won't set properly... as you've found twice now! Time for another go at your cremeux to save it from its last leg.

Pate a glace is glazing chocolate. Here's a definition: It can also be purchased from many online retailers that sell chocolate in bulk.

Just a point to note that it can be easily found in the wedding section of your local arts and crafts stores. Not to endorse any brand, but it is easily found as Wilton White White -- make those wedding cakes white. Contains Titanium Dioxide, Glycerine, and water. It's the only stuff I've found in a chain brick and mortar store.

My knowledge was little drop of water + chocolate = seizure; lot's of water + chocolate = ok. I need to read more! Off to the bookstore! What can you do with the chocolate that has been "contaminated" with water -- be it imperfect shells or the dipping chocolate?

Thanks for the info, I dont use crisco because I dont like the taste of that style of buttercream, So I was hopeing someone could recomend a version that wasnt bad. thanks ← I know where you are coming from -- but with a bride allergic to eggs and cow dairy, I'm not sure what you are going to make it with... This one isn't really too bad -- not IMBC, but it is light and creamy. However, I have seen a recipe for marshmallow fondant that you make with marshmallows and powdered sugar. On line, I found this ingredient list for the marshmallows -- If she can't have eggs, this may work, with a thin layer of the vegan buttercream underneath to secure the fondant.