Pastrys Best Magazine

[alanamoana]

i think on-line would be your best bet. i think the article is great, as they actually tell you what to do with the lye when you're done with it. often, recipes assume knowledge of handling chemical solutions

i love pretzel rolls and visited a bakery in germany's black forest which made them...they eat them like we eat bagels here in new york! the knotty part on top is thin and crispy with a fat belly on the bottom which they slice open and spread with butter and put some delicious black forest ham on!!! mmmmmmm deeelish!

[Tepee]

Got my copy today. Imagine, they even send it to Malaysia! Drooooolllll!!!! Thanks, Wendy, for the heads up.

[nightscotsman]

Just wanted to mention that it seems someone at Pastry's Best read here that the Post Office lost my copy - so they sent me a new one! Now that's awsome service!

Looks like some good stuff in this issue. Looking forward to more

[Wendy DeBord]

I recieved my 4th issue yesterday in the mail. I'm still really digging this publication! But I have my first complaint..........I want 12 issues a year not 4!!!

I found myself staying up late last night just to research the things I saw. I really got hooked into the demo on "Showpieces on the fly" by Stephane Treand and Michael Joy. Check it out!!! It's so simple and brilliant, typical of Treand..........

So I checked out http://www.chicagomoldschool.com website further. Lots of incredible photos to study there. It's really fasinating and educational at the same time. In a strange co-incidence I just purchased Joy's book on Monday thru JB Prince (haven't recieved it yet) and this article shows up........I'm so excited to learn about this.

What's so cool is that the articles the magazine is writing/producing are even better then the exerpts from the established magazines they feature.

Again, hats off to Mitch Stamm for a really clear article on brioche.....it's as good if not better then anything I've seen on the topic in any book. What book tells you the correct settings for your proof box?..........none I know of!

The credits list En-Ming Hsu and Chris Northmore as pastry advisors.........I can't wait to see some articles from Hsu. I hope she'll be more visibly active.....?

[Wendy DeBord]

I hope they can light a fire under PA&D to get them back on track, as well.  Getting September's issue in November has become typical for them, but it's the only magazne we've had, until now.

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Urg............I got my issue of Chocolatier yesterday too. They have to get their delivery together! It show's Valentines articles and I recieved it on Feb 21st.........a little too late for Valentines. If your reading Michael, isn't there something you can do to speed up your delivery system?

[tan319]

So, I can be expecting to see one pop in my mail box soon?

I agree with you. Wendy.

It's a really fine read.

I recieved my 4th issue yesterday in the mail. I'm still really digging this publication! But I have my first complaint..........I want 12 issues a year not 4!!!

I found myself staying up late last night just to research the things I saw. I really got hooked into the demo on "Showpieces on the fly" by Stephane Treand and Michael Joy. Check it out!!! It's so simple and brilliant, typical of Treand..........

So I checked out http://www.chicagomoldschool.com website further. Lots of incredible photos to study there. It's really fasinating and educational at the same time. In a strange co-incidence I just purchased Joy's book on Monday thru JB Prince (haven't recieved it yet) and this article shows up........I'm so excited to learn about this.

What's so cool is that the articles the magazine is writing/producing are even better then the exerpts from the established magazines they feature.

Again, hats off to Mitch Stamm for a really clear article on brioche.....it's as good if not better then anything I've seen on the topic in any book. What book tells you the correct settings for your proof box?..........none I know of!

The credits list En-Ming Hsu and Chris Northmore as pastry advisors.........I can't wait to see some articles from Hsu. I hope she'll be more visibly active.....?

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[kaneel]

I got mine yesterday ....this i my second one.

I actually thought it was a one time only thing but of coursr i am not complaining at all

Those are the cakes i would love too be able to make ....more tools of course

[duckduck]

Michael Joy's book is so worth the money. You're going to enjoy it, Wendy. Went and looked up the recipe for the cover of this issue and found the website lists the dragon ball recipe with a photo as well. I really enjoyed Kanjiro's flavors and textures. Some of his stuff is really delicate and just delightful.

http://www.dobla.com/IRecipe.aspx?id=118&c...iro%20Mochizuki

(There's a place to click on the top right corner to change it to english.)

Edited February 22, 2006 by duckduck (log)

[sanrensho]

http://www.dobla.com/IRecipe.aspx?id=118&c...iro%20Mochizuki

(There's a place to click on the top right corner to change it to english.)

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Thanks for posting this. I really need to explore that site more. The PDF link ("Download recept") gives the recipe in English.

Edited February 22, 2006 by sanrensho (log)

[nightscotsman]

I downloaded the Dragon Ball recipe, but most of the instructions are covered with a bunch of giberish characters. Anybody else have this problem? I'd just like to know how the thing is assembled.

[sanrensho]

I downloaded the Dragon Ball recipe, but most of the instructions are covered with a bunch of giberish characters. Anybody else have this problem? I'd just like to know how the thing is assembled.

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I am sending you a PM, as I believe it would infringe on eGullet's copyright rules if I posted the exact directions.

Edited February 22, 2006 by sanrensho (log)

[duckduck]

This is the one he did at the forum this summer. I could go back to my notes but off the top of my head, he made the isomalt balloon and cut a small hole in the bottom and put layers inside of mousse and ice cream. I do remember him using a Liss cream whipper for one of the layers because I remember him saying that he couldn't get the cartridges for it in Japan. He was joking about wondering what they would do if he tried to fly back with a bunch of them in his suitcase.

After filling it, he flipped it over onto a plate with a thin custard layer that kept the filling from running out. That one dessert was the one that made me so pissed that all my photos post black. I wanted to show the before and after photos when he cracked it. It was pretty cool.

[duckduck]

So, speaking of the dessert on the cover of this issue, how do you get that clean of a cut on a dessrt like that?

[Wendy DeBord]

I also checked out the recipe from the cover...........that's whats so fun/cool........theres good details worthy of researching.

O.k...............I don't get it..........the attraction for the dragon ball. I mean I get the interest in how it's made, but I can't imagine eating it no matter how thin the sugar is. How do you avoid getting shards of the isomalt in your bites?

Duckduck, ......... for the most part you get those clean slices if your cutting thru a semi frozen item verses a fresh/soft cake.

[duckduck]

The ball was very thin and there were shards in it but they were thin enough that it just added a little bit of crunch. I remember being surprised that they didn't add flavor being isomalt but the ice cream flavor pretty much took center stage. And a point for serving, he said he breaks it table side and then sets it in front of the customer so it won't splash the customer if the ice cream has melted a bit. One of the things I remember standing out about that dessert was the nibs. I believe they were Felchlin and they weren't gritty at all and were much better that others I've had. I'll start another thread but I have a difficult time sourcing some of his ingredients.

[tan319]

My copy arrived today and it's looking extremely good.

Nice stuff!

[tan319]

I'm on the first stage of the brioche recipe in the new issue ( refrigerator overnight) and found it pretty winning.

Just thought I would try it as a change from my usual one.

My thoughts on the instruction so far are that, for any semi pros or amateur bakers, that it assumes

that you would add flour ( very little at a time) at the last stage until you "clean" the sides of the bowl , and that you could work the dough maybe a bit too long to get it "greaseless" on the sides.

That might be achieved easier if you're using "euro" style butter but many may not?

I made a lot of brioche when I worked with French bakers and picked up some tips like those I mentioned.

The recipe is very much like I learned from them.

The texture of the dough after the initial one hour fermentation is pretty impressive.

[boulak]

Ted, I'm glad that you tried the dough and that you like it, however, I am not clear on what you are saying. The method of preparation below the recipe says to add all dry ingredients. I have not made this permutation of brioche without european style butter, so I can't speak to that. I have not had a problem of over developing the dough, but when I have those concerns with enriched dough, I mix for three to four minutes on second speed before incorporating the butter just as in the Pastry's Best article. Then, half of the butter is incorporated on first speed; when the butter is incorporated and the bowl is grease free, I mix for four minutes on second speed again. Back to first speed for the remainder of the butter until it is incorporated and the bowl is once again grease free; back on second speed for four minutes. Typically, a windowpane test at this point will indicate sufficient development. Does that address your comment or am I missing something?

[tan319]

Ted,  I'm glad that you tried the dough and that you like it, however, I am not clear on what you are saying.  The method of preparation below the recipe says to add all dry ingredients.  I have not made this permutation of brioche without european style butter, so I can't speak to that.  I have not had a problem of over developing the dough, but when I have those concerns with enriched dough, I mix for three to four minutes on second speed before incorporating the butter just as in the Pastry's Best article.  Then, half of the butter is incorporated on first speed; when the butter is incorporated and the bowl is grease free, I mix for four minutes on second speed again.  Back to first speed for the remainder of the butter until it is incorporated and the bowl is once again grease free; back on second speed for four minutes.  Typically, a windowpane test at this point will indicate sufficient development.  Does that address your comment or am I missing something?

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That first to second speed shifting to first is a great idea, thanks for relating that.

I don't usually windowpane dough, as I learned a more "overall" feel for the dough itself from my French friends.

The adding all of the dry was spot on, not criticising that ( nor anything else, I think).

I didn't use european style butter today but didn't see that as a problem.

I suppose I just wanted to spell out in this forum for anybody who has suscribed to Pastry's Best but may not have pro experience a couple of things that will help them better understand a pretty foolproof excellent recipe.

[boulak]

Ted,

I did not mean to suggest that I thought you were criticizing the method or anything else contained in the article. Your analysis that the article is slanted towards professionals is an accurate one. I did try to present the information in a manner such that a pastry professional not fully versed in yeasted products and/or dough development could follow the recipe. Your idea of presenting it here in the pastry forum for less experienced bakers is a great one, and I had not thought of that. The principles of writing the article and the forum are the same: the sharing of information and experience. To that end, and allotted space in the magazine, some information was not included (by me), such as the sugar content could be as high as 20%, and that the eggs and butter could each be as high as 80% -- all percentages based on the weight of the flour -- for products such as brioche mousseline. This seems to be an inherent difficulty with writing articles; the space is limited and determining what is included and what is excluded can be the hardest part of the process.

All of that aside, I check almost every type of dough I make for development with a windowpane test. There are many doughs that do not get developed all of the way during mixing. For example, the very wet doughs that receive one or multiple stretch and folds over a long fermentation will continue to develop throughout the process, and I check them to to see just how underdeveloped/developed they are.

I appreciate your comments as they have forced me to think about things in a different perspective, and I am thankful for a site like the forum where all ideas/posts are equal. That is how we grow and improve as bakers and professionals.

[Wendy DeBord]

Any insight as to how Pastry's Best is choosing it's articles and who/what they feature? I don't know anything about the publisher..........so I'm curious how he's so spot on with what pro's want. Are you around Dave?

[tan319]

boulak,

Can you explain the "windowpane" process, how it works?

I fully understand what you mean about writing an article and am not sure that the authors of articles in Pastrys Best should change anything to cater to anyone, anymore than Thuries or any of the international mags are going to change anything.

The mag is really great and I think we all look forward to it arriving when it does!

[boulak]

Ted,

To check a dough for development using the windowpane test, take a piece of dough and stretch it as thin as you can and note what appears like filaments. As I said in a previous post, most doughs are not mixed to full development on the mixer, so it's a good test to determine just how developed the dough is. Like most other decisions made while baking, empirical data come into play. Experience is truly the best teacher. I uploaded two phots into my Image gullet files, but do not have the experience or the empirical data to move them to this post. Please feel free to empower yourself as a host to move them into the post or you may examine them there. They are photos from the article and are an exaggeration of how I normally evaluate a dough. Brioche is one of the doughs that I like to mix to full development on the mixer, and the photos illustrate that. Typically, sweetened and/or enriched doughs are mixed to development; breads like ciabatta, baguette, etc. are not. Of course, there are exceptions as with any generalization.

(Photos edited in by Wendy)