We set up our stations and then measured out the ingredients for a Genoise cake (sponge cake). The first step for this cake was to whip the sugar and eggs over a bain marie (water bath) at a temperature of 110 F. This process took a lot of arm muscle and time to whip the mixture to the proper consistency and colour. When you have a nice pale yellow and the proper consistency you are done. The next step was to add the sifted cake flour and fold it in. Then melted butter and melted vanilla. Once all ingredients were mixed together, it was put in to a butter floured cake pan and baked in the oven at 350 F.
Next we made some chocolate mousse. Butter and semi-sweet chocolate are melted over a bain marie. While the chocolate was melting, I whipped together sugar and 35% cream making sure not to over mix. With a clean and dry wire whip I whipped up the egg whites forming a nice stiff peak.
One of the students was having problems with getting the egg whites to whip up properly. It was discovered that there was water in the egg whites and that was the reason for them not whipping. A wire whip that was not completely dry. Baking is a science, so it's very important to remember exact measurements and exact procedures for mise en place. Anything not done exactly as called for could be the cause of a negative end result.
To make the chocolate mousse, the chocolate butter mixture was added to the egg whites and combined together. This mixture was then added to the sugar cream mixture and folded in and mixed to a creamy texture. The chocolate mousse now needed to be put into a pipping bag and put in the refrigerator to cool for use later in the day.
We had made banana bread on day 21. We each had put aside a loaf in the refrigerator to be made in to a bread pudding. With half the loaf I made a bread pudding by mixing cream, vanilla and egg yolks, adding a pinch or two of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and about a half loaf of the banana bread loaf cut in to cubes. This was then poured into a loaf pan and baked in the oven 350 F.Chef asked up to get out our ring moulds so that we could get started on our mousse desert. We got our Genoise cakes and sliced the top off. About a 1/4 of an inch. We used our ring moulds to make the base of our chocolate mousse desert.
Chef showed us a technique to make a mould the same size as those made with the rings. We used semi-sweet chocolate that had been melted over a bain marie to create the mould that would be positioned on the Genoise cake base. We then two uncompleted deserts back in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set inside the ring moulds. While waiting for the chocolate to set we made a berry coulis.
Making a berry coulis is very simple. Add mixed berries to a sauce pan and add some water and sugar. If you like it tart, don't add so much sugar. Cook the mixture on the stove over a high heat until the berries have broken down and the sauce has started to reduce. At this point remove from the heat and pour it the sauce in to a bowl. Take an immersion blender to it to break the berries down further. Strain the mixture back in to the sauce pan to remove any seeds from the berries. Place back on heat and reduce further until you get a nice consistency that coats a spoon. We strained the sauce again and poured it in to a squeeze bottle and put it in the refrigerator to be used for plating our chocolate mousse deserts.
As always the last thing to do in the kitchen is to clean. Pots, pans, dishes, utensils, and kitchen tools were all washed, Table tops sanitized and floors swepted and then washed. At the end of the day, my body was tired and I was ready to put my feet up for a good rest.
I'm too tired to do any homework today.
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