Poaching Pears and Meeting Celebs

Hi guys!!!

Welcome back!!! I'd like to apologize once again, for another late post. Time has been on the short side for me lately. We have entered the last week of February and days have been slipping by without any notice. My time in the kitchen has been very busy and it feels as though I close my eyes and I'm still there. As you can imagine, the baking of tartlets continues without hesitation and you'd think I'd be getting better, but no. At times, they're pretty and well baked, other times they break as soon as you remove the molds. However, I've discovered (after dozens of broken tart molds) that they bake evenly and do not crack if they remain at least 15 minutes in the fridge. We got used to making the dough and letting it rest in the kitchens back in school, but at times, when the hour is busy and desserts need to be finished ASAP, there's no time to chill the dough. Still, we've managed and have tried perfecting the method. 

I swear, they never end!!!

So, being most of the time away from my kitchen, I haven't had much opportunity to get messy and creative here at home, but I've managed to handle some baking orders and they've been a success. This past week, my aunt and her friend hosted a bridal shower for a friend (their goddaughter) and my aunt asked if I could provide some desserts. Because of my schedule, I had time to make just one. From my recent posts, you'd know my adoration for meringues, especially in the form of pavlovas. I took a leaf from my New Year's Desserts and decided to make mini pear pavlovas. Do you recall the ones I made? No? Well, they were a hit and to boost my ego a bit, I was very happy knowing they were a success at the shower. At least that's what guests told me. I guess it must be embarrassing and difficult to evaluate the dessert for the chef who made them, while she stares with longing eyes and a hopeful smile. I would, however, make a slight adjustment to the cooking of the meringue. When I made the nectarine pavlovas, I dried the meringue a bit too much. This time, the meringue needed to be a bit drier. They kinda stuck to the cupcake liners I'd placed them in after a while. Still, very good reviews on them and I'll keep experimenting with them until I can't stand the sight or smell of meringues anymore. I've been thinking about chocolate pavlovas. Yum, right?

Beautiful results!!!

Still on the meringue notes, I was ecstatic when I saw my wine poached pears the following morning. Absolutely beautiful, with a deep royal purple color all over. The smell was even better and we can't even explain the taste. The only spice I use when poaching them is anise; the seeds to be exact. They release enough flavor to compliment the wine, and not overwhelm it. You should try it yourself. 

The perfect shade of purple

The weekend came and went by and Monday morning, on my fabulous day off, I made my way to the hospital hosting the Operation Smile International Mission 2013 to help out. I'd been an active volunteer for many years, with different organizations, but I am proud to say I was a full active member for Op. Smile for 4 years and even served as President at our High School's youth club in 2006-2007. It was my first mission in 6 years and it brought back bittersweet and joyful memories. To my greatest delight, I found myself in the company of a celebrity, of whom I am a HUGE fan: Zachary Levi. Yes, I know...it's just too exciting. With pictures I'll treasure forever, there's one thing I can cross off my bucket list. I finally met Chuck Bartowski!!! 

Goofing off during a break!!! Gotta love him... :)

But we're back to reality. The hour grows late and I'll be heading to bed soon. Another busy day awaits me tomorrow and I've just finished baking a batch of brownies and crêpes I'll be donating to the Operation Smile mission. Good night guys!!!

Until next time.

xx

To Infinite Tartlets and Beyond!!!

Hi guys!!!

Welcome back!!! Hope you all had a relaxing weekend. I spent mine baking tartlets for most of it. After the first few trays, trust me, you don't want to make anymore. 

So, last week we celebrated Valentine's Day worldwide. It was a busy day in the kitchen, preparing the desserts for the celebrations. The special of the day: Fraisiers. I trust you recall them, from my previous posts. It was one of the exam desserts for Intermediate Patisserie. A fraisier, typically, is made with a genoise sponge, creme mousseline and strawberries, of course. We tweaked the style a bit. Because the weather here is more on the hot and humid side, the mousseline has trouble keeping its consistency, hence why we opted to use Chantilly cream instead. And, I mean, Chantilly and strawberries make a great dessert, don't you think?

Strawberry Scrumptiousness

So, apart from the thousand tartlets I make daily (they really are a much lower number...) and the other chocolatey desserts involved, I spent V-Day in the kitchen, preparing individual fraisiers. They looked absolutely divine. And boy were they popular. I showed up the following day and found an empty dessert fridge ready to be refilled. So more chocolate mousse, more crème brûlée, more tartlets (naturally) and more fraisiers. Friday's batch was much prettier and by Saturday they were gone. Now, you'd think I'd be gaining pounds by the second, working in Pastry, but the truth is, I find myself thirsty most of the time. There's too much sugar around me. With a bottle of water next to me at all times is how I spend my days in the kitchen. 

Les Petits Fraisiers

It's funny how time flies. I dreaded starting the week, as I'd be working for seven days straight, 8-9 hours standing, with a hot oven behind me. Now it's Monday again and finally, a day off. My schedule has also changed and I won't be going in at noon. It's an 8 o'clock start for me now. Personally, I prefer this change. For some reason, you don't feel time pass in the morning. It happened the other day, as I looked at my watch and realized it was already 2 pm and it had felt like half an hour had passed since I got in. It's a busier time in the kitchen as well, so probably why I don't realize the time. 

Weather here is getting hotter and the other day I got home around 1o pm...a little late for actual dinner. I saw a watermelon at work earlier and I was craving the fruit so badly. I guess my dad reads my food thoughts, because he bought one that day. I would have waited for it to chill, but my tummy was grumbling and complaining about being empty, so I went ahead and murdered the melon. Wow...it was like a a gulp of fresh water after a day at the beach. Weird analogy, but that's what it felt like. It was red, juicy, sweet and oh! so delicious. 

Watermelon: the epitome of fresh delights

Lately, I've found that my creativeness has been overrun by thoughts of work and the dreaded fruit tartlets I have to make daily, however, I made two things I'd never made before this past week. And both went hand in hand. Firstly, I made raspberry jam (Honduran raspberries are quite acid, but it was fantastic!!!) and secondly, I filled my first Sacher Torte (ever) with it. I know...a pastry chef who has never attempted making raspberry jam or a Sacher Torte before. Remember, I only just became an official Chef and I'm more willing to try new things now, than I did before. Now, sadly, one of the two ovens in use is broken, so we have to work with one oven, both Cuisine and Pastry and there hasn't been a day I haven't complained to my boss about it. They keep ruining my things!!! Because of this, my Sacher Torte came out a bit too tight, due to high temperatures, but the jam was great. Overall, the taste was nice and both cakes were gone. 

So, on my next day off (hopefully this coming Sunday), I'll make a mess of my kitchen to create something new or try something different. For the time being, I need to cope with the idea of making those tartlets on a daily basis and find a way to enjoy it. Hehehehe. 

Anyway, thanks again for stopping by. I'll keep you updated on my pastry kitchen adventures. 

Until next time.

xx

P.S I'll be posting some recipes for jam, Sacher Torte and Fraisiers in the following posts, so be sure to stop by. 

Certified Pastry Chef. Not bad, eh?

Hi guys!!!

Welcome back. Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the delay in my post. My current employment has been keeping me rather busy. Also, my wanting to experiment with carambolas failed, as I haven't been home long enough to try and make something with them; my family's been enjoying them though. Last I checked, there were 4. Still, I'm sure to find more and I'll experiment then.

Now, it was a lovely surprise last week, when my dad handed over a brown envelope to me. Curious to see what it was, I opened it. I was sure I'd receive it at some point, but they were quick. The school has sent me my Patisserie Diploma Qualification from the NCFE and I am more than happy to acknowledge that yes, I am a pastry chef, but that my diploma is certified. So, I guess I am at liberty to say that I am a certified Pastry Chef. Cool, right?!

Happy moments deserve a happy dance!!!

Because of my work schedule, I haven't been very active in my own kitchen, messing it up and letting my creativeness flow. I get home very late, by which time, all I wish to do is get ready for bed. Getting up in the morning is tough now, but I manage. Still, I'm glad to know I still have fans. I've been asked to prepare small desserts for two upcoming weddings. What I will make is still in the brainstorming room. I still have certain doubts regarding my abilities, but only trying will I know, so I'll keep you updated on my culinary adventures. Heads up: mango season approaches. Get ready for some fruity, messy sweets!!!

On a canine note, we're all very happy at home, as the puppies have opened their eyes and are already taking their first steps. I cracked up last night, as I heard them fighting. They're all so tiny and so feisty. I can't wait for them to be a month old. They'll be growing their teeth very soon. I'm guessing my mom won't be too happy, as it's the furniture they're gonna target. 

Anyhow, thanks for stopping by. Again, sorry for the late and short post. I'll make sure to capture priceless moments in the kitchen this week. 

Until next time.

xx

Ginger Infused February Delights

Hi guys!!!

Welcome back. It's Monday again and we prepare to meet the week. Despite the fact that it is a Monday, you can't complain when this greets your morning. My apologies for you who are experiencing harsh winter weathers. I'm willing to trade places. I love winter.

Beautiful, cloudless Tegucigalpa sky

As we enter the second month of the year, the time to decipher what we need to accomplish this year is shortly coming to an end. A year old and hopefully, wiser, I find myself pondering on how I wish my future to develop. As we graduated and parted ways after school, most of us encountered a big problem in our career: getting that first job. I guess I can speak freely in the name of the majority when I say we have little or no experience working in kitchens before. How then do we get that job? No company is willing to sponsor your naiveté of the kitchen world and recruit you as a member of their team. They fail to see a detail we haven't taken for granted: How did YOU get a job in the first place?

When you ask the question, you most likely will get ignored or presented with a far-fetched story of stardom and whatnot. Truth is, the opportunity presents itself at the right place, at the right time. However, we have to be vigilant, ready, with eyes wide open, ready to catch it. I guess what I'm trying to say is let's remain positive and confident in our abilities and skills to know that the job we want will be the job we get. Maybe not the first, second, third or tenth, but eventually we'll get there. I am about to venture into my first official job and cross your fingers I'll do well. But enough boring talk. 

Last week I made a promise to us, that I'd quench my curiosity with ginger and peaches. I got pretty close, as I used nectarines instead. Ever since I made poached pears for the first time (December 2011), I've been fascinated with wine poaching. It seems a tad unvaried and monotonous, but to be honest the technique is great and you get to explore with different flavors and spices. So what was this week's experiment?

What do you think?

Ginger, Nectarine Mini Pavlovas. Yup, it sounds that good, right?! So then I proceeded to do some initial research to not make my experiment a complete fail. I found several recipes on gingered poached peaches, but I then opted to change my course. I poached them in a sweet wine, a Muscat wine, with orange and lemon and a hint of vanilla. I left them soaking the liquid overnight, at room temperature and popped them in the fridge the following afternoon. Mid-morning I proceeded to make the mini pavlovas. I hadn't satiated my craving for ginger, so I decided to make ginger and cinnamon meringues. Both spices are overpowering, and I did not want the taste overall to be a mouthful of spices, so I stuck to small, equal amounts of each and they complimented themselves well. To fill them up, I also included ginger and cinnamon into a cream, but this time, the cinnamon taste was predominant. Together, the meringue base, the cream and poached peaches made for a lovely dessert. So say my relatives, who were my guinea pigs. My grandmother insisted on saying the ginger was not perceived in the meringue. A small mistake I made was not trying the dessert together. I merely tasted the components separately. On its own, the meringue does have the ginger taste, but I shall have to try it with the rest.

Try out my recipe at the end, and let me know what you think.

Further more, I've been thinking about new experiments to try. My grandmother gave me a bunch of carambolas (aka star fruit) and I haven't decided if I want to make a tropical cheesecake, a curd or jam. They'd all be lovely alternatives to each other and will all be golfed down quickly. Mind you, that isn't a backhanded compliment to my culinary abilities, but to the delicious and refreshing taste of the fruit. If you have at home and aren't willing to be adventurous in the kitchen, simply slice them up, spice them with salt, pinch pepper, some cumin and lemon juice and trust me, you're in for a treat! Same goes for green mangoes!!!

On a more literary note, I've been meaning to reach out to those who enjoy reading and books and I'd like to give a shout out to some of the works I gobbled up this past year.  I'll dispense with the widely known copies (The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments series, The Casual Vacancy...all great books, but I'm sure you knew that) and I'll dig into the lesser known. I can't recall ever mentioning The Night Circus to you. If I have, my apologies, but if I haven't then here it goes. I am a huge Harry Potter fan, so a fact you can deduce is a love for magic, imagination and fantastical fiction. The author is Erin Morgenstern. If you are a fan of these genres, then go out and pick yourself a copy. If it's humor and romance you're after, then  check out The Greatest Love Story of All Time by Lucy Robinson. I promise you'll be laughing your heart out within the first five pages. I also had the pleasure of reading a romantic and finding-yourself kind of book, Foreign Tongue by Vanina Marsot. It is a beautifully written story that will have you in tears. 

Then again, you don't have to. After all, you came here to read about my messy kitchen stories. :) So, I'll keep an eye out for a good rosquillas recipe and I'll inform you about my job adventures. 

Until next time.

xx

P.S KEEP READING... the recipe follows shortly.

The Messy Chef's Ginger Nectarine Mini Pavlovas

Serves 26

White Wine Poached Nectarines

8 nectarines, not overly ripe

6 slices orange

2 slices lemon

1/3 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp

1 750 ml bottle Muscat wine

1/3 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

Ginger Meringue Base 

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

5 egg whites

¾ cup, plus 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

pinch of salt

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Cinnamon-Ginger Cream Topping

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. heavy cream

2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp cinnamon*

½ tsp ginger*

*you can adapt the measurements to suit your taste.

Preparation:

White Wine Poached Nectarines:

In a pan, large enough to have them in a single layer, place the nectarines, the orange and lemon slices and the sugar. Pour over them, the Muscat wine and the water. On low heat, allow to simmer with lid on, for an approximate 25 minutes. The nectarines should be holding their shape. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla extract and allow to cool without the lid. They can be made up to 3 days ahead, kept in the fridge to maintain them fresh.

Once in use, cut the nectarines in thin slices to adorn the pavlovas. Reduce the poaching wine to thin syrup by simmering on low to medium heat for approximately 20 minutes. 

Ginger Meringue Base:

Preheat oven to 300° F /150° C. Prepare trays with baking/parchment paper and trace 26 5 cm circles. Be sure to turn the paper over. Place egg whites, brown sugar, salt, ginger and cinnamon in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed until well combined. Make sure no sugar lumps remain. Increase speed to medium; beat until soft peaks form, about 9 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add the confectioner's sugar. Continue beating until peaks are stiff and glossy, about 2 minutes more.  Then beat in the vinegar and vanilla.

Fix a pastry bag with an 11mm open star tip and fill halfway with meringue. It allows for better management of the bag. Using the tracing as a guide, pipe a rosette and continue along the edges, overlapping the rose to create a well.

Like so

Place trays in oven. Reduce the temperature to 250° F/130° C and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Please note that this will result in a firmer meringue, not the traditional pavlova meringue, which is softer and just about set. If you wish to have this instead, bake the meringues for 50-60 minutes. 

Allow to cool and remove from parchment/baking paper. If not using them immediately, store in an airtight container. 

Cinnamon-Ginger Cream Topping:

In mixer bowl with whisk attachment, beat the topping ingredients to a stiff peak. 

Assembly:

Place meringue bases onto plates. Using a pastry bag with same 11mm open star tip, pipe rosettes with the cream into the meringue wells. A small rosette is enough to compliment the meringue. Adorn with 2 or 3 thin nectarine slices on top. Pour 1/2 Tbsp. of wine syrup on top. Serve with extra nectarine slices and a some additional cream.

Enjoy!!!