"Break this tired old routine. . . "

It has been a while, hasn't it? 


I find myself in a state of flux.  Since I last posted, jobs have come and jobs have gone.  Issues have arisen and issues have put themselves to bed.

What I am sure of is that I know my next step.  Finally, after 6 years of being both a restaurant pastry chef and a pastry instructor I have concluded that the time has come to choose between the two.  And I have chosen teaching.  An easy decision this most certainly was not.  And an easy transition it hasn't been and it probably won't be.  I must focus on one though.  For my career.  For my future.  For my students.  For my knowledge base.  For my life.  For my relationship.  For my sanity.

KWCE: Done

KWCE III

Passion fruit curd . . . check.
Lemon rosemary curd . . . check.
Bailey's pastry cream . . . check.
Almond praline powder . . . check.
Mise for praline buttercream . . . check.
Tired . . . check.

KWCE II

Two days ago I baked:
6 layers of coconut cake

Yesterrday I baked:
chocolate Guinness cake layers

Today I baked:
lemon cake layers
carrot cake layers
vanilla cake layers

Tomorrow I make:
passion fruit curd
lemon curd
Bailey's pastry cream
maybe some Swiss buttercream--should do this at work considering I need 15 or so pounds of it.  Perhaps I will push this to Friday.  Ever the procrastinator.

Pineapple Jam

I have just begun (with 6 days remaining) Kristy's Wedding Cake Extravaganza.



The glory of having my new job is that when we are slow, I can come home. Don't have to wait around and plod through service every night. Since I was out early after brunch (today's pastries: cheddar-apple scones. pear and dried fruit compote filled puff pastry turnovers, coffee muffins with espresso glaze, and pumpkin-cinnamon rolls), I came home and made pineapple jam for the filling in the two carrot cakes for KWCE. Going to try to bake a few layers tonight of whichever cake I have ingredients for here in the house. Looking around I think I might be SOL. Gotta hit Costco on the way home tomorrow . . . .


Pineapple Jam
1 large pineapple
3# sugar
2 pouches liquid pectin (2 come in one box)
couple of pinches of kosher salt
optional:
     1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
     cinnamon
     allspice
     clove
     ginger
     nutmeg
     black pepper
     lime zest
1. Clean and rough chop pineapple. Pulse in food processor until finely chopped. Measure out 1# 5 1/2 ounces pineapple. (Utilize the remainder in fancy rum drinks that are suitably garnished with an umbrella or use to construct a marinade for skirt or flank steak.) Place the pineapple in a large saucepan. Add sugar, salt, and spices as you desire.

2. Bring to a boil that you can't stir down.

3. Add the liquid pectin. Stir. Return to the boil and keep it there for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Jar and process according to USDA guidelines or pour into heatproof containers, cool slightly, cover, refrigerate, and use within 3 weeks.

K's Wedding Cake Extravaganza

K has a great idea for her wedding cake.  We are going to make five different retro cakes each with a bit of a twist.  Her aunt has located a variety of antique cakestands on which to display the cakes.  This is gonna be fun.

The Wedding Cake--3"/6"/9" layers, coconut cake with passion fruit curd, coconut Swiss buttercream, topped with coconut


2-8" round carrot cakes with pineapple preserves, cream cheese icing, finished with toasted walnuts

2-8" square Guinness chocolate cakes, raspberry filling, chocolate icing, fresh raspberriess

2-8"ish hearts almond daquoise; prailine and chocolate Swiss buttercream; toasted, natural sliced almonds

2-8" round lemon cakes with rosemary infused lemon curd, lemon Swiss buttercream, rosemary deco

2-8" round caramel cakes with white cake layers, Bailey's Irish Cream pastry cream, caramel icing

My turn has come.