After a wonderful week in Nice, we are back in the school grind making chocolate. We experimented with dark, milk and white chocolate. Tempering chocolate is an art form. The French take it very seriously. We even constructed handmade chocolate boxes to hold our handmade bon bon, chocolate bars, truffles, ferrier roches, and homemade marshmallows. Chocolate is very messy, but fun to work with. You need to constantly have your chocolate tempered to be able to work with it, and each type of chocolate has a different temperature because of the amount of cocoa that is in the chocolate. Chocolate is interesting to learn about. The process is like a fine wine.
The Perfecting class with Chef Nicolas made ice creams this week. Chef Nicolas is certified, and an expert in ice cream making, ice sculptures, and sugar pulling. He is trying to become a M.O.F. in ice cream and ice sculptures, so of course we know what a spectacular display of work it is. I was very jelloosss… of what they made. So was everyone else.
The Beginner Class made Gateau de Voyage, which basically is all different types of pound cakes. At the end of the week we all went to the bowling alley to have some fun. The town of Yssingeaux is so small you have limited things you can do, and the bowling alley is the place to be. It was also Karin’s birthday, so we had a nice celebration.
Our class showing our chocolate working.
I made a Chocolate Box out of Dark Chocolate. OMG the flower was hard to do.
This is my White Chocolate Box I made. I was trying an experiment. It did not hold up.
Perfecting class and their amazing Ice Cream display
Chef Nicholas Ice Sculpture that he bragged it took him 10 min to do.
Karin's birthday with Karin, Niki, Kate, and I
Christina (Italy), Noam (Tel a Viv), Tias (Brazil)
Kate, John (French Assistant at the school), Niki
Flo (Also a French Assistant and very good at sugar), Nora (Venezuela), and I
Christina (Italy), Luke (Australia), Noam (Tel a Viv) and me in the kitchen after bowling
Next week is Ice Cream and a trip to Le Puy
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