Tarts! Pies! and Quiches! OMG and FLAMBE!? HAHAHA!

OMG it's been sooooooooooo long..My apologies =) alot has happen the past month plus...with me having a short break after graduating my first 3 months at the academy (even though I went back a lot 'winks')...and little surprises during the holidays =)..to starting classes again with new chef..clap clap..to the Chinese New Year preparation..and then the passing of my dearest grandma =)..I shall make a post for her and the cakes she loves =)...to friends farewells and so on....finally having a little motivation to continue to blog again =)..

Yes yes I know I'm far behind in blogging, with mountains of materials but not posting fast enough..well less talking now and more about the tittle =) So! in school we made all kinda tarts..I always thought tarts were with furly sides like what I use to see in recipe books..I've seen more modern ones but I can never find those darn molds! Finally at school I have the chance !

Smooth clean sides, perfectly circular, it looks like a perfect tart!..learning how to line the tart properly, baking it at the right temperature, avoiding shrinking and puffing of the tart at the wrong places, helped create the perfect tart shell..But of course working with sweet dough in our humid and HOT HOT weather is a pain in the butt, with lotsa practice we managed to handle it fast enough before it melts in our hands..

And of course it  would be any tart you want by just changing the filling but still using the same base..with some deco it could a special dessert all by itself =) and of course when you cut into the center of the tart it has all different layers and texture which you can see..make it all so interesting!

We also made pies and quiches (FINALLY something savory)..with a sweet and savory royale mix, that holds all the ingredients together..these two were different from tart dough because the texture is more flaky compared to the sweet dough which is more crumbly..you can choose to blind bake the dough first or just dump everything in together..it's entirely up to you depending what result you are going for =)

The one with the apple filling is obviously sweet,,the normade and the other is the quiche =)..all fillings are of your choice but due to the limited ingredients available at school we just used whatever savory item we can find! hahaha..

 

Lastly......I wanted to post this since the day I got these pictures =) CHEF showed us the FLAMBE! lol yes yes it's what you see on tv...the fella cooking in front of you..pouring some alcohol on top and lighting fire! hahaha and VUSH!!!!!!!!!! FIRE! FLAME! haha so we were all very excited to see chef do the demo and with cameras ready we took pictures as he was doing it =) I was standing right beside him..due to some TECHNICAL difficulties..the fan...lol the fire went a little out of hand and was right in front of my face..HHAHAHAHAHA everyone was stunted for a moment..but I was ALRIGHT don't worry..maybe lost some fine hair in the process lol! but at least I got a good picture =).

Hahaha it was an interesting experience...chef was explaining to us that this was one of the reasons he wanted to be bald..lol to avoid accidents lol!..well more fun stories about school soon! =) come back soon!

Time For Some Cakes =)

Oh yes it's that time again..=) hehe..and this time it's finally about cakes! Some of you might have been wondering..hrmmm why doesn't she make any cakes..after all it is the first thing that comes up when you think of desserts..Well truth to be told..cakes aren't the only sweet desserts available but it is the most loved and used in all occasion item..from birthday, weddings, gatherings and all sorts of celebration..which is one of the best used to sweeten up your happy moments ^^.

When I was young, like all Malaysian kids.. I've always thought a pretty chocolate cake with plastic cartoons on it..full of cream and chocolate and filled with those pink and white candles that symbolise my age was the BEST thing ever! Especially when mommy makes it =)...As the years went by and I got older, my perception on cakes has also evolved..from the time that you can serve me anything that's just filled with cream, sponge and chocolate to now looking at the number of layers, decoration, what's the ingredients used..going to work and school has definitely changed my world on cakes =) I'm nearly to a point that I would not want cake for my birthday..unless it's something I've never tried before or just damn good..and of course the numbers of candles has also increased..but mommy's cakes are still good..childhood nostalgia...^^

 

But I have to say birthday children are so much more lucky these days..they are spoiled for choice and so are those who are children by heart..You can get anything from all american style cake to any cartoon character made of sugar..how lucky eh? But ever since 3 months ago I've discovered a new style of cake that was new to me at least..the french style cakes  =)..It's very sophisticated, elegant and still sooooooo delicious on the taste buds..It's kinda like cake engineering..seeing layers and layers of different textures and taste that some how match when ate all together..yum yum!!! From mousses to ganache to fruit jellies and all sorts of biscuits..possibilities are endless! 

Of course since everything's so nice and sophisticated, keeping the layers clean and straight plays a very important role..not the same as the american style which is a delicious mess of goodness =)..Yes it may consume more time but the end result is very satisfying =) Just look at these examples..vanilla mousse with forest fruit jelly..

And of course like all cakes decoration plays a very important role =) It's the first that attracts us..to me I call it the visual tasting before actually eating it...Someone once to me when your cake looks nice, you've already won half the battle but still taste and texture are still number one on the list..Well let's just continue with more 'visual tasting' and please do come visit soon! =) oh yes the chocolate decorations are more advanced from the chocolate rice..haha!

YES! Chef Stephen Treand!!!!!! CELEBRITY in the pastry world =).."fans screamssss"

Chef Treand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yes a majorly famous chef in the pastry world..a MOF..one of the highest honors in the industry..He's such an amazing chef and a very fun person too!!! He came to the academy months ago for a special class on sugar and he showed us his amazing skill, especially his all so famous air-brushing! I was very excited to meet him after reading all about him on the internet =)..lol the power of the internet..but at the same time too nervous..because he was our actual first visiting chef and we weren't very familiar with him..would he be the usual chefs we see on tv? hrmmmmm..haha well believe me he was a very nice chef and was very generous sharing his techniques and experience he had overseas, competitions and  of course his funny jokes =) I really enjoyed his 4 days class..it opened up a whole new genre in the pastry world for me and I can't wait for his next visit next year!!!COME BACK SOON CHEF! =)

I took hundreds of photo! literally! lol I had to charge my camera everyday after school too! Well for this post let the pictures do the talking eh =)

 Chef's 'practice trial' OMG its already good enough for me!! =)

Cool no!?

And also tiger art =) Awesome!

Different pouring techniques ^^ this was the coolest Sphere! look like crystal no?

We told chef if he quit pastry he could do make-up for women! hehe..any girl would look pretty after he's done..LOL

One of my highlights of the class =) Chef's first cartoon! on our request lol JACK JACK!

I was helping him out with the cutting lol..need good eye eh?

Showing us the shading ..jack jack coming alive..

Chef did some pulling sugar too! it was HOT HOT HOT!

The LONG anticipated AVATAR =)

 Jack Jack was done! I helped with the pajamas =)

haha he's like the avatar too!  =)

Building up a showpiece..also jack jack's house =)

Pei Minn made one mini too! =)

See you soon chef! =)