Day 19: My Very Own Toolbox

As the days come to an end for classroom theory we are all getting excited about entering in to the kitchen. But first we need to finish the last chapters of the textbook. Today we reviewed a few more chapters getting us another step closer to actually creating what we know as theory.

We completed chapters 29 to 31 in our textbooks ~ Bakeshop Production: Basic Principles and Ingredients, Yeast Products and Quick Breads. Baking is a science where exact measurements are necessary. A scale is used in baking for accuracy. I will need to bring mine in to class for use. There are about four scales in the kitchen for our class of 12 students.

With baking, if you add too much or too little of an ingredient or stir it too much or not enough, your product may not turn out as it should. Who wants a flat cake because you didn't put enough baking powder in it. I learned that if a recipe calls for cake flour, bread flour, or pastry flour that you should use that flour for best results. I've been using all-purpose flour which is fine. But it looks like I will be purchasing the three flours recommended for baking going forward. I love to bake and I'd like to get the best results.

With my textbook, I received a few online tools which are very handy. I have access online to all the recipes in the book. Included with the recipes are details such as the nutritional values, quick calculation of ingredient amounts when changing the quantity. I find this so handy. I don't need to carry around my heavy textbook. I can carry my mini laptop which is way lighter. I'm thinking I should try to get the recipes on my ipod.

Next week we will be in the kitchen. During the first two weeks, I will be working on my baking techniques. Did I tell you I love to bake? Chef gave us our recipes for our first week of baking. We have nine recipes ~ which works out to at least two recipes per day. Here's what I will be making next week: banana bread, biscuits, eclair paste (pate a choux), pastry cream, Genoise cake (sponge cake), chocolate mousse, focaccia, milk bread (used for cinnamon buns), and pretzels. I will be taking pictures of everything I make for my portfolio. The pictures will provide prospective employers with a good example of my plating and knife skills.

To end the day I received my very own toolbox filled with cooking tools. I took mine home to give a good wash before I use them next week. I already have about 90 per cent of the tools provided today in my own kitchen. Having doubles will allow me to practice my baking or cooking learned at school at home and not have to bring my tools to and from school every day.

I'm not doing any homework tonight ~ it's my last night of curling for the season.