Basic - Half Way Through!

So I am half way through with Basic. I am happy but at the same time kind of sad, happy because I am enjoying it so much. I don't think I have been so happy at school ever. And sad at the same time because time has gone by so fast, that in one more month it will be over.
For our 10th lesson we got biscuit and meringue petits fours (small cakes or cookies). Everyone was excited about this demo, since we would finally learn how to do the famous macarons. The chef worked through four recipes: Palets aux raisins (Raisin biscuits or cookies), Cigarettes, Macarons, and Batons de marechaux (Marshals' Batons).

Palets aux Raisins (and without raisins too):

    

This are good, but kind of plain, not so much to it other than just cookies.

Cigarettes:

    

The Cigarettes, are very tricky to make since you have the hot discs out of the oven , and you have to roll them while piping hot, other wise they will harden and crack before you shape them. These are very good, and very crispy. Mainly used to garnish ice creams.

Macarons (with chocolate ganache filling):

   

The macarons are not difficult to make, but you have to be very careful in following steps exactly as required to be able to achieve that smooth top. The macarons where very good, they were crunchy in the inside, and nice and moist in the inside, and the chocolate ganache was very good too, since it wasn't so sweet.

Batons de Marechaux (Almond meringue sticks):

     

And of course "la degustation" cannot be forgotten:

We had the practical 3 days after the demo, so I was beginning to feel that I might forget something since so many days have passed, but luckily I felt better just as I went over my notes. Like I mention these are not real difficult or time consuming recipes.
The real defining thing here was the piping of the items, since that will be what makes a difference between a good and bad result.

     

Mine came out pretty descent, with minor presentation details, but over all good!

     

So after completing already half of Basic Pastry, I am more motivated than ever, and so happy to be doing this. It is the best thing I have ever done, and is a thousand times better than I though it was going to be. Lets keep it up for the second half!!!

Is this really a Pear Tart??

Well I started another week, and I started school on a Tuesday, which threw me off a bit in knowing which it was. I had demo, and practical in the same day, which I like because the demo is still fresh on my mind, and that way I get it just done.
This demo for this week covered sweet pastry dough, which meant more tarts. The chef did some Caramelized Pear and Crisp Almond Crust Tart and Honey Filled Barquettes. Both names are not a real match to what he did. The Honey Filled Barquettes are filled in reality with sliced almonds, I mean the filling does have honey in it, but they are not only filled with honey as the name implies. I really liked these, because they are relatively simple and easy to make. The pear tart although it does has pears on the filling, once you eat it, the dominant flavor is not the pears. The filling has raisins, as well as black currants, and both really overpower the flavor of pear, so I would not call this a pear tart at all. Plus the black currants will paint all the filling purple, even though you just kind of sprinkle them on top of the filling. Anyway the tart is really good, but still unsure on what I could call it.

     

Tarte Meringue aux Poires Caramelisees

Barquettes au Miel

     

And, of course, the best part of every class "la degustation", I think I like it more every class!!

This week I only had one practical which is a nice breather from eating all these things on a regular basis, although is just for this week, since next week, I will be having 4 practicals!!

Anyhow this practical went smooth, and people seems to be getting the hang of things, since everyone in class did a pretty good job in the tarts this time. Since we had some death time while we waited for our tarts to bake, the chef showed us how to do some decorations in chocolate, and it looked so easy while he was doing it. He later asked us to practice, so we could start getting a feel on handling chocolate, and wow!!! It is soooo hard, the first time I tried, the chocolate was to hard (cold) and was really hard to get it running smoothly. On my second try now the chocolate was too runny (hot), and everything I did would just spread, and not hold its shape. Putting that aside, the making of the patterns is very hard too, since you have to use both your hands to  be more precise, and then be somehow descent in drawing to do this patterns, and even more for them to be uniform all the way through. I definitively need to practice this A LOT MORE!!

the Chef's sample designs

My very awful attempt!!

    

My tart came out really good. I couldn't resist and ate a piece, as soon as I got home after I backed it. It was still warm, it was so good!

Palais de l'Elysee

Ok, so I am finally going to put my last post regarding the Patrimony Days. On Sunday I went to the Palais de l'Elysee, which is the President's House here in France, and is only open once a year, so there was no question I HAD TO go.
So there I go Sunday morning. The place was to be open at 8:30, so I got there by 7:45 thinking I should find many people. Ohhhh boy!!!! Was I wrong about that. There was a line going all the way from the President's House to the Place de la Concorde, which might be only one block, but is a really looooong block. Anyway I get in line thinking I have about a hour before they open, maybe another hour for me to go in, I will wait 2 hours tops, not so bad. So I get my book out, and start reading, as we waited, and move forward once in a while. By the time we are a bit over half the line form when I got there I checked my watch, and realized I had been in line for 3 hours already!!!!! What??!!!! I could believe that. Then I figured I have been in line for 3 hours already, there is no point in leaving now, I didn't waste three hours here for nothing, so I waited. To make matters worse, this day was the coldest Paris has been since I got here, and besides that after being so many hours just standing there, I was freezing cold!!!
I had to wait 4 1/2 hours!!!!! Before I could actually go inside the fence.

I was cold, and not very happy after waiting for sooo long!!

Finally I got inside!!! Sadly only to find myself still in line for about one more hour.

      

It was after 1 pm when I finally made it inside the actual building:

Salon d'argent:

     

Salon a manger Paulin

Ceiling Detail

     

Biblioteque:

     

Salon des Aides de Camp

Salon des Ambassadeurs

     

Salon des Portraits

   

Salon Dore - President's Office

Vestubule d'honneur:

Even though it wasn't the last place to visit in the house I left it for the end, because I think is the most beautiful room in the house, and the set up is very impressive. La Salle des fetes:

      

     

     

     

It was very impressive, to see how beautiful they set up the room, and while we where waiting on the garden, they were showing a video on how they set up this tables, such as that everything has to be aligned, and spaced exactly right, and center, so everything is symmetrical and in the perfect location.

I really like getting to know the President's House, I will not do the whole waiting for hours thing, buy I am glad I did!!