Gateaux & Viennoiserie/Bread Exams

Last Thursday we finished up Level 1 with the Gateaux Exam.  I finished at a record-setting 11:36am.

We had to make the plain Genoise Cake, write “Happy Birthday” in fondant icing on a three inch mazipan plaque and make a marzipan rose.  I could have placed the decorative items ON the cake, but since I didn’t color the Marzipan, bland on bland wasn’t a look I wanted to go for.  And it wasn’t required.  Is deconstructed no longer en vogue?

Then we moved on to Level 2 with a new Chef Instructor and a new, much smaller classroom.  You could say the smaller space simulates the conditions we may one day find ourselves working in.   Fortunately there has been a lot of butt bumping butt and unfortunately the school does have plans to renovate the entire floor including the classrooms.

We worked on breads again including lean doughs this time (so no added fats, sugar, fruit/nuts).  It was pretty chaotic, as breads tend to be.  This baguette dough exploded while proofing overnight in the refigerator.

It was a short 5 day unit, and we had our Viennoiserie/Bread Exam today.

We did the croissants and scones already in Level 1, but the Petit Pain rolls were from Level 2.  I never thought I’d say it, but I can’t eat any more Pain au Chocolat right now.  So sad.

Next week: Petits Fours!